Local News
Jewish Federation to provide emergency assistance for organizations – but why?
By BERNIE BELLAN A story in the Monday, April 27 issue of the Free Press says that the Jewish Federation has launched an emergency fund for organizations that have taken a financial hit as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But there are many questions raised by what the Jewish Federation is doing, foremost among which is: Why?
As well, without any clear goals in mind, just what is the game plan for the Federation?
The Free Press article says that “About 30 Jewish organizations that have taken a financial hit because of the novel coronavirus will be able to access a relief fund set up by the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg.”
Thirty Jewish organizations have taken a financial hit? Are there even that many in Winnipeg? I sure don’t see it, unless you count organizations that maintain chapters here, such as Hadassah, National Council of Jewish Women, etc.
But Jewish organizations that maintain offices and might have been affected financially by the coronavirus? Thirty? Come on.
We’ve contacted several organizations, including the major synagogues in Winnipeg, and none of the ones which responded (three out of four) said they they had asked for any financial help. On top of that, the Jewish Foundation has been sending out cheques to various organizations that didn’t even ask for them.
Here is an excerpt from the text of an email sent by the Jewish Foundation to various Winnipeg Jewish organizations:
“…To offer our support during this critical time, emergency funding has now been distributed to every one of our Jewish community organizations.”
Again, one might ask: Why send out cheques when you haven’t even been asked for them?
As for Jewish organizations needing help, there are two in unique situations: The Rady JCC and the Gwen Secter Centre.
The Rady JCC has taken a huge financial hit as a result of the cancellation of programs. Rob Berkowits, Executive Director of the Rady JCC, told me weeks ago that in the first few days following the closure of the Rady JCC, staff in the finance department had processed 1900 refunds, including refunds for memberships, programs, and the day camps. On top of that the cancellation of the sports dinner will also be a heavy financial blow to the Rady JCC.
The Gwen Secter Centre is in a different situation from every other organization. With a minuscule staff it has been turning out a huge number of meals for seniors who have found themselves confined to their homes – and were unable to access Meals on Wheels (which stopped taking new applicants shortly after the province went into lockdown mode).
So, when we read on another website that Joel Lazer, President of the Jewish Federation, says that “At the moment there is no goal (for this emergency funding campaign). We know there will be needs. We just don’t know how much…Almost no one has a need for funding today…” – one wonders: Just what prompted this emergency campaign – and how much will it cut into the upcoming Combined Jewish Appeal campaign?
We posed some questions to Elaine Goldstine, CEO of the Jewish Federation. Following are the questions and Elaine’s answers:
JP&N: Why do any organizations need emergency funding at this point – other than perhaps Gwen Secter, which is providing meals gratis to seniors?
Elaine: Though we cannot know with certainty the course of this pandemic, it is clear that the needs will evolve and grow in the coming weeks and months. Once we begin receiving applications for funding, we will have a good sense of what the financial needs of our community are and will be able to set a goal. Even after the pandemic is over, there may be after effects that are hard to forecast. We are helping them prepare for all possible scenarios by raising money .
JP&N: Shouldn’t all the other organizations have sufficient funding from allocations they received for the 2019-20 year?
Elaine: We are still sending allocations cheques, but with regard to their specific situation you would have to ask the agencies. Some agencies have had additional expenses due to COVID-19 but may not have applied for new funds yet.
(Ed. note: So, they may have had additional expenses, but they haven’t applied for funds. Then, how do you know they have additional expenses?)
JP&N: I can see synagogues being in trouble meeting expenses such as general upkeep. Are those the organizations that are being helped?
Elaine: All Jewish organizations in Winnipeg are eligible to receive funds from this campaign, including synagogues. All funds raised will remain in Winnipeg.
(Ed. note: It is not clear whether any synagogues asked for any help. I heard from three of them – Shaarey Zedek, Temple Shalom, and Adas Yeshurun-Herzlia. None of them had asked for help nor did they say they needed financial assistance. Despite several emails sent to Jonathan Buchwald, Executive Director of Etz Chayim Congregation, I did not receive a response.)
