Features
Employment opportunity with Calgary Jewish Federation
The Opportunity
Calgary Jewish Federation (CJF) has an exceptional opportunity for a passionate, visionary Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with strong community building, fundraising, and strategic management skills who will lead the organization into the next stage of its growth and development, recognizing and embracing the unique needs and priorities of this vibrant, dynamic, and growing Jewish community. This CEO also has the unique opportunity to also lead Calgary Jewish Federation’s Campus Corporation and will be responsible for ensuring sustainable operations of the existing community assets including the Paperny Family JCC and other assets on the campus lands, working collaboratively with the Paperny Family JCC Operations Committee and Paperny Family JCC Executive Director.
CJF’s next CEO will help create and shape their vision for the future of Jewish Calgary and play a critical role in developing an up-to-date strategy that helps the community continue to thrive. The successful candidate will have a proven ability to attract and nurture donors, support other aspects of community leadership and be able to work with a broad array of volunteers and agencies towards the goal of enhancing Calgary’s Jewish community for today and for the future. The successful candidate will also lead the long-term vision and feasibility of building a new campus for Jewish life in Calgary.
The Community
With a Jewish population of approximately 9,300 and a deeply committed and engaged volunteer base, Calgary offers both a cosmopolitan and healthy lifestyle with world-class outdoor recreation and a strong Jewish infrastructure. Calgary is home to a community with diverse choices for a rich Jewish life. There are five congregations: reform, traditional egalitarian, conservative, modern orthodox, and Chabad. The Jewish education system offers two pre-schools, two full-day day schools with programs beginning in kindergarten and continuing to grade nine and a vibrant day care located in the Jewish community centre that is recognized as one of the best in Calgary.
The Jewish communal infrastructure in Calgary includes a vibrant Jewish community centre, Jewish Family Services, a regional summer camp, PJ Library®, JAC (Jewish Adult Calgary), Hillel, BBYO, and most national and international Jewish organizations. Plans are underway to create a community campus with a new JCC, housing for seniors, and a new home for Calgary’s largest Jewish day school.
Position Summary
Position Title: Chief Executive Officer
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Reports to: President and Board of Directors, Calgary Jewish Federation
Direct Reports: The CEO will lead a team of 17 full and part-time staff. Direct reports include: Director of Development, Director of Marketing, Director of Engagement, Director of Finance, with the potential for candidate to hire additional senior support staff.
Responsibilities
Strategic Planning and Vision:
- Take a leadership role in the development and implementation of the strategic initiatives defined by the CEO and the CJF’s board of directors to meet the current and future needs of the Calgary Jewish community locally, nationally, and internationally.
- Work closely with volunteer leadership and staff to develop and provide oversight for strategic campaigns and initiatives, including the annual United Jewish Appeal (UJA) campaign.
- Identify feasibility, develop plans, and buy-in for the creation of a community campus including securing government funding.
- Grow strategic partnerships with beneficiary agencies and other organizations.
- Along with the Paperny Family JCC Operations Committee and Paperny Family JCC Executive Director, responsible for ensuring sustainable operations of the existing community assets including the Paperny Family JCC and other assets on the campus lands.
Fundraising and Marketing
- Work with the Director of Development to construct and lead fundraising campaigns that engage and inspire the entire community and focus on bringing in younger and engaged donors as part of long-term planning. These include undertakings such as UJA, and special initiatives such as a capital campaign for the new campus.
- Evaluate and identify alternative and new sources of alternative funding for support of the community.
- Increase awareness of the CJF brand and increase overall engagement by marketing, developing, and implementing new programs that will target specific audiences such as young adults and families, and potential supporters not yet engaged in the Jewish community.
- Build solid relationships with donors in the community. Develop and passionately convey a strong case for giving.
Leadership and Outreach
- Provide sound leadership for a productive and committed team of employees and volunteers across the demographic spectrum, as well as foster the development of leaders for the future.
- Proactively build and maintain relationships based on trust and shared interests, listen to and address the needs of stakeholders across the Calgary Jewish community.
- Engage and partner with donors, community leaders, and members to identify opportunities for innovative programming and collaboration aimed at ensuring a vibrant and self-sustaining Jewish community.
- Work with the community-at-large to ensure the Calgary Jewish community has a voice in important civic matters.
- Lead key advocacy matters with support from Community Relations Committee and serve as an effective spokesperson responding to issues in Calgary and the Jewish world.
