Menu
 

Strategic Priorities

Our Strategic Roadmap  

Aligning Community Needs with Strategic Action  

To ensure our impact is both meaningful and sustainable, Federation works through two complementary frameworks:  

  • Community Priorities define what our community needs most.  
  • Strategic Priorities define how we focus our leadership, resources, and investments to meet those needs.  

Together, they guide our work across British Columbia, Israel, and beyond.  

The current priorities, established for 2021–2026, were reassessed following October 7 to reflect the realities of our current environment. The next comprehensive planning cycle will begin in late 2026, setting the roadmap for 2027–2032.  

Community Priorities: The What  

Community Priorities are shaped through a rigorous, lay‑led planning process guided by Federation’s Planning Council. Operating on five‑year cycles, the Council combines local knowledge with professional expertise in research, partner consultation, and broad community input.  

A group of four people, including two women, a man, and a young girl, are gathered around a table filled with food and clothing donations, with a Star of David visible in the background.

Critical Social Services

One in six community members faces poverty. Federation serves as the strategic backbone of the community’s social safety net, mobilizing research, planning, and funding in partnership with front‑line agencies delivering food security, housing support, and mental health services. By strengthening and sustaining these essential services, we help ensure dignified access to care, so every community member is supported, and no one has to face a crisis alone.

Affordability

Over the past five years, the cost of essentials such as food and housing in British Columbia has risen by more than 30%, making participation in Jewish life increasingly difficult for many individuals and families. Federation is committed to reducing financial barriers by mobilizing strategic funding and community resources. By increasing access and lowering the cost of participation, we help ensure that Jewish life remains open, inclusive, and within reach for those seeking connection and belonging.

A young boy with curly hair is focused on writing in a notebook at a table, holding a yellow pencil in his right hand.

Jewish Day Schools 

Jewish day schools are the bedrock of a vibrant Jewish future. National research shows that graduates are significantly more likely to remain active in Jewish life. As the affordability crisis in British Columbia deepens, a growing tuition gap has placed unprecedented strain on families, making this vital education harder to access. Federation invests $1,000 annually per registered student to support school sustainability and family affordability. By investing in our schools, we are not just funding classrooms: we are securing the intellectual and soulful leadership our community will rely on for generations to come.  

Two men smiling at each other, one elderly with a kippah and a beard, and the other younger with short hair, seated indoors.

Older Adults 

By 2040, the population of British Columbians aged 75 and over is expected to double, bringing a heightened risk of social isolation. Loneliness is one of the strongest predictors of declining health, with impacts comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day. Federation invests and works closely with community partners to support proactive aging with dignity, strengthening transportation, ‑based supports, and programs that foster connection, reduce isolation, and ensure older adults remain engaged and supported.  

 

A group of adults and children gathered around a fire in a gazebo, with a man speaking and another playing guitar. Trees are visible in the background.

Regional Communities 

Jewish population growth across British Columbia is increasingly happening outside Greater Vancouver. While Vancouver grew by 14%, some regional communities grew by 60%, with Victoria emerging as the centre. Federation is committed to ensuring that geography is never a barrier to Jewish identity. We invest in the essential communal infrastructure, gathering spaces, education, security, and advocacy, needed to sustain Jewish life ‑wide. By building local capacity today, we are securing a thriving, connected Jewish future across the entire province.  

Combatting Antisemitism  

After October 7, antisemitic incidents increased sharply across British Columbia. The Vancouver Police Department reported a 62% rise in antisemitic hate crimes, reflecting a national trend in which Jews, who make up just 1% of Canada’s population, are the targets of nearly 70% of all hate‑motivated crimes. In this environment, Federation serves as the central hub for communal response, working in close, strategic partnership with its advocacy arm, CIJA (the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs). This work is complemented by strengthened support for Hillel BC, education initiatives, allyship and bridge‑building, and community‑wide efforts to dismantle systemic bias and build long‑term resilience.  

A close-up of a man's hand holding a walkie-talkie with a green indicator light, set against a blurred background of a control room.

Community Security 

In a post–October 7 environment, security has become an essential and permanent reality for Jewish life in British Columbia. Community security costs exceed $100,000 per month, and Federation has tripled its operational security budget to protect schools, synagogues, and community spaces. We have expanded our professional security team and continue investing in training and preparedness, strengthening awareness, readiness, and confidence. Our goal is to empower every individual with the skills to identify and respond to risks, ensuring our community remains a fortified and confident sanctuary for all.

Strategic Priorities: The How  

While Community Priorities define what our community needs, Strategic Priorities define how Federation turns vision into action.

In August 2025, Federation set a clear course for the future, identifying six strategic organizational priorities that will guide our work through 2030. Shaped through a rigorous, data‑informed process with professionals, volunteers, partner agencies, and an external facilitator, these priorities focus our energy, sharpen our impact, and align our investments with what matters most.  

Together, these priorities challenge us to think bigger, act deliberately, and build a Federation that is not only responsive to today’s needs but resilient and visionary enough to shape Jewish life in British Columbia for the long term. 

A woman and an older woman smiling and talking at a table covered with knitted items, with several people in the background.

Strong Partner Agencies 

Partner agencies are the heartbeat of Jewish life, delivering essential services and programs at the front lines of our community. This work is rooted in a partnership: Federation provides strategic leadership, coordination, and communal vision, while partner agencies bring professional expertise and direct services to sustain our community. Together, we are keeping this vital ecosystem strong and responsive to community needs.  

A woman points at a laptop displaying graphs while two people observe, seated at a table with papers and a plant. A whiteboard with notes is in the background.

Operational Excellence

Federation maximizes community impact by operating more efficiently. Through modernized systems, a new CRM, and AI‑enabled tools, we are streamlining workflows and strengthening data management. These improvements reduce overhead, increase speed, and allow more resources to be directed to front‑line community needs.  

A man in a dark suit shakes hands with another man in a light suit at a conference table, with several people seated in the background.

People & Leadership

Federation’s impact is driven by the strength, dedication, and talent of its professionals and lay leaders. We are committed to supporting our people through professional development, leadership training, and a culture built on clarity, trust, and collaboration. By bringing together staff expertise and the strategic insight of volunteer leadership, we are strengthening Federation’s ability to serve the community today and lead confidently into the future.  

A diverse group of people interacting outdoors near a building, with tables displaying plants and crafts. Children and adults are engaged in conversation and activities.

Engagement Across British Columbia

Federation is expanding meaningful Jewish engagement across ages, regions, and backgrounds, building clear pathways from participation to leadership, philanthropy, and volunteerism. Through this established model, Jewish British Columbians, regardless of geography, are actively contributing their time, talent, and treasure to a thriving, inclusive communal future.  

A group of adults in yellow "SECURITY" vests greet children and parents outside a building, with a welcoming atmosphere.

Safety & Preparedness

Safety is foundational to Jewish life across British Columbia. While our Community Priority addresses the operational costs of protection, this strategic priority focuses on province‑wide readiness. Federation is embedding security into every Jewish institution through training, standardized protocols, and strong information sharing, building a connected, prepared community able to respond confidently to emerging threats.  

A boy wearing an Israeli flag is sitting on the shoulders of a young man, surrounded by a diverse group of children and adults at an outdoor event.

Israel Connection

Connection to Israel is a core pillar of Jewish life in British Columbia. Our focus is on deepening meaningful, personal relationships with Israel that go beyond traditional models of support. Through immersive experiences, strengthened regional partnerships, and relevant dialogue, Federation is expanding engagement across generations. This work positions British Columbia as a leader in Israel connection and a committed partner in our shared global Jewish future.