Why is it important to you to be involved with the Jerusalem foundation of Canada?
I’ve always been very involved in arts. It’s a common language between all people joining in the history of the past, the present, and the future, and it brings people together. And one of the three pillars of the Jerusalem Foundation, along with communal strength and future leadership, is creative culture.
So, when I first got involved with the Jerusalem Foundation of Canada in 2016 as a gala honouree, the project I selected to sponsor was Muslala, which is a garden roof Terrace/Art Center in Jerusalem. Muslala has a lot of similarities with a Calgary shopping centre I managed for nine years: a courtyard, an open shopping center and diverse communities gathering in a beautiful place.
In addition, and this is where it may differ from Calgary, is that Muslala is also used as a therapeutic space, which offers creative and immersive activities for evacuees, survivors and families in need, incorporating structured workshops and open art studios, led by local artists and therapists.
It is a project open to not just Jews, but to Christians and Arabs, and it was to bring harmony to the city, and it just reverberated with me. I was in Jerusalem in 2018 when the rooftop was officially opened.
Which Jerusalem Foundation Project are you most excited about now? Why?
The Shai Doron Fellows Leadership Program is probably to me the most amazing one right now, because that is something that Israel, and especially Jerusalem, are really going to need. Strong young leadership—young adults who have already seen so much war and are now contributing to a civil society that values diversity and living together.
These young leaders are stakeholders in that vision and are acting to make it happen. Through the Fellows program, we are supporting leadership that can stand up and take control in building a future with strong relationships across all identities, and neighbourhoods in Jerusalem.
What do you wish more Canadians knew about Jerusalem Foundation and its programs?
First, awareness that our foundation exists and is incredibly active and impactful in Jerusalem. And it’s a mitzvah to do anything to honour the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem is not just a Jewish city. It’s a city that is the heart and soul of the three Abrahamic faiths. As the Mayor Moshe Lion, who recently visited Calgary said, if you can have peace in the city of Jerusalem, which is a city that’s probably seen more war and bloodshed than any other city, Jerusalem can be a model for the whole world. It is possible to bring people together in harmony.
Second, the Jerusalem Foundation is a visionary foundation. It’s an organization that has the possibilities to bring around great change by ripple effect.
Carol Ryder is a member of the Jerusalem Foundation of Canada Executive and has been a member of our board since 2021. Carol has had a distinguished career spanning private enterprise, not-for-profits, and all levels of government. She is Chair Emerita of Alberta University of the Arts, having led its evolution from a college to Alberta’s only university dedicated to arts and design. Her 19 years of leadership in post-secondary education include key roles at Bow Valley College and across Alberta’s educational landscape, including as Chair of various provincial and national post-secondary boards. She also helped found Contemporary Calgary and served on Alberta’s Promise, supporting youth initiatives. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous honors, including the Premier’s Leadership Award, Alberta Centennial Medal, and Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. She resides in Calgary.