Local News
The Bermax saga takes a new twist – Is returning to Israel the Berents’ next step?
By BERNIE BELLAN
As reported in various media on October 6, the three members of the Berent family: father Alexander, mother Oxana, and son Maxim, are all now living in Los Angeles, having gone there in January of this year.
Readers may recall the notoriety surrounding the Berent family in relation to the charges of “public mischief” that were laid against them in April 2019 following the sensational report of what appeared to be the worst case of antisemitic vandalism ever having been seen in Winnipeg to that point, when what appeared to be the targeting of the Bermax Caffé on Corydon Avenue for vandalism drew widespread public attention. (It was also alleged that Oxana Berent had been attacked and rendered unconscious by whoever perpetrated the vandalism.)
In an email issued to various media by lawyer Michael Lazar of the Broadway Law Group on October 7, Lazar notes that he is now acting for Oxana Berent – having taken over from Martin Glazer. (Phillip Cramer is acting for Maxim Berent; Cramer is the only one of the three original lawyers retained by members of the Berent family who is still on the case. Brett Gladstone is acting for Alexander Berent, who was originally represented by James Lowry.)
In Lazar’s email he writes: “In the aftermath of the events (which took place in April 2019) there was a great deal of publicity which exposed the Berent family to ostracism in the community. Compounded by financial difficulties, the Berents lost both their business and their family home.”
We searched the title to the Berent home, which is off Highway 8 in the municipality of St. Andrews. The property was listed for sale in July 2019 for $669,000, but remained unsold until the listing expired in July of this year.
There are three different mortgages on the property: one held by the Royal Bank for $249,318; one by the Cambrian Credit Union for $1,000,000; and one by something called Community Futures North Red Inc. for $150,000. In addition, there are various judgments against various Berent-owned companies, including Bermax Design and Bermax Capital, amounting to over $120,000.
There are other claims pending against both Berent-owned companies and Alexander and Oxana Berent personally.
There is also a personal judgment against Maxim Berent from the Royal Bank for $44,000.)
On September 24 of this year the Royal Bank began foreclosing proceedings on the property off Highway 8.
Lazar’s email continues: “They had no community support in Winnipeg, but were offered support by the Chabad movement in Los Angeles. They advised the court of their intention to relocate to California, and were told that they were free to go so long as they maintained contact with their defence lawyers and returned for their trial. They relocated to California in January 2020.
“The subsequent arrival of the COVID pandemic raised difficult procedural issues in the case. Manitoba currently requires people arriving from the United States and elsewhere outside of Western Canada to quarantine for two weeks upon their arrival in Manitoba. This means that the Berents would have to return to Manitoba at least two weeks before the scheduled trial dates and quarantine here for two weeks. They had nowhere to do that, and do not have the means to quarantine in a hotel for two weeks.”
Presumably the Berents entered the United States on what is known as a B2 Visitor Visa, which is normally good only for six months. The Berents entered the United States in January, which means their visa would normally have expired either in June or July. Under certain circumstances visitors can request a further six-month extension of that visa.
Toward the end of his email Lazar also says the following: “The intent here (and this was expressed on the record by the crown attorney and confirmed by the defence lawyers) was that the Berents could return to Winnipeg and report to the police once COVID has receded and the quarantine requirements were removed. They would be released on a new bail and new trial dates would be scheduled. This was a creative and cooperative effort between crown and defence to deal with one of the unique challenges raised by the pandemic situation.”
While we have no way of knowing what is in the minds of the Berents, the option of returning to Israel (where they lived before moving to Canada in 2006) is open to them. While Israel does not necessarily extend the “right of return” to a Jew with a criminal record, (Article 2(b) of the Law of Return asserts that an entry visa will not be granted to a Jewish person if they have a criminal record that suggests they may pose a risk to public safety), none of the Berents have been convicted of a criminal offence.
The following information is taken from an article I wrote about the Berent family in 2013: “Originally from Ukraine, where Maxim’s father, Alex, worked in the design and production of custom-made furniture and cabinets with Maxim’s grandfather and his mother, Oxana, worked first as an engineer – later joining the Berent family business, the family moved to Israel 22 years ago. Of all places to live the Berents ended up in Metulah, Israel’s northern-most location, where they began selling furniture produced for them at nearby Kibbutz Hagoshrim. The family opened a furniture store in Kiryat Shmonah…”
“When the Berent family moved to Manitoba eight years ago (in 2006), settling in the St. Andrews area, it wasn’t long before word of their ‘old world’ craftsmanship spread, and the orders began pouring in. As a matter of fact, Oxana Berent has been nominated for the 2013 ‘Woman Entrepeneur of the Year’ award for her work in developing Bermax into a design and manufacture company of great repute.”
Thus, it would not be difficult to conceive of the Berents re-establishing themselves in Israel – if they should so choose. (Presumably, they could also return to Ukraine if they still hold Ukrainian citizenship.) While Israel does have an extradition treaty with Canada, it hardly seems likely that the Crown in Manitoba would go to the trouble of initiating extradition proceedings with Israel over a charge of public mischief any more than the Crown is likely to do that with American authorities.
