Local News
Gwen Secter Centre plays host to Canadian/Israeli singer/songwriter of considerable renown who was stranded in Winnipeg for over a year and a half
By BERNIE BELLAN After going a year and a half in Winnipeg without any live entertainment to speak of – beyond the occasional street concerts that seemed to spring up impromptu from time to time, it was welcome news to read that the Gwen Secter Centre was going to be playing host to a series of weekly concerts every Wednesday through August 25th.
While there have been plenty of Zoom concerts that have attempted to fill the void, there’s nothing like having an audience on hand to watch and hear real live performers.
Thanks to the irrepressible Karla Berbrayer, our community’s incomparable impresario, along with Gwen Secter’s dynamic executive directory, Becky Chisick, a variety of performers – almost all of whom are Winnipeggers, were booked to perform two shows each Wednesday – at 11 and then again at 1.
When I scanned the names of the featured artists, however, one name caught my eye, as I had never heard of her: Orit Shimoni. In our July 21 issue she was described as an “Israeli Canadian” who was going to “accompany herself on guitar and accordion in a solo performance.”
Was she one of the many Israeli newcomers who have arrived in Winnipeg in recent years, I wondered?
The answer was quite different, I soon learned. Orit is a singer and songwriter of considerable renown who has actually recorded 11 different albums – some in English, some in Hebrew.
Here’s some information about Orit taken from her own website: “Raised in both Calgary and Jerusalem, the then Montrealer had released her debut album (Cinematic Way, 2006) with the help of local musicians and producer Mark Goodwin, and the response to it, including Mark Rheaume of CBC radio calling it one of the top 3 albums of its year, alongside Feist and Arcade Fire, led Shimoni to believe that her musical path was not just a pipedream.
“Knowing very little about the industry, she set off on an outside-of-the-box, self-managed DIY adventure that brought her to Berlin for a year, and after that, a decade of living out of a suitcase, performing across Canada and Europe entirely by public transit, in cafes, pubs, bars, reputable venues, house concerts, small festivals, and on Via Rail’s on-board entertainment program. As she traveled, she received numerous recording offers and has released eleven albums in total, with more on the way.”
So, how did Orit end up, not only coming to Winnipeg – which was in March, 2020, she told me, she ended up staying here for 16 months (and perhaps longer, depending on how quickly things open up in other provinces)?
It turns out she was on a Via Rail train (performing along the way, in a program that affords musical artists the chance to travel from one city to another while entertaining passengers along the way – sort of reminds me of Mexican buses where entertainers hop on and off, playing for tips from passengers). When the train, which had originated in Vancouver, and with a stop in Edmonton, hit Winnipeg that fateful day in March/20, it was Orit’s lousy luck to find herself stranded just as this province was entering into shutdown mode.
“When I arrived in Winnipeg I got a text message saying my next train out of town has been canceled,” Orit explained.
She was stuck here – and even though she managed to find accommodation with an acquaintance whom she had known previously, her live performing career came to a complete standstill – similar to every other live performer.
While she did manage to write and record new songs during her long hiatus from performing, Orit says she so dearly missed playing in front of live audiences.
Now, anyone who knows Karla Berbrayer would know that she’s constantly on the hunt for new talent, especially Jewish performers who can sing in Hebrew. When word reached Karla that a very talented Israeli Canadian was living in our midst, Karla didn’t hesitate to make contact with Orit. Thus – her July 21st appearance at Gwen Secter.
While the crowd that particular morning might have been small in size (even at its maximum, the nicely constructed canopy-covered Gwen Secter venue – on the centre’s parking lot, can only hold 25 people for a performance).
I arrived a few minutes before 11 that day – and there wasn’t anyone else in the audience at all – which afforded me the opportunity to go up to Orit and introduce myself.
Seeing Karla Berbrayer there as well, I asked Karla what would happen if no one showed up? “Don’t worry,” Karla assured me, “there are people who are arriving in special transport.”
