Local News
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.
In some instances, instead of children attending camp on their own, this summer families are being invited to come out to both camps and spend a few days together either on Town Island (BB Camp) or Sandy Hook (Massad).
Recently I spoke with the directors of both camps to find out what they have planned for the summer and whether there is any possibility that there may be a normal sleepover camp at all this coming summer.
Jacob Brodovsky and Lexie Yurman are Co-Executive Directors of BB Camp, having assumed their official duties on January 1 this year (and, as we noted in an article in our Feb. 3 issue – are the first married couple to be in charge either of BB Camp or Massad).
Jacob and Lexie said that, while they aren’t optimistic that the Ontario government will lift all restrictions that have been imposed as a result of Covid, there are still reasons to be hopeful that they will be able to run some form of Second Session, AC and LTP programs at the camp this summer. When I asked them whether there is any chance the popular day camp program – which sees children brought out to camp each day by boat from Kenora, could be offered, the answer was, “We’re still waiting to see how things will look in June and July.”
As well, I asked what would happen if the Ontario government keeps the border closed to visitors from other provinces – as is currently the case, and while Jacob and Lexie indicated that is a huge concern, the planning process began long ago, long before the border was closed – so naturally the hope is that by July the border will be reopened.
In the meantime though, Jacob and Lexie have developed a program known as “BB Bed & Breakfast”, which has already garnered a terrific response, they said. As of May 5, 140 individuals were on the waitlist for 3-night stays at BB Camp with registration slated to launch at the end of May, hopefully once there is some clarity re the border. On hand to work with families will be almost a full complement of BB Camp staff, Jacob said, which will be from 60-70 in number. “The idea is to get our staff trained, and our island open so if and when the time comes that we can pivot back to our conventional overnight camp programming, we’ll be ready to do so at a moment’s notice”.
Here is material taken from the BB Camp website that describes what BB Bed & Breakfast will offer:
Treat your family to an all inclusive getaway where you will learn new skills, immerse yourself in the outdoors, and grow closer as a family. We’ve taken the best parts of a traditional sleep-away summer camp program to offer a unique and unforgettable family cabin rental experience.
Parents are welcome to join their kids in camp activities, or catch up on remote work while our camp staff buddy up with their children for the day. There will also be adult-only programming offered throughout your stay.
Enhance your stay at camp with a family canoe trip following your family camp session! Choose from a 2 or 4-night canoe trip. Our staff will lead you through the whole process from packing out your own food and equipment, to navigating, cooking, and properly setting up a camp site.
Conquer the climbing tower, learn to stern a canoe, or play on our giant water inflatables, the choice is yours! Families will sign up for activities and be able to customize their stay to their liking. Our friendly staff will be there every step of the way to ensure you leave camp rejuvenated and reconnected to the wilderness!
Take advantage of our beautiful island location by adding a fishing excursion, or enrol your children in Swimming Lessons taught through our partnership with Aqua Essence. Again, the choice is yours to make BB Camp everything your family is looking for in a summer escape!
Available activities will include:
Nature Hikes
Paddle Around the Island
Outdoor Cooking Lessons
Judaic Programming
+
Shabbat
Fishing Excursions*
Aqua Essence SwimmingLessons*
*Additional fees
The all-inclusive package that BB Camp is offering includes:
Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner
Plus 3 Daily Snacks
Daytime Childcare
Access to ‘Work from Camp’ Spaces + WIFI
Adult and Youth Programming
Staff-led Cookout & Bonfires
Traditional Burning of the Bs
Camp Activities:
Ropes Course – Climbing Wall -Water Toys – Canoeing -Kayaking – Swimming – Arts &Crafts – Sports – Tripping –Archery
For more information on BB Bed & Breakfast check out the BB Camp website – www.bbcamp.ca, call 204-477-7512 or email info@bbcamp.ca
Danial Sprintz is Executive Director of Camp Massad (now in his 11th year in that position), while Drew McGillawee is Director of Planning & Programming (in his third year in that position).
