Local News
Operation Ezra one of seven local organizations that received unexpected gifts totalling $1.5 million US
By BERNIE BELLAN I was recently contacted by Michel Aziza, who has spearheaded the drive to help Yazidi refugees known as “Operation Ezra”. Michel told me about a totally unexpected donation of $150,000 to Operation Ezra that was received from something called the Dorothy Strelsin foundation.
I was intrigued by this surprise gift to Operation Ezra. It turns out that the gift to Operation Ezra was just one of seven gifts made to local organizations by the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation.
Here is what I learned, after talking to an individual who had helped to guide the gift-giving process for a foundation about which no one here had heard until cheques started arriving recently.
Dorothy Strelsin, born Dorothy Dennis in 1913, was a one-time Broadway showgirl who had married a wealthy industrialist by the name of Alfred Strelsin.
According to information we were able to glean from the internet, Dorothy Strelsin had been an ardent supporter of the arts. Apparently, upon her death, a foundation was started in her name. The foundation has been under the direction of a good friend of Dorothy Strelsin’s, who has asked us not to divulge her name.
It turns out that the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation has grown considerably in the 20 years since its creation and, in that time, it has made donations to over 100 different organizations. From what we were told by an individual who has a close connection to the manager of the foundation, and who played a key role in suggesting Winnipeg organizations that were worthy of financial assistance, the person who has been managing the foundation wishes to bring it to a close. As a result, there has been a recent outpouring of gifts to a great many different organizations, including seven which have strong Winnipeg connections.
The six other local organizations, in addition to Operation Ezra, which received donations from the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation, include:
• The Assiniboine Park Conservancy’s Polar Bear Rescue & Care Team
• Harvest Manitoba (formerly Manitoba Harvest)
• Gaining Resources Our Way (G.R.O.W.) – a non-denominational program started by Karyn Lazareck in 2002 to help promote greater independence and self-reliance for young adults with special needs
• Siloam Mission
• BB Camp – to set up a fund to provide scholarships for Indigenous children in the Kenora area to be able to attend BB Camp’s day camp on Town Island
• The Rady JCC – for special needs programs
The funds allocated by the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation for each of the above organizations have already been distributed. As the individual who played a direct role in determining where funds from the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation would go in Manitoba told me, “it has been a humbling and rewarding experience”, first determining where those funds would go, and then seeing the impact that giving those funds has already had.
We have not heard from any of the organizations that received gifts from the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation, other than Operation Ezra. Here is what Michel Aziza of Operation Ezra wrote to me:
The generous and unexpected donation from the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation comes at a critical time for the Operation Ezra project as it continues to look for ways to help and assist many of the Yazidi families brought to Canada by the Government in 2017 and 2018.
While all the families privately sponsored by Operation Ezra through the generous contributions of our community are doing very well and have gained full independence, the 40 + families brought in by the government continue to face many financial and emotional challenges. As a result of this , Operation Ezra shifted its focus several years ago to helping these families. Many of the privately sponsored Operation Ezra families have become active volunteers for Operation Ezra in the resettlement and integration of these other struggling families.
The funds received from the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation will be applied to three main projects which include; The establishment of a small cemetery for the entire Yazidi community in Winnipeg; The expansion of the very successful farming project run in partnership with the Shelmerdine Garden centre; and an extensive and sustainable Food Assistance program for families who are still struggling financially .
A small committee has been established to discuss ideas for sustainable food assistance and this committee will oversee the management of the donated funds as well.
This most generous donation will have a significant impact on the Yazidi community. A Yazidi cemetery, the first and only one of its kind in Canada, has been on the Yazidi community wish list for several years. Its establishment will be key to a solid foundation for the long term sustainability of the community in Winnipeg. The farming project typically engages over 30 regular volunteers working the fields and providing fresh and healthy produce to a total of 52 families (approximately 400 individuals). The donated funds will allow Operation Ezra not only to expand the project to possibly other types of farming involving additional volunteers, it will also allow for the purchase of equipment and tools to help the Yazidi volunteers continue with this very successful project. The Yazidi community is paying it forward as well by donating approximately 10,000 lbs. of produce to local charities each year as a way of helping others.
All those involved with Operation Ezra are extremely grateful to the Dorothy Strelsin Foundation and its board of trustees for making it possible to continue to help build a resilient Yazidi Community in Winnipeg.
Post script: The unexpected donation to Operation Ezra is reminiscent of another large and unexpected donation ($725,000) that was made two years ago – to the Simkin Centre Foundation, by something called the Myer and Corrine Geller Trust. As I wrote around the time of that donation, I surmised that Myer Geller’s mother had been a resident of the Sharon Home.
The donation to Operation Ezra is also reminiscent of the $900,000 donation that was made by an anonymous “angel” in 2015 that went toward the purchase of the Gwen Secter Centre from the National Council of Jewish Women. (By the way, the NCJW had said that it wanted to sell the Gwen Secter Centre so that it could do something for addiction treatment here. I’m still waiting to hear what’s happened with that $900,000.)
