Local News
Jewish Foundation luncheon hears inspiring story from Canadian entrepreneur and philanthropist Jim Estill
By BERNIE BELLAN Half a day after the Jewish National Fund held its Negev Gala in the Winnipeg Convention Centre, that same venue was the scene of another Jewish organization’s event: The Jewish Foundation Luncheon in support of the Women’s Endowment fund.
The guest speaker at this event was someone whose name was probably not too familiar to most of those in attendance as, notwithstanding the fact that he has been an extremely successful businessman, Jim Estill has preferred to keep a low profile for most of his life.
But, as he told the noontime audience, Jim Estill is someone who discovered “the secret to happiness” somewhat later in life. That secret, he explained, comes not from having great monetary wealth, which he did accumulate by the way, it comes from the satisfaction accrued from giving away most of what he earns each year.
As a leaflet distributed by the Jewish Foundation some months back explained – and which Estill expounded upon during his speech, “in 2015, Jim saw stories of war-torn Syria that left him heartbroken—and spurred him to take action. The stories he heard inspired him to lead sponsorship efforts that resulted in settlement of over 90 refugee families in Guelph, Ontario.
“Jim’s initiative laid the groundwork for longer-term independence for these families through employment with his company, English language training, access to furniture, banks, and other support services.
“He did not just coordinate these plans. He also funded them, with an initial investment of over $1.5 million.
“Since then, his programs have flourished, creating opportunities for hundreds of families worldwide to come to Canada and find success in their new homes. Many people who Jim has helped still work with him today.”
Estill’s story how he came to be a very successful entrepreneur was a familiar one. While still in university he bought his very first computer, but he didn’t just buy one; he bought two – and, as you might expect, he sold the second one for a profit.
He eventually parlayed that experience into starting his own successful business – many times. Estill either started many successful companies on his own or was a seed investor in over 150 other companies, including Research in Motion, which produced the Blackberry.
While Estill was in semi-retirement mode, in 2015 he was lured back into running a company called Danby Enterprises in Guelph, Ontario.
That same year though, Estill told the audience, he heard a lecture by a rabbi who had survived the Holocaust that really resonated with him. That rabbi had said: “The regrets in life are the things you did not do.”
It was also in 2015 that the Canadian government announced that it was going to allow 25,000 Syrian refugees into the country. Estill said that, like so many other people, he had seen that heart-rending story of the little boy found dead on a beach in Turkey after his family had tried to flee from the Syrian civil war.
His life changed from that point, he explained: “I had everything on paper that anyone could want, but I was unhappy. I have an eccentric view of wealth. I decided every year I would give away everything I didn’t need to have a minimal level of security. You want to have a certain amount of money, sure, but I would go out for lunch with billionaires and say to them: ‘I’m as wealthy as you are’ ” because, for Jim Estill, wealth came to mean something else entirely.
He plunged into what eventually became a huge operation, which was not only to bring in those 90 Syrian refugee families, but to give them jobs (in Danby Enterprises), along with a place to live, clothes, etc.
The fact that Estill became so deeply involved in helping refugees was more than a little incongruous, he also explained, because, growing up in the small Ontario town of Woodstock, Estill said, “I didn’t’ like refugees.”
Why? Because one time his father billeted two Ugandan refugees who had fled the Idi Amin regime (Remember Amin and the raid on Enebbe?) “Those two refugees took my bedroom!” Estill recalled.
Still – and it’s hard to know how long Estill harboured a grudge against refugees, he certainly came full circle, to the point where, as noted, he actually put up $1.5 million of his own money to help those Syrian refugees.
More than just helping refugees though, what Estill was also very good at, he said to the audience, was getting “an outsize amount of press,” which led to even more people joining in the move to help refugees – and not just Syrian refugees.
Eventually his organization in Guelph grew to 800 volunteers, but only one and a half paid staff, so you can well understand the effect that having such a dynamic individual championing an altruistic cause can have.
Yet, as I sat and listened to Estill’s story I kept wondering: His story is so reminiscent of someone in our very own Jewish community here who has done much the same thing as Estill: Michel Aziza, who was one of the original stalwarts behind the creation of Operation Ezra, which has played a pivotal role in helping Yazidi refugees.
