Local News
Fringe festivals throughout North America – including Winnipeg, have become hugely hostile locations for anyone who has expressed support for Israel
By BERNIE BELLAN What happens when a fringe festival performer, who also happens to be Jewish, doesn’t shy away from voicing their support for Israel? In today’s world that performer is bound to be subjected to a torrent of hate – both online and in person.
Such was the case in Winnipeg recently when Melanie Gall, a longtime performer at Winnipeg’s Fringe Festival, found herself caught up in an organized campaign of harassment and bullying – culminating in calls to boycott her shows and defacement of her posters.
To begin, here’s a brief bio of Melanie which should give a good idea how accomplished she is: “Melanie Gall is a professional musician and music historian who holds advanced degrees from several academic institutions, including Manhattan School of Music in New York, Mozarteum University in Salzburg, and Glenn Gould School in Toronto. Melanie is an internationally-acclaimed performer and has sung at Lincoln Center and Royal Albert Hall. She has also written several plays featuring historic music and “Ingenue,” about Deanna Durbin and Judy Garland, had a sold out Off-Broadway run at SoHo Playhouse and won a Best Musical Award at the Adelaide Festival. Melanie divides her time between Alberta, Canada and New York City. She also hosts the Savvy Girls Podcast with her sister.”
As a personal aside I first met Melanie in 2015 at that year’s Winnipeg Fringe Festival. It has been my practice for years to give any Jewish performer at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival some advance publicity – both on this website and within the pages of The Jewish Post & News (now called The Jewish Post). I’ve had a chance to talk with Melanie before, but until this year she had never mentioned that her being Jewish had caused any problems for her.
This year was different, however. While there were several other Jewish performers at Winnipeg’s Fringe Festival I didn’t hear of anyone else being subjected to an organized campaign of harassment the way Melanie was. I did receive an email on July 20 from another Jewish performer by the name of Randy Ross who told me he was upset by seeing a pro-Palestinian demonstration march through Exchange Square – the centre of Fringe activity. Randy said that he and “another Jewish woman told fringe folks we were offended. Festival staff was nice and receptive.”
I hadn’t heard of anything else that might have been construed as antisemitic until I happened to be speaking to another Fringe performer by the name of Jem Rolls (who isn’t Jewish) after the Winnipeg Fringe was over. During the course of our conversation Jem asked me whether I was aware of what had been happening to Melanie Gall? When I said I wasn’t, Jem told me that not only had she been subjected to harassment in Winnipeg, but that she had encountered an even worse form of harassment in Edmonton, which is where she is scheduled to next appear.
As a result I contacted Melanie and asked her to describe what had happened to her in Winnipeg, also what was going on in Edmonton (where that city’s fringe festival is not slated to begin until August 15.)
Melanie explained that she has not been shying away from maintaining a very strong pro-Israel stance on social media, specifically Instagram. “Nobody (in the fringe circuit) has been quite as vocal online as I have the past nine months,” she said. Melanie added though that “I have not said anything against Palestinian rights. I have said ‘What about the hostages?’ “
But these day anyone who is brave enough to post support for Israel on social media is setting themselves up for vicious condemnation – which is something Melanie had been quite aware of, but which has not led to her backing down from her position.
Still, she realized that certain venues this year would be far too hostile for her to consider participating in those fringe festivals. As she told me, “I purposely didn’t do any shows on the West Coast because everyone (who’s a fringe festival performer) I know on the West Coast is a virulently anti-Israel performer.”
As well, Melanie ruled out performing in two other fringe festivals where she had performed in previous years: Halifax and Orlando.
“Halifax was posting antisemitic things so I wasn’t going to go to Halifax,” she noted. As for Orlando – “the Queers for Palestine came in,” so she decided not to go to Orlando either.
But, in contrast with those two fringe festivals, Melanie had been assured that Winnipeg’s Fringe Festival would not tolerate the kind of harassment that she knew she would receive in those other cities.
The director of Winnipeg’s Fringe Festival is Chuck McEwen, who has been in that role since 2008. (Prior to coming here McEwen was the director of the Toronto Fringe Festival.)
