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The awards keep coming in for Professor Michael Eskin, the longest serving member of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences

By MYRON LOVE “My mother-in-law, the late Rose Kessler, always used to say that you should never retire and she was right,” comments Michael Eskin. “If I had retired at 65, I am not sure if I would have accomplished all that I have.”
Eskin (who is originally from Birmingham, England) is now in his 54th year of teaching in the University of Manitoba Department of Food and Human Nutritional Sciences.
He has also served as Department Chair and Associate Dean. In 2017, he was selected by the students in his faculty as Professor of the Year.
During the course of his storied career, Eskin – who is also a long time chazzan and occasional singer/songwriter – has written or co-written 17 books related to food science and published over 250 research articles, book chapters, monographs and abstracts. He also holds several patents.
The centerpiece of his career has been his work on the development of edible oils; he played a key role in the successful development of canola oil.
Not surprisingly, such an illustrious career does not go unnoticed by his peers and society as a whole. Two years ago, he became just the fifth Canadian scientist – and the first food scientist at the University of Manitoba – to receive the Supelco AOCS Research Award from the American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS), which is considered the foremeost prize in the area of lipids.
This award has been presented to scientists in many different disciplines, including organic chemistry, physical chemistry, biochemistry and nutrition. Eskin has been an active member of the society for many years, having served as chair of the AOCS Lipid Oxidation and Quality Division, and was the first chair of the AOCS Division Council. In addition to serving as an associate editor of the Journal of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, he was also co-editor of Lipid Technology for seven years and is associate editor of education for the AOCS Lipid Library.
Last year was an amazing one for him. In 2021, the beloved professor received the Order of Manitoba and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada. During that year he also taught two online courses, published two (of his 17) books and 13 papers. He also wrote and performed a special tribute celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the discovery of insulin in Canada, which was shown at the Annual Virtual Conference of the American Oil Chemists’ Society, and which received CBC coverage.
In 2021 he also received recognition from Elsevier/Academic Press as it marked the 50th anniversary of the publication of his first book, “Biochemistry of Foods,” now in its third edition and used throughout the world. In honor of his contributions to Elsevier/Academic Press, which includes eight other of his books, a volume in their prestigious series, “Advances in Food and Nutrition Research,” was dedicated to him.
As bountiful as 2021 was for Eskin, 2022 is proving to be another stellar year. He reports that in February, he was a Keynote Speaker at the Annual (Virtual) Meeting of the Canadian Section of the American Oil Chemists’ Society.
In March, he received notification that a paper published in the prestigious Chinese Journal of Science and Technology of Cereals, Oils and Foods with Professor Liuping Fan of Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China, received an Outstanding Paper Award.
In April, he received an e-mail from the President of the Institute of Food Technologists in the USA, the premier food science professional society in the world, that a jury of his peers had selected him as the 2022 Recipient of the very prestigious IFT Lifetime Achievement Award in Honor of Nicolas Appert. “This is considered one of the major awards of the society given to an individual for consistent lifetime contributions to advancing the science of food,” he notes.
Eskin adds that he is the first Canadian recipient of this award – putting him in the company of a very distinguished group of scientists from around the world who were previous recipients of this award.
The award consists of a bronze medal and cheque that will be awarded at the Annual Conference of IFT in Chicago later this year.
The IFT Lifetime Achievement Award is the twelfth major award that Eskin has received over the past decade – making him the University of Manitoba’s most honored food scientist.
As a recording artist, his latest composition is a song he wrote and performed celebrating the 200th birthday of Louis Pasteur – which was recorded and edited for presentation at this year’s American Oil Chemists’ Society Annual Meeting in May.
Eskin was particularly touched by the recent announcement that his department is establishing a special Graduate Student Travel Award in honor of both him and his wife, Nella. “Without Nella’s support over the years, none of my successes would have been possible,” he says. “An award in both of our names was perfect.”
Local News
Thank you to the community from the Chesed Shel Emes

