Israel
Overwhelming gesture of generosity brings Manitoba Aboriginal man to Israel
By BERNIE BELLAN
Solly Dreman is an individual about whom we’ve written many times in this newspaper.
A former Winnipeger, Solly made Aliyah in 1964 and has lived in Israel ever since – although he did spend time in the United States when he was a Fulbright Scholar at the University of California Medical School in San Francisco in 1977-78. Now retired from his long-held post as a full professor of psychology at Ben Gurion University in Beer Sheva, Solly now works and lives in Jerusalem with his wife, Orly.
Since his retirement, Solly has actively engaged in extensive volunteer work with the elderly, with ultra orthodox youth who have become secular and are at high risk for mental disorders and suicide, has served on a mental health hot line (Eran), and has been helping youth with severe learning disorders (ADD and ADHD).
In September 2016 Solly returned to Winnipeg where he gave a lecture on “Immigrants, Refugees and Terrorism: Is There Hope?”, sponsored by the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, the Winnipeg Friends of Israel, the Canadian Associates of Ben Gurion University and this newspaper. At that time he and Orly also hosted 60 friends and family members at a reunion luncheon. Don Barnard, a professional photographer and individual of Aboriginal background was recommended by Yolanda Papini-Pollock, executive director of the grass roots organization, “Winnipeg Friends of Israel”, to video both his lecture and the reunion.
Don explains that he met Yolanda “while working with her and Rogers Ofime (international award winning director and producer from Nigeria, Africa) on the film ‘Never again a broken promise’, a documentary on genocides.” He adds that he is “still working with Yolanda on a series of videos on the Holocaust.”
Though Don is multi-talented – being a videographer, filmmaker and actor, he has not had an easy time of it during his 49 years. He is on the autistic spectrum, affected by Asperger Syndrome, which has caused him considerable hardship during his lifetime. Also contributing to his plight was the fact that he was born into a Métis family; his father was a residential school survivor who has experienced considerable discrimination over his lifetime. Coming from a disadvantaged background, Don, at the age of 12, was placed in foster care, where he was exposed to considerable physical and psychological abuse. On top of that he was held back in his schooling, even though he had an IQ at the genius level of 157 – which was only recognized in his later youth when he was subsequently advanced several grades.
With difficulty finding steady employment, he has been living in a Manitoba Housing Unit in Fannystelle, which is a 45-minute drive southwest of Winnipeg. As well, his not owning a car made accessing employment for professional and personal purposes very difficult . For example, while he was relying on a charitable food bank located in the city for subsistence purposes, he had to hitchhike to the city in order to save money to purchase a camera.
But, here’s another very interesting aspect of Don’s life: He’s a staunch supporter of Israel.
“I used to go online and post in favour of Israel,” he notes. “I came to my own conclusions about that country” – ones , he is quick to admit, that are often at odds with the prevailing views in the Aboriginal community. Don says that he views the Jewish people in Israel as an indigenous, displaced people – much as he perceives himself as a member of a displaced first nation. As you will see, his recent trip to Israel has had a profound effect upon his views of that country.
As for Solly Dreman – and why he came forth with such a generous offer to someone he barely knew – well – he’s always been a very kind and outgoing individual. (Those are my words, by the way – not Solly’s. I’ve had the good fortune to meet him several times and you’re not going to find a warmer person.)
By the way Solly told me that his Masters and Doctoral theses were on the subject of “Altruism” – which only makes sense given his own penchant for giving.
When Solly heard Don’s sad story at the time of his lecture and reunion in September 2016 he told me, “My heart went out to him”. What Solly also learned about Don – and that was one of the keys to what transpired after that September meeting, is that he was a staunch supporter of Israel.
On the spot, Solly told Don he planned to invite him to come to Israel, all expenses paid. This year the offer came to fruition with Don’s trip to Israel . “The prospect of seeing that part of the world was a pipe dream for me’” Don says. “I was disadvantaged – and needed someone to give me some hope. Solly did that for me.”
