Local News
In midst of war, Technion reaches significant milestone
By MYRON LOVE This year, the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology – is marking the occasion of its 100th anniversary – although, as Technion Professor Wayne Kaplan pointed out in speaking to a Winnipeg group on November 14, “celebrating” may not be quite the right word here considering the current war still raging. ‘Marking the occasion’ may be a more appropriate terminology.”
The Technion’s Vice-President for External Relations and Resource Development, Kaplan was in Winnipeg to address a gathering of about 100 Technion Canada supporters at the new-look Shaarey Zedek Synagogue.
The American-born and raised Technion professor opened his remarks with an account of how the Haifa-based university has continued to function over the past year.
“It has not been a simple matter,” observed Kaplan, who has been associated with the Technion for almost 40 years – first as a student and – since 1995 – as a member of the faculty.
“We began to plan our course of action even before we learned of the full extent of the atrocities committed on October 7,” he reported. “One of our biggest challenges initially was how to alleviate the effects on our many students who were drafted for military reserve duty.
He explained that the Technion has more students in residence – about one-third of the student body of 15,000 – than any other Israeli university. (About 1,000 students are foreign students coming from 30 different countries.)
While the government does subsidize university tuition to a degree, these subsidies do not cover the cost of living and, unfortunately, neither do they cover the extra costs associated with supporting students living on campus in a time of war.
“It was a huge undertaking providing for our students’ additional needs in this time of war,” Kaplan said. “We couldn’t have done it without the help of our Technion supporters worldwide.”
Then there were the number of students who were called up – about 3,000. “We were worried,” Kaplan recalled. “We weren’t sure when we could start the new academic year. Students could have lost an academic year. There were also financial implications for our students.”
As it turned out, the academic year was able to begin in mid-January (instead of late October) – and the current academic year was only delayed by a week.
Kaplan further noted that the Technion’s programs are intense and that the war increased the stress level on students. “We added to our team of psychologists to help students with the additional stress,” he reported.
Another potential problem was potential friction between the Technion’s Jewish and Arab students. The latter make up about 25% of the student body – similar to the percentage of Israelis who are Christian or Muslim Arabs. Fortunately, he noted, that didn’t become a problem.
One problem at the outset of the conflict was that the Technion didn’t have enough bomb shelters to accommodate all faculty, staff and 15,000 students. Kaplan noted that the solution was to erect temporary shelters all around the campus.
“Unfortunately, some of our students and alumni were killed in the fighting in Gaza and Lebanon,” Kaplan reported. “We hope that this war will be over as soon as possible. I remain confident that we are going to win.”
Turning to the Technion’s history, Kaplan noted that the cornerstone for the university was first laid in 1912. “Back in the day, when a Jewish state was still only a dream,” he pointed out, “our visionaries recognized the need to begin building the infrastructure for the hoped-for future state.”
When the Technion opened its doors in 1924, it was the future State of Israel’s first university. From the beginning, the Haifa-based institution has been a pioneer in research and science education – with a focus on architecture, engineering and science. The Technion also houses Israel’s only faculty of aerospace engineering.
“Our focus,” Kaplan explained, “is on fundamental science and its potential applications to new technology.”
He pointed out that one of the fruits of the Technion’s research is Israel’s leading edge Iron Dome missile defense system.
He further added that the university has 60 research and development centres – led by Technion faculty– which have attracted numerous high tech leaders – such as Microsoft, Google, Amazon and IBM – to open high tech development centres – which employ many of its graduates.
The university has 18 academic departments, 17 of which give degrees. The Department of Humanities and the Arts exists to provide humanities courses to the students.
As is the case with many other Israeli universities, the Technion has spun off numerous start-up companies – 15 of them in the past year alone. The difference between the Technion’s and other universities’ approach to spinning off start-up companies is that the Israeli institution takes back just 50% of the profit as compared to the normal cut of 60% taken by most other universities.