Also, given the fact that they have been given help by the Chabad movement in Los Angeles, it is not difficult to conceive of the Chabad movement (or perhaps some other Jewish movement) helping the Berents to move back to Israel – once the COVID epidemic subsides.
Of course, this is all mere speculation on our part. As Michael Lazar makes clear in his email, the Berents say they are quite willing to return to Winnipeg to face trial “once COVID has receded”.
Local News
Fringe Festival star Melanie Gall to appear at Gwen Secter Centre July 16
By BERNIE BELLAN A veteran performer at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, Melanie Gall, will be making a special guest appearance at the Gwen Secter Centre on Thursday, July 16.
Melanie will be the featured speaker (and entertainer) for the Remis Speakers’ Series that day. The Remis Speakers’ Series is held every Thursday starting at noon and ending at 1:30. This year’s series began May 7 and will continue through the end of October. This year it has been attracting increasingly large audiences – ranging from 40-60 people, as it offers attendees the opportunity to enjoy a delicious – and kosher lunch, while listening to a very diverse variety of speakers – all the way from Gail Asper talking about returning the Ten Commandments to Assiniboine Park to Rabbi Matthew Leibl performing Christmas songs that were written by Jewish songwriters. At the same time it provides those attending a chance to make new acquaintances – or perhaps bump into old friends they haven’t seen in a long time.
Melanie Gall’s own story is sure to be riveting. I’ve written about Melanie in the past, but the past two summers had been especially nerve wracking for Melanie, as she was subjected to a torrent of antisemitic abuse over her support for the State of Israel.
You can read my story about what Melanie went through during the Winnipeg Fringe Festival – both in 2024 and again last year, at Melanie Gall subjected to antisemitic abuse.
Melanie, who will be entering her 13th year of performing at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, will be peforming in only one show this year – a departure from her past practice of performing in multiple shows (as many as three different shows) during the Fringe Festival.
Elsewhere on this website we’ll be offering a preview of Melanie’s show (which is called “The Ballad of Isobel Gunn” and which is based on an incredible, but true story), along with previews of several other shows.
In the meantime, if you’re not already a member of the Remis Speakers’ Series group, but would ike to attend this coming Thursday, simply email us at jewishp@mymts.net and we’ll reserve a spot for you. The cost for the lunch is only $20.
The Gwen Secter Centre is located at 1588 Main Street (corner of Smithfield). There is parking available on a lot behind the centre or on the street.
Local News
Folk Festival Report
(Posted July 10) During this year’s Winnipeg Folk Festival we’re going to be running an ongoing blog report – with photos and blurbs from the festival, sent to us by Heather Silbert and Samara Ebanks.
Here’s Heather’s first entry (sent Friday at 3:33 pm): “It’s a hot hot day at the 51st Winnipeg Folk Festival! Lots of people; lots of good vibes; and an abundance of awesome music!!”
“We just moved to spruce hollow. Nice and shady. listening to Jacob Brodovsky.”
4:21 pm: “Jacob just announced that he lost his job and received a lot of vitriol from the Jewish Community because he’s a Jewish person who believes that Palestinian and Jewish lives are intertwined, and he is against the genocide. He is very deeply feeling, and expresses all these big feelings through his songs. I want to give him a hug, but it’s so hot outside!”
5:33 pm: The inscription in the plaque below begins with some lines from a Bruce Cockburn song called “Joy Will Find a Way (A Song About Dying)”: and continues with: “Memory Lane honours those who are no longer with us but whose presence lives on in the music, memories and moments we share here…”
7:06 pm “Gorgeous hand made polymer clay jewelry! Amanda Greisman makes gorgeous pieces that can be worn across many occasions! And she’s so so nice!” (See her booth called “Blue Sky Jewelry.”
(Keep checking for updates)
Local News
New GrowWinnipeg “Grow Together” highlights diverse origins of our growing Jewish community
By MYRON LOVE On Monday, June 11, about 120 younger Jewish Winnipeggers from diverse backgrounds came together at the Asper Campus for an evening of food and music, games and prizes and, most important, the opportunity to socialize with their peers from a growing community that reflects the long term success of our community’s 26-year-old GrowWinnipeg initiative.
“We are gathered here to celebrate your and your parents’ decisions to come to Winnipeg, build families and raise families here,” noted Dalia Szpiro, GrowWinnipeg’s director, in addressing the young adults in attendance.
To summarize, the GrowWinnipeg Initiative arose when our past community’s leadership recognized that our Jewish population was an aging and shrinking community with aging infrastructure.
The first stage was the planning and construction of the Asper Campus, which brought our major institutions and organizations under one roof in an attractive new building.
The next challenge was to attract more people to our community. GrowWinnipeg was created to take on the challenge. The initiative, which was officially launched in 2000, is unique in its efforts to reach out to young Jewish families throughout the Western world.
The first outreach efforts were directed at Argentina’s sizeable Jewish community at a time when the South American country’s economy was going through a very difficult period. Several of our community leaders visited the Jewish community in Buenos Aires and a website was established. Arrangements were made for local families to host Jewish Argentinians here on exploratory visits and the community helped the prospective immigrants navigate the then new Provincial Nominee Program, find jobs and establish themselves here.
