October 19, 2026

Mr. Pete Fry
Mayor-Elect of Vancouver
City Hall
453 West 12^th Ave
Vancouver, B.C. V5Y 1V4

Dear Mayor-Elect Fry

Congratulations on your election this past Saturday! Municipal elected office provides a direct opportunity to serve Vancouverites, with an impact that reverberates across the wider region.

Together, our organizations represent and serve the interests of Jewish communities across British Columbia, including more than 40,000 Jewish community members, almost half of whom live in the city you have the privilege of leading. From the establishment of Jewish life in Strathcona to the election of this city’s second mayor, David Oppenheimer, and the contributions of our members and organizations, our story is intertwined with Vancouver's history.

However, our community enters this new municipal term with significant concerns about the direction of the city, particularly in light of positions taken by a majority of the newly elected Council on issues of concern to the Jewish community. These positions, alongside rhetoric that has contributed to a growing sense of alienation among Jewish residents, raise serious questions about whether Jewish Vancouverites will feel represented, respected, and welcomed under the new leadership. We urge you to ensure that City Hall remains a place where Jewish residents can have their concerns heard and feel represented.

Since October 7, 2023, our community has faced a wave of antisemitism that threatens the future of Jewish life in Vancouver. According to a Jewish Federation of British Columbia study, 62 percent of our members have experienced an antisemitic incident. In 2024, the doors of Vancouver's oldest synagogue were set on fire. Arrests have been made outside Jewish day schools, and our institutions have been targeted with graffiti and threatening calls. Across Metro Vancouver, Jewish organizations spend more than $200,000 per month on security. These are resources that could otherwise support housing, food security, families living in poverty, and seniors, including Holocaust survivors. These are not abstract concerns; they affect the daily lives of our community members and the institutions that sustain Jewish life.

We recognize that Vancouver is a diverse city where people hold differing perspectives. However, we expect municipal leadership to bring people together, not deepen divisions. At a time when antisemitism is rising, the words and actions of municipal leaders matter. Their rhetoric can either foster understanding and belonging or deepen divisions and reinforce the perception that some communities are less welcome than others.

Our community remains committed to improving the lives of Vancouverites by investing in institutions like the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, which has been open to friends and neighbours from all racialized, ethnocultural, and faith communities. Despite the current wave of antisemitism, we continue to invest in the broader community and contribute to Vancouver's well-being. We look to you to lead a city focused on municipal priorities and the safety, security, and well-being of its residents.

At your earliest convenience, we would appreciate an opportunity to meet with you and brief you on areas of partnership between the organized Jewish community and the City of Vancouver. We would welcome a conversation about how we can keep working together to combat antisemitism, keep all communities safe and ensure that Jewish Vancouverites feel a genuine sense of belonging in our city.

We wish you a productive mandate and look forward to working with you to create a Vancouver where we all belong!

Kind regards,