Local News
For first time ever, a Manitoban is elected as International Teen President of BBYO
By BERNIE BELLAN History was made at the recent BBYO International Convention, which was a combination of in-person and virtual gatherings held over a four-day period, from February 11-15, when Winnipegger Emma Zentner was elected International N’siah (President) of BBYO.
Zentner, a 17-year-old student at Gray Academy, will be serving on a 12-person board, consisting of six boys and six girls.
The landmark election of Emma to one of two top posts in an organization that now has representation in 54 different countries (there is also a male counterpart in AZA, the young men’s division of BBYO, known as a “Gadol”), is an achievement that should not be minimized.
In a conversation I had with her following announcement of her election as n’siah of BBYO, Emma told me that her election marks only the sixth time in its history that a Canadian has been elected to that position.
In a press release announcing Emma’s election as N’siah, it was noted that “BBYO’s network of Jewish teens, alumni, parents, volunteers and philanthropists serves as the Jewish community’s most valuable platform for delivering to the post Bar/Bat Mitzvah audience fun, meaningful and affordable experiences. With year-round activities in hundreds of local communities and inspiring world-wide travel experiences, BBYO’s broad program menu enables teens to explore areas of leadership, service, civic engagement, Israel education and Jewish values.”
In speaking with Emma, I asked her to describe the path she had taken in being elected to the top post of an organization that is represented in so many different countries and that currently has over 80,000 members.
Emma is the daughter of Gustavo and Fanny Zentner, both of whom emigrated to Winnipeg from their native Argentina over 20 years ago. Her father has a long history of involvement in the Jewish community, having served on the Jewish Federation board for many years, as well as many other community organizations.
Emma’s first involvement with BBYO came when she was in Grade 9, she told me, when she first joined the organization. Each year since she has held increasingly important positions, beginning with her election as vice-president of her chapter, Chaverim, in Grade 10, continuing as president of her chapter in Grade 11, culminating with her election as regional president this current school year.
Red River Region currently encompasses Manitoba and Nunavut, Emma explained – which might seem like somewhat of an oddity, but when you take a look at the map, it does make some sense geographically. (Nunavut lies directly north and west of Manitoba.)
There are currently six BBYO chapters in Manitoba, Emma noted – three girls’ and three boys’. The girls’ chapters are: Bat Sheva, Gabriels, and the aforementioned Chaverim. The boys’ chapters are: Chadda, Alaphim, and Dynasty. (Dynasty is the name for a chapter that used to have another name, Emma explained, but the name was changed in keeping with the move to erase names that are offensive to certain groups.)
Given the current pandemic situation, however, I was curious to know how BBYO has been able to sustain interest in its activities what with all the restrictions on personal contact.
Emma noted that there had been a total shutdown of all BBYO activities for a six-month period beginning in March of last year and continuing through this past September.
“With the Rady (JCC) closing (last April), it was very difficult to mount any type of programs,” Emma said. “We were always operating out of the Rady,” she added.
And, even though there was a resumption of activities – this time all online, beginning in October, Emma acknowledged that there was some difficulty in reawakening interest among some older members at that point.
However, she noted that applications for new members have just been opened once again – and there has been a tremendous interest shown among students here to join BBYO, with over 50 new applications having been received in a very short time.
At the same time, there have been a number of activities held here that have also drawn a very positive response from members – despite the lack of personal contact.
“We had a virtual games night in October that had 100 people participating,” Emma said – all on Zoom.
Then, in November and December, members here were part of a ‘Global Shabbat’ program, with Rabbi Matthew Leibl helping to conduct services online, Emma added.
As well, each chapter applied for grants to mount different types of programs. “One girls’ chapter did a Havdallah program,” Emma said, while another chapter held a “pajama night”.
“The guys got together (virtually) to watch an NBA game – which was hugely popular,” Emma added.
And, as was already noted at the beginning of this article, just this past February, BBYO held a very successful international convention, with 31 teens from Red River Region participating.
Something else that I found quite interesting, which Emma told me, is that while BBYO here encompasses kids with a wide variety of backgrounds – which is reflective of the diversity of the Winnipeg Jewish community these days, “half of the members on the regional board are Argentinean” by background – as is the regional director of BBYO, Ian Baruch (pronounced “Yan”, according to Emma).