Aziza also had a successful business career, but for years now he has been devoting much of his time to continuing in the effort to help Yazidis who have made it to Manitoba. Michel is probably too modest to want to get up in front of an audience and tell his story the same way Jim Estill did, but some day he deserves to be suitably recognized.
Local News
The Jewish Post Ltd. launches new website for food lovers
By BERNIE BELLAN Three months ago I wrote a story about something my daughter, Shira, had started doing on social media that had proved to be wildly successful – much to her own surprise. That story was titled: Local foodie finds fame by trying foods on Facebook Marketplace
What Shira was doing was going on to Facebook Marketplace and trying different foods that she was able to buy from local vendors. She often didn’t know what the heck it was she was ordering, but each time she would get a new food she would film herself reacting to that food.
The results have been consistently entertaining – often hilarious, to the point where Shira now has over 10,300 followers on Instagram, as well as on Facebook, TikTok, and Youtube. (You can find her Instagram page at Winnipeg Marketplace Food Finds.)
I suggested to Shira that she ought to parlay the success she’s found by posting on social media into a further venture: creating a website that would give wider exposure to the food vendors whose food Shira liked the most.
As a result, Shira and I teamed up with the marvellous web designer whose name is Mario Lacunza who is responsible for the design of jewishpostandnews.ca -to create a brand new website called Winnipeg Marketplace Food Finds.
On that website you will find pictures of some of the most popular foods Shira has tried from Marketplace, along with links to the original Instagram posts where she reviewed those foods – and links that will take you directly to the vendors’ Facebook pages.
There are so many brilliantly creative people selling food on Marketplace and Shira’s social media posts have brought many of them a lot of new business. Our hope is that our new website will bring them even more business.
The website will also offer stories about food from a variety of sources. So, take a look at the new site and be amazed at the originality of the foods being produced on Facebook Marketplace.
Local News
UNVEILING for the headstone of Dr. Velimir Kon (Sept. 18, 1950-June 27, 2025)
A true mensch and person of many talents and profoundness, Dr. Velimir (Shlomo) Kon is deeply missed and loved by his family and friends.
Known for his warmth, kindness, integrity and love of learning and teaching, Velimir continues to inspire all who knew him and his memory warms our hearts and souls. Velimir is deeply missed.
You are invited to helps us remember and honour our beloved husband and father who passed away almost a year ago.
We, Branka, Deborah and Lea Kon, wish to inform our relatives and friends of the unveiling of a headstone dedicated to his loving memory on FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2026 at 11:00am at the HEBREW SICK CEMETERY (2605 McPhillips Street) followed by lunch at the Chabad Lubavitch of Winnipeg – Jewish Learning Centre (1845 Mathers Avenue). Please come say a l’chaim in his honour.
In Memoriam
1st Yahrzeit
In loving memory of Dr. Velimir (Shlomo) Kon who passed away June 27, 2025, 12 Days in Tammuz.
⁃ Forever and deeply loved and missed by his wife of over 50 years, Branka, and daughters Deborah and Lea Kon. Velimir brought joy to our lives with his boundless kindness and gentleness, irrepressible humour, great intellect and love of people, tikun olam and Judaism.
Not a day goes by that we do not mention Velimir and feel his presence with us. Our lives are not the same without him and we deeply miss and cherish him. We can never forget his presence that was larger than life, yet also his humility and thoughtfulness.
A gentleman to the very core, Velimir was respected as a scientist, academic, professor, researcher, and later as a teacher and mentor. He always endeavoured to make every place he worked and lived at better and was able to bridge many cultures. He was Abraham of his generation and made many personal sacrifices; giving up status, position and privilege in order for his family to have a better and peaceful future.
May his memory always be a blessing. He left us at only 74 years young and we wish we had had more time together. Indeed, to know him was to love him.
Local News
Younger Jewish talents continue to shine in their respective categories at annual Winnipeg Music Festival
By MYRON LOVE A number of younger members of our community were repeat stars at the most recent (108th annual) Winnipeg Music Festival – which takes place annually in March. Among the repeat Jewish singers and musicians in the ranks of high achievers this year were” Yale Rayburn-Vander Hout, Gregory Hyman, Alex Schaeffer, Juliet Eskin, Noah Kravetsky, and Lyla Chisick.