While the camp may not have held either of its normal two sessions last year, work at the campsite has continued apace nonetheless to improve facilities, in large part due to a grant from the Jewish Foundation earmarked for infrastructure improvements.
Of course, with the hope that vaccinations would allow some semblance of normal camp activity to resume, Danial Sprintz said that the camp board had been in constant consultation with Manitoba Health and various government officials to see whether there was any way sleepover camp could resume this summer.
The decision was made to cancel normal camp because there just wouldn’t be enough time to allow for proper planning even if Covid restrictions were to be lifted by the summer, Danial says.
I asked him though whether the cancellation of camp applied to Massad’s day camp as well (about which I had written last summer). And, although the day camp did prove successful – and complied with all provincial requirements for maintaining proper social distancing, Danial said it was very expensive to have to adhere to all the regulations that the province required – so the decision was taken not to go ahead with a day camp this summer.
However, just as BB Camp is offering an attractive alternative for families, Massad is also offering its cabins for families to rent – anywhere from a weekend (Friday – Sunday) to a weekday experience (which can vary in length).
According to the Massad website, “Family rentals will include all the activities that Camp Massad has to offer as well as food and a personal family cabin equipped with comfortable amenities.”
Those amenities include: Tennis Courts, Basketball Court, Soccer Field, Volleyball Court, Archery Range, Tetherball, Nature Trails, Canoe and Kayaking on Lake Winnipeg, Fire Pits and Art Studio, as well as swimming in the Heated Outdoor Pool, Daily Adult and Youth Programming, Optional Child Care, Judaic Programming, and Wifi. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and 3 snacks each day will be provided.
But, rather than attempt to offer a second session for regular campers in August – which is still BB Camp’s hope, Danial says that August will be devoted to providing training for camp staff. “We’ll have gone on for two years without staff getting the chance to get any training,” he says. “We want to make sure that they get that training for next year’s camp.”
Both camps have received a great deal of financial support, both from government and from non-governmental organizations.
Danial pointed to two specific programs from which Massad was able to receive funding: The “Green Team” program and the “Canada Summer Jobs” program. Both programs will enable Massad to pay their entire staff complement for at least part of the summer.
As well, both BB and Massad received funding from the Jewish Federation that will help to keep their camps operating this summer.
Danial also pointed out that both camps are able to offer financial help to families that might not be able to afford their family programs this summer. Some money, as it has in the past, is available through the “Sunshine Fund”, while other financial assistance has been made available from other sources as well. Interested parties should contact either camp about subsidies that might be available.
While July has already been heavily booked by families looking to spend some time together at Massad, the camp will actually be available to families beginning June 11.
When I asked whether it’s possible for a family to spend more than five days at Massad at one time, Drew McGillawee said that one family has actually booked two consecutive weeks at the camp.
And, despite all the hardship that Covid has caused both camps, Danial said that the difficult situation in which both Massad and BB Camp have been put has let to what he described as an “unprecedented level of cooperation and planning” between the directors of both camps (which helps to explain why both camps came up with almost identical family camp programs for the coming summer).
As Danial noted, it’s not only the camps that have been working together, “all Jewish community organizations” have been working together closely in ways that they had never done before.
For more information about Camp Massad’s summer rental program for families either call 204-477-7487 or email info@campmassad.ca .
Both camps have detailed information about their upcoming summer family programs on their websites.
Local News
Third annual JFest Winnipeg will be offering programs for all ages
By MYRON LOVE JFest Winnipeg is back with a good variety of musical performances, a book launch, popular Jewish-themed films, children’s activities, and a family-oriented Shabbat dinner.
“JFest,” observes Laura Marjovsky, the Rady JCC Director of Programming, “is an opportunity for our community to experience Jewish art and culture. With our range of JFest events, we are trying to reach out beyond what has been our base audience and appeal to all ages. We have a commitment to bring top notch Israeli performers to share the highest caliber of Israeli entertainment with our audiences.”
