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Holocaust survivor Edith Kimelman keynote speaker at the Jewish Heritage Centre’s 19th annual Holocaust and Human Rights Symposium
By MYRON LOVE
Edith Kimelman, whom I have known for many years, exudes elegance and confidence. Beneath the surface though, this child survivor of the Holocaust – in common with most Holocaust survivors – will tell you she continues to bear the scars of the trauma that she went through. And, as with many of her fellow survivors, she came here with nothing and built a life for herself as a wife, mother, grandmother, scholar and educator.
In recent years, Kimelman has devoted much of her time to Holocaust education, sharing her story with many high school students in and around Winnipeg in an effort to inspire young people to eschew prejudice and hate and work for the betterment of society. In 2016, she was one of those featured in filmmakers Yolanda Papini Pollock and Erol Meryl’s “Never Again: A Broken Promise” – a documentary on genocide.
On Thursday, March 12, Kimelman told her story to her largest audience yet – 1,350 high school students from 27 Manitoba schools who were in attendance at the University of Winnipeg’s Duckworth Centre for the 19th annual Holocaust and Human Rights Symposium presented by the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada.
Kimelman and Indigenous leader, acclaimed author, and Indian Residential School survivor Theodore Fontaine were the two keynote speakers for the day, with Kimelman speaking in the morning and Fontaine in the afternoon session.
The symposium began with remarks from Dr. Annette Trimbee, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Winnipeg. She noted that pre-war Germany society was not much different from our own society today. “Minority communities in many countries are still being marginalized and abused,” she pointed out.
Trimbee quoted the late Simon Wiesenthal, who said that “for evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing”.
She also spoke of the importance of education in making the world a better place.
In introducing Edith Kimelman, Belle Jarniewski began by putting the Holocaust into graphic context. The executive director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada and director of the Freeman Family Foundation Holocaust Education Centre noted that, along with death camps, the Nazis built tens of thousands more slave labour camps, transit camps and ghettos throughout Nazi-occupied Europe.
In addition to the more than three million Jews murdered in the death camps – as well as millions more Roma, Jehovah’s Witnesses, political prisoners and others deemed “undesirable”, 1.4 million more Jews in Eastern Europe were murdered by the Einsatzgruppen in mass shootings.
Jarniewski also spoke of Canada’s sorry record of residential schools as well as the worrying explosion in recent years of antisemitism, racism, and anti-immigrant sentiment in many countries. “There are at least 100 active white supremacist hate groups in Canada alone”, she added, noting that many espouse neo-Nazi ideology.
Jarniewski urged the students at the symposium to add their voices to the fight against hate. “Together, we can make a difference,” she said.
Kimelman began her remarks with a paraphrase from the great Israeli statesman Abba Eban, who described the Holocaust as one of the greatest crises in the history of Western civilization – with the Jews at the centre of it: “Antisemitism is the most violent hatred,” she observed. “I have carried the trauma of what we went through all of my life. I was robbed of my childhood but still managed to find a spark from the ashes from which I was able to build a new life in a new country.”
She described her early years as a happy time, doted on by loving parents in a small, community in Ukraine, where her best friend was a non-Jewish little girl next door. Life as the six-year-old Edith knew it came to an end in June 1941, when the Nazis arrived. Her family’s home was ransacked by the neighbours and almost everything was taken.
“I saw my best friend wearing my best clothes,” she recalled. “My friends shunned me. I sensed that something was wrong, but I didn’t know what it was. I thought that I must have done something wrong.”
A short time later, German soldiers took her father away and shot him. She and her mother found his body and had to carry it back to their home, where two of her mother’s brothers came to take her father’s body for burial.
Part of Edith’s family home was overtaken by Ukrainian militia. Her mother overheard some of the militiamen making plans to drown Edith, her mother and grandmother (her father’s mother), along with some Russian soldiers who they had previously captured – in the Horin River. Her mother woke the little girl in the middle of the night (her grandmother refused to leave) and they walked 24 km to Rowno, where they were taken in by her mother’s relatives.
Her mother’s parents were farmers in another village. They sent a farmer with a wagon filled with hay to pick up mother and daughter and bring them to the safety of their farm. In the fall of 1941, 19,000 Jews in the Rowno Ghetto who did not possess work permits were gathered at the train station, then taken directly to Soscenki, and shot into prepared mass graves.
In the fall of 1942, Edith and her mother continued to stay with her mother’s family in Tuchin. The remaining Jews in the Tuchin ghetto decided to burn it down rather than being slowly depleted in small groups.
At another point, Kimelman’s mother was badly beaten by some Germans and left with permanent kidney damage.
Kimelman told how she, her mother, grandparents, and her uncles and aunt were hidden in a haystack by a kindly Ukrainian lady throughout the winter of 1942-43. After that, they joined other escapees in the forest.
