Local News
Elaine Goldstine hounoured at JNF Gala; Stephen Harper opens up about his deep admiration for Israel
By BERNIE BELLAN It had been over 20 years since the Jewish National Fund had actually held a Negev Dinner in Winnipeg. After having used the Concert Hall as the venue for the annual JNF Gala for many years it was a little strange to be entering into the Convention Centre for this year’s affair instead.
But, it was the Convention Centre that was the setting for this year’s JNF Negev Gala on Thursday, May 11, when outgoing CEO of the Jewish Federation Elaine Goldstine was honoured. The fact that former Prime Minister Stephen Harper was also present – and engaged in a lively dialogue with interviewer Steven Kroft, added to the interest level for the some 900 audience members who were present. (By the way, although JNF Executive Director David Greaves referred to the sit down between Harper and Kroft as a session between“the two Steves”, I told Greaves that Harper dislikes being called “Steve.” I had read that years ago when he was first introduced to former US President George W. Bush. Bush liked to give everyone a nickname when he met them. Naturally, Stephen Harper became “Steve,” but our former Prime Minister was not tickled by that.)
In speaking about her being chosen this year’s Negev Gala honouree, Elaine Goldstine noted she had “chosen to allocate some of the funds raised tonight locally and I have chosen Shalom Residences” to receive a portion of the funds.
Anyone who knows Elaine would understand how true it was when she said her credo as CEO has been “Never close the door on anyone.”
And, following a lengthy speech from her husband Ian, who went on at some length describing how he and Elaine first met, along with quite a few stories about their lives together, Elaine demonstrated her wit when, in addressing Ian, she said: “We have been on this journey since I was 15 – as you told my entire life story.”
David Greaves introduced former PM Stephen Harper, saying to him: “It takes courage just being a mentsch to stand with those who stand alone. There has not been a friend to Israel like you ever.”
At that point “the two Steves” took their seats on the podium for what became a 35-minute back and forth during which Stephen Harper was at turns eloquent in describing his passion for Israel, insightful when discussing current situations in the world, and occasionally very funny as he related anecdotes from his past.
Steven Kroft began by asking Harper about the time he became the first Canadian Prime Minister to address Israel’s Knesset, in 2014. Kroft suggested “that speech is widely considered to be one of the strongest speeches in support of Israel by a non-head of state. He asked Harper to talk about his strong support for the State of Israel.
Harper responded that “one of the great honours of my life was to see the creation” of the Hula Valley Stephen and Laureen Harper Bird Sanctuary.
Then, Harper added this: “In Canada we don’t name things after living people so many people who visit the bird sanctuary assume I’ve passed away.”
Harper expounded upon how he came to develop such a strong affinity for the State of Israel, explaining that he “grew up in a household that supported Israel.”
But there was more to it than that, he explained: “I had another reason (to support Israel). Israel is a friend and an ally and is a part of the family of democratic nations. Israel faces the same threats as other democratic nations face, but Israel is much closer to those threats.
“Supporting Israel is unequivocally in the interests of this country and should be in the interests of all politicians,” Harper said.
“But I found that just about every politician is a friend of Israel when they’re speaking to a Jewish audience,” he observed.
Steven Kroft asked Harper whether “we should get worked up when Canada supports one of the resolutions at the UN that are critical of Israel?”
Harper answered that “those resolutions are pro forma and they’re not really indicative of what’s going on around the world. In that sense they’re not something to worry about… But what do you do when Western leaders go along with those resolutions? So what. I’m the only one who expressed an honest opinion.”
Kroft asked Harper what he thinks the impact of the Abraham Accords has been?
Harper suggested that the US and other Western countries have distanced themselves from Saudi Arabia – leading to Saudi Arabia broadening relations with China. He observed that “it’s tough for Saudi Arabia to be an ally of the Western world because we do nothing but criticize them.”
Harper noted a comment that had been made to him by an Arab diplomat, with reference to the behaviour of Western governments: “You sell off your friends and buy off your enemies.”