And, so it came to be, with Don flying to Israel last month. Solly and Orly hosted Don in their Jerusalem home for one week and along with their son (Solly’s stepson), Oren Cytto, a licensed tour guide, travelled extensively in Israel. Don is planning to make a documentary movie about his trip which, he says, he will share with the Aboriginal community as well as the Winnipeg community at large.
“My take on Israel,” says Don during a video interview he shot with Solly at the tail end of his trip, “is that it is the most beautiful place I’ve seen in my life. It’s multicultural, but it’s uniquely Jewish. It’s multiple distinct societies pushed together…I can’t think of another place in the world where in such a short distance you’re walking from one world into another.”
As for the kindness and hospitality that were shown to Don by Solly and Orly, here’s what he had to say in the video interview with Solly: “What I find about you, Solly, is that you have a wonderful mix of charm and personality – absent mindedness too, but a fire within you that makes for an absolutely enjoyable experience. But, when it comes to the planning, Orly is the brains and backbone of this entire operation.”
There was one more magnanimous gesture toward the very end of the trip that really floored Don. “The other bombshell that happened in Israel is that Solly bought me a professional level video camera!” he says. Not only that, but upon Don’s return to Canada in February, Solly contacted Larry Vickar and other prominent members of the Winnipeg Jewish community to try and obtain some more help for Don. Don tells me that Larry arranged for him to get a car on very reasonable terms, including the provision of photographic services to Larry’s car dealership enterprise.
Don now says that, with his new car and camera, “I am also working on several other projects currently and looking to build my business and my life.”
But, is there anything expected of Don in return? Not anything more than perhaps helping to spread the message about Israel as he has already been doing for years prior to his trip. “I’d like to counter the message that Aboriginal youth are getting in the prisons and the mixed martial arts clubs” where they typically hear a completely slanted pro-Palestinian point of view, Don explains. “If the opportunity ever came for me to speak with Aboriginal youth or to the community at large I would gladly share my message with them about Israel,” he adds.
For one man, at least, a gesture of supreme generosity – and a totally unexpected one at that, just might make all the difference in the world in turning his life around. For Don Barnard, having someone like Solly Dreman enter his life is something he would never have dreamed possible. It will be interesting to see where life now takes him.
Features
New website for Israelis interested in moving to Canada
By BERNIE BELLAN (May 21, 2024) A new website, titled “Orvrim to Canada” (https://www.ovrimtocanada.com/ovrim-en) has been receiving hundreds of thousands of visits, according to Michal Harel, operator of the website.
In an email sent to jewishpostandnews.ca Michal explained the reasons for her having started the website:
“In response to the October 7th events, a group of friends and I, all Israeli-Canadian immigrants, came together to launch a new website supporting Israelis relocating to Canada. “Our website, https://www.ovrimtocanada.com/, offers a comprehensive platform featuring:
- Step-by-step guides for starting the immigration process
- Settlement support and guidance
- Community connections and networking opportunities
- Business relocation assistance and expert advice
- Personal blog sharing immigrants’ experiences and insights
“With over 200,000 visitors and media coverage from prominent Israeli TV channels and newspapers, our website has already made a significant impact in many lives.”
A quick look at the website shows that it contains a wealth of information, almost all in Hebrew, but with an English version that gives an overview of what the website is all about.
The English version also contains a link to a Jerusalem Post story, published this past February, titled “Tired of war? Canada grants multi-year visas to Israelis” (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-787914#google_vignette) That story not only explains the requirements involved for anyone interested in moving to Canada from Israel, it gives a detailed breakdown of the costs one should expect to encounter.
(Updated May 28)
We contacted Ms. Harel to ask whether she’s aware whether there has been an increase in the number of Israelis deciding to emigrate from Israel since October 7. (We want to make clear that we’re not advocating for Israelis to emigrate; we’re simply wanting to learn more about emigration figures – and whether there has been a change in the number of Israelis wanting to leave the country.)
