Local News
Chief Executive Officer of Simkin Centre Laurie Cerqueti assesses how things have changed more than six months into the pandemic
By BERNIE BELLAN As part of our continued commitment to reporting on how various agencies within the Jewish community are functioning during these exceptionally difficult times, from time to time we’ve been speaking with the heads of agencies that are directly involved with the senior population of our community.
We recently spoke with Laurie Cerqueti (pronounced Cherqueti, by the way), who’s now been in her role as CEO of the Simkin Centre for 19 months. Naturally, given all that’s happened, we wondered whether she had ever experienced anything nearly as difficult as what she – and the rest of the 250 staff at the Simkin Centre have been experiencing these past six months.
“I graduated from nursing in 1994,” Laurie said, “but nothing that I’ve ever done before comes close to what we’ve been going through these past six months.” (Prior to becoming CEO of the Simkin Centre, Laurie had been CEO of Meadowood Manor in Winnipeg.)
When I spoke with Laurie early in May – a month and a half after the lockdown of all Personal Care Homes in Manitoba had been put into effect, she described all the extra requirements that had been placed on PCH’s, including having to severely restrict access to the building; extra sanitation procedures; training of almost all staff in feeding and swallowing assistance; and so much more.
Despite the increased burdens that were placed on all PCH’s in the province, the only additional funding from the Provincial Government came in the form of “money to ensure facilities are in line with revised Manitoba Fire Code requirements, including provision of fire suppression systems and increased fire separation enhancements.”
In my May report on the Simkin Centre I noted the concern that Laurie had back then that, while PCH’s were going to have to shoulder extra financial burdens, there would be no additional assistance forthcoming from the Province:
“What about the financial situation for the Simkin Centre?” I wondered. “How different is it as a result of the pandemic?”
“There are a number of large costs for equipment and supplies – right when it started happening,” Laurie answered, “and there are ongoing costs.”
“And you mean Simkin will have to assume responsibility for those costs – and not the province?” I asked.
“I’m not confident that the province will fund partially or fully any of this,” Laurie said.
“Really – wow!” I said. “You mean it’s all going to fall on to the Personal Care Homes themselves to fund?”
“It could,” Laurie said. “I’m not confident”(that the province will provide the funding).
She added that, in addition to the extra costs imposed on PCH’s for equipment and supplies, “there are all these new rules – if you’ve traveled, you can’t come to work for 14 days; if you have any symptoms you have to go get swabbed, and then you have to have the A-OK, you can come back to work; or people that have pre-existing conditions aren’t able to work. So there are increased staffing costs that we are incurring.”
As it turned out, there wasn’t any more money made available to hire extra staff – even though workers at PCH’s were advised not to report for work if they had the slightest suspicion they might be sick. Further, the practice of workers moving between different PCH’s to fill vacant shifts was no longer allowed (quite understandably – in order to minimize the chances of community transmission of the virus).
In July, Julie Turenne-Maynard, executive director of MARCHE — The Manitoba Association of Residential and Community Care Homes for the Elderly — reported that the COVID-19 pandemic was “shining a spotlight on long-term care across the country and highlighting the consequences of a 10-year funding freeze in Manitoba.”
She said that “while Manitoba’s personal care homes have been largely fortunate in the fight against COVID-19 (and, as we’ve all seen since then, that assessment sadly proved quite wrong as PCH’s have been hit with outbreaks of the virus.) they have been chronically underfunded, despite increasing costs and needs from residents.”
Over the past 10 years, Turenne-Maynard noted, “dietary expenses at homes operated by MARCHE’s members have increased by 36 per cent and the cost of incontinence supplies increased by 50 per cent.”
Further, in the case of the Simkin Centre, the spiraling cost of kosher food – as we have noted many times before in this newspaper, has only added to the financial burden of the Jewish Personal Care Home.
Yet, despite all the pressures that the Simkin Centre has been facing, when I asked Laurie how she would describe morale among staff at the home, she said “staff morale has been very good to excellent”.
