Local News
Kayla Gordon inducted on to Rainbow Stage’s Wall of Fame
Myron Love It was in the summer of 1984 when Kayla Gordon was appearing in the Rainbow Stage production of “Kismet,” that the long time actor/director/producer/photographer found herself doing her make-up sitting next to Nia Vardalos, the writer and star of “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” fame, who was also appearing in the production.
“We both were playing opposite each other in the comic roles as the Ayahs to the Wazir (the main lead), and we began talking about our plans for the future,” Gordon recalls. “Nia was talking about moving to Toronto and joining the Second City company. As for me, I was in a comedy troupe in Winnipeg and just found out I was pregnant with my first child. My plan was to stay in Winnipeg, even though I was a bit jealous that she was going off to pursue her dream and I was staying put. That was my ‘Kismet’ and I never looked back.”
Rainbow Stage is where Gordon began her career in musical theatre at the age of 17 in a production of “Fiddler on the Roof.” After a career of more than 40 years, both on stage and behind the scenes – it is fitting that one of the leading lights of community theatre in our city has been recognized for her contributions by Winnipeg’s longest-running theatre company. On Wednesday, August 17, Gordon was one of the five inductees to Rainbow Stage’s Wall of Fame under the “Builder” category. The award is given to someone who has been part of nurturing and building our theatre community.
“It was a wonderful surprise,” says the honoree. “It brings my career full circle.” Previous honours for Gordon include the Leadership Award from the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and the Theatre Educator’s Award from the Winnipeg Theatre Awards for her long-time leadership within the arts community.
Gordon reports that the induction ceremony, attended by about 100 friends and family members of the inductees and Rainbow Stage staff, was held just prior to the opening night performance of “The Little Mermaid,”,the second of three shows the company is putting on this summer and early fall.
“It was also special to have one of my grandchildren, my husband Art Maister, my mom Ethel, and my aunt Evelyn Hecht at the induction ceremony,” she adds. (Evelyn also performed at Rainbow Stage in the 1950s.)
Gordon notes that while she appeared onstage in seven Rainbow Stage productions – from 1977 to 1993, she was honoured not for her acting, but for her role as a nurturer of talent through teaching acting and musical theatre at the University of Winnipeg for 18 years, as well as teaching at the University of Manitoba, Prairie Theatre Exchange and The Manitoba Theatre for Young People – also, later as the Artistic Director of Winnipeg Jewish Theatre for over 10 years and Winnipeg Studio Theatre, which she founded in 2006.
“I get a lot of satisfaction watching actors I’ve directed and students I have taught and nurtured performing at Rainbow Stage and other venues in the city,” Gordon notes. Many of them have gone on to work professionally and have appeared across Canada, as well as in Broadway productions. Some of them include: Alexandra Frohlinger (Soul Doctor/Broadway), Samantha Hill (Phantom of the Opera/Broadway), Jaz Sealey (Aladdin/Broadway), Andrea Macasaet (Six/Broadway), and Nyk Bielak (Book of Mormon/Broadway).
Gordon was an actor and high school drama teacher at West Kildonan Collegiate for the first 15 years of her career. By the mid-1990s she found herself becoming more interested in working behind the scenes as a director/producer. In 1994, she became the Winnipeg Jewish Theatre’s second artistic director – succeeding WJT founder Bev Aronovitch – a role she played until 2006. Following her time at WJT Gordon observed that local theatres were not hiring many female theatre directors.
“I realized that if I wanted to work as a director, I would have to create my own projects,” she recalls. So, she started Winnipeg Studio Theatre (WST) in 2006. Soon after forming the company, she invited her longtime theatre associate Brenda Gorlick to run the StudioWorks Academy, a program for emerging artists.
In 2021 she stepped down from her position at WST. “I am still interested in directing – but without the added pressures of being a producer or the full-time responsibility of running a professional theatre company,” she observes. “I like having the freedom to pick and choose the projects I want to work on.” I still plan to work on independent contracts directing theatre and creating entertainment for special events or fundraising activities in the community.”.Last year she produced and directed the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg’s Negev Gala tribute honouring Gail Asper and Michael Paterson. As well, stepping down from her responsibilities with WST has also allowed Gordon to devote more time to her other passion – photography. “I have been interested in photography since I was 15,” she recounts. “My father Ralph had a dark room in our basement.”
Over the past couple of years, she has achieved accreditation with the Professional Photographers of Canada in four different areas of photography: street photography (her favourite), portraiture, performing artists, and figure study. And, last year, she co-authored a coffee table book – “The Murals of Winnipeg,” with fellow photographer Keith Levit as a fundraiser for Take Pride Winnipeg, with 80 pages of photos, which sold out in two weeks and the funds will go to emerging mural artists. (That story can be found on the jewishpostandnews.ca website.)
Kayla is grateful to have stayed in Winnipeg and she sums up her career, and how and why she managed to work in theatre all these years with a quote from Henry Winkler (aka ‘The Fonz’) “I live by tenacity and gratitude. Tenacity gets you where you want to be, and gratitude allows you not to be frustrated along the way”.