As far as the Abraham Accords are concerned though, Harper suggested that the leaders of the Arab countries that signed on to those accords (Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Sudan, and Morocco) are interested in bringing their countries “into the modern world.” (Sudan seems to be going through a reversion to civil war, however, something that plagued that country for years. It will be interesting to see whether whoever emerges on top is going to want to remain in the Abraham Accords.)
Harper added this observation about the role that China is now playing in the Middle East: “The Chinese have been a real brake on Iran. They (the Chinese) want them (the Iranians) to live up to the accords they recently signed with Saudi Arabia.”
Yet, at the same time, Harper had this to say about Iran: “I worry more about Iran than any other country in the world because they believe in developing nuclear weapons so that can use them and Allah will come to their aid.”
Kroft asked Harper about “judicial reform” in Israel and whether what’s been happening with moves to weaken the judiciary have affected Israel’s credibility ? He also asked what advice Harper might have for Canadian Jews who want to express their opinions on Israeli government policy?
Harper responded: “Regardless what one thinks of what is going on in Israel today, one should be supportive of Israel…Only in Israel could you give a 100% pro-Israel speech (as Harper did when he addressed the Knesset in 2014) and be heckled by both the right and the left (in the Knesset).”
At that point Harper told a story that was very funny – and was based on a true experience that he had in 2017, after he was no longer Prime Minister.
He was in Australia and one evening he went to a bar with another former prime minister, John Howard, who had been PM of Australia. Who should walk in but another former prime minister, this time Bibi Netanyahu?
That led Harper to tell this joke, based on the conversation he had with Howard and Netanyahu that evening. (He explained that he was changing the story somewhat, substituting the Prime Minister of Great Britain for the Prime Minister of Australia):
Three former prime ministers gather together at a bar.
The former PM of Canada says: “I was prime minister of a country that had 30 million people.”
The former PM of Great Britain says: “I was prime minister of a country that had 60 million people.”
The former PM of Israel says: “I was prime minister of a country that had 8 million prime ministers!”
Kroft turned to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. He asked Harper “What is Putin like?”
Harper said that he had called for Russia’s expulsion from the G8 in 2014 when Russia first invaded Ukraine and seized Crimea.
He continued: “I’ve met many leaders, many businesspeople, many celebrities, but the one person – of all the people I’ve met, who I’m asked to say what he’s like, is Putin.
“It’s because he’s a real life Bond villain…But whenever he came to a meeting and walked into the room he was always extremely well prepared. In many ways he’s very impressive, but he’s also a very evil person.”
Harper went on to say that he hates “when people compare democratically elected leaders with dictators.” He said that, back in 2008, when George W. Bush was President of the US, he and Bush were “prepared to bring Ukraine into NATO, but others weren’t…The failure to do that,” he suggested, “led to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
“There is strength through deterrence,” he added.
“How is it (the war in Ukraine) going to end?” Kroft asked.
“What enough people don’t understand,” Harper responded, “is that Ukrainians are prepared to fight to the last man. They know that the moment they give up they’re going to get slaughtered.”
He also noted that the Government of Canada “should be very proud” of the support it’s given Ukraine. “We did a large amount of the training of their army,” Harper noted.
However, Harper predicted that the war “will go on for a very long time. Putin understands that if he’s not the strongest man in Russia, then he’s a dead man.”
Kroft turned to the subject of anti-Semitism, asking “How is it different today?”
Harper suggested that anti-Semitism was increasing even as far back as when he was Prime Minister. “The fragmentation, the polarization” in society have been contributing factors, he observed, along with the spread of hate on social media.
Nonetheless, he said that he was “optimistic about it (a decline in anti-Semitism) in the long term, but it’s exposed to us the complexity of public opinion. Social media has unleashed a voice that was always out there…What worries me more,” he suggested though, “is the rise of global jihadism.”
Further, Harper said that what “worries me the most is the anti-Semitism that has come out of the left – out of academia, that had led to the BDS (Boycott, Divest, Sanctions) movement.