Laurie described the many ways in which members of the boards of the Simkin Centre Home Board and Foundation Board and residents’ relatives have gone above and beyond in attempting to express their appreciation to the staff. For instance, there have been weekly treats provided to staff – paid for by individual board members, residents and family members (with occasional donations from organizations such as the Gwen Secter Centre); t-shirts emblazoned with the Simkin Centre logo and the words “Simkin Strong” or #simkincares on the back; and various activities intended to boost morale.
You can read more about what the Simkin Centre has been doing to keep spirits up among both staff and residents in the Simkin Centre newsletter that is in this issue. You can also follow Simkin Centre activities on their very colourful Facebook page, or sign up to receive their weekly e-newsletter “The Simkin Star” http://eepurl.com/gVT8Q1
Despite the upbeat tone in Laurie’s voice though, I had to ask some tough questions about the toll that the pandemic has taken on residents – both physically and emotionally.
I wondered, for instance, whether there has been any noticeable increase in the number of deaths at the Centre of late?
“There have been more deaths recently than what we usually experience,” Laurie said. “Whether it’s a result of loneliness, it’s hard to say, but over the past few months there is no doubt there have been more deaths here than there would have been normally’ (but she adds that none of the deaths are either COVID related or have anything to do with the care residents receive.)
I wondered whether the loosening the rules governing visits by family members has had any noticeable effect on residents’ moods? (Until July, no family members were allowed into the actual building. You probably recall the heart-rending stories – and pictures – of residents trying to communicate with family members on Facetime or by looking through windows.)
Laurie answered that staff continue to find creative ways to keep residents busy, having fun, and remaining connected to family and faith. Whether this is through FaceTime visits (which has actually connected residents with family members that they otherwise would not have ever connected with), drive-by parades, virtual Passover and High Holiday services or other socially distanced programming.
While it’s certainly an improvement now that each resident is allowed to have visits from two family members, the fact that it always has to be the same two family members who are allowed inside has made it difficult for many families to decide who the two indoor visitors will be.
And, although outdoor visitation has been made available at the Simkin Centre – under strict conditions, now that the weather has gotten colder, those visits will be coming to an end. Plans are underway to determine and renovate a suitable space for visiting during the winter months, Laurie noted.
Given what Laurie told me about the higher than average number of deaths of late in the Simkin Centre, I asked whether there are some vacant beds?
Laurie did say that, while there are some vacancies, “a lot more people in general who are paneled (the process whereby someone is allowed to move into a PCH) are not coming” to the Simkin Centre – or to any other PCH for that matter. The honest to god truth is that so many seniors are terrified at the prospect of having to go into a PCH and subsequently be removed from their families while the pandemic rages. Of course, that places enormous extra burdens on the families of seniors who would otherwise be candidates for admission into a PCH – it goes without saying.
It’s also important to note that, as average life expectancy has increased, the individuals who do reside in PCH’s are much older than what was the typical case not too long ago.
“From 15 years ago to what we see now there are so many more residents who require a much higher level of care,” Laurie observed, while noting once again that there has been no concomitant increase in government funding for PCH’s.
I suggested that I could ask readers to bear in mind the increased financial obligations of the Simkin Centre – and perhaps consider making a donation.
Despite the inevitable stress that anyone who’s involved in health care these days must be feeling, Laurie Cerqueti still ended our conversation by saying that “I really like being associated with the Jewish community and Jewish personal care home.”
I suggested that maybe it’s because Jews and Italians are so alike in so many ways. (My wife and I are often mistaken for Italians when we travel.)
“I’m not Italian myself,” Laurie laughed, “but when you’ve been married to an Italian for 25 years you might as well be.”
Local News
Jewish Foundation Endowment Book Of Life program Sunday, November 1st
By BERNIE BELLAN The Jewish Foundation of Manitoba first launched its Endowment Book of Life legacy programme in 1998.