Winnipeg’s Fringe Festival has traditionally been the second largest fringe festival in North America, surpassed only by Edmonton’s.
And, to be fair, when Melanie Gall began to experience overt antisemitic behaviour on the part of some Winnipeg Fringe volunteers and online during her recent stay here, she did say that her interaction with Chuck McEwen was quite positive. “Chuck was wonderful,” she said. “I have a few emails from him apologizing for what had been happening.”
So, what happened to Melanie during her stay in Winnipeg, from July 17-28?
To begin with, Melanie explained, she “was told no one was allowed to wear pro-Palestinian symbols if they were on staff. I showed up to my first performance (at the Manitoba Theatre for Young People) and my tech was wearing a pro-Palestinian pin. The next day a volunteer at my venue was wearing a kaffiyeh.”
Still, even with that, Melanie wasn’t sure that she was being singled out for harassment.
However, on the third day, she said, “the site supervisor came and was wearing a pro-Palestinian symbol” and told Melanie that he was wearing that deliberately because he was coming to Melanie’s venue.
He told her, “that stance you’re taking (on social media) is a political symbol.”
“That person was relieved” from his duties after Melanie complained to the Fringe office staff, she noted.
Melanie was also the target of an organized campaign on pro-Palestine social media calling for her shows to be boycotted.
On her last day of performing at the Winnipeg Fringe, Melanie says, her “tech came wearing a pro-Palestinian symbol. He was walking back and forth with that symbol.” (She didn’t say what the symbol was.)
Yet, despite what was happening toward her, Melanie says “at no point did I ever demand that they (volunteers or paid staff) take off” their pro-Palestinian pins or other symbols of support for Palestine.
Notwithstanding Melanie’s not having demanded that anyone remove pro-Palestinian symbols, a site supervisor by the name of Eric Rae posted on social media words to the effect, “We have a Zionist in our midst harassing pro-Palestinians.”
As Melanie said during our phone conversation, “This is so ridiculous. I’m being harassed and bullied because I’m Jewish…it’s not about Israel.”
And, while Fringe Festival organizers in Winnipeg took her complaints very seriously, according to Melanie, “it still went to hell.”
The Edmonton Fringe Festival is adding an entirely new dimension of antisemitism to what she has already experienced, Melanie observed. The show she is planning on performing was actually written by her mother, Karen Gall. It’s a show about funny Alberta landmarks.
In order to enhance the show, Melanie and Karen asked the Edmonton Fringe for a designer who could contribute a digital component to the show.
But, as part of her show, Melanie wanted to include a picture of her working on a kibbutz in Israel. After she told that to the artistic director of the Edmonton Fringe Festival, Murray Utas, Melanie says, the next day she was told by Murray that “the designer had pulled out. It was against their ideology to work with us.”
What also concerns Melanie is the possibility that the pro-Palestine network in Winnipeg will have established contact with a similar network in Edmonton to call for boycotting Melanie and Karen’s show.
As she says, “it’s one thing for them not to work with me – which is egregious in itself” (as the designer who was supposed to work with their show decided), “now I’m known as a Zionist. I’m no longer under the radar here.”
Local News
Bark Mitzvah at the Simkin Centre August 13, 2026
By BERNIE BELLAN On a beautiful summer day at the Simkin Centre residents and family members – along with staff, were treated to a delightful “dog day afternoon” when scores of dogs were brought to the front courtyard outside the centre to celebrate what was titled a “Bark Mitzvah.”
Now, no dogs were called up to the podium to read from the Torah – or even to bark out a blessing, although as I canvassed many owners of dogs that were there – inquiring as to whether their dogs had received any special training for the day, I was pleased to hear that many dogs came from good “Jewish homes” and were good “Jewish” dogs. (I would suppose, in the case of our own dog that would mean that she’s been spoiled rotten.)
Some owners though maintained that their dogs had been brought up quite disciplined – although to be honest none of the dogs that I saw seemed to be be rigorously paying attention to any commands. Most were of the Goldedoodle, Yorkie variety. There was one rescue dog in the midst. It seemed quite confused, surrounded as it was by all those lap dogs.
