Honouring Tradition, Investing in the Future:  Pekarsky Family Champions JWest Vision

The JWest Capital Campaign is thrilled to acknowledge a generous gift from Dan and Trudy Pekarsky. The Pekarskys are longtime stalwarts of the Vancouver Jewish community, and we are deeply indebted to the family for their philanthropy, which brings us ever closer to our goal of raising $161 million.

Raised in Edmonton, Dan and Trudy’s earliest memories are of Jewish life in that city. Both were very involved in and committed to Jewish organizations from an early age and this continued as they raised their children in Edmonton and then Vancouver.

Trudy attended a Jewish camp in Alberta from age eight through 19, a period that strengthened her strong Jewish identity and love of Yiddishkeit. “I remember the pride I felt in giving my first $18 to the Federation campaign as an adult,” she recalled. “I’ve always believed in supporting the broad spectrum of Jewish life and education through Federation.”

Dan’s home life was steeped in Jewish tradition and led by his father, Leo, a Hebrew teacher and lawyer who had left Poland for Canada in 1923. A respected leader of the Jewish world, Leo was a sought-after speaker at Jewish gatherings and spearheaded the building of a new school for Talmud Torah in Edmonton. “My father was on the bimah when the State of Israel was declared,” Dan recalls. “He seemed to be everywhere that was important in the Jewish world."

His sudden death in 1954 at the age of 51 had a profound effect on Dan, who was just 16 at the time. Dan witnessed the depth of his father’s commitment to Jewish life, and was determined to contribute in his own, personal way to Jewish institutions.

His volunteer work began in Edmonton, where he was a board member of Talmud Torah and B'nai Brith Camp, and continued when the family relocated to Vancouver in 1979 and Dan began a new career. 

I was a volunteer who couldn’t say no,” he quipped, recalling his election to the board of Vancouver Talmud Torah soon after he arrived.

Dan served as Federation’s second president,  co-chaired VTT’s major capital project and served on the boards of multiple significant civic institutions. His thoughtful guidance has touched many of Vancouver’s Jewish institutions over the past five decades. Trudy’s first passion was Arts Umbrella, where she’s been involved since its inception. And this commitment to community has been passed along yet again, to their children. 

The Pekarskys believe JWest is a dynamic, much-needed initiative, one they are happy to support. “The recent resurgence of anti-Semitism makes this a very threatening time for us, and I worry about the future of our grandchildren and  future generations,” Dan said. “We believe that the best way to combat this outburst of anti-Semitism is through education. If we’re going to stay strong, we have to preserve and boost the institutions that foster Jewish pride and personal growth.”

Trudy echoes his sentiments. “Many of the lifelong skills I learned in the Jewish youth groups continued to serve me as an adult leader in the community,” she said. “They were a great training ground for future leadership. That’s why I love the concept of JWest, a bold initiative that will create a hub for community members from preschoolers all the way through to seniors.”

JWest will revitalize Vancouver’s Jewish community through its partnership of Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, the Jewish Community Centre and King David High School (KDHS). The 3.3-acre campus will expand impactful community services, increase full time childcare spaces and senior services and provide affordable rental housing.

KDHS will benefit extensively from the JWest campaign. The school will have a 25% increase in space, enhanced Judaic Studies programs, a new gymnasium with dedicated change rooms, and access to school spaces designed to facilitate collaborative learning, innovation and creativity.

"The Pekarskys have long been big supporters of KDHS and we’re very appreciative of the immense value they place on Jewish education,” said Dr. Seth Goldsweig, head of school. “At KDHS we play a pivotal role in shaping the Jewish leaders of the future in Vancouver. This is where our next generation of Jewish thinkers and innovators is nurtured, and where their growth, Jewish loyalty and leadership are encouraged and developed. Being part of a new Jewish community hub at JWest will be a gamechanger for KDHS, and we are grateful to the Pekarskys for their foresight, commitment and philanthropy."