Local News
Etz Chayim, Shaarey Zedek members looking forward to experiencing High Holiday services in new surroundings
By MYRON LOVE High Holiday seats are selling out quickly at our community’s largest congregations as Etz Chayim and Shaarey Zedek members are eager to experience Yom Tov services in their new surrounding
With almost a month still to go until Yom Tov – Erev Rosh Hashanah is Wednesday, October 2 – Dr Rena Secter Elbaze, Shaarey Zedek’s executive director, reports that as of Friday, August 30, seats for the main sanctuary service are 74% sold out and that the family service already has a wait list.
For the past two years, the synagogue has been closed while the now-72-year-old building has been undergoing the first major thoroughgoing upgrade since the early 1970s. Over that time period, regular weekly minyan services have being held at Temple Shalom and Shabbat and High Holiday services at the Asper Campus. The congregation is scheduled to resume regular Shabbat and weekday services in its own building again after Rosh Hashanah.
Elbaze does note that, due to current fire code conditions and the need to make the sanctuary better able to accommodate wheelchairs, there are somewhat fewer seats in the sanctuary than there were before. On the other hand, services have been live-streamed now for several years.
“We have quite a few people from out of town who regularly follow our services online,” Elbaze points out.
Once again, this year, the popular Rabbi Emeritus Alan Green – who was the Shaarey Zedek’s senior rabbi for 18 years – is returning to lead Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services in the main sanctuary with Cantor Leslie Emery, the Quartet, and the Ruach Volunteer Choir. Rabbi Anibal Mass will be leading the popular family service with Noah Trachtenberg, a Youth Band and the Dor Chadash Youth Choir.
For the members of Congregation Etz Chayim, these will be the first High Holiday services in the synagogue’s new south end location at 1155 Wilkes.
“We are essentially sold out for Yom Tov,” reports Jonathan Buchwald, Etz Chayim’s executive director. “Our members are really excited about our first Yom Tov in our new building.”
Congregation Etz Chayim came into being on July 1, 2002, as a result of the merger of the Rosh Pina, Bnay Abraham and Beth Israel Congregations – the three largest synagogues in north Winnipeg. While the resulting new congregation had been davening at the former Rosh Pina’s building – which dated back to 1952, the broad and members had been – for several years – talking about relocating to south Winnipeg, where the majority of its members live. The discussions finally became reality within the past year. Last year, the congregation acquired the former Shriners headquarters while at the same time selling their north Winnipeg building to a church group. Following a complete renovation of the new building, the membership was able to begin services in March.
By necessity – in reflecting the congregation’s slowly declining membership numbers – the new Etz Chayim is considerably smaller than its predecessor. To accommodate the demand for Yom Kippur seating in particular, Buchwald reports, the Kol Nidre service will be held at the Holiday Inn Express at the airport – and there with two services for Yom Kippur day.
The services can also be followed online.
Rabbi Kliel Rose and Cantor Tracy Kasner will, as usual, be leading Etz Chayim’s High Holiday services.
“We will be holding our special family service again this year geared towards families with young children,” Buchwald notes. This will be a unique service involving songs, activities and storytelling. It will take place in the mornings of the second day of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur day.
Etz Chayim will also be holding Junior Congregation for the two days of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur day for both the morning and afternoon services.
Services are available either in-person or online.
Temple Shalom, our community’s 60-year-old Reform Congregation, will be introducing their new clergy this year at Yom Tov. The 2024 High Holiday services will be led by cantorial soloist Janet Pelletier Goetz as well long time Temple Shalom member Myriam Saitman – who is set to begin training in September toward her rabbinical ordination – and, for the first time, choir leader Erica Tallis –a 2020 graduate of the Desautels Faculty of Music at the University of Manitoba.
South end Winnipeg further offers a fourth liberal Jewish option in the form of Rabbi Matthew Leibl’s “Services on the River: A Modern High Holidays”. This is the second year that the former Shaarey Zedek – and now independent – rabbi is leading his own service at the Gates on Roblin.
