Features
New novel set in 1968 Winnipeg Beach will certainly set off sparks…of amusement, perhaps annoyance
Reviewed by BERNIE BELLAN “The Renter” represents the fourth novel written by former Winnipegger Michael Tregebov, all of which have been set either in Winnipeg or, as is the case with this book – Winnipeg Beach.
I’ve reviewed all of Tregebov’s previous books, including “The Briss” (2009). “The Shiva” (2012), and “Shot Rock” (2019). To say that Tregebov enjoys skewering the Winnipeg Jewish community in which he grew up would be an understatement, but just as Mordecai Richler used his own boyhood growing up on St. Urbain Street in Montreal as rich fodder for what later turned out to be a devastating series of satirical novels about Montreal Jews, Tregebov has been mining his own boyhood for some time now.
“The Renter”, however, represents a clear departure in style for Tregebov – and one which is most welcome. Instead of filling the pages of this book with endless conversations among various characters, almost always to the confusion of the reader wondering who exactly was speaking, this time around the author takes the time to use descriptive prose to set the stage for what turns out to be a terrific story.
The hero of “The Renter” is named Bret Yeatman. Here is how he is described on Amazon: “a young man sporting a summer tan, Keds and crisp short-sleeved white shirts, and toting a transistor radio. Bret Yeatman is out to recoup the social position his father lost through financial ruin, and is determined to realize his fantasy by marrying up and into the well-to-do family of his first perfect love, Sandra Sugarman, and renouncing his easy, promiscuous life in the drug trade. But his fantasy collides with Sandra’s own — stars are crossed, and the fates will have their day.”
Sandra Sugarman, by the way, is a “south end” girl – and for anyone familiar with the long history of north end versus south end rivalry within Winnipeg’s Jewish community, Tregebov plays to the stereotype of the rich south end girl being the fantasy object of Jewish boys of a certain era.
Bret Yeatman himself is not worldly in the way that Sandra Sugarman is, although he is certainly street smart –and, as Sandra and other female characters remark throughout the book, he’s “gorgeous”.
Bret’s looks seem to offer him entrance into a higher social circle into which he would likely be admitted, given his dubious background as a major pot seller around town. That social circle, however, is within Winnipeg Beach’s young Jewish crowd where, as Tregebov notes, in 1968 the favourite pastime was to spend hours at one of the arcades in downtown Winnipeg Beach (where a young Jack London was also fostering his own talent for assessing the character of anyone who spent time at Mrs. London’s-owned Playland arcade).
The allure that Sandra holds for Bret though, and which was sparked by one very short encounter at the end of a beach pier when they were both 12, is something that preys upon him all through his teenage years.
One summer he decides to rent a cottage in Winnipeg Beach – not with the deliberate intention of drawing Sandra’s attention, yet it is clearly on his mind when he happens to wander into a party going on at her own family’s cottage.
For anyone familiar with Winnipeg Beach the precise descriptions that Tregebov offers of the geographic layout – which hasn’t really changed much from the time in which the novel is set, will certainly be totally recognizable. One wonders though, how compelling it will be for anyone not familiar with Winnipeg Beach to be reading vivid descriptions of Bret riding his bike down Prospect every evening?
More than the way Tregebov evokes memories of fishflies and mosquitoes – too constants that one always associates with Winnipeg Beach though, what might really draw readers to this book are the wonderfully described sex scenes. (Is it appropriate in an ostensibly Jewish newspaper to mention that hormones were apparently flying in late 1960s Winnipeg Beach?)
Bret Yeatman certainly has no problem attracting girls in their late teens and early twenties. (It seems that all those stories we north end boys heard about those wild south end girls find amplification in “The Renter”.)
But when Sandra Sugarman’s vile cousin Marty describes how much he likes taking his boat out to BB Camp to pick up 15-year-old BB Camp girls, Tregebov might be going too far in besmirching the reputations of not just south end girls, but BB Camp girls, too. (I invite readers to chime in with their own stories of naughty escapades – send them anonymously if you like. Hey, if Michael Tregebov had enough material drawn from his own youth spent at Winnipeg Beach to produce a rollicking – and highly salacious novel, there’s no reason that someone else couldn’t take a crack at mining similar material?)
