Family Shabbat

8:00 PM: PROGRAM
9:30 PM: REFRESHMENTS & RECEPTION
10:00 PM: SERVICE

As antisemitism rises in Canada and around the world, how can we stand together to protect our communities, uphold our values, and strengthen our democracy?

Join us for an important Tikkun Leil Slichot panel discussion featuring three leaders on the front lines of this fight: Deborah Lyons, former Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism; Michael Lee, former BC MLA who championed anti-hate crime legislation and the adoption of the IHRA definition; and Emet Davis, Director of Community Organizing Against Antisemitism at the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver.

The conversation will be moderated by journalist and ally Pat Johnson.

Together, they will explore the challenges, successes, and urgent work ahead in addressing antisemitism, building coalitions, and ensuring a safer future for all Canadians.

Free of charge.
Registration is required at: https://templesholombc.shulcloud.com/form/slichot-2025.html

Biographies:

* Deborah Lyons is a diplomat with 27 years ofprofessional experience in international relations, political affairs, securitymanagement, and development efforts.

In October 2023, Deborah Lyons was appointed by PrimeMinister Trudeau as the Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism andPreserving Holocaust Remembrance with both a domestic and internationalmandate. Special Envoy Lyons served in this role until July 2025. During this time, she led the Canadiangovernment effort to address the unprecedented rise in antisemitism both inCanada and globally. She established both a domestic and international team,collaborated regularly with Jewish community organizations, engaged provincialand municipal leaders in a broader effort, and worked closely with lawenforcement officials and educators across the country. Her team led the federalgovernment effort to produce the Canadian Government Handbook on the IHRA Definitionof Antisemitism, which is now being replicated by over 20 countries. Her team partneredwith other federal ministries to ensure antisemitism was well understood andresponded to in government policy, programming and workplace. Expanded researchon antisemitism in Canada, the Federal Forum on Antisemitism and LawEnforcement and the groundbreaking K-12 Study on Antisemitism in the School Systemwere hallmarks of her tenure.

In March 2020, Ambassador Lyons was appointed as theUnited Nations’ Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan andHead of (United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan)UNAMA. She completed her appointment in June 2022 after spending over two yearsleading the UN’s operations during this tumultuous period. She spearheaded theUN’s support to the peace efforts, increased regional cooperation onAfghanistan, led the preparations for the successful 2020 Afghanistan donorconference in Geneva, oversaw the UN’s continued operations after the Talibantakeover in August 2021, advocated for measures to stabilize the macroeconomicenvironment shaken by sanctions and facilitated sustained internationalengagement while serving as a strong and visible advocate for the rights of allAfghans.

Deborah Lyons served as Ambassador of Canada to Israel(2016-2020), as Ambassador to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (2013-2016),and as Deputy Ambassador at the Embassy of Canada in Washington (2010-2013).She has held several senior positions with Canada’s Department of GlobalAffairs, including Assistant Deputy Minister for Strategic Policy and Planningand Chief Strategist, Director-General for North America Commercial Affairs,and Director for International Finance. Immediately upon entering the foreignservice, she served in Tokyo for five years leading on relations with Japan inthe high-tech sector.

She has also worked with Canada’s Department of NaturalResources, the Privy Council Office, and the Atlantic Canada OpportunitiesAgency. Prior to joining the Government of Canada, Ambassador Lyons owned andmanaged an environmental consulting firm.

Ambassador Lyons was recognized for her work inAfghanistan, in the service of the Government of Canada, by the Community ofDemocracies during the UN General Assembly (UNGA) in 2019 with the Mark PalmerPrize. This recognition is conferred by the non-governmental InternationalSteering Committee of the Community of Democracies to a diplomat who hasemployed bold and effective means to encourage states and assist civilsocieties to advance democracy and human rights.

Deborah Lyons holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from theUniversity of New Brunswick and completed studies at the Canadian NationalDefense College.

* Michael Lee is the Chief Strategy Officer of UrbanLogiq, a leading provider of AI-powered data analytics platforms for governments across North America.

He is a former lawyer and elected representative, with a long record of community and public service. This includes volunteering with youth at risk and head tax redress in his student days, to serving as the President of UBC’s Alma Mater Society. Michael went on to work as a ministerial assistant to a federal cabinet minister in Justice and National Defence in Vancouver and Ottawa.

After attending law school at UVic, Michael was a corporate lawyer and partner with Lawson Lundell LLP for 20 years.

