Local News
Jewish Child and Family Service stepping up to meet the needs of the neediest members of our community in this extraordinarily difficult time
By BERNIE BELLAN
With the Corona virus enveloping the entire world, and with seniors being among the most vulnerable members of our community, the agency whose mandate it is to provide social services to seniors in our community has been thrust into the role as the primary source of contact for many seniors – and others who rely upon social support.
Rather than being able to provide in person counseling and other services to its clientele, however, the Jewish Child and Family Service is front and centre among Jewish organizations in this city that have had to improvise how it provides its normal services.
According to Al Benarroch, Executive Director of JCFS, various staff members of JCFS have been working strenuously to try and assist in “reducing the social isolation of seniors” and other clients of JCFS who are finding themselves not only psychologically and physically isolated from the community, but often desperately in need of such things as groceries and prescription drugs.
“We’re checking in by phone for sure,” Benarroch said, “and where possible – electronically”, i.e., by computer.
“All of our staff are set up with Zoom, so they’re able to set up virtual appointments that way…With seniors we want to make sure that we’re reducing their sense of isolation. We want to make sure that they have essential services provided to them – particularly food and medications.”
In terms of how many clients JCFS is actually serving at this excruciatingly difficult time, Benarroch explained: “We’re prioritizing those that are at the highest risk for isolation. That would be our elderly. We deal with about 425-450 households in that category alone. We’re talking about 600-800 people. In that group we include our Holocaust survivors, our newcomer seniors; we have many seniors that are living with mental health issues.”
Benarroch added that “We have a lot of mental health clients who live in isolation; many of them are younger and can get out. However, this whole pandemic is going to impact them emotionally – with their anxiety. We’re checking in on them regularly – with those electronic meetings.”
Asked what JCFS is able to do in particular with respect to providing food for shut-ins, Benarroch elaborated, saying that “What we are able to do is help coordinate, make sure that we have food delivered to them. As an example, we had a client this morning who said: ‘I’m more than capable of getting out. I have some mobility issues. I can get to the grocery store through handi-transit, but I need to get home – and they won’t wait.’
“So we were able to coordinate a taxi for them to get back home. We can do this on a case by case basis. In most cases we want to follow all of the protocols in insuring that people stay socially distant, where possible stay at home.
“We have a driver right now who’s taking orders from clients for groceries. We’re placing them on line. We’re arranging pick-up and we’re dropping them off in a no-contact drop off for them, and we’re working out an invoicing system where clients will be invoiced by the agency for reimbursement.
“Certain pharmacies are still delivering, certain grocery stores have actually added delivery as an option. We’re trying to take every precaution to make sure that everyone stays safe, but everyone has what they need.”
Benarroch also cited the JCFS’s child welfare program as another facet of the agency’s mandate to provide specific services that is receiving priority attention: “It’s interesting because it’s a legally mandated service to make sure children are safe in their homes or where they’re living – that is the one program that often requires direct contact. Again though, there are government protocols how you deal with that.”
I asked Benarroch whether “you’re fielding an increase in requests for help from people who ordinarily wouldn’t be contacting you?”
He replied: “It’s too early right now to tell. We’re preparing for it in terms of whether there are more financial needs for people, whether there are more requests for accessing – for getting vital services to them. That’s why we’re one agency that has not laid people off. It’s actually very interesting to see how much we’re able to do remotely. It’s quite amazing.”
Looking ahead, Benarroch predicted that “the clients who are on our caseload are going to be receiving more check-ins than when we did face to face.
“Once we get our Passover hampers out – which is happening over the next two weeks, we’re also planning to have our volunteer coordinators do more. We’re planning on doing more of a community response to isolated seniors so that (while now) they may get one or two calls a week – “at minimum,” he explained, “one call a week from their social worker – we’re hoping that they may get one or more calls a week from the same volunteer. That will be more of a social call: ‘Hi, how are you? Would you like to have a conversation about something in the newspaper? Tell me about when you were younger…’ – things that will keep people engaged.”
Asked whether JCFS has sufficient volunteers at the present time, Benarroch stated that “We’re fielding lots of requests. We have our core volunteers, but I think we’re a very giving community. I’ve been getting lots of requests: ‘What can I give? What can I do? Is there a way I can help?’
