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I.L. Peretz School Class of ’63 celebrates 60th anniversary reunion

By SHARON LOVE On the weekend of July 7-9, the I.L. Peretz Folk school class of ‘63 held another get together- this time in celebration of the 60th anniversary of our graduation.
With a few Zoom meetings during the last three years, we chose a specific date and the wheels started turning. Our local organizing committee members were: Bella (Sapoznik) Ben-Ari, Donna (Gorenstein ) Cohen, Bailey Rayter, Janis (Swick) Wisher, Harold Abosh and Lanny Silver, and this writer, along with spouses/partners Marvin Ben-Ari, Mark Cohen, Karen Rayter, Ian Mckeown, Elizabeth Abosh, and Zipora Malamuth. So we just picked up where we left off.
Speaking of picking up where we left off, our very first reunion took place in Vancouver because the ‘kinder’ there like to organize. We celebrated our 50th birthday reunion there in May 2000. We were back in Vancouver in November 2010 in celebration of our 60th birthdays. We got together here in Winnipeg in August 2013, to mark the 50th anniversary of our graduation. We were in Vancouver in July 2015 celebrating our 65th birthdays. We were scheduled to come together in 2020 for a joint celebration of our 70th birthdays but we had to cancel due to the Covid lockdowns.
Covid, however did not dissuade us nor dampen our enthusiasm and our event turned out to be a weekend to remember. The ‘kinder’ included Winnipegger David Kives as well as out of towners Earl Zimmer, Carol Pollock, Faigie (Raber) Samson, Reesa (Margolis) Devlin and husband Bob, Ethel (Levine) Kofsky and partner Don Rosenbloom, Myrna Shefrin and Lorraine Meltzer.- all from Vancouver – as well as Gity (Shklarsky) Moritz-Finkel and husband Chet from Florida; Anita (Ladner) Bakal and husband, Marty from New York Candi Zell and Ron Charach and wife Alice from Toronto; Butchy Itzkow from Kingston, Laurie Landy from Appleton (near Ottawa); and Hilda (Szternfeld) Smith and husband Lennyfrom Calgary.
How did we celebrate our busy weekend? We kicked off the festivities with a Shabbes dinner hosted by our local committee at the party room at 141 Wellington Crescent, the home of Bailey and Karen Rayter. What with our reunioners and with guests and friends we were around 40 people. You could just feel and see the excitement in the air as guests started arriving. We ‘benched’ Shabbes candles and enjoyed challah buns which Gity brought from Miami. There was an abundance of food and drink and for dessert, fruit, cheesecake and Jeanne’s cake. For our first event of the weekend, could you ask for anything more?
Of course there was more. Our three special guests, mothers of three of our classmates joined us for this memorable occasion. Edith Landy, mother of Laurie, Ruth Zimmer, mother of Earl and Arnice Pollock, the mother of Carol, were beaming all evening. After all they have known many of us since we were young kids!
There were a few speeches and we also toasted classmates in our heart, Annette (Feldman) Nagler, Barbara (Shoib) Murray, and Nathan Meltzer, who left us all too soon.
A big thank you went out to our classmate Brenda (Grushko) Casey, who could not join us in person from Vancouver, but gifted the flowers and Jeanne’s cake. Thanks also went out to the I.L.Peretz School Trust, which helped sponsor this event.
We watched the video of our reunion from 2013, which was made by Marvin Ben-Ari. There were also tables covered with pictures and other memorabilia.
Saturday was a free day. Some visitors spent time with friends and relatives. Others took in the Museum for Human Rights and some just drove around their old neighbourhoods and places where they used to hang out.
Saturday dinner took place at Sorrento’s in Charleswood. The noise level was high because we all had so much to talk about. Sunday brunch was at the Hilton Garden Inn and we had the patio all to ourselves.
Parting speeches included a thank you to the Winnipeg hosts. We are awaiting the video that Marvin took of the entire weekend and appreciate his doing this. Suggestions for our next reunion were made for perhaps in two years and Vancouver seems to be where it will take place.
The weekend flew by and yet there still wasn’t enough time to visit with everyone. What with Zoom and social media these days, it’s so much easier for people to be in touch with each other wherever they live. I still say that nothing takes the place of in person schmoozing!
In my book our weekend can only be described by one word. As a proud graduate of the Peretz School, that word is ‘Oysergevanelech’!

Members of the Peretz School class of ‘63 Front row seated, from the lest:, Bella Ben-Ari, Bailey Rayter, Ruth Zimmer (mother of Earl Zimmer) Second row standing on the left, Laurie Landy with his mother, Edith Landy. Third row from the left, Sharon Love, Gity Moritz-Finkel, Reesa Devlin, Janis Wisher, Donna Cohen, Anita Bakal, Faigie Samson, Carol Pollock Back row from the left, Myrna Shefrin, Earl Zimmer, Ethel Kofsky, Hilda Smith, Ronnie Charach, David Kives, Candi Zell, Harold Abosh, Lorraine Meltzer, Lanny Silver, Butch Itzkow

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Arthur V. Mauro Institute for Peace & Justice at St. Paul’s College to offer series of lectures

The Mauro Institute is very pleased to be offering the first two events in a new series – The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution.

