While plenty of cities and schools around the world take part in "Kindness Days" or promote random acts of kindness, Canada recently became the first country to formally enshrine a "Kindness Week" into law. On May 14, all five parties voted unanimously to pass Bill S-223, An Act respecting Kindness Week, in the House of Commons.

Kindness Week was inspired by Rabbi Reuven Bulka of Ottawa. Rabbi Bulka made it his life’s work to promote kindness—he even founded a national organization dedicated to it. Now his dream of formalizing it into law has come true, even as the 76-year-old rabbi battles late-stage cancer.

Senator Jim Munson joins to discuss the long road to getting Kindness Week off the ground, his relationship with Rabbi Bulka, and where we go from here.

What we talked about:

Kind Canada's website: kindcanada.org
Rabbi Bulka's website: rabbibulka.ca
Read the Hansard transcript of the House speeches regarding Bill S-223

The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Victoria Redden is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. Find more great Jewish podcasts at thecjn.ca.

Canada is the first country to enshrine "Kindness Week" into law