Sure enough, attendees started to arrive. I’m not sure anyone reading this can remember, but July 21 was also the last day we had any significant rain in Winnipeg, and no doubt the possibility of getting soaked was a deterrent for some who might have considered attending Orit’s concert. (As it turned out, there was some rain prior to the concert, but the canopy was absolutely effective in keeping the seating area dry.)
Once Orit began to perform, I was astonished how beautiful her voice was. She opened her concert with a lovely rendition of “Hinei ma tov u ma na’im”, accompanying herself on the accordion. She followed that with a number of famous American folk songs, including “Blowing in the Wind”. Later in the concert she switched to playing guitar – and judging by the look of that particular guitar, with its noticeable chip in the wood, it has seen better days.
While I would have wished that Orit had told a little bit more about herself in between her songs, she preferred to talk only about how she ended up in Winnipeg. I had to learn, after reading biographical notes on her website, that Orit used to be a teacher and academic (with a master’s degree in theological studies).
What a shame that Orit wasn’t able to play in front of a much larger audience that July day. Perhaps we’ll get the chance to see her again – assuming that she’ll want to fulfill the original goal of playing at a number of venues when she arrived her that fateful day in March, 2020.
In the meantime if you want to hear samples of Orit’s singing, she has a number of songs from her latest album available to hear on her website: https://www.oritshimoni.com/
Local News
UNVEILING for the headstone of Velimir Kon (Sept. 18, 1950-June 27, 2025)
A true mensch and person of many talents and profoundness, Dr. Velimir (Shlomo) Kon is deeply missed and loved by his family and friends. Known for his warmth, kindness, integrity and love of learning and teaching, Velimir continues to inspire all who knew him and his memory warms our hearts and souls. Velimir is deeply missed.
You are invited to helps us remember and honour our beloved husband and father who passed away almost a year ago.
We, Branka, Deborah and Lea Kon, wish to inform our relatives and friends of the unveiling of a headstone dedicated to his loving memory on FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2026 at 11:00am at the HEBREW SICK CEMETERY (2605 McPhillips Street) followed by lunch at the Chabad Lubavitch of Winnipeg – Jewish Learning Centre (1845 Mathers Avenue). Please come say a l’chaim in his honour.
In Memoriam
1st Yahrzeit
In loving memory of Dr. Velimir (Shlomo) Kon who passed away June 27, 2025, 12 Days in Tammuz.
⁃ Forever and deeply loved and missed by his wife of over 50 years, Branka, and daughters Deborah and Lea Kon. Velimir brought joy to our lives with his boundless kindness and gentleness, irrepressible humour, great intellect and love of people, tikun olam and Judaism. Not a day goes by that we do not mention Velimir and feel his presence with us. Our lives are not the same without him and we deeply miss and cherish him. We can never forget his presence that was larger than life, yet also his humility and thoughtfulness. A gentleman to the very core, Velimir was respected as a scientist, academic, professor, researcher, and later as a teacher and mentor. He always endeavoured to make every place he worked and live at better and was able to bridge many cultures. He was Abraham of his generation and made many personal sacrifices; giving up status, position and privilege in order for his family to have a better and peaceful future. May his memory always be a blessing. He left us at only 74 years young and we wish we had had more time together. Indeed, to know him was to love him.
Local News
Younger Jewish talents continue to shine in their respective categories at annual Winnipeg Music Festival
By MYRON LOVE A number of younger members of our community were repeat stars at the most recent (108th annual) Winnipeg Music Festival – which takes place annually in March. Among the repeat Jewish singers and musicians in the ranks of high achievers this year were” Yale Rayburn-Vander Hout, Gregory Hyman, Alex Schaeffer, Juliet Eskin, Noah Kravetsky, and Lyla Chisick.
Vocalist Yale Rayburn-Vander Hout, the oldest of this year’s group of Jewish repeat winners, was competing in his fifth straight festival, where he continued to build on his accomplishments in previous festivals. This year, the 20-year-old son of Samantha and Peter finished first in two musical theatre categories – songs from musical theatre productions between 1965 and 1999, and shows from the past 26 years. Yale sang “I’m Allergic to Cats,” from the 2016 musical “The Theory of Relativity,” and “Suppertime,” from the 1967 musical, “You’re a Good man, Charlie Brown.”
