Local News
Lifelong Yiddish advocate Oscar Antel celebrates 99th birthday
By MYRON LOVE Growing up in Winnipeg, Oscar Antel recalls, Yiddish was the every day language of our community. And, while there are few Yiddish speakers left here now, Antel, who recently celebrated his 99th birthday, has devoted much of his life to honouring the memory of his forebears in working to preserve our ancestral language (for those of us whose origins are in eastern Europe) as a living language.
However, although relatively still hale and hearty though he is – he concedes that he is looking into getting a hearing aid – he has in recent years turned over the reins of leadership in the work of promoting Yiddish to a younger generation including, among others, Lawrie Cherniack, Sharon Love and Rochelle Zucker.
Antel was born in the town of Dombrovitz in Poland in an area which is now part of Ukraine. His father Leible, came to Winnipeg in 1929 while the then six-year-old Oscar, his mother, Vittle, and sister, Shirley, followed the next year.
“I spent a year in Cheder in Poland before we came to Canada,” he recalls. “My father reasoned that once we came to Canada, I would never see the inside of a cheder.”
The family settled in the heavily Jewish old north end. Leible Antel first worked a s a pedlar, selling fruits and vegetables before going to work as a foreman at Raber Glove.
The Antels naturally enrolled their children in the Yiddish language I.L. Peretz Folk School – at the time the largest Jewish school in the community – where Oscar made lifelong friends. After finishing Peretz School, he continued his schooling at Aberdeen and Isaac Newton Schools.
In 1944, Antel enlisted in the Air Force and was shipped overseas. He was stationed in southern England, where he served as an aircraft mechanic with a mobile unit.
“We lived in tents and changed locations every evening,” he recalls. “By day, the German air force would take photos of our positions and the German bombers would come at night. “
He came home again in 1945 to his wife Bella, whom he had married just before going overseas.
Following the war, he pursued a career in accounting. “I wanted to be a chartered accountant,” he says, “but the army recommended that I take a bookkeeping course. (The Canadian military paid for veterans to enrol in post-graduate programs after the war.) I worked as a public accountant for ten years. In the mid-1950s, with Bella’s support, and having three children at home, I did go back to school and became a CA.”
His speciality, he notes, was analyzing financial statements and providing clients with financial advice.
It was in his early 30s that Oscar Antel began to assume his avocation supporting Yiddish language education and culture. He succeeded Alter Cherniack, one of the founders of the Peretz School, as chairman of the Board of Education and then president of the school.
“Over the years, I served in all of the school’s different committees at one time or another,” Antel says.
After the school was merged with the Talmud Torah under the aegis of the Winnipeg Board of Jewish Education – the two school were later combined at the Talmud Torah location on Matheson, the still-active Peretz School board, which had retained ownership of its last school building, sold the facility (in 1994) and used the funds to create the I.L. Peretz Folk School Endowment Trust (which is administered by the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba). Antel remained an active trustee of the fund until about ten years ago.
“Over the years, we have used the interest generated by our fund to promote a range of Yiddish activities,” Antel reports. “In the early days, we helped support Noach Witman’s long-running Jewish Radio Hour (which-although Witman has long since left the scene – can still be heard weekly on Sundays from 1:30-2:30 on CKJF 92.7 FM) and still receives support from the fund.”
The fund has also funded the popular Mameloshen program (A Festival of Yiddish Entertainment and Culture) from its founding in 2008 up until 2018, along with a Yiddish Teaching Fellowship, which facilitates the teaching of Yiddish at the University of Manitoba.
In addition to his leadership in Yiddish circles, Antel has served our community in leadership roles as: a member of the largely Jewish General Monash branch (he was vice-president at one time) of the Royal Canadian Legion; Chairman of Community Relations and then as Chairman of the Western Division of Canadian Jewish Congress; and as a member of the National Executive of Congress. He was the last Chairman of the Western Division and subsequently one of the founders of the Winnipeg Jewish Community Council (the precursor to the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg) and served on the Board and committees of the Jewish Community Council for many years.
Antel and Bella Antel (who passed away eight years ago)were among the first residents of the Shaftesbury Park Retirement Residence when it first opened He continued his Yiddish cultural activities after moving into the Shaftesbury – reading Yiddish stories after Friday evening services led for the first few years by Rabbi Shmuley Altein.
Antel gave up driving just three years ago. He says he is in relatively good health.
“I find that I am dozing off more often,” he says.
“I still get around. I get together regularly with my family in Winnipeg.”
Antel is the father of sons, Joel (in Winnipeg) and Jack (in Montreal). His daughter, Shelley, in Vancouver, passed away a few years ago. He says proudly that he has eight grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.
For his birthday (on March 1) , his family arranged a Skype session. He is hopeful that for his 100th birthday, God willing, most of the family will be able to celebrate with him in person.
