Features
Isaac Colish and the Jews of West Kildonan

Introduction: Further to the list of Manitoba synagogues which you can find elsewhere on this website (http://jewishpostandnews.ca/8-features/987-a-list-of-all-winnipeg-synagogues-that-ever-existed), we were intrigued by a listing of a “Kildonan Talmud Torah”. There was no street given for the location of that particular Talmud Torah so, as we have done so many times in the past, we contacted Stan Carbone of the Jewish Heritage Centre to see whether he could provide some further information about the Kildonan Talmud Torah.
As usual, Stan responded with some very useful information about not only that Talmud Torah, but the history of Jewish dairy farmers in the Kildonan area. I’m sure that as you read Stan’s article, you’ll recognize many of the names he mentions as having been involved in the dairy business:
The settlement patterns of Manitoba Jews straddled rural and urban socio-economic lifestyles. This was the case of the dairy farmers who settled in the West and Old Kildonan municipalities. These included the Tennehouses, Fromsons, Chochinovs, Filkows, Zipurskys, Finkles, Bercovitches, Pudavicks, Greenbergs, Walshinskys (Walshes), and Greenbergs, who for many years supplied Winnipeg with milk, cream, and cheese. Ze’ev Walshinsky (Walsh) came to Manitoba in the early 1900s, bought a farm which turned into a business and delivered milk to the North End. One of his sons, Harry, became a celebrated criminal lawyer. In the 1910s, the Filkows, sold their dairy products to the Crescent Creamery at wholesale prices and by the 1920s directly to peddlers.
Louis Rosenberg notes that by 1911 300 Jews lived in West Kildonan. This total declined to 100 in 1941. But following the war the Jewish presence in West Kildonan increased significantly and by 1961, 6,133 Jews lived in Winnipeg, a figure surpassed only by the 6,693 living in Winnipeg North.
In 1912, the dairy farmers built an Orthodox synagogue on Lillian Avenue, a two-room Talmud Torah that offered after-school Hebrew lessons and bar mitzvah classes, and a cemetery that is now part of the Hebrew Sick Benefit Cemetery. As a result of internal dissension that Allan Levine identifies as “disputes about prayer honours,”a second synagogue was established in 1915 on Newton Avenue, which lasted only until 1919. The building was sold to the Zipurskys who moved it closer to McPhillips and converted it into a grocery store. The Lillian Avenue synagogue, which was rebuilt following a fire in 1936, closed in 1949, and its assets were transferred to the Jewish National Fund.
Allan Levine noted that from the West Kildonan Jewish community there emerged Isaac Colish who was to establish a distinguished political career. Born in Shvenchenis, Lithuania, Colish came to Winnipeg in 1907, from England where he had operated two grocery stores. He had enough financial resources to purchase a horse and rig and delivered second-hand furniture. Shortly thereafter he invested in a shack, stable and land north of Main. In subsequent years, Colish owned grocery stores.
In 1913 Colish was elected to the Kildonan municipal council by acclamation. After the municipality divided into West, East and North, Colish was elected to the West Kildonan Council.
In 1916, Colish became the first Jewish police magistrate in Manitoba. He used his new found powers to defend the interests of Jewish dairy farmers. Interviewed in 1972, Colish noted, “I protected [the Jewish Community]. They used to like me in Kildonan…At that time, the Jews had cattle, and people used to bring them into [the] pound and then [the owner] was charged twenty dollars, thirty dollars [as a pound fee to get them back]…I stopped that.
During the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike, Colish, who at the time was Police Magistrate and was expected to uphold the law, sympathized with labour. In one instance he allowed for a meeting of strikers at Kildonan Park, notwithstanding a warning from the park superintendent who declared that such meetings could not take place on city property. In addition, Colish proceeded to “pass his cap” and raise funds for the unemployed.
In recognition of his service to the people of West Kildonan, Colish had a street named after him in the Garden City area.
Isaac Colish died in 1977 at the age of 100.
Bibliography
Colish, Isaac. Interviewed by Sam Donen, April 14, 1972, Tape no.61
Winnipeg: Jewish Historical Society Oral History Collection
(Jewish Heritage Centre)
Jewish Life and Times: Personal Recollections: The Jewish Pioneer Past on the Prairies.
Winnipeg: Jewish Historical Society of Western Canada, 1993.
(Includes excerpts from interviews with Isaac Colish and Jack Filkow).
Levine, Allan. “Coming of Age: A History of the Jewish People of Manitoba”.
Winnipeg: Heartland Associates, 2009.
Rosenberg, Louis. A Study of the Growth and Changes in the Distribution of the Jewish Population of Winnipeg 1961. Montreal: Bureau of Social and Economic Research,
Canadian Congress, 1961.
Features
Canada Is Failing Its Students on Holocaust Education — Here’s What Must Change

By EMILY (surname withheld by request) We received the following article from a third-year Health Sciences student at Western University, who wrote that as “a Jewish student, I have seen firsthand how Holocaust education in Canada is falling short and how that failure is contributing to fear, misinformation, and rising antisemitism on campuses like mine.”
