Local News
Jeff Lieberman discusses how, after years of serving as chair of major organizations, he’s actually going to be CEO of one: The Jewish Federation
By BERNIE BELLAN Longtime volunteer – and successful businessman Jeff Lieberman was the surprise choice to be the next CEO of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg.
I say surprise because, after years of serving on numerous quasi-public boards – often as chair of those boards, one would not have thought that Jeff Lieberman was actually interested in becoming the full-time CEO of one of those organizations. But, that he’ll soon be.
Recently I chatted with Jeff about how he came to throw his hat into the ring for the position of Federation CEO.
I’ve known Jeff for many years now – and, along with Avrom Charach, I can’t think of anyone in our Jewish community who has committed themselves longer to serving our community in so many different capacities.
Among various volunteer positions Jeff has held, he’s been the President of Folklorama, Chair of the University of Manitoba Board of Governors, President of the Rady JCC, President of the University of Manitoba Alumni Association. He currently serves as a Board Member of the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba and the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg.
Jeff, now 63, is married to Robyn (née Buchwald), who is the Membership Manager of the Rady JCC. Jeff and Robyn have three children: Amy, 31, who is a teacher at Gray Academy (and who just had a baby December 31, making Jeff and Robyn grandparents for the first time); Josh, 28, who is a lawyer; and Noah, 24, who has now written two books – among other things (and who was profiled in our last edition – before we ever knew about Jeff’s becoming CEO).
I was curious to find out from where Jeff derives an abiding sense of service to the community, but we began our conversation by my asking Jeff about his long-time ownership of his company, “Great Canadian Promotional Products.”
Jeff said he started the company in 1989. “We sold clothing for local companies and organizations,” he said. Eventually, “people started asking for different promotional products…and I’ve been selling promotional products since then.”
“Around 18 years ago I associated my company with a really large promotional products company – Talbot Marketing… and it’s been really great – lots of staff and support, and it’s really made my business life simple.”
Jeff explained that he thought he would stay in business, eventually work less, then retire, “but the last couple of months (in which he began to think about applying for the CEO position) really changed that.”
His goal before was to sell the company in about a year’s time, he said, but not retire from marketing. With everything that’s now happened, however, he’s had to move much quicker to sell his company.
He said that he’s “spoken to a couple of people in the past couple of weeks” and he’s “hoping to sell it” before he steps into his new role on August 14.
At that point I turned the conversation to the process that led Jeff “to throw his hat into the ring.” I said to him: “I’m guessing you were approached to put your name forward. Is that correct?”
Jeff said that he had been the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba’s representative on the Jewish Federation Board the past couple of years and had been aware for quite some time that Elaine Goldstine was planning on retiring as Federation CEO.
“But, to be honest,” Jeff noted, “I had no interest in putting my name forward. I was happy with what I was doing – and had never even considered it (applying for the CEO position.”
He went on to say that he’s not sure exactly what led to his being approached, but “a few people in the community had approached me and asked whether I’d be interested. They thought I’d be a really good person for the position,” he said, “and I was really complimented. When the first person asked I was kind of surprised because I had never really thought of myself that way, but a few months ago two or three other people came up to me and said the same thing, so it gets you thinking a little bit. I knew that the search was still on and eventually I decided to put my name forward.
“I guess there were a number of people that they were interviewing and I was put in the interview process at the same time – and, amazingly, I was told that the search committee had decided that they’d like me to be the CEO. I certainly didn’t expect it and, as a matter of fact, when I did the interview I said: ‘I hope I’m not wasting your time.’
While Jeff has served – and headed, various boards of organizations in the quasi-public sector – as I noted at the beginning of this article, I suggested to him that he would be the first CEO of the Jewish Federation coming from the private sector, and I wondered how different it would be becoming “the CEO of a quasi-public sector organization as opposed to being the owner of a business?”
“It will certainly be different,” Jeff answered. “What I said in my job interview is that if you’re looking for someone who’s there to build relationships and be a good people person, honest, hardworking – that’s what I am – a person of integrity…and a humble person – that’s what I really am. That’s what I think I bring. I know a lot of people in our community and they know me. I think I’ve got a good reputation.
“I may not bring the most amount of management skills, but I think what the Federation – and other organizations, need, are people to build relationships and build upon a future, because it’s all about the next generation. I think I can relate to younger people. I’m 63, but I feel like I’m 43…I’ve got lots of energy.
“They asked me in the interview how long I thought do I think I could work in this position? and I said, ‘Yah, I think I could work five – ten years.’’’