Local News
Winnipeg Jewish Theatre breaks new ground with co-production with Rainbow Stage
By MYRON LOVE Winnipeg Jewish Theatre is breaking new ground with its first ever co-production with Rainbow Stage. The new partnership’s presentation of “Fiddler on the Roof” is scheduled to hit the stage at our city’s famed summer musical theatre venue in September 2026.
“We have collaborated with other theatre companies in joint productions before,” notes Dan Petrenko, the WJT’s artistic and managing director – citing previous partnerships with the Segal Centre for the Performing Arts in Montreal, the Harold Green Jewish Theatre in Toronto, Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon and Winnipeg’s own Dry Cold Productions. “Because of the times we’re living through, and particularly the growing antisemitism in our communities and across the country, I felt there is a need to tell a story that celebrates Jewish culture on the largest stage in the city – to reach as many people as possible.”
Last year, WJT approached Rainbow Stage with a proposal for the co-presentation of “Fiddler on the Roof.” Rainbow Stage management was really enthusiastic in their response, Petrenko reports.
“We are excited to be working with Winnipeg’s largest musical theatre company,” he notes. “Rainbow Stage has an audience of more than 10,000 people every season. Fiddler is a great, family-oriented story and, through our joint effort with Rainbow Stage, WJT will be able to reach out to new and younger audiences.”
“We are also working to welcome more diverse audiences from other communities, as well as newcomers – families who have moved here from Israel, Argentina and countries of the former Soviet Union.”
Helping Petrenko to achieve those goals are two relatively new and younger additions to WJT’s management team. Both Company Manager Etel Shevelev, and Head of Marketing Julia Kroft are in their 20s – as is Petrenko himself.
Kroft, who is also Gray Academy’s Associate Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations, needs little or no introduction to many readers. In addition to her work for Gray Academy and WJT, the daughter of David and Ellen Kroft has been building a second career as a singer and actor. Over the past few years, she has performed by herself or as part of a musical ensemble at Jewish community events, as well as in various professional theatre productions in the city.
Etel Shevelev is also engaged in a dual career. In addition to working full time at WJT, she is also a Fine Arts student (majoring in graphic design) at the University of Manitoba. Outside of school, she is an interdisciplinary visual artist (exhibiting her work and running workshops), so you can say the art world is no stranger to her.
(She will be partcipating in Limmud next month as a member of the Rimon Art Collective.)
Shevelev grew up in Kfar Saba (northeast of Tel Aviv). She reports that in Israel she was involved in theatre from a young age. “In 2019, I graduated from a youth theatre school, which I attended for 11 years.” In a sense, her work for WJT brings her full circle.
She arrived in Winnipeg just six years ago with her parents. “I was 19 at the time,” she says.
After just a year in Winnipeg, her family decided to relocate to Ottawa, while she chose to stay here. “I was already enrolled in university, had a long-term partner, and a job,” she explains. “I felt that I was putting down roots in Winnipeg.”
Etel expects to graduate by the end of the academic year, allowing her to focus on the arts professionally full-time.
In her role as company manager, Shevelev notes, she is responsible for communications with donors, contractors, and unions, as well as applying for various grants and funding opportunities.
In addition, her linguistic skills were put to use last spring for WJT’s production of “The Band’s Visit,” a story about an Egyptian band that was invited to perform at a cultural centre opening ceremony in the lively centre of Israel, but ended up in the wrong place – a tiny, communal town in southern Israel. Shevelev was called on to help some of the performers with the pronunciation of Hebrew words and with developing a Hebrew accent.
“I love working for WJT,” she enthuses. “Every day is different.”
Shevelev and Petrenko are also enthusiastic about WJT’s next production – coming up in April: “Ride: The Musical” debuted in London’s West End three years ago, and then went on to play at San Diego’s Old Globe theatre to rave reviews. The WJT production will be the Canadian premiere!
The play, Petrenko says, is based on the true story of Annie Londonderry, a young woman – originally from Latvia, who, in 1894, beat all odds and became the first woman to circle the world on a bicycle.
Petrenko is also happy to announce that the director and choreographer for the production will be Lisa Stevens – an Emmy Award nominee and Olivier Award winner. (The Olivier is presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional London theatre).
“Lisa is in great demand across Canada, and the world really,” the WJT artistic director says. “I am so thrilled that we will be welcoming one of the greatest Jewish directors and choreographers of our time to Winnipeg this Spring.”
For more information about upcoming WJT shows, readers can visit wjt.ca, email the WJT office at info@wjt.ca or phone the box office at 204-477-7515.
Local News
Rising Canadian comedy star Rob Bebenek to headline JCFS’ second annual “Comedy for a Cause”
By MYRON LOVE Last year, faced with a federal government budget cut to its Older Adult Services programs, Jewish Child and Family Service launched a new fundraising initiative. “Comedy with a Cause” was held at Rumor’s Comedy club and featured veteran Canadian stand-up comic Dave Hemstad.
