Features
A story of resistance and courage from Ukraine
By MARTIN ZEILIG In late July, I received a document from a friend, which was sent to him by someone associated with the Beamsville, Ontario-based charitable organization, Friends of the Mennonite Centre in Ukraine , (FOMCU).
The document was part one of a story written by Iryna Lynka, the mayor of Molochansk, a city in eastern Ukraine.
Lynka was captured by the Russians around March 15 after Russia’s unprovoked, illegal and genocidal invasion of Ukraine began on February 24, 2022. She was released three and a half weeks later, and is now living in the Ukrainian controlled city of Zaporozhian, Alvin Suderman, the FOMCU Chair in Steinbach, wrote in an email to me.
“It is a horrific story,” he wrote.
“Imagine being held in the prison in Tokmak listening to the screams of people being tortured.”
The report was translated into English by Oksana Druchynina, the FOMCU manager now living in Abbotsford; B.C. Ms. Druchhnina is still translating the second part of Ms. Lynka’s narrative.
Iryna’s story
The former mayor of a town in south eastern Ukraine has finally been released, after nearly four weeks in Russian captivity. What’s more, she is defiant.
“And I didn’t surrender, I was reborn from tears. I was born Ukrainian.” Those words are from a song Iryna Lynka knew before she was abducted by Russian soldiers.
Iryna was elected mayor of Molochansk in Zaporizhzhia. After Russia attacked Ukraine in February, her community was occupied in two days. She says initially, the Russians did not behave cruelly, as it seemed they believed their own propaganda that they would be welcomed. They were wrong. When the security arm of the Russian military arrived, three weeks later, the abductions began.
“On March 31, at 6 am, they came to my home. A search was conducted. My sister and my mother, who is 82-years-old, were staying overnight. I asked them not to disturb my family, and they did not. First, they asked if there were police or Ukrainian soldiers in our house. I could report that there were none.
“Then they asked why I—as a local politician— supported a pro-Ukrainian party called the “Servant of the People” rather than the pro-Russian party called OPZZH. They took away all the papers and work files. They took me outside and the home was searched by five Russian agents. I noticed that there were many fully armed men on the street. They surrounded the house.
“As they were taking me away, we passed a Russian armoured vehicle, and the driver turned to me and scornfully said: ‘Are you disappointed that this is not the Ukrainian Armed Forces!’”
WITH A BAG ON THE HEAD
“Then they put a bag on my head and put me in another car. They drove to the Tokmak police station, 12 km away. My deputy and another town worker were also brought there. I noticed through the fabric covering my face that they also had bags on their heads. Their primary goal was to lure me— as the head of the community— to their side.
They took my phone and passport and said that we know everything about you, that you have authority among the population and that you are very suitable for us. They wanted me to join their side, to make a video of me distributing their “humanitarian aid” and to talk about the advantages of the Russian Federation. I was to tell people to join the Russian side. And I immediately said “No.”
“At first, they seemed to be polite, addressing me with respect. Then later, they were very rude and disrespectful.”
“REAL BANDERA!”
Iryna says she was interrogated by young security services men who were not older than 30. They teased and threatened her.
“They opened my passport and saw my place of birth, which is the Lviv region. But I have lived almost my entire life in Eastern Ukraine, in Zaporizhzhia.
“Ah, so you are a true Bandera! “ (a pejorative term for Ukrainians, coined after the Nazi collaborator and anti-Semite Stepan Bandera), they said.
“All the interrogations took place at the police office assembly hall. I had been placed on a chair in the middle of the room, surrounded by six to eight men with machine guns pointed at me. They all wore balaclavas, but I will never forget their eyes. I think I could recognize them now.”
“I was told I had two options: to cooperate or to hope for an exchange. Of course, I wouldn’t want to go with a suitcase to an unknown place where I don’t have anywhere to live. But personally, I did not imagine how it is possible to cooperate with them. Later, the lawyers in Ukraine explained to me that if I had given my consent to cooperate, it would not have been seen as collaboration by Ukrainian authorities, since I was forced under machine guns, and it would not have been a voluntary decision. But I immediately understood that Russians are people with whom there will be no compromise, no dialogue. And if I had agreed to hand out their ‘humanitarian aid,’ then they would have had more orders, they would never stop forcing me to do what they need.”