“The difference is that it (anti-Semitism on the left) tends to make anti-Semitism intellectually respectable. Let’s be under no illusion what it really is…
“By any standard of freedom, of democracy, and of justice, Israel is one of the freest countries in the world.”
And then, with a reference to the protesters who were outside the Convention Centre protesting against the Jewish National Fund, Harper said: “The people outside are not protesters, they’re haters.”
That’s about as unbiased a report that I could write about what Stephen Harper had to say at the Negev Gala. Did I agree with everything he said? No, but the audience sure loved it.
Local News
This man – Michael Kalo – has been defaming prominent Winnipeggers online for years, but now he’s getting a taste of his own medicine
By BERNIE BELLAN (Posted May 3, updated May 8, updated May 11) There’s a particularly ugly side that often comes with being in the public eye – and that’s being on the receiving end of some of the most vile and awful comments, often threats – sometimes on social media, sometimes in emails, and sometimes on websites.
For years now many prominent Winnipeggers (almost all of them Jewish) have had to endure just that kind of vicious attack from someone by the name of Michael Kalo. But how do you fight back against someone who writes some of the most awful things – and then sends them out to various members of the media (including me), all the while hiding behind a series of aliases? There’s no point in suing him for defamation; he’s penniless. (The police have seized his computer in the past and are well aware of him, but the individuals whom he has defamed have always been reluctant to have the Crown press charges, thinking that it will only draw more attention to him – which is what he seems to want.)
But I’m different – and I’ve finally had enough of his crap.
In my original column I had posted the email Kalo had sent out to a great many individuals in which he defamed Jacob Brodovsky, who was forced to resign as co-executive director of BB Camp after a website called the j.ca launched a series of attacks on Jacob over his perceived “anti-Zionist” attitudes. I suppose these days who defines “Zionist” is a decision made by certain individuals who reserve for themselves the right to define what support for Israel means. I guess all those hundreds of thousands of Israelis who have been marching on the streets protesting Netanyahu’s deliberate strategy of letting the remaining hostages linger in tunnels in Gaza – however many may still be alive) are also “anti-Zionist.”
Anyway, I’ve now removed that vile email. If anyone still wants to see it, email me at jewishp@mymts.net and I’ll send it to you.
Something else I’ve now removed from this article is my referring to Michael Kalo’s very accomplished daughters. My intention was to attempt to induce them to use their influence to sway their father to stay off the internet and stop defaming members of Winnipeg’s Jewish community. But then I received an email from a prominent member of our community who asked me to remove my references to Michael Kalo’s daughters. That person wrote, in part: ‘His daughters don’t have anything to do with him. They don’t talk to him.”
Well, if his daughters don’t want anything to do with him, then I suppose there’s no point in retaining what I had written about them – so that’s gone too.
What’s left now though is a video of Michael Kalo that gives anyone who has never heard of him – or seen him in pubic, a clear idea of what type of person he is.
The video that was sent to me shows Kalo engaging in an argument with someone (and the identity of that person was not revealed to me by the person who sent me the video.) In it you can hear Michael explain why he’s consistently called Ben Carr a “kike”, “a spoiled Jew boy,” along with some other choice epithets. (Kalo has sent out numerous emails defaming Ben Carr using the name “Mohammed Greenberg” as the sender.)
But, I did respond to Kalo, whom I’ve know for many years, starting with when he achieved notoriety by being banned from entering the Asper Campus over 30 years ago. Here’ what I wrote to him:
“You know what I’m going to do Michael. I’m going to print your letter on my website – but I’m going to say that it was sent by someone named Michael Kalo, who has been defaming various Winnipeg Jews for years. That way it will have the opposite effect of what you’re intending. I’m also going to post the video in which you call Ben Carr (and the person filming the video) a kike. And if you want to come after me the way you’ve been going after anyone and everyone who provokes your ire, go right ahead. (You seem to have a real hate on for successful Winnipeg Jews. Is it because you’re such a failure in life yourself?) And I’m going to bcc this email to some of the people you’ve been defaming so that they can see how much of a fool you”ve been making of yourself for years.
