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Winnipeg Jewish community organizations take steps in reaction to spread of Coronavirus

Covid 191By BERNIE BELLAN

(Posted March 13, 5:00 pm, updated March 14, 15, 16, 17) As governments, businesses, and organizations throughout the world assess just what steps are necessary to take in order to halt the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), Jewish organizations in Winnipeg have also begun to adopt new measures in reaction to the extraordinarily swift spread of the pandemic.

 Posted Tuesday, March 17

2020 JFM Luncheon in support of the Women’s Endowment Fund cancelled

The following statement was issued by the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba this afternoon:

It is with profound disappointment that we announce the cancellation of the 2020 Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Luncheon in support of the Women’s Endowment Fund.

Due to an abundance of caution concerning the COVID-19 virus, the Foundation feels it is our responsibility to be proactive, and conscious of the safety and well being of our community during this unprecedented time.

We would like to thank all of our generous sponsors and ticket holders for your gracious support! In the coming days, JFM staff will be reaching out to everyone who has purchased tickets or given sponsorship.

 

48th Annual Rady JCC Ken Kronson Sports Dinner Cancelled Due to Ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic

In an effort to mitigate any potential spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) illness, the 48th Annual Rady JCC Ken Kronson Sports Dinner has been cancelled. It was scheduled to take place Tuesday, May 12, 2020, at the RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg.

“The health and safety of our supporters and our community is paramount,” said Al Greenberg, 2020 Rady JCC Sports Dinner Committee Chair. “While we are all extremely disappointed, this was a simple decision to make. We must do our part in the global fight of curbing this pandemic.”

This will mark the first time in its 48 year history the annual fundraiser will not be held.

“We will be directly contacting all of our ticket purchasers and sponsors in the coming days to let them know what their options are going forward,” said Greenberg. “For now, we ask everyone to stay safe and maintain social distancing.”

The event was to feature NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman as its keynote speaker with Carol and Neil Duboff as this year’s Sports Dinner Honourees. Title Sponsors were Paul Winestock and Brendan Rodgers of RBC Wealth Management Dominion Securities.

The annual event – the largest of its kind in Manitoba – raises funds to enable the Rady JCC to provide scholarships, camperships, and community service programs for those in the community who need them most regardless of financial situation, ability, age, or cultural background.

 

Posted Monday, March 16 4:30 pm:

In the latest developments the Rady JCC and the Shaarey Zedek have now shut down operations completely – except for the day care operations run by the Rady JCC. Here are emails received from Rob Berkowits, Executive Director of the Rady JCC and from the Shaarey Zedek:

I am sharing information about the ongoing status of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic as it relates to all Rady JCC operations going forward. Please remember the health and safety of our Rady JCC members, stakeholders, and staff must be our top priority with every decision our Board of Directors make.

Over the last 72 hours, multiple new cases of COVID-19 have been identified throughout Canada including here in Winnipeg. The Manitoba Health Minister is suggesting that citizens do not partake in large public gatherings where the risk of COVID-19 spread can increase. We are also anticipating the provincial and federal governments to make announcements shortly calling for the closure of all non-essential services.

As of 3:00 p.m. Monday, March 16, 2020, we have shut down all Rady JCC operations for the foreseeable future. All off-site Rady JCC programming is cancelled/postponed until further notice as well.

 

From the Shaarey Zedek:

In consultation with staff and our Board Executive, it has been decided that as a precautionary measure we will be Closing Congregation Shaarey Zedek effective immediately for all Services and Programs scheduled to be held in our synagogue.

The building itself will remain open but operating on a limited staff basis. The reduced operating hours for the building will be 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Our Rabbis and Lay Clergy will be here for consultation and can be reached as follows:

 

Posted Friday, March 13:

On Thursday, March 12 the Jewish Learning Institute (of Chabad Winnipeg) issued an email announcing that an event that was to take place on Wednesday, March 18, a “Challah Bake”, was now being taken “online” instead.

The email stated that “In light of the recent developments regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), and following recommendations from Canada.ca guidance documents, we have decided to take the Challah Bake online.

“The event will be streamed live at the original date and time, at 7:00 pm on Wednesday, March 18. Now everyone can participate from the comfort and safety of their homes. All ticket holders will receive an email on Wednesday morning with a link to the live feed.”

On Friday, March 13, the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada announced that the Kanee Lecture, which was to delivered by Daniel Gordis on May 13, has been postponed until the fall. JHCWC Executive Director Belle Jarniewski explained that Gordis is currently in Israel and, as flights from Israel have been drastically curtailed for the time being, the decision was taken to postpone the lecture.