“You know, I’ve been fielding four or five emails a day – that’s just me, from individuals saying: ‘Al, is there anything we can do?’ I just got an email from Temple Shalom saying ‘Our congregation wants to do something. What can we do?’”
“The safest thing we can do is have people make phone calls, so we’re starting to coordinate those efforts.”
(Ed. note: A day after I conducted the interview with Al Bennaroch I was contacted by a representative of the Jewish Federation who informed me that the Federation is also now in the process of organizing volunteers who can call isolated members of the community. visit the Federation website.)
At that point in our conversation I digressed into something a little more esoteric, but given Al Benarroch’s own background as an observant Jew, I thought it would be somewhat interesting for him, which was to discuss how you could say kaddish if you aren’t part of a minyan. (For more on this turn to an article on page 20 .)
Benarroch noted that a recent rabbinical ordination came out from some of “the muckety muck Sephardic rabbis in Jerusalem that said for the purposes of the seder you can bring on your elderly loved one remotely – and use the computer – under certain circumstances, so you can Zoom them into a meeting – or use something like Facetime.”
I also noted that I had been emailing with Becky Chisick (executive director of the Gwen Secter Centre) about Meals on Wheels – but that I had discovered it’s quite a bit of a rigmarole to start getting them (at least a two week wait time).
Benarroch responded that “it’s not our program, but I commend Becky for stepping up some of those opportunities to do that,” adding that “Schmoozers is still providing meals. I have seen some people come in to the building and take out.”
Local News
Simkin Stroll founder Bill Brownstone honoured prior to this year’s stroll
By BERNIE BELLAN (Photos courtesy of Keith Levit) On Thursday, June 12, the Simkin Centre held its 13th annual Simkin Stroll.
Over the years the Simkin Stroll has grown into a huge event incorporating entertainment, food, children’s activities, a silent auction and, of course, the actual stroll itself, which sees residents accompanied by friends, family members, or Simkin Centre staff members walking – or being pushed in wheelchairs around the beautiful LInden Ridge neighbourhood.
This year marked a special occasion as the individual, Bill Brownstone, who actually came up with the idea for the Simkin Stroll, was honoured in a ceremony held in the adult day program lounge prior to the stroll.
In the past, Brownstone has served on the Simkin Centre board, also as interim Chair for a time.
We were able to catch up with Brownstone before he was honoured to ask him how he came up with the idea for the stroll.
“I came up with the idea (in 2011) because I had friends at the Baycrest in Toronto,” he said. “They had what they called the ‘board walk’ where members of the board would walk to raise money. And when they raise money in Toronto – they raise money!
“So the first year (which would have been 2012) I came up with the idea for people walking. That first year we had about four people walking.
“The next year I came up with the idea for the ‘Simkin Stroll’ – and boom, we had walkers and it began to take off.
I said that I remembered Murray Gilfix was always manning a barbeque in those early years.
“There was no barbeque that first year” of the Simkin Stroll, Bill clarified. The barbeque came later. The past couple of years the barbeque has been replaced by volunteers and Simkin staff serving food indoors as the number of people attending would have led poor Murray to be overwhelmed for sure.
At the ceremony in which Bill Brownstone was honoured with what Rabbi Matthew Leibl said was the Simkin Centre’s inaugural “community leadership honour,” Rabbi Leibl paid tribute to Bill Brownstone’s ongoing dedication to the Simkin Centre. “What began as his vision to raise vital community funds has blossomed over the past 13 years to become a joyful, vibrant, and popular event,” Rabbi Leibl said.
“This event connects residents, family, staff, and the broader community in support of a place we all hold dear. Bill’s contributions have enriched the lives of so many and his legacy of compassion and community spirit is deeply felt. As such, it is only fitting that he is the first recipient of our first community leadership honour.”
Rabbi Leibl also acknowledged Bill’s wife Fay, and his children, Rob, Gary, Lisa, and Andrea.
“The Brownstone children in particular have each contributed generously and creatively this year in honour of their dad,” Rabbi Leibl noted.
This year’s Simkin Stroll ended up setting a new record for fundraising with over $100,000 raised – both through donations and the silent auction. Thanks were also issued to two major sponsors of the event: The Asper Foundation and Ellery Broder.
