The Atlantic Jewish Council

About Us

STAFF
OPERATIONS
PROGRAMS AND SERVICES

Mission Statement

The Atlantic Jewish Council is dedicated to enhancing the quality of Jewish life in Atlantic Canada and promoting the continuity of Jewish communities in the region.

We are committed to supporting the democratic State of Israel and its long term viability. In particular, the Atlantic Jewish Council is committed to a secure and prosperous State of Israel with a vibrant social network.

The Atlantic Jewish Council (AJC), now in its 34th year, has undergone many changes since its inception in 1975. With changing demographics, shifts in population, and the aging of many of our people, the AJC has had to make many changes to meet its new challenges. Our fundamental responsibility to the Jewish community of Atlantic Canada is to maintain Jewish continuity wherever we can.

The major responsibilities of the AJC are Israel advocacy, community relations, fighting anti-Semitism, and promoting interfaith dialogue and multiculturalism. Through our Regional Chaplain, we attempt to provide some religious presence to those communities that can no longer sustain full-time rabbinical services. Shalom Magazine, published three to four times a year, brings our whole region together with news and views from Atlantic Canada.

The AJC acts as a spokesperson for our region on a local and national level to government and a large number of Jewish and non-Jewish organizations. Funded mainly by UIA Federations Canada and the Canadian Jewish Congress, we conduct annual United Jewish Appeal campaigns and are responsible for implementing the Congress agenda through the region. We are an umbrella organization with responsibilities throughout the region for Canadian Zionist Federation , State of Israel Bonds, Canadian Young Judea, and Canada-Israel Committee, all of which contribute to our overhead in return for their use of our facilities and, in some cases, program implementation.

Camp Kadimah, now entering its 67th year, is owned and operated by the AJC, and has grown both in size and reputation to the extent that it is now one of Jewish Canada's foremost summer camps. With an office on our premises, Camp Kadimah contributes both through rent and a grant for youth programming. With the generous donation of a "Bayit" from the Albert and Temmy Latner Foundation (Toronto), the Jewish Students' Association of Atlantic Canada has a home to hold events such as meetings, Shabbat dinners, and social gatherings.

Staff

Staff Extensions

Jon Goldberg	Executive Director	x222
Svetlana Ratchinski	Controller	x223
	UJA Campaign Administrator	x224
Diane Morrison	Camp Kadimah Director of Administration	x225
Edna LeVine	Director of Community Engagement	x226
Bill Chernin	Director of Campus Services	x227
Rabbi David Ellis	Regional Chaplain	x228

Click on a staff person's name to send him or her an e-mail.

The offices of the Atlantic Jewish Council are located at:

5670 Spring Garden Road, Suite 508
Halifax, Nova Scotia
B3J 1H6

Office hours are
9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday to Thursday and 9:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m on Friday
(Atlantic Standard Time)

Phone: (902) 422-7491 (Front Desk - ext. 221)
Fax: (902) 425-3722

E-Mail: atlanticjewishcouncil@theajc.ns.ca

Management Committee

The Management Committee consists of at least six members of the board and meets approximately once per month in Halifax to oversee operations. Current committee members are:

Dr. Howard Conter
Shulamit Medjuck
Michael Argand
Mark Goldhar
Joanna Wexler
Jack Haller
Victor Goldberg
Michael Pink
Kathy Zilbert
Jon Goldberg

Programs and Services Offered by the AJC

Atlantic Jewish Foundation
Local Israel Action Teams
Holocaust Education
Immigration
Jewish Metro Family Services
Shalom Magazine
Chaplaincy
Campus Affairs
Young Leadership
Youth Programming
Website

Operations

The Board of Directors is constituted in two ways. Officers are elected at a Biennial Convention held every two years and community representatives are elected by their various communities, also every two years. The most recent Biennial Convention took place in Halifax on November 20-21, 2010.

The Board of Directors is made up of officers, community representatives, members at large (who may be appointed by the President or elected at the Biennial Convention), Camp Kadimah Chairman, UJA Regional Chair, JSA President, Chairman of the Atlantic Jewish Foundation, and Executive Director (ex-officio). The Board meets four times per year, either in person or via conference call.

President	Shulamith Medjuck
1st Vice-President	Michael Argand
2nd Vice-President	Joanna Wexler
Secretary
Treasurer	Mark Goldhar
Legal Counsel	Jack Haller
Past President	Howard Conter
Executive Director	Jon Goldberg (send an e-mail)
Members	Victor Goldberg - Camp Kadimah, Atlantic Jewish Foundation Jim Spatz - CIJA National Officer Michael Pink - Camp Kadimah Michael Zatzman - Canada-Israel Committee Kathy Zilbert - Atlantic Jewish Foundation
Members at Large
Community Representatives	Beth Israel Synagogue (Halifax, NS) Shaar Shalom Congregation (Halifax, NS) Adam Conter - Cape Breton, NS Marilyn Kauffman - Fredericton, NB Nancy Cohen - Moncton, NB Dr. Joseph Arditti - Saint John, NB Anna Serapins - PEI Barbara Grandy - Beth El Congregation (St. John's, NL) Arnold Bennett - St. John's Chavura (St. John's, NL)