The Jewish Federation has been in constant contact with Jewish organizations – as events have been fast moving. One of the first cancellations announced by the Federation was the March of the Living, which was scheduled to take place beginning April 21 in Poland. Elaine Goldstine, CEO of the Federation, said that she was sad to have to tell the 24 students who had signed up from Manitoba that this year’s march had to be cancelled.

In an email sent to this paper Friday morning March 13, Goldstine wrote that “We do have a plan moving forward. The campus ramped up cleaning procedures as well. We sent a email to our staff and to our beneficiary agencies about staying home if sick, wash hands more frequently, etc . Campus has provided disinfectant wipes for all offices.”

Later in the afternoon Goldstine issued an email, which said in part: “I want to assure you that we are taking proactive measures to ensure that the Asper Jewish Community Campus and the facilities contained herein are safe, clean and that there are protocols in place to ensure that they stay that way. There are currently no plans to close the facilities to visitors, however, certain programs and events may be rescheduled or canceled. Updates pertaining to community programs or events will be communicated by their respective planners.”

The Shaarey Zedek did not cancel Saturday services, although the synagogue did issue this notice:

Services

We are still planning for Shabbat Services (including our Family Service) to be held here tomorrow morning and for the immediate future. There will be some modifications during the services to reduce personal contacts including holding the services in the Sanctuary which provides for more social distancing (more room to spread out). We have created new copies of our Shabbat Siddur. We will provide brand new Kippot for those that require them and ask that you keep them for your personal use. Do not return them to the basket! Daily Minyans are still being held.

Shabbat Kiddush

Services will be followed by our traditional Kiddush as usual. However, there will be some modifications, most notably being that our serving staff will be responsible for providing the food as opposed to the usual practise of everyone helping themselves. This provides an extra layer of protection for each one of us.

The Rady JCC has canceled all cultural programming. On Friday afternoon, March 13, Rob Berkowits, Executive Director of the Rady JCC, issued the following email (abridged): Today, we have made the correct decision to postpone/cancel all events effective now until April 28, 2020. As of right now, the Fitness Centre will remain open.

The Winnipeg Jewish Theatre has postponed its next production, “Narrow Bridges”, which was scheduled to open March 28. It is now slated to run next year.

We contacted Faith Kaplan of the Adas Yeshurun-Herzlia Congregation to ask whether the Caroline Glick lecture, scheduled for May 4, has either been postponed or canceled. As of the time of writing this, no decision has been taken.

As further updates occur, we will post them to this website.

Posted March 14: We have been advised that a program planned for Sunday, March 15 celebrating the legacy of Jews & chess in Winnipeg, which was to have taken place in the Multipurpose Room of the Asper Campus has now been canceled.

In response to a query sent to a spokesperson for the WRHA asking about any measures that might have been implemented at the Simkin Centre (as well as any other PCH’s under the supervision of the WRHA, we received the following response:

Our WRHA Long Term Care program is in regular communication with all Long Term Care facilities in Winnipeg. We connect regularly to remind and reinforce with all these facilities to follow the outbreak management and influenza management protocols that are already in place as standard operating procedures in response se to COVID-19.
In addition, we have enacted Incident Command in Long Term Care which includes regular conference calls and communication with all facilities to ensure all facilities remain fully up to date on COVID-19 information, and to promote a consistent approach in their address of concerns related to COVID-19.
Visitor restrictions are in place as per Public Health direction. Group recreation activities are also being limited in accordance with the social distancing guidelines. Staff screening continues to take place through our regional occupation health officers.
Staff are being reminded to follow standard infection prevention and control protocol (such as regular hand washing, and staying away from work when sick) to promote the safety and health of the residents we serve.

 

Updated Sunday, March 15: We just received an email from Laurie Cerqueti, CEO of the Simkin Centre, asking me to let readers know they do not want visitors there.

The Gwen Secter Centre had originally planned to remain open and continue offering programming –  to members only. But, on Sunday, March 15, we received the following email from Gwen Secter Becky Chisick, informing us of a change in plans: “

n response to COVID-19, Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre will be cancelling all programming. The Wednesday program will be cancelled until after Passover. All exercise programs, concerts and social programs are cancelled until April 6 (for now). We will reassess and provide updates as we have them Operating hours will be reduced in order to limit traffic and third party services. At Gwen Secter we are talking all necessary precautions to ensure everyone’s health and safety.

“The kitchen will continue operations. Kosher Meals on Wheels will run and we will continue to accept your Passover catering orders.

“Our staff will still be in the building and available to answer questions.

“Thank you & be well!”

