Canadian Federation of Jewish Students
Encyclopedia
The Canadian Federation of Jewish Students (CFJS) or Federation Canadienne Des Etudiants Juifs (FCEJ), in French, is the representative organization of Jewish students across Canada
. It was founded by leaders of Jewish student groups across the country in January 2004 in Ottawa
.
The CFJS Executive is made up of an elected President and four Vice-Presidents as well as a number of Committee Chairs and 'Members at Large' chosen by the elected portion of the executive. Elections are conducted on a proportional basis, with each university's campus being allotted 1 vote for every 500 Jewish students studying there, to a maximum of 5. CFJS is governed in part by a Congress, with representatives chosen by Jewish students at each university.
CFJS has been noted for hosting an annual conference of Canadian Jewish leadership (Hillel
and Jewish Students Association (JSA) presidents, Israel
advocates, Alpha Epsilon Pi
fraternity leaders, et cetera). In the early years of CFJS, this conference was held at a camp in Parry Sound, Ontario
. However, more recently, its annual conference has been moved to Guelph, Ontario
.
In September 2008, CFJS partnered with several other Jewish organization to send approximately 300 students to New York to protest "incitement to genocide" by Iran
ian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was speaking that week at the United Nations
.
In the spring of 2009, CFJS assembled its congress - representatives of the major Jewish organizations from each Canadian campus - in Toronto, for leadership development, and elections of the CFJS executive. Speakers at the Congress included Jason Kenney
, Canada’s Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism
.
In early 2010, CFJS launched Milim, a publication devoted Canadian Jewish student art and literature.
Representation and Student Voice
Convening and Uniting
Leadership Development
Canadian Jewish Identity Development
National Communication
2010-2011 Elected Executive
2010-2011 Board
CFJS also has representation on the following bodies:
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. It was founded by leaders of Jewish student groups across the country in January 2004 in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
.
The CFJS Executive is made up of an elected President and four Vice-Presidents as well as a number of Committee Chairs and 'Members at Large' chosen by the elected portion of the executive. Elections are conducted on a proportional basis, with each university's campus being allotted 1 vote for every 500 Jewish students studying there, to a maximum of 5. CFJS is governed in part by a Congress, with representatives chosen by Jewish students at each university.
History
The Canadian Federation of Jewish Students was founded by the leaders of Jewish student groups across the country in January 2004 and exists to empower the Canadian Jewish student community. Since its founding, the CFJS has gained national recognition, most notably holding major national conferences from across Canada.CFJS has been noted for hosting an annual conference of Canadian Jewish leadership (Hillel
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life
Hillel: The Foundation for Jewish Campus Life is the largest Jewish campus organization in the world, working with thousands of college students globally...
and Jewish Students Association (JSA) presidents, Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
advocates, Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi
Alpha Epsilon Pi , the Global Jewish college fraternity, has 155 active chapters in the United States, Canada, United Kingdom and Israel with a membership of over 9,000 undergraduates...
fraternity leaders, et cetera). In the early years of CFJS, this conference was held at a camp in Parry Sound, Ontario
Parry Sound, Ontario
Parry Sound is a town in Central Ontario, Canada, located on Parry Sound on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay. Parry Sound is located south of Sudbury and north of Toronto. It is the seat of Parry Sound District, a popular cottage country region for Southern Ontario residents. It is also the...
. However, more recently, its annual conference has been moved to Guelph, Ontario
Guelph, Ontario
Guelph is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada. Known as "The Royal City", Guelph is roughly east of Waterloo and west of downtown Toronto at the intersection of Highway 6 and Highway 7. It is the seat of Wellington County, but is politically independent of it...
.
In September 2008, CFJS partnered with several other Jewish organization to send approximately 300 students to New York to protest "incitement to genocide" by Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
ian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was speaking that week at the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
.
In the spring of 2009, CFJS assembled its congress - representatives of the major Jewish organizations from each Canadian campus - in Toronto, for leadership development, and elections of the CFJS executive. Speakers at the Congress included Jason Kenney
Jason Kenney
Jason T. Kenney, PC, MP is Canada's current Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism. He has represented the riding of Calgary Southeast in the Canadian House of Commons since 1997....
, Canada’s Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration (Canada)
The Minister of Citizenship and Immigration is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government department responsible for immigration, refugee and citizenship issues, Citizenship and Immigration Canada...
.
In early 2010, CFJS launched Milim, a publication devoted Canadian Jewish student art and literature.
