Local News
Aleeza Gerstein, Zach Raizman among recipients of Manitoba Medical Service Foundation research grants
By MYRON LOVE In the (Saturday) April 17 edition of the Winnipeg Free Press, the Manitoba Medical Service Foundation (MMSF) took out a half page ad to highlight the organization’s 2021 grant recipients. Among the 12 researchers approved for grants this year were two members of our Jewish community – Drs. Aleeza Gerstein and Zach Raizman.
Raizman received funding to continue his research into the different types of insulin and the risks each poses of causing hypoglycemia – low blood sugar – with resulting deleterious health effects.
Gerstein and her team received funding to study recurring yeast infections – which, she notes, only affect women. “Essentially, there currently is no cure for this recurring problem,” she points out. “We are trying to understand the biological basis for these fungal infections. That is the first step to finding a way to prevent them. We will soon begin enrolling patient referred from gynecologists.”
Gerstein and Raizman are at different stages of their medical careers. While Raizman has still to complete his studies, Gerstein is already well established as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Science at the University of Manitoba where she is cross-appointed in the Departments of Microbiology and Statistics.
The daughter of Paul and Sherri Gerstein happily returned to her hometown to assume her current position after almost 20 years away. After high school, she relocated to Western University (formerly the University of Western Ontario) in London where she earned a B.Sc. in Ecology and Evolution. She followed up with a move to the West Coast – UBC – where she received her MSc. and Ph.D. in Zoology.
“I am an ecologist and evolutionary biologist by training,” she says. “I am fascinated by microbes. They grow everywhere, in every ecosystem. Yet, unlike plants and animals, we can’t see them with the naked eye. In the lab, however, we can do controlled experiments to try to understand how they work.”
Prior to returning to Winnipeg, she was a post-doctoral Fellow for four years at the University of Minnesota. During that period, she also spent a couple of months in the Faculty of Life Sciences at Tel Aviv University.
The position at the University of Manitoba just happened to become available at the same time that she was looking for a job. “I am very fortunate that a full time, tenure track position became available here,” she says. “Now that I have children (a five-year-old and a newborn), I wanted to be back in Winnipeg. My entire family is here.”
Zach Raizman, on the other hand, is just completing his Internal Medicine residency program and will soon be on his way to Calgary to receive specialty training in endocrinology. (The endocrine system controls hormones.)
The study for which Raizman received funding, he reports, is almost done. “We did a study of the data of 30,000 patients with Type 2 diabetes who are taking insulin,” he explains. “We studied several different types of insulin to determine which ones carry a greater risk of causing hypoglycemia. We are in the process of writing the final report.”
The son of Ali and Louisa Raizman attended Gray Academy for Elementary School, and Shaftesbury High School for high school. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Winnipeg and medical degree at the University of Manitoba.
For Raizman, medicine is his second career. Growing up, he forged a career as an actor, musical theatre performer and singer/songwriter who released his first CD in February of 2007 when he was 12 (a feat that was documented in the pages of The Jewish Post & News).
Medical school, however, hasn’t left much time for other endeavours, he notes.
He says that he hopes to return to Winnipeg in a couple of years after his further training in Calgary.
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.”