Local News
Jewish community welcomes Ben-Gurion University of the Negev medical students
By MYRON LOVE On October 6, Maya Weinrich, a third-year student at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev’s Medical School for International Health (MSIH), was preparing to go back to Beersheva after spending Sukkot with her family in Toronto.
Then the gates of hell flew open.
With all flights in and out of Israel temporarily grounded, Weinrich, and her sister student, Zoe Attal, who was similarly visiting family in Montreal, were stuck.
Fortunately, their home university was able to make arrangements with the University of Manitoba’s Rady College of medicine for the two of them to temporarily continue their studies in our community – and the two students are quite happy to be here.
They arrived here at the beginning of November and are pleased with the reception that they have received from our Jewish community. “We have been welcomed with open arms,” says Weinrich. “Everyone has been really helpful.”
While she is here, Affal is staying with Michael and Lauren Narvey while Weinrich’s temporary home is in an apartment belonging to a friend in Toronto.. As well, through the Narveys, Sam Vickar, the dealer principal at Vickar Community Chevrolet, has gifted the students a vehicle to share during their stay in Winnipeg.
“Sam has been a lifesaver for us,” Weinrich notes. With the vehicle, it makes it much easier for us to get around.”
Affal and Weinrich arrived at their current location by quite different routes The latter was born in Israel but grew up in Toronto.
“It is hard getting accepted into medical schools in Canada,” she notes. “So I applied to schools elsewhere and was accepted at MSIH. Thye school offers a specific medical program focusing on international health issues.”
While Affal’s mother is from Montreal, she was born and raised in Paris, where her French-born father is a radiologist. After graduating from high school, she chose to broaden her horizons by enrolling in Science at University College London.
“I wanted to improve my English,” she says. “I could have studied in the States, but the British universities are not as expensive.”
For her medical studies, she was accepted by both the University of Toronto and Ben-Gurion. She says that she chose the latter because it is closer to home.
Both young women started their studies at BGU in the fall of 2021. The classmates are doing their obstetrics and gynecology rotations here – a specialty that Weinrich says she is interested in pursuing – working at several different clinics around the city.
The two friends are scheduled to return to their home university to continue their rotations on December 17 and expect to graduate in the spring of 2025.
Weinrich says that she would like to return to Canada to practice after graduation.
Local News
Thank you to the community from the Chesed Shel Emes
We’re delighted to share a major milestone in our Capital Campaign, “Building on our Tradition.” Launched in November 2018, this campaign aimed to replace our outdated facility with a modern space tailored to our unique needs. Our new building is designed with ritual at its core, featuring ample preparation space, Shomer space, and storage, creating a warm and welcoming environment for our community during times of need.
We’re grateful to the nearly 1,000 generous donors who contributed over $4 million towards our new facility. A $750,000 mortgage will be retired in November 2025, completing this monumental project in just seven years.
We’re also thrilled to announce that our Chesed Shel Emes Endowment Fund has grown tenfold, from $15,000 to $150,000, thanks to you, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba’s FundMatch program, and Million Dollar Match initiative in 2024. Our fund helps ensure that everyone can have a dignified Jewish funeral regardless of financial need.
As we look to the future, our goal remains to ensure the Chevra Kadisha continues to serve our community for generations to come. Our focus now shifts to replenishing our savings account and growing our JFM Endowment fund.
We’re deeply grateful for your support over the past several years.
It’s our privilege to serve our community with care and compassion.
With sincere appreciation,
Campaign cabinet: Hillel Kravetsky, Gerry Pritchard, Stuart Pudavick,
Jack Solomon, and Rena Boroditsky
Murray S. Greenfield, President
Local News
Winnipeg Beach Synagogue about to celebrate 75th anniversary
By BERNIE BELLAN (July 13) In 1950 a group of cottage owners at Winnipeg Beach took it upon themselves to relocate a one-room schoolhouse that was in the Beausejour area to Winnipeg Beach where it became the beach synagogue at the corner of Hazel and Grove.
There it stayed until 1998 when it was moved to its current location at Camp Massad.
On August 2nd members of the synagogue will be holding a 75th anniversary celebration.
As part of the celebration anyone who is a descendant or relative of any of the original members of the first executive committee (as seen in the photo here) is invited to attend the synagogue that morning.
If you are a relative please contact Abe Borzykowski at wpgbeachshule@shaw.ca or aborzykowski@shaw.ca to let Abe know you might be attending or for more information about the 75th anniversary celebration.
We will soon be publishing a story about the history of the beach synagogue, which is something I’ve been writing about for over 25 years.
Local News
Vickar Family cuts ribbon on new Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre
By MYRON LOVE In the words of Larry Vickar, the Shaarey Zedek’s successful Dor V’ Dor Campaign “is not only a renewal of the synagogue but truly a renewal movement of Jewish life in our community.”An integral part of that renewal movement was the creation of a daycare centre within the expanded synagogue. On Monday, June 23, Larry and Tova Vickar cut the ribbon, thereby officially opening the Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre in the presence of 100 of their family members, friends and other supporters of the project.
The short program preceding the morning ribbon-cutting began with a continental breakfast followed by a welcome by both Fanny Levy, Shaarey Zedek’s Board President, and Executive Director Dr. Rena Secter Elbaze. In Elbaze’s remarks, she noted that Larry and Tova wanted their family (including son Stephen and family, who flew in from Florida) and friends at the event to celebrate the opening of the Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre, “not because of the accolades, but because, as Larry put it, he hopes that their investment in the congregation will inspire others to do the same.”
“When Larry and I spoke about what this gift meant to him and the message he wanted people to take away,” she continued, “I couldn’t help but connect it to the teachings of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi whose book – Age-ing to Sage-ing – changes the whole way we look at the concept of ageing and basing it on our ancestral teachings.”
She explained that his concept of “Sage-ing” is based on three key ideas – Discover your meaning and purpose; accept our mortality and think about the legacy you want to leave.
“Larry spoke about these exact concepts when we met,” she said.
Elbaze also noted the presence of Shaarey Zedek’s newly-arrived senior Rabbi Carnie Rose, former Rabbi Alan Green, and area MLAs Mike Moroz and Carla Compton.
Larry Vickar expressed his great appreciation for all those in attendance. “Tova and I are deeply moved to stand here with you today for this important milestone in our community”, he said. “We are grateful to be surrounded by all of you, the people we care about, our family and friends… you who have touched our lives and played some part in our journey.”