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Two years ago he was youth ambassador for Shalom Square, now he’s one of the top judokas in his age category in all of Canada

Michael Akbashev

By BERNIE BELLAN
Last year we reported on the success that young Michael Akbashev had been enjoying as a 16-year-old judoka. This year, now 17 (he’ll turn 18 in March), Michael has attained even more success competing against athletes similar in age, most recently having placed first in the “Elite National Eight” judo championships in Montreal in January.

 

 

The Elite National Eight invites judokas from across Canada to compete in categories that are defined both by age and weight. Michael was in the male under-18 81 kg category. One competitor in each category is seeded number one. This year Michael was one of those number one seeded competitors.
And – he didn’t disappoint. As he wrote to me in an email: “I beat all the fighters on the podium. After winning this competition I have been selected by Judo Canada to compete in a European tour in Germany in March.”
Michael’s success on the mats this past year follows previous successes, about which I wrote last March: In my March 2019 story about Michael I noted his success to date: “In the short time he has lived here he has already accumulated a terrific record of success in his age category, as a member of the Manitoba Judo Team: 3rd place in Canada in 2017, 2nd place in the USA in 2017, and Canadian champion in 2018. He was selected by Judo Canada as an Elite Athlete in 2018 and 2019 and by Judo Manitoba as the best youth athlete in 2018.”
I also noted in that March 2019 story that “Just this past week he earned a bronze medal in the under-81 kg. class at the Canada Winter Games, held in Red Deer, Alberta. (The Canada Winter Games are open to athletes 21 years of age and under.)
“Michael was the youngest competitor in his category,” competing against athletes who were as much as five years older than him.
Since then, in addition to his winning in the National Eight championship, Michael has been a consistent top performer in every competition he has entered: Silver medals in the Quebec and Ontario opens and two golds in the Saskatchewan open.”

Michael as Shalom Square Youth Ambassador in 2018 with Winnipeg South Centre MP Jim Carr

Michael Akbashev, along with his parents Baruch and Helena, and younger brothers David (12) and Eithan (7) has been in Canada three and a half years now, having arrived in Winnipeg from Israel in 2016. They had lived in Tel Aviv prior to their immigration to Manitoba, helped in part by the Winnipeg Jewish Federation.
Baruch works at Misericordia Health Centre as a biomedical technologist, while Helena works at Winnipeg Clinic doing biological research.
It was Aaron Pfeffer, well-known judoka and judo teacher himself, who told me last year about Michael’s special ability. I had actually met Michael when he served as Shalom Square Youth Ambassador in the summer of 2018, and I remember reading in our own Folklorama guide that year how talented Michael was as an athlete, but I didn’t realize at the time what a bright future lay ahead for this personable young man.

What made me realize though even more how talented Michael was came when I learned that, ever since his family moved here from Israel, he has been training with Mark Berger, a former Olympian in the sport himself, at Mark’s West Kildonan Judo Club.
I asked Michael how long he’s been participating in judo? His answer: “I started judo in Israel when I was 4 years old.”
Now the holder of a first-degree black belt (which he received earlier this year), Michael has advanced through the colour system of belts in judo to the final colour one can attain.
Here is an explanation how the grades and colours work in awarding belts in judo: “There are six colored-belt levels called grades, and 10 levels of degrees for black belts. White is the universal color that represents a novice practitioner, while black represents an expert with varying degrees of black belts. The highest rank in judo is a 10th-degree black belt.”
A Grade 11 student at Vincent Massey Collegiate in Fort Garry which, Michael says, is a “well known sports school”, he admits that “I don’t really have any other interest in anything else but I am a very open person and I would love to try new stuff” – which he did when he applied to be Shalom Square’s Youth Ambassador two years ago.

By the way, younger brother David is also doing quite well in judo, Michael tells me, and Eithan will soon be joining his two older brothers in the sport. Both David and Eithan attend Shamrock School in St. Boniface.
Naturally, with the Summer Olympics in Tokyo soon approaching, Michael’s dream, he says, is “to go to the Olympics and represent Canada in the international podium.” In order to qualify, Michael will have to compete in the Olympic trials for judo, to be held this coming June in Montreal.
But, more than just performing superbly in his chosen sport, Michael Akbashev sees the benefits accruing from the discipline associated with judo, and says: “ I also would like to send a message to the public – telling them how they should try the sport and that the sport is a way of life, it’s about respect, appreciation, and hard work.”