This charitable initiative allows donors to promise a future bequest to the foundation in exchange for having their personal history, family experiences, and philanthropic values permanently inscribed in a physical and digital archive.
On Sunday morning, November 1, the Jewish Foundation held its most recent Endowment Book of Life event followed by a brunch at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue. There were five new entries into the Book of Life, from: Brownie Fleishman – in memory of her parents, Beryl and Esther Pierce; Marilyn Goldberg – in memory of her husband, Dr. Norman Goldberg; Melissa Rice – in memory of her husband, Richard Rice; Sharon Wolchock, in memory of her husband, Sid Wolchock; and Anna and Lyle Silverman.
The signers were introduced by Jewish Foundation CEO John Diamond, who, in addressing the signers, said: “Your stories, your generosity, and your commitment to the future of our community will continue to inspire others for generations to come. Thank you for making this meaningful commitment.”
Diamond read excerpts from what the signers had written in the Book of Life or described what had led some of them to be motivated to want to be part of the Book of Life.
From Brownie Fleishman’s inscription about her parents, Beryl and Esther Pierce, Diamond read: “The story of the Pierce family began in Winnipeg in the early 20th century, when Beryl and Esther Pierce came to Canada to establish a new life for themselves and their children.
“Beryl Benjamin Pierce was born in 1883 in Poltova, then part of the Russian Empire, and now Ukraine. He immigrated to Canada in 1912 and settled in Winnipeg, where he became a pioneer in the fur industry. A skilled designer and cutter, he established Pierce Fur Company in the Exchange District. The building that housed that business was later designated a municipal historic building.”
From Marilyn Goldberg’s inscription about her late husband, Norman: “Norman had a deep connection to Judaism and to the Jewish community. He attended synagogue regularly and served on the boards of both the Rosh Pina and the Shaarey Zedek synagogues. He was a leader in the efforts to change the Shaarey Zedek cemetery rules to allow interfaith couples to be buried together. His commitment to Tikun Olam extended to reaching out to the larger world. He helped lead the community’s efforts to settle refugees from Darfur.
“Our children characterized his faith this way: ‘His was a Judaism that was not orthodox in practice, but deeply rooted in Jewish values, tradition, and faith. This led him to good deeds, good words, a good life.’ “
From Melissa Rice’s inscription about her late husband, Richard: “Richard was immensely proud of his Jewish faith and heritage. He celebrated his bar mitzvah, participated in Kadima and AZA, and formed friendships that would last a lifetime.
“His close friend circle included and many who shared countless adventures, misadventures, and laughs over the years. Their friendships endured because Richard understood something important. Relationships require time, loyalty, and commitment.”
John Diamond spoke about Anna and Lyle Silverman’s long commitment to the Jewish community: “Both Anna and Lyle have always been strong philanthropic supporters of the local Jewish community, of Israel, and of Holocaust education.
“A commitment that was reinforced a few years ago after they had participated in an emotionally draining and unforgettable March of the Living trip that took them to the gates of Auschwitz. Their ongoing support of the Jewish community is also inspired by Anna’s memory of the tremendous help that her family received from the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society when they landed in Montreal as refugees. Their story goes on to say they have been lucky in love and in business, and now as they continue to enjoy a long, comfortable, and well deserved retirement, they are eager to share their good fortune with others. ‘We have a wonderful life and couldn’t ask for anything more,’ Lyle says, ‘so now it is time to give back.’
“Through hard work, a commitment to education, and a strong connection to their Jewish community, they built a family whose succeeding generations continue to benefit from the opportunities they created.”
Diamond said this about Sharon Wolchock’s inscription about her late husband, Sid: “Sid was Sharon’s biggest supporter. Her volunteer work with the National Council of Jewish Women and the Jewish Federation mattered as much to him as his own legal career, and he backed it fully. He wanted Sharon and their daughters rooted in the Jewish community in whatever way suited each of them. In 1983, on Sid and Sharon’s first trip to Israel, Sid’s lifelong connection with the Jewish state was born.