What intrigued me as much as anything though, was how a girl from Winnipeg, of all places, could have been elected to the top position of as big an organization as BBYO. After all, we all know how disdainfully Winnipeg is thought of in so many other parts of the world. How could someone from “Winterpeg” have beaten out all other candidates to be elected International BBYO president? I wondered.
“It was a ten-step process, beginning in December,” Emma explained. “There were two other girls competing for the position.”
After a winnowing-out process, however, Emma was elected by delegates who had been chosen from their regions.
Her actual role as “n’siah”, however, doesn’t begin until June. By then, if the current pace of vaccinations continues, there is a good chance that Emma will be able to take on her new role by physically visiting other chapters outside of Winnipeg. If not, then she will carry on her role virtually.
Since her duties as n’siah are bound to occupy so much of her time, however, Emma says that, rather than attending university next September, which she would otherwise have chosen to do, she will be taking a “gap year” to attend to her duties.
I asked her though, whether she had formulated any plans for what would follow her year as president?
“I’m planning on going to the University of Winnipeg,” Emma answered. Ultimately, her goal is to get into Medicine, she said.
I said to her that, given that the Faculty of Medicine now places a much higher emphasis on applicants’ backgrounds other than simply their academic achievements, having served as president of an 80,000 member organization is likely going to have a huge impression on members of the Medicine selection committee – but let’s worry about that when the time comes.
In the meantime we can all bask in the glow of Emma Zenter’s having attained quite a remarkable achievement – the first Manitoban to be so recognized.
Local News
Former Winnipegger Adam Druxman living the Hollywood dream
By MYRON LOVE A dwindling number of Post readers may still remember the song “You Ought to be in Pictures.” Adam Druxman may not be in “pictures,” but his life’ s work is the next best thing. For almost 40 years, the former Winnipegger has had the privilege of being behind the camera helping to make magic happen.
“I always loved the movies,” says the son of the late George Druxman and the recently deceased Joan Druxman. But, growing up in Winnipeg (Old Tuxedo largely),” he recalls, “the prospect of actually having a career in movies in the ‘80s was quite a reach.”
As a young adult, the closest Druxman came to the movie business was working for Adi’s Video Shoppe (which most of us of an older generation will no doubt remember). Ultimately, it was a chance exposure to the Winnipeg Film Group that turned out to be his entry into film production.
The young, aspiring filmmaker signed up in 1988 to take a course in filmmaking – through the WFG – with acclaimed Winnpeg-based filmmaker John Paisz.
“From John, I learned to write, shoot and edit a film,” Druxman recalls. “At that moment, I knew this is what I wanted to do.”
With a grant from the National Film Board of Canada and the WFG, the young filmmaker created a five-minute film called “The Guinea Pig Age,” a satirical look at how humans have become test subjects for products and the environment.
The next evolution in Druxman’s pursuit came in 1989 with a move to Toronto where he hoped to enrol in Ryerson’s film program. “I decided in August that I wanted to go to film school, but it was way too late for enrolment,” he recounts. “I wasn’t able to get into the program until the following year, but I decided to move to Toronto anyway. That was my first time living away from home. I enrolled in some night courses and and also began looking for a job.”
He was, he says, encouraged to seek work in the industry as a production assistant – essentially a “gofer”, he points out. “I didn’t know that was a thing I could do. So I send out 1,000 resumés –with nothing on them because I didn’t have any experience.”
His break came when he got a call at 2:00 A.M. from a production company looking for a production assistant. “My roommate, Shanno Zaslov, answered the phone,” he recounts. “She was so excited that I had received a call that she told them not to contact anyone else while she tried to find me at a surprise birthday party. After that first job, I never looked back.”
Over the past nearly 40 years, Druxman has never been out of work for long.
His first credited role – as third assistant director – was in a 1992 production called “Stay Tuned, shot” in Vancouver. It starred Pam Dawber (of “Mork and Mindy” fame) and the late John Ritter. Druxman’s responsibilities included organizing the extras, maintaining quiet on the set, blocking out pedestrians and outside traffic during a take, helping to ferry actors between their trailers and the set, and alerting the performers.
