Interview with Daniel Levin - author of international best seller “Proof of Life”, the sensational true story of the hunt for a young man gone missing in Syria in 2012
By BERNIE BELLAN A couple of months back I had the opportunity to read and review an advance copy of a terrific new book titled “Proof of Life”, by Daniel Levin.
In it Levin tells the true story of a task he was given to try and find out what happened to a young man who disappeared in Syria during the early stages of what turned out to be a protracted struggle between the regime of Bashar Assad and the many different groups that emerged determined to fight him.
Changing the rhetoric: What Canada can learn from Jewish-Arab co-education
By JAMIE MICHAELS The current discourse on Israel-Palestine is killing our ability to think. The pattern is a depressingly familiar one. Tensions escalate. Hamas rockets rain down on Israel and Israeli airstrikes pummel Gaza. While civilians on both sides race for cover, pundits and commentators race for Twitter.
After long hiatus, Melton program is back in Winnipeg
By MYRON LOVE After an absence of more than ten years, the Florence Melton School of Jewish Learning is once more being offered in Winnipeg under the auspices of Congregation Shaarey Zedek.
New book tells riveting tale of World War II experience for Jewish family living in British Mandate Palestine – but oh my gosh, I’ve never read more mistakes in a book
“The Long Way Home from Crete”
By Isaac Kal
Self-published, 2021
Available on Amazon
Reviewed by BERNIE BELLAN
I don’t think I’ve ever had quite the experience reading a book that I had reading one that was recently sent to me by the author of “The Long Way Home from Crete”.
New group established ‘in the spirit’ of Canadian Jewish Congress
By RON CSILAG May 27, 2021 (CJN) Remember the Canadian Jewish Congress? Enough of its former senior leaders do, and fondly- to the point that they have founded a new organization “in the spirit” of CJC.
Jewish National Fund holds successful online Negev Gala
By BERNIE BELLAN
It was more than two years in the making, but after the most prolonged break in the history of Negev Galas (and Dinners – which preceded the more recent Negev Galas), the Jewish National Fund was finally able to pull off what turned out to be a very successful event on Monday, May 31, albeit one that was held online.
Former Winnipegger Dr. Meir Kryger takes an impressive turn to fiction with “The Man Who Couldn’t Stay Awake”
By BERNIE BELLAN In the mid-1980s a young Dr. Meir Kryger was beginning to establish his reputation as one of the pre-eminent experts in the area of sleep disorders. Having moved to Winnipeg to take up a position at St. Boniface Hospital (where he was to establish Canada’s first sleep lab devoted entirely to researching sleep disorders and was the first doctor to describe a case of sleep apnea in Canada) Kryger also somehow found the time to begin working on a novel – which, for various reasons, he just couldn’t complete.
Doctors Manitoba recognizes humanitarian pediatrician
By MYRON LOVE Dr. Murray Kesselman pronounces himself “honoured” to have been recognized by Doctors Manitoba (formerly known as the Manitoba Medical Association) as this year’s recipient of the organization’s Distinguished Service Award.
Why Benjamin Netanyahu treated the Jewish media with contempt
By GARY ROSENBLATT June 11, 2021 (New York Jewish Week via JTA) — Whether this week marks the last of Benjamin Netanyahu’s record-setting tenure as prime minister or is just a prelude to another never-count-him-out comeback, it seems a fitting moment to try to understand why he has consistently treated diaspora Jewish media with disdain.
What coalition building in Israel is accidentally teaching us
By JAMIE MICHAELS The signatures are on paper. The ink is drying. The reign of King Netanyahu, Israel’s longest serving prime minster, may be at an end. The only guarantee in Israeli politics is that there are no guarantees—der mentsh trakht un Got lakht.
Former Winnipegger Rabbi Shawn Zell writes new siddur for house of mourning
By MYRON LOVE Rabbi Shawn Zell has penned a new siddur which, he hopes, will make for easier reading as well as refreshing the ritual with some inspirational readings which he has composed for those in mourning.
Dr. Keith Meloff: a remarkable medical career
By GERRY POSNER I’ve been writing a lot about Jewish psychiatrists of late (you can call me out for that), but the Jews of Winnipeg have also been a force in Neurology. It is just that not many people know it. One such luminary is Winnipeg born and bred neurologist, Dr. Keith Meloff, now of Toronto.
Community leader Jordan Farber launches new venture in real estate consulting
By MYRON LOVE With over 20 years experience working in real estate, Jordan Farber has gained a wealth of experience in all aspects of real estate development - expertise that he is now in a position to share widely.
The lynching of Saeed Mousa: Radical listening and the battle for the soul of Israel
By JAMIE MICHAELS (Ed. note: Jamie’s submission arrived one day before the ceasefire between Gaza and Israel took effect.)
I begin by expressing my deep sorrow for the Jews and Arabs who have been killed in the last few weeks of escalating violence.
Gaza war not only led to confrontations here between pro and anti Israel factions - it led to rift within Winnipeg Jewish community
By BERNIE BELLAN
Now that a ceasefire has been put into effect between Israel and Hamas, we can take stock of the tumultuous 11 days that began with rockets being fired from Gaza into Israel beginning on Monday, May 10, until a ceasefire was declared May 21.
The repercussions of the often hateful divisions that came to the surface between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups around the world will undoubtedly be felt for a very long time. In Canada rallies of pro-Palestinian groups were often met with counter rallies by pro-Israel groups.
Talented young singers, pianist, violinist among 2021 online Winnipeg Music Festival winners
By MYRON LOVE It was an exceptionally good Winnipeg Music Festival this year for Winnipeg voice teacher Kelly Robinson (of the Jewish Robinsons). Not only did many of her students stand out – as usual - but also her 11-year-old daughter, Juliet Eskin, had a successful debut in her first appearance in the annual competition.