 

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With Gaza War Ending, Where Does Jordan Stand?

King Abdullah of Jordan

By HENRY SREBRNIK Today’s “two-state solution” for the pre-1948 Palestine Mandate governed by the United Kingdom is an offshoot of the older idea of partition: the division of the land into Jewish and Arab countries. Transjordan, as it was then called, had been cut from the original Mandate in 1921 and became, first, a separate British mandate under an emir, and in 1946, as Britain was on the verge of leaving Palestine, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. It was always a fragile creation, yet it has lasted to this day, often defying predictions of its imminent demise by friends and foes alike.

Some analysts are currently floating another old idea. Given the basic instability and unsustainability of any Palestinian state in the West Bank (with or without Gaza), a Jordanian-Palestinian confederation comprising the Hashemite Kingdom and the West Bank might, in their eyes, be a better idea.

They view a Jordanian security presence in the West Bank as reliable, more so, certainly, than a Palestinian one. The late King Hussein proposed such a confederation in 1972: a united kingdom consisting of two districts, with full West Bank autonomy except for Jordan’s control of military and security matters and foreign affairs. In 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter raised it with Prime Minister Menachem Begin; at various times, President Anwar Sadat of Egypt and U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger espoused the idea. 

Indeed, Hussein and PLO president Yasir Arafat agreed to such a confederation in 1985. The king defended this as a “a matter of shared history, experience, culture, economy, and social structure.” Jordan is Arab and Muslim, and already a majority of Jordanian citizens are themselves Palestinian in origin. He believed that the Palestinians would be better served by linking their destiny with Jordan, “a sovereign state which enjoys credible international standing.”

Yet only three years later Jordan renounced the plan, and following the 1993 Oslo Accords, which created a PLO entity in the West Bank, that idea has faded away. Yet it still has some currency, with Palestinian support at times fairly robust. Many Israelis maintain that it would be desirable if the Palestinians became citizens of existing Arab states, Jordan in particular. 

But why would Jordan acquiesce to this today? It is true that Jordan controlled the West Bank between 1948 and 1967. But Palestinian national identity back was not as pronounced as it is today. The current extreme forms of nationalism and Islamism don’t fit a traditional hereditary monarchy. Conservatives in Jordan fear that Jordan’s already large Palestinian population would come to dominate domestic affairs.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Palestinian armed factions seriously endangered the Jordanian regime, culminating in the Black September civil war between 1970–1971, and for that reason Palestinian political influence is still suppressed in today’s Jordan. 

Nor might this really benefit Israel. What if in such a confederation a resurgent Hamas, Islamic Jihad, or other terrorist group succeeded at overthrowing the Hashemites? The consequences would be far graver than if the same thing happened in a fully independent, PLO-led Palestinian state on the 1949 armistice lines. 

The kingdom is also one of the world’s largest recipients of U.S. economic and military assistance, with one of the best-trained armies in the Middle East and advanced American weaponry. If this arsenal were to fall into the hands of Islamists, Jordan would be far more dangerous than a would-be Palestinian state.

Shortly after the Gaza war started, the kingdom saw massive demonstrations against Israel, spurred by the resurgence of the Muslim Brotherhood, who support Hamas and leveraged the public outcry over Israel’s military operations, with aid from Iran, which has stepped up its efforts to destabilize the kingdom by reactivating Islamist groups within the country. Protests organized by the group have been dominated by Hamas flags and pro-Hamas slogans.

The group’s political arm, the Islamic Action Front, is the largest opposition group in Jordan’s parliament since its gains in last year’s parliamentary election, the first following a series of reforms introduced by King Abdullah II aimed at promoting greater democratization. 

Jordan’s security services on April 15 arrested 16 people suspected of plotting attacks inside the country involving rockets and drones. The hand of Iran was suspected. Jordan accused the Muslim Brotherhood of planning the attacks and introduced a blanket ban against the group April 23.