Later, in a phone conversation I had with Elaine Goldstine, I asked her whether any Israel-based organizations would be eligible for this emergency financial assistance. She said they would, “so long as the money remained in Canada”. I can think of only two organizations that might qualify: The Jewish National Fund and Canadian Associates of Ben Gurion University. But what help would they need other than paying rent, perhaps? I suppose the JNF is in a bad spot as a result of the cancellation of the Negev Gala, so maybe they’re in need of help, but other than payroll for staff and rent for the office, what expenses would they incur? The money they raise is intended to go to Israel, so the impact of the cancellation of the Negev Gala will be felt most strongly in Israel, not in Winnipeg.
The organizations that are housed at the Asper Campus may be in a bit of a bind when it comes to paying rent to the campus. I can see BB Camp and Camp Massad being in that situation with the summer camp programs likely canceled. But, other than that, it will be staff personnel that will be affected by the cancellation of programs – and they will all be eligible for government assistance of different sorts. And we have heard that the Asper Campus is showing flexibility with its tenants.
Again, this emergency funding seems to have been put together without much planning aforethought. Yes, there are Jewish organizations all over North America that are bleeding heavily as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. (See article elsewhere on this website at jewishpostandnews.ca/final/8-features/422-jewish-nonprofits-are-struggling-how-should-donors-try-to-rescue-them .)
But, here in Winnipeg that doesn’t seem to be the case. Other than the Rady JCC, which laid off 160 staff in the middle of March (then brought back 30 to staff the day care at the campus), there isn’t a single Jewish organization that’s laid off any staff.
So – where’s the emergency? The Jewish Federation and the Jewish Foundation both want to be seen as pro active – and one can understand their motivation. But, if they hadn’t been asked for financial assistance, then why offer it?
Local News
March of the Living 2023 participants form Taste of Hope project to help honour the memory of Holocaust survivor Alex Buckman
By BERNIE BELLAN The March of the Living is an annual two-week international educational program that brings thousands of students and adults to Poland and Israel to study the Holocaust, Jewish history, and the rise of the State of Israel. Founded in 1988, it features a 3-kilometer silent walk from Auschwitz to Birkenau on Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day).
Attendees on the march are accompanied by adults, some of whom themselves have been Holocaust survivors.
Following the week in Poland, participants travel to Israel to observe Yom HaZikaron (Israel’s Memorial Day) and celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel’s Independence Day), marking a journey from darkness to life.
For many years the coordinator of the march in Winnipeg was Roberta Malam, working on behalf of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg. More recently Abby Flackman filled that role, and now the person in charge is Lindsey Kerr.
Since its inception 37 years ago the March of the Living has become a rite of passage for many young Winnipeg Jews who have been able to participate as an organized group from Winnipeg and combine visits to the death camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland with the subsequent trip to Israel.
Then – the Covid pandemic hit – in 2020, and the March of the Living was put on hold for two years – in 2020 and 2021.
In 2022, the March of the Living resumed, but there was no organized contingent from Winnipeg participating. (There may have been some Winnipeggers who did go on the march that year, but if there were any they would have been part of a general Canadian group since there was no Winnipeg coordinator that year.)
In 2023, however, once again a very large contingent of young Canadian Jews – 51 altogether, of whom approximately two-thirds were from Winnipeg, went on that year’s March of the Living. That particular march was memorable for many reasons, including the fact it was the last full march since 2019 and was to remain the last march to have an organized Winnipeg contingent in the past six years as the years 2024 and 2025 were interrupted by the war in Gaza. (There were smaller marches held in 2024 and 2025, but again there was no organized contingent from Winnipeg.)
Recently, we were contacted by one of the participants of that 2023 march, Ethan Levene, who asked us whether we’d be interested in running what turned out be a very poignant story about one particular aspect of that 2023 March of the Living.
Here is what Ethan wrote:
“In April 2023, the Coast to Coast Canadian delegation of March of the Living was privileged to travel with Holocaust survivor Alex Buckman (z”l). March of the Living is a Holocaust education trip that allows participants to visit and bear witness to the sites of the Holocaust. Unfortunately, while sharing his story in Poland, Alex passed away. However, the impact he left on us students was immeasurable.
“While speaking to us in Warsaw, Alex told us the story of his Aunt Becky’s gâteau à l’orange (orange cake). While in Ravensbruck concentration camp, his aunt managed to write down this recipe. After his parents’ murder, his Aunt Becky went on to raise Alex after surviving. In addition to sharing his story, Alex tasked us with baking the cake with family and friends.
