Local News
Rady JCC reopens to members
By BERNIE BELLAN
Anyone who is a member of the Rady JCC would have been receiving regular updates from Executive Director Rob Berkowits as to how the facility was planning to reopen in part under the province’s Phase 2 guidelines.
On June 15, for the very first time since March 16, when the Rady JCC had closed its doors to members, the Rady JCC was able to welcome back members, albeit with restrictions, including:
• a maximum capacity of 70 people total at one time
• 50% maximum capacity on the fitness centre floor
• workouts limited to 90 minutes in consideration of others.
Among the new procedures to be in place are:
New entry procedures and policies:
• Members’ temperatures will be taken with a non-contact temperature gun and members will be denied entry if above normal.
• The Rady JCC will only accept contactless forms of payment until further notice.
Limited access to certain areas/machines:
• Both the men’s and the women’s locker rooms are closed until further notice.
• The family change room is open specifically for individuals using the pool only and will be limited to a maximum of six people at a time.
• The Rady pool will only be available for lap swimming and must be pre-booked.
• Rady towel service will not be available at this time.
• Rady steam rooms will be closed until further notice.
• All Rady JCC water fountains will be shut off. Members are required to bring their own bottled water.
• In order to practice proper physical distancing, certain exercise equipment and machines will be blocked off from use.
• Hard to clean equipment such as foam rollers and yoga blocks will be unavailable.
• Drop-ins are no longer allowed for classes. The booking system must be used to reserve classes in advance.
• Members are required to wear masks while entering and exiting the facility and may choose at their own discretion to wear masks while on the fitness floor
• Gloves are not a requirement at this time
At the end of the first week of reopening I asked Zach Minuk, Rady JCC Director of Development, Partnerships, and Communications if he could give an overall assessment how members have accepted the new restrictions and what attendance has been like?
Zach wrote: “The reaction has been extremely positive. Members have been very happy with all our physical distancing measures as well as the overall cleanliness of the facility.
“In terms of numbers – we are seeing ebbs and flows this first week. Our fitness floor max count is 70 people due to mandated provincial physical distancing rules. We are seeing anywhere from 20% – close to 50% capacity throughout each day so far. To help members, we launched a live fitness centre capacity counter that we update every two hours during our normal hours of operation that can be found on our website homepage as well as shared through our social media. This allows members to know what our counts are before they come for their workouts. It’s also been extremely well-received.
“Beginning next week (June 22) , we are going to be adding some amenities. When we opened our aquatics facility, we initially only allowed pre-bookings for lap swimming in three lanes only. Our lanes have been booked solid all week now. Next Monday, we are opening up two more lanes for a total of five lanes now available for pre-booking. Also, on Monday, June 29, we are going to be adding sports and recreation activities including pickleball, badminton, and basketball.
“Everything we have done and continue to do is done so with the health and well-being of our members, staff, and volunteers top-of-mind. We want to ensure that every decision we make as we push forward into the summer months is the proper decision.
“One final thing – as you know, for any member who isn’t quite ready or comfortable enough to come back to the Rady yet, we’ve allowed them to extend their membership freeze at zero cost until September. When they are ready to come back, we will be ready to welcome them.”
I talked to Harvey Cogan, who has long been a devoted Rady JCC member, and who likes to use the pool for lap swimming, as well as the track for walking. I asked Harvey how he’s adjusted to the new restrictions at the Rady JCC?
Harvey said “It’s good to be back in the pool – and seeing so many familiar faces again.
“Today I had an appointment to use the pool at 11 am, so I arrived at 10:15 and walked around the track 11 times” (which, Harvey noted, is one mile).
“When I went to use the pool I used the family change room. It has six little lockers. It’s fine.”
Harvey told me that in the first week since the Rady JCC had reopened, he’d been there three times (and used the pool each time – for a 45 minute session each time).
I asked whether the facility was busy?
“There aren’t a lot of people coming at this time,” Harvey answered.
To be fair, it’s also summer, and there are usually a lot fewer people using the facility when the weather’s nice. Still, Harvey did mention that he’d talked with quite a few others who are regular attendees at the Rady JCC, and “seven or eight” of them had said they’re going to wait until September before they come back.
As noted, the Rady JCC has frozen all memberships until September.
In other Rady JCC news, it was announced on Thursday, June 18, that the summer camp program which, it had been feared earlier when the lockdown was first imposed by the provincial government would be canceled entirely, but which was subsequently allowed to go ahead – with allowances made for social distancing requirements, is now sold out for the entire summer.
Following are excerpts from a release issued by the Rady JCC:
Three weeks after opening registration, all available 2020 Rady JCC Summer Day Camps have sold out.