He reported last year that he had a lot of people asking him to lead Yom Tov services. ”Last year, I had about 250 people attending my service,” he says. “I am hoping to have a similar number this year.”
The venue has room for up to 300 people.
“Services on the River: A modern High Holidays” are once again scheduled for the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Erev Yom Kippur and Yom Kippur in the morning.
The three services, Leibl noted last year, “are designed to offer moments of reflection and introspection, beautiful live music, and a celebration of the Jewish New Year, all against the pastoral backdrop of the Assiniboine River, which will also be our site for Tashlich on Rosh Hashanah.”
He explained that he will be blending his trademark Torah commentary, relevant explanations, and some humour with a mix of traditional and contemporary liturgy, to deliver a High Holy Day experience that will feel both familiar and modern. He adds that he will again be working with the husband and wife cantorial team of Justin Odwak and Sarah Sommer.
All services will run 90 minutes. While families are encouraged to attend, there are no programs designed specifically for children.
South Winnipeg’s orthodox options include the Adas Yeshurun Herzlia and the Chabad Lubavitch centre. The former – led by Rabbi Yossi Benarroch – has a membership of about 100 and can accommodate up to 250. The latter has a capacity of between 200 and 300.
The Simkin Centre is holding Yom Tov services that are open to the general public. The services, which will begin at 10:00 A.M. on all three days of Yom Tov, are being led by Steven Hyman with the Simkin Centre Choir, led by Bonnie Antel.
Heather Blackman, the Manager of Resident Experience, is asking that anyone who may be planning on attending the service from the public RSVP either by email (heather.blackman@simkincentre.ca) or telephone (204 589-9008), so that she knows how many to plan for.
While it is too early to report as to High Holiday attendance at the Chevra Mishnayes Rob Waldman, the president of the egalitarian congregation in Garden City, says that the board is hopeful that there may be a few former Etz Chayim people in the North End who may choose the Chevra Mihsnayes this year.
A few former Etz Chayim members have been attending Shabbat services at the north Winnipeg congregation for the past several months.
Last year’s attendance was 100.
Once again, Al Benarroch will be leading the services.
Still with the North End, the venerable House of Ashkenazie, the last of our community’s older-style Orthodox congregations, also, according to president Gary Minuk, is hoping that there will be 30 to 40 daveners for the High Holidays this year.
One other Orthodox north Winnipeg alternative is the former Chavurat Tefila – on the corner of Hartford and McGregor – which merged last year with the Talmud Torah and is now operating under the Chavurat Tefila Talmud Torah name.
Last year, attendance at the CT-TT was around 40. The leadership is hoping to match, if not exceed, that number this year. Services this year will be led by Rabbi Menachem Frenkel from Baltimore.
Finally, for those who enjoy an alternative – yet traditional service in its own way – after a two-year absence, Camp Massad is resuming its innovative Rosh Hashanah service. Daniel Sprintz, the camp’s executive director, is pleased to announce that Massad will again be hosting its usual Rosh Hashanah program on the second day.
“We offer a creative and interactive service that combines some traditional prayers with contemporary readings, folk music and our usual Camp Massad shtick,” Sprintz says. “Our services will be followed by a kosher lunch and Tashlich at the Lake.”
Last year, just over 100 attended. He is hoping to have a somewhat larger number this year.
Yom Tov this year begins on Wednesday, October 2, in the evening.
Wishing all readers a sweet new year.
Local News
Shaarey Zedek celebrates reopening September 29
By BERNIE BELLAN After a period of renovation that began in the spring of 2022, the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue was officially reopened on Sunday, September 29.
Here is a montage of photos from the “Chanukat Habayit” that took place on Sunday afternoon.
Local News
Canadian Yazidi Association honours Winnipeg friends who helped start Operation Ezra
By BERNIE BELLAN On Sunday, September 22, members of Winnipeg’s Yazidi community showed their appreciation to Winnipeggers who had helped Yazidis move to Canada and settle in Winnipeg since 2015 by inviting a number of Winnipeggers to a dinner at Temple Shalom. Many of the guests were individuals who had played vital roles in helping Yazidis escape persecution by ISIS in Iraq back in 2015.