I asked whether there is a term attached to the CEO position?
Jeff said, “not really,” so I said “sort of like Vladimir Putin – you could just continue on as long as you want.”
I said though that, while I would want to discuss where Jeff thought changes were needed most at the Federation, I would give him a chance to “get his feet wet” before I’d ask him to start answering those types of questions.
What I wondered about though, is from where Jeff derived his strong sense of volunteerism? Was it something he grew up with? I asked.
“Not really,” Jeff responded. “My parents were hard working and they didn’t do a whole lot of volunteering. My mum (Dora, who died in 2011) did a little bit of that. My father (Aron, who died in 2022) was born in Poland. His family was all killed (in the Holocaust). When he had a chance to come to Canada, he came – on a boat. He was sick the whole way. When he got to Montreal he was told to come to Winnipeg. He was put on a train – didn’t speak a word of English. He worked in a factory all his life, worked hard. It was all about providing for my brother (Garry) and me – providing an education.” There was nothing specific in Jeff’s upbringing that led him to want to give back so much to the community, he added.
But, when he was much younger, he “was invited to go on a Federation mission – I think it was in 1988, and really after that I got the bug to volunteer. I started off at the Rady JCC – which then was the Y – and was on the board.
“Certainly I put in lots of hours volunteering, but I get so much out of it. I’ve met so many great people and experienced so many fantastic things.”
I said to Jeff that he’s such a nice guy, I wondered how it was going to be for him when he had to start saying “no” to a lot of people and organizations when they would be coming to the Federation with requests – especially for money. I noted that Bob Freedman, who had been CEO for 28 years, had a reputation for toughness – and wasn’t afraid to be confrontational at times. (I don’t recall hearing that Elaine Goldstine could be tough in the same way that Bob was tough but, on the other hand, the Goldstine reign is not quite over – and just like retired presidents, maybe the dirt will surface once Elaine has fully retired. Anyone who’s familiar with this newspaper knows that I like nothing more than to trade in gossip and innuendo, so watch out Elaine: We’re coming for you!)
I also mentioned to Jeff that I go back long enough to remember when the late Izzy Peltz basically ran what was then the Winnipeg Jewish Community Council as a one-man show.
Jeff recalled that “in those days, Robyn’s grandfather, Ralph Hamovich (whose daughter is Mira Buchwald, Robyn’s mother), was the other member of the team with Izzy (Peltz). I think Izzy ran the office, while Ralph ran the Combined Jewish Appeal part of it.”
“Yah,” I suggested, “it was really a small organization back then. You could have a two-man show.” (Boy, from a small seedling, mighty organizations with large staffs grow.)
And, speaking of staff, I noted that there have been many changes at the Federation recently, including two recent changes that were announced in our last issue: Sharon Graham as Community Planning and Allocations Lead (a position that had been vacant since the retirement of Faye Rosenberg-Cohen in December); and Graciela Najenson, as Interim Chief Development Officer (taking over from the recently departed Rebecca Brask).
Those are two hugely important positions in our community and, although both previous occupants of those positions may not have commanded a lot of attention outside of the Jewish organizational level, both Faye Rosenberg-Cohen and Rebecca Brask played key roles in determining how much money was available for the 12 beneficiary organizations of the Federation and how that money was distributed.
I said to Jeff though that I thought Elaine Goldstine’s last day as Federation CEO was going to be August 31. He said it was, “but that we’re going to have a few days together. Elaine and I have known each other forever. She has been so helpful. We’ve spoken every day and she said to me, ‘Jeff, I’m a phone call away and if you have any questions after that, just ask.’ I really appreciate that.”
On an end note, I said to Jeff that I thought his being hired was a refreshing change for the Federation and, while the piece I was going to write was going to be all “flowery,” (which this has been), “the muckraking was yet to come.”
Local News
Winnipeg Jewish Theatre breaks new ground with co-production with Rainbow Stage
By MYRON LOVE Winnipeg Jewish Theatre is breaking new ground with its first ever co-production with Rainbow Stage. The new partnership’s presentation of “Fiddler on the Roof” is scheduled to hit the stage at our city’s famed summer musical theatre venue in September 2026.
“We have collaborated with other theatre companies in joint productions before,” notes Dan Petrenko, the WJT’s artistic and managing director – citing previous partnerships with the Segal Centre for the Performing Arts in Montreal, the Harold Green Jewish Theatre in Toronto, Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon and Winnipeg’s own Dry Cold Productions. “Because of the times we’re living through, and particularly the growing antisemitism in our communities and across the country, I felt there is a need to tell a story that celebrates Jewish culture on the largest stage in the city – to reach as many people as possible.”
