All legacies start somewhere, and for Jordan Balaban, a Grade 9 graduate from CJA’s Class of 2000, his began before he was born and will likely continue for generations to come. His father, two brothers, wife, nieces and nephew all share connections to the CJA and to the greater Calgary Jewish community, and Jordan looks forward to his young son beginning his own journey at the school in 2027. A CJA family tree that stretches its branches so far is rare and certainly special. Today, Jordan serves as the CEO of the CJA, giving back to the school and community that helped shape him.
Being a CJA alumnus is a title held with fondness, but being a CJA Hawk is a special honour. Basketball taught Jordan motivation, teamwork, and the importance of his community. His strongest memory, however, is spending time with Israeli students during his Grade 9 trip to Israel. Although they were only three years away from mandatory army service, Jordan was struck by how alike they all were.
“I remember that they were just like us.” Jordan reminisces, “We were just kids playing basketball and soccer together.” The trip was the perfect way to connect all the years of learning while strengthening bonds with his class and teammates. Jordan credits the CJA for helping him create those close friendships that continue today.
Jordan explains how the school influenced his identity: “The CJA was a place where I felt welcomed, supported and encouraged to pursue my potential.” For Jordan, being a part of a generational CJA family “further reiterates the impact that CJA can have and how it’s just a microcosm of the Jewish story.” The school was also just the start of Jordan’s involvement in the Jewish community as a whole.
That value was modelled in Jordan’s own family. After his parents moved to Calgary, he watched his older brothers, Michael and Dan, take their own journeys through the school. He also saw his dad, Jack, become the school’s basketball coach. Jack believed that the Jewish students weren’t receiving the respect they deserved and wanted to teach them how to compete. The team played hard and started to see a change in how they were treated on the court. The students learned how to compete and how to win as a team.
Years later, the next generation of the Balaban family continued the family legacy at the CJA, with Jordan’s nieces and nephew. Inspired to follow in his dad’s footsteps, Jordan returned to coach the Hawks Junior High boys’ basketball team with his brother Dan, who also coached his nephew, Adam. It was a true full-circle moment, marking Jordan’s reunion with the CJA since graduating.
After co-founding Greengate Power with his family and spending nearly 20 years building the renewable energy development company, Jordan returned to his roots at CJA. He is motivated to ensure Jewish education in Calgary thrives, no matter the challenge. As he states, “Without challenge, there is no growth – and I am doubling down on our ability to succeed, grow and thrive as a school community.”
Jordan is inspired by the staff, parents, and students who work together to create a community to be proud of. For him, playing a critical role in this process means “empowering our Jewish youth with an unwavering sense of identity, a sense of belonging, and a sense of community.”
Although Jordan has already contributed a great deal to Calgary’s Jewish community, he believes his work has only just begun. He wants to help set up the next generation for success and is especially motivated to create a community his son can be proud to be part of.
“Our Jewish community is at an inflection point where the torch is being passed to my generation,” Jordan shares. “I am excited to be a builder at this time in partnership with the rest of our community to ensure our community continues to thrive.”