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
Beneficiary agencies of the Jewish Federation have received $210,000 less this year than last year as of September 1
By BERNIE BELLAN
For the first time in at least 10 years the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg has reduced the amount distributed to its 12 beneficiary agencies from what had been distributed the previous year. The funds were distributed September 1 for 2023-24.
The total amount distributed this year was $210,000 less than what was distributed in both 2022 and 2021 and is actually $500,000 less than the total that was requested by the beneficiary agencies. (The amount distributed last year was $216,000 less than what the beneficiary agencies had requested.)
In explaining why allocations are being reduced this year, the Federation reported that “Over the past few years, the Federation and community have collectively faced significant challenges, placing a strain on our financial resources. In response to these challenges, the Federation stepped in during our community’s time of need, dedicating over $200,000 from our reserves to sustain our beneficiary agencies.” (In a later explanation it was clarified that $100,000 was taken from Federation reserves in each of 2022 and 2021.)
It was further noted that the decrease in funds to be allocated to agencies represents a 7% decrease over the previous year. Dipping into reserves was described as an “unsustainable practice.” It was also noted that the Federation “notified our beneficiaries of a probable reduction in the amount of funding available well ahead of the allocation request deadline.
In describing the pressures that the Federation’s Allocations Committee faced this year in coming up with its allocations, committee chair Brent Schacter said that “We knew after the budget process last year we were going to be in a bind.” Schacter further elaborated that the two whammies that hit this year were the ongoing repercussions of Covid along with the rapid increase in inflation.
In discussing the pressures that the Allocations committee faced this year, it should also be noted that although the amount raised by the Combined Jewish Appeal – while not much more than the previous year ($6.3 million as opposed to $6.25 million), the negative effects of the drop in allocations are somewhat mitigated by two things:. A good portion of the amount raised by the CJA is in the form of “designated funds,” given by large donors and, while those funds are not available to the B & A committee to distribute, many of the beneficiary agencies did receive large distributions from those “designated funds.”
As well, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba increased its total distributions this year by $1.3 million over the previous year. While the Foundation’s gifts were spread among a very wide number of recipients, a number of the Federation’s beneficiary agencies did benefit from the increase in Foundation distributions.
Still, the challenges facing the Federation in meeting the needs of the community are leading to a major reassessment of how Federation planners are implementing budgetary planning.
A number of new innovations have now been adopted by the B & A committee, including:
- New application forms – one for agencies requesting more than $250,000 and one for agencies requesting less
- Beneficiaries were asked to state the anticipated outcomes of projects/programs that receive Federation funding, and to develop indicators so that they can measure those outcomes.
- Site visits took place along with periodic meetings with agencies as a whole throughout the year to ensure that the committee gets a more complete picture of beneficiaries’ activities, challenges, and plans.
In describing the process that the Federation undertook to “streamline” the budget allocation process, Federation President Gustavo Zentner said “Lay leadership and management had a responsibility to look at the business model.”
It was determined that the Federation needed “a more effective way of managing the allocations process,” Zentner stated, including “more meaningful communication with the agencies to bring to light their projects.”
Not only does the Federation want to improve its own fundraising process, Zentner continued, “We also want to help agencies to raise funds on their own.”
Despite the reductions in allocations available to agencies this year, Zentner stressed that “we wanted to address the needs of those members of the community who are most in need.”
Brent Schacter added: “We want to see people dig a little bit deeper” when it comes to giving. The Combined Jewish Appeal is now into its fundraising campaign for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
A total of 17 lawyers were appointed King’s Counsel by Order in Council on August 29. Six members of our Jewish community were among those appointed. Although appointments as King’s Counsel are usually accompanied by biographical information about those appointed, there was no press release issued by the Manitoba Government announcing the appointments. When we contacted the Manitoba Government news room to ask why there was no biographical information available, the response we received referred to KC appointments announced in February (no surprise there – these are bureaucrats we’re dealing with). When we asked again why there was no biographical information available about the most recent batch of KC appointments we were told “the Province of Manitoba is in the middle of an election blackout and department communications are limited as a result. News Room has nothing further to add.”
As a result, we present here photos of Jewish recipients of KC appointments, but without any further information.
Myron Love It was in the summer of 1984 when Kayla Gordon was appearing in the Rainbow Stage production of “Kismet,” that the long time actor/director/producer/photographer found herself doing her make-up sitting next to Nia Vardalos, the writer and star of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” fame, who was also appearing in the production.