Updated March 16

The Winnipeg Jewish Theatre announced that its upcoming production, “Narrow Bridge”, which was slated to open March 28, has been postponed until next year. Here is a portion of the WJT announcement:

“In order to contribute to public health efforts, we have decided to cancel the upcoming run of Narrow Bridge by Daniel Thau-Eleff and move its world premiere into our 2020-2021 season. Narrow Bridge will replace the previously announced production of Trayf by Lindsay Joelle from March 4 – 14, 2021.

“During this time our administrative operations will continue, with staff working from home where possible. We will continue to check our office voicemail and email on a daily basis Monday – Friday. The box office will be contacting all ticket holders for Narrow Bridge to ensure that they are aware of the cancellation.”

 

Sunday, March 15, Gray Academy issued the following notice on its Facebook page: “Monday, March 16, will be our last day of in-class learning until Passover Break.
“Tuesday, March 17 and Wednesday, March 18 will be In-Service days. Teachers and staff will use this time to put plans and processes into action for remote learning for all grades.
“Remote learning will begin on Thursday, March 19 for all grades.”

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GrowWinnipeg celebrates 25th anniversary

GrowWinnipeg Director Dalia Szpiro

By MYRON LOVE On Wednesday, June 25, about 250 Jewish Winnipeggers  – comprising lifelong residents as well as newer arrivals, came together at the Asper campus to celebrate the 25th anniversary of GrowWinnipeg, an initiative that has revitalized our Jewish community – in our camps, school, synagogues and other institutions and given our community a much more international flavour.
Our community’s population peaked in terms of population in 1961 when Winnipeg Jewry numbered around 20,000.  The years after had been a period of steady decline.  By 1961, most of the Jews living in smaller communities  in the Prairie provinces – the source of much of our ongoing population replenishment up to that point – had largely disappeared.
A s Bob Freedman,  the former CEO of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg (and its predecessor, the Winnipeg Jewish Community Council),  noted  in his remarks at the 25th anniversary party, by 1986, community leaders recognized that ours was an aging and shrinking community with aging infrastructure.
“We recognized that something had to be done,” he recalled.
The first stage, he pointed out, 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. GrowWinnipeg is unique in its efforts to reach out to young Jewish families throughout the Western world .
The genesis was a chance meeting on an airplane almost 30 years ago between former Manitoba Lieutenant-Governor Janice Filmon – at that time the wife of then-Manitoba premier Gary Filmon, and a Jewish businessman from  Argentina who was contemplating moving to Toronto.  Filmon persuaded him to consider Winnipeg instead. He was impressed by what he saw and suggested that the community send representatives to Buenos Aires to meet with other Argentinian Jewish families who were considering leaving.
That planted the seed.
Shortly thereafter – in 1998 – Larry Hurtig – then the president of the Federation, his son, Jack, and a representative of the provincial government, made an exploratory visit to Buenos Aires to gauge what interest there might be among young Jewish families to consider moving to Winnipeg.
GrowWinnipeg was officially launched in 2000. Our community opened its arms in welcome to the new arrivals who began to arrive, hosting them in our homes and helping them become acclimatized to their new surroundings.
Evelyn Hecht became the principal contact for the newcomers.  “I was lucky that I happened to be working for the Federation when we opened the campus and turned our energies to repopulating our community,” Hecht noted in her remarks at the recent celebration.  “Fortunately, the pieces fell into place at just the right time.”
Those pieces, Hecht related, included: the Manitoba Provincial Nominee Program – which allowed community support groups to recruit specific immigrants; the arrival of a small number of Jewish families from Buenos Aires who encouraged community leaders to look to their former home as a potential source of Jewish immigrants; and the availability of email and the internet. 
The initiative – led by Hecht – recruited a group of local Jewish families who were prepared to host potential immigrants who had begun to come for exploratory visits. The connections made by the new arrivals and their local hosts resulted in many long–lasting friendships, Hccht noted.
She praised Jewish Child and Family Service for helping the new arrivals to become established here and integrate into the community.
Efforts were also made to build a data basis of potential employers for the newcomers.
GrowWinnpeg was kicked off by two visits to Buenos Aires – visits Hecht describes as “exciting and exhausting” – in the early 2000s, when Hecht and other Winnipeg representatives met with potential immigrants and heard their concerns about life and personal safety in Argentina and hopes for the future that Winnipeg might be able to give them.
“I remember,” she said, “the numerous meeting I held in my office on the third floor here listening to people’s excitement and concerns  and answering questions about life in Winnipeg, our Jewish identity, schools, synagogues, employment, housing and especially, safety.  I always emphasized that they would encounter struggles, disappointment and possibly, crises – but I assured them that we would be here to help.
“And I remember feeling so much happiness when people would show up at my door to share good news about babies born, bar and bat mitzvahs, graduations and new jobs – and the numerous times I was in Citizen Court where so many were so proud to receive their citizenship certificates. “
And they are still coming. Dalia Szpiro, Hecht’s successor, reports that, over the past 25 years just under 7,000 people have come here under the aegis of GrowWinnipeg – and not just from Argentina.  We have had families from  Brazil, Uruguay and other South American countries, Mexico, Europe, and, in more recent years, especially from Israel.