I’ve also kept my word not to reveal the name of the angel who stepped up to save the Gwen Secter Centre, although I did discover who that person was.
There’s nothing like a surprise gift of hundreds of thousands of dollars to put a smile on someone’s face, is there?
Local News
Fringe Festival star Melanie Gall to appear at Gwen Secter Centre July 16
By BERNIE BELLAN A veteran performer at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, Melanie Gall, will be making a special guest appearance at the Gwen Secter Centre on Thursday, July 16.
Melanie will be the featured speaker (and entertainer) for the Remis Speakers’ Series that day. The Remis Speakers’ Series is held every Thursday starting at noon and ending at 1:30. This year’s series began May 7 and will continue through the end of October. This year it has been attracting increasingly large audiences – ranging from 40-60 people, as it offers attendees the opportunity to enjoy a delicious – and kosher lunch, while listening to a very diverse variety of speakers – all the way from Gail Asper talking about returning the Ten Commandments to Assiniboine Park to Rabbi Matthew Leibl performing Christmas songs that were written by Jewish songwriters. At the same time it provides those attending a chance to make new acquaintances – or perhaps bump into old friends they haven’t seen in a long time.
Melanie Gall’s own story is sure to be riveting. I’ve written about Melanie in the past, but the past two summers had been especially nerve wracking for Melanie, as she was subjected to a torrent of antisemitic abuse over her support for the State of Israel.
You can read my story about what Melanie went through during the Winnipeg Fringe Festival – both in 2024 and again last year, at Melanie Gall subjected to antisemitic abuse.
Melanie, who will be entering her 13th year of performing at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, will be peforming in only one show this year – a departure from her past practice of performing in multiple shows (as many as three different shows) during the Fringe Festival.
Elsewhere on this website we’ll be offering a preview of Melanie’s show (which is called “The Ballad of Isobel Gunn” and which is based on an incredible, but true story), along with previews of several other shows.
In the meantime, if you’re not already a member of the Remis Speakers’ Series group, but would ike to attend this coming Thursday, simply email us at jewishp@mymts.net and we’ll reserve a spot for you. The cost for the lunch is only $20.
The Gwen Secter Centre is located at 1588 Main Street (corner of Smithfield). There is parking available on a lot behind the centre or on the street.
Local News
Folk Festival Report
(Posted July 10) During this year’s Winnipeg Folk Festival we’re going to be running an ongoing blog report – with photos and blurbs from the festival, sent to us by Heather Silbert and Samara Ebanks.
Here’s Heather’s first entry (sent Friday at 3:33 pm): “It’s a hot hot day at the 51st Winnipeg Folk Festival! Lots of people; lots of good vibes; and an abundance of awesome music!!”
“We just moved to spruce hollow. Nice and shady. listening to Jacob Brodovsky.”
4:21 pm: “Jacob just announced that he lost his job and received a lot of vitriol from the Jewish Community because he’s a Jewish person who believes that Palestinian and Jewish lives are intertwined, and he is against the genocide. He is very deeply feeling, and expresses all these big feelings through his songs. I want to give him a hug, but it’s so hot outside!”
(Keep checking for updates)
Local News
New GrowWinnipeg “Grow Together” highlights diverse origins of our growing Jewish community
By MYRON LOVE On Monday, June 11, about 120 younger Jewish Winnipeggers from diverse backgrounds came together at the Asper Campus for an evening of food and music, games and prizes and, most important, the opportunity to socialize with their peers from a growing community that reflects the long term success of our community’s 26-year-old GrowWinnipeg initiative.
“We are gathered here to celebrate your and your parents’ decisions to come to Winnipeg, build families and raise families here,” noted Dalia Szpiro, GrowWinnipeg’s director, in addressing the young adults in attendance.
To summarize, the GrowWinnipeg Initiative arose when our past community’s leadership recognized that our Jewish population was an aging and shrinking community with aging infrastructure.
The first stage was the planning and construction of the Asper Campus, which brought our major institutions and organizations under one roof in an attractive new building.
The next challenge was to attract more people to our community. GrowWinnipeg was created to take on the challenge. The initiative, which was officially launched in 2000, is unique in its efforts to reach out to young Jewish families throughout the Western world.
The first outreach efforts were directed at Argentina’s sizeable Jewish community at a time when the South American country’s economy was going through a very difficult period. Several of our community leaders visited the Jewish community in Buenos Aires and a website was established. Arrangements were made for local families to host Jewish Argentinians here on exploratory visits and the community helped the prospective immigrants navigate the then new Provincial Nominee Program, find jobs and establish themselves here.