He was the Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia for Vancouver-Langara from 2017 to 2024. Over his two elected terms, Michael served as the Shadow Minister for Attorney General and Indigenous Relations & Reconciliation, Official Opposition Critic for Transportation, Infrastructure and TransLink, and Parliamentary Secretary for Affordable Housing.

Michael has also served on boards of not-for-profit organizations, including alumni UBC, Arts Umbrella, the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association, the Justice Education Society of BC, Leadership Vancouver, Science World British Columbia, Sustainable Cities International, S.U.C.C.E.S.S., and the YMCA of Greater Vancouver Foundation.

* Pat Johnson is president of Upstanders Canada, which mobilizes non-Jewish Canadians to stand with Jewish people and Israel. He is also a prolific writer on Substack and contributes to many media outlets, including the Jewish Independent, where he is on the editorial board and has written for 30 years. Born in Vancouver, he stumbled into the Jewish community and has refused to leave.

Details:

Saturday

September

13

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Office Closed (Erev Rosh Hashanah)

We are looking forward to having you join us in-person and/or online for our upcoming High Holy Day services. We are expecting a full house for some of our in-person services. We will also have an outdoor viewing area, weather-permitting, in the Sholom Garden, where services will be simulcast on a large screen (please dress for the weather).

All in-person services will be by registration only for Temple Sholom congregants in good standing (pay here, if applicable).https://dnk31lqm.r.us-east-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F%2Ftemplesholombc.shulcloud.com%2Fmember/2/010001991bc6e479-cf4cccf9-69ed-4393-8ad1-e18c4a84ee6e-000000/gHvu-dkR7LxgVXmlOECPBDrW7NU=442 You do not have to register for individual services, just for the High Holy Days in general. No "walk-ins".

Registration is NOT required for online services.

Register* your attendance here: 5786 HIGH HOLY DAY TICKETS

*Please ensure that your ticket(s) are either printed or readily available on your phone.

All services are in-person at Temple Sholom, and can also be viewed online via our regular streaming channels: website, Facebook,YouTube, channel 882 on TELUS Optik TV and Shaw Blue Curve TV through our YouTube Channel. Prayers for all the services are displayed on the screen but if you would like to borrow a physical copy of the Machzor please contact the office.

Parking and Accessibility: The parkade is reserved for those with a parking permit for people with accessibility needs only. Please let us know if we can enhance your High Holy Day experience through any other accessibility accommodations.

Ushers, Greeters, and Security Volunteers: We would really appreciate your help with this mitzvah of keeping our community safe and welcoming for all. If you can help, please register your interest via this form.

Wellness: Please do not come if you are unwell and/or if you have been in recent contact with someone who is unwell.

Blowing the Shofar: Our custom is to invite all members with a shofar to participate in the final sounding of Tikyah G’dolah during our First Day Rosh Hashanah service. Please bring a shofar if you have one.

Project Isaiah: The Jewish Food Bank really needs our support. This year, Project Isaiah is encouraging monetary donations instead of food donations. Cash donations are the most effective way to help. JFS can buy three times as much food as we can at the grocery store, it reduces food waste, and provides more fresh food. DONATE HERE or at 604.558.5715

CHILDREN'S PROGRAMS

Children’s programs are for children in Preschool to Grade 3, and are available from 9:30 am-12:30 pm on the first and second days of Rosh Hashanah (Tuesday, September 23 and Wednesday, September 24), and on Yom Kippur (Thursday, October 2) from 9:30 am-12:30 pm. Parents with babies/toddlers have a special room upstairs (200/201) that will have a television streaming the services.

Please register your child(ren) for the children’s programs, so we can ensure we have enough staff, snacks, crafts and activities for everyone. REGISTER HERE

NOTE: There is no childminding available during evening services. Children must always be accompanied by a responsible adult. A room will be made available upstairs in the classroom wing for parents and children that need a break. The library will not be available for this purpose during evening services due to sound filtering into the sanctuary from that room.

ROSH HASHANAH CHALLAH FOR YOUR HOME

Temple Sholom has partnered with a local Israeli baker to provide delicious round apple or plain challot for your Rosh Hashanah table.

You can order a challah HERE and pick them up frozen from the temple through Saturday, September 20th. Challot are $10 and net proceeds will go to the Half Shekel Campaign. Challot are pareve; but NOT baked in a hekshered kitchen.

Details:

Monday

September

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4 Oct

✡️ In-Person & Online Shabbat Services

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