Local News
Russian-speaking women learn about “Hafrashat Challah” at Jewish Learning Centre
By REGINA TEPLITSKY It looked festive: Challah kits and flowers on tables! Forty women who belong to an organization known as Limmud FSU (former Soviet Union) Labs gathered on Sunday, March 27th at the Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Learning Centre hall to pray for peace.
As a former campaign director for the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, also a former executive director of Camp Massad, I have continued to plan and organize events for the Jewish community here, with a special focus on Jewish Russian-speaking newcomers from Israel and Russia. In February of 2021 I initiated a new project called “Limmud FSU Labs Winnipeg”.
Limmud FSU Labs is a joint project of and the . The goal is to create a meaningful and ongoing platform for varying forms of Jewish expression among different communities of young Russian-speaking Jews around the world, in order to promote a sense of national, collective and personal identity with the Jewish people and with the State of Israel.
Since its inception, Limmud FSU Labs – Winnipeg has organized 15 meaningful events, retreats and lectures that have strengthened Jewish life and engaged Russian-speaking Jewish community members in programs that empower community networks and encourage Jewish learning.
The idea to gather for Hafrashat Challah came from Limmud FSU Labs Winnipeg activists, who wanted to create an uplifting event and pray together for peace in Ukraine. The Russian-speaking Jewish community is taking action in supporting a Ukrainian humanitarian crisis relief initiative. The Jewish Russian-speaking community has strong connections to the Ukrainian community.
We also had seven Ukrainian women attending the Hafrashat Challah program. The goal was to immerse them in Jewish culture through a hands-on experience and to provide them with a great network of supporting Jewish women. It was great to see Jewish Federation of Winnipeg and Rady JCC representation at the event as well.
Rabbanit Chanah Heidingsfeld from Chabad instructed the Hafrashat Challah in special “brachot,” also demonstrating various challah shaping techniques.
Passing the time as the dough was rising, Chanah shared with the program participants inspiring stories about the phenomenal work that Chabad has been doing in Ukraine during the war to save lives. The tears and expressions of pain on the faces of many of the women in the room made clear that there were plenty of requests for peace to make and that they were taking advantage of this special time and opportunity.
After the ingredients had been mixed and the mitzvah of “hafrashas challah” – separating the challah, was performed, the group joined Rabbanit Chanah in repeating blessings and prayers. It was a spectacular climax to this amazing gathering.
The crowd left happily, many staggering under the heavy weight of their bowls of challot, all ready to be baked.
On April 24th, I also organized a fundraising trivia game called IQ Battle Winnipeg to collect funds to promote peace and support the Ukraine Emergency Relief Fund of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg.
Local News
U of M event commemorating October 7 attracts small crowd – and no protesters
By BERNIE BELLAN Is it noteworthy to lead a story by noting that an event at a university in North America which centered on Israel did not attract a single protester?
Such was the case at the University of Manitoba on October 7.
On that day, at noon, a small crowd that might have numbered 100 at its peak – made up largely of older adults, but with a sizable number of students as well, heard from various speakers marking a full year since the massacre of October 7.
It was a gloriously sunny day and, as attendees gathered in front of the university administration building, we couldn’t help but wonder whether the event would be disrupted by anyone. There was a fence barricade at some distance from where people had gathered – apparently to keep a distance between those who were there to mark October 7 and anyone who had it in mind to disrupt what was happening. While there were some students who did station themselves behind that barricade, there was nary a peep – or at least a peep loud enough to be heard by anyone, from any of them.
Speakers at the university event included Belle Jarniewski, Executive Director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, and Rabbi Kliel Rose of Etz Chayim Congregation.
But, what was most remarkable about this event was not that it was a relatively quiet affair, rather, in contrast with what is currently going on – again – on some campuses in the U.S. – in particular at Columbia and Berkeley -where the massacre of October 7 is now being glorified, the U of M was a model of restraint that day..
We’ve noted before that, while some Jewish students have been concerned for their safety at the U of M – relative to other campuses across North America, the U of M has not seen the kind of rabid antisemitism that has marked so many other campuses.
Local News
Scenes from the walk for Israel in Winnipeg October 7
On October 7 over 1500 individuals participated in a walk for Israel – exactly one year after the massacre by Hamas terrorists of 1500 individuals, along with the taking hostage of another 250 individuals.
Local News
Marty Morantz’s remarks at the Walk for Israel October 7
One year since the world witnessed the worst attack on Jewish people since the Holocaust, when the genocidal, evil death of Hamas invaded Israel. One year, a brutal captivity for hostages taken only because they were Jewish. One year of shameful demonstrations by anti Semitic, too hating mobs, and incited hate in our streets.Today, we commit our memory to the 1,200 Israelis who were brutally murdered by mobs that day. Today, we stand in solidarity with the survivors, and we pray. For the safe return of all those still being held to Hamas, I say it’s time to let them all go. To Hamas, I say Israel is winning. And your genocidal plan to destroy Israel has failed. To you I say, from the river to the sea, the existence of Israel shall always be. This past year, synagogues have been fired on. Bullets have been fired at Jewish schools. Jewish students have been harassed on Canadian campuses. Jewish owned businesses have been vandalized. Anti Semitism is sadly out in the open. It is the world’s ugliest and most enduring form of hatred. It is an evil along with the evil Hamas death cult, will be defeated. Last November, I traveled to Israel to witness firsthand the devastation wrought by the monstrous murderers of Hamas. I visited and saw the burned up, shot up, blackened homes of the people of Kfar Ezzat. More haunting images I have never seen. I met the families of those killed and taken hostage. I made a promise to them, that I would bear witness to their suffering, to their pain, and to work to bring their loved ones home. Ours is a promise to keep, to bear witness, to work until every single hostage is home, and to not rest. Do not rest until every Jew, no matter where they live, and no matter where they work, and no matter where they go to school, lives safe and lives free. My friends, we can take comfort in knowing that despite the forces of evil, Jewish institutions in Canada still stand. Israel still stands. And I know. That 1,000 years from now, the echoes of millions of Jews around the world will still be heard saying now and forever. Am Yisrael Chai!
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