Opinion
Some observations about the shifting Jewish population in Winnipeg and the legacy of Harvey Rosen
By BERNIE BELLAN I’ve been writing about Jewish population trends in Winnipeg for many years now, but never more so since the 2016 census produced wildly inaccurate results for the entire Jewish population of Canada. (I’ve explained numerous times why the figures from the 2016 census were so out of whack. Simply put, it was because “Jewish” was no longer listed as a choice for respondents in answer to the question about ethnic origin. Instead, one had either to write in “Jewish” or else choose a different ethnic origin.)
But now that the 2021 census has provided the most complete information ever obtained about the ethnic and religious composition of Canada, one would expect that Jewish federations throughout the country would be eager to analyze those results almost immediately.
It may be time consuming for someone to begin analyzing data from the 2021 census, but statisticians from statcan are very helpful when it comes to providing data that cannot be readily extracted simply by taking a look at the statcan 2021 census site. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any great rush for Jewish federations across the country to begin analyzing data from the 2021 census, especially as it relates to Jewish populations in different cities.
When I asked a spokesperson from our own Jewish Federation whether they’d be interested in having statcan produce specific data as it would relate to our own Jewish community I was told that all Jewish federations across the country have hired one individual to analyze all data. You would think though that, considering our federation has long employed an individual whose ostensible responsibility included “planning,” that the federation here would be eager to analyze the data that statcan has now produced.
So, instead of waiting for who knows how long for one individual working for all Jewish federations across the country to begin to analyze census data, I took it upon myself to work with a statistician from statcan and begin analyzing the data.
Why have I been so interested in analyzing data about the Jewish population of Winnipeg, you might ask? It’s simply because I’ve never trusted the data that our Jewish Federation has been reporting for years. For so long the Jewish Federation here has been reporting various figures for the size of our Jewish population – always in the neighbourhood of 16,000, but without any empirical evidence to support that figure. My own analysis of available data showed that the true figure was in the 12,000 range.
I could never get anyone from the Jewish Federation to provide empirical date that would substantiate a figure of 16,000 for our Jewish population here.
For instance, when I interviewed Faye Rosenberg Cohen, who was then the Chief Planning and Allocations Director for the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, I posed this question to her: “…can you put your finger on how many new immigrants have come here over the years?”
Faye responded: “I can honestly say when I look at those numbers it’s somewhere around 1/3 of the community.”
JP&N: “So you’d say it’s somewhere between 4-5,000?”
Faye: “I think it’s more than that.”
Based upon that answer, the Jewish population of Winnipeg would have to be at least 15,000, but as I’ve shown since information about Canada’s ethnic and religious composition was released this past November, it is simply impossible that Winnipeg’s Jewish population could be more than 14,270 – at an absolute maximum, and is very likely much smaller than that, because many of those 14,270 individuals reported that while, one of their ethnic origins may have been “Jewish,” their religion was something else entirely. I suppose one can still identify as “Jewish” when one’s religion is Christian, but I would submit that would be a real stretch for most people to accept.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise though that the Jewish Federation here would want to embellish the size of our community; it serves to bolster the federation’s case that it has been so successful in attracting immigrants here. And, it has been very successful in doing that.
But, back in August I asked Faye Rosenberg Cohen what I described as a key question: “Does anyone keep track of how many immigrants actually stay here?” The answer, unfortunately, is no. So, even if the Federation has been quite successful in attracting Jewish immigrants here, it is not only possible that a very high proportion of those immigrants have left Winnipeg, it is very likely the case. Otherwise, the data from the 2021 census would have shown a great many more individuals as reporting they were Jewish, either by ethnic origin or religion.
Further, as my story on page 1 of this issue demonstrates, individuals who identify as “Jewish” by religion are now spread out throughout the entire city. There are now only 1,035 Jews living west of the Red River and north of the CPR tracks. There are more Jews living east of the Red River than in that entire area north of the tracks – which was once home to 90% of the Jewish population as recently as 1961, when the Jewish population here almost reached 20,000.
Clearly, the move to newer neighbourhoods – especially in Charleswood, Bridgewater and other parts of Ft. Garry, St. Vital, and Transcona, is being spurred by the arrival of new immigrant families in seek of lower-cost housing, but what are the implications for some of the bedrock organizations of our Jewish community, especially the Rady JCC and Gray Academy?
