Features
Chuck & Carol Faiman – a “Fien” team
By GERRY POSNER Take two Jewish kids – a boy and a girl from the north end of Winnipeg, have them grow up in the 1950s, and you would probably be well familiar with their following the well-worn path of marriage, raising a family, professional success, and a continued connection with Manitoba. That pattern would well describe Charles or, as he is better known – Chuck, and Carol Faiman.
Carol was a Fien, daughter of Sophie and Harry Fien. Chuck was the son of Bessie and Max Faiman. Carol was a graduate of places well known to Winnipeggers, as in Champlain and Luxton Schools, St. John’s High School and the University of Manitoba, where she received a B.A. Later, she did post-graduate work in vocational rehabilitation counselling. As well, Carol has a well-known passion for art, stemming in no small part from classes she took in art history at the University of Winnipeg and later at the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Chuck’s parents, Max and Bessie Faiman, were part of a core group who founded the Talmud Torah Hebrew Day School, which Chuck attended. He was also a student at Machray School and, like so many other north enders, St. John’s High School. Hard though it may be to believe, he graduated high school at 15. By 22, he already had an M.D. degree.
He trained in endocrinology at the University of Manitoba Medical School, the University of Illinois, and later at the Mayo Clinic. Returning to Winnipeg in 1968, Chuck Faiman’s career took off as he became a Professor of Medicine and Physiology and later the head of the Endocrinology Laboratory. During his tenure at the hospital, one year Chuck took a sabbatical leave with his family at the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, Israel.
In 1992, Chuck Faiman accepted an offer to become Chairman of the Department of Endocrinology at the Cleveland Clinic. At that time, all the family knew about Cleveland was that it was in Ohio and that they had a baseball team there. Five years later, the Faimans became US citizens and, to this day, hold dual citizenship. During the time when Chuck was growing the department, he had the opportunity to look after heads of state, crown princes and the Sheikh of the United Arab Emirates, where he also provided medical consultations and teaching. (It occurs to me that given Chuck’s connection, maybe he can persuade the Sheikh or his colleagues to consider taking into The United Arab Emirates some of the people floundering in Gaza.)
Chuck was an active player in his field, and is still involved in teaching and as a consultant in the department. He was honoured to receive an award as a Master of the American College of Endocrinology.
Carol also had careers, both in Winnipeg and in Cleveland. In Winnipeg, she worked as a vocational rehabilitation counsellor and ergonomist for the Society for Manitobans with Disabilities. She did not miss a beat when she moved to Cleveland, where she worked in physical therapy at the Cleveland Clinic with patients suffering from occupational injuries. She is now retired.
Now, not be overlooked is that the Faimans are a team. They just celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in June 2023. They have three sons, all of whom were raised in Winnipeg: Barton, an MBA graduate of the Asper School of Business and his wife Michelle are still residents of Winnipeg. Gregg, a graduate of the University of Manitoba Medical School, trained with his father in endocrinology at the Cleveland Clinic – sort of a medical version of Gordie and Mark Howe and Bobby and Brett Hull in the hockey world. He and his wife Karrie have three children. Matthew, another U of M Medical School graduate, trained at the Cleveland Clinic in Internal Medicine. He and his wife Beth have one son. All the Faimans remain staunch Blue Bomber and Jets fans.
The Faimans were, and are still, very active in their community, both in their synagogue and other areas. For those readers who can go back that far, Chuck Faiman was largely involved in the amalgamation of the Talmud Torah and the Peretz Schools, not to overlook his term as president of Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate. That active participation continued in Cleveland with the Cleveland Federation.
Carol served on the Board of Rosh Pina Synagogue, as it was then known, and then in Cleveland as a board member at Park Synagogue. Moreover, Carol initiated a programme, which she ran for 14 years, for the National Council of Jewish Women at the Cleveland Museum of Art. For over 15 years the Faimans have also been regular attendees at courses offered by the Siegal College of Jewish Studies, a division of Case Western University.
What also keeps the Faimans very happy is the renewal of their Winnipeg roots each year when they return to the family cottage at West Hawk Lake. There is also a Winnipeg reunion of a different sort each winter in Florida. Likely what sets the Faimans apart from many other people who have moved away is that, although they do maintain strong connections to their history and friends back in Winnipeg, they have integrated well into the Cleveland community, even at an older age when they moved there.
So, for anyone who knows them, the recognition and success the Faimans have earned is well deserved.
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Features
The Canadian Online Casino Market: Overview for 2024
The online casino industry in Canada continues to show remarkable growth and has managed to entice both players and analysts. Certain provinces underwent policy changes that have successfully attracted the digital gambling business outside of the Great White North. Some of these brands are a list of best online casinos in Canada, and they are a go-to choice for thousands of gamblers. You can read in-depth reviews to find out what top-rated operators have in store in terms of games, bonuses, and other relevant features for Canadian players.
