Welcome to the site of
The Jewish Chaplaincy Society
“The Jewish Chaplaincy Society believes in supporting the many Jews and their families who may wish to express their Jewishness in a non-synagogue setting.”
How can we help you?
Our Clergy
Rabbi Dina-Hasida Mercy
I am an independent, liberal Rabbi living in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Currently, I serve as one of the Clergy at The Jewish Chaplaincy Society
I am available for life cycle ceremonies, teaching, and spiritual counselling. I believe that everyone should have access to their traditions regardless of the directions our lives sometimes take.
Our Outreach
Welcoming the Shabbat
You may ask why the first mitzvah of Shabbat is the kindling of lights. That is because Shabbat is actually a celebration of the Creator and His Creation. G‑d’s creation of the world follows a seven-day cycle, which peaks each Shabbat and begins anew. At Creation, the first thing that was brought into being was light. Therefore, it is appropriate to kindle lights at the start of Shabbat in commemoration of the first light that was created.
ONLINE CALENDAR OF SHABBAT CANDLE LIGHTING, READINGS, HOLIDAYS, AND FAST HERE
Important Upcoming Festivals & Holidays
The Three Weeks
The Jewish “Three Weeks” of mourning (Bein haMetzarim) runs from July 2 to July 23. This annual summer period mourns the destruction of the Holy Temples and Jerusalem, beginning with the Fast of the 17th of Tammuz and culminating with Tisha B’Av, the saddest day on the Jewish calendar
- Fast of the 17th of Tammuz – July 2, 2026
- Fast of Tish’a B’Av – July 22 – 23, 2026
The Jewish Chaplaincy Society is a registered non-profit society in the Province of British Columbia: Registration number S-44321. JCS gladly accepts donations in support of its work and issues charitable tax receipts.
You can make donations to meet the needs of Jewish inmates through the Jewish Chaplaincy Society. Charitable tax receipts are not available for donations toward inmates’ needs (but the mitzvah value goes up!).