We’ve already seen one of the results of the drastic decline in the Jewish population north of the CPR tracks with the decision by Etz Chayim Congregation to move to a much smaller facility on Wilkes Avenue. It will be interesting to see whether that leads to more members deciding to join that congregation once the move takes effect this summer.
One of the other significant aspects of the continued movement of individuals away from the entire area north of the CPR tracks and west of the Red River has been the concentration of seniors in apartments, assisted living facilities and personal care homes all south of the Assiniboine River. With the aging of our community, in which a full 23% of our Jewish population is now over 65 – the highest proportion it’s ever been in our history, one wonders what the long-term consequences will be for that trend.
With a high number of Jewish seniors now living in Crescentwood, especially in apartments on Wellington Crescent and neighbouring streets, that certainly portends well for the Shaarey Zedek once renovations are complete there in 2024. But, just as the Rady JCC has seen quite a large drop-off in membership ever since the onset of Covid, one wonders whether many seniors will be as anxious to return to attending synagogue in person once the Shaarey Zedek returns to its traditional home.
The combination of population shifts along with the Covid epidemic has drastically altered the preferences of large portions of what is now our Jewish population in terms of which Jewish facilities they choose to use. Are our organizations doing enough to take into account those very significant changes in our Jewish community? That remains to be seen.
Turning to another story on page 1 – about the passing of Harvey Rosen, I was always interested in reading Harvey’s columns, both for the information they contained, and for his unique turns of phrase. I was especially fond of his use of the expression, “a member of the Hebraic persuasion,” which he used instead of simply saying someone was Jewish.
Myron Love references Harvey’s determination to find Jewish athletes, particularly in professional sports. I remember Harvey describing his going up to a hockey player by the name of Jayden Schwartz who, at the time was playing for the St. Louis Blues, and asking Jayden whether he was “Jewish?”
Harvey said that Jayden very politely answered that he wasn’t Jewish, but he didn’t seem offended that someone might think he was Jewish. On the other hand, Harvey did seem obsessed with f
inding out the parentage of many athletes, as Myron notes in his story.
We still carry the occasional story about Jewish athletes, but those stories comes from our news agency, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, and they tend to focus either on American or Israeli athletes. Where Harvey truly excelled was in finding local Jewish athletes. I always found it remarkable that, if there was a Jewish youngster who excelled at a particular sport here, Harvey would find them.
Although we occasionally get contacted by someone who informs us of a particular athlete whose story would be of interest to our readers, I’m sad to say that doesn’t happen very often. In looking back at old issues of The Jewish Post I saw that, prior to Harvey coming on board in 1976, the paper relied upon Leible Hershfield for sports stories, but Leible’s interest was in the athletes of yesteryear – when he himself was our community’s most famous athlete.
Harvey, though, excelled in finding the up and coming future stars of our community. And, to think he produced over 2,000 columns over the years – I wonder whether there’s another sportswriter for a Jewish paper anywhere who could match that total?
Local News
Is It Alberta’s Turn to Regulate Online Gambling? Looking at the Possibilities
Online gambling and betting in Canada is booming, with each province allowed to regulate its own space. Ontario, Canada’s most populated province, turned two this year after leading the way in April 2022. In what should motivate Alberta and other provinces, Ontario is already reaping the rewards, generating $100 million annually in gambling revenue. Will the local administration in Alberta do what is needed?
Talks have been rife that Alberta is considering going the Ontario way by having an open-licensing system. In July 2023, the minister for Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction, Dale Nally, issued a mandate to make this province a hub of online sports betting and gambling.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith recently asked Nally to cooperate with indigenous partners and other stakeholders to develop an online gaming strategy. The main focus will be on revenue generation and responsible gambling. In light of this, Nally said Alberta’s primary focus is becoming a “leading hub for iGaming” with streamlined regulations and low corporate taxes. Such conditions should position Alberta to become a leading iGaming destination.
A few weeks ago, the minister attended the ICE international gaming conference held in London. Together with Ontario’s Attorney General, Doug Downey, and other stakeholders, Nally participated in a roundtable discussion regarding the status of iGaming in Canada. CDC Gaming Reports also revealed that the discussion highlighted the success of iGaming in Ontario and how Alberta can emulate this success story.