I mentioned that “The Renter” differs in so many respects from Tregebov’s three previous novels, not just in terms of how dialogue is presented, but also in how compelling the story itself is.
There’s nothing inherently original about poor Jewish boy chasing after rich Jewish girl – or, as is more often the case, Jewish boy chasing after fantasy non-Jewish girl (and I won’t use the “sk….eh” term because that is so politically incorrect), but since Bret Yeatman is such a likeable hero in “The Renter”, it’s hard not to be pulling for him to win over Sandra Sugarman.
I won’t spoil the ending by telling you what happens. Suffice to say that it’s a great ending.
Let’s see now: Michael Tregebov has written satirical novels about Brisses, Shivas, Jewish curlers, and now Winnipeg Beach. What’s next? How about taking a run at high school students who dallied with Trotskyism, Michael, or would it be too difficult to poke fun at yourself? You’re a terrific writer, but I’d like to see you make fun of yourself for a change – just because you’re so adept at satirizing others from a period in Winnipeg’s Jewish history with which many of us are familiar.
“The Renter”
By Michael Tregebov
Published by New Star Books, 2021
163 pages
Available on Amazon in both paperback and Kindle format
Features
Musings from Dizengoff Street – by Bruce Brown
(August 8, 2026)
Outside Basimta Café in Central Jerusalem. Love the red shirt against a tiny sea of black. Not sure I am shrugging because of the ultra-orthodox uproar over a Jerusalem café operating on Shabbat or the lack of an ultra-orthodox uproar over a Jerusalem café operating on Shabbat. For the last six weeks Israeli headlines shouted about the cafe chaos. With the ultra-religious blocking entrances and storming the café. While shouting ‘Shabbos! Shabbos!’ Upsetting the secular amongst us just wanting to enjoy our Saturday iced matchas. So the wife and I thought we would check it out. And. Yes. Buy something to support the business. Uproar. Not. Blocked entrances. Not. Storming the café. Not. Albeit there were police barriers separating the devout protesters from the coffee drinkers. The protesters being just a few dozen black clad, pious Jews. Mostly teenagers. And yes. Shouting ‘Shabbos! Shabbos!’ Certainly underwhelming in its reported mayhem. Reminds me of the famous saying misattributed to Mark Twain – “If you don’t read the newspaper, you’re uninformed. If you do, you’re misinformed.” But I did enjoy my iced matcha.
(August 6, 2026)
Here we go again. Another round of forever negotiations. As someone who negotiates for a living. The way things are going in the straits. If I had to recommend a book on the subject to a new hire. Between The Art of the Deal, A Presidential Edition by Donald J. Trump or The Real Art of the Deal by the Mullahs of Iran with a special forward by the IRGC. Well. I would choose the latter.
(August 3)
Bravo Yoav Segalovitz, Liberal Yesh Atid MK and Monsour Abbas, United Arab Ra’am MK and party head. For breaking a glass ceiling where a Jewish lawmaker joins an Arab political party. No less a political earthquake in my little shtetl. Which can significantly impact coalition block arithmetic and posturing and strategy in the upcoming elections. Now Ra’am can be considered a legitimate ‘Zionist’ partner when forming coalition blocks and potentially pushing the ‘center left/right’ party over the 60 seat majority threshold. In our crazy parliamentary democracy defined by a multi-party (about fourteen!!), proportional representation system. To paraphrase Winston Churchill, Israel’s proportional representation model of governance is the best parliamentary democracy system except for all other forms of working democracies. Stay tuned for more amateurish political musings as we move towards Israel’s 26th national election – five of them held since 2019.
(August 1)
Although both sides say they are open to diplomacy. Neither really trusts the other. And American military action, or its threat, continues. I read headlines in the middle of the night -it’s a nervous habit lately– that the Dynamic Duo of Trump and Netanyahu may again strike in unison. Possibly this weekend. Yikes! Prompting me, at 2:30 AM, to dash around the house stocking my safe room. Bottled water. Canned food. Medicines. Documents. The beat goes on….