It was in 2015 that a spokesperson for the Yazidi community at the time, Nafiya Nasso, came in contact with some members of the Jewish community who were touched by the plight of the Yazidis in Iraq. Through the facilitation of Jewish Child and Family Service the seeds for what was to become Operation Ezra were planted. Since then Operation Ezra has helped more than 50 Yazidi families immigrate to Canada and settle here. The strong bonds that were established back then helped what was then a very small Yazidi community grow into a much larger – and what is now a thriving community.
The Canadian Yazidi Association, under the direction of Nafiya Nasso, organized a sumptuous buffet dinner at Temple Shalom on September 22. Not only was the food delicious, at the end, attendees were handed empty containers and invited to go fill them up to take home whatever they wanted. (If someone from the Yazidi community ever wanted to open a restaurant, I bet it would do very well.)
Local News
Temporary Federal Government visa program paves way for Israelis looking to Canada for reprieve from war
By MYRON LOVE Shortly after the Oct. 7th Hamas attack, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) instituted a temporary immigration measure for Israelis (as well as Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank) to apply for a temporary reprieve in Canada through applications for work permits. According to Iael Besendorf, Jewish Child and Family Service’s Settlement Services Team Lead, since last October, 70 families have arrived from Israel, comprising 191 individuals.
“While some of these families were already in the process of applying to move to Winnipeg, the conflict in Israel hastened them to leave sooner,” she reports.
She adds that approximately 50 of the families – comprising over 150 adults and children – have come through under the aegis of the temporary work visa program.
Besendorf points out many of the individuals, couples, and families arrived in Winnipeg in great distress, only taking the few belongings they needed to settle here.
“Most left behind family, friends, and jobs in a sudden state of emergency,” she notes.
”During the first few weeks following their arrival, JCFS was there to hear and acknowledge their immediate trauma. We at JCFS continue to provide individual counselling and group supports as needed.”
She further adds that JCFS created – with the financial support of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg – a special War Response Team to assess and respond to the needs of local community members and new arrivals.
“Mental health and counselling professionals on our team are available to meet with anyone needing services,” she says.
“As an adjunct of this, we at the JCFS Settlement Team are the first to interface with newcomers to our community and are also available to help triage and refer clients in need. These new arrivals receive our typical settlement supports such as: information and orientation about their first steps in Canada, which includes help with practical needs such as housing, daycare, schools for their children, employment resources, and an orientation to all the various Jewish organizations.”
The newly arrived Israelis have also been showing up at our community’s summer camps and Gray Academy of Jewish Education.
“After October 7, we welcomed 17 temporary students who came from Israel to be with friends or family in Winnipeg,” reports Lori Binder, Gray Academy’s Head of School and CEO of the Winnipeg Board of Jewish Education.
“Eight of those students remained at Gray Academy, and 12 more Israeli students have joined us for the 2024-2025 school year.”
She adds that enrolment at the school is over 500 (as compared to 472 last year) – with almost 100 of them brand new to the school. Quite a number of the new students, she points out, are from local families who see the value in a Jewish education.
Ian Baruch, Camp Massad’s Planning and Engagement Director, reports the camp at Sandy Hook welcomed “quite a few” IsraeIi kids this past summer among the 136 campers who were registered.
“About a quarter of our campers and half our staff are Israeli or from families from Russia who came here by way of Israel,” he notes.
The BB Camp office was closed through the first half of September so no comment was available as to the number of Israeli children at the Lake of the Woods camp.
Iael Besendorf further observes that among the challenges the Israeli newcomers are facing here is the length of time that it is taking the Federal Government to issue work permits.
“As a result,” she says, “the adults are unable to work, and many families are feeling this financial pressure.”
She adds that “as the situation in Israel appears to be far from over, we expect more people will seek reprieve outside of Israel. The Federal Government just announced an extension of one more year, to March, 2025, for this temporary visa program. As such, JCFS expects that more will arrive and that we will are likely to see a steady stream of more people over that time.”