Looking into the Alberta Budget 2024, it’s evident that state monopoly could soon give way to Canadian casinos to thrive in the province. Alberta took the first baby steps towards a more liberal gambling sector after setting aside $1 million for gambling. This budget will support the looming review of the Gaming, Liquor, and Cannabis Act and supporting Regulation. The idea is to review the entire regulatory framework to find more funding ways for Alberta charities and community projects.
Major operators like BetMGM, PointsBet, and PokerStars have since hired lobbyists to ensure commercial operators become a reality in Alberta. Speaking to investors and industry analysts in March this year, PointsBet CEO Sam Swanell tipped Alberta and British Columbia to legalize online betting soon. He noted that this could provide the much-needed expansion of that TAM.
Alberta is yet to take full advantage of online gambling despite being the country’s fourth-largest province, with around 4.3 million people. Smaller markets in North America, such as West Virginia and Connecticut, are already benefiting from commercialized online gambling. The good news is that noises about legal online gambling are getting louder in Alberta. It’s just a matter of when the government will make the announcement.
What Next for Online Gambling and Betting in Alberta?
Including a $1 million gambling review budget is definitely a step in the right direction. However, there’s still much to do to end Alberta’s long-standing gambling status quo. But at least the budget opens the door for further discussions and reforms regarding iGaming in Alberta. That discussion has been underway, although the momentum has increased in the last year or so.
As it stands, PlayAlberta.ca is the only regulated online gaming platform in Alberta. It’s a government-run website operated by the AGLC (Alberta Gaming Liquor and Cannabis). Besides casino games, this website provides sports betting and lottery-style gaming experiences. The legal sign-up age on PlayAlberta.ca is 18 years.
For Albertans who prefer more gambling freedom, the government doesn’t restrict anyone from joining offshore operators. Most gaming sites operating in Alberta are licensed in Curacao, the UK, and Malta. Compared to PlayAlberta.ca, these websites provide a more extensive variety of games, rewards, and general experience.
In conclusion, it’s just a matter of when Alberta will introduce an open-licensing market. This approach has proved to be a success elsewhere, especially in Ontario. A recent Ipsos report in Ontario revealed that only 13.6% of the residents prefer to gamble on offshore websites. Alberta could soon follow this path, although there’s much work to do to realize this dream.
Opinion
Hamas savages make no distinction between Israeli Jews, Arabs
By MYRON LOVE I remember many years ago attending a presentation by Simon Wiesenthal, the world’s leading Nazi hunter, during which he made the point that the focus of Holocaust education should not be on the number six million – the number of estimated Jews who were murdered – but rather on the 12 million martyrs – including other targeted groups such as the Roma, people who were gay, the mentally and physically handicapped and the many great many Slavic people who were also murdered. After the Jews, the Slavs were next on the list.
By focusing strictly on Germans killing Jews, he observed, it became too easy to make it out to be only Germans versus Jews – thereby making it easier for Holocaust deniers and absolving the other European peoples who were complicit in the killings.
Similarly, while we naturally mourn our Jewish brethren who were so horribly slaughtered on October 7, we need to also bear in mind that Hamas made no distinction in its murderous rampage between Israeli Jews and Israeli Arabs or between Israelis and foreign workers.
In a posting for The Gatestone Institute on November 30, Israeli-Arab journalist Khaled Abu Toameh noted that he Hamas terrorists who attacked Israel on October 7 did not slaughter Jews alone. The terrorists also murdered and kidnapped scores of Muslim citizens of Israel, including members of the Bedouin community. The terrorists’ murder spree made zero distinction between young and old, Muslim and Jew.
“Scores of Arab Israelis were wounded, murdered or taken prisoner,” he reported.
One such brave individual was 23-year-old Awad Darawshe, an Arab-Israeli paramedic who was on duty at the music festival near Kibbutz Re’im, which was among the first locations under attack. When the medical staff on site were ordered to flee, he insisted on remaining behind to treat the wounded.
Abu Toameh suggests that the paramedic thought that because he was Arab, he could reason with the killers. He was murdered nonetheless.
