Ryan Blau, PBL Photography

West Island Hillel is using creative approaches to engage local Jewish youth with each other, their identity and, ultimately with the broader Jewish community.

The off-shoot of Hillel Montreal was established in March 2005 by a group of young go-getters, Yoni Petel, Marion Dana, Liora Richler, Steve Frenkiel and Assaf Simhon. In response to communal concerns that a growing number of West Island young people are unattached to their Jewish community, West Island Hillel is determined to make a selection of social, cultural and religious programs accessible to the youth on the West Island.

One highly successful initiative has been the “Shabbat in the West” dinners.

“People thought that we would not find enough people in the West Island who’d be interested in coming to a Shabbat dinner,” explains Petel, the group’s acting chair. “We knew that in order to reach the unaffiliated and those who do not usually come to our events in the West Island, we needed to provide something new, something fresh and something different.”

In March 2005, Hillel enlisted a strong team of 35 volunteer promoters and invited Andy Litinsky, a former contestant from the popular television series The Apprentice, for its first event, “Shabbat in the West,” which was attended by 300 people.

“Nobody believed we would have such a turnout. But our programs are by West Island Jewish students, form West Island Jewish students. If we agree around the table on an event, then we know it will be a success. So far, it has worked great, and I am sure it will continue in the future. We have our own broad structure with volunteers and our own budget, and we are trying to build a full Hillel branch that will serve all West Island students from all campuses.”

West Island Hillel held a second successful dinner, “Shabbat in the West – Take 2”, on March 17, with special guest Emmanuelle Chriqui, an accomplished television and film actress who was born in Montreal.

Keeping with the reality TV theme, Petel and three other volunteers organized “ The Amazing Race in the West” on May 29, 2005. The race, complete with the show’s signature clue boxes and pit stops, challenged competitors to successfully carry out physical and mental tests in the fastest time. The outdoor jaunt sent competitors on a tour of the West Island, including such well-known destinations as Cap-Saint-Jacques Nature Park, John Abbott College and Centennial Park. The one-day event attracted 76 participants, many of them new to Hillel.

West Island Hillel is currently planning “ The Amazing Race in the West II.”

“Everyone is talking about it,” says Petel, “and we are going to blow them away again with this year’s race”.

“The Amazing Race II” is scheduled to coincide with the Grand Opening of FEDERATION CJA West Island on May 28, 2006. For further information, contact West Island Hillel at westislandhillel@gmail.com.