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Greg Brodsky through the years in the pages of The Jewish Post & News
By BERNIE BELLAN The news of the passing of legendary lawyer Greg Brodsky has already been well reported in various news media.
But, aside from his numerous contributions to jurisprudence Greg Brodsky was someone who contributed a great deal of his his time to a myriad of Jewish organizations.
A scan of Jewish Post and Jewish Post & News archives reveals the many organizations to which Mr. Brodsky devoted his time. The very first mention of Greg Brodsky’s name in one of our issues was in the January 21, 1965 issue, when he was a young 24-year-od lawyer.
His name was listed as a vice-chairman of the 1965 Israel Histadrut campaign. (How long has it been since we’ve had any reference to Histadrut in this paper?) In succeeding years Mr. Brodsky’s name was regularly listed in Histadrut campaigns.
In 1968 his name was listed on the Pioneer Women’s Child Rescue campaign (another annual event that was at one time a staple of our community).
In 1976 Greg’s name was on the list of barristers backing the Combined Jewish Appeal campaign that year.
But, starting in 1980, the name Brodsky began to appear on a regular basis in Harvey Rosen’s sports column, “The Sporting Touch”. Here is what Harvey wrote in our June 7, 1980 issue, under the headline “These Runners Didn’t Stumble”. The occasion was the second running of what has since become an annual event: The Manitoba Marathon.
“I decided to scan the thousands of names and at random choose some of the ‘chosen people’ who realized their dream of one day running the equivalent distance of the Boston Marathon.
“Was Dr. Fred Shane’s name there? Do kids love Mickey Mouse?….
“Lawyer Greg Brodsky, upon whom Shane prevailed to join him this year in Boston, also completed the Manitoba race…According to Fred, ‘Brodsky has got incredible drive.’ Greg, who should now be capable of taking on a greater load due to his superb conditioning, began only a year ago to take the sport of running seriously.”
Freda Glow also wrote about Greg’s running hobby when, in 1993, she wrote about what had become another popular race, the Winnipeg Beach to Gimli 10-mile run.
Freda wrote this about Greg’s participation: “Avid runner Greg Brodsky has participated in the race 10 times. ‘It’s a good way to see where you’re at in your training. You can’t lie to the clock.’ He said it’s only too easy to find an excuse not to run. Despite four past injuries, he’s continued.
“The busy criminal lawyer, who is recuperating nicely from two operations on his Achilles tendon states, ‘We’re going to show those doctors. They told me I couldn’t run any more. “
In our July 24, 1980 issue Mr. Brodsky’s name appears on the list of newly appointed executive members of the Shaarey Zedek Board, something that was to be repeated several times in future years.
In 1986 Mr. Brodsky’s name appears on a list of newly appointed members to the board of Canadian Associates of Ben Gurion University.
And, although there wasn’t a story in our paper about his involvement with the Vaad Ha’ir (the body responsible for the supervision of kashrut in Winnipeg for a very long time), my first personal meeting with Mr. Brodsky occurred some time in the 1980s when he was part of a group of three men who came to our old office on Hutchings Street to discuss a matter that I’ve forgotten exactly what it was about.
All that I remember was that certain individuals were unhappy with The Jewish Post over something to do with kashrut. (Was it that we were carrying ads for “trayf” restaurants? I just can’t remember.) What I do remember was that Mr. Brodsky didn’t say a word during that meeting – and looked a mite uncomfortable even being there. (My impression was that he would have rather been anywhere else. I’m glad I wasn’t subjected to one of his famous cross-examinations.)
In 2002 Mr. Brodsky was a member of the cast of the Manitoba Bar Association’s production of “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest”.
In our February 9, 2011 issue Mr. Brodsky’s name is listed as a newly appointed director of the Winnipeg Board of Jewish Education.
In March of that same year, Mr. Brodsky delivered the eulogy at the funeral of another great member of Manitoba’s legal community, Harry Walsh, saying: “Mr. Walsh was a big part of my life. He is responsible for what I am today. He left me with 40 years worth of memories. I am going to miss him.”
My final communication with Mr. Brodsky occurred in the fall of 2020. I received a phone call from him – much to my surprise, because I had never had a phone call from him any time previously. His speech was slurred and it was immediately apparent to me that he must have either had a stroke or was suffering from some other debilitating condition.
I should note that for years we had been running memoriams for both of Mr. Brodsky’s parents and were always paid with personal cheques from Mr. Brodsky.
This time – and although it was not easy for me to discern what he was saying, it became apparent that he was trying to schedule a memoriam for his late wife, Sylvia. I wasn’t sure how I could comply with his request without knowing more details, so I contacted Greg’s son, Dan.
As I recall, I did contact Dan, but unfortunately, I can’t remember the conversation I had with him. In the end, I didn’t schedule that memoriam – something I deeply regret, as I was told by an individual who took over responsibility for Mr. Brodsky’s affairs when he was no longer capable of doing so that Greg Brodsky so looked forward to receiving our paper each issue.
While Greg Brodsky will no doubt be remembered for the indefatigable energy he devoted to the law, I hope that by offering a smattering of other aspects of his life, as noted at various times within the pages of this paper, that I have offered a wider glimpse of a man who was so generous with his time to so many different organizations but who was, as evidenced by descriptions of his dogged determination to continue running even when he had so severely injured himself doing so – someone of incredible determination, drive, and zest for life.