- Continue to drive key education initiatives including CJF’s robust Holocaust Education and Human Rights department, PJ Library and PJ Our Way®, Inclusion, and more.
Administrative
- Provide the necessary financial oversight and work with the Board of Directors to develop, monitor, and execute annual budgets.
- Attend meetings of the Board of Directors and committees of the organization as required.
- Oversee all governance activities pertaining to CJF.
Key Qualifications
The ideal candidate will bring the following skills and experiences:
- Relevant experience in a senior strategic leadership position in either a for-profit or not-for-profit organization.
- A track record of developing and implementing programs within and for a community that educate, involve, and inspire.
- Appreciation of and commitment to Israel and Jewish values; comfortable advocating on related issues.
- Government relations experience in terms of funding as well as experience in working with advocating key leaders at all levels on major issues including antisemitism, Jewish and Holocaust education, infrastructure support, security and safety, and more.
- Experience with fundraising and major gift cultivation and solicitation, as a professional or lay leader (equal to or greater than $2 million in development on a regularly occurring annual basis).
- Experience with legacy giving and bequests.
- Strong strategic planning skills and the ability to work effectively with a Board of Directors constituted under a modern governance structure and mandate.
- Experience leading and developing a professional team while developing trust with volunteers, donors, and the community at large.
- Strong communication skills. An articulate leader who can think quickly on their feet, capable of being the primary spokesperson for CJF.
- Financial acumen. The ability to read and analyze a budget sheet and cash flow statements as well as manage accounting staff.
- The ability to network and collaborate with national liaisons to exchange best practices.
- Responsiveness and the ability to triage instances of antisemitism and security risks.
- Skilled at establishing relationships with the broader Calgary community.
- Familiarity with Jewish traditions and holidays and awareness of diversity in Jewish practice and customs
Core Competencies for Success
- Relationship Building: Devotes appropriate time and energy to establishing and maintaining networks, and utilize relationship to facilitate objectives.
- Drive/Energy: Exhibits passion about role and has the stamina and endurance to handle workloads. Productive in a fast-paced environment while still maintaining a healthy work/life balance.
- Positive Impact: Demonstrates a consistent positive, constructive, can-do attitude.
- Focuses on Results: Commitment to setting and achieving and/or exceeding individual, team, or community goals.
- Problem Solving and Decision Making: Ability to identify problems, solve them, act decisively, and show good judgement.
- Communicates Effectively: Exceptional written and oral communication skills; ability to communicate effectively with individuals at all levels in the organization.
Calgary
Calgary is known as Canada’s economic powerhouse. The city of 1.3 million people boasts a diverse population due to the economic opportunities and lifestyle that it offers. In addition to having one of the most dynamic economies in North America, Calgary is also a setting of majestic beauty and offers an unparalleled quality of life compared with other metropolitan regions of similar size. In 2023, The Economist Intelligence Unit ranked Calgary in the top 10 of the world’s most liveable cities. Calgary is unique due to its low sales taxes, work opportunities, proximity to the Rockies and being rated the cleanest city in the world!
Contact
Interested applicants may explore this opportunity in confidence by forwarding your resume and cover letter to president@jewishcalgary.org no later than June 15, 2024.
Features
Palm Springs condo for rent starting December
Beautiful pool side 2 bedroom 2 bathroom condo with attached 2 car garage located in the beautiful Cathedral Canyon Country Club. Available from December to April 2025. 3750 usd per month.
For more information contact James at 204-955-2484
Features
The Canadian Online Casino Market: Overview for 2024
The online casino industry in Canada continues to show remarkable growth and has managed to entice both players and analysts. Certain provinces underwent policy changes that have successfully attracted the digital gambling business outside of the Great White North. Some of these brands are a list of best online casinos in Canada, and they are a go-to choice for thousands of gamblers. You can read in-depth reviews to find out what top-rated operators have in store in terms of games, bonuses, and other relevant features for Canadian players.
The policies that allowed foreign brands to enter the Canadian market were approved in 2022. Now that enough time has passed let’s see what is the situation on the online gambling front and talk about some key players.
Market Size
The growth of the Canadian casino market has been nothing short of spectacular. The data from the Canadian Gaming Association revealed that in 2024, almost 20 million people (50% of the Canadian population) have gambled at an online casino at least once. It is a significant ramp up in activity compared to 2020 when approximately 10 million players used internet gambling sites. In other words, the market is growing very actively, and some estimates claim the number of active players will surpass 30 million by 2029.