In the question and answer session that followed, the moderator and executive director of the host Shaarey Zedek, Rena Elbaze asked about a substitute beef hamburger – developed by Technion researchers – based on bovine cells grown in vats. The benefits of the lab-grown meat substitute are the need for a lot less land, and less stress on the environment.
And it’s kosher, Kaplan added. You can have a kosher cheeseburger.
“We are also working on developing lab-created honey, milk, fish and other sources of protein,” he added.
Kaplan was asked about the Technion’s partnerships with other universities around the world. Of particular interest is the Guangdong (China) Technion-Israel Institute of Technology (GTIIT) which was inaugurated in 2017, also a joint venture with Cornell University in New York City.
The latter agreement came about as a result of former New York mayor Michael Bloomberg’s pledge of a $100 million donation toward the creation of a high-tech campus in New York City. The Technion won the competition to partner with Cornell University to create Cornell Tech . The new campus welcomed its first group of students in 2013.
The Guangdong Technion – Israel Institute of Technology is a joint cooperative higher education institution – affiliated with Shantou University – and brokered by Li Ka Shing, China’s wealthiest individual. It was officially established on April 9, 2015 – and grants Technion engineering degrees.
The language of instruction at GTIIT, Kaplan noted, is English.
In introducing Kaplan, Elysa Greisman, Technion Canada’s executive director, noted that the organization has been active in Canada for the past 80 years – with a presence in Toronto and Montreal, Vancouver and Winnipeg.
Kaplan expressed his appreciation, on behalf of the Technion, to the members of his Winnipeg audience, as well as to Technion supporters all over the world. “In these difficult times,’” he commented, “with your help, not only have we been able to cope, but also to continue to be able to support our communities under siege in northern Israel.”
Local News
Fringe Festival star Melanie Gall to appear at Gwen Secter Centre July 16
By BERNIE BELLAN A veteran performer at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, Melanie Gall, will be making a special guest appearance at the Gwen Secter Centre on Thursday, July 16.
Melanie will be the featured speaker (and entertainer) for the Remis Speakers’ Series that day. The Remis Speakers’ Series is held every Thursday starting at noon and ending at 1:30. This year’s series began May 7 and will continue through the end of October. This year it has been attracting increasingly large audiences – ranging from 40-60 people, as it offers attendees the opportunity to enjoy a delicious – and kosher lunch, while listening to a very diverse variety of speakers – all the way from Gail Asper talking about returning the Ten Commandments to Assiniboine Park to Rabbi Matthew Leibl performing Christmas songs that were written by Jewish songwriters. At the same time it provides those attending a chance to make new acquaintances – or perhaps bump into old friends they haven’t seen in a long time.
Melanie Gall’s own story is sure to be riveting. I’ve written about Melanie in the past, but the past two summers had been especially nerve wracking for Melanie, as she was subjected to a torrent of antisemitic abuse over her support for the State of Israel.
You can read my story about what Melanie went through during the Winnipeg Fringe Festival – both in 2024 and again last year, at Melanie Gall subjected to antisemitic abuse.
Melanie, who will be entering her 13th year of performing at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, will be peforming in only one show this year – a departure from her past practice of performing in multiple shows (as many as three different shows) during the Fringe Festival.
Elsewhere on this website we’ll be offering a preview of Melanie’s show (which is called “The Ballad of Isobel Gunn” and which is based on an incredible, but true story), along with previews of several other shows.
In the meantime, if you’re not already a member of the Remis Speakers’ Series group, but would ike to attend this coming Thursday, simply email us at jewishp@mymts.net and we’ll reserve a spot for you. The cost for the lunch is only $20.
The Gwen Secter Centre is located at 1588 Main Street (corner of Smithfield). There is parking available on a lot behind the centre or on the street.
Local News
Folk Festival Report
(Posted July 10) During this year’s Winnipeg Folk Festival we’re going to be running an ongoing blog report – with photos and blurbs from the festival, sent to us by our Folk Fest correspondent Heather Silbert.
Here’s Heather’s first entry (sent Friday at 3:33 pm): “It’s a hot hot day at the 51st Winnipeg Folk Festival! Lots of people; lots of good vibes; and an abundance of awesome music!!”