BLACKMAIL AND THREATS
As a result of refusing to cooperate, Iryna was threatened and told her family and children (she has two adult sons) would suffer the consequences. “They said: ‘You will die and rot here. We will take you to Russia and we will put you before the court and judge you according to Russian laws. No one will find you!’ ”. She understood all this was possible.
“I was interrogated in the evening when it was already dark. They were angry… because they couldn’t get what they wanted from me, they couldn’t do anything with me. But physically they did not touch me.”
Still, Iryna says they used whatever means they could to intimidate and blackmail her. She says when she returned to her cell after the interrogations, everything felt mixed up. She had never written poetry in her life yet, while in captivity, she wrote half a dozen poems.
She did not know what would happen from one minute to the next, and whether she would ever be released.
And she recalled her friend’s song. “When I remembered these lines, I didn’t think about my troubles, but I thought of people who had it much harder than me, and especially our men and women at the front. And I had to survive through all these troubles. I only asked and prayed to God that they would not take advantage of my family, so they would not arrest and torture them.”
OUR GUYS WERE
UNGODLY TORTURED
But Iryna‘s time in her cell was excruciating. She could not bear the sounds she heard coming from men being tortured nearby.
“We, the women, were not beaten up, but what I heard… the window in the cell was opened deliberately so that I could hear what was happening there, how people screamed, how they were mocked. The boys were brutally beaten, which was not done to the women! They were moaning, and screaming, and begging… just horror. Later, one of them told me that they poured water into a bowl and passed an electric stream through his legs, and something was inserted under his nails, and he was pricked.
“And here you are, lying in the cell, no one touches you, but you are tortured by those sounds and screams of terror. I thought how can those who torture people, return to their families, how can they hug their wives and children, be gentle? They were not acting human.”
“KYIV, CHERNIGIV AND
SUMY ARE OURS!”
While in captivity, Iryna had no information from the outside. Taking advantage of this, the security services officials said that the Russians had already taken Kyiv, they had taken Chernihiv and that there would be no Ukraine.
“Somehow, I was able to receive a small package of chocolate and prunes from my sister, Svetlana. Hidden inside, was a note: ‘Kyiv, Chernihiv and Sumy are ours!’ ”
“God, how I kissed that note! I understood that they were deceiving me, that everything was not so bad. Over time I received a few more notes. How important that was. It broadened my understanding of what was happening.”
“Something I won’t forget is how afraid I was of getting sick. In April, it was very cold in the concrete cell. My feet were freezing. Medicines were sometimes given, but there were times when a doctor was deliberately not called. Once I woke up and I was shaking; I took a pill. I did not know whether my blood pressure was very low or, on the contrary, too high. I called for a doctor, but he never came. And in the evening, they called me for questioning and smiling, asked ‘Well, how are you?’ I said that everything was fine, but I thought to myself, ‘You will not get me!’ For them, all their tactics were acceptable, and I understood that one must never show weakness or fear. I’m not saying that I’m fearless and I was not afraid. No, I was afraid. I understood that anything could happen.”
HOPE FOR AN EXCHANGE
“A week later, I signed a letter of resignation, saying I was no longer mayor. I understood that according to Ukrainian laws, this would not change anything, but the security services wanted me to formally acknowledge I was not the head of the community. Together with the resignation letter, I made a written request to be included in a prisoner exchange and this was handed over to the Molochansk town council.
“Although under the Geneva Convention, civilians cannot be captured and therefore can’t be exchanged, the Russians did just that. They abducted people so they could have an ‘exchange fund’ for their side.
“My name was included on a prisoner exchange list three times. Two Russian soldiers were offered for me. However, I was taken off the list every time. I’m convinced that the man who lost the mayoralty election to me, and who now cooperates with the Russians, helped remove my name.”
MORE THREATS
“One day, a new commander was going around the cells. I asked him about a prisoner exchange. He told me it was ‘in the process.’ That’s when I realized an exchange was very possible. Soon, during another interrogation, an officer offered to record a video of me appealing to my community, with propaganda about the Russian Federation.