“Sid’s love of aviation and history and his pride in being a Jew emerged during that trip. He became a passionate supporter of Israel’s soldiers and donated club rooms on two Air Force bases named for his brothers Harvey and Bernie so that the hardworking and often underappreciated technical crews had somewhere pleasant to relax.”
Following the ceremonial signing ceremony, guests in attendance were treated to entertainment by a quartet of talented singers: Julia Kroft, Josh Bellan, Alyssa Crockett, and Vinnie Alberto.
Closing out the day’s programme, current Jewish Foundation Board Chair Dafna Shore paid tribute to this year’s signers – and to the more than 800 signers of the Book of Life who had preceded them:
Shore said: “What makes this program so extraordinary and why it continues to resonate with so many people is the opportunity it gives us to share the stories that shape who we are, stories that might not otherwise have been told.
“Through the Endowment Book of Life, these stories are given a permanent home. Together, they form a living history of Jewish life in Manitoba, one filled with resilience, compassion, humor, and hope. These stories are more than a record of the past. They offer lessons for the future, showing generations to come, what it means to belong, to give, and to take responsibility for the strength of our community. Thank you for adding your voice and your vision.
“To this collection and for making a legacy commitment to the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, your generation helps ensure that the programs, schools, and organizations that sustain Jewish life here will continue to thrive for generations to come.
“One of the great privileges of serving as chair is helping advance the Foundation’s mission, securing our community’s future while supporting its growth today. The Endowment Book of Life embodies that mission beautifully. It reminds us that each of us in our own way has the power to make a lasting difference.
“As we reflect on the importance of leaving a lasting legacy, I’d also like to take a moment to remember two valued members of the Jewish Foundation and Manitoba family who we lost this past year, Sheldon Berney and Lillian Neaman.
“Both served as governors of the Foundation, demonstrating their commitment to our community through their leadership and service. We are grateful for their contributions and the role they played in helping strengthen the foundation. Their memories remind us that a lasting legacy is built through the generosity, dedication, and commitment of those that came before us. May their memories be a blessing.
“As long as members of our community continue to invest in tomorrow, through their generosity, their readership, and their willingness to share their stories, Jewish life in Manitoba will continue to flourish. Thank you all for being part of that story.”
Local News
Application filed by two former members of Etz Chayim Congregation against the congregation to have their memberships restored dismissed by judge
The following is taken from the Canadian Jewish News website: “Manitoba’s Court of King’s Bench has dismissed Hadass Eviatar and David Hoult’s application challenging the termination of their membership at Congregation Etz Chayim. In his decision, Justice Vic Toews noted that, although Hoult’s letter describing a hypothetical attack on the synagogue may have lacked sensitivity given the political climate, he did not intend to threaten violence against congregants. However, the judge ruled that the court did not have jurisdiction to intervene in the membership dispute under Manitoba’s Corporations Act, finding that the couple had no financial, proprietary or economic interest that would entitle them to the remedies they sought. The judge concluded that religious organizations are generally free to determine their own membership rules and ordered each side to bear its own legal costs.”
If you would like to read the original article that broke the story about the battle between Hadaass Eviatar and David Hoult with Etz Chayim Congregation you can go to Epic Court Battle.”
Local News
Jewish Federation now says Jewish population of Winnipeg in 2021 (according to the census) was 13,940 – not the 16,000 figure that the Federation had been touting for years
By BERNIE BELLAN (Posted Oct. 27, 2026) Longtime readers of The Jewish Post & News (and this website) would probably know that I have long had a very strong interest in establishing as accurate figures as possible when it has come to reporting the size of Winnipeg’s Jewish community.
For years I argued that our Jewish Federation was exaggerating the size of our Jewish population. I heard the figure of 16,000 bandied about by leaders in our community quite often when it came to reporting the size of our Jewish population – without any empirical evidence to back that figure up.