Robert Maxwell was a publishing magnate - and a crook, but what else may he have been?
By BERNIE BELLAN A few weeks back, during one of the weekly bike excursions that a group of men (and occasionally women) go on every Tuesday during the summer, I happened to be talking to one of the members of our group, the ageless Mickey Hoch. (I had profiled Mickey in the April 3, 2019 issue of this paper.)
Mickey asked me whether I knew that there was a new biography out of famed media tycoon Robert Maxwell? When I said that I didn’t know that, Mickey added: “He was my first cousin.”
Michael Eskin, Ava Kobrinsky among newest inductees into Order of Manitoba
By MYRON LOVE Somewhere in the back of my mind, I dimly recall the maxim that it is preferable to be one who honours chase rather than he – or she – who chases after honours. The former is an apt description of both Michael Eskin and Ava Kobrinsky, two of the 2021 class of inductees into the Order of Manitoba.
Calgary scientist Bonnie Kaplan publishes new book stressing the importance of nutrition on mental health
By IRENA KARSHENBAUM What people have known for centuries - that good nutrition is positively correlated to good mental health has, in the last 60 years, been largely abandoned as a precept within Western society. Instead, it’s become standard belief that mental illness can only be helped through prescription medication.
Jonathan Steinfeld’s Stone Field Shaving products recall simpler times
By MYRON LOVE Seven years ago Jonathan Steinfeld rediscovered the pleasure of traditional wet shaving – an experience that he is successfully sharing with a growing number of satisfied customers who have logged onto his Stone Field Shaving Company website.
Martin Gurvey: a very flexible guy
By GERRY POSNER One clear objective of a chiropractor is to improve flexibility. Well, Martin Gurvey has taken that concept well beyond his career and applied it to his own life. He had to be flexible to make the kind of major life change that he and his wife Brenda undertook in 2011, when he left his practice, friends, activities and history to move from Winnipeg to Toronto.
Israel diary - a blog about everyday life in Israel
Editor's Introduction: Adina Horwich is a former Canadian (from Montreal) who's been living in Israel for over 46 years. When the most recent war started Adina began writing about her own experiences during the war. She will be continuing to provide updates now that the war is over - and as Israelis benefit from having their country open up as Covid restrictions have been removed.
By ADINA HORWICH
Wednesday, June 2nd, 2021
Another day of free entertainment for the Israeli public, thanks to its numerous wannabe leaders.
New website provides viewers with rare archival footage of early days in Israel
The Jerusalem Cinematheque - Israel Film Archive recently launched an innovative website featuring Israeli cinema through its generations. The new website provides a unique opportunity to browse through Israel’s visual history as documented in newsreels, home movies, and rare films from the late 19th century till the present day and the first ever virtual map enabling visitors from all over the world to locate films from Israel and the Jewish people, either by year or landmark on an interactive map, including 7000 topics, 4000 public figures, and more. The platform is accessible and free of charge in both Hebrew and English.
The Perfect Storm
By PHIL SPEVACK
Back Ground
In 1948, one day after Britain gave up its mandate for Palestine and allowed the UN partition the Jewish State renamed Israel, the surrounding Arab countries attacked.
Egypt took the Gaza Strip.
Syria periodically rained bombs from the Golan Heights on the Jewish farms, Kibbutzim, below.
Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate basketball teams from the 1980s to be inducted into Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame
We received the following release from The Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame: The Manitoba Basketball Hall of Fame is pleased to announce its Class of 2021.
In the team category four Raiders teams from JWC in the 1980s are to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Those varsity boys’ teams were 1982-83, 1983-84, 1985-86 & 1988-89, MHSAA Provincial ‘A’ Champions.
Rabbi Matthew Leibl leaving Shaarey Zedek
By BERNIE BELLAN In what must have come as a shock, not only for members of Shaarey Zedek Congregation, but for most of Winnipeg’s Jewish community as well, Gary Hyman, President of Shaarey Zedek Congre-gation, announced on April 27 that Rabbi Matthew Leibl will not be renewing his contract when it expires at the end of June this year.
Camp Massad and BB Camp adjust – again – to Covid restrictions
By BERNIE BELLAN After a summer in 2020 that saw our two Jewish sleepover camps have to cancel all overnight stays for campers, this summer, our community’s camps are preparing for the worst and hoping for the best.
While some children may be unable to attend camp with their friends – which undoubtedly comes as a huge disappointment once again, this year both camps had prepared contingency plans quite some ago in anticipation of the possibility of not being allowed to have regular overnight camps.
Norman Stein – a teacher in the Jewish school system for over 14 years, whose varied interests in music, art, films, and Jewish learning made him a true “Renaissance man”
By BERNIE BELLAN For hundreds of Winnipeg Jews – both current and former, the name Norman Stein conjures up a multitude of memories.
For many of us, “Mr. Stein” was a teacher in the Jewish day school system during the 1950s and 60s who not only taught Hebrew subjects, he was also truly a Renaissance man with an extraordinarily broad knowledge of literature, art, films, and music.
Eira Shoichet demystifying body care
By REBECA KUROPATWA Ukraine-born, Israeli-raised Eira Shoichet is working to shed light on body care products, and help explain that mainstream body care products may not be good, either for their users or the environment.
New coffee table book takes a delightful look at Winnipeg’s rich repository of mural art
By BERNIE BELLAN Back in the fall – when our brief dalliance with the relatively loose Covid restrictions that had been in place over the summer started to come to an end, Kayla Gordon found herself with time on her hands.
Now, for anyone who knows Kayla, she’s constantly buzzing with ideas – whether it’s to create a new theatre project or, as has been more recently the case, to take her camera out somewhere and start taking photos.