There were other brushes with death and finally, in early 1944, the group of about 75 destitute and desperate Jews was liberated by Partisans. That spring, Edith and her mother were both afflicted with typhus. Her mother eventually died in Lodz as a result of the severe beating that she had received, which had damaged her kidneys.
“With my mother’s death, everything I loved, everything I held dear also died,” Kimelman recalled. “I felt that I had nothing to live for. Fortunately, my grandmother, my uncles and my aunt gave me the courage to hang on to life.”
In 1949, Edith and her surviving family came to Winnipeg, where she lived with her grandmother and an uncle. Education had been very important to her parents and, by becoming well educated, Edith was determined to honour their memory. She went to university as a mature student, earning a BA from the University of Winnipeg and certification from the University of Manitoba, followed by graduate studies at Bar Ilan University and the Hebrew University in Israel, Oxford, and Columbia. She became an educator and an administrator in the Jewish school system.
Edith was married to Sam for 63 years prior to his passing in 2017. She is the proud mother of three sons and grandmother of two grandsons.
“I see myself as a branch that was ripped from a tree, but managed to take root and grow,” she told her audience. “We are fortunate that in Canada, we have the opportunity to raise our family in freedom, peace and security.”
Nonetheless, she added, quoting Bernie Farber, former executive director of the Canadian Jewish Congress, “Jews are no strangers to antisemitism. While history has shown us that Jew hatred may take an occasional holiday, it never takes a permanent vacation.”
“I am frightened by the current rise of antisemitism and am reaching a time in my life when every day is a bonus. The world is turbulent; so many countries are at war with other or themselves. I am grateful that I live in Canada where I can express my feelings before you without feeling repercussions just because I am Jewish. I hope I have been able to leave you some seeds of thought which will take root.”
The symposium receives funding from the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba and the Asper Foundation, while the Jewish Heritage Centre is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg,
Local News
2026 Winnipeg Limmud to offer a smorgasbord of diverse speakers
By MYRON LOVE There are many facets to the study of Judaism and the Jewish people. The focus may be religious or cultural, historical or Israel-oriented – and Winnipeg’s annual Limmud Festival for Jewish Learning has always striven to cover as many angles as possible.
This year’s Limmud program (now in its 16th year) – scheduled for Sunday, March 15 – is following in that path with a diverse group of presenters.
Limmud’s current co-ordinator, Raya Margulets, reports that all of our community’s rabbis – including Rabbi Yossi Benarroch (who lives most of the year in Israel) – will be among the presenters. Topics to be covered by local experts encompass midrash, Jewish identity, antisemitism, conversion, biblical archaeology, textiles, parenting, art, and more.
But it wouldn’t be Limmud without interesting input from out of town personalities.
Perhaps the most prominent of the guest speakers who are confirmed is Yaron Deckel, an Israeli journalist and broadcaster who is currently the Jewish Agency’s Regional Director for Canada. According to a biography provided by Margulets, Deckel is a highly respected Israeli journalist widely known for his insight into Israeli politics, media, and society. Between 2002 and 2007, Yaron served as Washington Bureau Chief for Israeli Public Television. In that role, he covered U.S.–Israel relations and American politics, also interviewed three U.S. presidents: George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Jimmy Carter. As well, Deckel produced two acclaimed documentaries: “The Israelis” (about the lives of Israelis in North America), and “Jewish Identity in North America.”
From 2012 to 2017, he served as Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Galei Tzahal (IDF Radio), Israel’s leading national public radio station. He also hosted a prime-time weekly political show.
As a senior political correspondent and commentator for Israeli TV and radio, Yaron has covered the past 14 Israeli election campaigns and maintained close relationships with top political and military leaders in Israel. He conducted the last interview with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin—just 10 minutes before his assassination.
Decker is slated to do two presentations. In the morning, he will be speaking about the crossroads that Israel finds in the Middle East currently and what the challenges and possibilities may be.
In the afternoon, his subject will be “Israel after October 7 and the Iran War “ and what may lie ahead.
Also coming in from Toronto are Atarah Derrick, Achiya Klein, and Yahav Barnea.
Barnea is an Israeli-Canadian educator and community builder based in Toronto, with over a decade of experience working in Jewish and Israeli education, engagement, and community development.
Originally from Kibbutz Shomrat in Israel’s Western Galilee, Barnea’s outlook on life has been shaped by kibbutz values and her involvement in the Hashomer Hatza’ir youth movement.
She currently serves as the North America Regional Program Manager for the World Zionist Organization’s Department of Irgoon and Israelis Abroad, where she leads initiatives that strengthen connection, leadership, and communal life among Israelis living outside of Israel..
Barnea holds a Master of Education in Adult Education and Community Development, with a focus on intentional communities, as well as a Bachelor of Education specializing in Democratic Education, meaningful, values-based communities.
