Local News
Shaarey Zedek Cemetery update
By BERNIE BELLAN
In previous issues we reported on changes the Shaarey Zedek had made to the maintenance of its cemetery as a result of the pandemic.
In our June 10 issue we noted that the synagogue board had decided to forego the planting of flowers on graves that would ordinarily have had flowers planted in keeping with perpetual care agreements.
In an email issued by the Shaarey Zedek in late May, recipients of the email were told that, notwithstanding the commitment that “Perpetual Care shall include the planting of flowers, (emphasis ours) cutting of grass, changing the soil and sod, renovating of concrete (if same surrounds the plot), as determined necessary by the Cemetery Committee in its sole discretion… After a lengthy discussion and in consideration of the unique situation this year due to the Coronavirus, the Cemetery Committee agreed unanimously to suspend the purchase and planting of flowers for this year.”
Not surprisingly, therefore, the conditions of gravesites that had, until this year, been planted with flowers, began to be festooned with weeds.
On July 24 we received an email from a reader who was particularly disturbed over the condition of his spouse’s gravesite. That reader sent pictures with his email which showed a gravesite covered in weeds. He noted that he had also sent an email to Ian Staniloff, Executive Director of Shaarey Zedek Congregation, in which he asked why his wife’s grave was in such deplorable condition, even though he had a perpetual care agreement?
Subsequent to our receiving that email, we received an email in which Ian Staniloff responded to the reader’s complaint. Ian wrote, in part:
“In order to compensate for the loss of additional employees whose main focus was planting flowers, watering and weeding individual graves, we incorporated a volunteer component from within the synagogue to handle these duties, leaving the overall grass cutting/weeding to the regular maintenance staff.. As you can imagine however, with almost 11,000 graves to maintain in a cemetery that covers 24 acres, the process takes quite a bit of time to complete the entire cemetery.
“We didn’t stop the spraying of weeds due to high cost. The most effective weed spray that we utilized had been banned by the province of Manitoba 2-3 years ago due to it containing 24D, and we were not able to control the spread of weeds/dandelions with an inferior product (which by the way was more expensive). Over the last couple of years we have been able to keep the weed problem at bay by having the specific flower planters, remove the weeds on each individual grave as they tended to the flowers.
“By not having these planters initially it was left up to the regular grass cutters to maintain the overall cemetery. However, we have determined that the problem is growing and have now hired additional staff specifically to deal with the weeds/existing flowers on all the graves. The results of their efforts should be evident. I will advise that this all takes some time, but I wanted you to be assured this is not something we take lightly. We are very proud of the appearance and grounds of our cemetery and are doing
our utmost to ensure that the high quality we have enjoyed in the past is being maintained.”
I decided to go down to the cemetery myself to see what the situation was. On Thursday, July 30 I rode my bike to the cemetery. (I thought it would be easier to take in the entire cemetery by bike rather than on foot and it gave me a convenient excuse to go for another long bike ride.)
The majority of the cemetery appeared to be in excellent shape, but I did notice that several gravesites which would normally have had flowers on them were still weed-infested, as our reader had pointed out. However, I did come across two young women who were hard at work pulling weeds out by hand. They told me they were working their way westward to the newest graves and expected to have all graves properly weeded in due course.
While I was in the cemetery I sent this email to Ian Staniloff:
“Hi Ian
“I’m in the cemetery now it all looks pretty good to me. I’m just curious: Did you take care of the problem by hiring additional workers?
“I’m in the newest section now and from what I can see you’re going to run out of room in a short while. What’s the plan going forward?
“Bernie”
Ian Staniloff responded:
“Bernie,
“I’m glad you see that we have done our utmost to respond to our congregants’ concerns regarding the cemetery. Some of the work was done utilizing volunteers, but the majority of the work was done by re-hiring some of the seasonal people who were not initially brought back.
“In terms of our future, we have at least 15-20 years of available space in our cemetery. There are areas that remain to be developed, including and most notably at the front (East Side) of the property.
“I hope this provides a bit of an answer.
“Cheers,
“Ian”
Local News
Shaarey Zedek celebrates reopening September 29
By BERNIE BELLAN After a period of renovation that began in the spring of 2022, the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue was officially reopened on Sunday, September 29.
Here is a montage of photos from the “Chanukat Habayit” that took place on Sunday afternoon.
