Both of my Holocaust survivor parents Rose and Joe (z’l) arrived in Vancouver in 1948, mom having been born in Hungary and dad in Eastern Poland. Both were raised in traditional Jewish homes, so they gravitated to and soon joined Schara Tzedeck, as did many of the survivors that found their way to Vancouver after WWII.

My father purchased a ‘life seat’ for me at the shul before my Bar Mitzvah in June 1968, presided over by Rabbi Marvin Hier. I have fond memories of sitting beside my Dad every “yontef” from about 1961, when I was 6. I proudly continue to sit in my Dad’s seat and my son Jacob now occupies my childhood seat. And my sister Karen now proudly sits in our mom’s seat with my wife Debbie beside her.

My older sister Sharon was married at Schara Tzedeck in February 1973, also presided over by Rabbi Hier, my wife Debbie and I had our ‘2^nd wedding’ at the shul in August 1981 (we were married in Debbie’s hometown of Toronto in June that year) and our children Roxie and Jacob had their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs here in 1999 and 2002, presided over by Rabbi Avi Baumol.

At various stages of her life mom was involved with the shul sisterhood, Talmud Torah PTA and Hadassah, and both my parents modelled the importance of community involvement and ‘giving back’. I am so thankful and grateful for them and their example, and very proud to call Schara Tzedeck my spiritual home.