The relationship between Israel and Jordan has had its ups and downs, though since a 1994 treaty they are formally at peace. The second intifada, 2000-2005, and Israel’s 2008-2009 military operation in Gaza, were challenging periods. In 2017, an Israeli security guard at the Israeli embassy in Amman killed an assailant and an innocent Jordanian national, shuttering the embassy for six months. The Gaza war has, naturally, put increased strain between the two nations, and in the last several years, it’s been mainly a peace upheld by security coordination. 

King Abdullah has of late been particularly critical of Israel. The king joined 56 other countries at the September 15 joint meeting of the Arab League and Organization of Islamic States, following Israel’s September 9 attack on Hamas leaders in Doha, Qatar, in calling for tougher measures against the Jewish state. He also contended that the attack was “proof that the Israeli threat has no limits,” and advocated for a “clear, decisive, and deterrent” response. He urged a “review all our tools of joint action to confront the threat of this extremist Israeli government.”  

During his September 23 speech before the UN General Assembly, King Abdullah again centred his remarks on Israel. He criticized Israel for attacking Iran, Syria, and Lebanon, though all three have had Iranian proxies that posed direct threats to Jordan. He accused Israel of complicity in the desecration of Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. He even stated that Israel was a threat to the Al Aqsa Mosque. (Jordan maintains administrative control of the Temple Mount because Israel granted that in 1967 following the Six Day War. But in return, no other religion other than Islam is permitted to pray anywhere on the of the Temple Mount.)

On November 1, 2023, Jordan pulled its ambassador from Tel Aviv. Amman also encouraged the European Union and the United Nations to sanction and embargo arms transfers to Israel. The Allenby Bridge, also known as the King Hussein Bridge, which crosses the Jordan River, was shut on September 19, after two Israelis were murdered at the crossing by a Jordanian truck driver. It was the second incident of its kind in a year, following the killing of three Israelis in September 2024. The bridge reopened four days later.

Israel and Jordan share a critical and lengthy border, secured by the peace agreement. The boundary is 482 kilometres long and stretches from the Golan Heights through the West Bank and the Dead Sea to its terminus at the Gulf of Aqaba. Jordan also provides Israel with strategic depth and early warning vis-à-vis Iran. In April and October 2024, as well as during the June 15-23 twelve-day war, bilateral defense cooperation was critical to helping to counter Iranian missile and drone attacks against Israel. A weakened Jordan would place Israel in a far more dire situation.

Henry Srebrnik is a professor of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island.

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Green Remodeling Gains Momentum in the Wenatchee Valley

Homes in Wenatchee Valley face intense seasonal shifts. These drastic changes cause temperature fluctuations with a direct financial impact. Summer sun drives cooling needs through the roof. Winter cold demands constant heating. These translate to high energy bills. On top of that, it harms the environment. 

Green remodeling is a powerful response. It blends innovative techniques with sustainable practices. Home upgrades now extend beyond mere aesthetics. It also considers environmental impact. It reflects an eco-conscious movement prioritizing the greater good. What are the driving forces behind these changes? 

The Drivers Behind the Trend 

Green remodeling is gaining popularity around the valley for practical reasons. But there’s a deeper motivation that goes beyond money talks. More residents are now thoughtful about how their choices affect the planet. 

Soaring Energy Bills 

The cost of electricity in Washington state is rising. Authorities have been pushing for clean energy. Despite this, the demand from data centers is growing. The residential electricity’s average retail price increased from 12.4 cents in May 2024 to 13.67 cents in May 2025. This is a 12.6% difference, higher than the 6.5% national average. It’s expected that there will be a 3 to 4% increase by June 2026. 

The One Big Beautiful Bill is also contributing to the increase. Residents are at risk of losing clean energy credits. Those who installed solar panels and heat pumps were eligible for a 30% tax credit. But that is about to end. It threatens the residential clean energy market. This can force homeowners to look for other ways to cut costs, and that includes green remodeling beyond clean energy use. 

Threat of Climate Change 

Wenatchee Valley, like other parts of Washington, is experiencing the impact of climate change. From rising sea levels to dangerous heat indexes, several problems confront residents. It also hurts snowpacks and streamflows, calling for more thoughtful approaches to remodeling to conserve water and other resources. 

