Rena Elbaze is the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg 's Jewish Engagement Specialist.

"My mandate is to reach out to the unaffiliated and disengaged and help them to connect to something in our community which is meaningful to them. Our goal is to enable individuals and families to develop a sense of engagement and a desire to become affiliated with the organized Jewish community," says Elbaze who has a Doctorate in Communications from the University of Nice, France and an undergraduate degree in Near Eastern and Judaic studies from the University of Manitoba.
 

As Elbaze explains, "My role involves creating entry points into the community and to Jewish life in general through partnerships with Jewish organizations”, and to "connect More Jews to More of Jewish Life."

One of the initiatives that Elbaze has developed and implemented is "Shalom Baby," which has been ongoing since 2013. As she explains, “Shalom Baby Shower welcomes from 25 to 36 new parents and their babies into community at this afternoon “tea party” for parents to meet each other and community partners included a special baby crowning ceremony and presentation of individual welcome baskets sponsored by local Jewish organizations." The program, she says, is "cutting edge." though. She adds ", I was contacted by an outreach worker in the States who will be delivering the Shalom Baby Shower we developed here in Winnipeg, in her own community." Elbaze also has one on one “coffee dates” to meet with individuals and help them connect to community or to their Jewish identity.

In her role as Jewish Engagement Specialist, Elbaze hosts Jewish/community awareness events in public spaces like shopping malls and supermarkets.

"One of the means of reaching people is through public space events that they either stumble upon in their daily activities or that they come out to intentionally to get a taste of what might be available to them. Public space events, which involve meeting people where they are, represent amazing opportunities to open a conversation and find out more about what people are looking for."

Elbaze provides some examples of public space events. This past Rosh Hashanah (Sept 2014) she had "Gourmet Honey Tasting at the Forks Market. “Two hundred people of all ages, 95% of whom where Jewish visited the display. People were looking for where to celebrate the holiday and others used the event as a destination for Jewish culture," she notes.

Elbaze was also at the St. Vital Shopping Centre for Hands-On Chanukah on Nov 2014, where she reports that "300 people of all ages, 95% of whom were Jewish visited the display. Visitors included "parents and families of children performing at the event. Other visitors were looking for where to celebrate the holiday and others using the event as a destination for Jewish culture. We received a $500 grant from Big Tent Judaism (JOI)."
 

For Purim this year Elbaze was at the Mall at Grant Park Shopping Centre on February 15, 2015 and she will also be hosting " Passover in the Matzah Aisle at Grant Park Sobeys on March 22, 2015 from 12-4 pm. Last Passover, she says close to 200 Jews visited the display. "Some were doing their Passover shopping or just shopping for general groceries. Some visitors were looking for where to celebrate the holiday and others used the event as a destination for Jewish culture to get information on how to plan their own Seders or what to bring if they were invited to one."
 

Through the Engagement Initiative Elbaze works with all of our local organizations and synagogues to reach people where they are, which is not always in our traditional Jewish institutions.
 

"What we are doing is not in competition with the synagogues for example, but rather is designed to help them in reaching people that they could not traditionally reach. “She adds, "I have been working closely with the synagogues, the Rady JCC, JNF, the summer camps and other Jewish organizations to enable people who want to connect to find something in the community that suits their needs.

 "The goal of the “Making Connections” initiative is to make people feel welcome and comfortable to explore the Jewish community. It is part of a North American movement which is linked to several organizations such as NJOP (National Jewish Outreach Project), and Big Tent Judaism (Jewish Outreach Institute.)"

In addition to public space initiatives, Elbaze explains that her "mandate involves raising the bar of the Jewish experience for those who want to connect or who are already connected and want to deepen their involvement, enabling and coordinating community partners to pool their resources to offer inspirational programs and events."
 
 

Elbaze, who was a professor of Marketing and Communications including Business Strategy and Communications when she lived in France, says over the past two and a half years, she has meet "hundreds of Jews who are more or less connected to community". As she says, "Many are not affiliated but want to be involved in some way either through participation in a community or home hosted Passover Seder or an Open House in the Sukkah that they would not otherwise have an opportunity to experience."
 

Elbaze's work is designed to "raise the temperature of Jewish Life" by "developing and delivering exciting and inspiring destination events that will motivate those who are already connected as well as those who we would like to connect to something Jewish which is relevant to their lives and that will give them an opportunity to move forward on their Jewish journey."

Her mission is to "creating awareness about Judaism and Jewish values, and plan "destination events that pool human and financial resources of Jewish Federation and partners to offer a positive Jewish experience and/or connection to community"
 

One of the programs Elbaze has been delivering since 2013, is " Shalom Baby,." where a Shalom Baby Shower welcomes "from 25 to 36 new parents and their babies into the community at this afternoon “tea party” for parents to meet each other." As Elbaze notes, "Community partners included a special baby crowning ceremony and presentation of individual welcome baskets sponsored by local Jewish organizations."

 The following are a sampling of other programs Elbaze has planned and delivered:

 1. Open House in the Sukkah

 "September 2014 - 75 Children with their parents and grandparents gathered for a snack and a mini sukkah building craft. The event featured live music with chazzan and entertainer Cantor Anibal Mass on keyboard and vocals. Participants sang holiday songs and danced the hora outside around the sukkah between craft making and nibbling. Many came to make the blessings and shake the lulav. We received a $500 grant from The National Jewish Outreach Project (NJOP)."
 

 2. Community-Wide Chanukah Candle Lighting

 December 16, 2014 200 guests 80% families with children lined up to sample sufganiot and partake in free holiday activities followed by the candle lighting at 5PM.

 3. Tu Bishvat under the Trees at the Conservatory
 

February 7, 2015. Figures for 2015 were 100 adults age 18+ gathered for a Havdallah service and Tu Bishvat Seder (fruit sampling ceremony) followed by a buffet, live music and dancing with Shayla and Kinzey Posen."
 

Elbaze notes that once people have connected with her, "Follow-up is then important to keep people in the game once they start moving along their Jewish journey," and 'Our biggest challenge is to track the people we meet and continue to keep them engaged and included."

According to Elbaze, "There are other people across North America (some through Federation) who are working in the field of Jewish engagement who she has met through the Jewish Outreach Institute’s Professional Affiliate program. “I have been training with them on a regular basis over the past two years with regards to creating low barrier programs and inclusive opportunities to engage new people."
 

When asked what the most rewarding aspects of her work is, Elbaze responds "What I find rewarding is when people who we meet offer to volunteer and help us at programs once they themselves have become engaged.
 

I love the collaboration with the other Jewish organizations and the fabulous results we get when we pool are human, financial and logistic resources."