“I refused again. ‘Then you will die in the cell!’ And I said, ‘I will be exchanged!’ He replied that they tore up my application and flushed it down the toilet, that there would be no exchange. ‘It will happen,’ I said. ‘There is already a resolution.” He snapped: “How do you know?”I told him that I had been informed. He shouted: ‘That’s it! No more relief packages from your family.’
“I was afraid that they would search the cell and find the notes. As soon as I returned from the interrogation, I tore the notes up. These pieces of paper were so dear to me, I reread them multiple times, but I threw them into the toilet.”
RELEASED, BUT THE FEAR REMAINS
In the end, Iryna Lypka was not exchanged, but released. The Russians did not explain anything. She believes that she was saved because the men holding her captive were reassigned and a new, more compassionate team was brought in.
“I was released in the afternoon on April 23, just before Easter. When I came out, I was so dizzy, that my legs wobbled. I was not weak, but the arrest left its mark. For example, I woke up on Sunday at home, opened my eyes and got scared – why is there so much light in the room?
“Or when a dog barks on the street – I run to the window. If a tractor is driving by, I imagine that I see a tank. If I see Russian military vehicles driving by, I think they must be coming for me.
“Soon after my release, Mayor Kotelevskyi of Tokmak was killed. This is the city where I was held prisoner. Officially it was declared to be a suicide, but the people did not believe that. As the deposed mayor of Molochansk, I did not feel safe and this is when I felt I had to leave.”
In the end, together with her 82-year-old mother and her sister’s family, Iryna left for the nearest Ukrainian-controlled city of Zaporizhzhia.
“IF WE FIND BANDERA –
WE WILL SHOOT EVERYONE!”
Iryna Lypka says it is difficult for Ukrainian people to understand the Russian army.
“The Russian soldiers went from house to house and asked, ‘Do you have Bandera?’, and people laughed at them. The Russians said, ‘If we find them – we’ll shoot everyone!’
“Some Russians made themselves at home in one of the houses. The owner came in and smelled a terrible stench from dirty clothes and socks. She was indignant: ‘You could at least ventilate. They were surprised: ‘Are you saying that your windows open?’ It turns out that they had never seen double-glazed windows, yet they came to Ukraine to ‘save’ us.
“Russian soldiers are amazed that the houses are all built of brick and stone. It appears that they rob households of microwave ovens as they have never seen them before. The occupiers also told her that they have no natural gas in the villages in Russia. That is, the pipeline goes through the village, but there is no access to the gas for the villagers.
“They were amazed at everything – the paved road, natural gas, and streetlights.
“The security services tried to tell me during the interrogations that Ukraine is a mess and that Zelensky is bad. On the contrary, I started telling them about the program… ‘Big construction’ being implemented in the country – roads, schools, gardens, sports complexes—large facilities are being built. We have problems and we need to solve them, but we do not go to Russia to solve theirs.
“Only once, during the interrogation, one of them blurted out that ‘I feel sorry for you because you are a woman.’ And others have no emotions – they just have the orders they follow. And they just have a terrible hatred for us.”
Now Iryna Lypka is in Zaporizhzhia, dealing with issues of financing the community, as well as issuing documents to graduates of the schools in the area. She also organizes the work of the Children’s Affairs Service. In Zaporizhzhia, they are trying to help those who have fled the Russian-occupied area, and they are also arranging humanitarian aid. Those who leave Zaporizhzhia deliver necessary goods to the Russian-occupied community.
The new mayor appointed by the Russians operates in Molochansk. He drives Iryna’s car around the town, the one the Russians seized from her.
“There are people in Molochansk who cooperate with the Russians or seem happy about their new life. There are women who live with the Russian occupiers.
“I cannot understand these people. They see what the Russians do, how they mock the Ukrainians, how they rob and take everything from people. Everyone sees everything with their own eyes, not from the TV screen. And someone goes to bed with that animal. It simply cannot be understood.
“What can be said, of people who are well- off, fighting to get in line for Russian ‘humanitarian aid,’ so that even the Russians laugh and film them? Well, one could understand if people were really bloated with hunger. But each of us has potatoes and vegetable gardens. You should not disrespect yourself like that! I also don’t understand a person who always puts her hand on her chest while singing the National Anthem of Ukraine and today is collaborating with the occupiers. However, there are just a few of them. There are more patriotic people than corrupt ones.”
