Local News
Jewish Heritage Centre publishes new collection of essays about the history of Jewish life in Manitoba
Jewish Life and Times: A Collection of Essays Volume X
Review by MARTIN ZEILIG This soft covered collection of interesting and even entertaining essays, which are grouped under umbrella topics, brings together, as is stated in the introduction, presentations made to the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada over the past few years.
It provides a glimpse into the life of Jews in this part of Canada, as well as, at least in some of the essays, lessons for today’s world.
For example, in the section, Social Issues in Winnipeg’s Jewish Community, Esyllt Jones, Professor of History at the University of Manitoba, has contributed an essay, Jews In Winnipeg’s Influenza Pandemic, 1918-1919. It’s based on a talk she gave to the JHC in 2006, and formed part of her award-winning book, Influenza 1918: Disease, Death, and Struggle in Winnipeg (University of Toronto Press, 2007).
This exploration has contemporary significance because the COVID pandemic, as is stated, “has increased awareness of the social implications of disease.”
As Professor Jones writes, “… the influenza epidemic of 1918-1919 hit Winnipeg and worldwide societies hard. Both the course of the disease and the response followed along class and ethnic lines of division within society. The poor, especially in Winnipeg’s immigrant-dominated North End, lived and worked in conditions that put them at greatest risk, as death statistics show. Their poverty made treatment difficult and often depended on the willingness and ability of wealthier strata to provide nursing care and financial relief. This extended even to burying the victims.
“Within this context, the Jewish community drew on its long tradition of community self-help through philanthropic organizations and through mutual-aid societies that reflected the North End community more closely.”
Communal Solidarity: Immigration, Settlement, and Social Welfare in Winnipeg’s Jewish Community, 1882-1930, is a contribution by Arthur Ross, Professor Emeritus and Public Administration at Metropolitan Toronto University and a former Winnipegger “with deep roots in the North End.” It is based on his book, which published by the University of Manitoba Press, of the same name that was launched at the JHC in 2019.
Ross describes the activism of the North End Jewish community.
“Few of the Jewish immigrants who established Winnipeg’s Jewish community could have imagined that their children and grandchildren would live in a society in which the government was responsible for universal health care, provided various forms of income assistance, and funded social services,” he concludes.
“Certainly, the establishment of the welfare state reduced much of the need for Winnipeg’s Jews to engage in collective action to protect each other from life’s misfortunes. After the 1930s, communal solidarity continued to shape the development of Winnipeg’s Jewish community.”
The section entitled JEWS IN WORLD WAR 1 contains a series of essays that, taken together, form a fairly comprehensive look into Jews as soldiers on both sides during that four year long pointless war: Jewish Canadians and the Great War, by (the late) Jim Blanchard; German Jewish Soldiers in World War 1 by Lionel Steiman; French Jewish Soldiers in World War 1, by Robert J.Young; Russian Jews During the First World War, by Daniel Stone; The General Monash Branch, by Daniel Stone.
“Jews made good citizens in all countries in which they lived and fought valiantly; although their efforts were not always recognized or appreciated,” noted a presenter, during a panel discussion at the JHC to mark the centenary of the Great War (which erupted in August 1914).
Some of the other fascinating essays in this useful little book deal with The 1919 WINNIPEG GENERAL STRIKE, RABBI ZALMAN SCHACTER, THE GARMENT TRADE IN WINNIPEG, LEISURE ACTIVITIES, and BEYOND THE CITY.
A section at the beginning, PASSAGES, acknowledges the passing of several board members and staff members of the JHC and its predecessor, the Jewish Historical Society: Abraham J. “Abe” Arnold, CM (1922-2011); Mildred Gutkin (1921-2021); Leon Michaels (1925-2015); Irma Rachel Penn (1945-2013); Judith Putter (1948-2021); Maurice Steele (1929-2022); Roseline (“Roz”) Wolodarsky Usiskin (1928-2022); Norman Vickar (1917-2015); Marshall Wilder (1926-2017).
“Their insight, dedication, and contributions have greatly furthered the win aims of the Jewish Heritage Centre: the documentation, preservation, and sharing of information on the development of the Jews in Western Canada and advocacy of anti-racism, especially through Holocaust education,” says the Introduction.
One now awaits the next installment of Jewish Life and Times. What an invaluable historical resource for our community. It reinforces the truth that all people and cultures are living histories.
Jewish Life and Times: A Collection of Essays Volume X
Edited by Daniel Stone & Annalee Greenberg
Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada
184 pages
Local News
Winnipeg Fringe performer Melanie Gall subjected to antisemitic attack – for second year in a row
By BERNIE BELLAN (July 20, 2025)
Melanie Gall is a talented performer who is a veteran of the Winnipeg Fringe Festival – having appeared here many times.
Last year Melanie found herself being subjected to antisemitic attacks that were initiated by a site supervisor for the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, someone by the name of Eric Rae.
As I wrote on my story about Melanie’s experience, “…on the third day (of the Fringe Festival), she said, ‘the site supervisor (Rae) came and was wearing a pro-Palestinian symbol’ and told Melanie that he was wearing that deliberately because he was coming to Melanie’s venue.
“He told her, ‘that stance you’re taking (on social media) is a political symbol.
Rae also posted on social media: “We have a Zionist in our midst harassing pro-Palestinians.”
There was a concerted effort on social media last summer to boycott Melanie’s shows (She had three different shows altogether.)
As Melanie said during a phone conversation we had last summer about what happened to her, “This is so ridiculous. I’m being harassed and bullied because I’m Jewish…it’s not about Israel.”
Eric Rae was relieved from his duties after Melanie complained to the Fringe office staff, Melanie noted during our conversation.
She adds that other Fringe employees also complained about Eric Rae’s behaviour: “I wasn’t the only one who complained last year,” she wrote in an email sent today. “Several staff members complained, as Eric was not adhering to the Fringe policy that did not allow political symbols to be worn by staff. From what I heard, he refused to stop wearing it, and he did publicly target me. The Winnipeg Fringe upheld their safe spaces policy, and they were wonderful in the way they handled it.”
Further, Melanie was the target of an organized campaign on pro-Palestine social media calling for her shows to be boycotted.
(You can read the full story about what happened to Melanie, also to her mother during last year’s Edmonton Fringe Festival, at Melanie Gall.)
Just today we received another email from Melanie informing us that the same individual who targeted her last summer is targeting her again during this year’s Fringe Festival.
Melanie wrote: “Hi! Thanks so much for the mention in the preview article! I just wanted to let you know that Eric Rae is at it again.”
Attached to that email was a picture taken from Rae’s Instagram account.
As of the writing of this post, Melanie said that she is out of town for three days and is not aware whether any of her posters have been defaced – the way they were last summer.
She did add, however, that “I assume by ‘make her feel unwelcome’ (which is what is written on one of the pictures on Rae’s Instagram account) he is planning something. Ugh.”
Melanie also said that “The one post is too close to a threat to ignore.”
In a subsequent email Melanie also sent a screenshot of an exchange that took place on Rae’s Instagram account between him and someone who goes by the handle “Kat Cat.”
If we hear more about what’s been happening to Melanie we’ll update this article.
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.