Her presentation will be titeld “A Kibbutz in the City – Intentional Communities and Immigration.”
Atarah Derrick is the executive director of the Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind, an organization that is dedicated to improving the quality of life of visually impaired Israelis. The charity, the only internationally accredited guide dog program in Israel, was founded in 1991, and today serves Israel’s 24,000 blind and visually impaired citizens.
Achiya Klein is one of the guide dog centre’s beneficiaries. The Israeli veteran was an officer in the IDF combat engineering corps’ elite ‘Yahalom’ unit. In 2013, while on a sensitive mission to disable a tunnel in Gaza, an improvised explosive device was detonated, severely injuring Achiya and robbing him of his vision.
He has been a guide dog client since 2015.
Klein has not allowed his disability to limit his abilities. He competed for the Israeli national team at the Paralympic rowing championship in the Tokyo 2021 Olympics.
He also earned a Masters Degree in the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy in Counter Terrorism and Homeland Security,at IDC Herzliya.
Klein is married and a father to two boys.
Coming back for a second successive year is Dan Ronis from Saskatoon. A plant breeder and geneticist, Ronis has taken a quite different approach to studying Torah. He has sought out the help of a medium to discern the back stories of Biblical figures.
For readers who may be unsure of who or what a medium is, think Theresa Caputo of television fame. Mediums claim to be able to converse with those who have passed on through a spirit guide. While many may be skeptical, there are also many believers.
Last year Ronis focused on women who played a prominent role in the Torah. This year, he will be discussing the “untold story” of Adam and Eve.
Readers who may be interested in attending Limmud 2026 can go online at limmudwinnipeg.org to register.
Local News
Second annual “Taste of Limmud” a rousing success
By MYRON LOVE “A Taste of Limmud” returned for a second go-round on Thursday, February 19, and I have to commend both Raya Margulets, Winnipeg Limmud’s co-ordinator, as well as the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue’s catering department, for an outstanding culinary experience delivered with flawless efficiency.
“Tonight’s Taste of Limmud showcases our diversity as a community and our unity as we come together to break bread,” observed Rena Secter Elbaze, Shaarey Zedek’s executive director, just prior to leading the guests in hamotzi.
The evening featured a sampling of Jewish staple dishes representing Jewish life in six different regions where Jews had settled over the centuries. The choice of dishes also reflected how diversified our Jewish community has become over the past 25 years.
In her opening remarks, Margulets welcomed her 130 guests. “After last year’s success,” she said many of you asked us to bring it back, and we’re delighted to do so, so welcome again. Today’s celebration is all about sharing stories, connections, and flavours, and it is brought to you in partnership with Congregation Shaarey Zedek and with the support of the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba.
“We would like to take a moment and express our heartfelt gratitude to Congregation Shaarey Zedek for their amazing partnership, to Joel, the Head Chef at Shaarey Zedek, and his fantastic staff for their contributions, and to all the volunteers who made tonight possible,” Margulets said.
“Thank you all for joining us tonight. Savour the flavours, the stories, and the connections as we celebrate the richness of Jewish cuisine and community together.
“Whether you’re returning or attending for the first time,” she continued, “we’re excited to stir up a wonderful evening with old and new friends. Some of you may have realized it already, but the name Taste of Limmud has a double meaning. While, yes, this event is all about taste and sampling Jewish flavours from around the world, it is also a tiny glimpse, in other words, a taste, into our established annual Limmud Festival.”
Limmud, she explained – the Hebrew word for “learning”, is a volunteer-run organization that celebrates Jewish learning, thought, and culture. It’s a conference where participants have a choice of dozens of sessions led by rabbis, scholars, artists, authors, and community members. At Limmud, everyone can be a teacher and a student, in other words, more fitting with tonight’s theme, everyone has something to add to the recipe.
Margulets then introduced the “talented cooks from our very own community who prepared the dishes”: Mazi Frank, who presented a “delicious” Mussakah, a Turkish classic; Adriana Vegh-Levy and Karina Izbizky who brought a “tasty” Pletzalej, a type of bread that the forebears of today’s Argenitnian Jewish community brought with them from Poland; Karen Ackerman, with a special Hard Honey Cake; Naama Samphir, who presented a tasty Yemenite Hawaij soup (and that’s right – Hawaij – not Hawaii; Hawaij is Iraqi); Kseniya Revzin ,sharing a rich Kubbete, a savory pie from the Crimean Karaites; and Ruth Harari, (who wasn’t able to join her sister cooks) who had prepared Mujadara, a flavourful lentil-and-rice dish from Aleppo, Syria.
“We would like to take a moment and express our heartfelt gratitude to Congregation Shaarey Zedek for their amazing partnership, to Joel, the Head Chef at Shaarey Zedek, and his fantastic staff for their contributions, and to all the volunteers who made tonight possible,” Raya Margulets concluded.