-“Bernie”
Here’s the video of Michael (who is apparently walking away with a Ben Carr sign tucked under his arm):
Local News
Rabbi Matthew Leibl’s Friday afternoon service at Simkin Centre has grown in popularity
By BERNIE BELLAN In November 2023 I published a story in The Jewish Post & News about the first-ever Friday afternoon “Erev Shabbat” service at the Simkin Centre, which was held October 27, 2023.
It was an opportunity for me to see how much of an impact the newly spiritual care aide at the Simkin Centre, Rabbi Matthew Leibl, was having on residents. But that was in 2023 – only 2 years after the Simkin Centre had emerged from the most harrowing period in its history.
As you may recall, when Covid 19 began to spread in early 2020, it was personal care homes across Canada that were hit hardest – and the Simkin Centre was not spared the ravages of Covid. A total of 11 residents passed away at the Centre in 2020 and 2021.
Another result of the Covid epidemic was that the number of non-Jewish residents at the Simkin Centre jumped by quite a large number during the epidemic. Here are some figures showing how many more non-Jewish residents moved into the home by 2021 than had been there previously:
2017 – 67 non-Jewish or 33.5%
2018 – 63 non-Jewish or 31.5%
2019 – 71 non-Jewish or 35.5%
2020 – 61 non-Jewish or 30.5%
2021 – 86 non-Jewish or 43.0%
According to Laurie Cerqueti, CEO at the Simkin Centre, as of May 2, 2025, 44% of the residents are non-Jewish while 56% are Jewish.
Rabbi Leibl had been hired in the spring of 2023. His hiring was enabled by a grant from the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba. Here is how the Foundation explained what its purpose was in making a grant to the Simkin Centre for the hiring of a full-time spiritual care aide:
“I know how important spiritual care is in our type of setting,” said Laurie Cerqueti, Simkin Centre CEO. “For our residents, our families, and our community.”
Since she took over the CEO role, Laurie’s thoughts had been directed to ‘How can we serve our people even more than we are now? How can we make this bigger and better?’
This sparked the idea that someone should be brought in to look at what they were doing regarding spiritual care to see where gaps and opportunities lay to develop the program.
The Simkin Centre hired Rabbi Matthew Leibl as the person to fill the role, someone Cerqueti thought would be a perfect fit f for what they’were hoping to do.
“As I spoke with Matthew about this opportunity, we see it as an opportunity to make a significant difference for the residents and their families,” said Cerqueti.
This interaction with the Simkin Centre is not Rabbi Leibl’s first. He has been involved with the Simkin Centre for over 15 years, first working there at age 21. That year, he did concerts three times per week for the residents.
“I found that the music and performing was an incredible way to connect with the people there,” said Rabbi Leibl.
He recalled a story from that time frame where he was performing Oseh Shalom, and one resident who had been, to that point, without her memory and less present, began to mouth the words along with him. The song helped her break through what she had been dealing with.
“That moment was truly a game changer for me. I’m so excited to be able to give back to a place that helped people in my own family and was a great place for me while I was figuring out my way many years ago,” said Rabbi Leibl.
“Simkin is such a special place, and what they’re doing there is awesome.”
In the year and a half since I was present at Rabbi Leibl’s first ever Friday afternoon service at the Simkin Centre much has changed. Most of the new residents who have moved into the centre have, once again, been Jewish. But, in recognition of how many residents are not Jewish the centre has begun offering services for different denominations as well. The May calendar of events lists a Catholic Mass, an Anglican service, a Christian Bible Study, and a Hymnsing.
But it was Rabbi Leibl’s Erev Shabbat service I was interested in seeing again – some 18 months after the first service he had conducted, to see whether it had changed – and how many residents came to watch.