If it’s crazy here. It’s insane in Italy. With a recent online ‘Jew Hunt’ in the Milan area. Before being removed, the digital forms urged reportings of Israelis and Italian Jews staying in local hotels. The infamous Global Sumud Movement -yes, the one coordinating ‘peace and humanitarian’ flotillas to Gaza- was somehow connected. Although they deny involvement?! This deranged decree was looking to identify Zionist tourism and Zionist neo-colonization in Italy. I’ll stick with stocking the saferoom.
Then there’s New York Mayor Mamdani, a Global Sumud Movement supporter, threatening to arrest Prime Minister Netanyahu if he comes to New York. But since discovered he has no legal right for such a grandstanding, antisemitic, anti-Israel, anti-Western, anti-democratic antic. Maybe Mandami should be arrested! Or at least impeached. For being a grandstanding, antisemitic, anti-Israel, anti-Western, anti-democratic mayor.
Here’s a post Bruce sent us Friday, July 31:
WARTIME MUSINGS
Should credible threats against FLOTUS and ‘FSOTUS’ (first son..) not be justification to attack first.
As for yesterday’s summit. Netanyahu really can’t win. Explainer. If Trump now attacks without victory its ’cause of Netanyahu. If Trump now attacks with victory its ’cause of Trump. And, in Israel, if Trump doesn’t attack -victory or not- Netanyahu failed in his eighth meeting with Trump. And if Trump does attack -victory or not- half the country will vilify Bibi anyway. Missing a permutation?
Ya. I know. Kinda’ need a definition of victory for that musing to work.
And here in my little shtetle. We go to sleep unsure if there will be a code red in the middle of the night. And if not. We wake up thinking it will be tonight. How do you define stress?
Seemed like an appropriate way to end this musing.
Bruce Brown is a former Winnipegger who made aliyah to Israel over 35 years ago. Bruce first began writing for us – in his own inimitable style, in 2012, during what was known as “Operation Pillar of Defense.” His occasional musings on aspects of life in Israel that were far from what you’d typically read in other reports from Israel were hugely popular – both in the print Jewish Post & News and on this website.
We’re now glad to report that Bruce is back writing for us – this time on a regular basis. We will post Bruce’s reports as they arrive – with the date of each post at the beginning of that post.
Here’s some information about Bruce – and awards he’s received for his writing:
Bruce Brown. Canadian born. Now living in Israel (for a long time). Bruce works in Israel’s hi-tech sector by day and, in spurts, is a somewhat inspired writer by night. He received the American Jewish Press Association’s award for writing excellence in 2019 and 2025. And wrote the 1998 satire, “An Israeli is….” Bruce’s musings are political, social, economic and personal. With lots of biting, contrarian, sardonic and irreverent insight.
Features
K-tip placement at Sets on Corydon
Precision K-Tip placement: Where art meets ultimate hair engineering. ✨
Every strand is custom-blended to achieve seamless movement, zero detection, and absolute freedom (yes, even high ponytails on day one). Precision styling takes patience and technical mastery—the result speaks for itself.
.
Features
Israel pavilion ambassadors – then and now
By BERNIE BELLAN Given that Folklorama is on again and the Israel pavilion – Shalom Square, is in full swing, I thought it timely to resurrect an article I first posted to this website in August 2023.
But before reading that article, I wanted you to see who this year’s ambassadors are for Shalom Square:
It was back in 2023, however, that I set out to answer a question that I had asked our readers to help answer: Where was the very first Israel pavilion located? Some readers had thought it was the Golden Age Club, which used to be located on Pritchard and Salter. But others weren’t so sure. Here then is what I wrote back in August 2023 – when, with the help of a librarian at the Winnipeg Public Library, I was able to solve the riddle of where the first Israel pavilion was located:
It was earlier in August 2023 that I had raised a number of questions about the history of the Israel pavilion at Folklorama.
Among those questions were: Where was the first Israel pavilion located and when did the Israel pavilion actually become a permanent fixture in the YMHA on Hargrave (before moving to its current home in the Asper Campus)?
As part of my search for answers to those questions I turned to David Cohen, who had long been the coordinator of the Israel pavilion when it was located on Hargrave, but who didn’t step into that role until 1975.
David thought that the Israel pavilion hadn’t moved to Hargrave until 1974, but he wasn’t sure where the first Israel pavilion had been located.