Vocalist Yale Rayburn-Vander Hout, the oldest of this year’s group of Jewish repeat winners, was competing in his fifth straight festival, where he continued to build on his accomplishments in previous festivals. This year, the 20-year-old son of Samantha and Peter finished first in two musical theatre categories – songs from musical theatre productions between 1965 and 1999, and shows from the past 26 years. Yale sang “I’m Allergic to Cats,” from the 2016 musical “The Theory of Relativity,” and “Suppertime,” from the 1967 musical, “You’re a Good man, Charlie Brown.”
The former Gray Academy student is currently enrolled at the University of Manitoba’s Desautels Faculty of Music in the Choral program. Yale says that he is hoping to get into the performance track in the fall with the goal of earning a degree in Classical Voice Performance en route to pursuing a career in musical theatre.
As reported previously, Gregory Hyman is a multi-faceted artist who can do it all. The 18-year-old son of Hartley and Rishona Hyman is a singer/songwriter/musician (guitar) who records and performs under the stage name, GMH. His versatility shone through once again in his eighth Music Festival, in which he registered first-place finishes for vocal performances in both “Popular and Contemporary Music” and “TV and Movie Music “categories.
Gregory notes that he was also recommended to compete in the provincial finals in June. The St. John’s-Ravenscourt student (and soon-to be) graduate continues to be busy on stage. In January, he headlined a sold out solo show at Sidestage on Osborne featuring some of his new material. In March, he released an album of his newest songs. Readers can check out his latest compositions on any of the music streaming platforms as well as his own social media (thegmh) on Instagram.
Gregory also continues to host his own podcast: “Talk and Rock with GMH – now in its fifth season – in which he interviews various people in the music business across Canada.
While Gregory says that a musical career is his “dream,” he reports that he is hedging his bets and considering different potential career opportunities. Come September, he will be enrolled at the University of Manitoba in a University One program, which will allow him to select from a variety of courses that can count toward a degree.
Sixteen-year-old Alex Schaeffer won first place this year in the “Musicals Prior to 1965, 16 Years and Under” category with “Try Me” from “She Loves Me,” and was runner-up in the “Musicals 1965 to 1999, 16 Years and Under” category with “On My Own,” from “Les Misérables.” For the son of Marc Schaeffer and Kae Sasaki, this was his fifth year competing in the festival.
The Grant Park High School student made his big stage debut three years ago as Kurt von Trapp in “The Sound of Music,” followed by playing Michael Hobbs in “Elf the Musical” this past winter at the Royal MTC.
Alex recently performed in Grant Park High School’s production of “Something Rotten!” This summer Schaeffer can be seen again at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, where he will be appearing in a production staged by Rem Lezar Theatre.
Rounding out the voice winners is Lyla Chisick. The daughter of Daniel and Baillee was competing in her second music festival. This year, she scored Gold performances in the “Vocal Solo,” “Manitoba Composers,” and “TV/Movie Musical, 12 and under” categories.
Lyla reports that she began taking voice lessons from Jessica Kos-Whicher three years ago. She says she regularly takes part in the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue Family Service and has sung at several community events. Lyla adds that she is already looking forward to next year’s music festival.
Nate Kravetsky and Juliet Eskin competed in the festival as musicians rather than singers. Juliet, 16, plays the viola, and is also is the violist in the Assiniboine String Quartet. In this, her fifth go-round at the festival, Juliet, the daughter of the musically talented Kelly Robinon and Josh Eskin, had first place finishes in the “Viola Solo, level 8,” “Baroque or Classical Concerto,” and “Romantic Composers” categories.
Juliet originally took up the violin – adding the viola a couple of years after. She also just finished performing in the Grant Park High School production of “Something Rotten!”
Nate Kravetsky is currently in Grade 5 level piano. He studies with Erica Schultz and has been taking lessons from her since age 5.
Nate competed in three categories at the Winnipeg music festival: “Baroque,” “Sonata,” and “Contemporary/own choice.”
His own choice selection was the theme from his favourite video game, “Hollow Knight.”
Nate, who is in Grade 7 at Gray Academy, is also preoccupied preparing for his upcoming bar mitzvah.
We look forward to the continued musical success off Yale, Gregory, Alex, Nate, Juliet and Lyla, and what new talent may be unveiled at next year’s Winnipeg Music festival.
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