Dialogue #1 – Wednesday, September 17 | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | Hanley Hall (Room 220) St. Paul’s College (reception to follow)

The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution

Resisting the Perceived Limits of Dialogue

Middle powers such as Canada depend on the power of dialogue to create institutions and agreements with dispute settlement mechanisms designed to level the playing field with big powers. The post-war architecture of multilateralism that depended on American leadership and involvement and the willingness to underwrite the global operating system is fractured with President Donald Trump’s premise to “make America great again”. This presentation by former Canadian diplomat, Colin Robertson and roundtable discussion will consider if it can be put back together or how it should change, and what forms of dialogue that would entail. 

Panelists will include Dr. Ursula Lehmkuhl and Dr. Manuel Fröhlich of Trier University, and Dr. James Fergusson and Dr. Stephan Jaeger of the University of Manitoba. The roundtable discussion will be moderated by Dr. Andrea Charron, Director, Centre for Defence and Security Studies, and Professor, International Relations University of Manitoba 

Reserve your free tickets to the lecture 7:00 pm, in-person at St. Paul’s College

Livestream on the Mauro Institute YouTube channel.

Dialogue #2 – Thursday, September 25 | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | Fr. Jensen SJ Theatre (Room 100) St. Paul’s College

The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution

Leading With Compassion Amid Conflict and Violence

Deep human connection and providing service from a place of compassion is increasingly difficult in our complex and polarizing world. In our quest for peace and justice, is compassion simply a pollyannish illusion? Come, hear, and have a conversation with our panelists who have strived to bring compassion into their work in different ways. Hear their challenges and triumphs as they dared to lead with compassion in times of conflict and violence. 

Panelists will include Dr. Bob Chrismas, Team Lead, Winnipeg Community Safety Team, Dr. Shauna Labman, Executive Director, Global College and Associate Professor, University of Winnipeg, and Devon Clunis, Former Chief of Police, Winnipeg Police Service, Author, and International Consultant. The roundtable discussion will be moderated by Dr. Melanie Soderstrom, Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba

The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution are free and open to all. The dialogues are both in-person and available to be streamed on the Mauro Institute’s YouTube channel. 

Reserve your free tickets to the lecture 7:00 pm, in-person at St. Paul’s College (free pre-lecture reception from 6:30 pm)

Livestream on the Mauro Institute YouTube channel.

[ALSO: Save the Date – the 2025 Sol Kanee Lecture on Peace and Justice is Monday, November 3, 7:00 pm at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights]

The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution are generously supported by a gift from Dr. Hersh [BSc(Hons)/70] and Arna Shefrin [DipDHyg/70; BA/71]. The Shefrin Dialogues were established to invite two (or more) leading thinkers / speakers with different views of a specific conflict to present and exchange perspectives on topical issues related to peace, justice, and conflict resolution.

The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution are free and open to all. The dialogues are both in-person and available to be streamed on the Mauro Institute’s YouTube channel.

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Winnipeg Friends of Israel to present 2 interesting talks

Dr. Ted Rosenberg

Winnipeg Friends of Israel are thrilled to welcome Dr. Ted Rosenberg on Sunday, September 14 at 7:00 PM for a presentation that promises to be powerful, timely, and deeply moving.

Dr. Rosenberg will share insights from his new book, Ayekha (Where Are You?), and speak about his experiences at the University of British Columbia — where he made national headlines after resigning from the medical school in protest of its failure to address antisemitism. His story is both courageous and inspiring, and it calls on each of us to consider: Where are we when our community is under attack?

The evening will be moderated by Dr. Bryan Shwartz, and will include time for Q&A with Dr. Rosenberg.

📖 About the Book
Ayekha draws from Torah, the October 7 Hamas massacre, and today’s alarming rise in antisemitism. It challenges Jews and allies to confront hate with clarity, action, and moral responsibility. All book sales support the first Jewish day school in Victoria, BC, founded on October 7, 2024.

Copies are available on Amazon, and thanks to Dr. Cathy Moser, you can also pre-order directly (email: cathy.g.moser@gmail.com). Dr. Rosenberg will gladly autograph your copy after the event.

📅 Date: Sunday, September 14
🕖 Time: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Shared upon registration
👉 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/mv8tvwhv

📰 Dr. Rosenberg was recently featured in the Canadian Jewish News. You can read more here: CJN article

Don’t miss this inspiring and thought-provoking evening — one that speaks to our moment in history and to the  responsibility each of us carries.

We are also invited to attend another timely and exciting event and hope you could join us.

The Druze of Syria and Israel: A New Chapter

Join us for a rare and intimate fireside chat with Carlos Matni and Adham Tayfour — both members of the Syrian Druze community now living in Manitoba.

🌿 Discover the untold struggles, resilience, and hopes of the Druze community in Sweida, Syria.
🤝 Learn how Israel is stepping in during a time of crisis.
🌍 Explore the possibilities for collaboration between the Druze and Jewish communities — a conversation of unity, survival, and shared future.

