Connect with us

Local News

Lifelong Yiddish advocate Oscar Antel celebrates 99th birthday

Oscar Antel

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.

 

Continue Reading

Local News

Cheryl Hirsch Katz, Jewish Child and Family Service’s longest serving staffer, set to retire at end of the month

By MYRON LOVE “I loved working at Jewish Child and Family Service,” says Cheryl Hirsh Katz, who is due to retire at the end of June.  “I have always appreciated the warm and welcoming atmosphere here.  I feel that the people working here are my extended family. I am going to miss my colleagues”.
“I have derived great satisfaction over the years to have been able to help many people in our community of all ages through my work at JCFS,” she continues.
After 44 years at the agency, Katz, the longest-serving member of the staff, was given an appreciative send-off at the JCFS’s recent (June 23) Annual General Meeting at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue.
The daughter of Art and Bess Hirsh, Cheryl grew up in Garden City. She attended Peretz School, then Jefferson Junior High and Garden City Collegiate.  She joined the staff of JCFS in 1981, shortly after receiving her Bachelor of Social Work degree. 
She earned an MSW in 1990.
“I chose to become a social worker,” she recalls, “because I always wanted to be able to help people.”
Katz was originally hired by JCFS to work with newcomers. After a couple of years, she was given responsibility for looking after the needs of older adults.
“I really enjoyed working in older adult services,” she says.  “That is where I spent the bulk of my time at JCFS.”
After ten years as a case worker, she was promoted to a supervisory role.  Later, she was also given responsibility for mental health and addictions programming and settlement services, while keeping the older adult files under her purview.
“As a supervisor, I wasn’t directly involved with individual clients,” she points out.  “I was more involved with programming.  Among the programs for seniors we organized were – for example – sessions on elder abuse, digital storytelling and memory loss.”
She notes that one of the trends she has seen over the last 44 years is that people are living longer and living in their homes longer. A lot more of our clients are living well into their 90s,” she observes.  “We have had to continually expand our staff and the services we provide in order to accommodate the growing demands of an aging population.”   
She also spoke of the mental health needs of seniors and aging Holocaust survivors.
She says that she has mixed feelings about leaving JCFS.  “After so many years working full time, I am going to have to create a new routine,” she comments.
She notes that, now that she is retired, she will have more time to spend with her parents – who are in their 90s.
And then, there are the two dogs to look after. “I will have time now to try new activities,” she says. “ I might learn to play mah-jong.”
She speaks about maybe doing some traveling – although her husband, Murray, is still working full time.
(She and Murray have one daughter, Farah.)
“Retirement may also include some volunteering,” she adds.
It is quite likely, she will be continuing her association with JCFS but in a volunteer capacity. 

Continue Reading

Local News

Gray Academy students shine in provincial, national debating competitions

Gray Academy student debaters with debating coach Andrew Kaplan (l-r):Nate Shenkarow, Maxim Moscalenkov, Este Lamai, Andrew Kaplan, Raya Braunstein, Noa Mednikov

By MYRON LOVE It has been another good year for Gray Academy’s high school students who participated in provincial and national debating competitions.  The best results were recorded by Grade 9 student Noa Mednikov, who finished fourth overall nationally, fourth in interpretive reading, and fifth in persuasive speaking  at the junior National Public Speaking Championship in early May in Vancouver.
 
Last October, in the Junior Provincial British Parliamentary Championship – which was held at St. John’s-Ravenscourt – Noa and her partner, Raya Braunstein, finished third as a team while Raya placed third in individual debating.
 
Their fellow Grade 9 student Maxim Moscalenkov tied for first in persuasive speaking in Vancouver, while the Gray Academy team of Gabe Tapper and Aaron Koplovich finished fifth. Aaron also finished fifth in his individual debate.
 
Earlier, in March, Maxim finished fifth in the Provincial Juniors debating competition, which was held at Balmoral Hall  He and his debate partner, Nate Shenkarow, finished seventh among the teams entered.   Last November, he and partner, Ethan Tenenbein, finished seventh in the Junior Prepared Tournament – just behind the Gray Academy team of Nate Shenkarow and Jack Kay.    
 
At the senior high level in that competition, the team of Jacob Tenenbein and Jonah Novoseller finished fourth and Jacob was recognized as fifth best in an individual capacity. Jonah and Jacob also paired up to win the Asper Cup, which was held at their home school.
 
Jacob represented Manitoba at the Junior National Speech Championship in Vancouver in May and, last October, he and Grade 12 Gray Academy students Julie Krozkin and Daniel Bokser represented Canada at an international debating tournament in Bermuda.
 