Competitive Housing Market 

The real estate market in the Wenatchee Valley faces intense competition. In July 2025, 48.5% of the houses sold were under the stated list price. That puts pressure on sellers to meet the demands of buyers without losing profits. To keep the numbers up, homeowners consider investing in significant green upgrades that can elevate property values. 

Accessibility of Green Technologies 

Modern materials are removing barriers that once limited green remodeling. The market is filled with options for low-VOC paint and high-performance insulation. You can easily find affordable recycled wood and bamboo. Pre-fabricated and sustainable components are widely available. That makes it easy to incorporate sustainability in every stage of the remodel. 

Skilled services from experienced contractors are also accessible. You can easily find a quality custom cabinetry provider if you’re looking for one. These professionals tailor their products to your exact specifications. They use environment-friendly materials that can withstand the test of time, eliminating the need for frequent replacements. 

What Green Remodeling Looks Like 

Green remodeling requires visible updates with real impact. It’s more than just a concept or a trend. Rather, it’s a principle that governs home improvements. 

Selecting the Right Materials 

What you build with is an essential consideration. Conscious material selection goes beyond costs. Prioritize sustainable resources. Durability is a crucial factor. Some materials are cheap, but they tend to break easily. That means it won’t take long before they must be replaced. Reduce waste over the lifetime of your home. 

Intelligent Layout and Design 

The best materials are useless if you do not pay attention to how they are designed or laid out in a room. Space and energy flow are heavy influences. Open floor plans invite natural light and passive ventilation. Position windows to capture southern light. This helps keep your home warm in the winter. Strategic placement of trees in your yard provides cooling in the summer. Let the design work with the local climate, not against it. 

A Localized Supply Chain 

Where materials come from also matters. Local is your best bet. Search the Wenatchee Valley for potential suppliers. The closer they are to home, the better. This means you’re cutting carbon emissions. Doing so also supports the local economy. A local focus builds a smaller and more resilient supply chain. 

Efficient Energy Systems

Advanced systems work in the background to slash energy consumption. High-efficiency heat pumps use up to 61% less energy compared to their traditional counterparts. Smart thermostats learn from daily routines to optimize temperature regulation. Solar panels harness abundant sunshine. Incorporating these upgrades into a home remodel yields significant long-term benefits.  

Effective Water Management 

Water conservation requires more than the installation of low-flow showerheads or faucets. It involves a holistic approach to water use. Greywater systems recycle water from showers to irrigate drought-tolerant landscaping. Rainwater harvesting collects run-off for garden use. These alternatives treat water as a precious regional resource. 

Overcoming Barriers and Risks 

The idea of a green remodel is exciting. It’s also overwhelming. Homeowners may worry about the expenses and expertise necessary for successfully pulling off a project. 

Navigating Upfront Costs 

Financial resources are the first hurdle to address. Yes, green remodeling can be expensive. It requires investing in advanced technologies and durable materials. A change in perspective is necessary. Think long-term. Consider the energy savings that you can enjoy over the years. 

Finding the Right Experts 

Green remodeling isn’t one job to complete yourself. You need people with knowledge and skills. That translates to additional cost, but this is another investment that pays off. Practice due diligence in evaluating suppliers and contractors. 

Regulatory Obstacles 

Rules and regulations in the Wenatchee Valley are ever-changing. Look for the latest information that governs home remodeling. Some works may require permits and licenses. There are potential limits on what can be done. 

Complex Maintenance 

Some green home upgrades may be demanding in terms of long-term maintenance. Choose components from reputable suppliers that offer reliable support. Ask for warranties and upgrade paths. 

Final Thoughts

Climate change effects are apparent. They manifest in extreme temperature changes and rising energy costs. Competition in the housing market also intensifies. That makes it more important for homes to stand out. One that can help is green remodeling, and it’s currently gaining momentum. Homeowners are welcoming ways to upgrade their residences in a way that benefits them and the environment.

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Shayla Mindell: long-gone from Winnipeg, yet still feeling a strong connection to this city

Shayla Mindell with her family: Front row (l-r): Shayla Mindell, granddaughter Hailey, daughter Fern Second row (l-r): daughter Jill, her husband Mike, Steffan ( Fern’s husband), grandson Oliver (Hailey and Oliver are the children off Fern and Steffan.)

By GERRY POSNER Recently a group of ex-Winnipeggers came together – in Montreal this time, in the form of a reunion of four women – long time pals originally from Winnipeg, now all living elsewhere. They were: the former Marcia Billinkoff Schnoor, now of Toronto; Shayla Mindell, now of Ottawa; Toby Morantz, now of Montreal; and Ruth Bellan Cooperstock, formerly of Victoria, and now of Montreal. I heard about this particular reunion from Marcia. Since it had been a long time since I’d been in touch with Shayla Mindell, recently I decided to contact her. The story on the reunion of the four women will be the subject of a different story at another time.

For those readers who go back a distance in Winnipeg, they will know the Mindell name from Shayla’s parents, Joe and Rose Mindell of blessed memory. Some might even recall the maternal grandparents as in Sam and Faiga Malamed, long time Winnipeg residents. There were several stories on Sam Malamed and they all are contained in the Jewish Post newspaper archives located at the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada – available to anyone who wants to read them. Or you could just enter the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba ’s Endowment’s Book of Life and there you will find compelling accounts of members of the Malamed Mindell Mishpachah. Shayla Mindell is a granddaughter of the Malameds.

Shayla is a product of the north end of Winnipeg, having grown up at 530 Enniskillen Avenue in West Kildonan. She is also a sister to Sheldon Mindell, a name familiar to many Winnipeggers (for his longtime work in raising funds for such organizations as the Jewish Foundation and Riverview Health Centre, also his involvement in owning Rumors Comedy Club).
Shayla attended Edmund Partridge School and later West Kildonan Collegiate. Not long after her graduation from high school, Shayla set foot on the University of Manitoba grounds and it was there that she obtained her B.A. in 1963.
Shayla went on to get a degree in Library Science in 1964 from the University of British Columbia. After her marriage to Mark Doctoroff, also a former Winnipegger, she did a lot of travelling – owing to Mark’s studies and later, his work with the Canadian government – in the USA, Brazil and then, in Australia. From 1972 to 1980, during a time when she was back living in Canada, Shayla worked part time at the Algonquin College Library in Ottawa, where she was employed for eight years. Along the way, that is, during her stay in Australia, her children, both daughters, Fern and Jill Doctoroff, were born. In 1980, she and Mark separated.

Shayla had a long and rewarding career with the federal government as the head of a library and records management department in Ottawa. It was in 2003 that she retired and she now spends her time taking courses of various kinds, studying Spanish, volunteering ( wonder where that gene came from – hello Sam Malamed) and savouring her time with her two grandchildren, Hailey and Oliver, now 16, who live in Ottawa nearby. In short, she is busier in retirement than she was even when she worked full time.

Now, what Shayla did recently was to get her family to join her in Winnipeg for her brother Sheldon and his wife Tannis Mindell’s 50th wedding anniversary. In doing that, she went, as they say, ”the whole nine yards.” Aside from taking everyone around to see the sights of Winnipeg – via a guided tour, she also included a visit to the cemetery to see the graves of her grandparents, Sam and Faiga Malamed; her parents, Joe and Rose Mindell; and her aunt and uncle, Lily and Max Leibl. The grandkids were exposed to some serious Winnipeg Jewish history. They even placed stones on the graves of their great-great grandparents.
Lastly, she took the group to her former residence on Enniskillen. (Doesn’t everyone want to do this? I, for sure, do.) Then, she went the extra step and knocked on the door of what had been her childhood home and asked for an invitation to enter. Seek and ye shall find it is said and, for Shayla that phrase worked. Shayla said to me, ”What a great experience.” The house was much the same, though naturally enough, there were renovations, such as to the bathroom and kitchen. I suspect that the chance to see your parent or grandparent’s childhood home with your parent showing you around would be a moving experience for many.

Shayla falls into a club of ex-Winnipeggers (a large club indeed) who, though removed from the city for a long time, still live in the city in their hearts. She learned well from her parents and grandparents.

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