Since then, many young families – from Argentina, as well as a great number of other countries – have chosen to make Winnipeg their new home. The young people at the recent GrowWinnipeg evening were reflective of the diversity of our growing community. During the course of the evening, I had the opportunity to speak with not only Israeli-born participants, also young people from Russia and Ukraine, Turkey and Uruguay – and a young lady who grew up in Ottawa.
Naomi Kirshenblatt Palansky originally came here from Ottawa to go to university. She met and married local entrepreneur Noah Palansky in 2023. (We wrote about Noah in the December 19, 2025 issue). That same year, the former competitive swimmer who competed in the Maccabiah Games in 2009 and 2013 served as manager of the Canadian Junior swimming team participating in the games. She is currently the director of operations and strategy for a company called CoinFlip.
Although born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Yael Borovich grew up in Winnipeg. She is the daughter of Dalia Szpiro and Eduardo Borovich (and younger sister of Vanessa) all of whom moved here in 2002. She is a graduate of the Asper School of Business and works as a senior client relationship manager for Scotia Bank’s commercial branch.
Siblings Igal and Edem Avimelek arrived here from Turkey six years ago with their parents, Etel and Moris. Edem is in her second year at the University of Manitoba while Igal is studying engineering at UBC.
They report that their father, Moris, has established the Upperwear Textile Agency – marketing textile products online – while their mother Etel, is senior IT Director, software development and data analytics and enterprise architecture at Standard Aero.
“Our parents were looking to move to a new country and came across the GrowWinnipeg webpage,” Edem says. “GrowWinnipeg has been really supportive of us in helping us move here and become established.”
More recent arrivals Alex Tsmokaliuk and Jane Hin are from Ukraine and Russia respectively and have been together since 2022. “We were looking for a peaceful place to start a family,”: Alex says. “We heard about GrowWinnpeg and here we are.”
Alex is a fitness trainer while Jane is working for WRE Development as a property manager.
Dora Bronstein, who is originally from Beersheva, is also a recent arrival to our community. “I came to Winnipeg because I wanted to get away from war – and I heard about GrowWinnipeg,” she says.
She is currently working for L.C. Taylor Licensed Insolvency Trustee as an estate manager.
Erele Tzidon and Daniel Mejnov
Last October, GrowWinnipeg introduced its new Youth Ambassadors program.
“Since October, we have been working to create an organized system and opportunities to help young newcomers find their people within our community,” wrote Youth Ambassador Erele Tzidon on Facebook.
“Our mission is to help young immigrants find a sense of home in Winnipeg and support a smooth and welcoming transition.
We are excited to help bring our young Jewish community together.
As reported in the Jewish Post about 18 months ago, Tzidon is originally from Moshav Ginaton in central Israel. She came to Winnipeg in 2018 with her parents Ofer – formerly regional manager for a car rental agency in Israel and now an RBC branch manager – and Sharon – an emotional therapist in Israel who is currently working as an educational assistant at Gray Academy – and three younger brothers.
The 20-year Gray Academy graduate has recently completed her third year in Science at the University of Manitoba. For the past three years, she has also been a member of Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin’s research team at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICS), researching the link between pregnancy complications and the risk for heart disease.
In November, 2024, Tzidon was presented with the Dr. James S. McGoey Student Award – based on the quality of her cardiovascular research at the ICS, which operates out of the St. Boniface Hospital campus’s Albrechchtsen Research Centre.
Tzidon’s fellow Youth Ambassador is Daniel Mejnov. He was born in Beersheva but moved to Winnipeg with his parents, Dennis and Victoria (and younger brother Alon) 14 years ago. He is currently enrolled in an IT program at the University of Winnipeg.
Mejnov welcomed all those in attendance at the celebration and thanked the volunteers who helped him and Tzidon organize the event.
“It has been great being able to bring so many people together,” he said. “This is a good way to unite our community.
Two other individuals of particular note that I spoke with at the event were Orit Agabayev and Alina Plis, partners in three year old A and O Event Décor, who provided the balloon arches and walls, table settings and centre pieces for the evening.
Agabayev is originally from Netanya and Plis is from Yeruham (in southern Israel). The latter has been here for 18 years and operates a daycare. The former came 16 years. Her principal career is working in the field of animal nutrition.
In an Instagram PosI from four years ago, Plis noted that “I have always been passionate about planning parties and events. I started out with planning big surprise birthday parties for my kids. Eventually I began planning and decorating events for family and friends. Now I am taking the next step with my friend, Orit, who shares the same level enthusiasm as me. What drives me to go above and beyond is simply the excitement my creations bring to those who see my work.
On Facebook, Agabayev added that “Alina and I are so excited to start A&O event decor. We both love decorating and planning different events. We hope that you can put your trust in us to create or decorate an event for you. We do Birthday parties, anniversaries, bachelor/bachelorette parties, proposals, weddings and more..
“Message us with your ideas to get a free quote and you’re one step closer to having an unforgettable event.”