“Out of this, a group of alumni from our trip have created this project: ‘A Taste of Hope.’ On February 1st, university students from over 5 universities across Canada will come together to bake the gâteau à l’orange and hear Alex’s story. Proceeds from the event and this fundraising page will support the World Federation of Jewish Holocaust Survivors and Descendants. Alex was heavily involved with this organization, whose mission is to both create community for Holocaust survivors and their descendants and educate about the Holocaust to help fight against antisemitism and all forms of bigotry and hate.
“Here is information from our fundraising page for the event – ‘A Taste of Hope’: Fundraising for A Taste of Hope.
Ethan added that “it’s completely student led, all by alumni from our 2023 trip attending university at these various locations across Canada; Winnipeg, London, Kingston, Montreal.”
He also added: “Follow us on instagram@tastehope.“
Here is a link to a CBC story about Alex Buckman: Alex Buckman story
In a subsequent email Ethan gave the names of Winnipeggers who are involved in A Taste of Hope: Ethan Levene (studies at McGill), Zahra Slutchuk, Alex Stoller (studies at Queens), Coby Samphir, Izzy Silver (studies at Waterloo).
He also added names of others who are involved in the project: Jessie Ages, Anneke Goodwin, Lilah Silver, Ella Pertman, Ellie Vogel, and Talia Cherun.
To find out more about March of the Living in Winnipeg go to: March of the Living
Local News
Young Researcher Eryn Kirshenbaum 2025 recipient of the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences prestigious Dr. T. Edward Cuddy Award
By MYRON LOVE Fifth year University of Manitoba Faculty of Sciences Microbiology student Eryn Kirshenbaum is this year’s recipient of the Dr. T. Edward Cuddy Student Award in recognition of her excellence in research under the supervision of Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin, Assistant Professor of Physiology and Pathophysiology, University of Manitoba and Principle Investigator in Women’s Heart Health Research at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences at the St. Boniface Hospital Albrechtsen Research Centre.
When asked for her reaction to learning she was the 2025 recipient of the student award, Kirshenbaum says “I was so honoured, humbled and excited to have been nominated and then chosen as the recipient out of many well deserving students.”
Rabinovich-Nikitin, Kirshenbaum’s mentor, says “This is Eryn’s third year working in my lab and I am incredibly proud of her for winning the Dr. T. Edward Cuddy Research Award.” She adds: “It is a truly deserved honour. Since joining my laboratory in 2023, Eryn has shown an exceptional combination of technical skill, intellectual curiosity, and professional maturity, becoming an integral contributor to our research on women’s heart health, an area of growing scientific importance that demands both rigorous methodology and a strong understanding of sex-based differences in heart disease.
“Not only has Eryn provided invaluable experimental support, but she has also taken on a leadership role in training new students and has demonstrated a strong commitment to collaboration and mentorship.”
In return, Kirshenbaum notes that she has “learned a lot from Dr. Rabinovich-Nikitin. She is a great mentor and I look forward to learning and growing even more under her leadership”.
The T. Edward Cuddy Award is one of 12 awards presented annually by the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences in partnership with the University of Manitoba.
The 27th Annual Institute of Cardiovascular Naranjan Dhalla Awards were held on December 2nd and 3rd as part of a two-day conference comprised of a scientific forum and awards ceremony. The awards celebrate the leadership of individuals who have profoundly influenced the advancement of cardiovascular research, medicine and health education, including, in previous years, Nobel Prize winners and Gairdner Award Scholars. The Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences Gold Medal was awarded to Dr. Stanley Nattel, Director of the Montreal Heart Institute for his outstanding contributions to advancements in cardiac arrythmias and patient care.
Eryn Kirshenbaum, the daughter of Barry and Kim Kirshenbaum, says she was always interested in understanding the functioning’s of the human body, in particular the heart, which has fit with her desire to pursue a career in medicine and possibly continued heart health research.
A graduate of the Hebrew Bilingual program at Brock Corydon Elementary School, Ecole River Heights, and Kelvin High School French Immersion, Eryn says that she has always been interested in science, particularly cardiology. She reports that she has assisted as co-author on 5 research papers, including one where she was the primary author, focusing on women’s heart health and how heart disease affects women differently than men. That paper also investigated the connection between disrupted circadian rhythms and heart disease, specifically related to individuals with irregular sleep patterns, such as shift workers.