The week-long festival (November 14-21) kicks off with a performance by top-ranked Israeli singer-songwriter Harel Skaat. The popular Israeli star began singing as a child. He shot to fame when he finished second in the second season of “Kochav Nolad” – Israel’s version of “American Idol.” His first album was released in 2006 and achieved Platinum status – with one of the songs being ranked as “song of the year.” He followed that up in 2009 with a second album that reached Gold status. In 2010, he represented Israel at the Eurovision competition.
Skaat’s performance is scheduled for the Seven Oaks Performing Arts Centre (which is attached to Garden City Collegiate) beginning at 8:00 P.M. on Saturday, November 14. Patrons will have the opportunity to purchase an enhanced ticket to attend a meet and greet with Harel.
All other JFest programs and activities will be at the Rady JCC.
Music Producer Karla Berbrayer says Ben Caplan’s performance on Saturday, November 21 will also be another highlight. “Ben Caplan redefines what it means to be a modern folk artist,” Berbrayer says. “His music and stories are matched by his larger-than-life stage presence. This concert focuses on how his Jewish upbringing has influenced his entire performance career.”
“Flatland Famous” is returning by popular demand. This quintet, known for its performances at Winnipeg Jets games, will be presenting its concert, “Jewish Soul of Rock and Roll,” on Wednesday, November 18, at 7:30 pm. This year’s show will feature songs by Amy Winehouse, Neil Diamond, Barbra Streisand, Simon and Garfinkel, and other famous Jewish icons.
On Tuesday, November 17, local author Deborah Schnitzer will be taking centre stage with the launch of her new book, “The Woman Who Swallowed West Hawk Lake.” The University of Winnipeg English Professor Emeritus’s new novel explores intergenerational trauma related to Nazi breeding programs. Joining Schnitzer on stage will be a panel of professionals who have experience working with children who have experienced trauma.
And of course, “Best of the Fest” is back. Films to be presented will include“The Floaters” and “We Met at Grossingers,” two wildly popular movies at last spring’s Winnipeg International Jewish Film Festival.
“The Floaters,” to be screened on Monday , November 16 at 7:00 pm is a funny and bang-on depiction of Jewish summer camp culture.
“We Met at Grossingers” is a loving look back at the Borscht Belt in New York’s Catskills, where generations of young Jewish performers earned their dues and developed their acts. The film will be screened on Thursday, November 19 at 7:00 P.M.
On Friday November 20, JFest will host a Family Shabbat dinner featuring Anat Kriger, an Israeli-born, Toronto-based musician, actor, and children’s performer, who has made several appearances in Winnipeg at major communal events.
Kidfest on Sunday, November 15, will be a day-long potpourri of programming that will include live performances, workshops, bouncy castles, games and crafts, and much more.
Readers seeking more information about JFest can contact Laura Marjovsky at 204 477-7539 or lmarjovsky@radyjcc/com
Local News
Hen Mazzig, leading Israeli advocate, makes first Winnipeg appearance
By MYRON LOVE On Tuesday, October 6, a large number of members of our community packed the chapel at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue, eager to welcome Hen Mazzig in his first appearance in our community.
Over the past few years, the Israeli-born Mazzig – who was appearing at the invitation of our Jewish Federation and Combined Jewish Appeal team – has become one of Israel’s and the Jewish people’s leading advocates on the international stage. His online platforms reach as many 100 million viewers a month with a regular following of almost 1 million. He has been interviewed by numerous leading media outlets and has given addresses at close to 500 universities in recent years.
Mazzig’s presentation in Winnipeg (which was funded by the Asper Family and the Asper Foundation) took the form of a question and answer format with Sarah Mali, the Director General of JFC-UIA (Jewish Federations-United Jewish Appeal) Canada in Israel, asking the questions.