The policies that allowed foreign brands to enter the Canadian market were approved in 2022. Now that enough time has passed let’s see what is the situation on the online gambling front and talk about some key players.
Market Size
The growth of the Canadian casino market has been nothing short of spectacular. The data from the Canadian Gaming Association revealed that in 2024, almost 20 million people (50% of the Canadian population) have gambled at an online casino at least once. It is a significant ramp up in activity compared to 2020 when approximately 10 million players used internet gambling sites. In other words, the market is growing very actively, and some estimates claim the number of active players will surpass 30 million by 2029.
To put these numbers into perspective, let’s see how these numbers impact the revenue. By 2024, the online casino gross gaming revenue of Canada is projected to be more than $2 billion, up from $750 million in 2020.
Regulatory Landscape
The legal status of online casinos in Canada is determined by local governments. Despite federal provisions contained in the Criminal Code, individual provinces are free to regulate and license gambling. This has resulted in a situation where some provinces are more liberal with legislation compared to others. What’s more, certain provincial regulators even run their own gambling sites.
The most populous province in Canada, Ontario has led the way in the regulation of online gambling. In April 2022, they opened the doors to private offshore brands, so long as they are compliant with iGaming Ontario. The move has resulted in earrings around $1.26 billion by the end of March 2023. Other provinces have been observing this development and it has created a benchmark for future regulation of the industry throughout the country.
Economic Impact
The economic effect of online casinos in Canada has had an upward trajectory. Tax revenues from internet casinos are projected to reach impressive figures in 2024:
- The expected online casino GGR of $9 billion and the current GST rate of 5% puts the federal government tax revenues at around $450 million from online casinos.
- Total collected taxes from internet casinos in Ontario are estimated at $1.2 billion, depending on the provincial tax rate and gaming activities.
- Jobs are another social-economic advantage of online casino business. The industry is projected to generate over 25,000 direct employment opportunities in 2024; a notable increase from 2021 when that figure was 15, 000. Some examples of these jobs include software development, customer support agents, marketing and data analysis.
Key Players in the Market
In Canada, online gambling is regulated by provinces and each province has its own government-run operators. Here is a list of some state-owned gaming sites by province:
- British Columbia
- PlayNow.com: Currently managed by the British Columbia Lottery Corporation, PlayNow.com delivers online casino games, sports betting, and lottery.
- Manitoba
- PlayNow.com: Similarly, through BCLC, the Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries Corporation (MLLC) employs PlayNow.com to offer online gambling to the people of Manitoba.
- Ontario
- OLG.ca: Online gambling in Ontario is run under the OLG, which runs a site OLG.ca where people can play casino games, buy tickets, and bet on sports.
- Quebec
- Loto-Québec is the provincial regulator that also hosts online casino games, sports betting, poker, and lottery. In 2022-2023, 13.5% (almost $404M) of their total revenue came from online products.
iGaming Ontario or iGO is an affiliated company of the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario tasked to regulate and oversee online gaming in Canada. The body works with private operators to offer a regulated gaming network.
Some of the key iGaming Ontario operators include:
- BetMGM
- DraftKings
- FanDuel
- PointsBet
- 888 Holdings
These operators are affiliated with iGaming Ontario, which guarantees access to a secure gambling platform.
Player Preferences and Popular Games
Canadian players have also exhibited a relative preference for casino games. According to recent data from iGaming Ontario, for the period from April 1 to June 30, 2024:
- Casino games like slots, live, computer-based table games, and peer-to-peer bingo, represented 84% (nearly $15.5 billion) of total wagering handle and 73% ($529 million) of gaming revenues.
- Esports and novelty bets along with regular and proposition bets contributed 14% of the total wagers, and they were worth $2.5 billion. This roughly translates to a gaming revenue of $181 million.
- Peer-to-peer poker, according to stats from iGaming Ontario, generated $67 million in gaming revenue (2023-2024), and the value of wagers placed exceeds $1.6 billion. Many players participate in multiple online tournaments simultaneously, so getting the accurate number of active players is rather difficult.
Future Outlook
The future of the Canadian online casino market looks promising, with several factors driving continued growth:
- Expanding player base: According to estimates on Statista, the number of active users will reach nearly 34 million by 2029. The current user penetration rate is 69.4%, mainly thanks to the high accessibility of online gambling and macroeconomic factors. Casino entertainment is widely available through smartphones, and Canadians have enough disposable income (USD 34 421 a year per capita) to spend on this leisure.
- Technological advancements. The combination of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) in online casino games could revolutionize the players’ experience. Not to mention, AR is considered to be one of the top investments in the future, which is why most casinos are starting to add it to their portfolio.