“We just moved to spruce hollow. Nice and shady. listening to Jacob Brodovsky.”
4:21 pm: “Jacob just announced that he lost his job and received a lot of vitriol from the Jewish Community because he’s a Jewish person who believes that Palestinian and Jewish lives are intertwined, and he is against genocide. He is very deeply feeling, and expresses all these big feelings through his songs. I want to give him a hug, but it’s so hot outside!”
5:33 pm: The inscription in the plaque below begins with some lines from a Bruce Cockburn song called “Joy Will Find a Way (A Song About Dying)”: and continues with: “Memory Lane honours those who are no longer with us but whose presence lives on in the music, memories and moments we share here…”
7:06 pm “Gorgeous hand made polymer clay jewelry! Amanda Greisman makes gorgeous pieces that can be worn across many occasions! And she’s so so nice!” (See her booth called “Blue Sky Jewelry.”)
(Posted July 11, 4:20 pm) “Would you drive your bike to BHP for FF in this weather? I would drive here, but not sure if I’d have enough steam to bike home!”
“There’s aren’t any flower/leaf art installations this year(that I’ve found!) but loving the fairy village!!”
“It’s another sweltering day. Bright blue sky and a light Breeze. Cat Clyde is rocking it out at Bur Oakbank!! Loving it!!”
8:04 pm: “Snacktime! Excellent energy, good time! We’re sitting 2 tarp rows in front of the frog to the left of the Canadian flag. (Total FF directions! LOL!)”
Local News
New GrowWinnipeg “Grow Together” highlights diverse origins of our growing Jewish community
By MYRON LOVE On Monday, June 11, about 120 younger Jewish Winnipeggers from diverse backgrounds came together at the Asper Campus for an evening of food and music, games and prizes and, most important, the opportunity to socialize with their peers from a growing community that reflects the long term success of our community’s 26-year-old GrowWinnipeg initiative.
“We are gathered here to celebrate your and your parents’ decisions to come to Winnipeg, build families and raise families here,” noted Dalia Szpiro, GrowWinnipeg’s director, in addressing the young adults in attendance.
To summarize, the GrowWinnipeg Initiative arose when our past community’s leadership recognized that our Jewish population was an aging and shrinking community with aging infrastructure.
The first stage was the planning and construction of the Asper Campus, which brought our major institutions and organizations under one roof in an attractive new building.
The next challenge was to attract more people to our community. GrowWinnipeg was created to take on the challenge. The initiative, which was officially launched in 2000, is unique in its efforts to reach out to young Jewish families throughout the Western world.
The first outreach efforts were directed at Argentina’s sizeable Jewish community at a time when the South American country’s economy was going through a very difficult period. Several of our community leaders visited the Jewish community in Buenos Aires and a website was established. Arrangements were made for local families to host Jewish Argentinians here on exploratory visits and the community helped the prospective immigrants navigate the then new Provincial Nominee Program, find jobs and establish themselves here.
Since then, many young families – from Argentina, as well as a great number of other countries – have chosen to make Winnipeg their new home. The young people at the recent GrowWinnipeg evening were reflective of the diversity of our growing community. During the course of the evening, I had the opportunity to speak with not only Israeli-born participants, also young people from Russia and Ukraine, Turkey and Uruguay – and a young lady who grew up in Ottawa.
Naomi Kirshenblatt Palansky originally came here from Ottawa to go to university. She met and married local entrepreneur Noah Palansky in 2023. (We wrote about Noah in the December 19, 2025 issue). That same year, the former competitive swimmer who competed in the Maccabiah Games in 2009 and 2013 served as manager of the Canadian Junior swimming team participating in the games. She is currently the director of operations and strategy for a company called CoinFlip.
Although born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Yael Borovich grew up in Winnipeg. She is the daughter of Dalia Szpiro and Eduardo Borovich (and younger sister of Vanessa) all of whom moved here in 2002. She is a graduate of the Asper School of Business and works as a senior client relationship manager for Scotia Bank’s commercial branch.