“We are incredibly excited about this news,” said Tamar Barr, Rady JCC’s Assistant Executive Director. “During these difficult times, to see such a positive response from our community and beyond is inspirational.”
Individual 2020 Rady JCC Day Camps, starting July 6 and running weekly for eight weeks, will have smaller maximum capacities than previous years due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and physical distancing restrictions mandated by the provincial government.
“While our camp sizes will be smaller this year, our dedicated staff have worked extremely hard in our preparations to ensure the overall campership experience will not be affected at all,” said Barr. “Campers can still expect to have fun and engaging sessions while parents can rest assured knowing their children will be in a safe environment.”
Rady anticipates close to 1000 children ranging in age from pre-school to Grade 8 to take part this year. If unable to register already, Rady is now accepting names for its 2020 Day Camp waiting list should any potential spots become available during the summer months. Parents should call 204.477.7510 if interested.
Local News
The Jewish Post Ltd. launches new website for food lovers
By BERNIE BELLAN Three months ago I wrote a story about something my daughter, Shira, had started doing on social media that had proved to be wildly successful – much to her own surprise. That story was titled: Local foodie finds fame by trying foods on Facebook Marketplace
What Shira was doing was going on to Facebook Marketplace and trying different foods that she was able to buy from local vendors. She often didn’t know what the heck it was she was ordering, but each time she would get a new food she would film herself reacting to that food.
The results have been consistently entertaining – often hilarious, to the point where Shira now has over 10,300 followers on Instagram, as well as on Facebook, TikTok, and Youtube. (You can find her Instagram page at Winnipeg Marketplace Food Finds.)
I suggested to Shira that she ought to parlay the success she’s found by posting on social media into a further venture: creating a website that would give wider exposure to the food vendors whose food Shira liked the most.
As a result, Shira and I teamed up with the marvellous web designer whose name is Mario Lacunza who is responsible for the design of jewishpostandnews.ca -to create a brand new website called Winnipeg Marketplace Food Finds.
On that website you will find pictures of some of the most popular foods Shira has tried from Marketplace, along with links to the original Instagram posts where she reviewed those foods – and links that will take you directly to the vendors’ Facebook pages.
There are so many brilliantly creative people selling food on Marketplace and Shira’s social media posts have brought many of them a lot of new business. Our hope is that our new website will bring them even more business.
The website will also offer stories about food from a variety of sources. So, take a look at the new site and be amazed at the originality of the foods being produced on Facebook Marketplace.
Local News
UNVEILING for the headstone of Dr. Velimir Kon (Sept. 18, 1950-June 27, 2025)
A true mensch and person of many talents and profoundness, Dr. Velimir (Shlomo) Kon is deeply missed and loved by his family and friends.
Known for his warmth, kindness, integrity and love of learning and teaching, Velimir continues to inspire all who knew him and his memory warms our hearts and souls. Velimir is deeply missed.
You are invited to helps us remember and honour our beloved husband and father who passed away almost a year ago.
We, Branka, Deborah and Lea Kon, wish to inform our relatives and friends of the unveiling of a headstone dedicated to his loving memory on FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2026 at 11:00am at the HEBREW SICK CEMETERY (2605 McPhillips Street) followed by lunch at the Chabad Lubavitch of Winnipeg – Jewish Learning Centre (1845 Mathers Avenue). Please come say a l’chaim in his honour.
In Memoriam
1st Yahrzeit
In loving memory of Dr. Velimir (Shlomo) Kon who passed away June 27, 2025, 12 Days in Tammuz.
⁃ Forever and deeply loved and missed by his wife of over 50 years, Branka, and daughters Deborah and Lea Kon. Velimir brought joy to our lives with his boundless kindness and gentleness, irrepressible humour, great intellect and love of people, tikun olam and Judaism.
Not a day goes by that we do not mention Velimir and feel his presence with us. Our lives are not the same without him and we deeply miss and cherish him. We can never forget his presence that was larger than life, yet also his humility and thoughtfulness.
A gentleman to the very core, Velimir was respected as a scientist, academic, professor, researcher, and later as a teacher and mentor. He always endeavoured to make every place he worked and lived at better and was able to bridge many cultures. He was Abraham of his generation and made many personal sacrifices; giving up status, position and privilege in order for his family to have a better and peaceful future.
May his memory always be a blessing. He left us at only 74 years young and we wish we had had more time together. Indeed, to know him was to love him.