Local News
Arthur V. Mauro Institute for Peace & Justice at St. Paul’s College to offer series of lectures
The Mauro Institute is very pleased to be offering the first two events in a new series – The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution.
Dialogue #1 – Wednesday, September 17 | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | Hanley Hall (Room 220) St. Paul’s College (reception to follow)
The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution
Resisting the Perceived Limits of Dialogue
Middle powers such as Canada depend on the power of dialogue to create institutions and agreements with dispute settlement mechanisms designed to level the playing field with big powers. The post-war architecture of multilateralism that depended on American leadership and involvement and the willingness to underwrite the global operating system is fractured with President Donald Trump’s premise to “make America great again”. This presentation by former Canadian diplomat, Colin Robertson and roundtable discussion will consider if it can be put back together or how it should change, and what forms of dialogue that would entail.
Panelists will include Dr. Ursula Lehmkuhl and Dr. Manuel Fröhlich of Trier University, and Dr. James Fergusson and Dr. Stephan Jaeger of the University of Manitoba. The roundtable discussion will be moderated by Dr. Andrea Charron, Director, Centre for Defence and Security Studies, and Professor, International Relations University of Manitoba
Reserve your free tickets to the lecture 7:00 pm, in-person at St. Paul’s College
Livestream on the Mauro Institute YouTube channel.
Dialogue #2 – Thursday, September 25 | 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm | Fr. Jensen SJ Theatre (Room 100) St. Paul’s College
The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution
Leading With Compassion Amid Conflict and Violence
Deep human connection and providing service from a place of compassion is increasingly difficult in our complex and polarizing world. In our quest for peace and justice, is compassion simply a pollyannish illusion? Come, hear, and have a conversation with our panelists who have strived to bring compassion into their work in different ways. Hear their challenges and triumphs as they dared to lead with compassion in times of conflict and violence.
Panelists will include Dr. Bob Chrismas, Team Lead, Winnipeg Community Safety Team, Dr. Shauna Labman, Executive Director, Global College and Associate Professor, University of Winnipeg, and Devon Clunis, Former Chief of Police, Winnipeg Police Service, Author, and International Consultant. The roundtable discussion will be moderated by Dr. Melanie Soderstrom, Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Manitoba
The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution are free and open to all. The dialogues are both in-person and available to be streamed on the Mauro Institute’s YouTube channel.
Reserve your free tickets to the lecture 7:00 pm, in-person at St. Paul’s College (free pre-lecture reception from 6:30 pm)
Livestream on the Mauro Institute YouTube channel.
[ALSO: Save the Date – the 2025 Sol Kanee Lecture on Peace and Justice is Monday, November 3, 7:00 pm at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights]
The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution are generously supported by a gift from Dr. Hersh [BSc(Hons)/70] and Arna Shefrin [DipDHyg/70; BA/71]. The Shefrin Dialogues were established to invite two (or more) leading thinkers / speakers with different views of a specific conflict to present and exchange perspectives on topical issues related to peace, justice, and conflict resolution.
The Hersh and Arna Shefrin Dialogues on Peace and Conflict Resolution are free and open to all. The dialogues are both in-person and available to be streamed on the Mauro Institute’s YouTube channel.
Local News
Winnipeg Friends of Israel to present 2 interesting talks
Winnipeg Friends of Israel are thrilled to welcome Dr. Ted Rosenberg on Sunday, September 14 at 7:00 PM for a presentation that promises to be powerful, timely, and deeply moving.
Dr. Rosenberg will share insights from his new book, Ayekha (Where Are You?), and speak about his experiences at the University of British Columbia — where he made national headlines after resigning from the medical school in protest of its failure to address antisemitism. His story is both courageous and inspiring, and it calls on each of us to consider: Where are we when our community is under attack?
The evening will be moderated by Dr. Bryan Shwartz, and will include time for Q&A with Dr. Rosenberg.
📖 About the Book
Ayekha draws from Torah, the October 7 Hamas massacre, and today’s alarming rise in antisemitism. It challenges Jews and allies to confront hate with clarity, action, and moral responsibility. All book sales support the first Jewish day school in Victoria, BC, founded on October 7, 2024.
Copies are available on Amazon, and thanks to Dr. Cathy Moser, you can also pre-order directly (email: cathy.g.moser@gmail.com). Dr. Rosenberg will gladly autograph your copy after the event.
📅 Date: Sunday, September 14
🕖 Time: 7:00 PM
📍 Location: Shared upon registration
👉 Register here: https://tinyurl.com/mv8tvwhv
📰 Dr. Rosenberg was recently featured in the Canadian Jewish News. You can read more here: CJN article
Don’t miss this inspiring and thought-provoking evening — one that speaks to our moment in history and to the responsibility each of us carries.
We are also invited to attend another timely and exciting event and hope you could join us.
The Druze of Syria and Israel: A New Chapter
Join us for a rare and intimate fireside chat with Carlos Matni and Adham Tayfour — both members of the Syrian Druze community now living in Manitoba.
🌿 Discover the untold struggles, resilience, and hopes of the Druze community in Sweida, Syria.
🤝 Learn how Israel is stepping in during a time of crisis.