Mali , who was visiting Winnipeg for the third time in the past three years, began by expressing how honoured she felt about having the opportunity to converse with Mazzig – referring to Jewish Federation of Winnipeg President Carrie Shenkarow’s comments regarding Mazzig’s “devotion to Israel and the Jewish people”, his “deep sense of purpose, moral clarity” and “willingness to enter some of the most difficult spaces and conversations.”
The first question that Mali posed to Mazzig was related to his visit to the Canadian Museum of Human Rights and its controversial and one-sided take on the longstanding and ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She referred to a comment that Mazzig had made on X the day after visiting the museum, in which he wrote that while he “has no problem with people learning about Palestinian history,” he wished that “Palestine Uprooted” didn’t “distort the regional events, including the displacement of 800,000 people just like my grandmother, Hela, who became a refugee when Iraq turned on its Jewish community” post-1948.
“History can only lead to reconciliation when it is told honestly,” he observed. “Otherwise, it is just fuelilng an agenda.”
What most disturbed him about the exhibit, Mazzig told his audience, is that it erased his own family’s history. Expanding upon his family’s roots, he noted that his father’s family came to Israel from Tunisia and his mother’s side from Iraq. He spoke in particular about his maternal grandmother, Hela, who left behind “a beautiful civilization” – Jews had been living and thriving in Iraq since before the Roman destruction of Jerusalem 2000 years ago – to a new land (Israel), where she had to learn a new language (Hebrew) and rebuild her life.
Mazzig added that his grandmother is his anchor in life and the inspiration for all that he has accomplished.
Mali asked Mazzig about his ability to empathize with Palestinians. It was difficult to do, he answered. He got to know Palestinians, he recalled, during the Covid epidemic when he was serving as a medic with the Israel Defense Force and found himself responsible for helping Palestinians through that difficult time and transporting sick Palestinians to Israeli hospitals.
“Even though I fight so hard for Israel,” he observed, it doesn’t mean that I can’t feel empathy for anyone else.”
Mali asked Mazzig how October 7, 2023, changed him.
“I chose not to become a victim,” he said, “but rather to engage more with the world, bear witness, share our stories and talk about genocide. While I was actively advocating for Israel before October 7, I have been much more in demand since. I have become a lot more visible.
”I have found that a lot of people support us,” he continued. “They see what is happening and are on our side.”
On the other hand, he added, a lot of people don’t know anything about Israel. “It is a matter of education,” he said. “I encourage people to go to Israel and talk to Israelis.”
Mali’s last question was what Mazzig means when he writes that “I promise to love being Jewish ten times more than anyone hates me for it.” What does it mean to him to love and find joy and happiness in being Jewish”, she added?
It means cherishing our rich history, Mazzig responded, enjoying Shabbat dinners with family and friends, celebrating all of our holidays and traditions.
“The Jewish People have been through so much over the past 2000 years,” he said. “Many people have tried to destroy us, but we have survived. We are arisen from the ashes numerous time and continued to move forward. Not only are we still here but we have returned as an independent people living again in our ancestral homeland.”
Also addressing the audience at the Shaarey Zedek was Steven Shulman, the president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of Canada. Shulman heaped much praise on our Jewish community in Winnipeg.
“Winnipeg is special,” he noted, “not just in Canada but worldwide. Your CJA campaign continues to be the most successful in North America. You have an outstanding CEO (of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg) in Jeff Lieberman, who is universally respected.”
He further praised Gray Academy and our community’s highly successful GrowWinnipeg campaign – which has attracted thousands of new families to our community over the past 25 years.
He noted that he was particularly impressed with how our community has come together to protest the biased Nakba exhibit at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
He also spoke of the many supporters that we have among non-Jewish Canadians – singling out, as an example, the police officer in Belleville who put his own life on the line protecting the city’s only Jewish congregation from a terrorist attack during yom tov services.
The last word went to Jeff Lieberman, who thanked all the members of our community who have contributed to the CJA campaign this year, as well as our many non-Jewish friends who continue to stand with Israel and the Jewish community.
