Or Shalom is a registered charitable organization.
The 5784 (2023-24) Board of Directors are:
- Emet Davis
- Jodie Eaton
- Abby Fitch
- Dalia Margalit-Faircloth
- Avril Orloff
- Marty Puterman
- Malcolm Steinberg
- Avi Yan
- Jane Wyllychuk
- 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
Annual General Meeting
The Or Shalom AGM is usually held in the fall after High Holidays. You can see the recording of the 2023 AGM here.
Agenda for the 2023 agm are here
Donor Recognition Policy
In May 2023 the board adopted a donor recognition policy in preparation for sizable financial donations towards the new renovations project. It was important to draft a policy that recognized the wide range of ways in which people contribute to Or Shalom, so there is latitude to recognize donors of time, skill, love, attention, and financial.
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 Wilderness Committee, Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, Vancouver Friends for Life Society, JQT-Vancouver, and others. A member of Or Shalom for more than 20 years, Emet joined the Board of Directors in 2021 and presently serves as the Jewish community liaison.
Jodie Eaton (she/her) and her family began coming to services at Or Shalom in 2015, and has been a member for four years. She is a high school teacher who is passionate about education and making educational experiences better for all kids, and is currently working in the Coquitlam School District. She has been a member of the Families and Youth Committee at Or Shalom for the past two years, and is hoping to help continue the integration of new families into our community. She is a parent to Ilon (9) and Lila (5).
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.
Growing up in a traditional but not religious home, I attended Talmud Torah, Camp Hatikvah, and Schara Tzedeck in my younger years – none of which made me feel closer to Judaism. It was only when I discovered much later that there were liberal streams of Judaism and many different ways of relating to Israel that I found my way back to the Jewish community. Or Shalom has given me a place where I can be myself among other like-spirited souls, and for that I’m profoundly grateful.
I’m honoured to be asked to serve on the board and look forward to contributing my strong commitment to dialogue, communication and transparency; a questioning perspective; slightly terrifying organizational skills (Systems R Us!) … and my reliably irreverent sense of humour.
Marty Puterman has been a long-time Or Shalom member. He was treasurer and board member several years ago and currently sits on the Or Shalom Cemetery Committee, He is a retired prof from UBC’s Sauder School of Business where his areas of focus included decision-making under uncertainty, statistical analysis, and health care system efficiency improvement. He believes his strategic perspective will be valuable to the board as Or Shalom faces many major (and exciting) changes in the coming years.
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
