30+ years
Partnership with Northern Israel
A Living Partnership with Israel
Through deep relationships and long-term investment, our work in northern Israel empowers communities and connects us to the Galilee.
For more than three decades, our Federation has played an active role in strengthening Israel’s social fabric. Through sustained investment and shared responsibility, our work brings people together and supports vibrant, resilient communities, especially in northern Israel.
This commitment reflects a core Federation belief:
when communities support one another across borders, we strengthen opportunity, continuity, and collective responsibility, particularly in moments that put resilience to the test.
5 Communities
Across the Galilee Panhandle
6 Federations
Working together through P2G
Our Connection to Northern Israel
Our relationship with Etzba HaGalil -the Galilee Panhandle - in northern Israel, is more than a partnership. Rooted in generations of shared experiences, this enduring bond connects us closely with families across the region, primarily in the communities of Kiryat Shmona, Metula, Mevo’ot HaHermon, Galil Elyon, and Yesod HaMa’ala, reminding us that distance does not diminish connection.
Together with Jewish Federations across Canada, we focus our efforts on strengthening this region through targeted philanthropy, community development, and empowerment of local, regional leadership. Over time, this work has built trust and solidarity, supporting northern communities through periods of stability and challenge alike.
Located along Israel’s northern border, far from the center of the country, this area faces geographic, economic, and security pressures. Our response balances support of regional development with human connection, aiming to strengthen local capacity while staying rooted in long‑standing relationships.
The Northern Galilee
Primarily in the communities of:
- Kiryat Shmona
- Metula
- Mevo’ot HaHermon
- Galil Elyon
- Yesod HaMa’ala
Landmark Partnerships in the Galilee
Tel-Hai University of Kiryat Shmona in the Galilee
Spanning over three decades, our community has sustained a meaningful, long‑standing relationship with Tel Hai University, an anchor institution and powerful growth engine in northern Israel. As a leading centre for academics, the university advances innovative research, regional development, social responsibility, and leadership.
Today, Tel Hai University serves students from across the Galilee and continues to be a major hub attracting students from throughout the north.
This partnership is visible across the campus, through plaques and signage bearing the names of Vancouverites, and through ongoing investments in scholarships and academic initiatives. Beyond these tangible markers, it reflects deep personal connections and sustained philanthropic commitment. Together, Tel-Hai and Federation share a vision for strengthening opportunity and prosperity in this important region.
In recognition of this enduring relationship, the Jewish Federation is proud to be the recipient of the 2026 Tel-Hai Dignitary Award.
Mevo’ot HaHermon Rehabilitation & Therapy Hub
Mevo’ot HaHermon Rehabilitation & Therapy Hub is a flagship regional initiative of the Mevo’ot HaHermon Regional Council in northern Israel, serving the municipalities in the Eastern Galilee. The Hub provides comprehensive physical and mental rehabilitation services for people with disabilities, trauma survivors and their families.
In the aftermath of years of conflict and displacement, the need for these services has only grown. Emerging from years of war and evacuation, the Hub continues to expand its services, delivering essential care and strengthening support systems for those in need across the region.
Mevo’ot HaHermon is a longtime partner of our community. Over the years, Federation and Vancouverites have invested in multiple initiatives across the region and remain deeply committed to its future. The Hub stands as a cornerstone of this partnership; it signifies care and dedication to the residents of the region, whose life circumstances have rendered them vulnerable and dependent on others, and we are proud to stand with the leadership that strives to offer each Galilee resident, of any age and background, access to comprehensive services and support that foster belonging and quality of life.
Beit Vancouver
Established in 1980, Beit Vancouver is a cornerstone of our community's legacy in Kiryat Shmona. More than just a building, it is a key driver for a strong, resilient society, the result of transformational gifts from our community and the C2C partnership that have shaped it into a vibrant hub for youth and community life. This relationship is a two-way street; we have welcomed Beit Vancouver’s experts into our own community in BC to share their knowledge, just as we invest strategically in theirs.
Each day, more than 1,000 children, teens, and staff participate in programs that support inclusion, creativity, leadership, and emotional well‑being. Activities range from youth leadership initiatives and inclusive movements for children with and without disabilities to therapeutic arts programs, music education, and volunteer engagement.
Beit Vancouver reflects the power of sustained investment, creating a safe, vibrant space that continues to serve generations of young people.