To put these numbers into perspective, let’s see how these numbers impact the revenue. By 2024, the online casino gross gaming revenue of Canada is projected to be more than $2 billion, up from $750 million in 2020.
Regulatory Landscape
The legal status of online casinos in Canada is determined by local governments. Despite federal provisions contained in the Criminal Code, individual provinces are free to regulate and license gambling. This has resulted in a situation where some provinces are more liberal with legislation compared to others. What’s more, certain provincial regulators even run their own gambling sites.
The most populous province in Canada, Ontario has led the way in the regulation of online gambling. In April 2022, they opened the doors to private offshore brands, so long as they are compliant with iGaming Ontario. The move has resulted in earrings around $1.26 billion by the end of March 2023. Other provinces have been observing this development and it has created a benchmark for future regulation of the industry throughout the country.
Economic Impact
The economic effect of online casinos in Canada has had an upward trajectory. Tax revenues from internet casinos are projected to reach impressive figures in 2024:
- The expected online casino GGR of $9 billion and the current GST rate of 5% puts the federal government tax revenues at around $450 million from online casinos.
- Total collected taxes from internet casinos in Ontario are estimated at $1.2 billion, depending on the provincial tax rate and gaming activities.
- Jobs are another social-economic advantage of online casino business. The industry is projected to generate over 25,000 direct employment opportunities in 2024; a notable increase from 2021 when that figure was 15, 000. Some examples of these jobs include software development, customer support agents, marketing and data analysis.
Key Players in the Market
In Canada, online gambling is regulated by provinces and each province has its own government-run operators. Here is a list of some state-owned gaming sites by province:
- British Columbia
- PlayNow.com: Currently managed by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, PlayNow.com delivers online casino games, sports betting, and lottery.
- Manitoba
- PlayNow.com: Similarly, through BCLC, the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corporation (MLLC) employs PlayNow.com to offer online gambling to the people of Manitoba.
- Ontario
- OLG.ca: Online gambling in Ontario is run under the OLG, which runs a site OLG.ca where people can play casino games, buy tickets, and bet on sports.
- Quebec
- Loto-Québec is the provincial regulator that also hosts online casino games, sports betting, poker, and lottery. In 2022-2023, 13.5% (almost $404M) of their total revenue came from online products.
iGaming Ontario or iGO is an affiliated company of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario tasked to regulate and oversee online gaming in Canada. The body works with private operators to offer a regulated gaming network.
Some of the key iGaming Ontario operators include:
- BetMGM
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- PointsBet
- 888 Holdings
These operators are affiliated with iGaming Ontario, which guarantees access to a secure gambling platform.
Player Preferences and Popular Games
Canadian players have also exhibited a relative preference for casino games. According to recent data from iGaming Ontario, for the period from April 1 to June 30, 2024:
- Casino games like slots, live, computer-based table games, and peer-to-peer bingo, represented 84% (nearly $15.5 billion) of total wagering handle and 73% ($529 million) of gaming revenues.
- Esports and novelty bets along with regular and proposition bets contributed 14% of the total wagers, and they were worth $2.5 billion. This roughly translates to a gaming revenue of $181 million.
- Peer-to-peer poker, according to stats from iGaming Ontario, generated $67 million in gaming revenue (2023-2024), and the value of wagers placed exceeds $1.6 billion. Many players participate in multiple online tournaments simultaneously, so getting the accurate number of active players is rather difficult.
Future Outlook
The future of the Canadian online casino market looks promising, with several factors driving continued growth:
- Expanding player base: According to estimates on Statista, the number of active users will reach nearly 34 million by 2029. The current user penetration rate is 69.4%, mainly thanks to the high accessibility of online gambling and macroeconomic factors. Casino entertainment is widely available through smartphones, and Canadians have enough disposable income (USD 34 421 a year per capita) to spend on this leisure.
- Technological advancements. The combination of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in online casino games could revolutionize the players’ experience. Not to mention, AR is considered to be one of the top investments in the future, which is why most casinos are starting to add it to their portfolio.
- Regulatory evolution. The reality is this industry is still new, so there’s a lot of back and forth on the regulatory front. Generally, if online gambling is fully legal (casinos and sportsbooks are permitted) the regulations only get tighter from that point onward. There are new restrictions on advertising, game features, spending limits, etc. Also, fees that businesses pay to cover the social costs of gambling tend to get higher.