“I believe in our Armed Forces. I believe that we will definitely win and rebuild our beloved Ukraine. Let’s all believe!”
Features
The Atlantic Jewish Council (AJC) has just elected a Winnipegger to the position of president: Naomi Levine
By BERNIE BELLAN From time to time we hear from former Winnipeggers about what they’ve been up to since they left Winnipeg. (And Gerry Posner does a very good job letting Winnipeg Jews know how many ex-Winnipeggers have really “made it” once they left Winnipeg – ouch!)
But recently we were on the receiving end of a phone call from someone who hasn’t actually left Winnipeg; she just makes her home somewhere else for a good part of the year – and no, it’s not Florida, California, or Mexico – it’s in Indian Harbour, Nova Scotia, near Peggy’s Cove – well-known as a tourist destination.
The person who called was Naomi Levine, a name very familiar to many Winnipeggers. Naomi told me she was calling from Nova Scotia, where she has been living for part of the year since she and her late husband, Judge Ian Dubienski, fell in love with the area many years ago.
Nova Scotia? you might wonder. Well, Atlantic Canada doesn’t have a very large Jewish population – only about 7,000. Halifax, which is a 45-minute drive from Peggy’s Cove) – although it doesn’t have a huge Jewish population (2,735 according to the 2021 census) has had significant growth in its Jewish population since the last time figures had been reported (in the 2011 National Household Survey). Of all Canadian cities, only Victoria has shown a more rapid growth relative to what had been reported in the NHS.
During that initial phone call from Naomi, in which she informed me that she had recently been elected president of the Atlantic Jewish Council, I asked her to email me some information about how she came to find herself in that role. During subsequent emails that went back and forth I asked Naomi to flesh out more about her life, her career, and her marriages to two very well known Winnipeggers: (Judge) Ian Dubienski and Arthur Mauro (both of whom have passed on).
What followed was a fascinating series of emails, each one leading me to ask even more questions about Naomi’s very interesting life. What follows is a detailed account largely taken from her own emails, in which she writes about her new role as president of the Atlantic Jewish Council and how she came to find herself in that role. We’ve rearranged her emails first to give some background about Naomi’s life prior to her becoming president of the Atlantic Jewish Council, but in between we’ve also included some information she sent about her involvement as a volunteer, not only with the Winnipeg Jewish community, but with a plethora of organizations outside the Jewish community:
By the way, before you read Naomi’s very interesting life story, here is some information about the Atllantic Jewish Council, taken from its website: “The Atlantic Jewish Council (AJC) has been the cornerstone of Jewish life in the Atlantic Canadian provinces (Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, PEI, and Newfoundland & Labrador) since 1975, acting as the organized Jewish community’s representative and program/service provider for non-religious matters. With only a small staff complement and a modest budget, the AJC relies on the support of over 100 volunteers across Atlantic Canada to move the needle on (its) strategic priorities.”
Here, then, is Naomi’s story:
“My parents were Lou and Sophie Levine. My dad’s parents came from Propoysk, in Belarus. His mother’s maiden name was Duboff.
“My dad owned LONG’s HAT’S MENSWEAR, on Portage Avenue – with Harry Stuart, but around 1958 he became a commercial and estate appraiser, working out of Aronovich and Leipsic. After retirement, he sat on the City of Winnipeg’s tax review board and was instrumental in developing an accredited real estate program. He had been very involved with B’nai Brith and was Chair of Hillel. It was my dad who brought Reb Zalman Schachter to Winnipeg to be the rabbi for Hillel.
“My mother’s maiden name was Bookhalter. Her mother’s maiden name was Lockshin. My mom’s family was from Novozybkov, near Chernobyl. Her grandfather was the pivotal founder of the Lubavitcher Synagogue. Her dad, Pinyeh Bookhalter, owned a garment factory – Ontario Garment, on Princess Street. My mom did her B.A. at the University of Manitoba and worked for her dad before marrying. She was supposed to have gone to medical school but, she said, my dad cried for two weeks, so she married him.