After that movie, Druxman moved to Los Angeles. He was soon promoted to second assistant director and – four years later – was promoted to first assistant director – a role he has performed with distinction ever since.
“ As first assistant director,” he continues, “in prep, you manage scheduling, logistics, day-to-day operations and locations. During the shoot, you run the set, give cast and crew their call times, deal with issues such as weather delays, safety on the set, and manage the time of the shooting day.”
Among the better known movies that Druxman has been involved with have been: Adam Sandler’s “The Waterboy,” “50 First Dates,” “Boogie Nights,” “Transformers,” “Magnolia,” and two of the “Super Trooper” films.
Some of the TV series that he has worked on have included: “Weeds,” “Prison Break,” “Fargo,, Dark Matters,” “Las Vegas,” and “Cosmos: Possible Worlds” – a remake of the popular series first created by Carl Sagan 45 years ago.
“The crazy thing about living in LA,” Druxman observes, “is that I could drop in at any random Starbucks for a cup of coffee and run into a writer or director who might ask if I am available for a movie or TV show.”
It was a tough decision for Druxman to leave LA behind and move his family to Seattle about 14 years ago. “”We moved to Seattle to be closer to my wife’s family while our son was in his formative years,” he says.
Druxman admits that it was scary leaving LA. “At first, I was didn’t tell anyone I had left LA,” he recalls. “I was afraid that some producers wouldn’t consider using me because I wasn’t in LA anymore.”
Nonetheless, he felt confident that he was well-established in the industry and that – with movie and TV production largely moving out of what used to be described as “the movie capital,” -he would still be in demand. His assumption turned out to be correct.
Seven years ago he and his family moved again – this time to Chicago – after working on the movie “Candyman.”
“Housing was far more affordable in Chicago as compared to Seattle,” he says. “I had shot in Chicago four times before. I love Chicago. It’s a beautiful city. And I love the people here. It’s like a giant Winnipeg.”
“I’ve been lucky to have had a good career and met a lot of great people over the years,” Druxman says.
Currently, Druxman notes, he is in between projects. It is always a concern, he concedes – either feast or famine – especially since the industry is going through a lot of changes between the Covid lockdowns, multiple union strikes, the streaming services reducing their content, and more production going overseas. But, he remains confident that something will turn up sooner or later.
“This business is cyclical,” he observes. “There is always a ying to the yang.”
Local News
Young entrepreneur Jonah Shapiro balances business pursuits with university studies
By MYRON LOVE While most of us may not know what we wanted to do for a living when we “grew up,” Jonah Shapiro is an exception. The son of Sean and Kera Shapiro has been in business for himself since he was 14. Currently, he is balancing the responsibilities of running two businesses while taking commerce courses at Huron University in London, Ontario.
The entrepreneur’s business career began six years ago while in Grade 9 at St. John’s-Ravenscourt – evolving out of a business class he was taking at the school. “My project,” he recounts, “was marketing a golf shirt brand. After six months, the business was so successful that I expanded my product line to include team and club apparel.”
His first customers, Shapiro recalls, were students in his class. He then took over providing BBYO apparel. (He served as BBYO treasurer for two years.) He was soon providing apparel for local high school teams, businesses and specific events.
“It was rather challenging at first getting my foot in the door, he concedes. “Here I was, 14 years old, showing up and having had to have my father drive me to the appointments.”
Nonetheless, he made enough of an impression that he was soon receiving a lot of referrals.
Last September (in 2025), Shapiro began classes at Huron University with Advanced Entry to the Ivey School of Business at Western University in London, Ontario.
At the same time, he officially incorporated “Student Merch”- and expanded his reach nationally. The online Student Merch provides custom apparel and other merchandise for Canadian university groups.
Shapiro reports that he currently has contracts with student groups at Western, Queens, UBC, McMaster, McGill and York. “There are more than 300 universities across Canada,” he says. “We will soon have ambassadors at all of them.”
This past summer, the enterprising young man started a second business venture in his home town. “Benny’s Home Services” cleans windows. Shapiro reports that Benny’s provided its services over the summer to 325 customers in and around Winnipeg. This past summer, he says, the Benny’s team also provided its service to BB Camp – where Shapiro was a camper for many years as well as a counselor – free of charge.