Marina Shapiro with son Adam


For former Israelis I spoke with on the 25th, such as Slava and Karina Pustilnikov, Irena Oz  and Marina Shapiro and her 19-year-old son, Adam,  all of whom have been here for 10 to 15 years, the primary motivation was being in a safer environment.
For Ori Rahima and his wife, Anna  Shapiro, who have been here for seven years and have three children under six, the pull was greater opportunity and a better standard of living.

Esther Barna


Then there is Esther Barna, a teacher by training, newly arrived from Budapest.  “Hungary is not a good place to be a Jew,” she says. “There is a lot of antisemitism. I was looking online for a better place to go and came across the GrowWinnipeg website. I love it here.”
In her concluding remarks, Dalia Szpiro, herself an immigrant from Uruguay about 20 years ago, thanked the many Jewish organizations and individuals in the community who have helped to make GrowWinnipeg the success that it is.
“Over 250 volunteers each year meet with our exploratory visitors – opening their homes, their hearts, their time, their insights and their networks,” she noted.   “There is something very special about our community and our province.  Every exploratory visitor who comes here as part of their immigration journey discovers it.
“This 25-year milestone is a reason for pride and celebration – and a renewed commitment to the future.  We are already working on new strategies – to strengthen what we have built, support immigration, foster inclusion and create more opportunities for newcomers to grow and prosper.”
 

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Long time community members Bryan Schwartz, Myriam Saitman receive rabbinic ordination

Bryan Schwartz/Myriam Saitman

By MYRON LOVE On June 21, Bryan Schwartz and Myriam Saitman received their rabbinical ordination through the Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute (JSLI) Rabbinical School – bringing the number of JSLI rabbinic graduates in our community to seven.
“I felt a calling,” says Saitman, who is the new spiritual leader of Temple Shalom, our community’s roughly 60-year-old Reform Congregation. Saitman notes that she is Temple Shalom’s fourth female rabbi.
Originally from Buenos Aires, Saitman and her family answered our community’s call for new young Jewish families that began with the Federation’s  GrowWinnipeg campaign. They arrived here in 2003.
“We were attracted by a community that offered a safer environment for raising a family and better economic opportunities,” she recalls.
Although raised in a secular family, she notes that, as a young adult she was drawn to learning more about Judaism.  “I took Hebrew classes in Argentina and started on a spiritual path,” she recalls.
Soon after coming to Winnipeg, she found her spiritual home at Temple Shalom. Over the last many years, she has served as a volunteer in several capacities at the synagogue – both at the school and as a long time member of the board. Since 2016, she was also one of the lay service leaders, often leading Kabbalat Shabbat services on Friday evenings.
 When her predecessor, Allan Finkel – also a JSLI grad – let it be known that he was planning to retire after six years as the congregation’s spiritual leader, Saitman put her name forward as a potential successor.
“Judith (Huebner) and Ruth (Livingston) (Temple Shalom’s president and past president respectively) were really supportive as were the board and the congregation,” Saitman says.  “I began leading services.”
As for the JSLI program, Saitman notes that it is intensive.  “It meets a need,” she observes. “It prepares us well for all the requirements of being a congregational rabbi.
“We at Temple Shalom want people to know that we are here and we welcome interfaith families,” she adds.  “Our motto is that we follow tradition and embrace modernity.  Our services (on Friday evenings) reflect the essence of Reform Judaism where we allow for individual choices. I’d like to stress that individual choices are informed by an educated interpretation based on knowledge of the laws and customs.”
Unlike Saitman, Rabbi Bryan Schwartz was not considering a career as a congregational rabbi when embarking on the JSLI program.  For Schwartz, “rabbi” is the latest title in a lifetime of achievement. As this writer noted in a story in the Post about Schwartz last year, he “is the very model of a modern-day, Jewish, Renaissance scholar.”.A long-time professor at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law, he is also a passionate Zionist, student of the Holocaust and an in demand commentator on modern legal and constitutional issues. He has written or contributed to 34 books and over 300 publications in all – in a legal and teaching career that stretches back more than 40 years.  His works within a Jewish context encompass the gamut of Jewish life from ancient times to the Holocaust to the current Jewish situation. In addition, he is a poet, playwright and songwriter. 
“My main purpose in taking the JSLI course,” he observes, “is to be better positioned to help deal with the challenge of Jewish survival. I want to be able to pass on Jewish tradition to the younger generation and impress upon younger Jews – who have grown up in largely secular homes – the value of our 2,500-year-old literature, culture and religious traditions.”
He observes that there is something for everyone in Jewish tradition.  “There are many people who are looking for a spiritual community. I believe that Judaism provides us with a sense of our place in the universe.”
 Schwartz – a lifelong student himself – notes that he has been building to this moment for a long time. In his early 20s, he notes, he audited a few courses at the Jewish Theological Seminary.  In his 50s and 60s, he learned Hebrew at different ulpans.
“I had been looking around for a while for a rabbinic program,” he says.  “JSLI seemed to be the best one.  It was hard work – but well worth it.  I learned a tremendous amount.”
So what is Schwartz – who is a member of the Shaarey Zedek – planning on doing as a rabbi?
“I would like to be able to offer weekly dvar Torahs,” he says. 
He would like , among other things, to do creative and educational projects for the community,  like his weekly dvar torah in the Times of Israel.  The commentary that he gave on the weekend of his Smicha ceremony is called  “From Burning Synagogue to Rising Lyon,” and can be found at https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/from-burning-synagogue-to-rising-lion/     
“I have also been writing books and musicals inspired by the Tradition, and hope to find forums to share  them in the years ahead,” he adds.   “My mission is to share in the radiance of our Tradition and help inspire the next generations to see its warmth and illumination”