“I have one younger brother, Martin Levine, who was with the Canadian Foreign Service, and who specialized in immigration policy. He lives in Ottawa and continues to present lectures to Canadian immigration lawyers.
“I went to Talmud Torah until Grade 10 and then had to switch to Grant Park High School because we moved to the south end. The difference (in my view) was enormous. At Talmud Torah, we learned to love study, reading, learning. At Grant Park, we learned to date.
“After my B.A., (1968), I did a Master’s Degree in Irish Theatre – not a very marketable commodity. I went into Law at the U of M and graduated with an LL.B. In 1976. I articled with the Manitoba Department of Prosecutions and was called to the Bar in 1977. I then moved to Ottawa for three years (with my husband, Ian (Judge) Dubienski, and worked in the policy wing of the Department of Justice. When we came back to Winnipeg, I developed my own practice – primarily in criminal law, also in human and civil rights law.
“In 1991, I changed from being a ‘courtroom’ lawyer to delve into the world of harassment – sexual, emotional and criminal; conflict of interest; and abuse of power. I had two offices – at the University of Winnipeg and at Red River College, and conducted inquiries for them and for other clients, such as governments, hospitals, universities, public schools, arts organizations, sports organizations, churches and others. I joined an American association called the National Association of College and University Attorneys and presented on matters related to freedom of speech and expression, comparing the differences in interpretation between Canada and the States.
“My late husband, Ian Dubienski, had been Chief Judge of Manitoba’s Provincial Court and was seconded by then-Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau to look at sentencing principles across Canada. I travelled with him and have been to all the provinces and territories.
“In 1979, Ian and I decided we wanted, eventually, to have a home in Nova Scotia. We had been visiting three times a year, fell in love with the area, and bought a house in July 1997. Later, in 2003, I bought a house in Indian Harbour, on the Aspotogan peninsula – which is where I live now – when I’m in Nova Scotia. Indian Harbour is a few miles from Peggy’s Cove and about 1/2 hour from Halifax.
“Ian and I had two dogs (a malamute and a bouvier). Our bouvier, Teuchter (Gaelic for ‘farmer’; not Jewish for ‘daughter’) died two weeks before Ian.
“Ian died of cancer in January 1998. For 10 years I drove my malamute, ‘Fleurie,’ back and forth between Winnipeg and Nova Scotia. Fleurie was with me for five years in the house in Indian Harbour before she too, died.
“Five years after Ian’s death, I met Arthur (Mauro). I had been associated with an international organization that negotiated for peace in war-torn countries and, when I read about Arthur’s founding the Institute for Peace and Justice at the U of M, I decided to meet him, in October 2001. It led to marriage in January of 2003. (Arthur Mauro died two years ago – in 2023.)
“I still sit on the Board of the Mauro Institute for Peace and Justice.”
“In 2000, the Canadian government amended the National Defence Act, to form the Canadian Forces Grievance Board, as an arms-length tribunal to sit, quasi judicially on all matters concerning the Canadian Armed Forces. I was one of the four judges who were appointed to that board. While I lived in and practiced law in Winnipeg, I had an office in Ottawa and sat on cases across the country. I was taken to every base in Canada and was impressed with the dedication and commitment of Canada’s Army, Air Force and Navy. I served in that position for seven years.
“I also became a journalist. I had started my involvement with Peter.Gzowski on his morning show, appearing somewhat regularly to talk about anything from cod fishing off Newfoundland, to food service on Air Canada. Then, CBC Manitoba asked me to do a weekly piece called ‘Levine’s Law.’ Terry McLeod was then the host and every Tuesday morning, he and I would talk about issues of international, national and local concern. I would analyze those issues from legal and ethical standpoints. I loved working with Terry. He was and is a mensch and an excellent interviewer.”
Now retired, in another email Naomi wrote some more about her career:
“After I retired from practice the then dean of the Asper School of Business, Goen Feltham, asked me to develop the Executive MBA program. I also became the Director of the Centre for Higher Education, Research and Development, situated at the University of Manitoba, which trains all presidents, vice-presidents and deans of Canadian colleges and universities.