Principles
All of the organization’s activities are based on the following five principles:Representation and Student Voice
- CFJS helps to connect Jewish students on local campuses across Canada to both the Jewish and non-Jewish communities in Canada, Israel, and the world. CFJS takes its lead from the diverse and numerous Jewish groups on campus, advocating for students and helping their voices be heard.
Convening and Uniting
- CFJS helps to connect students from Victoria to London, Winnipeg to Halifax, and to physically bring them together to see and feel the common bond they share with their fellow Jewish students across the country.
Leadership Development
- CFJS works to identify and cultivate the diverse qualities of students, in order to help the Jewish student community in Canada continue to thrive and to shape tomorrow and today.
Canadian Jewish Identity Development
- CFJS believes students can take pride in their freedoms, and works to promote, develop, and defend this pride. It encourages students to explore and express their own Jewish identity and connection to Israel while cherishing Canadian ideals and values.
National Communication
- CFJS helps to facilitate communication between students on a local, regional, and national level and to establish a network among them. CFJS enables individuals to share resources, ideas and best practices with other Jewish students in all parts of the country.
Representation
CFJS strives to represent Jewish students and their concerns and interests to outside organizations, including but not limited to national Jewish and student organizations as well as international Jewish student organizations and in the news media. This representation exists through the consent and support of local campus-based Jewish student groups.2010-2011 Elected Executive
- President: Aaron Vomberg, Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie UniversityDalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
- VP Internal: Rebecca Cherniak, McMaster UniversityMcMaster UniversityMcMaster University is a public research university whose main campus is located in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The main campus is located on of land in the residential neighbourhood of Westdale, adjacent to Hamilton's Royal Botanical Gardens...
- VP External: Paige MacPherson, Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie UniversityDalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
- VP Programming: Shira Fenyes, University of SaskatchewanUniversity of SaskatchewanThe University of Saskatchewan is a Canadian public research university, founded in 1907, and located on the east side of the South Saskatchewan River in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. An "Act to establish and incorporate a University for the Province of Saskatchewan" was passed by the...
- VP Finance: Allie Novack, McGill UniversityMcGill UniversityMohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
- Immediate Past President: Samantha Banks, Concordia UniversityConcordia UniversityConcordia University is a comprehensive Canadian public university located in Montreal, Quebec, one of the two universities in the city where English is the primary language of instruction...
2010-2011 Board
- Graduate Student Chair: Noah Kadish, York UniversityYork UniversityYork University is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is Canada's third-largest university, Ontario's second-largest graduate school, and Canada's leading interdisciplinary university....
- Graduate Student Chair: Matt Rutchik, University of TorontoUniversity of TorontoThe University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
- Communication Chair: Ashley Faintuch, University of WinnipegUniversity of WinnipegThe University of Winnipeg is a public university in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada that offers undergraduate faculties of art, business and economics, education, science and theology as well as graduate programs. The U of W's founding colleges were Manitoba College and Wesley College, which merged...
- Tzedec & Jewish Identity Chair: Maddie Axelrod, Queens University
- Tzedec & Jewish Identity Chair: Adam Moscoe, University of OttawaUniversity of OttawaThe University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
- Campaigns Chair: Allie Cuperfain, University of TorontoUniversity of TorontoThe University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
- Campaigns Chair: Jeff Greenberg, University of GuelphUniversity of GuelphThe University of Guelph, also known as U of G, is a comprehensive public research university in Guelph, Ontario, Canada. It was established in 1964 after the amalgamation of Ontario Agricultural College, the Macdonald Institute, and the Ontario Veterinary College...
- Advisory: Moishie Kahan, Université de MontréalUniversité de MontréalThe Université de Montréal is a public francophone research university in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It comprises thirteen faculties, more than sixty departments and two affiliated schools: the École Polytechnique and HEC Montréal...
, Noah Kochman University of OttawaUniversity of OttawaThe University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
CFJS also has representation on the following bodies:
- CIJA - The Canadian Council for Jewish and Israel Advocacy
- NJCL - National Jewish Campus Life
- CIC - Canada-Israel CommitteeCanada-Israel CommitteeThe Canada-Israel Committee was the official representative of the organized Canadian Jewish community on matters pertaining to Canada-Israel relations....
- UIA Federations Canada
- Hillel International
- World Union of Jewish StudentsWorld Union of Jewish StudentsThe World Union of Jewish Students is the international, pluralistic, non-partisan umbrella organisation of 48 national independent Jewish Student Unions from all over the world, founded in 1924, with Albert Einstein as its first President...