That evening was so successful that – by popular demand – JCFS is doing an encore. “We were blown away by the support from the community,” says Al Benarroch, JCFS’s president and CEO.
“This is really a great way to support JCFS by being together and having fun,” he says.
“Last year, JCFS was able to sell-out the 170 tickets it was allotted by Rumor’s,” adds Alexis Wenzowski, JCFS’s COO. “There were also general public attendees at the event last year. Participants enjoyed a fun evening, complete with a 50/50 draw and raffle. We were incredibly grateful for those who turned out, the donors for the raffle baskets, and of course, Rumor’s Comedy Club.
“Feedback was very positive about it being an initiative that encouraged people to have fun for a good cause: our Older Adult Services Team.”
This year’s “Comedy for a Cause” evening is scheduled for Wednesday, February 25. Wenzowski reports that this year’s featured performer, Rob Bebenek, first made a splash on the Canadian comedy scene at the 2018 Winnipeg Comedy festival. He has toured extensively throughout North America, appearing in theatres, clubs and festivals. He has also made several appearances on MTV as well as opening shows for more established comics, such as Gerry Dee and the late Bob Saget.
For the 2026 show, Wenzowski notes, Rumors’ is allotting JCFS 200 tickets. As with last year, there will also be some raffle baskets and a 50/50 draw.
“Our presenting sponsors for the evening,” she reports, “are the Vickar Automotive Group and Kay Four Properties Incorporated.”
The funds raised from this year’s comedy evening are being designated for the JCFS Settlement and Integration Services Department. “JCFS chose to do this because of our reduction in funding last year by the federal government to this department,” Wenzowski points out.
“Last year alone,” she reports, “our Settlement and Integration Services team settled 118 newcomer families – from places like Israel, Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina. Each year, our program supports even more newcomer families with things like case management, supportive counselling, employment coaching, workshops, programming for newcomer seniors, and more.”
“We hope to raise more than $15,000 through this event for our Settlement and Integration Program,” Al Benarroch adds. “The team does fantastic work, and we know that our newcomer Jewish families need the supports from JCFS. I want to thank our sponsors, Rumor’s Comedy Club, and attendees for supporting us.”
Tickets for the show cost $40 and are available to purchase by calling JCFS (204-477-7430) or by visiting here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticketing/jcfs-comedy-for-a-cause. Sponsorships are still available.
Local News
Ninth Shabbat Unplugged highlight of busy year for Winnipeg Hillel
By MYRON LOVE Lindsay Kerr, Winnipeg’s Hillel director, is happy to report that this year’s ninth Shabbat UnPlugged, held on the weekend of January 9-11, attracted approximately 90 students from 11 different universities, including 20 students who were from out of town.
Shabbat UnPlugged was started in 2016 by (now-retired) Dr. Sheppy Coodin, who was a science teacher at Gray Academy, along with fellow Gray Academy teacher Avi Posen (who made aliyah in 2019) – building on the Shabbatons that Gray Academy had been organizing for the school’s high school students for many years.
The inaugural Shabbat UnPlugged was so successful that Coodin and Posen did it again in 2017 and took things one step further by combining their Shabbat UnPlugged with Hillel’s annual Shabbat Shabang Shabbaton that brings together Jewish university students from Winnipeg and other Jewish university students from Western Canada.
As in the past, this year’s Shabbat UnPlugged weekend was held at Lakeview’s Hecla Resort. “What we like about Hecla,” Kerr notes, “is that they let us bring in our own kosher food, it is out of the city and close to nature for those who want to enjoy the outdoors.”
The weekend retreat traditionally begins with a candle lighting, kiddush and a traditional Shabbat supper. Unlike previous Shabbats UnPlugged, Kerr points out, there were no outside featured speakers this year. All religious services and activities were led by students or national program partners.
The weekend was funded in part by grants from CJPAC and StandWithUs Canada, along with the primary gift from The Asper Foundation.
Kerr reports that the activities began with 18 of our local Jewish university students participating in a new student Shabbaton – inspired by Shabbat Unplugged, titled “Roots & Rising.”
In addition to Shabbat Unplugged, Hillel further partnered with Chabad for a Sukkot program in the fall, as well as with Shaarey Zedek Congregation and StandWithUs Canada for a Chanukah program. Hillell also featured a commemoration of October 7, an evening of laser tag and, in January, a Hillel-led afternoon of ice skating.
Coming up this month will be a visit to an Escape Room – and a traditional Shabbat dinner in March.
Kerr estimates that there are about 300 Jewish students at the University of Manitoba and 100 at the University of Winnipeg.
“Our goal is to attract more Jewish students to take part in our programs and connect with our community,” she comments.