“I finally retired completely when Arthur decided he wanted to spend four months a year in Palm Desert. I had done some painting, and found a wonderful art studio that I go to four days a week in Palm Desert. And I became a volunteer for the Palm Springs Jewish Film Festival.
“I’ve been fortunate in being able to have a wonderful group of friends in Winnipeg, Nova Scotia and Palm Desert. Arthur had been declining over a period of three years and died, at 96 years, in August 2023. Those three years were very difficult. My life was consumed with trying to keep Arthur alive and engaged. I had no time for anything, or anyone else. My ‘respite’ was my weekly modern Hebrew tutorial through the Rosen School of Hebrew, and occasional trips to Nova Scotia.
(Ed. note: I had asked Naomi to describe in some detail her career, but I was floored when she sent me a list of the boards and committees on which she served while she was in Winnipeg. You can read Naomi’s full resumé at the end of this article.)
But, here’s one paragraph that describes some of Naomi’s eclectic interests – outside of law and volunteering on a host of committees:
“I received an Homorary Doctorate of Laws (LL.D.) from the University of Manitoba in 2019. I was Chair of the Board of the Winnipeg Art Gallery for a number of years. When I’m in Palm Desert I paint and one of my pieces, a portrait of Ariel Sharon, was in the recent Jewish artists show at the Rady JCC. I’m painting a series of Israeli prime ministers.”
“For seven years I represented Manitoba in the National Board of the Confederation Centre for the Arts in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.”
As previously noted, Naomi went to Talmud Torah for 10 years, and later she went to Israel during the Six Dar War. She writes that she remains “an avid Zionist. I take a weekly Modern Hebrew tutorial with my tutor from the Rosen School of Hebrew, accredited by the Hebrew University.”
“I have only one cousin in Winnipeg – Sheryl Levine, but she is much younger than I am and we hadn’t been close. That has changed and now we are. But, as Arthur was dying, I found two new friends who are now my ‘family’: Lorne and Paulette Weiss (and their children, Richard and Alison). I have no idea how I would have managed without their kindness, generosity, love and their two border terriers. I have always adored dogs but had none after my malamute died, so ‘Maizie’ and ‘Lucie’ are my joy. Paulette and I met through a MahJong class at the Rady, but I had known Lorne years ago. He and I were two of six young people who volunteered and were sent to Israel to help in 1967, during the Six Day War. He was then a lovely young man and he has become a lovely older man. And Paulette is pure heart.
“I now divide my time between Winnipeg, Nova Scotia and Palm Desert. My new position, as president of the Atlantic Jewish Council, is a wonderful opportunity to give back to Atlantic Canada, a place that has been so good to me. And, to be able to get involved not only in its Jewish life but in the Canadian Jewish community at large. I suspect that few people of my age have the good fortune to be starting a new and exciting adventure.
“It is my view that many Canadians, particularly Westerners, have no or little familiarity with Atlantic Canada and its Jewish communities.
“The first Canadian city that most Jewish settlers saw was Halifax, when they entered Canada through Pier 21, which operated from 1895-1915. Now, Pier 21 is the repository for all the records of the immigrants who came to Canada, and many Jewish people can track their ancestors’ arrivals through the research room of The Canadian Museum for Immigration in Pier 21, on the Halifax waterfront. Their records go back to around 1865.
“My responsibilities as president of the Atlantic Jewish Council will be to act as the voice of the Atlantic Jewish community, to support and connect them to Israel; to engage Jewish youth through Hillel and its camp (Camp Kadimah); to educate about the Holocaust and human rights; to foster relations with governments and non Jewish organizations; and to support Israel.
“While the Jewish population of Atlantic Canada is small, it is growing. Jewish immigrants, mainly from Israel and Russia are settling there and others are being encouraged to come. The Jewish communities are extremely active and involved in Yidishkeit, the celebration of Jewish life and support of Israel. The synagogues are Orthodox and Reform. As well, Chabad has a large presence, as does Hillel.
“When I was asked to take this position, I was excited about the possibility of making connections between the Atlantic Jewish community and the rest of Canada. My first phone call was to Jeff Lieberman (CEO of the Jewish Federation of Manitoba), and we were both excited about the possibility of joint initiatives.