The atrium of the centre was filled with residents on Friday, April 26 – quite a few more than that October 2023 service. The increased number of attendees was also a reflection of how many more of the centre’s residents, once again, are Jewish. (In case you weren’t aware, if there’s a vacant unit at the Simkin Centre and someone who is Jewish is on the wait list to gain admission into the centre, that individual will be given first crack at moving into the centre. I had been told by Laurie Cerqueti that the 14 most recent new residents in the centre were all Jewish.)
There was one other aspect to Rabbi Leibl’s service which was brought to my attention. One of the residents at the Simkin Centre, Carol Manishen, also has a son living in a Shalom Residence: Josh Manishen. When Carol’s husband, Wayne, saw me at that Friday service he told me that he often comes early with Josh – before the start of the regular service at 4:00 pm, and Josh sings various Hebrew prayers, accompanied by Rabbi Leibl on the keyboard. To watch a video of Josh singing, click here:
Two more things to add though: First, Rabbi Leibl is now a regular participant on a podcast that is put on by CJN (what used to be known as the Canadian Jewish News) called “Not In Heaven.” You can find it simply by Googling CJN and scrolling down under the Podcasts link.
Also, since Rabbi Leibl and I go a long way back – and we both have a fond taste for sarcasm, he singled me out from among the audience and said to everyone there: “We’ve even got a reporter from the Jewish Post here.”
I couldn’t help but respond – in my usual facetious manner, that I was there to do an exposé.
To which, Rabbi Leibl retorted: “You can call it “Sex, Drugs, and Candlesticks.” Hmm, I wonder how much more there is about the Simkin Centre that I haven’t learned yet?
Local News
Well, that didn’t take long…BB Camp Board announces hiring of two new co-directors
(Posted April 27) In a span of a little more than two weeks, BB Camp has gone from parting ways with one of its co-executive directors, Jacob Brodovsky, to the hiring of two new co-directors. (We have been attempting to ascertain the status of Lexi Yurman, who was also camp co-executive director with Jacob – who also happened to be her husband, and who is now on maternity leave. Would she be entitled to return as co-executive director once her maternity leave is up, we wonder?)
The BB Camp board released a press release announcing the new hires at 12:42 pm today. Interestingly, there is no mention whether the positions that are to be filled by the two individuals, Sarah Gould and Aliza Millo, are to be permanent or temporary. Also, the two women are referred to as co-camp directors, not co-executive directors. Is there any significance to that, we wonder? Since no one from the BB Camp board has responded to any questions we have posed to them since this whole mess began, we won’t hold our breath waiting for answers to any of the questions we’ve just asked here either.
Here is the complete text of the BB Camp board announcement:
Dear BB Camp Community,
On behalf of the Board, we wanted to let you know that we acknowledge that the last week has caused much stress and uncertainty. We have felt it too and have been working very hard to ensure that the summer season unfolds as we all expect.
We are extremely excited to share with you that our 2025 summer senior Camp leadership team is now in place!
Please give a BB Camp W-E-L-C-O-M-E to Sarah Gould and Aliza Millo!
Sarah Gould: co-Camp Director (Wilderness and Operations)
Sarah is returning to BB Camp as co-Camp Director (Wilderness and Operations). Sarah’s history with BB Camp stretches back decades. She spent many formative summers on Town Island—as a camper, counselor, canoe instructor, and AC out-tripper. After BB, she took her skills to Camp Hatikvah in BC, where she helped develop and expand their wilderness and out-tripping program. Sarah has an intimate knowledge of wilderness programming, the importance of integrating Jewish values into outdoor education, and as camp alumni and a current camp parent, has a clear understanding of our community’s interests and hopes for BB Camp’s future.
Sarah has been fortunate to spend every summer of her life at Lake of the Woods. Her family cottage is on Channel Island, directly across from Town Island. She has strong ties to our Lake of the Woods neighbours and an ability to navigate the lake and Kenora. Sarah also was a key volunteer on the Friends of Town Island campaign, through which Camp was able to successfully partner with the Nature Conservancy of Canada to have Town Island designated as a protected area—ensuring its legacy for generations to come.