- Regulatory evolution. The reality is this industry is still new, so there’s a lot of back and forth on the regulatory front. Generally, if online gambling is fully legal (casinos and sportsbooks are permitted) the regulations only get tighter from that point onward. There are new restrictions on advertising, game features, spending limits, etc. Also, fees that businesses pay to cover the social costs of gambling tend to get higher.
- Crypto integrations. Even though cryptocurrencies aren’t legal tender in Canada, they can still be purchased legally. There are several crypto trading businesses that are authorized to exchange currency in Canada, which means these digital coins are readily available. As a result, we will likely see more gambling sites with crypto integrations that Canadians can use.
Market estimations show that the Canadian online casino industry has the potential to record a CAGR of approximately 6.5% in the next five years and it may reach $3.7 billion by 2025.
It wasn’t long ago that the Canadian online casino market was viewed as nothing more than a gamble. But now it is a major player in the country’s digital economy. From the prairies to the coast, Canadians are going online, placing their bets, and contributing to the growth of a new and fast-growing sector.
Features
Revisiting Boris Birshtein’s Efforts to Save a Holy Torah
Boris Birshtein had not been previously associated with saving Torah scrolls. He was a businessman. However this story will show an amazing tale that must be read in order to be believed.
The Torah, known as the five books of Moses, is the holiest object in Judaism. But in the case of the Torah scrolls found in a ravaged synagogue in Chișinău, Moldova, there is an added layer of significance due to their incredible survival story. And Boris Birshtein provided a helping hand.
Rabbi Avraham Greenbaum recalls the emotional moment when he first encountered these sacred scrolls shortly after Moldova’s independence from the Soviet Union. “When we arrived at the devastated synagogue in Chișinău, we discovered about thirty Torah scrolls, some inscribed with messages that spoke of their miraculous survival during the Holocaust.”
The scrolls, eventually saved by businessman Boris Birshtein, were inscribed with symbols of faith, echoed the resilience of the Jewish people. Rabbi Greenbaum describes one scroll bearing the message, “Joy is the happiness of the soul,” symbolizing the enduring joy of the Torah even amid unimaginable adversity.
For the Chișinău Jewish community, the discovery was bittersweet. The scrolls were found, but their condition revealed the toll of years of neglect. Recognizing the need for a large-scale restoration, the community knew who could help. Enter a Jewish businessman known as Boris Birshtein.
The Role of Boris Birshtein
They turned to Boris Joseph Birshtein, a Jewish-Lithuanian philanthropist and respected business leader in Moldova, to help bring these scrolls to safety. He played a critical role in securing permission from the Moldovan government, enabling the scrolls to be transported from Chișinău to Tel Aviv for restoration.
Reflecting on this mission, Birshtein stated, “The Nazis sought to destroy the very existence of the Torah, and everything it stood for. When I learned of the scrolls in the deserted Chișinău synagogue, restoring them was an opportunity to stand up to the attempt to eradicate Jewish life from the heart of Moldova.”
He envisioned the restoration as a chance to honor the joyous occasions once celebrated around each Torah scroll, representing not only preservation but also a revival of Jewish history and tradition.
Celebrating the Completion of Restoration
After years of meticulous work, the restoration project was completed in December 1996, culminating in an emotional ceremony held at the Nehora Yeshiva, “Lev Ya’akov,” in Mevaseret Zion.
This amazing event, filled with reverence and pride, attracted many, including respected rabbis and public figures. Birshtein had the honor of presenting one of these precious scrolls to the yeshiva, a gift that symbolized the dedication of many to safeguarding Jewish heritage.
In his speech accepting the Torah, Rabbi Greenbaum praised the partnership between people like Birshtein, who support the Torah, and the Chișinău community.
He likened this partnership to the biblical figures Zebulun and Issachar, expressing deep gratitude for Birshtein’s involvement. Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, former Chief Rabbi of Israel and a survivor of Buchenwald, also spoke, emphasizing the significance of the mitzvah “Write this song for yourselves,” which resonates deeply with the yeshiva’s students.
This momentous occasion at Nehora Yeshiva marked not only a new chapter in the life of the institution but also a tribute to the Jewish communities that had originally cherished these scrolls.
Birshtein reflected, saying, “I am honored to have played a small role in bringing the sacred Torah scrolls from Chișinău to Tel Aviv for restoration, and delighted that one of them will now be cherished at the Nehora Yeshiva. Indeed, joy is in the happiness of the soul, and my soul is filled with happiness at this moment.”
The journey of these Torah scrolls—from war-torn Europe to restoration in Tel Aviv—highlights the enduring power of faith and community and the unbreakable link between the Torah and the Jewish people.
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