“Thank you all for joining us tonight. Savour the flavours, the stories, and the connections as we celebrate the richness of Jewish cuisine and community together.”
The six samplings were dished out – one at a time – in either small paper plates or cups with the paper removed after each tasting.
The first recipe to be presented was pletzalej onion bread. As was the pattern for each tasting, the first food presented was preceded by a brief overview of the history of Argentina’s Jewish community and its connection with its local contributor, followed by a plezelaj bun with a piece of meat inside .
Next up was a taste of Hawaij soup, a Shabbat and Yom Tov staple of Yemen’s former centuries-old Jewish community, most of whom are now in Israel. The soup included piecesof chicken, potatoes, onions, carrots, tomato and several spices. Hawaij is a spice mixture consisting of cumin, black pepper, turmeric and cardamom.
Mussakah comes from Turkey – also a homeland for Jews for hundreds of years. It is a mixture of layered eggplant, beef, savoury tomato sauce and spices and is typically served with rice or a piece of bread.
Mujadara is a product of the ancient Syrian city of Aleppo, one of the world’s oldest cities and formerly home for thousands of years to a once thriving Jewish community. The recipe calls for lentils, basmati rice, onions and spices.
Kubbete is a puff pastry originally from Crimea, where the local Jewish community picked it up from the surrounding Tatar population. The pastry is filled with beef (as was the case that evening) or lamb, onions, potatoes and peppercorn, with paprika added for taste.
The last item on the menu was hard honey cake. “This was my baba’s recipem which she brought with her from Ukraine in the 1920s,” noted Karen Ackerman. “Jews like my baba (Chava Portnoy) have lived in Ukraine for over 1,000 years and they used the local buckwheat honey in their honey cake.
“I am honoured to be able to share this recipe with you,” she said.
All the presenters spoke of how the recipes that had been passed down through the generations connected them with home and family and memories of their babas.
I once had a cousin who, after enjoying a hearty meal, would say: “Good Sample. When do we eat? Well, after the sampling, it really was time for a late supper – the main course – and it was a perfect way to end the evening feasting on pita filled with veggies, falafel balls and humus and French fries with a choice of coffee cake or chocolate cake for dessert.
I ‘m really looking forward to next year’s “Taste of Limmud”.
Local News
New kosher caterer providing traditional Israeli foods for Winnipeg palates
By MYRON LOVE The Israeli community in Winnipeg continues to grow and enrich our community. Among the most recent arrivals are Maxim and Olga Markov – along with their children, who settled here less than two years ago. What the Markovs are contributing to our community is a new kosher catering operation – Bravo Good Food – that specializes in traditional Israeli fare.
The senior Markovs are both originally from Ukraine. They came with their families in the early 1990s when they were young teenagers. For the last several years before moving to Winnipeg, they lived in Afula in north central Israel.
After their arrival in Winnipeg, Olga worked for a time in the Chabad kitchen; Yural still works in the Chabad daycare – while Maxim took a job with an HVAC company.
Maxim’s passion however, and his life’s work has been in food preparation. He points out that he worked in the business for 17 years in Israel. In the early part of his career, he was head chef in a dairy restaurant. He was also a cook in wedding halls preparing food for as many as 1,000 guests.
In more recent years, he worked in a private hospital kitchen where, he notes, he gained experience with dietary menus and healthy food options.
“What we do at Bravo,” he says, “is provide our clientele with the authentic taste of the Middle East. We cook traditional dishes, using only fresh ingredients, with our own original recipes.”
Operating out of the Adas Yeshurun-Herzlia kitchen, Bravo’s menu (which readers can view on its website – bravogoodfood.com) features such well known Israeli items as falafel balls and humus, mini shislek (with chicken) on skewers, beef kebabs on cinnamon sticks, and friend eggplant with tahini.
But there is much more to choose from.
Start with salads.
You can choose from coleslaw, purple cabbage salad, beet salad with pears, celery and parsley, mushroom salad, and green herb salad.
Main course options include beef meatballs and tomato sauce with a trio of fish dishes – salmon, Moroccan fish, and custom fried fish. Also available are a broccoli casserole, pasta, and spaghetti.
Bravo also offers a corporate menu featuring a choice of continental or executive breakfast, full breakfast buffet or a buffet of mini sandwiches – and an events menu.
Maxim adds that Bravo offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options.
Olga notes that individual dishes or baking can be ready for the next day. “If it’s a small event like a family dinner, we need at least three days in advance, provided the date is available,” she says. “If it’s a large event – then we need at least a week in advance notice.”
“We are not just providing food,” Maxim says. “We are creating an atmosphere. Our catering makes your event unforgettable through taste, freshness and hospitality.”