Professionally, Sarah has years of experience in education, research, and community organizing. She taught anthropology and international development at Trent and the University of Toronto and now works as a researcher and consultant in health studies. In her community life, she leads a neighborhood organization in Toronto, where she has spearheaded grassroots initiatives—from building a skating rink to coordinating with city officials and local stakeholders on community improvement projects. Sarah is also active in the Jewish community, including advocacy for Israel and supporting students facing antisemitism on campus.
Sarah is excited to be returning to Town Island and the BB Camp family for an amazing summer of 2025.
Aliza Millo: co-Camp Director (Programs)
Aliza’s history with BB Camp dates back decades as well. She spent many years at Camp as a camper, counselor, section head, and LTP Coordinator. After Camp, Aliza pursued a career she felt was most adjacent to working at Camp and transitioned into the classroom. She moved to Toronto to pursue her education degree, where she also completed a Jewish Education Certificate at York University.
For the next seven years, Aliza taught at the Toronto Heschel School, a school dedicated to tikkun olam and social justice, with a particular focus on environmental stewardship and sustainability. While there, Aliza taught grades three through seven, with a greater focus on the upper elementary years, teaching Judaics, Hebrew, and General Studies in a pluralistic, integrated setting.
After 10 years in Toronto, Aliza was happy to move back home to Winnipeg. Aliza met her future husband David Azuelos at BB Camp many years ago; to get a sense of how important BB Camp is to Aliza, she had her wedding on Town Island. Since her return to Winnipeg, Aliza has worked at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School, teaching Grade 4, cultivating an environmental leadership team at the Junior School level, and even bringing groups of Grade 4 and 5 students to Town Island for Outdoor Ed. Aliza has also helped organize and fundraise for Kendra’s Walk, a student-led initiative at SJR supporting teens living with cancer.
Aliza’s true passion lies in building community, whether in the classroom or at Camp. Since her time as a camper, she has enjoyed returning to the island for Work Weekend, volunteering in the kitchen, and serving on the Alumni Committee ahead of the 70th Alumni Weekend. She is most passionate when working with children and believes in strong communication with parents to build meaningful and supportive relationships. Having worked in a kindergarten to Grade 12 school setting, she has enjoyed maintaining lifelong relationships with students and families in the community.
Aliza is excited to be bringing her two boys, Judah and Dubie, to Camp. She is thrilled to be returning in this position — working with and mentoring the already incredible staff, and helping to foster deep and meaningful connections to Jewish values, traditions, and culture. Aliza looks forward to helping build a strong, nurturing community where every camper feels a sense of comfort, belonging, and pride in who they are — and in being a BB Camp camper.
***
The Camp Board of Directors is grateful that Sarah and Aliza, two lifelong BB Campers who together have an exceptional skill set, will be leading our community’s beloved Camp this summer. We are looking forward to another great Camp summer, full of amazing Camp memories. We will be reaching out directly to Camp families with more information. Please bear with us as our new leadership team gets up to speed and starts working with our current staff. Reach us at info@bbcamp.ca
Ed.note: Here’s a comment we received through our “contact us” link: (Readers of this website should be aware that it is run independently of The Jewish Post newspaper. I will forward any comments sent to me that are meant to be letters to the editor of the paper, but the proper email address for the paper is contact@thejewishpost.ca)
Letter to the Editor re BB Camp
I am a former member of the Board of BB Camp and served as Board Chair for a number of years. I am disgusted in the manner in which the current Board responded to to the public assassination of its Executive Director by dishonest Israeli extremists in our community. I am equally disgusted that what should have been a private internal human resource issue at the Camp was made public by the Board through its e-mails to the community which essentially made it impossible for the Executive Director to continue in his position and which likely tarnished his reputation. All I can say that is that I hope Jacob received a large monetary settlement from BB Camp.
-Irwin Corobow
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