He notes that the Winnipeg company has a crew of 14. With Student Merch, Shapiro handles all the managerial work by himself.
This fall, the young entrepreneur received some prestigious recognition. He was one of 12 students to participate in the Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship’ s Founders Program, which recognizes Western’s top student entrepreneurs and community builders and pairs them with alumni mentors, along with an opportunity for leadership roles within the Morrissette Institute. The inclusion in the program comes with a $20,000 scholarship.
The newest feather in Shapiro’s cap is his being invited to be a part of Tangerine Bank’s brand new Tangerine Business – a mobile-first digital banking platform for Canadian entrepreneurs and small businesses. Tangerine is Canada’s original digital bank.
“Tangerine asked entrepreneurs across Canada to help develop its new banking program,” he says. “I was invited to provide a young entrepreneur’s perspective.”
No doubt about it, to use an old phrase: “The world is currently Jonah Shapiro’s oyster,” and his potential would seem to be unlimited. I am sure readers will be interested to follow his career achievements over the coming years.
Local News
A local vocal extravaganza
By Dr. RAY SINGER I just experienced a revelatory weekend of superb vocal music, about which I wanted to share.
First, on attending Shaarey Zedek for Shabbat morning services I was pleasantly amazed at what was transpiring: Marlaina Sommer was beautifully singing her way through her own Bat Mitzvah service. Having married into a famous local musical family, I was not surprised also to hear her daughter and son-in-law, Sarah Sommer and Justin Odwak, sing – with their ethereal voices flowing over the congregants. Spouse and father Hillel provided percussion.
That was just for starters. My wife and I then attended the first concert in the Asper Jazz Series to hear the New York Voices in their Grand Finale concert tour, Winnipeg being the only Canadian stop on their tour.
Singing as a quartet for 38 years, their jazz singing was superb – with intricate harmonies, scat solos and amazing jazz vocals in the style of Lambert, Hendricks and Ross. They displayed exquisite control, and also interacted well with the audience.
Our final vocal musical experience was most revelatory and meaningful. This event was held on Sunday in the Laudamus theatre on the C.M. U. campus
It was organized by the Women’s Music Club of Winnipeg. Little did I know that club has been bringing in musicians of world stature for 130 years. If not for the kindness of our neighbours, Professors Harry and Mary Lynn Duckworth, we would not have known of this concert, entitled: “In a Dark Blue Night.” The title was written in both English and Yiddish in the program notes.
The music was performed by two wondrous musicians: Isabelle David, pianist and Sara Schabas, solo soprano. They performed a song cycle by the Pulitzer Prize-nominated, N.Y.C.-based Jewish composer Alex Weiser.
The first half of the concert consisted of Leiders by Viennese composers of the early to mid-20th century, all of whom were Jewish or in relationships with other Jewish composers. The composers included: Arnold Schoenberg, Alma Mahler, Erich Korngold, and others. Sara’s rendering of their songs and poems set to music was transcendent and emotive.
The narrator of theevent, Nolan Kehler, himself a musician and music radio host, was excellent in detailing the Zeitgeist around those Viennese composers and how they had to flee Vienna in the late ’30s. At least two were murdered in the Holocaust.
The second half of the concert was even more amazing. Alex Weiser composed music to accompany selected poems written by Jewish immigrants to New York early in the 20th century. Sara, having sung most of the songs in the first half in German, and one in English, then sang those poems beautifully – this time in Yiddish. Then, as a finale she sang a Gershwin medley. To add icing to this note-worthy cake, the pianist played the most challenging dramatic part of “Rhapsody in Blue,” knocking it out of the park
Thus, in one weekend I heard a Sarah and a Sara, and am grateful for our musical riches, especially brought to Winnipeg by both the Mennonite and Jewish communities. I am no music reviewer, but can appreciate the talent and artistry displayed by both Isabelle’s David and by Sara Schabas And, great news: Sara, who is from Montreal has landed a job teaching in the Desautels Faculty of Music. Hopefully many more of us will get a chance to hear her.