Despite curriculum requirements, Holocaust education in Canada is alarmingly inadequate. A recent survey found that nearly one in five young Canadians believe the Holocaust has been exaggerated. This highlights a dangerous gap in historical understanding, leaving students vulnerable to misinformation, denial, and rising antisemitism. If Canada is serious about combating hate, it must take Holocaust education far more seriously.
When asked whether Holocaust education in Canada is lacking, Professor Hernan Tessler-Mabe, historian and coordinator of Jewish Studies at Huron University, did not hesitate: “You are 100 percent correct.”
While most provinces claim to include Holocaust education in their curricula, the programming and implementation of curriculum tends to be inconsistent and inadequate. A student’s understanding of one of history’s greatest atrocities depends heavily on where they go to school, which teacher they have, and whether their school offers substantive instruction. The result is misinformation, denial, and rising antisemitism.
Avoiding Holocaust education allows dangerous myths and conspiracy theories to spread unchecked. Without an understanding of the Holocaust and the centuries of antisemitism that preceded it, students are ill-equipped to identify modern antisemitism in the world around them. This antisemitism manifests into everyday conversation, online spaces, and political discourse.
To address this crisis, Canada must act with urgency in three key areas. These include consulting experts, confronting difficult material, and properly training educators.
First, schools and provincial governments must consult those who specialize in Holocaust history and education. “It is the most important thing,” Dr. Tesler-Mabé, Associate Professor and Coordinator of Jewish Studies at Huron University says. He points out, “You cannot just throw it into a general history class and assume it will be taught well. You need people who understand both the history and how to teach it.”
Second, we must accept that the subject is deeply disturbing and cannot be made comfortable. Dr. Tesler-Mabé iterates, “We have to accept that parts of this will be traumatic or triggering.” “Obviously it depends on grade level, but if students do not feel disturbed by it, they will not understand it. That discomfort is part of the learning.”
Third, teachers must be prepared. Many educators may feel unequipped to teach this material and either gloss over it or skip it altogether. Training programs and partnerships are essential. In Ottawa, the Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship (CHES) works to connect schools with survivor testimonies and support resources, but broader reach and investment are needed.
Dr. Tesler-Mabé explains, “We have to teach the teachers, especially now that we are losing survivors. That raises a whole new concern. How do you teach something this heavy, this complex, without first hand testimony? Educators need the tools, the background, and the sensitivity to do it well.”
Some may argue that Canada already does enough in this area. After all, Holocaust education is present in some curricula, and many students visit Holocaust museums or hear from survivors. But occasional exposure is not enough. The widespread prevalence of Holocaust denial and the proliferation of antisemitic conspiracy theories underscore significant shortcomings in current systems designed to combat such misinformation. A 2022 report by UNESCO and the United Nations, in collaboration with the World Jewish Congress, found that 16.2% of Holocaust-related content on major social media platforms either denied or distorted fundamental facts about the Holocaust. A standardized, rigorous, and mandatory approach is the only way forward.
Holocaust education is not just about history, it is about safeguarding the future and combating antisemitism in modern manifestations. When students understand how propaganda, scapegoating, and dehumanization led to one of history’s darkest chapters, they are better equipped to recognize and reject hatred in all its forms. Without a solid foundation in Holocaust education, antisemitism continues to fester, not just in online spaces, but within universities, workplaces, and public discourse. We are already seeing the consequences of unchecked Holocaust denial and rising antisemitism, from bias in professional spaces to hostility on university campuses. As a Jewish student at Western University, I have seen fear take hold among my peers. Friends who once wore Stars of David or spoke openly about their heritage now hesitate to do so. I have also begun to question whether it is safe to express my identity. With the last generation of Holocaust survivors passing, the responsibility to preserve their stories and the lessons they teach rests with all of us. If we do not confront this crisis at its root, we risk allowing history to repeat itself in new and dangerous ways.
Canada is failing its students. In doing so, it is failing the promise of Never Again. The question is not whether we should strengthen Holocaust education, but why we have not already.
Features
Anna Kaplan one of Winnipeg’s youngest personal trainers

By MYRON LOVE It is always uplifting to read (or, from my perspective, to write) about people who have been able to reinvent themselves – and even more so when such an individual can use her own transformation to inspire others. Such is the case with Anna Kaplan, a young (21) personal trainer whose passion for physical fitness grew out of personal troubles as a teenager.
“I had a feeling of being excluded,” says the daughter of Kevin and Roxanne Kaplan. “I was afraid that I was missing out. I was losing friends. I had developed some bad habits and was at a real low point in my life – at rock bottom.”
At 18, Kaplan determined to change her life. She began working with a personal trainer and going to the gym. She also changed her dietary habits.
“Before long, I was feeling better mentally and physically,” she recalls.
Two years ago, wanting to help others struggling to improve their lives, Kaplan opened A Plus Fitness. On her Facebook page, she notes that “When you sign up for online training with A Plus Fitness, you’re not just getting a workout plan — you’re getting full access to our all-in-one training app designed to support your transformation every step of the way.”
Kaplan started A Plus Fitness strictly as an online business for which she developed her own app. “I started building my client base initially by contacting friends and acquaintances via a social media platform to see what interest there might be out there,” she says.