Last year, WJT approached Rainbow Stage with a proposal for the co-presentation of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Rainbow Stage management was really enthusiastic in their response, Petrenko reports.
“We are excited to be working with Winnipeg’s largest musical theatre company,” he notes. “Rainbow Stage has an audience of more than 10,000 people every season. Fiddler is a great, family-oriented story and, through our joint effort with Rainbow Stage, WJT will be able to reach out to new and younger audiences.”
“We are also working to welcome more diverse audiences from other communities, as well as newcomers – families who have moved here from Israel, Argentina and countries of the former Soviet Union.”
Helping Petrenko to achieve those goals are two relatively new and younger additions to WJT’s management team. Both Company Manager Etel Shevelev, and Head of Marketing Julia Kroft are in their 20s – as is Petrenko himself.
Kroft, who is also Gray Academy’s Associate Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations, needs little or no introduction to many readers. In addition to her work for Gray Academy and WJT, the daughter of David and Ellen Kroft has been building a second career as a singer and actor. Over the past few years, she has performed by herself or as part of a musical ensemble at Jewish community events, as well as in various professional theatre productions in the city.
Etel Shevelev is also engaged in a dual career. In addition to working full time at WJT, she is also a Fine Arts student (majoring in graphic design) at the University of Manitoba. Outside of school, she is an interdisciplinary visual artist (exhibiting her work and running workshops), so you can say the art world is no stranger to her.
(She will be partcipating in Limmud next month as a member of the Rimon Art Collective.)
Shevelev grew up in Kfar Saba (northeast of Tel Aviv). She reports that in Israel she was involved in theatre from a young age. “In 2019, I graduated from a youth theatre school, which I attended for 11 years.” In a sense, her work for WJT brings her full circle.
She arrived in Winnipeg just six years ago with her parents. “I was 19 at the time,” she says.
After just a year in Winnipeg, her family decided to relocate to Ottawa, while she chose to stay here. “I was already enrolled in university, had a long-term partner, and a job,” she explains. “I felt that I was putting down roots in Winnipeg.”
Etel expects to graduate by the end of the academic year, allowing her to focus on the arts professionally full-time.
In her role as company manager, Shevelev notes, she is responsible for communications with donors, contractors, and unions, as well as applying for various grants and funding opportunities.
In addition, her linguistic skills were put to use last spring for WJT’s production of “The Band’s Visit,” a story about an Egyptian band that was invited to perform at a cultural centre opening ceremony in the lively centre of Israel, but ended up in the wrong place – a tiny, communal town in southern Israel. Shevelev was called on to help some of the performers with the pronunciation of Hebrew words and with developing a Hebrew accent.
“I love working for WJT,” she enthuses. “Every day is different.”
Shevelev and Petrenko are also enthusiastic about WJT’s next production – coming up in April: “Ride: The Musical” debuted in London’s West End three years ago, and then went on to play at San Diego’s Old Globe theatre to rave reviews. The WJT production will be the Canadian premiere!
The play, Petrenko says, is based on the true story of Annie Londonderry, a young woman – originally from Latvia, who, in 1894, beat all odds and became the first woman to circle the world on a bicycle.
Petrenko is also happy to announce that the director and choreographer for the production will be Lisa Stevens – an Emmy Award nominee and Olivier Award winner. (The Olivier is presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional London theatre).
“Lisa is in great demand across Canada, and the world really,” the WJT artistic director says. “I am so thrilled that we will be welcoming one of the greatest Jewish directors and choreographers of our time to Winnipeg this Spring.”
For more information about upcoming WJT shows, readers can visit wjt.ca, email the WJT office at info@wjt.ca or phone the box office at 204-477-7515.
Local News
Rising Canadian comedy star Rob Bebenek to headline JCFS’ second annual “Comedy for a Cause”
By MYRON LOVE Last year, faced with a federal government budget cut to its Older Adult Services programs, Jewish Child and Family Service launched a new fundraising initiative. “Comedy with a Cause” was held at Rumor’s Comedy club and featured veteran Canadian stand-up comic Dave Hemstad.
That evening was so successful that – by popular demand – JCFS is doing an encore. “We were blown away by the support from the community,” says Al Benarroch, JCFS’s president and CEO.