Since then, many young families – from Argentina, as well as a great number of other countries – have chosen to make Winnipeg their new home. The young people at the recent GrowWinnipeg evening were reflective of the diversity of our growing community. During the course of the evening, I had the opportunity to speak with not only Israeli-born participants, also young people from Russia and Ukraine, Turkey and Uruguay – and a young lady who grew up in Ottawa.
Naomi Kirshenblatt Palansky originally came here from Ottawa to go to university. She met and married local entrepreneur Noah Palansky in 2023. (We wrote about Noah in the December 19, 2025 issue). That same year, the former competitive swimmer who competed in the Maccabiah Games in 2009 and 2013 served as manager of the Canadian Junior swimming team participating in the games. She is currently the director of operations and strategy for a company called CoinFlip.
Although born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Yael Borovich grew up in Winnipeg. She is the daughter of Dalia Szpiro and Eduardo Borovich (and younger sister of Vanessa) all of whom moved here in 2002. She is a graduate of the Asper School of Business and works as a senior client relationship manager for Scotia Bank’s commercial branch.
Siblings Igal and Edem Avimelek arrived here from Turkey six years ago with their parents, Etel and Moris. Edem is in her second year at the University of Manitoba while Igal is studying engineering at UBC.
They report that their father, Moris, has established the Upperwear Textile Agency – marketing textile products online – while their mother Etel, is senior IT Director, software development and data analytics and enterprise architecture at Standard Aero.
“Our parents were looking to move to a new country and came across the GrowWinnipeg webpage,” Edem says. “GrowWinnipeg has been really supportive of us in helping us move here and become established.”
More recent arrivals Alex Tsmokaliuk and Jane Hin are from Ukraine and Russia respectively and have been together since 2022. “We were looking for a peaceful place to start a family,”: Alex says. “We heard about GrowWinnpeg and here we are.”
Alex is a fitness trainer while Jane is working for WRE Development as a property manager.
Dora Bronstein, who is originally from Beersheva, is also a recent arrival to our community. “I came to Winnipeg because I wanted to get away from war – and I heard about GrowWinnipeg,” she says.
She is currently working for L.C. Taylor Licensed Insolvency Trustee as an estate manager.
Erele Tzidon and Daniel Mejnov
Last October, GrowWinnipeg introduced its new Youth Ambassadors program.
“Since October, we have been working to create an organized system and opportunities to help young newcomers find their people within our community,” wrote Youth Ambassador Erele Tzidon on Facebook.
“Our mission is to help young immigrants find a sense of home in Winnipeg and support a smooth and welcoming transition.
We are excited to help bring our young Jewish community together.
As reported in the Jewish Post about 18 months ago, Tzidon is originally from Moshav Ginaton in central Israel. She came to Winnipeg in 2018 with her parents Ofer – formerly regional manager for a car rental agency in Israel and now an RBC branch manager – and Sharon – an emotional therapist in Israel who is currently working as an educational assistant at Gray Academy – and three younger brothers.
The 20-year Gray Academy graduate has recently completed her third year in Science at the University of Manitoba. For the past three years, she has also been a member of Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin’s research team at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICS), researching the link between pregnancy complications and the risk for heart disease.
In November, 2024, Tzidon was presented with the Dr. James S. McGoey Student Award – based on the quality of her cardiovascular research at the ICS, which operates out of the St. Boniface Hospital campus’s Albrechchtsen Research Centre.
Tzidon’s fellow Youth Ambassador is Daniel Mejnov. He was born in Beersheva but moved to Winnipeg with his parents, Dennis and Victoria (and younger brother Alon) 14 years ago. He is currently enrolled in an IT program at the University of Winnipeg.
Mejnov welcomed all those in attendance at the celebration and thanked the volunteers who helped him and Tzidon organize the event.
“It has been great being able to bring so many people together,” he said. “This is a good way to unite our community.
Two other individuals of particular note that I spoke with at the event were Orit Agabayev and Alina Plis, partners in three year old A and O Event Décor, who provided the balloon arches and walls, table settings and centre pieces for the evening.
Agabayev is originally from Netanya and Plis is from Yeruham (in southern Israel). The latter has been here for 18 years and operates a daycare. The former came 16 years. Her principal career is working in the field of animal nutrition.
In an Instagram PosI from four years ago, Plis noted that “I have always been passionate about planning parties and events. I started out with planning big surprise birthday parties for my kids. Eventually I began planning and decorating events for family and friends. Now I am taking the next step with my friend, Orit, who shares the same level enthusiasm as me. What drives me to go above and beyond is simply the excitement my creations bring to those who see my work.
On Facebook, Agabayev added that “Alina and I are so excited to start A&O event decor. We both love decorating and planning different events. We hope that you can put your trust in us to create or decorate an event for you. We do Birthday parties, anniversaries, bachelor/bachelorette parties, proposals, weddings and more..
“Message us with your ideas to get a free quote and you’re one step closer to having an unforgettable event.”