Funds raised will go to support recreation and quality-of-life programming.
Past Chairs of the Simkin Centre Board
(Sitting:) Bill Brownstone & Gordon Pullan
Standing (l-r): Jonathan Kroft, Ted Lyons, Saul Greenbeg, Selma Gilfix, Avrum Senensky, Gerry Kaplan, Al Benarroch
Local News
Shaarey Zedek Sisterhood 60th anniversary interfaith luncheon
By MYRON LOVE On Wednesday, May 28, the Shaarey Zedek Sisterhood hosted its 60th annual interfaith luncheon – with 170 supporters on hand to break bread together, celebrate the Sisterhood’s 95th year in operation – in addition to the luncheon’s diamond anniversary, and enjoy an inspiring presentation by Indigenous business leader and consultant Lisa Lewis, who spoke about the kinship between her people and ours.
The program began with greetings from Lieutenant-Governor Anita Neville and Gail Asper, representing the Shaarey Zedek’s Board of Directors. Asper – the consummate community volunteer – spoke of the importance and benefits of the satisfaction gained from being a volunteer, as well as the important role that the Sisterhood has played in the life of our Jewish community’s oldest and largest congregation – a subject that was subsequently expanded upon by Marisa Hochman – one of the Sisterhood’s three co-presidents (along with Sandy Polanski and Louise Raber).
(Hochman and Raber also co–chaired the luncheon, along with Amy Karlinsky.)
“Our tradition teaches that it is important for us to be part of a community,” Hochman noted in her remarks. “Our Torah teaches that, while G-d is one, it is not good for man to be alone.”
She emphasized the importance in Judaism of balance and harmony as reflected in our rituals and observances – lighting two Shabbat candles, for example, the Commandments being written on two tablets, and in bringing together the four species of plants for the celebration of Sukkot.
“The mitzvah (of the four species),” Hochmanpointed out, ‘is not complete until all four of the elements are brought together – symbolizing that it takes many kinds of people to make a world – and that each of us brings something special to the table. It is only when all of us are working together that we are complete.”
Hochman provided a sampling of some of the ways that the Sisterhood contributes to its members, the synagogue and the wider community: the book club, the tallit-weaving program, monetary donations to the synagogue, support for theological seminaries and other Jewish educational institutions, and Jewish Child and Family Service.
“To me,” she added, “Sisterhood is friendship, community, the power of women working together to create, build and share and the passing on of wisdom and traditions – L’dor V’dor – from generation to generation.
“It is multigenerational, with members ranging in age from 16 into their 90s. A common thread that binds our members is that no matter their age or life circumstances, they are vibrant and engaged with the world around them. They love to learn and help others. They each contain a spark that illuminates.
“Like the glow of the Shabbat candles, we know that, together, we can bring more light and goodness into the world. Together, we definitely shine brighter than we do on our own.”
Following a delicious Shaarey Zedek lunch – salad, party sandwiches and dessert, keynote speaker Lisa Lewis stepped up the microphone. The speaker is a successful business woman, having started “Beyond Excellence Creative Consulting,” which provides tailor-made training and management assistance to a wide range of organizations.
Local News
Shindico celebrates 50th anniversary
(June 11, 2025) Shindico, one of Canada’s leading real estate firms, celebrated its 50th anniversary in typically understated style today. Instead of a lavish banquet in a swank hotel, over 200 Winnipeggers of different stripes gathered in a huge warehouse in St. Boniface to enjoy a variety of different foods served from different food trucks that had been brought onto the parking lot for the occasion in a carnival like atmosphere.
There were no long speeches marking the event. Instead Shindico staff mingled with guests and even the top bosses stood in line to order Philly steaks, french fries, cotton candy, popcorn, drinks, and sundry other food items. And, instead of the kind of swag typically given out at fancy celebrations guests were given simple hats saying “Shindico 50th anniversary.”
That’s the Shindico style we’ve come to expect of Shindico’s founders, Sandy & Robert Shindleman, who are known for understatement in their style of clothing – jeans and work shirts being what they are best known for wearing!
And, if you haven’t already read our story about how Sandy Shindleman came to found Shindico with his brother, Robert, you can read it here: The Sandy Shindleman story.
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