 Gray Academy’s debating program was introduced by Linda Martin in 2003.  She also led the debating teams at Balmoral Hall.  In 2011, Martin was succeeded by Gray Academy high school English teacher Andrew Kaplan.
“Andrew has done a wonderful job with the debating program” says Martin, who has a debating trophy at Gray Academy named in her honour, as well as a provincial trophy for best individual junior debater. “Over the years, Gray Academy students have done very well in many local, national and international competitions,” she adds.
About three weeks ago, this writer had the opportunity to sit down with Andrew Kaplan and six of the school’s top debaters while they discussed the benefits of learning how to debate.  According to Noah Strauss – who competed in the Junior Provincials at Balmoral Hall in March, public speaking leaves him with a feeling of accomplishment.    
“It’s a good skill set to have,” he observes. “It builds confidence.”
“A benefit of being able to debate is that you learn how to convince people that you know what you are talking about,” adds Maxim Moscolenkov.
Raya Braunstein notes that being able to debate is a skill that she expects to be helpful in many university courses which she may choose to take.
As Andrew Kaplan notes, the ability to express yourself has a great impact in whatever career you choose to pursue. 
He points out that debating is compulsory at Gray Academy for all Grade 7 and 8 students – and students can continue debating as an option in the higher grades
Of course, competitive debating is not for everyone.  For those students who opt to take that path, the journey begins with internal school debate competition – with the top debating teams and individuals qualifying for local tournaments and – potentially – beyond.
Andrew Kaplan reports that a small number of  high schools in Winnipeg and southern Manitoba have active debating programs – including St. Johns Ravenscourt, St. Paul’s High School, St. Mary’s Academy, Garden City and Maples Collegiates in the Seven Oaks School Division, St. Maurice (a Catholic School), as well as Morden Collegiate and Dasmesh, a Sikh private school.
Kaplan expresses his appreciation to the Asper Foundation and an endowment spearheaded by the Kives Family  for providing funding for the Gray Academy debating program – as well as the Andrew Slough Foundation – which was established by his friends in memory of the outstanding former Ravenscourt student debater and lawyer who passed away suddenly two years ago at the still young age of 38.    
I am confident that our Jewish community can look forward to the continued success of Gray Academy’s star debaters and to the continual emergence of future stars as the times goes by. 

Continue Reading

Local News

Antisemitism has crept into grade school in Canada

Antisemitism in Canada has moved beyond protests and politics; it is now entering classrooms and altering how Jewish children see themselves functioning within them.
A a university student I have observed the experience of my younger brother in grade eight as a Jewish student. Over the past few months, his school has been at the center of several deeply troubling incidents that have made him feel unsafe in our parks, community, and even his school. Swastikas were drawn around the community, in parks and ponds. Additionally, an older man, who claims to be a pro-Palestinian influencer, stood outside his predominantly Jewish school wearing a keffiyeh, filming a video which then circulated between students on TikTok. 
This same man later showed up to our local Jewish community center in keffiyeh to allegedly watch his son play basketball where my brother and many of his classmates go for their lessons, basketball games, and Jewish events. These moments made him and his peers feel watched and targeted just for being Jewish. Local political representatives condemned the incidents and raised awareness about antisemitism, but the fear among students didn’t go away. The feeling of being targeted for simply existing has been taught to my brother, something my parents had tried their hardest to escape from. 
Most recently, my brother was chosen to represent his school at a regional science fair. When one of the judges arrived wearing a keffiyeh, he froze. For many, including my brother after the incidents he has faced, the keffiyeh represents a political message. But even more so for my younger brother, it is tied to the fear and intimidation he had already experienced. He felt nervous, distracted, and unsure of how to act.
This is not about silencing political expression. It is about a child who came to share his ideas and left feeling uncertain and afraid. It is about the atmosphere forming in Canadian schools, where Jewish students are being made to feel targeted and unwelcome.
His school made an effort to address the incidents, but the impact is lasting. Posts on social media, much can be very vague at times about inclusion cannot fully undo the feeling of being singled out. A kind word from a teacher does not erase the fear that builds when threats are left unspoken but deeply felt.
I am writing this as a sister who watched her younger brother lose a moment that should have been filled with confidence and pride. He deserved to feel safe. So do all Jewish students in this country.
Moving forward, schools must take concrete steps to protect all students. Antisemitism cannot only be addressed when it becomes violent or overt. It must also be recognized when it appears as intimidation, symbolic targeting, or political messaging that creates fear among students. Children should never have to question whether they are safe in their own classrooms or community spaces.
Events that are meant to support and celebrate students must remain focused on them. Individuals who feel the need to bring political symbols or messages into school grounds or children’s events should not be welcomed in those spaces. Schools must make it clear that their environments exist to support learning, safety, and inclusion, not to host agendas that can intimidate or isolate students.
Administrators and educators must develop clear guidelines for identifying and responding to antisemitic behavior in all its forms. This includes strengthening security measures, offering ongoing staff training, and engaging directly with Jewish families to understand their concerns. Inclusion is not a one-time statement. It is a responsibility that must be reflected in everyday decisions and actions. No child should ever feel unsafe or unwelcome because of their identity.

The author is a Campus Media Fellow with HonestReporting Canada and Allied Voices for Israel who lives in Toronto.

Continue Reading

Copyright © 2017 - 2023 Jewish Post & News