“This is really a great way to support JCFS by being together and having fun,” he says.
“Last year, JCFS was able to sell-out the 170 tickets it was allotted by Rumor’s,” adds Alexis Wenzowski, JCFS’s COO. “There were also general public attendees at the event last year. Participants enjoyed a fun evening, complete with a 50/50 draw and raffle. We were incredibly grateful for those who turned out, the donors for the raffle baskets, and of course, Rumor’s Comedy Club.
“Feedback was very positive about it being an initiative that encouraged people to have fun for a good cause: our Older Adult Services Team.”
This year’s “Comedy for a Cause” evening is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25. Wenzowski reports that this year’s featured performer, Rob Bebenek, first made a splash on the Canadian comedy scene at the 2018 Winnipeg Comedy festival. He has toured extensively throughout North America, appearing in theatres, clubs and festivals. He has also made several appearances on MTV as well as opening shows for more established comics, such as Gerry Dee and the late Bob Saget.
For the 2026 show, Wenzowski notes, Rumors’ is allotting JCFS 200 tickets. As with last year, there will also be some raffle baskets and a 50/50 draw.
“Our presenting sponsors for the evening,” she reports, “are the Vickar Automotive Group and Kay Four Properties Incorporated.”
The funds raised from this year’s comedy evening are being designated for the JCFS Settlement and Integration Services Department. “JCFS chose to do this because of our reduction in funding last year by the federal government to this department,” Wenzowski points out.
“Last year alone,” she reports, “our Settlement and Integration Services team settled 118 newcomer families – from places like Israel, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. Each year, our program supports even more newcomer families with things like case management, supportive counselling, employment coaching, workshops, programming for newcomer seniors, and more.”
“We hope to raise more than $15,000 through this event for our Settlement and Integration Program,” Al Benarroch adds. “The team does fantastic work, and we know that our newcomer Jewish families need the supports from JCFS. I want to thank our sponsors, Rumor’s Comedy Club, and attendees for supporting us.”
Tickets for the show cost $40 and are available to purchase by calling JCFS (204-477-7430) or by visiting here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/jcfs-comedy-for-a-cause. Sponsorships are still available.
Local News
Ninth Shabbat Unplugged highlight of busy year for Winnipeg Hillel
By MYRON LOVE Lindsay Kerr, Winnipeg’s Hillel director, is happy to report that this year’s ninth Shabbat UnPlugged, held on the weekend of January 9-11, attracted approximately 90 students from 11 different universities, including 20 students who were from out of town.
Shabbat UnPlugged was started in 2016 by (now-retired) Dr. Sheppy Coodin, who was a science teacher at Gray Academy, along with fellow Gray Academy teacher Avi Posen (who made aliyah in 2019) – building on the Shabbatons that Gray Academy had been organizing for the school’s high school students for many years.
The inaugural Shabbat UnPlugged was so successful that Coodin and Posen did it again in 2017 and took things one step further by combining their Shabbat UnPlugged with Hillel’s annual Shabbat Shabang Shabbaton that brings together Jewish university students from Winnipeg and other Jewish university students from Western Canada.
As in the past, this year’s Shabbat UnPlugged weekend was held at Lakeview’s Hecla Resort. “What we like about Hecla,” Kerr notes, “is that they let us bring in our own kosher food, it is out of the city and close to nature for those who want to enjoy the outdoors.”
The weekend retreat traditionally begins with a candle lighting, kiddush and a traditional Shabbat supper. Unlike previous Shabbats UnPlugged, Kerr points out, there were no outside featured speakers this year. All religious services and activities were led by students or national program partners.
The weekend was funded in part by grants from CJPAC and StandWithUs Canada, along with the primary gift from The Asper Foundation.
Kerr reports that the activities began with 18 of our local Jewish university students participating in a new student Shabbaton – inspired by Shabbat Unplugged, titled “Roots & Rising.”
In addition to Shabbat Unplugged, Hillel further partnered with Chabad for a Sukkot program in the fall, as well as with Shaarey Zedek Congregation and StandWithUs Canada for a Chanukah program. Hillell also featured a commemoration of October 7, an evening of laser tag and, in January, a Hillel-led afternoon of ice skating.
Coming up this month will be a visit to an Escape Room – and a traditional Shabbat dinner in March.
Kerr estimates that there are about 300 Jewish students at the University of Manitoba and 100 at the University of Winnipeg.
“Our goal is to attract more Jewish students to take part in our programs and connect with our community,” she comments.