Siblings Igal and Edem Avimelek arrived here from Turkey six years ago with their parents, Etel and Moris. Edem is in her second year at the University of Manitoba while Igal is studying engineering at UBC.
They report that their father, Moris, has established the Upperwear Textile Agency – marketing textile products online – while their mother Etel, is senior IT Director, software development and data analytics and enterprise architecture at Standard Aero.
“Our parents were looking to move to a new country and came across the GrowWinnipeg webpage,” Edem says. “GrowWinnipeg has been really supportive of us in helping us move here and become established.”
More recent arrivals Alex Tsmokaliuk and Jane Hin are from Ukraine and Russia respectively and have been together since 2022. “We were looking for a peaceful place to start a family,”: Alex says. “We heard about GrowWinnpeg and here we are.”
Alex is a fitness trainer while Jane is working for WRE Development as a property manager.
Dora Bronstein, who is originally from Beersheva, is also a recent arrival to our community. “I came to Winnipeg because I wanted to get away from war – and I heard about GrowWinnipeg,” she says.
She is currently working for L.C. Taylor Licensed Insolvency Trustee as an estate manager.
Erele Tzidon and Daniel Mejnov
Last October, GrowWinnipeg introduced its new Youth Ambassadors program.
“Since October, we have been working to create an organized system and opportunities to help young newcomers find their people within our community,” wrote Youth Ambassador Erele Tzidon on Facebook.
“Our mission is to help young immigrants find a sense of home in Winnipeg and support a smooth and welcoming transition.
We are excited to help bring our young Jewish community together.
As reported in the Jewish Post about 18 months ago, Tzidon is originally from Moshav Ginaton in central Israel. She came to Winnipeg in 2018 with her parents Ofer – formerly regional manager for a car rental agency in Israel and now an RBC branch manager – and Sharon – an emotional therapist in Israel who is currently working as an educational assistant at Gray Academy – and three younger brothers.
The 20-year Gray Academy graduate has recently completed her third year in Science at the University of Manitoba. For the past three years, she has also been a member of Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin’s research team at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICS), researching the link between pregnancy complications and the risk for heart disease.
In November, 2024, Tzidon was presented with the Dr. James S. McGoey Student Award – based on the quality of her cardiovascular research at the ICS, which operates out of the St. Boniface Hospital campus’s Albrechchtsen Research Centre.
Tzidon’s fellow Youth Ambassador is Daniel Mejnov. He was born in Beersheva but moved to Winnipeg with his parents, Dennis and Victoria (and younger brother Alon) 14 years ago. He is currently enrolled in an IT program at the University of Winnipeg.
Mejnov welcomed all those in attendance at the celebration and thanked the volunteers who helped him and Tzidon organize the event.
“It has been great being able to bring so many people together,” he said. “This is a good way to unite our community.
Two other individuals of particular note that I spoke with at the event were Orit Agabayev and Alina Plis, partners in three year old A and O Event Décor, who provided the balloon arches and walls, table settings and centre pieces for the evening.
Agabayev is originally from Netanya and Plis is from Yeruham (in southern Israel). The latter has been here for 18 years and operates a daycare. The former came 16 years. Her principal career is working in the field of animal nutrition.
In an Instagram PosI from four years ago, Plis noted that “I have always been passionate about planning parties and events. I started out with planning big surprise birthday parties for my kids. Eventually I began planning and decorating events for family and friends. Now I am taking the next step with my friend, Orit, who shares the same level enthusiasm as me. What drives me to go above and beyond is simply the excitement my creations bring to those who see my work.
On Facebook, Agabayev added that “Alina and I are so excited to start A&O event decor. We both love decorating and planning different events. We hope that you can put your trust in us to create or decorate an event for you. We do Birthday parties, anniversaries, bachelor/bachelorette parties, proposals, weddings and more..
“Message us with your ideas to get a free quote and you’re one step closer to having an unforgettable event.”