The former Gray Academy student is currently enrolled at the University of Manitoba’s Desautels Faculty of Music in the Choral program. Yale says that he is hoping to get into the performance track in the fall with the goal of earning a degree in Classical Voice Performance en route to pursuing a career in musical theatre.
As reported previously, Gregory Hyman is a multi-faceted artist who can do it all. The 18-year-old son of Hartley and Rishona Hyman is a singer/songwriter/musician (guitar) who records and performs under the stage name, GMH. His versatility shone through once again in his eighth Music Festival, in which he registered first-place finishes for vocal performances in both “Popular and Contemporary Music” and “TV and Movie Music “categories.
Gregory notes that he was also recommended to compete in the provincial finals in June. The St. John’s-Ravenscourt student (and soon-to be) graduate continues to be busy on stage. In January, he headlined a sold out solo show at Sidestage on Osborne featuring some of his new material. In March, he released an album of his newest songs. Readers can check out his latest compositions on any of the music streaming platforms as well as his own social media (thegmh) on Instagram.
Gregory also continues to host his own podcast: “Talk and Rock with GMH – now in its fifth season – in which he interviews various people in the music business across Canada.
While Gregory says that a musical career is his “dream,” he reports that he is hedging his bets and considering different potential career opportunities. Come September, he will be enrolled at the University of Manitoba in a University One program, which will allow him to select from a variety of courses that can count toward a degree.
Sixteen-year-old Alex Schaeffer won first place this year in the “Musicals Prior to 1965, 16 Years and Under” category with “Try Me” from “She Loves Me,” and was runner-up in the “Musicals 1965 to 1999, 16 Years and Under” category with “On My Own,” from “Les Misérables.” For the son of Marc Schaeffer and Kae Sasaki, this was his fifth year competing in the festival.
The Grant Park High School student made his big stage debut three years ago as Kurt von Trapp in “The Sound of Music,” followed by playing Michael Hobbs in “Elf the Musical” this past winter at the Royal MTC.
Alex recently performed in Grant Park High School’s production of “Something Rotten!” This summer Schaeffer can be seen again at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, where he will be appearing in a production staged by Rem Lezar Theatre.
Rounding out the voice winners is Lyla Chisick. The daughter of Daniel and Baillee was competing in her second music festival. This year, she scored Gold performances in the “Vocal Solo,” “Manitoba Composers,” and “TV/Movie Musical, 12 and under” categories.
Lyla reports that she began taking voice lessons from Jessica Kos-Whicher three years ago. She says she regularly takes part in the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue Family Service and has sung at several community events. Lyla adds that she is already looking forward to next year’s music festival.
Nate Kravetsky and Juliet Eskin competed in the festival as musicians rather than singers. Juliet, 16, plays the viola, and is also is the violist in the Assiniboine String Quartet. In this, her fifth go-round at the festival, Juliet, the daughter of the musically talented Kelly Robinon and Josh Eskin, had first place finishes in the “Viola Solo, level 8,” “Baroque or Classical Concerto,” and “Romantic Composers” categories.
Juliet originally took up the violin – adding the viola a couple of years after. She also just finished performing in the Grant Park High School production of “Something Rotten!”
Nate Kravetsky is currently in Grade 5 level piano. He studies with Erica Schultz and has been taking lessons from her since age 5.
Nate competed in three categories at the Winnipeg music festival: “Baroque,” “Sonata,” and “Contemporary/own choice.”
His own choice selection was the theme from his favourite video game, “Hollow Knight.”
Nate, who is in Grade 7 at Gray Academy, is also preoccupied preparing for his upcoming bar mitzvah.
We look forward to the continued musical success off Yale, Gregory, Alex, Nate, Juliet and Lyla, and what new talent may be unveiled at next year’s Winnipeg Music festival.