Local News
Enrolment in videographer/photographer Jeff Gordon’s education programs growing exponentially
By MYRON LOVE When last I spoke with local videographer/photographer Jeff Gordon early last year, he had just launched his new training program for budding photographers and videographers. Now, about 20 months later, he is happy to report that his new course has grown well beyond his original expectations.
“My program has already graduated more than 100 students – with another four sessions beginning in September,” says the founder of JAG Videos and Photography. “I have recently introduced a new training program geared to organizations and businesses and have digitized my courses so that they can be accessed from anywhere in the world.”
What is unique about what Gordon is doing in that this is the only educational program that combines photography and video. “Up until now, the only options for anyone interested in learning the art of photography or making videos has been either Red River College or the University of Winnipeg,” Gordon pointed out in that earlier Post interview. “I recognized a niche here and my goal is to fill this gap.”
He launched his educational initiative in mid-January in his new studio behind his north River Heights home with three classes a week – one strictly for teenagers – over 16 weeks.
“The response exceeded my expectations,” he said in that earlier interview. “We sold out quickly and I have a waiting list. I am teaching the students everything I know about photographer and videography. The curriculum is easy to follow.”
Gordon’s interest in photography and videography – and teaching, he recalled, came about through his previous career as a musician. The graduate of the Hebrew Bilingual program at Brock Corydon Elementary School, and later, Shaftesbury High School – began playing drums in high school.
After high school, he enrolled at the Los Angeles Music Academy. In 2006, he graduated from the jazz program at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton. His professional credits include 16 years as a drummer with the Sarah Sommer Chai Folk Ensemble, and five years as a member of a touring band called “Driver.”
It was while performing with “Driver” that he began doing videography. “I have always been fascinated by technology,” Gordon said. “While on tour, I began making videos of our live concerts. I would set up four or five cameras to record the shows.”
In 2014, Gordon took the plunge and dove into photography and videography full time with the founding of JAG Videos and Photography. He started with weddings and gradually started to develop a commercial and corporate clientele. He reported that he does a lot of head shots for businesses. He has also done a number of TV spots for Global and Corus.
Gordon’s curriculum is his own creation, based on his experience and a previous training manual he wrote years ago for an entirely different group of students: drummers.
“I used to have as many as 40 students at a time,” he recalled. “I really enjoy teaching. I love expounding on subjects I am passionate about.”
Gordon’s first foray into teaching had a focus on helping businesses and organizations, government departments and agencies enhance their online presence.
“Increasingly, we are in a digital world,” he points out. “Businesses need staff who are adept at making videos and taking photographs. Companies need staff who are able to create videos for them to promote the business online. I can customize my training programs to the needs of my clients to create their own social media and marketing materials.”
Gordon notes that this outreach wasn’t initially part of his expansion plans. “I had people coming to me for this training because there is no one else providing this kind of education,” he observes.
Gordon’s major new development this fall is that he has built and launched a full digital version of his course – which he calls The JAG Creator Academy. “Going digital has opened the training up beyond Winnipeg and makes it available to people globally,” he points out.
“I developed a website, filmed all my tutorials and recorded the video,” he says.
“I even have a sponsor for it,” he adds. (That would be Evoto – an AI-powered photo editing software built specifically for professional photographers.)
The program is only available in English but, Gordon reports, there has been a lot of interest so far.
The next stage in the evolution and growth of Gordon’s move into education will be a program which will coach businesses on SEO (Search Engine Optimization) – and which will involve helping businesses access Google and get their name at the top of search results.
“SEO is what has helped my business stay at the top of Google (searches) and in demand all these years,” Gordon notes. “I am running ads for my new SEO programming on Facebook and Instagram. I am anticipating that I will draw clients from across Canada and the United States.”
While he is still in demand locally as a photographer and videographer, he notes, the education side has also become a full-blown business of its own and, he reports, he is looking to hire additional staff.
As well, he is continually adding new topics and courses to his offerings.
Readers who may be interested in contacting Jeff can find him through his website, which is www.jagvideos.com.