Eryn notes that, in addition to her university studies and research activities, she works part time as a Medical First Responder with St. John Ambulance – an activity which complements her medical research. “With St. John Ambulance, I have had calls dealing with the early stages of heart attacks and strokes as well as basic first aid,” she notes.
Readers might also run into Eryn at many Jewish celebrations such as Yom Ha’atzmaut, where she helps her dad with the family entertainment business.
While her ultimate goal, she says, is to practice medicine, she adds that she is really enjoying doing research.
Local News
Young entrepreneur Noah Palansky and partner Jordan Davis are the first Winnipeggers to crack Forbes Magazine’s “top 30 Under 30” list
By MYRON LOVE From a very young age, Noah Palansky has demonstrated initiative and leadership. I first met and interviewed Palansky in 2011 at a low point in his life. His mother, Naomi Palansky, had sadly passed away at a young age. The then 12-year-old channeled his mourning into action. With his younger sister, Lexi, by his side – and the support of his father, Bruce – the preteen entered a team in the annual CancerCare Manitoba Foundation Challenge for Life. For the next few years, Palansky’s teams – under the banner, “Kids Count” – raised thousands of dollars for cancer researched.
Fast forward to 2019. Palansky was by then a young adult with a new initiative. The year before, he and a couple of friends had entered a potential business proposal in a competition sponsored by Winnipeg-based North Forge, Canada’s only start up incubator and fabrication lab, and won the top prize.
In that 2019 story, the young entrepreneur recalled how he came up with idea for his new business – TAIV (the AI stands for artificial intelligence). In the spring of 2018, he recounted, at the height of the Winnipeg Jets playoff run, he and his girlfriend were watching the game on a big screen while having drinks in a restaurant when an ad appeared onscreen promoting a rival restaurant and advertising the same drink he was imbibing – at a lower price.
“That ad gave me the germ of an idea,” he said in that earlier interview. “I immediately spoke to the restaurant manager and asked how he felt about the ad,” he recalls. “He was not pleased.”
That germ of an idea has developed into a highly successful new business venture. The idea that was put into practice has landed Palansky and his partner, Jordan Davis, on Forbes Magazine’s 30 Under 30 list in the Marketing and Advertising category. The duo are the first Winnipeg-based entrepreneurs to have received this honour.
“It came as a complete surprise,” Palansky responds. “We had no advance notice that we were even being considered for this recognition.”
Since TAIV officially launched in 2021, the company – still based in Winnipeg – has grown to a workforce of about 80 – most of whom are based here. Palansky notes that TAIV also has sales offices in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.
In the past four years, TAIV has built a presence in nearly 5,000 venues across the United States. The company works with brands like Coke, Pepsi, Netflix, T-Mobile, FanDuel, Fox, and United Airlines.
“The way this works,” Palansky explained to this writer in 2019, “ is that if you are in Boston Pizza, for example, watching a Jets game and a commercial comes on, our software will switch the commercial to an ad for Boston Pizza.
“We make a little box that sits between your cable box and the TV. Our box can detect when a commercial is coming on and switch the ad out for one promoting the restaurant or store the box is in.”
For larger enterprises, Palansky notes, TAIV produces a web app that allows the company to switch its own in-house ads for the ads that would be appearing on screen.
In a statement by North Force celebrating Palansky and Davis’ achievement, Palansky is quoted as saying that “the Forbes achievement offered a rare moment to pause and reflect.
“There are very few moments where a third party reaches out and says, ‘We’ve noticed what you did, and we think it’s awesome.’ This felt like one of those rare moments.”
The North Forge report also sees the recognition as a win for the community.
“I wish we had more Winnipeg entrepreneurs on the global stage because it’s really good for the local ecosystem,” Palansky is quoted as saying. “I’m trying to do what I can to help others get off the ground.”
Palansky and Davis are looking forward to going to Phoenix in April for the official presentation.
He adds that TAIV continues expanding across North America, strengthening partnerships, and onboarding advertisers as the network grows. For local venues or businesses interested in installing TAIV or exploring advertising opportunities, the company welcomes inquiries at hello@taiv.tv.