Mission and Vision

Mission

Our Mission is to Engage and Empower Jewish youth, foster leaders, and ensure a lifetime of commitment to our community and Israel.

Our Mission Statement is achieved by:

  • Involving members throughout the year in an informal educational process, including but not limited to conventions, Shabbatons, leadership seminars, and social activities.

  • Offering our members premier summer camp options that reinforce our educational and social mission.

  • Providing long term and short term programs to Israel.

  • Engaging our alumni with social and educational programs.

Our Vision

A vibrant Jewish community, which we achieve through adopting the core values of Darkeinu.

Darkeinu – Our Way

Canadian Young Judaea is a pluralistic and inclusive movement of powerful Jewish youth who connect deeply to our past and actively strive to transform the present toward an ideal future. Our philosophy is based on five values that when taken together, constitute the core of the Jewish identity of the Young Judaean. True to our past and committed to our future, we keep our values at the root of everything we do.

Dugma Ishit

Canadian Young Judaea strives to practice Dugma Ishit, leadership by example. In its purest form, it means being an active role model for those who follow, our chanichim.  

We understand that we are all a part of a greater collective.  Treating one another with kavod, respect, and recognizing the importance of each individual. This respect for others is present in our language, actions, in both a structural and informal way.

We understand that leadership is a process and every chanich can become a better leader. We look to develop each chanich to their fullest leadership potential.

Mishpacha Yehudit

Mishpacha Yehudit, The Jewish Family, is the collective of the Jewish people, and the nation of Israel. Jews around the world that share in the common bond of religion, culture, Israel, and traditions are included in Mishpacha Yehudit. CYJ teaches about Jewish lifestyles in other countries, time periods, and varying degrees of religious belief. As Canadian Jews, we appreciate the differences of Jewish life and understand our unity as a nation.

While Jewish life may be different around the world, we emphasize what makes us similar, between all Jews in Israel and the diaspora (outside Israel). We look to demonstrate the connections that exist between each member of the Mishpacha Yehudit, to show the existence of a larger Jewish community.

Centrality of Israel

Medinat Yisrael, the State of Israel, is a central theme in everything we do as a Tnua, movement. We teach our chanichim about it and its role in our history.

We encourage a foundation of love and knowledge of Israel in our chanichim. Recognizing that Medinat Yisrael is essential to us as Judaeans we are encouraging our chanichim to dig deeper into their connection to the state. While we recognize that Medinat Yisrael is the rightful home of the Jewish people, CYJ connects our chanichim to the state by providing the tools to have healthy and constructive conversations about truth, and the future of the State of Israel.

We believe and teach that loving Medinat Yisrael does not always mean being in favour of current Israeli policies or actions. We practice openness and acceptance to a variety of political views. Any disagreements come from differing opinions on the current issues surrounding the State of Israel and how it should determine itself politically. In passing on the love of Israel to our chanichim, we practice Dugma Ishit as leaders of our movement.

Tikkun Olam

We believe that the world is incomplete and in need of fixing. CYJ believes that it is our responsibility to take action and practice Tikkun Olam- Repair the World.

As Israel plays a humanitarian role in the world, CYJ continues to heal our world without the boundaries of age, number, and resources.

As Israel is a dugma for us, we will be dugmanim for others. We learn about injustice, act to stop it, and embrace Tikkun Olam. We remain inclusive, and teach the importance of having an environment of inclusivity. Not only will we heal the world; we will become healers.

Tikkun Olam is not only large-scale global actions, but takes place in small local good deeds. We begin with healing our chevra, group, and then heal the entire world. Our goal is to understand that our actions have consequences, and strive to always be a part of the healing process.

Jewish Identity

We promote pluralism in our interpretation of a chanich’s Jewish identity, reflecting the pluralism of the Jewish people. Our goal is to show the chanichim the importance and beauty of being apart of the Jewish People, to promote their personal exploration of what it means to be a Jews.

We encourage a deep connection with the Jewish People, and strive to instill pride in our chanichim. Canadian Young Judaea creates an atmosphere that nurtures the collective unit of the people, including many beliefs, opinions, and traditions.It is important that the chanichim understand that every person’s Jewish identity has value, and is legitimate.

Jewish life is rich with sights, sounds, tastes, feelings, and emotions. Throughout the CYJ journey our chanichim and madrichim experience all that it means to be Jewish and part of the community. Our affiliated summer camps, Israel programs, year-round activities and our conventions allow our members to live this experience in real time.  

Canadian Young Judaea challenges its members to question and to think critically about their belief system and their community.