The Ben Weider Educational Centre – Chabad Seminary of Canada

Established in 1988, the Ben Weider Educational Centre, under the auspices of the worldwide Chabad movement and the Québec CEGEP system, has been dedicated to the highest caliber of post-secondary education for young Jewish women from the province of Quebec and beyond.

To date, close to 2,500 graduates have benefited from the knowledge, moral wisdom and compassion transmitted by the Centre’s programs and professional staff, with many alumnae advancing to leadership positions in communities around the world. As ambassadors of the program, they disseminate their learning and ensure continuity and inspiration strengthening our Jewish nation.

In 2022, as our outreach continued to expand, we initiated a special project named Operation Miriam. This project is the Centre’s five-year mission to welcome 25 young women, ages 17-20, from war-torn Ukraine and Israel, to study at our Educational Facility and to reside at the Frieda Dym Residence Hall. The Seminary provides these vulnerable young women the opportunity to live and learn within a safe and warm communal environment, giving them peace of mind to learn, grow and develop in a setting that is based on our Jewish heritage and traditions.

Operation Miriam’s initiative of compassion has aroused the humanitarian interest and enthusiasm of many community members and philanthropists. Our goal for this year’s Feast of the Nations Gala 2024 is to raise the funds to fulfill this mission and to support underprivileged students.