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.
Winnipeggers set to participate in upcoming Maccabiah Games
By MYRON LOVE After a year’s delay due to the ongoing Covid situation, the 21st Maccabiah Games are back on track. The Maccabiah, aka “The Jewish Olympics”, is the world’s largest Jewish athletic competition.
Winnipeg couple creating pins to help people of Ukraine
Introduction: We received a note from Lainie Rosner, in which she asked whether we would be interested in providing some coverage for a project upon which she and her husband, Ian Horner, have embarked.
Lainie wrote that she and Ian are producing pins in the colours of the Ukrainian flag. Proceeds from the sales of the pins are going to the Canada Ukraine Foundation.
Former Winnipegger Rich Nairn living every young Canadian hockey fan’s dream
By MYRON LOVE For a Canadian kid born in Regina and raised in Winnipeg life couldn’t be better for Rich Nairn.
As the long-time executive vice president in charge of communications and broadcasting for the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes, Nairn, the son of well-known former local broadcaster and personality Ernie Nairn, is living the dream - and then some.
"Ode to Joy” Kaufman
By GERRY POSNER For anyone who has spent any period of time in Winnipeg, he or she would be hard pressed not to be aware of the Kaufman family. And, for those even a bit older, like me, the names Harry and Sylvia Silverberg would also be well recognized.
Two years after its last live performance Chai to perform at gala concert June 16
Jewish Foundation to be honoured during concert for the tremendous support it’s given to Jewish organizations during the pandemic
By BERNIE BELLAN The Chai Folk Ensemble is now in its 58th year of existence. After a more than two year absence from performing live in front of an audience, Chai is set to make its long awaited return to the stage when it will be performing a gala concert at the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre on June 16.
Israeli-born Winnipeg teen wins gold at national pairs figure skater competition
By MYRON LOVE Yohnatan Elizarov may well be on the threshold of a dream career. Fresh from winning his first Canadian national pairs figure skating competition – with partner Ava Kemp – in Calgary – in the novice division, the Israeli-born, Winnipeg-raised 18-year-old figure skater says that he would love to have the opportunity to skate with The Ice Capades or Disney On Ice – or emulate Garrett Gosselin, one of the choreographers he has worked with, and appear in a skating show on cruise ships.
Local musical theatre veteran expresses her admiration for Winnipeg Music Festival talent
By MYRON LOVE Regular readers of The Jewish Post & News will no doubt be aware that this writer has been highlighting the outstanding achievement of younger members of our community competing in the annual Winnipeg Music Festival. This year, however, I am taking a slightly different approach with a focus on the other side of the equation – that is, on one of the judges.
Gray Academy graduate Jaron Rykiss is the new president of the University of Manitoba Students Union
By BERNIE BELLAN Twenty-year-old Jaron Rykiss is the newly elected president of the University of Manitoba Students Union. The results of the election, which was held online, were announced on April 1. (Voting began March 31 and was completed April 1.)
According to the university student newspaper, The Manitoban (which is now also entirely online), Jaron secured 63.6 percent of the votes cast. His only opponent, Savannah Szocs, received the other 34.6 percent.
Organization in Ukraine known as Zgraya that has many Jewish members desperately needs your help to continue doing its important work
By BERNIE BELLAN Alexander Kovalchuk is a 27-year-old Jewish Ukrainian who is currently in Kyiv working with a group of young people, mostly in their 20s and 30s, called Zgraya (https://zgraya-help.com). Zgraya means "wolf pack" in Ukrainian. In normal times, Alexander told me that he is a video editor, “working in post production” – mostly in “commercial and music videos.”
24 cases of Covid now reported among residents of Simkin Centre
Posted April 10 The Simkin Centre is continuing to deal with a major outbreak of Covid cases among residents. There are now 22 positive cases reported on Simkin 2 and two on Simkin 1. Two residents on Simkin 2 that previoulsy had Covid have now recovered.
Some observations about Jews who've come here from Ukraine and the tremendous role the Chabad movement is playing in Ukraine
By BERNIE BELLAN After over five weeks of constantly turning to CBC Radio news and checking my iPhone or iPad for regular updates on the war in Ukraine, maybe it’s time to take a breather from following the military action as we head into what is shaping up to be a new phase in Putin’s invasion of that country. Rather than turning away from what’s going on there though, we should now be taking stock of what it is that we can all do to help beleaguered Ukrainians in terms of humanitarian relief.
Jews from Ukraine who have settled in Winnipeg offer conflicting opinions about the Russian invasion
By BERNIE BELLAN With the war in Ukraine still raging, its effects are being felt especially closely by individuals who have relatives or friends in that country.
Such is the case with several newer members of our own Jewish community in Winnipeg, who either came to Winnipeg directly from Ukraine, or who emigrated first to Israel, then to Winnipeg.
Shop for Israeli goods from an online marketplace featuring over 150 different Israeli vendors
ACHI, American Communities Helping Israel, was founded in 2004 after the Second Intifada to boost the economy and morale in Israel, and to keep Israel in the hearts and minds of this generation and the next. Most recently, they have created an online market to help Israeli vendors who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nancy Hughes to retire as executive director of Shalom Residences after 31 years in that role
By BERNIE BELLAN The longest-serving current executive director of any of the Jewish Federation’s beneficiary agencies will be stepping down as of April 1, when Nancy Hughes, the executive director of Shalom Residences, will be retiring. Into her role will be stepping Michael Goldberg, who is someone who brings with him a great deal of experience in the fields of gerontology and palliative care.
The Zylbermans look back on 25 years of having come to Winnipeg from Argentina
By BERNIE BELLAN While there has been a large influx of Jewish immigrants into Winnipeg over the past 25 years, perhaps one of the most interesting stories of how one family made the decision to come here is the Zylberman family’s - when one learns how much their decision to come here was totally a matter of chance.
Winnipeg-based electronic music DJ in demand across Canada
By MYRON LOVE Since the time of Elvis, teenagers have been picking up guitars, forming bands and hoping to reach the stars. Jorel Minuk was one of the many struggling to break through.
The son of Cindy Bass and Morley Minuk would seem to have succeeded.
Winnipeg Jewish community rises to occasion for Ukrainian Jews
By BERNIE BELLAN The Jewish Federation has been accepting donations on behalf of Ukrainian Jews. As of Friday, March 18, the Federation had received $150,000 in donations toward relief for Ukrainian Jews. We had contacted Rebecca Brask, Chief Development Officer for the Federation on March 11 to obtain an update on how much had been raised to that point
Embarrassed by how many Russian oligarchs are Jewish
By BERNIE BELLAN At the time of writing we are now in the fourth week of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
As we all recoil from the images and the utter tragedy that has befallen the Ukrainian people it is time to take stock though of the conflicting currents that are running through this tragic situation for us as Jews.
Most Popular Casino Games Countdown and their Benefits
Millions of people can now experience the thrills of online casino games. Given the ever-increasing number of options, you may be unsure which online casino games to play. Which games are the most popular, and which should you start with? Below are some of the most popular casino games you can try: