Local News
Chai Folk Ensemble to honour Charachs at multicultural concert
By LESLIE MALKIN A passion for multiculturalism is something father and son, Barney and Avrom Charach, share. “My mother said, ‘we should send our kids to Hebrew school,’ and my father said, ‘they should be exposed to everything, not just the Jewish community.’ He always had this idea that we should be part of the bigger community,” says Avrom.
As a young man, volunteering with both Folklorama and the Manitoba Ethnocultural Youth Committee Avrom learned that “by learning about other cultures, we learn to understand them, celebrate them together. Education and prejudice are diametrically opposed,” he says.
So, a multicultural theme is fitting for the Sarah Sommer Chai Folk Ensemble annual spring concert, at which Barney and Avrom Charach will be honoured for their lifetime commitment to the folk ensemble. Chai has invited four other cultural groups to share the stage for the June concert: Hungarian Kapisztran Folk Ensemble; the Tamil Pavilion Performers; Hinode Taiko – Rising Sun Drums; and the Asham Stompers.
“Chai is still the feature, but we’re showcasing the multiculturalism in Winnipeg and Manitoba and tying that to our honourees, the Charachs, and their key roles within Folklorama,” says Sarah Sommer, co-artistic director for Chai along with Jesse Popeski. (Both Barney and Avrom have also volunteered with Folklorama, for decades). “These groups are representative of their experiences in Folklorama, and we honour them in that,” continues Sommer, whose past roles with Chai include performing as a singer and vocal director.
Barney Charach began volunteering for Chai with his wife, Ruth, z”l, in the late 1960s. Together they worked behind the scenes well into the ’70s, Ruth helping with costumes, Barney as assistant stage manager until taking on the role of treasurer. Together with Hartley Gale, z”l, Barney overhauled the ensemble’s financial books.
As a boy, Avrom often accompanied his parents to their Chai commitments and soon began helping with small tasks. Eventually, he became a vital member of Chai’s production crew as lighting designer/stage manager, a volunteer position he held for two decades.
“My parents taught me how to give back, that it’s important to share, and invite others, and become friends with others. It’s their example that I follow to this day,” Avrom says, adding he has been volunteering with Chai for six decades.
“In the ’70s, I was eight or nine, helping, floor tape and whatever. In the ’80s, ’90s, and early ’00s, throughout my teens, twenties, and early thirties, was my 20-year stint (as lighting designer/stage manager). And then every decade (since then), at least once, I’ve helped with something. I’m not 60 yet. I hope I can do it for a seventh decade.”
With Chai a flagship of Shalom Square, Folklorama’s Israel pavilion, Avrom’s work with the ensemble led to his involvement with Shalom Square, too. He sat on the pavilion steering committee from 1982 through 2014 and has worn the hats of pavilion coordinator (and assistant-coordinator), ambassador, and chair of various sub-committees. And through his work with the Israel pavilion, he became engaged with Folklorama too, assuming various roles over several decades, including president, board member (with various portfolios), and bus tour guide/trainer.
While Avrom’s parents introduced their son to Chai through volunteering, it was Avrom who brought Barney to the Israel Pavilion steering committee as co-chair of finance, then later to the board of the Folk Arts Council (Folklorama) as treasurer, vice president, and president. Barney continued to volunteer for Folklorama until he no longer could.
Avrom couldn’t be prouder sharing the spotlight with his father. But he wishes his late mother were alive to partake in the glory. “They should have honoured all of us,” he says, sadly.
“The tradition of sharing, of giving, of caring, that all came from my parents,” Avrom continues. “Sharing the stage with my father, it’s hard to put into words how wonderful it’ll be to be honoured together.”
The June 22nd concert, the first full-fledged production to be co-directed by Sommer and Popeski, is billed “The Mountains Will Dance.”
“We took it from the title of a new piece we are working on and having choreographed,” explains Jesse Popeski, who was musical director prior to being co-artistic director and still plays guitar with the Chai band. “It was through our relationship with Avrom and Folklorama, and the idea of having it include these other cultural groups that led to the title as kind of a fun, creative theme.”
Tickets for The Mountains Will Dance go on sale online at February 1st! Celebrate this extraordinary family team NOW by calling (204) 955-0069 to secure your seats immediately.
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.”
Local News
New Israeli restaurant opens in River Heights
By BERNIE BELLAN (July 6, 2025) It’s been a long time since our community has been able to welcome the opening of a restaurant that specializes in Israeli food.
That void is now filled with the opening of The Green Falafel, at 1833 Grant (corner of Centennial – next to the Subway), which opened its doors (to huge crowds) on Monday, July 7.
(owners Ariel & Elena Maudi second and third from left)
The restaurant is the fulfillment of a dream long held by the husband and wife team of Ariel and Eden Maudi, who have been living in Winnipeg the past 11 years.
Ariel, who was born in Israel and grew up in Beer Sheva, says that he worked in telecommunications in Ramat Gan for several years. He adds though that he had always dreamed of owning his own falafel stand in Israel, but life was difficult there and he decided to come to Canada as a tourist to see whether there were any opportunities here for him, Eden and their two young children.
Eden, who was born in Russia and moved to Israel with her family in 1996, stayed behind with the two kids, who were both pre-schoolers, while Ariel tested the waters in Canada first.
Ariel says he came to Canada as a tourist in 2013. His first stop was in Toronto, where he acquired his 1st class driver’s license. At the end of 2013 he moved to Winnipeg where he began working as a truck driver. Soon he found himself employed as a successful sales person at Vickar Nissan where, he says, he once achieved the status as the top car sales person in Canada. After working at Vickar Nissan for a number of years, Ariel began working as an installer for Bell MTS.
Meanwhile, Eden began working at a Walmart, later at the Costco on Regent.
But, when the opportunity to move into a space that had been previously occupied by another restaurant, but which had closed, became available, Ariel and Eden decided to open their own Israeli restaurant in an area that hadn’t seen Israeli food served since the controversial closure of Bermax Café in 2019.
The Maudis say that they will be serving a variety of Israeli dishes – all vegetarian, and that they will be fully kosher.
The “green” in Green Falafel, by the way, Ariel Maudi explains, comes from the cilantro and parsley that are added to the chickpeas. In addition, their pitas will be coming from Israel and will be baked fresh daily.
The Green Falafel is open from 10-8 Sunday – Thursday and 10-4 on Friday. (Closed Saturday).Delivery will be available through Uber Eats and DoorDash.
Call 204-557-7837 for information.