Another courageous Arab-Israeli that the writer noted, 50-year-old Abed al-Rahman Alnasasrah, was murdered by Hamas terrorists when he attempted to rescue people from the music festival. He was married and a father of six children.
Fatima Altallaqat, 35, from the Bedouin village near Ofakim, was murdered while working with her husband near the city of Ofakim in southern Israel. She was a mother of nine children, the eldest nine years old.
Abu Toameh quotes her husband as saying: “We’re a religious Muslim family and she wore the traditional headdress of a devout woman. It is inconceivable they [Hamas terrorists] could not see who was inside [the car]. They were five meters away from her as they passed.”
Forty bullets were fired into her.
Abu Toameh further cites the comments of Suleiman Zayadneh, brother and uncle, respectively, to four of the Arab-Israeli hostages, who describes himself “as proud to be a Palestinian and Muslim”.
‘The people who came to shoot and kill — they know nothing of religion,” the writer quoted Zayadneh as saying. “These [Hamas] people came and killed left and right.”
Abu Toameh went on to reference the words of Nuseir Yassin, a video blogger with 65 million followers. Two days after the massacre, he wrote: “I realized that… to a terrorist invading Israel, all citizens are targets. More than 40 of them [the murdered] are Arabs. Killed by other Arabs. And I do not want to live under a Palestinian government. Which means I only have one home, even if I’m not Jewish: Israel…. So from today forward, I view myself as… Israeli first. Palestinian second. Sometimes it takes a shock like this to see so clearly.”
Abu Toameh reported that “there have been many storie about reciprocal inter-communal generosity and heroism in the aftermath of this national tragedy, and they create hope for the future”.
He quoted a statement by the Darwashe Family:
“We are very proud of Awad’s actions… This is what we would expect from him and what we expect from everyone in our family — to be human, to stay human and to die human.”
Abu Toameh also quoted Ali Alziadna, four of whose family members were kidnapped, as saying that he was “touched by the outpouring of support” by other Israelis.
“People from all over the country have come to hug and support our family,” Alziadna said. “The entire nation is one family now.”
Abu Toameh pointed out that many Arab citizens of Israel serve as IDF officers and policemen, risking their lives for their fellow Israelis. Many are serving at the front lines, saving lives.
Undoubtedly, Abu Toameh suggested, one of the objectives of the Hamas massacre, in addition to slaughtering as many Israelis as possible, was to thwart normalization between Israel and Arab countries, especially Saudi Arabia. Hamas may also have aimed to damage relations between Jews and Arabs inside Israel.
”The terror group was, without doubt, hoping that we would witness another cycle of violence between Jews and Arabs inside Israel, similar to that which erupted in May 2021,’ Abu Toameh posited. “Then, Hamas succeeded in inciting a large number of Arab citizens of Israel to take to the streets and attack their Jewish neighbors and Israeli police officers.
“This time, however, the Arab-Israelis have not heeded the calls by Hamas. One reason is that Arab-Israelis saw, with their own eyes, how Hamas terrorists make no distinction between Jews and Muslims.
“Hamas has repeatedly demonstrated that it cares nothing for the well-being of Arabs and Muslims. From their luxury homes and hotel rooms in the safety of Qatar and Turkey, Hamas leaders give the orders to attack Israel and then sit back and let the world weep over the destruction they wrought upon their own people.
“On October 7,” Abu Toameh concluded, “Hamas metaphorically shot itself in the foot by showing the world, with unfathomably ghoulish pride, by way of Go-Pro cameras and other self-documentation, that it has neither a religious nor a secular-humanist set of values. Perhaps the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip should look at the Arab citizens of Israel and note how they enjoy equal rights, democracy, freedom of speech and a free media. If Palestinians wish to live well, like the Arab-Israelis, this is the time for them to get rid of Hamas and all the terror leaders who, for seven decades, have brought them nothing but one disaster after another.”
It is too bad that so many gullible fools in our Western societies refuse to open their eyes to the truth.
Opinion
An Arab Trusteeship Council for Gaza
By Prof. BRYAN SCHWARTZ Oct. 17, 2023 (Originally posted to The Times of Israel)
1 No peace is possible with Hamas. It is genocidally antisemitic. This position is foundational, not rhetorical or mutable. Waiting for the emergence of a “pragmatic” version of Hamas is suicidally naïve.
