Local News
Jewish participants once again among Cancercare Manitoba Foundation Challenge for Life top fundraisers
By MYRON LOVE “It seems like every time I blink, I hear about someone else I know of who has cancer,” observes Louise Raber. “I just found out that the 40-year-old daughter of a friend of mine is receiving treatment for cancer. While there is not a lot I can do about it, one thing I can do is raise money through participating in CancerCare Manitoba Foundation’s Challenge for Life.”
The 17th annual Cancercare Manitoba Foundation Challenge for Life 20KM walk (or 200-minute workout) is scheduled this year for Sunday, June 1, at Assiniboine Park and Raber and her Nancy’s Nightingale team– including long time teammates Joanne Katz, Rhonda Youell, Connie Botelho and Harriet Lyons – one of the original teams – are back for another go.
“We are just getting started,” Raber reports. “While a couple of us will be doing the entire 20km walk on June 1st, the others will be doing 100-15 km during the week before and 5 km on June 1.
“We are getting older,” she observes.
The Nightingales – named after a nurse – a cancer survivor who is a friend of Louise Raber – have been among the top fundraisers among participating teams since the Challenge for Life’s inception.
“Our goal, as always, is to raise at least one dollar more than last year,” Raber says.
The Nightingales are one of several predominantly Jewish teams that has been taking part in the challenge annually.
The top fundraiser among these teams continues to be Team Schvesters.
The “Shvesters” are the Greenfeld sisters – Lesly Katz, Debby Lewis and Benji Harvey – the daughters of Lil and the late Ike Greenfeld – along with friend Kim Gray – and new team member (this year) Susan Fennell.
Individually, Harvey is the star – consistently finishing in the top five individual fundraisers. As of April 30, she was in fourth place, having raised $10,685 toward a goal of $12,000. Kim Gray was in sixth place overall, having raised just over $8,000.
The team as a whole had raised $20, 670 – good for second place overall.
“While Kim and I will be walking 10km on June 1, all of our other team members have chosen to do the optional workout,” Harvey reports.
The workout consists of 200 minutes during the week preceding June 1 doing a variety of activities, including boot camp, climbing, ballet, zumba, and yoga.
In tenth place among individual Challenge participants is Jason Gisser – having raised $2,860 towards a target of $7,000 as of April 30. His team, Jason’s Journey, including Wendy Martin-White, Matt Maruca, Nora Fien, Jessica Horton, Rebecca Parkinson (and others expected to be joining soon) sits in fifth place overall, having raised $,3.700 towards a goal of $13,000.
The still relatively young lawyer and son of David Gisser and Judge Freda Steel has experienced a more intimate and longer-lasting relationship with cancer than many of the other Challenge for Life participants. He was first diagnosed with cancer when he was 18. “I am a proud cancer fighter, having lived and battled a chronic cancer diagnosis for the last 21 years,” he says. “I participate in the Challenge for Life not only to give back for the care and treatment which I have and continue to receive through CancerCare Manitoba, but to ensure that others do not have to endure the journey which I have endured.”
This is Gisser’s seventh year taking up the Challenge For Life and fourth as captain of his team, Jason’s Journey. Last year, he reports, Team Jason’s Journey raised $10,093 towards lifesaving research and treatment provided by CancerCare Manitoba, finishing 14th out of 125 community and corporate teams.
“My individual fundraising last year efforts,” he adds, “placed me 18th of over 900 participants. Since beginning my participation in the Challenge of Life (including my team’s fundraising), we have raised nearly $40,000.
“I have once again committed to raise money for the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation in the fight against cancer, and to walk 20 kms, which I will do all in one day on June 1 in the walk beginning and ending at Assiniboine Park. I continue to be humbled by the incredible support which has been provided to me in my efforts to raise money for life-saving research, programs, and treatment provided by CancerCare Manitoba to cancer fighters all over the province.”
The oldest participant in the Challenge once again is 90-year-old Pearl Rosenberg who, with her daughters, , Cindy Yusim and Brenda Dahle – also joined this year by her granddaughter, Cara Dahle, and Cara’s friend, Crystal Schintz – comprise “Sister Act”.
Rosenberg lost two daughters to cancer within about a year of each other. Naomi Palansky passed away in 2010 and Michelle Moyer in 2011.
“I started taking part in the Challenge for Life on Team Chai in 2008,” Dahle says. “My mom, my sister Cindy, and I walk in memory of our sisters whose love, strength, and courage continue to inspire us.”
Dahle reports that her mother’s walk will be incorporated into her daily walks in Kildonan Park – doing the 20km in increments of 3-5 km a day. Dahle is training at the Wellness Centre and in her neighbourhood while Yusim, who is working out at the Altea Gym, will be doing some biking.
“Our team goal this year is $5000,” Dahle says. “My personal goal is $2,000.
“If anyone else would like to join us, we would welcome them.”
Perennial fundraising dynamo Cathy Moser is also back for her 17th campaign. The founder of Serratus Superstars says she started accepting the Challenge for Life when it was 60 km over two days – in honor of her mother who passed away from Pancreatic Cancer.
“I saw the ‘good’ that the Cancercare Foundation did when I took my mother there in 2006.” she says. “The Cancercare Foundation does make a difference in our lives – and we have all been ‘touched’ by cancer. The Foundation ameliorates the trauma by providing coffee, cookies and entertainment to people anxiously awaiting blood test results in the Foundation Waiting Room. It cuts down our waiting time for some procedures by purchasing equipment, and it keeps us in the loop of new research and drug trials.”
Readers can make donations to their preferred team by click on Challengeforlife.ca.
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.”