Local News
Diane Levit’s photos showcase every day scenes from all over the world
By MYRON LOVE For several years, my wife, younger daughter and I made it a point to spend one weekend over the summer at the Lakeview Resort Gimli and Conference Centre. Naturally, we couldn’t help but admire the framed photographs lining the hallways – photos that can easily be mistaken for paintings – with their vivid Mediterranean scenes of brightly coloured doorways, stairs and white walls glimmering in the bright sunshine.
A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet Diane Levit, the artist behind those scenes and a multitude more. Levit is quite likely a unique photo-artist – a talent that has been drawing appreciative art collectors now for over 35 years.
As is pointed out in her Distinctive Images brochure, she is “able to transform the apparently simple images she is exploring through the lens of her camera into artistic compositions, creating a painterly effect.”
“What I have attempted to do in my art is blur the distinction between photography and painting,” she explains. “I look to photograph the colourful, the rustic, the old. I try to capture scenes from cultures that are slowly disappearing. In that way, I am helping to record history.”And it is not only the Mediterranean lands of Italy and Greece where she has travelled to capture everyday life on film. Over the years, one might think that she been almost everywhere. She has photographed huge icebergs in Greenland and Emperor Penguins in Antarctica, wild Camargue horses in southern France and jaguars in Brazil, polar bear cubs in Wapusk National Park and farmers working their rice paddies in Vietnam. She has, she reports, been to Morocco five times and to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania a couple of times.
“Over the years, I have been fortunate to have been able to visit over 60 countries and every continent,” she says.
Now, Diane comes by her artistic instincts naturally. The eldest child of the late Jack and Yetta Levit notes that both her father and her zaida, William Levit, were artistically inclined.
“My zaida (who came here in 1921) was an artist,” she points out. “He painted colourful scenes in Ukraine.”
In Winnipeg, Levit became a sign painter and eventually started his own business – Levit Sign Company. “My father joined the company in 1947,” she recounts. “They were the source of my artistic inspiration. They painted numerous signs that you can still see on the walls of many buildings downtown. They climbed the sides of multi-storied buildings together using only ladders . Zaida would sketch the outlines and dad would fill them in. “
“My father later began manufacturing neon and plastic signs and billboards.”
In 1963, she continues, her father sold the business and became a property developer – eventually creating Lakeview Development Inc.
Diane grew up in West Kildonan and Garden City. She attended Peretz Folk School, Garden City Collegiate and later the Banff School of Fine Arts. Eventually she acquired degrees in social work at the University of Manitoba and University of Toronto.
During the 1980s, she worked in her father’s businesses, but her real passions were travel and art. “Although I studied drawing and painting in Banff,” she recalls, “I found my focus in photography and – in the words of Cartier Bresson, capturing the decisive moment.”
Levit’s passion for travel was planted at a young age. She recalls as a teen and young adult being inspired by photography while on her frequent family vacations.
When she turned 30, she took stock of her life. “All of my contemporaries were getting married and starting families,” she recalls. I wasn’t ready for that yet.”
She decided to set off with her camera to visit Communist bloc countries and then Israel. It was an exciting time to be in Israel in 1982. She spent six months traveling the country developing her photographic skills.
This was at the height of the campaign to free Soviet Jewry. While in Israel, she volunteered to work as a photographer for the World Zionist Organization – which also involved taking pictures at the World Congress on Soviet Jewry in March 1983. Among the photos she took were shots of then Prime Minister Menahem Begin and Avital Scharansky, who was leading a worldwide campaign to free her husband, Natan Scharansky, from the Soviet gulag.
This was also at the height of the initiative to bring the Ethiopian Jewish community home to Israel. She was directly involved in recording this historical event.
Diane’s photos soon began to appear in the hallways at Lakeview hotels, leading guests to begin asking about buying them. In 1992, shortly after marrying airline pilot Raymond Hall and giving birth to their son, Darren, Levit founded Distinctive Images and became a fulltime photo-artist.
Over the past 30 years, she has traveled extensively – sometimes with her husband, sometimes with her son, and sometimes with a photo group – exploring the canvas that is the wider world.
She makes her art available through her website – www.Distinctive- Images.com – and through exhibitions in Canada and the United States. Her favourite art shows are the Art Expo at Assiniboia Downs and the One of a Kind Show in Toronto, Canada’s largest art fair with over 850 artisans and exhibitors.
Currently, she is one of the local artists featured in the annual Hart Trail studio tour.
And, she is still going strong as she looks forward to her next trip – in February – back to Africa.
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.