Local News
Accolades continue to mount for longest serving University of Manitoba prof
By MYRON LOVE In a career filled with accomplishments and awards matched by few in terms of longevity, the accolades keep coming in for Michael Eskin, the longest-serving member of the University of Manitoba`s Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences (where he has also served as Department Chair and Associate Dean).
The university recently announced that Eskin is one of two professors at the institution who have been elected Fellows of the Royal Society of Canada (RSC), the country’s most esteemed association of scholars, scientists and artists.
“To say that I am pleased would be an understatement,” says the esteemed professor, who has also served our community as a Chazan for many years.”
He notes that 85 scholars from universities across Canada were inducted this year. This brings the number of Fellows at the University of Manitoba to 53 members, which represents around three percent of the total faculty.
The Royal Society of Canada, Eskin points out, was founded in 1882 and incorporated by an act of Parliament. Election to the RSC is considered the highest honour an academic can achieve in the arts, social sciences and sciences. The RSC’s mission is to recognize scholarly, research and artistic excellence, to advise governments and organizations and to promote a culture of knowledge and innovation in Canada and with other national academies around the world.
During the course of a career that has spanned 54 years at the University of Manitoba, Eskin (who is originally from Birmingham, England) has become one of the world’s leading food science writers, with 17 books to his credit. His book, “Biochemistry of Foods”, now in its third edition, is used in university courses around the world and has been translated into several different languages. In addition to his books, he has published over 250 research articles, book chapters, monographs, abstracts and several patents.
The centerpiece of his career has been his work on the development of edible oils, by playing a key role in the successful development of canola oil.
He is also to be honoured in October with induction into the Order of Manitoba, having received the Order of Canada in 2016. In 2016, Eskin was also selected by the students in his faculty as Professor of the Year.
Last year, he became just the fifth Canadian scientist to receive the very prestigious Supelco AOCS (American Oil Chemists Society) Research Award. This award has been presented to scientists in many different disciplines, including organic chemistry, physical chemistry, biochemistry and nutrition. Three of the previous recipients of this award were also Nobel Prize winners.
Eskin has been an active member of the Society for many years, having served as chair of the AOCS Lipid Oxidation and Quality Division as well as the first chair of the AOCS Division Council. In addition to serving as an associate editor of JAOCS, he was co-editor of Lipid Technology for seven years and is currently associate editor of education for the AOCS Lipid Library.
The official RSC induction for Eskin and his fellow new members is slated for November 19th, coinciding with the RSC’s annual Celebration of Excellence and Engagement, Nov. 15-20, in Montreal. Over the course of the week, thousands of delegates from throughout Canada and around the world will engage in science sessions featuring the insights of hundreds of scholars, artists and scientists on the key issues of our time.
Having recently celebrated his 80th birthday, Eskin continues to teach two online classes with over 200 students and is already busy on his 18th book on “Functional Foods and Chronic Diseases”, with his colleague Professor Michel Aliani, slated for publication in 2022.
Local News
Thank you to the community from the Chesed Shel Emes
We’re delighted to share a major milestone in our Capital Campaign, “Building on our Tradition.” Launched in November 2018, this campaign aimed to replace our outdated facility with a modern space tailored to our unique needs. Our new building is designed with ritual at its core, featuring ample preparation space, Shomer space, and storage, creating a warm and welcoming environment for our community during times of need.
We’re grateful to the nearly 1,000 generous donors who contributed over $4 million towards our new facility. A $750,000 mortgage will be retired in November 2025, completing this monumental project in just seven years.
We’re also thrilled to announce that our Chesed Shel Emes Endowment Fund has grown tenfold, from $15,000 to $150,000, thanks to you, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba’s FundMatch program, and Million Dollar Match initiative in 2024. Our fund helps ensure that everyone can have a dignified Jewish funeral regardless of financial need.
As we look to the future, our goal remains to ensure the Chevra Kadisha continues to serve our community for generations to come. Our focus now shifts to replenishing our savings account and growing our JFM Endowment fund.
We’re deeply grateful for your support over the past several years.
It’s our privilege to serve our community with care and compassion.
With sincere appreciation,
Campaign cabinet: Hillel Kravetsky, Gerry Pritchard, Stuart Pudavick,
Jack Solomon, and Rena Boroditsky
Murray S. Greenfield, President
Local News
Winnipeg Beach Synagogue about to celebrate 75th anniversary
By BERNIE BELLAN (July 13) In 1950 a group of cottage owners at Winnipeg Beach took it upon themselves to relocate a one-room schoolhouse that was in the Beausejour area to Winnipeg Beach where it became the beach synagogue at the corner of Hazel and Grove.
There it stayed until 1998 when it was moved to its current location at Camp Massad.
On August 2nd members of the synagogue will be holding a 75th anniversary celebration.
As part of the celebration anyone who is a descendant or relative of any of the original members of the first executive committee (as seen in the photo here) is invited to attend the synagogue that morning.
If you are a relative please contact Abe Borzykowski at wpgbeachshule@shaw.ca or aborzykowski@shaw.ca to let Abe know you might be attending or for more information about the 75th anniversary celebration.
We will soon be publishing a story about the history of the beach synagogue, which is something I’ve been writing about for over 25 years.
Local News
Vickar Family cuts ribbon on new Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre
By MYRON LOVE In the words of Larry Vickar, the Shaarey Zedek’s successful Dor V’ Dor Campaign “is not only a renewal of the synagogue but truly a renewal movement of Jewish life in our community.”An integral part of that renewal movement was the creation of a daycare centre within the expanded synagogue. On Monday, June 23, Larry and Tova Vickar cut the ribbon, thereby officially opening the Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre in the presence of 100 of their family members, friends and other supporters of the project.
The short program preceding the morning ribbon-cutting began with a continental breakfast followed by a welcome by both Fanny Levy, Shaarey Zedek’s Board President, and Executive Director Dr. Rena Secter Elbaze. In Elbaze’s remarks, she noted that Larry and Tova wanted their family (including son Stephen and family, who flew in from Florida) and friends at the event to celebrate the opening of the Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre, “not because of the accolades, but because, as Larry put it, he hopes that their investment in the congregation will inspire others to do the same.”
“When Larry and I spoke about what this gift meant to him and the message he wanted people to take away,” she continued, “I couldn’t help but connect it to the teachings of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi whose book – Age-ing to Sage-ing – changes the whole way we look at the concept of ageing and basing it on our ancestral teachings.”
She explained that his concept of “Sage-ing” is based on three key ideas – Discover your meaning and purpose; accept our mortality and think about the legacy you want to leave.
“Larry spoke about these exact concepts when we met,” she said.
Elbaze also noted the presence of Shaarey Zedek’s newly-arrived senior Rabbi Carnie Rose, former Rabbi Alan Green, and area MLAs Mike Moroz and Carla Compton.
Larry Vickar expressed his great appreciation for all those in attendance. “Tova and I are deeply moved to stand here with you today for this important milestone in our community”, he said. “We are grateful to be surrounded by all of you, the people we care about, our family and friends… you who have touched our lives and played some part in our journey.”