Local News
Camp Massad expecting to host more than 150 former Massadniks for 70th reunion
By MYRON LOVE After two years of enforced closure due to provincial government Covid lockdowns, Camp Massad is back this summer and looking forward to a real blast this year to end the season. On the weekend of August 26-28, the only Hebrew-immersion summer camp in North America, will be celebrating its 70th anniversary with a reunion of former campers, counsellors and board members.
“We are expecting over 150 Massadniks from across Canada and around the world – representing several generations – to join us for this exciting occasion,” says Josh Winestock, the newly installed president of Camp Massad. “We will be showcasing all the magical moments that make Massad so special – the singalongs, the shtick, the Shabbat dinners and havdalah services – that will bring back happy memories of our camping days.”
From its very beginnings in 1953, Massad has offered a camping experience unlike any other Jewish camp in Western Canada. In addition to being a Hebrew-immersion camp, the camping experience has included singalongs and Israeli dance and skits and songs in the evenings, complementing such traditional camping activities as swimming, hiking and a variety of sports.
Massad grew out of the Talmud Torah Hebrew School and Zionist youth groups. The campsite at Winnipeg Beach was originally a Habonim camp. With the founding of the State of Israel, most of the Habonim leadership was anticipating making aliyah.
One of the Habonim youths, Soody Kleiman, had spent nine months in Israel where he had learned about two Hebrew-speaking camps that were both Camp Massads – in Pennsylvania – and he felt that one could work for Winnipeg as well.
On his return to Winnipeg in 1952, before making aliyah, Kleiman and some friends were able to get support from the leadership of the Keren Hatarbut organization (Labour Zionists) in Winnipeg for a Hebrew-immersion camp.
Among Kleiman’s most important supporters was Rabbi Abraham Kravetz, the principal of Talmud Torah, who promoted the new camp among his students. “Our Habonim camp had always kept kosher,” Kleiman said. “And we had a Shabbat service.”
Kleiman became the new camp’s first senior counsellor and program director. Ed Yuditsky, the principal of the Talmud Torah in Regina, became the camp’s first director.
Leona Billinkoff was recruited to be the first administrator. Billinkoff had been a volunteer at Talmud Torah and had impressed Rabbi Kravetz with her abilities. She turned out to be an inspired choice to lead Massad. She served in that role for 25 years and left her stamp on Massad.
It was also helpful that Billinkoff’s late husband, Alex, was a builder by profession. He helped build up the camp’s physical infrastructure.
“The programs we set up are little changed to this day,” said Kleiman on the celebration of the camp’s 60th anniversary in 2012. “I am delighted that the camp has succeeded so well.”
Much has changed about the campsite since that last reunion, Winestock notes. Coinciding with that reunion, the Massad board of directors launched a successful $1,000,000 fundraising campaign – the largest such campaign in the camp’s history – which has transformed the appearance of the camp. Among the new features are a swimming pool, an infirmary, a new soccer field, expanded dining hall and overall enhanced accessibility across the camp site. As well, all the cabins are now insulated and have dropped ceilings, there have been major improvements to the landscaping and the ongoing problems with drainage are a thing of the past.
Winestock reports that board members and staff began talking about the reunion a couple of years ago and started serious planning last year.
“Last year was certainly challenging and our numbers this summer weren’t back to what they were pre-pandemic,” notes long time camp Executive Director Daniel Sprintz, “but we were really excited to have campers back on site and we are looking forward to our 70 reunion weekend.
“We are optimistic that next year, we will be closer to our full enrollment.”
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.”