I had long maintained that the only reasonably accurate figures when it came to reporting the size of Winnipeg’s Jewish population were those produced by the late Evelyn Katz, when she was the unofficial demographer for the Jewish Federation – over 30 years ago. What Evelyn would do is keep careful track of births, deaths, numbers of newcomers but, perhaps most important: the number of people who had left our community.
Thus, in August 2022 when I interviewed Faye Rosenberg Cohen who, at the time, was just about to retire as the Jewish Federation’s Chief Planning and Allocations Officer, I was somewhat astonished to hear Faye say, when I asked her what proportion of our Jewish community was made up of immigrants, she answered that “I can honestly say when I look at those numbers it’s somewhere around 1/3 of the community.”
In response, I asked: “So you’d say it’s somewhere between 4-5,000?”
Faye said: “I think it’s more than that.”
I wrote in that article, “I indicated my skepticism at that time, saying ‘You know that I’ve always been skeptical about the numbers that have been used by the Federation for the population of the Jewish community. I think though that it’s always been more of a case of identification – who identifies as Jewish.’ ”
Later, after the results of the 2021 census were released, I wrote that “if you take into account the results of the 2021 census, the Jewish community cannot be larger than 14,270 at a maximum. But that figure would also include anyone who had either said either their ethnic origin was Jewish or their religion was Jewish.”
Since many of the individuals who had said on the 2021 census that their ethnic origin was Jewish, but their religion was something else, I maintained that ascertaining the real size of our Jewish community was highly problematic.
Still, for the sake of argument I was willing to accept that, realistically, it was somewhere between 13,000-14,000 – but nowhere close to the figure of 16,000 that had come to be suggested by our then president of the Jewish Federation or by other leading figures in our community.
So, it was with a sense of satisfaction that I heard Sharon Graham, who is now the Jewish Federation’s Community Planning and Allocations Lead say to an audience of over 50 people who were at the Gwen Secter Centre on Thursday, October 22, that the Jewish community in 2021 was – at a maximum: 13,940.
Sharon was at the Gwen Secter Centre to speak to Remis Lecture attendees. Her presentation preceded a presentation by Jewish Federation CEO Jeff Lieberman. Sharon used a PowerPoint presentation to provide some very interesting insights into where our Jewish community was at in 2021- and I’m offering some parts of her presentation here for you to read because I thought they were so interesting.
I had actually made many of the same observations about the results of the 2021 census in my own reporting back in 2022, but seeing what I had written confirmed by the Jewish Federation’s point person on planning told me that Sharon has a much more realistic view of our community than did Faye Rosenberg Cohen.
Here, for instance, is a slide that shows the proportion of our Jewish community that is made up of immigrants. It’s slightly under one fifth, not the one third percentage that Faye had suggested.
But, what really set Sharon’s presentation apart from anything else I’ve ever seen presented by someone from the Jewish Federation – other than the aforementioned Evelyn Katz, was the slide she projected which showed that, while there had been a large influx of newcomers to Winnipeg’s Jewish community between 2016-2021 there had also been a significantly high number of people who had left our Jewish community in those same years, as you can see in the following slide:
That is something we just don’t hear discussed by leaders of our Jewish organizations, but let’s be realistic: For many newcomers who came to Winnipeg and were counted as new members of our Jewish community, Winnipeg – for a variety of reasons, was a stepping stone to other communities. It may have been for reasons of better job opportunities, moving closer to other family members, or – the reason that we hear so often when it comes to people saying they want to leave Winnipeg: the weather.
But, whatever the reason, Sharon’s figures show that, as much as GrowWinnipeg may have been an abiding success when it’s come to attracting newcomers to our Jewish community here, getting them to stay long term is a different story.
And, while there were other aspects of Sharon’s presentation that certainly merit discussion, especially the figures she produced about intermarriage, rather than delving into them here, I thought it useful simply to insert them for you, the reader, to see – and draw your own conclusions.