I tried to find information using the Winnipeg Public Library online digital archive. In case you didn’t know, anyone with a library card can access the library’s online archive. You can also have access to newspaperarchive.com through the library’s digital archive. Newspaperarchive.com is an invaluable reference tool for journalists especially – or anyone wanting to access old newspaper archives, for that matter, but ordinarily you would need a subscription to newspaperarchive.com in order to use it. For some reason, however, the search function in the Winnipeg Public Library’s digital search engine didn’t produce results when I entered the word “Folklorama.”
As a result I called the Winnipeg Public Library for assistance and received great help from someone by the name of Louis-Phillipe. After taking my information, Louis-Phillipe phoned me to say that he had found out that the library had compiled a file of press clippings related to Folklorama going back to the very first year, 1970.
Further, Louis-Phillipe said, he had found a list of the 22 pavilions in that first year of Folklorama, along with where they were located. It turns out that the Israel pavilion was actually located in two different venues that first year: the Rosh Pina and the Shaarey Zedek.
The next day I also heard from reader Phyllis Dana, who confirmed that the Israel Pavilion had been in both synagogues. Phyllis also remembered that the only food served that first year was honey cake.
But the pièce de resistance came when I heard from reader Marilyn Breitman (née Stitz), who now lives in Calgary, when she phoned me on Monday, August 21 (which is when she received the August 16 issue of the paper with my story about Folklorama).
Marilyn told me that, not only did she remember that the first Israel pavilion alternated between the Rosh Pina and the Shaarey Zedek, she had actually been the female representative of the Israel pavilion that first year. Her title, Marilyn said, was simply “Jewish.”
But, as you might also recall, the entire confusion over where the first Israel pavilion was located began with an email I had received from Roz Greenfeld, who had written to correct my mistake when I had written in the August 2 issue that the Israel pavilion had been located in the YMHA from the very beginning.
Roz pointed out that, in 1971, the second year of Folklorama, the Israel pavilion was located in “Council House” or, as it was better known, “The Golden Age Club,” on Pritchard and Salter. How did she remember that? Roz was the female representative of the pavilion that year. Her title, as I found out was “Miss Judea,” she said.
So, if the Israel pavilion was located at both the Rosh Pina and Shaarey Zedek in that first year of Folkorama, and in the Golden Age Club that second year, where was it after that?
It was left to Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada archivist Andrew Morrison to come up with the answer to that question. Andrew informed me that the Israel pavilion did indeed move to the YMHA in 1972 and remained there for the next 25 years, until it moved to the Asper Campus in 1997.
There was a further footnote to the story, which is when I decided to try my luck with the Winnipeg Public Library’s online archive one more time. This time, rather than searching for “Folklorama,” I tried searching for old copies of both the Free Press and the Tribune from August 1970. I did manage to get results for the Tribune and when I entered a specific search within the Tribune I found a picture of all the famale representatives of pavilions – in bathing suits.
It turned out – and this was corroborated by both Marilyn Breitman and Roz Greenfeld, the female representatives had to parade in unison – in bathing suits, as part of Folklorama festivities. Each year, as well, a queen of Folklorama was chosen. Neither Marilyn nor Roz was made queen, both of them told me, although Roz was voted “Miss Congeniality.”
In addition to finding out about the early days of the Israel pavilion, I also learned that the Chai dancers were not regular performers at the Israel pavilion in those early years – as they eventually did become. Chai performers would dance only one night in those first years, with other entertainment the other nights.
I did enlist Andrew Morrison’s help once again and did find that Chai performed only one evening during the first few years of Folklorama – from 1970 to 1976. In 1977 Chai began performing every night of Folklorama, but there were other performers on hand as well, including Jerry Maslowsky and Rabbi Yosel Rosenzweig. In 1978 the Chai Folk Ensemble was the featured entertainment every evening; however, a notice that appeared in our paper did say that whistler Harvey Pollock would “be on hand” to entertain – whatever that meant.
While some may wonder of what earth shaking importance all this is, I ask: Isn’t it fun to look back in time – for just a little while, instead of worrying about more immediate problems, such as global warming, inflation, terrorist attacks in Israel, and whether Donald Trump will be president while he’s in jail?
