Or Shalom is a registered charitable organization.

The 2022-23 (5783) Board of Directors are:

• Dalia Margalit-Faircloth – Co-chair
• David Kauffman
• Emet Davis
• Abby Fitch
• Alex Lyon
• Malcolm Steinberg
• Avi Yan
• Jane Wyllychuck
• Russil Wvong

The board meeting schedule is listed in the Or Shalom event calendar.

You can send comments, ideas and feedback to the board at any time with the email
board (at) orshalom.ca

Or Shalom Board of Directors 5783

Emet Davis’s professional background includes more than 30 years in the areas of campaigns, communications, resource development, and community engagement, working and consulting for progressive labour organizations, non-profits, and businesses to advance social justice causes. Currently, Emet is the Programs & Partnerships Director with the Ronald S. Roadburg Foundation, a private foundation that supports an array of causes in the Jewish and broader communities in BC, Canada, Israel, and internationally. Emet is very familiar with governance roles, having served on numerous non-profit boards, including the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Vancouver Friends for Life Society, JQT-Vancouver, and others; presently, Emet is the Chair of the Wilderness Committee. A member of Or Shalom for more than 20 years, Emet joined the Board of Directors in 2021 and chairs the shul’s HR committee.

David Kauffman grew up in Edmonton where he attended Talmud Torah, and grew to be involved in BBYO a Jewish Youth Organization as a teenager. He attended Kallah & LTC in Starlight Pennsylvania where he learned song-leading skills and worked at Camp B’nai B’rith in Red Deer as a song leader for a few summers. Dave moved to Vancouver to attend UBC and graduated Electrical Engineering, after which he had several jobs in audio and software engineering around Canada. Dave was introduced to Or Shalom in the mid-80’s and both our children celebrated Simchot Mitzvah.  Dave also helps the technical aspects of Or Shalom’s network, website and live streaming.

Alexandra (Alex) Lyon grew up in Southern California with a mix of secular Jewish family on her father’s side, and a non-Jewish mother who raised her to appreciate a wide range of spiritual traditions. Her
childhood included occasional services at Alexandra’s paternal grandmother’s shul as well as her poppyseed cake and latkes, yet it was not until young adulthood that she rediscovered Judaism for herself. Her career in academia has taken her to many places, as a result she had the opportunity to be part of Jewish communities in Northampton, Massachusetts; Madison, Wisconsin; Berlin,Germany; and Middlebury, Vermont. Finding  vibrant and welcoming communities in such disparate places has been one of the rewards of Jewish life for her, and continues to inspire her involvement in Or Shalom. In 2016 Alexandra moved to Vancouver with her husband and their three-year-old son. They found Or Shalom that year, just as the Shabbat Sheli children’s program was starting. In 2017 they welcomed their younger son, who is now in the children’s program as well. In 2021 she was honoured to join the Board of Directors. Some of the issues Alexandra is motivated by as a board member include creating a supportive and nurturing community for parents and children at Or Shalom, fostering intergenerational connections, and increasing inclusion and accessibility of Or Shalom for all members, particularly those whose path to Judaism has been winding like her own.
Professionally, she is a Faculty Member in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems at
Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and in her spare time she is slowly studying for her Bat
Mitzvah in hopes of completing it before her children have theirs.

Dalia Margalit-Faircloth moved to Vancouver 6 years ago from Toronto, originally from South Africa. She has been involved in Jewish community life both professionally as a counselor at Jewish Family Services, and as a volunteer on various boards and committees. She is currently retired from paying work and spends much of her time volunteering and travelling. She has three awesome children and 4 even more awesome grandchildren. She is a certified scuba diver and loves forest bathing.

Malcolm Steinberg immigrated to Vancouver in 2004 from South Africa and is thankful for being a guest on these beautiful Coast Salish territories. He is a member of the Faculty of Health Sciences at SFU where he teaches public health. Malcolm’s research focuses on supporting Indigenous healers in positioning, and retaining ownership of, herbal medicines alongside Indigenous knowledge. Malcolm was drawn to the Or Shalom community because of the vibrant and varied educational programs and spiritual activities offered to the community and looks forward to working with the Or Shalom board and Rabbi Dresner to support the exciting journey ahead for our community. Malcolm is blessed with three children and two grandchildren. He enjoys hiking, jogging, kayaking, and cycling, and is passionate about his continuing exploration of his long-standing interest in herbal and Ayurvedic medicine.

Russil Wvong grew up in Vancouver, studied math and computer science at UBC, and worked as a software developer in Edmonton for several years before moving back to Vancouver in 1998. Russil is married to Abby Fitch; Russil and Abby have two young-adult children who went to Camp Miriam and celebrated their bar and bat mitzvah at Or Shalom. Russil has served on the Or Shalom finance committee and building committee. Outside Or Shalom, Russil is on the board of directors of the Trans-Himalayan Aid Society, currently serving as President. Russil is also involved in federal and municipal politics.

Jane Wyllychuk grew up in Vancouver and attended Habonim Dror Camp Miriam from the age of fifteen.  She spent years as part of the youth movement as a camper, counsellor and participated in a year living abroad in Israel. In her early 20’s she began attending Or Shalom. “I have always found the community at our Shul uniquely special in its warmth, inclusivity and diversity while maintaining traditional roots.  I am so proud to have
chosen a Jewish life and to have affirmed my Judaism in this community.  I am especially proud that our son has grown up attending classes at Or Shalom and is a part of the community.  I can’t wait for his Bar Mitzvah!!!”
Jane works as a Registered Clinical counsellor in private practice and for the School board.  Together with a committed group of parents, she is a member of the Family and Youth Committee and will now also be taking on new responsibilities with the board. “It is an honour to serve on the board and I will bring my open heart, listening and progressiveness to the role.”

Avi Yan grew up in Ottawa, where he attended the synagogue Adath Shalom, an egalitarian conservative shul that is completely lay lead. His parents took on roles such as co-president and ritual director, so he was accustomed to having board meetings in his house. He has lived in Vancouver since 2009 and as a newcomer I was attracted to the friendly community of Or Shalom. In 2015, he and wife Gladys took the Exploring Judaism course and with the accompaniment of Rabbi Hannah and other synagogue members Gladys converted to Judaism. Their son Max was born in 2017 followed by their daughter Ruby in 2020 and Avi began to understand the concept of ‘dor v’dor’ as Max and Ruby had their brit and naming respectively with the Or Shalom community. As a new board member, Avi looks forward to learning about the synagogue in a different context and seeing how he can contribute. Professionally, he is a high school teacher in the Francophone School District. In his free time, he enjoys playing rugby on a local men’s team and coaching high school sports.

Committees

There are numerous committees within the governance structure of Or Shalom, and joining any of them can be an excellent way to introduce yourself to the community and make a contribution of time and energy.

Ideas, questions, and suggestions? Contact us via email at board (at) orshalom.ca