As the Jewish Federation of Ottawa prepares to launch its Annual Community Campaign, it does so with a clear promise: Here for Good. This is a commitment rooted in more than nine decades of service to our community. This year’s campaign is anchored by three pillars: ensuring Jewish life for all, inspiring Jewish connections, and securing our collective Jewish future.

This year’s co-chairs, Gary Viner and Leila Ages, are honoured to return to this essential role. It is Viner’s third year and Ages’s second as co-chairs. They are proud and delighted to lead a team of dedicated canvassers whose commitment fuels Jewish Ottawa. 

Earlier this week, a special canvasser training session recognized volunteers with more than 20 years of service. It was inspiring to see so many people who have given their time and energy for so long.

Having both worked in the Jewish community for many years, Viner and Ages reflected on why getting involved matters.

“My husband and I came to Ottawa just prior to 2000, and then my kids were born shortly thereafter,” said Ages. “Right away, I found the Ottawa Jewish community very welcoming. I was a part of Na’amat, and then I put my kids in Ganon Preschool, and it felt like a warm family welcoming environment, that it was a natural transition to get involved.”

The community’s smaller size allowed her children to engage more deeply in programming, and seeing the positive impact encouraged her to increase her own involvement.

Viner, who grew up in Ottawa, has been active at Temple Israel and with Federation. He pointed to his parents’ example as an early influence.

“My mother was involved in setting up the women’s division of the Va’ad Ha’Ir,” he said, “so when I moved back here as a physician in 1977, it was not long before I started getting involved in canvassing.”

Their community work has also translated into donations to Federation. Having worked across Ottawa’s Jewish organizations, they understand Federation’s critical role in supporting them. From Jewish Family Services and our day schools to local synagogues, Federation strives to connect and strengthen them all.

“It is about recognizing that there are … programs and institutions that need attention,” said Viner. “If you have the ability to give, whatever that amount is, you should feel good about giving.”

Viner emphasized that, no matter the size, every gift contributes to the shared goal of enhancing Jewish life in Ottawa.

“It is how our Jewish community thrives,” said Ages. “It is so important because when you see what Federation does, not only all the agencies it supports, but also the advocacy work. It has become much more important in today’s world, and it requires funding, too.”

This long-standing support is precisely why Federation has been “here for good.” It speaks both to doing good in the community and to the enduring nature of that work.

“Federation has been sustaining this community for so long,” said Ages. “It is unique to Jewish life. Other communities don’t have this type of organization to the same extent that we have. It has been a stable force, and it continues to do this work, which is sacred and wouldn’t be possible on an individual basis.”

Viner added that Federation brings together people from all parts of Jewish life, from religious to secular, from newcomers to long-time Ottawa residents, and that this unity is essential in facing today’s challenges.

“If we can’t work together, there’s no way that we can combat [antisemitism],” he said. “We need to have … organizational integration and leadership.”

To learn more about this year’s campaign, click here.