Local News
Jewish Winnipeg Music Festival winners rising stars in local music scene
By MYRON LOVE The Winnipeg Music Festival annually held in March and, once again, this year, recognized a number of younger members of our community for outstanding achievement.
Both Juliet Eskin and Gregory Hyman produced gold level results in voice and instrumental music.
At 15, Gregory is a five-year veteran of the annual festival. Initially, the son of Hartley and Rishona Hyman focused solely on classical guitar, an instrument that he took up when he was five. He added voice lessons to his repertoire six years ago – studying with voice teacher Kelly Robinson (who is also Juliet Eskin’s mother and voice coach).
And this year, he authored gold level performances in both categories – one being Vocal Solo, Folk Song, Boys, 14 years and under – the other being a classical guitar solo at the Grade 5 level.
He also this year was awarded the Norman Phillips Memorial Bursary as well as the Winnipeg Male Chorus scholarship.
The Ravenscourt student doesn’t restrict his music making just to the yearly festival though. Three years ago, Bernie Bellan wrote a report on the teen’s budding recording career. In May 2021, he released his first album,“Basement,” on all streaming platforms. He reports that over the past few months, he has been busy writing songs for his second album.
The songs, he says, can already be heard on his website. He also has a podcast, “Talk and Rock with Gregory Hyman” – now in its third season, in which he interviews various people in the business across Canada.
Earlier this year, the young performing artist mounted his first solo concert, using all his own compositions, at the Rec-Room. “I put together a four-piece band,” he reports. “We sold out the place (with a 115-seat capacity).”
He adds that he is currently working on a new compilation of songs and is working with a producer. The goal is to put out a new album in the fall.
For Juliet Eskin, 13, this was her second go-round at the festival. Two years ago, she stood out – with violin entries in the Grade 5 level with violin solos in both the Baroque and Canadian Composers categories. This year, the daughter of Robinson and her husband, Josh Eskin (and granddaughter of well-known local chazzan Michael Eskin), earned gold in both violin – as a member of a string quartet (that also included Elazar Schwartz, son of Drs. Leonard and Anna Schwartz), and voice (solo, own choice, 14 and under category).
If that wasn’t enough to keep the Grant Park Junior High school student busy, her mother reports that Juliet had a lead role in her school’s recent musical, is now studying the viola and, best of all, she is currently the concertmaster for the Winnipeg Youth Orchestra. Essentially, she is the first chair violin and leads the orchestra.
As well, she and her younger brother, Dylan, take dance lessons at Kickit Dance Studio and competed recently in a national dance competition called The View, where Dylan was awarded the Judges’ Choice for Novice Dancer with the most potential and given a major trophy and Dance Convention Scholarship.
Rounding out this year’s Jewish WMF stars are the Kravetsky brothers: Noah and Nathan. Both sons of Dr. Azriel Kravetsky and Dr. Carrie Palatnick play piano. For Noah, who is 12 and has been studying piano for five years, this was his second time competing in the WMF. Last year, he earned gold ranking in three piano categories and received a scholarship to enter this year’s music festival.
This year he was overall winner in his baroque class. It was a trophy class and he was invited to compete for the Quest Musique trophy against other grade 5 winners. He also got a gold in his 20th century class and silver in his Canadian composer class.
Nine-year-old Nathan won gold last year and, this year, earned three golds in, respectively: Own Choice, Classical composers and 20th/21st century Composers level 2 categories. He has also been taking lessons since he was five.
Nathan and Noah are both Gray Academy students.
We look forward to the continued musical success of Noah and Nate, Juliet and Gregory and what new talent may be unveiled at next year’s Winnipeg Music festival.
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.”