KESHER NEWSLETTER: August 16th, 2025
Kesher Coordinator (Annie Konstantinov)
August 16th, 2025
Hello everyone!
Remember to scroll down to see all of our news! We’ve got good stuff to see in here.
I, Annie, will be out of town from August 16th to the 25th. Hence why the newsletter is a day early this week! I am not entirely unreachable but as I will be in Montreal visiting loved ones, I may not be entirely responsive. However, many of our fearless leaders will be around to help on our members channel and discussion channels. If there’s anything urgent, I will try to make sure someone is around to help you.
This week I went to a rally and to a multifaith listening circle. At both of these events, our mission statement at Kesher was confirmed to me. It’s very important that we make our voices heard and known in the broader Victoria community as progressive Jews. We may not be like other Jewish communities in Victoria who participate in the work of activism, but that is a strength of ours. Our diversity of opinion and origin of Jews makes us equipped to face whatever we will head on.
If anyone is interested in hosting the September social gathering, please contact us ASAP! I am happy to coordinate something at a park, but I think it would be awesome if we could meet in a cozy home once again!
On our notifications channel we have our new Kesher: Jews for a Shared Future newsletter that will be sent out weekly. If you have anything you’d like to include in the newsletter, please email me, Annie at coordinat...@gmail.com. Many of our talented and passionate members (you!) deserve to have your work circulated and celebrated here.
Week At a Glance
Join us EVERY Wednesday from 4-5pm on the City Hall lawn on Douglas St. for our Vigil: Jews for a Ceasefire in Gaza.
EVERY Saturday at 2pm, join the ongoing rally at the BC Legislature for Palestine (not hosted by Kesher.)
Grandmothers Against Genocide Solidarity Witness on August 8th at the South East corner of Blanshard and Saanich Road (3490-3496 Blanshard Street.) SCROLL DOWN FOR MORE INFO!
Future Events
We are working on an event called “Embracing the Complexity: 2 Years after October 7th.” This event is a follow up to the wildly successful antisemitism workshop hosted 2 years ago, and we wanted to put it on your radar! Registration info incoming shortly!
What - Embracing the Complexity is a unique Zoom gathering for Jews who want to explore, in the context of community, how they are feeling two years since the Oct 7th massacre.
When
Tentatively our dates are these, but we will be confirming these when the registration links go out.
Sun Oct 5th, 11am PT (2pm ET)
Tues Oct 7th, 11am PT (2pm ET)
Wed Oct 10th, 7pm PT (10pm ET)
Where - Zoom
Donation - There is no cost to attend. That said, at the end of the event, a donation request will follow with an invitation to support Kesher: Jews For A Shared Future.
Current Initiatives
We are working on an internal member impact audit of everything INNW members have accomplished! It allows us to take history of what we have done as a collective to inform future goals/benchmarks for Kesher.
Folks could provide us information and as much detail as they're willing for events & gatherings, campaigns & advocacy initiatives, educational programs and partnerships & coalition work. If you have questions, please let us know!
Community News and Highlights
Grandmothers Against Genocide Solidarity Witness: Join them on Fridays from 12:15-1:15 on August 8th & 22nd, and September 5th and 19th on the South East corner of Blanshard and Saanich Road (3490-3496 Blanshard Street.)
Arms Embargo Now-Victoria
If it is of interest, this local group is currently focused on pressuring Victoria MP, Will Greaves, to support a full two-way arms embargo between Canada and Israel and sign the MP sign-on letter at ArmsEmbargoNow.ca. Postcard campaigns, rallies and public outreach actions across the city are being organized.
Sign up to get occasional updates and action invites: bit.ly/arms-embargo-vic
Emergency Support for Samah and her children
Recycle at: 4261 Glanford; 3961 Quadra Street; 655 Queens Ave; 2032 Idlemore Rd (Sooke)
For pick-up text: 250-885-0409; mention Samah
Organized independently by Victoria community member Laura Cross (and friends)
"Right now in northern Gaza, families are enduring unimaginable hardship. Our dear friend Samah and her two young daughters, Elen, 6 years, and Salma, 3 yrs, are among those struggling to survive under siege-facing starvation, displacement and the daily threat of violence.
We are collecting bottles and cans to raise emergency funds to help Samah and her children access food, clean water and safe shelter.
Every bottle and can counts. Every small act saves lives. Your support means more now than ever.
Thank-you for standing with us and Gaza."
Contact
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact:
Annie Konstantinov