“We both were playing opposite each other in the comic roles as the Ayahs to the Wazir (the main lead), and we began talking about our plans for the future,” Gordon recalls. “Nia was talking about moving to Toronto and joining the Second City company. As for me, I was in a comedy troupe in Winnipeg and just found out I was pregnant with my first child. My plan was to stay in Winnipeg, even though I was a bit jealous that she was going off to pursue her dream and I was staying put. That was my ‘Kismet’ and I never looked back.”
Rainbow Stage is where Gordon began her career in musical theatre at the age of 17 in a production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” After a career of more than 40 years, both on stage and behind the scenes – it is fitting that one of the leading lights of community theatre in our city has been recognized for her contributions by Winnipeg’s longest-running theatre company. On Wednesday, August 17, Gordon was one of the five inductees to Rainbow Stage’s Wall of Fame under the “Builder” category. The award is given to someone who has been part of nurturing and building our theatre community.
“It was a wonderful surprise,” says the honoree. “It brings my career full circle.” Previous honours for Gordon include the Leadership Award from the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Theatre Educator’s Award from the Winnipeg Theatre Awards for her long-time leadership within the arts community.
Gordon reports that the induction ceremony, attended by about 100 friends and family members of the inductees and Rainbow Stage staff, was held just prior to the opening night performance of “The Little Mermaid,”,the second of three shows the company is putting on this summer and early fall.
“It was also special to have one of my grandchildren, my husband Art Maister, my mom Ethel, and my aunt Evelyn Hecht at the induction ceremony,” she adds. (Evelyn also performed at Rainbow Stage in the 1950s.)
Gordon notes that while she appeared onstage in seven Rainbow Stage productions – from 1977 to 1993, she was honoured not for her acting, but for her role as a nurturer of talent through teaching acting and musical theatre at the University of Winnipeg for 18 years, as well as teaching at the University of Manitoba, Prairie Theatre Exchange and The Manitoba Theatre for Young People – also, later as the Artistic Director of Winnipeg Jewish Theatre for over 10 years and Winnipeg Studio Theatre, which she founded in 2006.
“I get a lot of satisfaction watching actors I’ve directed and students I have taught and nurtured performing at Rainbow Stage and other venues in the city,” Gordon notes. Many of them have gone on to work professionally and have appeared across Canada, as well as in Broadway productions. Some of them include: Alexandra Frohlinger (Soul Doctor/Broadway), Samantha Hill (Phantom of the Opera/Broadway), Jaz Sealey (Aladdin/Broadway), Andrea Macasaet (Six/Broadway), and Nyk Bielak (Book of Mormon/Broadway).
Gordon was an actor and high school drama teacher at West Kildonan Collegiate for the first 15 years of her career. By the mid-1990s she found herself becoming more interested in working behind the scenes as a director/producer. In 1994, she became the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre’s second artistic director – succeeding WJT founder Bev Aronovitch – a role she played until 2006. Following her time at WJT Gordon observed that local theatres were not hiring many female theatre directors.
“I realized that if I wanted to work as a director, I would have to create my own projects,” she recalls. So, she started Winnipeg Studio Theatre (WST) in 2006. Soon after forming the company, she invited her longtime theatre associate Brenda Gorlick to run the StudioWorks Academy, a program for emerging artists.
In 2021 she stepped down from her position at WST. “I am still interested in directing – but without the added pressures of being a producer or the full-time responsibility of running a professional theatre company,” she observes. “I like having the freedom to pick and choose the projects I want to work on.” I still plan to work on independent contracts directing theatre and creating entertainment for special events or fundraising activities in the community.”.Last year she produced and directed the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg’s Negev Gala tribute honouring Gail Asper and Michael Paterson. As well, stepping down from her responsibilities with WST has also allowed Gordon to devote more time to her other passion – photography. “I have been interested in photography since I was 15,” she recounts. “My father Ralph had a dark room in our basement.”
Over the past couple of years, she has achieved accreditation with the Professional Photographers of Canada in four different areas of photography: street photography (her favourite), portraiture, performing artists, and figure study. And, last year, she co-authored a coffee table book – “The Murals of Winnipeg,” with fellow photographer Keith Levit as a fundraiser for Take Pride Winnipeg, with 80 pages of photos, which sold out in two weeks and the funds will go to emerging mural artists. (That story can be found on the jewishpostandnews.ca website.)
Kayla is grateful to have stayed in Winnipeg and she sums up her career, and how and why she managed to work in theatre all these years with a quote from Henry Winkler (aka ‘The Fonz’) “I live by tenacity and gratitude. Tenacity gets you where you want to be, and gratitude allows you not to be frustrated along the way”.