📅 Thursday, September 18
🕢 7:30 PM
📍 Location provided upon registration

Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insight, ask questions, and be part of an important dialogue that bridges cultures and communities.

👉 Register now to reserve your spot:
https://shorturl.fm/SoWuv

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Long-time Winnipeg doctor and Israeli colleague make medical app available to general public

Dr. Gerald Minuk (left) and Dr. Daniel Iluz-Freundlich

By MYRON LOVE Seven years ago, Dr. Gerald Minuk, Canada’s first hepatologist (liver specialist), partnered with Israeli computer science student Daniel Iluz-Freundlich  in founding Refuah Solutions Ltd (RSL). Their goal was to create an app – which they called PI-enroll (“PI” stands for “Principal Investigator”), which was designed to be used by clinical trial investigators that would save them time and effort so they could be more personally involved in seeing their trial patients.
Last month, they released their second app, this time for patients. The app, called  Patient-empower, informs patients about clinical trials underway for their condition and helps them make an informed decision as to which trial best meets their specific needs and preferences.
“I was approaching retirement,” recalls Minuk, now Rady School of Medicine Professor Emeritus, who has been in practice in Winnipeg since 1987, and “I couldn’t see myself filling my days doing crossword puzzles or Sudoku.  I wanted to be able to continue contributing to medical research and patient care.”
It just so happened that, at the time, Minuk was introduced to an Israeli student, Daniel Iluz-Freundlich, who had just finished studying Computer Sciences at the University of Winnipeg. (Minuk notes that Iluz-Freundlich – on graduating – received the Gold Medal in Computer Science.)
“Daniel is an exceptionally talented young man,” Minuk says.  “So I tapped his computer programming skills to create our PI-enroll and subsequently, our Patient-empower apps.”
The friendship continued after Iluz-Freundlich returned to Israel in 2020 to begin medical school on a Phil and Elle Kives Scholarship, where he earned numerous honors. Iluz-Freundlich is currently an intensivist anesthesiologist at the Beilinson Hospital in Israel. Despite his new professional responsibilities, including caring for IDF forces wounded in Gaza– he has remained active with Refuah – as vice-president of the company.
Minuk adds that a dozen other senior professors of medicine also contributed to Refuah’s software design.  “Together,” he reports,  “the company represents 400+ years of clinical trial experience. That experience is being applied to identifying and addressing the major challenges investigators and patients face when conducting or participating in clinical trials.”`       
He adds that Refuah Solutions has established a truly global network with company personnel in San Diego, São Paulo, Mexico City, London, Barcelona, Nairobi and Delhi thus far.
According to Minuk,  the company has enjoyed worldwide success – with over 2,000 doctors in 40 countries and 50 drug companies signed on for the PI-enroll app. He attributes this success to the app’s impressive results. In a recent global clinical trial, Minuk reports,  within 3-6 months of implementing PI-enroll, investigator personal involvement increased by 60% and with that, patient enrolment increased by 80%, patient drop-outs decreased by 50% and there were 20% fewer protocol deviations (mistakes made). In addition, 90% of PIs rated the App 8 out of 10 in terms of usefulness.
He adds that one site that had not enrolled any patients for 12 months, subsequently became the trial’s leading enrolment site.
Regarding the newly released Patient-empower app,  Minuk notes that despite the many benefits patients derive from clinical trials including free and early access to new and often safer and more effective treatments, fewer than 10% of patients who would qualify for a clinical trial are ever invited to consider that option. “The problem,” he explains, “is that most Health Care Providers are either unaware of what clinical trials are underway in their area or if they are aware, don’t have the time to discuss the trials with their patients.”
Therefore, Minuk, Iluz-Freundlich and their team designed and recently released their second app – Patient-empower – which informs patients of what clinical trials are underway for their condition and empowers them to select the trial that prioritizes their needs over those of industry.
The platform, he explains, uses AI to generate concise, easy-to-understand summaries of clinical trials tailored to the patient’s location—city, state, country, or globally, depending on their preference. Each summary includes clear explanations of the patient eligibility criteria and key practical details, such as the likelihood of patients receiving a placebo, the number of required site visits, and other important practical considerations. It also suggests questions that patients should consider asking the investigator before they consent to enrolling. The trial information is presented in a shareable format to facilitate discussions with family, friends, and local healthcare providers—supporting both patient confidence and continuity of care.
Once a trial is selected, Minuk continues, Patient-empower provides the contact information for the trial investigator closest to the patient’s location, the trial’s sponsor and, where available, the world’s experts in the field.
The feature Minuk is most enthusiastic about is the “Recent Findings” page which keeps patients up to date on newly published clinical trial results and discoveries relevant to their condition. 
“Patient-empower is available to patients from internet venues (App Store or Google Play) or through NFP organizations, associations, societies and patient support group web-sites,” he adds. “Although only recently released, we have already attracted interest from the American Diabetes Association, the Alzheimer’s Society of America, the Canadian Liver Foundation, Colorectal Cancer Canada, the American Myasthenia Gravis Society and many others.”
“Overall, Patient-empower informs patients, and more informed patients benefit everyone involved. After all, it’s the patient’s health; their voice should be heard,” Minuk concludes.

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