“I will not be leaving Winnipeg, even as I spend a great deal of time in Atlantic Canada. I am still very involved in organizations in Winnipeg. I remain Chair of the Investments Committee of the Shaarey Zedek, and am a committee member of the Women’s’ Endowment Fund of the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba.
“I remain a passionate Zionist. I feel that, with ever-increasing antisemitism, it is important for Canadian communities to connect with each other and to support each other. “
Naomi encourages Manitobans who have an interest in Jewish Atlantic Canada to contact her. She can be reached at: Nzlevine@icloud.com.
Naomi Levine resumé:
Committee and Discipline Committee
Canada Summit of the Arts, Advocacy Committee
• ⁃ Folk Art Council of Winnipeg, representing the Irish Association of Winnipeg)
Strategy Group Canada (strategic planning in international peace building, conflict prevention and human capital development). Board Member Manitoba Association for Rights and Liberties, Board Member Prairie Public Broadcasting ( North Dakota), Board Member
• ⁃ Winnipeg Humane Society, Board Member
Arbitration and Mediation Institute of Manitoba, Board Member Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Board Member
Sport Manitoba,
Consultant
Sport Nova Scotia. Consultant
Denturist Association of Manitoba, Complaints Committee Scouts Canada, Manitoba Council, Honourary Scout
National Association of College and University Attorneys (USA)
• ⁃ Manitoba Arts Council, Board Member
Lawyers and Jurists for Soviet Jewry, Chair, Manitoba Region Irish Association of Manitoba, Member of the Board and Lawyer Manitoba Association of Rights and Liberties Legal Aid Manitoba, Vice Chair
Manitoba Trial Lawyers Association
Manitoba Society of Criminology, Board Member Prairie Theatre Exchange, Board Member Rainbow Stage, Board Member
• ⁃ Winnipeg Jewish Theatre Association, Board Member
Winnipeg Jewish Community Council, Vice President
Features
Former Winnipegger Stephanie Gutnik to release new children’s book just in time for Rosh Hashanah
By BERNIE BELLAN We received an email from former Winnipegger Stephanie Gutnik about a new children’s book (titled “My Very Best”) which she had authored and which is set to be released on September 22 (Erev Rosh Hashanah).
Here is what she wrote in her email: “Born and raised in Winnipeg, my school and career in advertising has taken me to several other cities – though my Judaism and connection to Winnipeg remains strong.
“Prior to the birth of my younger sister’s first child, I have written a book called ‘My Very Best,’ which is for early readers – but can also be enjoyed be readers of all ages for its teachings on the values of determination, empathy and individualism.
“It is currently in presale at Indigo and on Amazon. I am hoping to organize a reading at McNally Robinson as well, as part of the launch on Rosh Hashanah.”
We wrote back to Stephanie, telling her that we are always glad to promote books by members of the community, current or former, and invited her to send us some further information about her background and how she came to write this particular book.
Stephanie responded, telling us we could find a brief description of the book on Amazon: “‘My Very Best’ celebrates the confidence that comes from approaching tasks with genuine effort, embracing playful moments, treating ourselves and others with thoughtfulness and care, and appreciating the wonders of everyday experiences.
“This book delights multiple audiences, from toddlers and young children to adults seeking a boost of encouragement. What happens when we sing our very best, practice our very best, and dream our very best? The outcomes don’t need to be perfect, but gratification is heartfelt.”
She also sent some information about her growing up in Winnipeg and what her career path has been:
“I was born in raised in Winnipeg – my parents are Martin and Corrina Gutnik.
“My sister (Meghan) and I went to Brock Corydon, benefitting greatly from the Hebrew (Bilingual) program and the school’s incorporation of performing arts. Morah Leah (Braemer) was my English teacher for a couple years and played a large role in advancing my passion for reading and writing – introducing me to new genres of literature and encouraging journalling, poetry and creative writing.
“I attended the AP program at Grant Park High School and left Winnipeg to study at McGill University.
“With a Bachelor of Arts, I proceeded to travel the world with my career in advertising: opening offices and speaking at conferences everywhere from the UK to China and Brazil. Upon completing a MBA while working, I moved to New York to open an office and lived there for about five years.