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Talented Winnipeg composer Sara Kreindler teams up with her mother Reena Kreindler to create new satirical show to premiere here in May
By BERNIE BELLAN It’s been many years since I’ve heard from Sara Kreindler. Sara’s name first appeared in The Jewish Post & News in 2002 when a satirical musical titled “A Touch of Class” was reviewed by the late Arnold Ross. That particular production featured songs from popular Broadway shows that touched upon themes such as “greed, poverty, oppression, and social unrest.”
When she appeared in that show, Ross noted, Kreindler had just recently returned to Winnipeg from England, where she had obtained a doctorate in Social Psychology from Oxford University.
While at Oxford, Kreindler found time to compose a satirical musical titled “Charity,” which played to rave reviews there, and was performed five times.
Continuing in the theme of writing satirical musicals, Sara has now teamed up with her mother, Reena, to write a new musical titled “A Perfect Man,” which is set to run at the Gargoyle Theatre from May 6-17.
According to a press release we received, “A Perfect Man” is “a satirical musical, set on a fictional analogue of ‘The Bachelor’.
“The story follows an anthropologist who arrives to research TV’s hottest reality-dating show — only to discover she’s been made a contestant, and the bachelor is her high school crush. Past and present collide against an exuberant pastiche score that uses vintage musical styles to highlight modern absurdities.”
“Praised as ‘a musician [who] can make biofuels funny’ (CBC), Sara is known for whip-smart satire on a panoply of topics. Her digital musical, ‘Larry Saves the Canadian Healthcare System, created during her former life as an academic, has garnered over 84,000 YouTube views. Naturally, she had a field day with the subject of reality dating.
“The topic just begs for campy zaniness, which I think we all need in these times — but also for a more cerebral critique of what these shows say about the culture that spawned them,” says Kreindler. And thanks to the romance context, the satire is woven into a deeper, more personal story. “It’s satire with a heart.”
Here is some more information about Sara Kreindler, taken from a 2009 article I wrote about her:
“Born in Israel, Sara’s precocious talent was nurtured by her mother, Reena, whose own particular talent is literary, not musical. According to Reena, however, Sara was singing from the time she was a baby, and she began to study piano at the age of four.
“As a young girl, Sara began writing her own songs and poems, along with the “occasional musical”, notes Reena. Yet, Sara’s rare talent put her at odds with the typical interests of other children her own age, on top of which she attended a school to which she was exposed to a fair degree of antisemtism.
“As a result, Sara says, being bullied was a common aspect of her childhood. On one occasion, when she was nine, she notes, Sara fought back against one particular bully by reciting the following little ditty:
“I write so many epigrams to you that all the people laugh.
I’m tired of writing epigrams.
I want to write your epitaph!”
“Sara went on to compose a musical titled ‘Flutesong’ while she was a student at Vincent Massey Collegiate, she says. After doing her undergraduate work at the University of Manitoba, majoring in Psychology, Sara won a Rhodes Scholarship to attend Oxford University.
“Sara eventually earned a doctorate in Social Psychology and returned to Winnipeg, where she began teaching at the University of Manitoba, but she said she didn’t enjoy the “mass production” style of teaching upwards of 300 students at a time, so she switched careers and began doing health research for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority.”
All the while Sara has been continuing to compose and perform her own songs, often teaming up with her mother, as she has for “A Perfect Man.”
Showtimes and ticket information for The Perfect Man are available at:
http://www.thegargoyletheatre.com/upcoming-events/the-perfect-man
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Rabbi Kliel Rose to leave Congregation Etz Chayim for new post in Ottawa
The following email from Congregation Etz Chayim Executive Director Morissa Granove was sent to members of the congregation on Friday, April 10:
“Dear Members and Friends,
“As we know, Rabbi Kliel recently spent a weekend with Kehilllat Beth Israel where he has since been offered a position. After much thought and consideration, he has made the decision to sign a contract in Ottawa. He will continue to lead our congregation through Yom Kippur.
“This news marks a significant ending for our Etz Chayim community, and at the same time with change comes opportunity. Congregation Etz Chayim will soon embark on our own Rabbinical search with excitement as we look for our perfect candidates and explore the new possibilities that will help us to continue to shape a strong future for our synagogue and members.”
Kliel Rose took up the position of rabbi at Etz Chayim in August, 2018.
In an article announcing his appointment to the position in the June 6, 2018 issue of The Jewish Post & News, Myron Love wrote:
The congregation has been without a permanent rabbi since last summer when Rabbi Larry Lander chose to retire – after ten years here – and relocate to Toronto.
Kliel Rose is already a well-seasoned rabbi. He was ordained in 2004 by the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York.
He previously served as spiritual leader at the West End Synagogue in Nashville and Temple Enamu-El in Miami Beach. His current posting is Beth Shalom Synagogue in Edmonton.
Following the example of his parents, Kliel Rose has been active in interfaith dialogue and human rights work for which he was honoured in 2014 with the Human Rights Hero Award by Truah: The Rabbibic Call for Human Rights.
He has also participated in the Kellogg Management Education for Jewish Leaders program at Northwestern University and was most recently chosen to be among 20 rabbis from different denominations chosen to train in the Clergy leadership Incubator – a two-year program, under the leadership of Ranni Sidney Schwarz, intended to educate younger rabbis in innovative thinking, change management and institutional transformation.
In Edmonton, Rose also served as Jewish chaplain at the University of Alberta and took the lead on a program called “Faith and Inclusion”, whose mandate was to support individuals with cognitive and physical learning challenges to feel more welcome within various faith communities.