Flagship Initiative
GalilEast – A Strategic Vision for Regional Leadership
GalilEast is one of the most meaningful strategic investments we make in Northern Israel. Developed in collaboration with the Eastern Galilee Cluster, Tel Hai University, the Roadburg Foundation and Beyachad – The Carasso Family Foundation, this program addresses one of the region’s most critical systemic challenges: bridging the gap between separate municipalities to create a unified, collaborative future.
By bringing together diverse cohorts of young professionals from different sectors and municipalities, .it teaches "regionality" in action, moving beyond local borders to foster a de-facto collaboration that is already noticeable on the ground. This investment does more than just enhance capacity; it creates hope and opens a new world of opportunities for a region that is stronger when it’s leaders collaborate strategically and creatively, rather than advancing individual agendas in silos.
The impact of this program is already being felt across the North:
A New Professional Culture: Graduates and participants can now be found leading local businesses and public initiatives, championing a new era of cooperation that ensures the Galilee has a tremendous future ahead.
The BC Connection: As part of their training, the cohorts spend 10 days in British Columbia for intense learning with our local municipalities and community leaders. These visits create powerful opportunities for our own community members to build direct relationships with the rising stars of the Galilee.
A Proven Model: The success of GalilEast has been so significant that, in partnership with other federations and foundations, the model has now been expanded to launch a sister program – GalilWest - in the Western Galilee.
A Singular Partnership of Connection
CTC/ Etzba HaGalil Partnership2Gether
Partnership2Gether (P2G) is a collaborative framework of leadership, philanthropy and connections that enables us to work alongside the Jewish Federations of Halifax, Calgary, Edmonton, Ottawa, and Winnipeg to support Etzba HaGalil. Together, we have strategically invested in the region through education and social welfare programs, capital projects, and regional development.
This shared framework is guided by a belief in Am Echad, one people, and focuses on two priorities:
• Enhancing quality of life in the Galilee Panhandle through education, youth engagement, and capacity building
• Creating deep and meaningful connections between Canadians and residents of northern Israel
Over time, this partnership has fostered shared learning and mutual understanding, connecting Vancouverites to everyday life in the Galilee.
Gesher Chai – the Living Bridge
While policy and philanthropy provide the framework for support, it is the "People-to-People" connection that provides the soul. When we know each other’s faces, share each other’s stories, and invite one another into our lives, a distant country ceases to be a concept on a map and becomes a home. We believe that the only way to truly belong to one another is to build a relationship that is personal, direct, and lived.
Gesher Chai is our primary strategy for building these bonds. In partnership with P2G, Gesher Chai brings connection into focus through shared experience. These initiatives strengthen Jewish identity and global connection by linking individuals and communities across generations and continents.
Programs include:
• School‑to‑school relationships and student exchanges
• Professional collaboration among educators and community leaders
• Teen and young adult mifgashim (gatherings) centred on leadership, culture, and service
• Peer connections among professionals in fields such as health care and social services
These experiences leave a lasting impression, shaping Jewish identity, strengthening shared values, and reinforcing a sense of global community.
IGEC – Guiding Our Work in Israel
The Israel and Global Engagement Committee (IGEC) is Federation’s lay leadership body that guides our investments in Israel and oversees the work of the professional team, both in Vancouver and in Israel. They do far more than guide strategic investment; they are the architects of the relationships we cherish today. For decades, the members of IGEC have lived the connection to Northern Israel firsthand.
IGEC’s priorities are grounded in three strategic goals:
• Investing in the Galilee Panhandle to foster growth, resilience, and prosperity
• Fostering deep and meaningful connections between the BC Jewish communities and Israel
• Supporting Jewish communities in need worldwide
Guided by the wisdom and long-standing commitment of these leaders, the initiatives and partnerships that follow are more than just programs, they are a legacy of shared strength.
Rebuilding Together
From Emergency Response to Renewal
Following the events of October 7, 2023, our community came together through the Israel Emergency Campaign (IEC) to support individuals, families, and communities facing unprecedented disruption. Working with trusted partners on the ground, our Federation responded quickly while remaining focused on care, dignity, and continuity.
Over two years of war, IEC provided critical support to communities across Israel, particularly in the north, where displacement and prolonged uncertainty deeply affected daily life.
View the impact of the IEC here.
That commitment now continues through Rebuilding Together, focused on rebuilding, recovery, and strengthening northern communities for the future.