Shannon Sabbah’s values as an Orthodox Jew reaffirmed her commitment to become a leader in the Edmonton Jewish community. Standing at the crossroads of tradition and modernity, she felt a deep sense of responsibility for her heritage and a burning desire to forge her own path. Her vision was clear: to connect the broader Jewish community in new, inclusive ways that would embrace non-Orthodox individuals and foster unity.
“There needs to be a lot more crossover involvement with people from different communities, so that we can bridge together the entire community and bring us all into one big community instead of five or six smaller groups that have different belief systems,” says Shannon.
This aspiration led her to enroll in the Young Leadership Program, a course designed to prepare participants for leadership roles within the Jewish Federation or other Jewish community organizations. Through this program, the participants learn to lead and make a positive impact through philanthropy and non-profit board service across Jewish Edmonton.
“The program offers a foundational curriculum in leadership from a Jewish perspective, incorporating elements like Havdalah, D’var Torah, and prayer. Topics include contemporary and historical antisemitism, Israel and diaspora relations, trends in Jewish North America, Torah and leadership, board governance fundamentals, and personal leadership development,” says Jacqueline Medalye, associate director of Next Generation Leadership and Advocacy at the Jewish Federation of Edmonton.
Raised in an Orthodox Jewish household, Shannon has been engaged in the Jewish community for as long as she can remember. Her parents, who were active leaders in various Jewish organizations, inspired her commitment. Her father served as the president of Beth Israel Synagogue, while her mother holds the position of president of Emunah Women of Edmonton. This upbringing ingrained in her the importance of community involvement.
“My parents were on the boards of various Jewish organizations,” Shannon says. “They hosted events and even had people’s weddings in their backyards. We have always been a house where people could come and stay if they couldn’t be at home. My parents have always had an open-door policy.”
While Shannon admires her parents’ dedication to the Jewish community, she wants to bring the Orthodox values to other Jewish communities and find ways to unite them all. This intention became pronounced considering the recent changes in the community because of the pandemic and the closure of an Orthodox school. “Orthodox people should work to be more involved with the rest of the community. We must work harder to be part of the greater community and bring all the greater community together so there isn’t the division that used to exist,” says Shannon.
As part of the program, Shannon took a class that involved analyzing statistics from studies conducted primarily on American Jewish communities. The data from this research revealed that many Jewish Americans preferred spending time with their pets over attending synagogue services. Inspired by this, Shannon proposed a solution: an event at a local dog park, where community members could bring their pets off-leash. “This can pull in new community members who may not have been involved with the community before,” says Shannon. This was precisely the initiative she had been seeking to connect with the wider Jewish community.
Beyond community involvement, Shannon’s key takeaway from the program was advocating for Israel. While her sphere of influence primarily comprised supportive Jewish individuals, she recognized the need to reach beyond those boundaries. “The information on Israel and advocacy was also important. Learning new ways to advocate and reach outside my sphere to promote Israel and what to say was super helpful, especially with what is going on now.”