Local News
Cancercare Manitoba Foundation Chair Steven Kroft – a leader in the boardroom – and in the field
By MYRON LOVE
Steven Kroft is an individual who believes in leading by example. Thus, the newly-anointed Chair of the Board of the Cancercare Manitoba Foundation (as of June) has for the past couple of weeks been furiously working the pedals on his Peloton exercise bike raising money for the Foundation as a participant in its 13th annual Challenge for Life event.
Halfway through the 20-day Challenge for Life – which in the past has been a one-day, 20km walk – Kroft reported that he had already added over 100 km to his Peloton mileage gauge.
And, among the top individual fundraisers, he was – as of August 11 – in seventh place – having almost doubled his initial pledge.
“The response of Manitobans to our Challenge for Life this year has been amazing considering the circumstances,” he says. “We have about 100 teams participating – about the same as last year. While we have fewer participants, many more communities throughout the province have become involved.”
Whereas in previous Challenge for Life walks, everyone had to come into Winnipeg to take part, this year’s event has been spread over almost three weeks. Participants can choose their form of exercise and take their time doing that exercise wherever they happen to live.
“We have teams and individuals from over 60 communities involved,” Kroft reports. “This is the first time that we have had such a broad range of people participating.”
He adds that half way through the Challenge, more than $600,000 had been raised. Generally, the annual campaign raises about $1 million.
“The generosity of Manitobans at this time is a real shot in the arm for all of us at Cancercare Manitoba and the Cancercare Manitoba Foundation,” he notes.
The son of Senator Richard and Hillaine Kroft has a long history of volunteerism in both the Jewish and general community. In that regard, he is following in the path of his parents and other family members.
“As time went on, I made sure I had the necessary leadership in the business world that would allow me to devote a meaningful amount of my time to community,” he points out.
That family business is the Conviron group of companies, of which Kroft is currently CEO and executive chairman. The business – which specializes in the design and manufacture of plant growth chambers and rooms for use in agricultural biotechnology and other life-science disciplines – was founded by his father in 1964. Steven, a lawyer by training, joined the family business in 1997.
“I took over running the company when my father was appointed to the Senate in 1998,” he notes. “We sell our products in over 90 countries worldwide.”
Steven Kroft was introduced to community work in the early 1990s when David Cohen, than the executive director of the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, invited the young Kroft to become a member of the JFM’s Scholarship Committee. Kroft had recently returned to Winnipeg after earning his law degree at UBC.
Kroft was a JFM board member for 15-16 years, culminating in a term as president. “It was a time of tremendous growth for the Foundation,” he recalls.
He also joined the board of the Sharon Home (Simkin Centre) at the specific invitation of the late Sol Kanee.
And, he served for two years as Chair of our community’s annual Combined Jewish Appeal campaign (2017-18 and 2018-19).
In the general community Kroft has served on the boards of the True North Foundation, Manitoba Hydro and the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, as well as the University of Manitoba’s President’s Advisory Committee – in addition to the Cancercare Manitoba Foundation. He was also Chair of the Board of the Business Council of Manitoba from 2016-2017.
It was current Manitoba Lieutenant-Governor Janice Filmon – then the Cancercare Manitoba Foundation’s board chair – who recruited Kroft to the board. “My dad had just beaten prostate cancer and our interactions with Cancercare Manitoba had been very positive,” Steven recalls. “I knew other board members. It was the right time for me to become involved.”
He describes Cancercare Manitoba Foundation as a “tremendous organization” and expresses strong support for executive director Annita Stenning and her management team. “I became even more enthusiastic when I began to learn about the research that the Foundation funds,” he adds. “In terms of expertise, Manitoba punches above its weight. We are among the leaders in research and treatment across Canada.
“I am excited to be part of it.”
Steven and Lisa Kroft are the proud parents of sons Nathan and Alex. Steven reports that Nathan will be graduating from the Asper School of Business next spring and Alex is studying economics and entrepreneurship at Duke University.
Whether either one will someday go into the family business is still uncertain. Their father says that he is not putting any pressure on them. He adds though that Alex is demonstrating his entrepreneurial bent this summer. He and a friend have gone into the 3D printing business making shields for businesses for protection against the coronavirus and have sold hundreds of them.