🌍 Explore the possibilities for collaboration between the Druze and Jewish communities — a conversation of unity, survival, and shared future.
📅 Thursday, September 18
🕢 7:30 PM
📍 Location provided upon registration
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insight, ask questions, and be part of an important dialogue that bridges cultures and communities.
👉 Register now to reserve your spot:
https://shorturl.fm/SoWuv
Local News
Long-time Winnipeg doctor and Israeli colleague make medical app available to general public
By MYRON LOVE Seven years ago, Dr. Gerald Minuk, Canada’s first hepatologist (liver specialist), partnered with Israeli computer science student Daniel Iluz-Freundlich in founding Refuah Solutions Ltd (RSL). Their goal was to create an app – which they called PI-enroll (“PI” stands for “Principal Investigator”), which was designed to be used by clinical trial investigators that would save them time and effort so they could be more personally involved in seeing their trial patients.
Last month, they released their second app, this time for patients. The app, called Patient-empower, informs patients about clinical trials underway for their condition and helps them make an informed decision as to which trial best meets their specific needs and preferences.
“I was approaching retirement,” recalls Minuk, now Rady School of Medicine Professor Emeritus, who has been in practice in Winnipeg since 1987, and “I couldn’t see myself filling my days doing crossword puzzles or Sudoku. I wanted to be able to continue contributing to medical research and patient care.”
It just so happened that, at the time, Minuk was introduced to an Israeli student, Daniel Iluz-Freundlich, who had just finished studying Computer Sciences at the University of Winnipeg. (Minuk notes that Iluz-Freundlich – on graduating – received the Gold Medal in Computer Science.)
“Daniel is an exceptionally talented young man,” Minuk says. “So I tapped his computer programming skills to create our PI-enroll and subsequently, our Patient-empower apps.”
The friendship continued after Iluz-Freundlich returned to Israel in 2020 to begin medical school on a Phil and Elle Kives Scholarship, where he earned numerous honors. Iluz-Freundlich is currently an intensivist anesthesiologist at the Beilinson Hospital in Israel. Despite his new professional responsibilities, including caring for IDF forces wounded in Gaza– he has remained active with Refuah – as vice-president of the company.
Minuk adds that a dozen other senior professors of medicine also contributed to Refuah’s software design. “Together,” he reports, “the company represents 400+ years of clinical trial experience. That experience is being applied to identifying and addressing the major challenges investigators and patients face when conducting or participating in clinical trials.”`
He adds that Refuah Solutions has established a truly global network with company personnel in San Diego, São Paulo, Mexico City, London, Barcelona, Nairobi and Delhi thus far.
According to Minuk, the company has enjoyed worldwide success – with over 2,000 doctors in 40 countries and 50 drug companies signed on for the PI-enroll app. He attributes this success to the app’s impressive results. In a recent global clinical trial, Minuk reports, within 3-6 months of implementing PI-enroll, investigator personal involvement increased by 60% and with that, patient enrolment increased by 80%, patient drop-outs decreased by 50% and there were 20% fewer protocol deviations (mistakes made). In addition, 90% of PIs rated the App 8 out of 10 in terms of usefulness.
He adds that one site that had not enrolled any patients for 12 months, subsequently became the trial’s leading enrolment site.
Regarding the newly released Patient-empower app, Minuk notes that despite the many benefits patients derive from clinical trials including free and early access to new and often safer and more effective treatments, fewer than 10% of patients who would qualify for a clinical trial are ever invited to consider that option. “The problem,” he explains, “is that most Health Care Providers are either unaware of what clinical trials are underway in their area or if they are aware, don’t have the time to discuss the trials with their patients.”
Therefore, Minuk, Iluz-Freundlich and their team designed and recently released their second app – Patient-empower – which informs patients of what clinical trials are underway for their condition and empowers them to select the trial that prioritizes their needs over those of industry.
The platform, he explains, uses AI to generate concise, easy-to-understand summaries of clinical trials tailored to the patient’s location—city, state, country, or globally, depending on their preference. Each summary includes clear explanations of the patient eligibility criteria and key practical details, such as the likelihood of patients receiving a placebo, the number of required site visits, and other important practical considerations. It also suggests questions that patients should consider asking the investigator before they consent to enrolling. The trial information is presented in a shareable format to facilitate discussions with family, friends, and local healthcare providers—supporting both patient confidence and continuity of care.
Once a trial is selected, Minuk continues, Patient-empower provides the contact information for the trial investigator closest to the patient’s location, the trial’s sponsor and, where available, the world’s experts in the field.
The feature Minuk is most enthusiastic about is the “Recent Findings” page which keeps patients up to date on newly published clinical trial results and discoveries relevant to their condition.
“Patient-empower is available to patients from internet venues (App Store or Google Play) or through NFP organizations, associations, societies and patient support group web-sites,” he adds. “Although only recently released, we have already attracted interest from the American Diabetes Association, the Alzheimer’s Society of America, the Canadian Liver Foundation, Colorectal Cancer Canada, the American Myasthenia Gravis Society and many others.”
“Overall, Patient-empower informs patients, and more informed patients benefit everyone involved. After all, it’s the patient’s health; their voice should be heard,” Minuk concludes.