2 Peace and cooperation are possible with most of Israel’s non-Iranian neighbours. They are militarily threatened by Iran, not Israel. For many in those countries, Iran’s version of Islam might be more problematic from the religious perspective than Israel’s Jewishness.
3 Hamas’ attack was partly to prevent a Saudi deal and a long-term economic cooperation
4 Israel has no territorial claim to Gaza and no material, religious, or ideological interest in running it.
5 Israel has vital moral and material interests in the emergence of a peaceful, demilitarized, and prosperous Gaza. If that can occur in the medium term, a long-term reconciliation of the Palestinians with Israel is achievable.
6 As and when Hamas is evicted from power, Gaza will need some new form of government.
7 The Palestinian authority probably cannot be trusted to take over Gaza. It is corrupt and lacked- and probably still lacks- credibility with a majority of the population in Gaza.
8 There used to be a concept called trusteeship in international law, whereby foreign powers would govern a territory in its best interests until its final status is clarified at the wishes of its own people.
9 The United Nations cannot be trusted to administer Gaza – any more than it has shown to be trustworthy to maintain strategic security in Southern Lebanon or to operate UNWRA in a manner that is effective for Palestinians and not hostile to Israel.
10 Consider this alternative. After Hamas is evicted from power, there is an interim period- say five to seven to ten years -of governance over Gaza by an Arab trusteeship council. The Council members are appointed primarily by Arab states sympathetic to Israel and eager to see the people of Gaza thrive. This Council could include local Gaza representatives and a representative of the Palestinian Authority but the majority would be representative of states like Egypt, Morocco, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia.
11 The trusteeship agreement would be formal, agreed to by Israel, and unequivocally state its objectives, including:
-demilitarizing Gaza;
-defining the sole purposes for which outside reconstruction and development money can be spent and requiring strict accounting
-ensuring that the education system in Gaza is not contaminated by antisemitic hatred;
-promoting sound administration of Gaza, including providing for transparent and non-corrupt government, with significant safeguards for human rights, and conformity to the rule of law;
-promoting the development of a real economy for Gaza, not one fuelled primarily by international subsidies.
13 No state could participate in the Council without having a peace agreement with Israel.
14 In fact, the creation of the Council and Saudi participation in it could be part of a peace deal with Saudi Arabia. The deal could involve a reconstruction package from the Saudis for Gaza, which would help secure the support of the people of Gaza for the Council arrangement as an interim measure.
15 Policing would be carried out by a force composed of Palestinians and members of the police forces of Trusteeship states, under the direction of the Council.
16 The net effect would be to remove Gaza from Iran’s influence and establish temporary control by a consortium of mostly Sunni states. The latter would be chosen from among those that are at least reasonably friendly to Israel and genuinely committed to good governance in Gaza.
17 The definitive solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict can only be achieved in a series of steps. Compromises are even more painful if they are framed as permanent. But if practical peace, stability, and some prosperity can be achieved in the medium term in Gaza and the West Bank, an amicable and enduring resolution should be achievable with the Palestinians.
18 While Israel is under severe military menace right now, it is not too early to think about how a positive political outcome can be achieved after the necessary and painful battle is concluded.
19 The current catastrophe is a so-far successful attempt by the regime in Teheran to disrupt peace negotiations involving Israel, the United States, and Saudi Arabia. Political vision along with military force might enable Israel to turn around the situation and complete and consolidate a lasting peace with almost all of its Arab neighbours and to set the stage for a formal and enduring peace with the Palestinians. The Teheran regime would be isolated, diminished in prestige, and more likely to be replaced from within.
About the Author
Bryan’s Jewish-themed musical “Consoulation: A Musical Mediation” premiered in the Spring of of 2018; https://consoulation.com His new album will appear in the coming months. Bryan Schwartz graduated with a doctorate in law from Yale School and holds an endowed chair at the University of Manitoba Law School. He is the author or editor of over thirty books and collections of essays. Bryan also created and helps to deliver an annual summer program at Hebrew University in Israeli law and society. He has served as a visiting Professor at both HU and Reichman university. . As a practising lawyer, Bryan has argued a number of cases at the Supreme Court of Canada, advised governments, and served as an arbitrator at the provincial, national and international level.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login