We’re delighted to share a major milestone in our Capital Campaign, “Building on our Tradition.” Launched in November 2018, this campaign aimed to replace our outdated facility with a modern space tailored to our unique needs. Our new building is designed with ritual at its core, featuring ample preparation space, Shomer space, and storage, creating a warm and welcoming environment for our community during times of need.
We’re grateful to the nearly 1,000 generous donors who contributed over $4 million towards our new facility. A $750,000 mortgage will be retired in November 2025, completing this monumental project in just seven years.
We’re also thrilled to announce that our Chesed Shel Emes Endowment Fund has grown tenfold, from $15,000 to $150,000, thanks to you, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba’s FundMatch program, and Million Dollar Match initiative in 2024. Our fund helps ensure that everyone can have a dignified Jewish funeral regardless of financial need.
As we look to the future, our goal remains to ensure the Chevra Kadisha continues to serve our community for generations to come. Our focus now shifts to replenishing our savings account and growing our JFM Endowment fund.
We’re deeply grateful for your support over the past several years.
It’s our privilege to serve our community with care and compassion.
With sincere appreciation,
Campaign cabinet: Hillel Kravetsky, Gerry Pritchard, Stuart Pudavick,
Jack Solomon, and Rena Boroditsky
Murray S. Greenfield, President
Local News
Winnipeg Beach Synagogue about to celebrate 75th anniversary

By BERNIE BELLAN (July 13) In 1950 a group of cottage owners at Winnipeg Beach took it upon themselves to relocate a one-room schoolhouse that was in the Beausejour area to Winnipeg Beach where it became the beach synagogue at the corner of Hazel and Grove.
There it stayed until 1998 when it was moved to its current location at Camp Massad.
On August 2nd members of the synagogue will be holding a 75th anniversary celebration.

As part of the celebration anyone who is a descendant or relative of any of the original members of the first executive committee (as seen in the photo here) is invited to attend the synagogue that morning.
If you are a relative please contact Abe Borzykowski at wpgbeachshule@shaw.ca or aborzykowski@shaw.ca to let Abe know you might be attending or for more information about the 75th anniversary celebration.
We will soon be publishing a story about the history of the beach synagogue, which is something I’ve been writing about for over 25 years.
Local News
Vickar Family cuts ribbon on new Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre

By MYRON LOVE In the words of Larry Vickar, the Shaarey Zedek’s successful Dor V’ Dor Campaign “is not only a renewal of the synagogue but truly a renewal movement of Jewish life in our community.”An integral part of that renewal movement was the creation of a daycare centre within the expanded synagogue. On Monday, June 23, Larry and Tova Vickar cut the ribbon, thereby officially opening the Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre in the presence of 100 of their family members, friends and other supporters of the project.
The short program preceding the morning ribbon-cutting began with a continental breakfast followed by a welcome by both Fanny Levy, Shaarey Zedek’s Board President, and Executive Director Dr. Rena Secter Elbaze. In Elbaze’s remarks, she noted that Larry and Tova wanted their family (including son Stephen and family, who flew in from Florida) and friends at the event to celebrate the opening of the Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre, “not because of the accolades, but because, as Larry put it, he hopes that their investment in the congregation will inspire others to do the same.”
“When Larry and I spoke about what this gift meant to him and the message he wanted people to take away,” she continued, “I couldn’t help but connect it to the teachings of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi whose book – Age-ing to Sage-ing – changes the whole way we look at the concept of ageing and basing it on our ancestral teachings.”
She explained that his concept of “Sage-ing” is based on three key ideas – Discover your meaning and purpose; accept our mortality and think about the legacy you want to leave.
“Larry spoke about these exact concepts when we met,” she said.
Elbaze also noted the presence of Shaarey Zedek’s newly-arrived senior Rabbi Carnie Rose, former Rabbi Alan Green, and area MLAs Mike Moroz and Carla Compton.
Larry Vickar expressed his great appreciation for all those in attendance. “Tova and I are deeply moved to stand here with you today for this important milestone in our community”, he said. “We are grateful to be surrounded by all of you, the people we care about, our family and friends… you who have touched our lives and played some part in our journey.”