With demand for her services growing, about a year ago she began working with clients in person out of a gym on Portage Avenue. In just two years, she reports, business has grown to the point where she has had to hire a second trainer.
“I work with people ranging from 18 to 65 plus,” she says. “The number of clients has tripled in the last year and I have been able to help over 100 clients to get into shape and change their lives.”
The reviews have been outstanding with many giving the young fitness trainer a 5 out of 5 rating. Says one client: ”I’ve been training with Anna for a while now, and it’s been an amazing experience! She really takes the time to understand my goals and pushes me in the best way possible. Since working with her, I feel stronger, more motivated, and more confident in my workouts.”
Adds another: “Over the past year, A Plus Fitness has completely transformed my approach to working out, helping me tone my body and build strength in ways I never thought possible. Anna’s guidance and personalized training plans have made a huge difference in my progress, pushing me to achieve results faster than I expected.”
Kaplan feels good that among those she has been able to help have been her own mother, Roxanne Kaplan, who says that ”I’ve always had some sort of fitness routine in my life. I followed along with the fitness videos with the weights that were recommended – I’d go through phases but never stuck to it. With Anna’s coaching and sticking to her program, I see muscle definition that I’ve never had before. I feel better, more confident, and well rested.”
Kaplan further points out that, in additions to helping people through her business, she is also community minded. “I have helped with several fundraising events in the Jewish community,” she reports.
Most recently, she helped raise money for the Reid Bricker Mental Wellness Fund in memory of a relatively young member of our community who struggled with mental health for several years before committing suicide 10 years ago. The fund aims “to increase the availability of mental health supports and education across the province while ensuring that individuals and families facing mental health challenges receive the support they need when they need it the most.”
Next for Anna Kaplan and A Plus Fitness is to open her own location at some point in the next few years.
Readers can contact Anna at 204 391-5832 or mail her at admin@aplusfit.ca.
Features
Norm Glass Winnipeg’s own pawn star

By MYRON LOVE Over a career spanning more than 40 years as a pawn shop operator, Norm Glass has established himself as first among equals. And the owner of Chochy’s Pawn and Swap Shop still gets a kick out of wheeling and dealing.
Certainly the mix of items that people bring in has changed considerably over the years. “When I first got into this business, I was buying furniture and jewellery,” he recalls, “but one of the biggest things was guitars. Everybody seemed to have a guitar – and musicians always seemed to be broke.”
Today, he reports, while jewellery is still a major part of the business, Chochy’s has a sizeable selection of electronic goods –such as game stations, computer screens and – especially – cell phones. “We probably have on hand about 100-120 cell phones at any given time and there is a constant demand for them.”
Chochy’s also has some sports equipment – I noticed a couple of sets of golf clubs – power tools and assorted other items.
Glass says that it was serendipity that led him to go into the pawn shop business. The son of the late Morley and Fay Glass was originally an accountant by training.
“In 1979,” he recounts, “I was working for a national car rental company as the controller. When the company ran into financial problems, I and a partner took over our Winnipeg location and we went independent.”
A couple of years later, that partnership dissolved and Glass formed a new partnership with his cousin, Arnold Lazareck. “We began looking for a new business to operate,” he continues the story. “We first considered buying a body shop as it is still auto-related, but that fell through. We then found a vacant building on the corner of Selkirk and Salter and thought that a pawn shop would a perfect fit.”
Glass admits that neither he nor Lazareck had had any experience running a pawn shop, he says. but they understood the basic principle – you lend money to people in need in return for an item as collateral and charge interest on the loan. If the customer doesn’t reclaim the item within a certain length of time, you sell the item to someone else.
The two partners – who were still running the auto rental location – brought in a third partner – a fellow by the name of Stuart Chochinov – hence the name “Chochy’s” – but that arrangement didn’t work out. So, Glass took over management of Chochy’s while Lazareck operated the car rental business. In 1985, the two partners agreed to dissolve the partnership and go their separate ways.
At the time – in the 1980s, Glass recall, there were still a goodly number of long time Jewish pawn shop owners in the city. He mentioned people such as Bill Kluner, Harvey Sawyer, George Freed, Dave Faber, Leon Dimerman and Sheldon Sturrey.
Glass eventually bought a second building – on Main Street – with a partner, James MacKay – and called it Elvis’ Pawn Shop.
While Selkirk Avenue has changed considerably from the time when it was the centre of Jewish life in Winnipeg, Glass notes that, despite the heightened level of crime in the area, he hasn’t had much problem. Once, he reports, in the late 1990s, Chochy’s was robbed – prompting Glass to install a robust security system.
He reports that while his customer base for sales is city wide, most who come in to pawn items live in a six to eight block radius of the store. “This area is a different world from that of my family and friends,” he observes. “Many people in this neighbourhood are struggling financially and pawning allows them to bridge the gap.”
For himself, he says, he can’t complain. “Life has been good. I have worked hard and been rewarded.”
Among those “rewards” are an occasional winter vacation – leaving reliable staff to run the business– and honing his golf game in spring and summer at Glendale. He has also been a long time supporter and former Rady JCC board member.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login