The entire event was presided over – with great humour, but also a certain amount of seriousness, by Rabbi Matthew Leibl, who explained to the very large audience why having a special day celebrating dogs was entirely consistent with Jewish tradition.
Following is part of the transcription of an interview I conducted with Rabbi Lebil following his remarks explaining why he thought holding a “Bark Mitzvah” would be a good event to have. (You can watch the entire video at the end of this story. But where there was a great deal of laughter coming from people who were listening to my interview YouTube inserted the word “laughter” – which should give you an idea how fun an interview it was.)
As Rabbi Leibl explained to me, “I’ll tell you a serious story. When I was training – and I trained with Rabbi Annabal Mass… our teacher, Rabbi Steven Glade, encouraged everyone to consider a blessing of the animals ceremony because he said it’s a monster event. Just look around. It brought out so many people. It’s one of those events you can tie in loosely to a Jewish event – which it is. I mean we did it on Rosh Chodesh Elul- the new year of the animals and this whole idea it’s very similar to Tu B’Shvat- reimagining something old from Mishna to do it like this – but look at the attendance. I mean everyone wants to bring their dog and at a personal care home they say that music, babies, and dogs are the three biggest things that get through to everyone.”
I had to ask about kashrut, however (as I’ve been told repeatedly that kashrut is an essential element of the Simkin Centre – no matter how few residents may care about kashrut. Look – if I’m sent to cover something as frivolous as a “Bark Mitzvah” you can hardly expect me to refrain from going after my pet bugaboo at the Simkin Centre – and how ridiculous it is to require that the centre remain kosher when most of the residents could care less about kashrut), so I said to Rabbi Leibl: “No milk bones here, I hope. I expect that this is a strictly kosher event.”
His response: “I’m not sure. I wasn’t put in charge of that, so I can’t say. But no one’s going to be serving them any of the food that we eat. I can tell [laughter] you that.”
I said: “I’m not sure how to read that. [laughter].”
I asked whether there were Jewish dogs mixed in with non-Jewish dogs? (Dog assimilation is a serious issue.)
Rabbi Leibl replied: It’s inter denominational. [laughter] . I guess I don’t think we check to see if the dogs were uh circumcised. “
I asked: “Are we… [laughter] Are we mixing Jewish and non-Jewish dogs?”
Rabbi Leibl: “I don’t know that dogs have a faith. I’m not sure. I think they do. I think they’re of all faiths. ”
I asked: “Okay. And you know where bark mitzvahs originated?”
Rabbi Leibl: I’m sure it’s probably something silly.
Me: “It was gay guys in New York.”
Rabbi Leibl: ” Really?”
Me: ” Yes. Because they didn’t have kids. They started having bark mitzvahs.”
Rabbi Leibl: “That was probably more of an individual dog thing. This is a communal thing. It’s just a catchy title for publicity, Bernie. It’s the blessing of the animals. That’s the real thing.”
Me: “I was told that some of these dogs are on medication – as are many of the residents.”
Rabbi Leibl: “That’s low hanging fruit, Bellan. Low hanging fruit.”
Here’s the complete video of my interview:
Local News
Nakba exhbit at CMHR – you can see it right here and make your own assessment
By BERNIE BELLAN (Posted June 26, updated July 19) The Nakba exhibit at the Canadian Exhibit for Human Rights opened to the public June 27. The morning before the exhibit was set to open to the public, (it had a private opening for invited guests the evening of June 26) we received a press release from the CMHR. That press release gave a very detailed description of what was in the exhibit, along with photos (supplied by Annie Kierans of the CMHR).
There is also a link right at the beginning of the press release that will allow you to watch the same videos that anyone attending the exhibit can watch. We reprinted what was sent to us without making one edit. We leave it to you to form your own opinion as to whether the exhibit is fair in its presentation, and whether it is lacking “context” – which is an accusation that has been levelled at the exhibit’s organizers by some representatives of Jewish organizations.
We have received many emails in reaction to the exhibit. If you have an opinion and would like to see it published on this website, you can send it to jewishp@mymts.net, but please indicate whether you would be willing to have it published on this website.
Here is what we received the morning of June 26:
Winnipeg, MB — June 26, 2026 — The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) will open a new exhibit tomorrow that explores human rights violations related to the ongoing forced displacement of Palestinian Canadians.
Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present will be on display in the Rights Today gallery on Level 5 until 2028. Featuring personal stories told through artifacts and video testimonies, the exhibit presents Palestinian Canadians reflecting on their ongoing struggle for human rights. The small exhibit reveals enduring patterns of loss and resilience, helping visitors understand more about this contemporary human rights story.
Palestinian Canadian stories are now included alongside many other stories of forced displacement and human rights violations featured in the Museum’s galleries. Each of these stories contribute to our visitors understanding of human rights and help the Museum fulfill its mandate to foster reflection and dialogue.
Exhibition highlights
Personal stories and artifacts: Experience firsthand accounts from Palestinian Canadians sharing their journeys of displacement and memory through a series of five artifacts. Cases display artifacts like property deeds, house keys, and a traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, accompanied by short videos that deepen understanding of the impacts of displacement.
Powerful artworks: In her painting Bound Together in Gaza, Malak Mattar, a Gazan artist, captures the struggles and resilience of her generation shaped by conflict. Her work pays homage to Guernica, Picasso’s powerful masterpiece depicting civilian suffering during war.
Curfews and Closures, by Rajie Cook, bears witness to life under military occupation during the 2000–2005 Palestinian uprising, when curfews and closures were expanded and further limited basic rights and freedoms.
Cultural heritage: Discover traditional Palestinian embroidery called tatreez. Tatreez motifs and colours are tied to place, family history and regional identity. Patterns are associated with particular towns, villages or areas of Palestine. In this way, tatreez is a form of storytelling: a way of preserving memory, sustaining identity and expressing resilience across displacement and exile.
Poetry and reflection: Engage with Mahmoud Darwish’s evocative verses, inspiring personal reflection on exile, voice, and responsibility. Visitors can take a card containing Darwish’s poem and add a personal note, fostering ongoing dialogue beyond the exhibit.
Contemporary context: Witness striking images of current events in Gaza and the West Bank, connecting past displacement to ongoing struggles.
Quotes:
“No force can silence the truth we carry. Growing up in Canada, my children lived the Nakba through our stories. And now we watch it happen again, live, on our phones. When I see the images coming out of Gaza, I am not watching the news. I am watching my history repeat itself.” -Fouad Sahyoun, a Palestinian Canadian featured in the exhibit
“We developed this exhibit with a clear awareness that Palestinian Canadian voices have too often been marginalized, silenced or spoken over — and that anti-Palestinian racism affects whose stories are heard and whose suffering is recognized. That is why we intentionally centred Palestinian Canadian voices throughout the exhibit.” -Isabelle Masson, Curator of Palestine Uprooted
“Human rights matter precisely when they are inconvenient, when the question of who deserves the dignity of having their rights recognized is genuinely contested. These are the moments where having a national museum for human rights is most important.
There are people who believe this exhibit should not exist in its current form. There are people who believe it should have existed sooner. There are people who will visit this exhibit and feel that it does not say enough, and others who will feel it says too much.
We have listened to every one of these voices. We have reflected. And we have renewed our resolve to continue the difficult, sometimes contested, and often controversial work of building understanding about human rights. We are a museum grounded in Canada’s human rights framework, whose mandate requires us to bear witness to the full complexity of the human story. We are proud to open this exhibit because the story it tells will help achieve that mandate, and because this story belongs in the collective memory of Canadians.”
- – Isha Khan, CEO
Local News
A photo that’s being circulated on the internet about me
For those of you not familiar with nutjob Michael Kalo – the psycho who created the notorious “$hitler’s List” years ago and the same psycho who went after Ben Carr, well – now he’s obviously taken a strong disliking to the stance I’ve taken on the Nakba exhibit at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. (You can read elsewhere on this website how I simply posted the entire exhibit as it is – and asked readers to form their own opinions.)
Kalo likes to send out emails to various individual using phony names – such as Frank Ostrowski. When people ask me (or asked Ben Carr) why we don’t take action against him, my answer is: What’s the use? He only basks in the attention.
So Michael – enjoy the attention you’re receiving. I know how much of an embarrassment you are to your wonderfully talented daughters.
