Ken Zaifman (right), who is Japan’s consul in Winnipeg, with Japan’s consul general in Calgary, Shigenobu Kobayashi
By MYRON LOVE On Thursday, June 6, Ken Zaifman was presented with the Order of the Rising Sun, Japan’s highest civilian honour. Previous honorees have included fellow Winnipegger, the late Albert Cohen (in 2009), movie star Clint Eastwood (2011), General Douglas McArthur, John McCain, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney.
By MYRON LOVE On June 30, after a lifetime (68 years) working in the family business, Gunn’s Bakery on Selkirk Avenue, Fivie Gunn will walk away – – and into retirement – but not before Selkirk Avenue bestowed its own recognition on one of its oldest sons.
Outgoing Jewish Foundation Chair Eric Winograd (left) with incoming Chair Richard Yaffe
By BERNIE BELLAN Despite the fact that financial markets were quite volatile in 2018, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba was still able to distribute more money – to both Jewish and non-Jewish organizations in the 2018 fiscal year, than it had in the previous year – an increase of $13,055 from $4,545,739 in 2017 to $4,558,794 in 2018.
By BERNIE BELLAN It seems strange to be writing an article about the Rady JCC Ken Kronson Sports Dinner. For over 40 years that assignment would have been given to Harvey Rosen.
Hosts for the Ezer Mizion gala: Orly & Solly Dreman
By BERNIE BELLAN With so many worthwhile causes all competing for donations from among Winnipeg Jews, it’s not easy to decide which particular causes deserve priority.
The Rady JCC has chosen finalists for Jewish Athlete of the Year. The winner will be announced at the Rady JCC Ken Kronson Sports Dinner, to be held June 18. The five finalists are: Michael Akbashev – Judo; Serena Buchwald - Diving; Yohnatan Elizarov – Figure Skating; Sarah Jacobsohn – Ultimate Sports; and Yonatan Orolov – Baton Twirling.
By BERNIE BELLAN The 67th annual Negev Gala this year honoured Steven Schipper, outgoing artistic director of the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. Schipper, who is a longtime supporter of the State of Israel, chose as the project for which he wished funds from this year’s gala to support a new physiotherapy and hydrotherapy wing at the soon-to-be-built Beit Halochem in Ashdod, Israel.
On Wednesday, May 8, former Winnipeggers Hersh Shefrin and Marcia Nozick were back in their home town to accept Distinguished Alumni Awards from their alma mater, the University of Manitoba, in recognition of their efforts to help improve the lives of people in their adopted communities and beyond.
By MYRON LOVE The 12th annual Cancercare Manitoba Foundation Challenge for Life 20KM walk (or 200-minute workout) will be held in Assiniboine Park on Saturday, June 8, and several members of our Jewish community are – once again – among the leading fundraisers. This year, the top-ranked “Jewish” team – as of last Wednesday – is Nancy’s Nightingales with over $11,000 raised as of last week. This year, Joanne Katz, one of the original team members is back – she was in Israel at this time last year – rejoining long time team members Connie Botelho, Harriet Lyons and Louise Raber. New this year is Rhonda Youell.
In what will be the fourth recent appointment of a Winnipeg-born rabbi to a pulpit in Winnipeg, Temple Shalom, Winnipeg’s liberal reform congregation, has announced that, as of July 1st, Allan Finkel will assume the role of rabbi of that congregation.