“I now reside close to my parents and sister (along with her hubsand and soon-to-be son) in Toronto. I have a doctorate in business, and am continuing my work in marketing and ad tech – but writing a children’s book has always been on my bucket list.
“When my sister informed me that she was pregnant, I sat down to write a book that touches on values we were raised with: determination, empathy and marching to the beat of our own drum.
“I found a gifted illustrator who I worked with closely for half a year to ensure the illustrations clarify the book’s teachings to early readers – and include Easter eggs about my upbringing. I also worked with a publisher to facilitate distribution across physical and online bookstores.
“What began as a tribute to my sister and our parents turned into a book with a message that I hope resonates with a wide audience, but certainly is a nod to Jewish values: ‘My Very Best’ serves as a reminder to readers of all ages that fun and fulfillment come from embracing experiences with our best effort.
Features
100-year-old Lil Duboff still taking life one day at a time
By MYRON LOVE Last march, Lil Duboff celebrated her 100th birthday in a low key manner.
“I have always been a laid back kind of person,” says the Shaftesbury retirement home resident. “I just celebrated with my family.”
Lil Duboff’s life journey began in Russia in 1925. “I was six months old when we came to Winnipeg,” she says. “Most of my extended family had come before. We were supposed to leave Russia at the same time, but my mother was pregnant with me and my parents waited until after I was born.”
The former Lil Portnoy, the daughter of Hy and Pessie, grew up the youngest of five siblings in a large and loving family in the old north end Jewish community. Upon his arrival in Winnipeg, her father, Hy, joined his father, Jack, and his brothers, Nathan and Percy, in the family business, Perth’s Cleaners, which was established in 1914.
Following the education path of most Jewish Winnipeggers in the period between the wars and into the 1950s, Duboff started her schooling at Peretz School – although she attended William Whyte School for most of her elementary schooling, supplemented by evening classes at Peretz School – followed by Aberdeen School and St. John’s Tech for high school.
The family, she recalls, belonged to the Beth Jacob Synagogue on Selkirk Avenue.
After completing high school, Duboff took a business course and joined the workforce. She first worked at Perth’s, then Stall’s, and lastly, Silpit Industries – which was owned by Harry Silverberg. (Harry Silverberg was one of the wealthier individuals in our community and a community leader who contributed generously to our communal institutions.)
It was while working at Silpit Industries that Lil Portnoy met Nathan Duboff. “Nathan worked in the shipping department,” she recalls. “We dated for three or four years before getting married.”
They wed in 1953 at the Hebrew Sick Hall on Selkirk Avenue. The bride was pregnant soon after and quit work to look after her family. The couple had three children: Chuck, Neil and Cynthia.
The family lived in the Garden City area. While Nathan continued to work for Harry Silverberg for a time – at his Brown and Rutherford lumber business, he later moved to Portage Lumber as sales manager, and then Dominion Lumber, finally retiring as sales manager for McDermot Lumber in 1995.
During those years Lil did what many married Jewish women did and put her time in as a volunteer with different Jewish organizations. She served as president of the Chevra Mishnayes Congregation sisterhood and the ORT chapter to which she belonged. She also volunteered with B’nai B’rith Women and Jewish Child and Family Service.
Her leisure activities included playing mahjong with friends and enjoying – with Nathan – the ballet and the symphony. There were also all the holiday gatherings with the extended family and summers spent at the family cottage in Gimli.
In the mid-1980s, Lil and Nathan sold their Garden City home and moved to a condo on Cambridge in the south end. After Nathan’s sudden passing in 2003, Lil continued living at Cambridge Towers until three years ago when her declining physical health required her to move into assisted living at the Shaftesbury.
While Lil Duboff suffers from many of the complaints of old age, such as limited eyesight and hearing, and other health issues, she retains a clear and positive frame of mind. She appreciates that her children all still live in Winnipeg and visit frequently. She happily reports that she also has five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
“It’s different living here (at the Shaftesbury),” she observes. “I don’t see as many people as I used to. But I am accepting my limitations and take life one day at a time. You never know what tomorrow might bring.”