Local News
Younger Jewish talents continue to shine in their respective categories at annual Winnipeg Music Festival
By MYRON LOVE A number of younger members of our community were repeat stars at the most recent (108th annual) Winnipeg Music Festival – which takes place annually in March. Among the repeat Jewish singers and musicians in the ranks of high achievers this year were” Yale Rayburn-Vander Hout, Gregory Hyman, Alex Schaeffer, Juliet Eskin, Noah Kravetsky, and Lyla Chisick.
Vocalist Yale Rayburn-Vander Hout, the oldest of this year’s group of Jewish repeat winners, was competing in his fifth straight festival, where he continued to build on his accomplishments in previous festivals. This year, the 20-year-old son of Samantha and Peter finished first in two musical theatre categories – songs from musical theatre productions between 1965 and 1999, and shows from the past 26 years. Yale sang “I’m Allergic to Cats,” from the 2016 musical “The Theory of Relativity,” and “Suppertime,” from the 1967 musical, “You’re a Good man, Charlie Brown.”
The former Gray Academy student is currently enrolled at the University of Manitoba’s Desautels Faculty of Music in the Choral program. Yale says that he is hoping to get into the performance track in the fall with the goal of earning a degree in Classical Voice Performance en route to pursuing a career in musical theatre.
As reported previously, Gregory Hyman is a multi-faceted artist who can do it all. The 18-year-old son of Hartley and Rishona Hyman is a singer/songwriter/musician (guitar) who records and performs under the stage name, GMH. His versatility shone through once again in his eighth Music Festival, in which he registered first-place finishes for vocal performances in both “Popular and Contemporary Music” and “TV and Movie Music “categories.
Gregory notes that he was also recommended to compete in the provincial finals in June. The St. John’s-Ravenscourt student (and soon-to be) graduate continues to be busy on stage. In January, he headlined a sold out solo show at Sidestage on Osborne featuring some of his new material. In March, he released an album of his newest songs. Readers can check out his latest compositions on any of the music streaming platforms as well as his own social media (thegmh) on Instagram.
Gregory also continues to host his own podcast: “Talk and Rock with GMH – now in its fifth season – in which he interviews various people in the music business across Canada.
While Gregory says that a musical career is his “dream,” he reports that he is hedging his bets and considering different potential career opportunities. Come September, he will be enrolled at the University of Manitoba in a University One program, which will allow him to select from a variety of courses that can count toward a degree.
Sixteen-year-old Alex Schaeffer won first place this year in the “Musicals Prior to 1965, 16 Years and Under” category with “Try Me” from “She Loves Me,” and was runner-up in the “Musicals 1965 to 1999, 16 Years and Under” category with “On My Own,” from “Les Misérables.” For the son of Marc Schaeffer and Kae Sasaki, this was his fifth year competing in the festival.
The Grant Park High School student made his big stage debut three years ago as Kurt von Trapp in “The Sound of Music,” followed by playing Michael Hobbs in “Elf the Musical” this past winter at the Royal MTC.
Alex recently performed in Grant Park High School’s production of “Something Rotten!” This summer Schaeffer can be seen again at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, where he will be appearing in a production staged by Rem Lezar Theatre.
Rounding out the voice winners is Lyla Chisick. The daughter of Daniel and Baillee was competing in her second music festival. This year, she scored Gold performances in the “Vocal Solo,” “Manitoba Composers,” and “TV/Movie Musical, 12 and under” categories.
Lyla reports that she began taking voice lessons from Jessica Kos-Whicher three years ago. She says she regularly takes part in the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue Family Service and has sung at several community events. Lyla adds that she is already looking forward to next year’s music festival.
Nate Kravetsky and Juliet Eskin competed in the festival as musicians rather than singers. Juliet, 16, plays the viola, and is also is the violist in the Assiniboine String Quartet. In this, her fifth go-round at the festival, Juliet, the daughter of the musically talented Kelly Robinon and Josh Eskin, had first place finishes in the “Viola Solo, level 8,” “Baroque or Classical Concerto,” and “Romantic Composers” categories.
Juliet originally took up the violin – adding the viola a couple of years after. She also just finished performing in the Grant Park High School production of “Something Rotten!”
Nate Kravetsky is currently in Grade 5 level piano. He studies with Erica Schultz and has been taking lessons from her since age 5.
Nate competed in three categories at the Winnipeg music festival: “Baroque,” “Sonata,” and “Contemporary/own choice.”
His own choice selection was the theme from his favourite video game, “Hollow Knight.”
Nate, who is in Grade 7 at Gray Academy, is also preoccupied preparing for his upcoming bar mitzvah.
We look forward to the continued musical success off Yale, Gregory, Alex, Nate, Juliet and Lyla, and what new talent may be unveiled at next year’s Winnipeg Music festival.
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