Local News
The Jewish Post Ltd. launches new website for food lovers
By BERNIE BELLAN Three months ago I wrote a story about something my daughter, Shira, had started doing on social media that had proved to be wildly successful – much to her own surprise. That story was titled: Local foodie finds fame by trying foods on Facebook Marketplace
What Shira was doing was going on to Facebook Marketplace and trying different foods that she was able to buy from local vendors. She often didn’t know what the heck it was she was ordering, but each time she would get a new food she would film herself reacting to that food.
The results have been consistently entertaining – often hilarious, to the point where Shira now has over 10,300 followers on Instagram, as well as on Facebook, TikTok, and Youtube. (You can find her Instagram page at Winnipeg Marketplace Food Finds.)
I suggested to Shira that she ought to parlay the success she’s found by posting on social media into a further venture: creating a website that would give wider exposure to the food vendors whose food Shira liked the most.
As a result, Shira and I teamed up with the marvellous web designer whose name is Mario Lacunza who is responsible for the design of jewishpostandnews.ca -to create a brand new website called Winnipeg Marketplace Food Finds.
On that website you will find pictures of some of the most popular foods Shira has tried from Marketplace, along with links to the original Instagram posts where she reviewed those foods – and links that will take you directly to the vendors’ Facebook pages.
There are so many brilliantly creative people selling food on Marketplace and Shira’s social media posts have brought many of them a lot of new business. Our hope is that our new website will bring them even more business.
The website will also offer stories about food from a variety of sources. So, take a look at the new site and be amazed at the originality of the foods being produced on Facebook Marketplace.
Local News
UNVEILING for the headstone of Dr. Velimir Kon (Sept. 18, 1950-June 27, 2025)
A true mensch and person of many talents and profoundness, Dr. Velimir (Shlomo) Kon is deeply missed and loved by his family and friends.
Known for his warmth, kindness, integrity and love of learning and teaching, Velimir continues to inspire all who knew him and his memory warms our hearts and souls. Velimir is deeply missed.
You are invited to helps us remember and honour our beloved husband and father who passed away almost a year ago.
We, Branka, Deborah and Lea Kon, wish to inform our relatives and friends of the unveiling of a headstone dedicated to his loving memory on FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2026 at 11:00am at the HEBREW SICK CEMETERY (2605 McPhillips Street) followed by lunch at the Chabad Lubavitch of Winnipeg – Jewish Learning Centre (1845 Mathers Avenue). Please come say a l’chaim in his honour.
In Memoriam
1st Yahrzeit
In loving memory of Dr. Velimir (Shlomo) Kon who passed away June 27, 2025, 12 Days in Tammuz.
⁃ Forever and deeply loved and missed by his wife of over 50 years, Branka, and daughters Deborah and Lea Kon. Velimir brought joy to our lives with his boundless kindness and gentleness, irrepressible humour, great intellect and love of people, tikun olam and Judaism.
Not a day goes by that we do not mention Velimir and feel his presence with us. Our lives are not the same without him and we deeply miss and cherish him. We can never forget his presence that was larger than life, yet also his humility and thoughtfulness.
A gentleman to the very core, Velimir was respected as a scientist, academic, professor, researcher, and later as a teacher and mentor. He always endeavoured to make every place he worked and lived at better and was able to bridge many cultures. He was Abraham of his generation and made many personal sacrifices; giving up status, position and privilege in order for his family to have a better and peaceful future.
May his memory always be a blessing. He left us at only 74 years young and we wish we had had more time together. Indeed, to know him was to love him.
Local News
Younger Jewish talents continue to shine in their respective categories at annual Winnipeg Music Festival
By MYRON LOVE A number of younger members of our community were repeat stars at the most recent (108th annual) Winnipeg Music Festival – which takes place annually in March. Among the repeat Jewish singers and musicians in the ranks of high achievers this year were” Yale Rayburn-Vander Hout, Gregory Hyman, Alex Schaeffer, Juliet Eskin, Noah Kravetsky, and Lyla Chisick.
