Educating students, faculty, and community members in B.C.

Learn about our recent educational workshops and initiatives in Salt Spring Island, Comox Valley, Vancouver, Victoria, and more!

AVI Student Ambassadors at the University of British Columbia join us for an educational workshop in Vancouver

Throughout the month of February, our Director of Education Gabriela Rosenblum led nearly two dozen educational workshops across the province of British Columbia for students, faculty, and community members of all backgrounds!⁠

Gabriela led our workshops on understanding the nuances of language, Jewish indigeneity to Israel, and identifying anti-Jewish hatred at Jewish and public schools, university campuses, and community institutions in Vancouver, Victoria, Salt Spring Island, Comox Valley, Richmond, and more!⁠

Community Initiatives

Connecting with community members in Salt Spring Island

AVI partnered with the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver on a community workshop about the nuances of language when engaging in difficult conversations and effective advocacy combating the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement on beautiful Salt Spring Island!

With Comox Valley community members, including MLA for Courtenay-Comox and proud ally Brennan Day (right)

Gabriela led another community workshop in Comox Valley on the nuances of language with the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, where she connected with incredible allies, including MLA for Courtenay-Comox Brennan Day (right) and members of the local Hindu community who spoke about their support and allyship!

At Congregation Beth Tikvah in Richmond, B.C.

Then it was off to Richmond, where we led a workshop on “The BDS Movement: Undermining Coexistence and Dialogue” to the eager congregation of Richmond's Beth Tikvah Synagogue.

 Our workshop with the Jewish Medical Association of B.C. (JMABC)

In Vancouver, Gabriela and AVI’s Founder and Executive Director Daniel Koren facilitated a case-based discussion on how to recognize, understand, and address anti-Jewish hatred in the workplace.

Many of our students attended the program, which was hosted in partnership with Congregation Schara Tzedeck, the Jewish Medical Association of British Columbia (JMABC), the Jewish Biz Network, and British Columbia Teachers Against Antisemitism (BCTAA).

Gabriela connected with AVI Common Roots Ambassador Shawn in Victoria

In Victoria, Gabriela partnered with the Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island on a workshop discussing the nuances of language and the impact of engaging in effective dialogue.

It was so nice connecting with AVI Common Roots Ambassador Shawn, a local high school student, and his family!

Leading a Jewish Indigeneity workshop in White Rock, Surrey to community members of all backgrounds!

Gabriela led a workshop on understanding Jewish indigeneity to Israel and facilitated some great allyship discussions with White Rock and South Surrey’s Baháʼí and Christian community members! 

The workshop was entitled “Meet Your Jewish Neighbour” and was organized as part of UN Interfaith Harmony Week, hosted by the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver for the Surrey Interfaith Council at the White Rock Surrey JCC.

AVI friend Herbert (left) with AVI's BC Campus Advisor Stefanie

AVI friend Herbert, a proud ally of the Jewish community who attends many of our B.C. programs and workshops, wrote AVI’s BC Campus Advisor Stefanie a heartfelt letter, thanking her for bringing students and community members of all backgrounds together!

To read Herbert's letter, please click here.

Donate Now

High-School Initiatives

Educating a classroom of King David High-School students

In Vancouver's King David High-School, Gabriela led five workshops for hundreds of students connecting Jewish indigeneity to the holiday of Tu B’shvat in classrooms of students ranging from Grades 8-12.

She also led an “Ask Me Anything” workshop to a classroom of grade 12 students at the school, empowering hundreds of teens!

A heartwarming letter from a Genocide Studies class at Burnaby North Secondary School (left)

A Genocide Studies class at Burnaby North Secondary School thoroughly enjoyed AVI's “Who are the Jews?” workshop – so much so, that they wrote Gabriela a heartfelt note of thanks for the new knowledge and perspectives imparted on them.

AVI is proud to bring our workshops to public schools in our bid to educate Canadian students of all backgrounds about Israel and the Jewish community.

Having a blast at Vancouver NCSY's shabbaton in gorgeous Whistler!

In Whistler, B.C., more than 50 high school students attended a NCSY Shabbaton where AVI connected with students of all backgrounds and led our new “Drop Your Sides” workshop, which taught the teens effective ways of engaging and empathizing with peers of varying perspectives and viewpoints.  

Campus Initiatives

Explaining the nuances of language and the importance of open dialogue at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, BC

Gabriela led a workshop on understanding the nuances of language and the impact of open dialogue, as it pertains to the Arab-Israeli conflict, to over a dozen professors and faculty members at Simon Fraser University in Burnaby – a collaboration with the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver.

Connecting with UBC students

At the University of British Columbia (UBC), Gabriela led a workshop for students on the nuances of language and the impact of open dialogue through the lens of the Arab-Israeli conflict. The workshop was presented in partnership with Hillel UBC.

AVI UBC students Joseph, Chaim, Aarav, Malcom, Sara and Brandon joined us for the workshop. It was reinvigorating and inspiring to see so much support and appreciation for our educational workshops on the West Coast.