Local News
Canadian Yazidi Association honours Winnipeg friends who helped start Operation Ezra
By BERNIE BELLAN On Sunday, September 22, members of Winnipeg’s Yazidi community showed their appreciation to Winnipeggers who had helped Yazidis move to Canada and settle in Winnipeg since 2015 by inviting a number of Winnipeggers to a dinner at Temple Shalom. Many of the guests were individuals who had played vital roles in helping Yazidis escape persecution by ISIS in Iraq back in 2015.
It was in 2015 that a spokesperson for the Yazidi community at the time, Nafiya Nasso, came in contact with some members of the Jewish community who were touched by the plight of the Yazidis in Iraq. Through the facilitation of Jewish Child and Family Service the seeds for what was to become Operation Ezra were planted. Since then Operation Ezra has helped more than 50 Yazidi families immigrate to Canada and settle here. The strong bonds that were established back then helped what was then a very small Yazidi community grow into a much larger – and what is now a thriving community.
The Canadian Yazidi Association, under the direction of Nafiya Nasso, organized a sumptuous buffet dinner at Temple Shalom on September 22. Not only was the food delicious, at the end, attendees were handed empty containers and invited to go fill them up to take home whatever they wanted. (If someone from the Yazidi community ever wanted to open a restaurant, I bet it would do very well.)
Local News
Temporary Federal Government visa program paves way for Israelis looking to Canada for reprieve from war
By MYRON LOVE Shortly after the Oct. 7th Hamas attack, Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) instituted a temporary immigration measure for Israelis (as well as Palestinians from Gaza and the West Bank) to apply for a temporary reprieve in Canada through applications for work permits. According to Iael Besendorf, Jewish Child and Family Service’s Settlement Services Team Lead, since last October, 70 families have arrived from Israel, comprising 191 individuals.
“While some of these families were already in the process of applying to move to Winnipeg, the conflict in Israel hastened them to leave sooner,” she reports.
She adds that approximately 50 of the families – comprising over 150 adults and children – have come through under the aegis of the temporary work visa program.
Besendorf points out many of the individuals, couples, and families arrived in Winnipeg in great distress, only taking the few belongings they needed to settle here.
“Most left behind family, friends, and jobs in a sudden state of emergency,” she notes.
”During the first few weeks following their arrival, JCFS was there to hear and acknowledge their immediate trauma. We at JCFS continue to provide individual counselling and group supports as needed.”
She further adds that JCFS created – with the financial support of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg – a special War Response Team to assess and respond to the needs of local community members and new arrivals.
“Mental health and counselling professionals on our team are available to meet with anyone needing services,” she says.
“As an adjunct of this, we at the JCFS Settlement Team are the first to interface with newcomers to our community and are also available to help triage and refer clients in need. These new arrivals receive our typical settlement supports such as: information and orientation about their first steps in Canada, which includes help with practical needs such as housing, daycare, schools for their children, employment resources, and an orientation to all the various Jewish organizations.”
The newly arrived Israelis have also been showing up at our community’s summer camps and Gray Academy of Jewish Education.
“After October 7, we welcomed 17 temporary students who came from Israel to be with friends or family in Winnipeg,” reports Lori Binder, Gray Academy’s Head of School and CEO of the Winnipeg Board of Jewish Education.
“Eight of those students remained at Gray Academy, and 12 more Israeli students have joined us for the 2024-2025 school year.”
She adds that enrolment at the school is over 500 (as compared to 472 last year) – with almost 100 of them brand new to the school. Quite a number of the new students, she points out, are from local families who see the value in a Jewish education.
Ian Baruch, Camp Massad’s Planning and Engagement Director, reports the camp at Sandy Hook welcomed “quite a few” IsraeIi kids this past summer among the 136 campers who were registered.
“About a quarter of our campers and half our staff are Israeli or from families from Russia who came here by way of Israel,” he notes.
The BB Camp office was closed through the first half of September so no comment was available as to the number of Israeli children at the Lake of the Woods camp.
Iael Besendorf further observes that among the challenges the Israeli newcomers are facing here is the length of time that it is taking the Federal Government to issue work permits.
“As a result,” she says, “the adults are unable to work, and many families are feeling this financial pressure.”
She adds that “as the situation in Israel appears to be far from over, we expect more people will seek reprieve outside of Israel. The Federal Government just announced an extension of one more year, to March, 2025, for this temporary visa program. As such, JCFS expects that more will arrive and that we will are likely to see a steady stream of more people over that time.”
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