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Local News
Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada’s Archivist and Curator Stan Carbone retires
By MYRON LOVE Stan Carbone, a long-time friend of our Jewish community and fixture at the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada (JHCWC) for the past 25 years, retired last week. His last day of work was May 13.
Most recently, he was the JHCWC’s Director of Programs and Exhibits.
“For the past 25 years, the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada has been an integral part of my life,” Carbone said. “I have made a lot of friends in the Jewish community, and I hope to maintain those friendships.”
Carbone’s own history reflects the immigrant experience. He arrived in Canada in 1960 as a three-year-old with his mother and sister, from San Giovanni in Fiore, Calabria in southern Italy. His father had come a few months earlier. Initially, the family settled in Fort Rouge which, at that time, had a substantial Italian community. Within a couple of years, they had relocated to East Kildonan to be closer to where his father’s two sisters and their families lived.
He earned a BA Double Honours in History and Political Studies at the University of Winnipeg, followed by an MA in History at the University of Manitoba, from where he graduated in 1981.
In 1993, he was hired at the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature (as it was then called) as Curator of Multicultural Studies.
“I always enjoyed doing research,” he said.
His first project for the JHCWC came in 2000, the year after the organization was formed through the amalgamation of the Jewish Historical Society, the Ed and Marion Vickar Jewish Museum of Western Canada and the Freeman Family Foundation Holocaust Education Centre.
Marim Zipursky had approached the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature looking for a curator to organize a JHCWC exhibit featuring Jewish music and musicians in Winnipeg,” Carbone recalled. “I didn’t know much about Jewish music and musicians, but I was familiar with the Jewish Historical Society – which preceded the JHCWC. I was really impressed by its extensive archives, and I was intrigued by the Jewish community’s history and the wide range of subject materials in the archives.”
The next year, when a position opened at the JHCWC, Carbone applied.
“I have been here ever since,” he said.
Over the past quarter century, Carbone has been involved in bringing to fruition several interesting exhibits. He mentions the synagogues display, a history of the YMHA, and the current exhibit highlighting the important role of women’s organizations. The exhibit that was closest to his heart though was “A Stitch in Time,” a look at how Jews contributed to the development of the garment trade in Winnipeg. Both of his parents worked in the garment industry.
The exhibits though are just one facet of the JHCWC’s focus, Carbone noted. He mentioned how the organization contributed to the publication of Allan Levine’s “Coming of Age: A History of the Jewish People of Manitoba.”
There have also been several compilations over the years of talks that the JHCWC has organized. These are known as the “Jewish Life and Times,” consisting to date of ten volumes.
Carbone further pointed out the organization’s commitment to Holocaust education and the numerous initiatives that have brought that subject to greater public attention.
The organization’s genealogical component, he reported, draws numerous queries from people all over the world.
One particularly interesting project that Carbone spoke about is an ongoing cooperative partnership with Gray Academy. For the past 10 years, the JHCWC has been loaning photos from the archives to the school’s art program, allowing the students to make drawings based on the photos.
“It has been a wonderful program which has given the students a better understanding of local Jewish history,” he said.
“During my time here, we have worked with numerous Jewish and non-Jewish organizations,” Carbone added. “It helps to build bridges between the Jewish and other communities.”
In retirement, Carbone is looking forward to doing more travelling with Anna, his wife of 40 years. They were scheduled to leave for southern Italy on May 16.
He will also continue to be busy in his role as Italy’s vice-consul here, helping fellow Italians and others in Winnipeg.
And he is excited about having more time to spend on his own genealogical and historical research. He has already published two books: “Italians in Winnipeg: an Illustrated History,” and “The Streets Were Not Paved With Gold: A Social History of Italians in Winnipeg”.
A future project which he is seriously considering is a study of the history of Jewish life in Calabria.
He is also working on a family tree.
“I may be retired,” he said, “but I will still be available from time to time to help out if needed.”