Vocalist Yale Rayburn-Vander Hout, the oldest of this year’s group of Jewish repeat winners, was competing in his fifth straight festival, where he continued to build on his accomplishments in previous festivals. This year, the 20-year-old son of Samantha and Peter finished first in two musical theatre categories – songs from musical theatre productions between 1965 and 1999, and shows from the past 26 years. Yale sang “I’m Allergic to Cats,” from the 2016 musical “The Theory of Relativity,” and “Suppertime,” from the 1967 musical, “You’re a Good man, Charlie Brown.”
The former Gray Academy student is currently enrolled at the University of Manitoba’s Desautels Faculty of Music in the Choral program. Yale says that he is hoping to get into the performance track in the fall with the goal of earning a degree in Classical Voice Performance en route to pursuing a career in musical theatre.
As reported previously, Gregory Hyman is a multi-faceted artist who can do it all. The 18-year-old son of Hartley and Rishona Hyman is a singer/songwriter/musician (guitar) who records and performs under the stage name, GMH. His versatility shone through once again in his eighth Music Festival, in which he registered first-place finishes for vocal performances in both “Popular and Contemporary Music” and “TV and Movie Music “categories.
Gregory notes that he was also recommended to compete in the provincial finals in June. The St. John’s-Ravenscourt student (and soon-to be) graduate continues to be busy on stage. In January, he headlined a sold out solo show at Sidestage on Osborne featuring some of his new material. In March, he released an album of his newest songs. Readers can check out his latest compositions on any of the music streaming platforms as well as his own social media (thegmh) on Instagram.
Gregory also continues to host his own podcast: “Talk and Rock with GMH – now in its fifth season – in which he interviews various people in the music business across Canada.
While Gregory says that a musical career is his “dream,” he reports that he is hedging his bets and considering different potential career opportunities. Come September, he will be enrolled at the University of Manitoba in a University One program, which will allow him to select from a variety of courses that can count toward a degree.
Sixteen-year-old Alex Schaeffer won first place this year in the “Musicals Prior to 1965, 16 Years and Under” category with “Try Me” from “She Loves Me,” and was runner-up in the “Musicals 1965 to 1999, 16 Years and Under” category with “On My Own,” from “Les Misérables.” For the son of Marc Schaeffer and Kae Sasaki, this was his fifth year competing in the festival.
The Grant Park High School student made his big stage debut three years ago as Kurt von Trapp in “The Sound of Music,” followed by playing Michael Hobbs in “Elf the Musical” this past winter at the Royal MTC.
Alex recently performed in Grant Park High School’s production of “Something Rotten!” This summer Schaeffer can be seen again at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, where he will be appearing in a production staged by Rem Lezar Theatre.
Rounding out the voice winners is Lyla Chisick. The daughter of Daniel and Baillee was competing in her second music festival. This year, she scored Gold performances in the “Vocal Solo,” “Manitoba Composers,” and “TV/Movie Musical, 12 and under” categories.
Lyla reports that she began taking voice lessons from Jessica Kos-Whicher three years ago. She says she regularly takes part in the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue Family Service and has sung at several community events. Lyla adds that she is already looking forward to next year’s music festival.
Nate Kravetsky and Juliet Eskin competed in the festival as musicians rather than singers. Juliet, 16, plays the viola, and is also is the violist in the Assiniboine String Quartet. In this, her fifth go-round at the festival, Juliet, the daughter of the musically talented Kelly Robinon and Josh Eskin, had first place finishes in the “Viola Solo, level 8,” “Baroque or Classical Concerto,” and “Romantic Composers” categories.
Juliet originally took up the violin – adding the viola a couple of years after. She also just finished performing in the Grant Park High School production of “Something Rotten!”
Nate Kravetsky is currently in Grade 5 level piano. He studies with Erica Schultz and has been taking lessons from her since age 5.
Nate competed in three categories at the Winnipeg music festival: “Baroque,” “Sonata,” and “Contemporary/own choice.”
His own choice selection was the theme from his favourite video game, “Hollow Knight.”
Nate, who is in Grade 7 at Gray Academy, is also preoccupied preparing for his upcoming bar mitzvah.
We look forward to the continued musical success off Yale, Gregory, Alex, Nate, Juliet and Lyla, and what new talent may be unveiled at next year’s Winnipeg Music festival.
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