Local News
Wab Kinew’s speech at the walk for Israel October 7
Following are the complete remarks given by Premier Wab Kinew at the Asper Campus on October 8:
As we mark this sombre anniversary, I express my solidarity with you, as does our government. We recognize the sharp rise in anti-Semitism here in Manitoba, where threats to places of worship, community centres, and campuses have left many Jewish Manitobans feeling unsafe expressing their identity. This past year has been challenging for many, but we stand together, united in rejecting all forms of hate and ensuring that everyone can live freely and without fear.
As you well know, Jewish people around the world celebrated the new year just a few short days ago. To commemorate that holiday, many of you would have wished friends, family, acquaintances a sweet and healthy new year. And on this occasion, which I think we sometimes struggle to find the right words, I think we’d all agree that hope for a better year is something we all hold in common.
This past year has been challenging. It’s been challenging here in Manitoba. It’s been challenging for friends and family members in Israel. And it’s been a test for many people here right at home in Manitoba. But I want to affirm that Manitobans are resilient. And that Jewish people here in Manitoba are resilient.
And so, As a leader of the provincial government, I want to acknowledge the difficulty that so many people here tonight have faced. I want to say the challenging moments of stress, worried about loved ones, the experiences of that tear down tide, of anti Semitism, that we’ve already heard mentioned here this evening, that we’ve got your back, and we will continue to support you through this difficult period.
There have been threats made to places of worship, to community centers, to schools, threats to students, who are just trying to step onto campus to pursue post secondary education. These things have no place in our Manitoba. And I also want to say on a personal level, one of the things that has really, really bothered me, are the reports from friends in the Jewish community who share experiences of being afraid to show outward, physical signs of your Jewish identity.
And that hits home for me because I am an indigenous man who wears my hair long as a sign of cultural pride and a signifier of my religious identity. And it has always been the vision of our ancestors on these lands that all people would be able to come here and be proud of who you are. And to hear the clapping in this moment for community members of the Jewish community causes me a lot of concern.
And of course if you feel some way about that as I do, then I think it’s incumbent on all of us to work together to counteract that. And so we are recommitting, as we have been throughout our time in government, to combat anti Semitism here in Manitoba. Today we gather to commemorate this one year anniversary of a tragedy, a terrible and brutal attack on innocent civilians in Israel. And while there were people with different nationalities and religions among the dead on that day, we can also say definitively that October 7th, 2023 was the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.
And so we join you in mourning. We join you in grieving and in observing and commemorating that anniversary. Leave it to strengthen our results. To build a pluralistic multicultural society here that has space for everyone and allows all people to be proud of who they are.
So I return here, this evening, a year later. We were with you just a few short days after the election, last year. And I return this evening to reaffirm what I told you last year. Israel has a right to exist, and that is non negotiable. And Israel has a right to defend itself. The hostages should be released immediately. I also want to say this. Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve to live in security, dignity, and peace. And peace.
Thinking about here at home, Manitoba is an exceptional province. It is a beautiful and welcoming place. And let me be clear, Manitoba’s Jewish community plays a very important role in welcoming people to this place. And as Premier, as your Premier, I am committed to ensuring that it stays that way. And I’m here to say that our team, all members of the Legislative Assembly, your Provincial Government, stand with you to ensure that all people can display their identity, including your Jewish identity, proudly.
Over the last year, we’ve established ongoing consultations between our government, myself as the leader of that government, and the leadership of the Jewish community. This strengthens us as an administration by assuring that we’re building safe spaces and reassuring that there’s no place for hatred in Manitoba.
I’m committed to ensuring that your government works to bring communities together from all across the province. And as we reject hatred, I also want you to know that our presence here this evening is about solidarity. If you look around you this evening and you see this tremendous crowd that is gathered here, I want you to know that the people that you have sent to the Manitoba Legislature are saying the same thing, whether through words or through our presence.
And that is this: Through this difficult year, going forward into the future, you are not alone. We stand with you. Shalom.
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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