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Winnipeg Fringe performer Melanie Gall subjected to antisemitic attack – for second year in a row

By BERNIE BELLAN (July 20, 2025)
Melanie Gall is a talented performer who is a veteran of the Winnipeg Fringe Festival – having appeared here many times.
Last year Melanie found herself being subjected to antisemitic attacks that were initiated by a site supervisor for the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, someone by the name of Eric Rae.
As I wrote on my story about Melanie’s experience, “…on the third day (of the Fringe Festival), she said, ‘the site supervisor (Rae) came and was wearing a pro-Palestinian symbol’ and told Melanie that he was wearing that deliberately because he was coming to Melanie’s venue.
“He told her, ‘that stance you’re taking (on social media) is a political symbol.
Rae also posted on social media: “We have a Zionist in our midst harassing pro-Palestinians.”
There was a concerted effort on social media last summer to boycott Melanie’s shows (She had three different shows altogether.)
As Melanie said during a phone conversation we had last summer about what happened to her, “This is so ridiculous. I’m being harassed and bullied because I’m Jewish…it’s not about Israel.”

Eric Rae was relieved from his duties after Melanie complained to the Fringe office staff, Melanie noted during our conversation.

She adds that other Fringe employees also complained about Eric Rae’s behaviour:  “I wasn’t the only one who complained last year,” she wrote in an email sent today. “Several staff members complained, as Eric was not adhering to the Fringe policy that did not allow political symbols to be worn by staff. From what I heard, he refused to stop wearing it, and he did publicly target me. The Winnipeg Fringe upheld their safe spaces policy, and they were wonderful in the way they handled it.”
Further, Melanie was the target of an organized campaign on pro-Palestine social media calling for her shows to be boycotted.
(You can read the full story about what happened to Melanie, also to her mother during last year’s Edmonton Fringe Festival, at Melanie Gall.)

Just today we received another email from Melanie informing us that the same individual who targeted her last summer is targeting her again during this year’s Fringe Festival.
Melanie wrote: “Hi! Thanks so much for the mention in the preview article! I just wanted to let you know that Eric Rae is at it again.”
Attached to that email was a picture taken from Rae’s Instagram account.


As of the writing of this post, Melanie said that she is out of town for three days and is not aware whether any of her posters have been defaced – the way they were last summer.
She did add, however, that “I assume by ‘make her feel unwelcome’ (which is what is written on one of the pictures on Rae’s Instagram account) he is planning something. Ugh.” 
Melanie also said that “The one post is too close to a threat to ignore.”

In a subsequent email Melanie also sent a screenshot of an exchange that took place on Rae’s Instagram account between him and someone who goes by the handle “Kat Cat.”

If we hear more about what’s been happening to Melanie we’ll update this article.

Please note: We allow comments on this website but in order to have a comment posted you’ll have to email us at jewishp@mts.net. (We used to have a comment module, but it was inundated with spam comments.)

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