- Crypto integrations. Even though cryptocurrencies aren’t legal tender in Canada, they can still be purchased legally. There are several crypto trading businesses that are authorized to exchange currency in Canada, which means these digital coins are readily available. As a result, we will likely see more gambling sites with crypto integrations that Canadians can use.
Market estimations show that the Canadian online casino industry has the potential to record a CAGR of approximately 6.5% in the next five years and it may reach $3.7 billion by 2025.
It wasn’t long ago that the Canadian online casino market was viewed as nothing more than a gamble. But now it is a major player in the country’s digital economy. From the prairies to the coast, Canadians are going online, placing their bets, and contributing to the growth of a new and fast-growing sector.
Features
Revisiting Boris Birshtein’s Efforts to Save a Holy Torah
Boris Birshtein had not been previously associated with saving Torah scrolls. He was a businessman. However this story will show an amazing tale that must be read in order to be believed.
The Torah, known as the five books of Moses, is the holiest object in Judaism. But in the case of the Torah scrolls found in a ravaged synagogue in Chișinău, Moldova, there is an added layer of significance due to their incredible survival story. And Boris Birshtein provided a helping hand.
Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum recalls the emotional moment when he first encountered these sacred scrolls shortly after Moldova’s independence from the Soviet Union. “When we arrived at the devastated synagogue in Chișinău, we discovered about thirty Torah scrolls, some inscribed with messages that spoke of their miraculous survival during the Holocaust.”
The scrolls, eventually saved by businessman Boris Birshtein, were inscribed with symbols of faith, echoed the resilience of the Jewish people. Rabbi Greenbaum describes one scroll bearing the message, “Joy is the happiness of the soul,” symbolizing the enduring joy of the Torah even amid unimaginable adversity.
For the Chișinău Jewish community, the discovery was bittersweet. The scrolls were found, but their condition revealed the toll of years of neglect. Recognizing the need for a large-scale restoration, the community knew who could help. Enter a Jewish businessman known as Boris Birshtein.
The Role of Boris Birshtein
They turned to Boris Joseph Birshtein, a Jewish-Lithuanian philanthropist and respected business leader in Moldova, to help bring these scrolls to safety. He played a critical role in securing permission from the Moldovan government, enabling the scrolls to be transported from Chișinău to Tel Aviv for restoration.
Reflecting on this mission, Birshtein stated, “The Nazis sought to destroy the very existence of the Torah, and everything it stood for. When I learned of the scrolls in the deserted Chișinău synagogue, restoring them was an opportunity to stand up to the attempt to eradicate Jewish life from the heart of Moldova.”
He envisioned the restoration as a chance to honor the joyous occasions once celebrated around each Torah scroll, representing not only preservation but also a revival of Jewish history and tradition.
Celebrating the Completion of Restoration
After years of meticulous work, the restoration project was completed in December 1996, culminating in an emotional ceremony held at the Nehora Yeshiva, “Lev Ya’akov,” in Mevaseret Zion.
This amazing event, filled with reverence and pride, attracted many, including respected rabbis and public figures. Birshtein had the honor of presenting one of these precious scrolls to the yeshiva, a gift that symbolized the dedication of many to safeguarding Jewish heritage.
In his speech accepting the Torah, Rabbi Greenbaum praised the partnership between people like Birshtein, who support the Torah, and the Chișinău community.
He likened this partnership to the biblical figures Zebulun and Issachar, expressing deep gratitude for Birshtein’s involvement. Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, former Chief Rabbi of Israel and a survivor of Buchenwald, also spoke, emphasizing the significance of the mitzvah “Write this song for yourselves,” which resonates deeply with the yeshiva’s students.
This momentous occasion at Nehora Yeshiva marked not only a new chapter in the life of the institution but also a tribute to the Jewish communities that had originally cherished these scrolls.
Birshtein reflected, saying, “I am honored to have played a small role in bringing the sacred Torah scrolls from Chișinău to Tel Aviv for restoration, and delighted that one of them will now be cherished at the Nehora Yeshiva. Indeed, joy is in the happiness of the soul, and my soul is filled with happiness at this moment.”
The journey of these Torah scrolls—from war-torn Europe to restoration in Tel Aviv—highlights the enduring power of faith and community and the unbreakable link between the Torah and the Jewish people.
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