Ms. Harel referred us to a website titled “Globes”: https://www.globes.co.il/news/article.aspx?did=1001471862
The website is in Hebrew, but we were able to translate it into English. There is a graph on the website showing both numbers of immigrants to Israel and emigrants.
The graph shows a fairly steady rate of emigration from 2015-2022, hovering in the 40,000 range, then in 2023 there’s a sudden increase in the number of emigrants to 60,000.
According to the website, the increase in emigrants is due more to a change in the methodology that Israel has been using to count immigrants and emigrants than it is to any sudden upsurge in emigration. (Apparently individuals who had formerly been living in Israel but who may have returned to Israel just once a year were being counted as having immigrated back to Israel. Now that they are no longer being counted as immigrants and instead are being treated as emigrants, the numbers have shifted radically.)
Yet, the website adds this warning: “The figures do not take into account the effects of the war, since it is still not possible to identify those who chose to emigrate following it. It is also difficult to estimate what Yalad Yom will produce – on the one hand, anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews and Israelis around the world reminds everyone where the Jewish home is. On the other hand, the bitter truth we discovered in October is that it was precisely in Israel, the safe fortress of the Jewish people, that a massacre took place reminding us of the horrors of the Holocaust. And if that’s not enough, the explosive social atmosphere and the difference in the state budget deficit, which will inevitably lead to a heavy burden of taxes and a reduction in public services, may convince Zionist Israelis that they don’t belong here.”
Thus, as much as many of us would be disappointed to learn that there is now an upsurge in Israelis wanting to move out of the country, once reliable figures begin to be produced for 2024, we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that is the case – which helps to explain the tremendous popularity of Ms. Harel’s website.
Features
Message from a Palestinian in Gaza to protesters: “You’re hurting the Palestinian cause”
A very brave Palestinian who was willing to put his name to paper and write an article for Newsweek Magazine has exposed the utter hypocrisy of all those students – and others, who have been setting up encampments across the U.S. – and now Canada, too.
You can read the article at https://www.newsweek.com/message-gazan-campus-protesters-youre-hurting-palestinian-cause-opinion-1894313
Features
The Most Expensive Israeli Soccer Transfers
Even if Israel isn’t known as a world soccer power, it has produced plenty of talented players who have made a living in top European leagues. On more than one occasion, an Israeli international has commanded a rather large transfer fee. But who are the most expensive players in Israel’s history? The answer could be a little surprising. We took a look back to find the most expensive Israeli soccer transfers of all time.
Tai Baribo
In 2023, Baribo made the move to MLS, signing with the Philadelphia Union. The reported fee was around $1.5 million, which is one of the highest transfer fees the Union has ever paid for a player.
Omer Atzili
Throughout his career, Atzili has played for a variety of clubs, including stops in Spain and Greece. In 2023, he joined Al Ain in the UAE for a transfer fee of $2.1 million.
Maor Buzaglo
Now retired, Buzaglo was briefly the holder of the richest transfer deal for an Israeli player. After a couple of successful seasons on loan, Maccabi Tel Aviv paid $2.7 million to rival Maccabi Haifa for Buzaglo in 2008.
Dia Saba
Saba made history in 2020 when he joined Al-Nasr, making him the first Israeli player to play for a club in the UAE. At the time, it was a big deal for relations between the two countries. Al-Nasr also paid an impressive $2.9 million transfer fee for the midfielder.
Tal Ben Haim
On multiple occasions, Ben Haim has been sold for more than $1 million. First, there was his move from Hapoel Tel Aviv to Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2023 for close to $1.2 million. A few years later, Sparta Prague came calling for him, spending $3.1 million as a transfer fee for the winger.
Itay Shechter
During the prime of his career, Shechter was the type of player who warranted a seven-figure transfer fee. German club Kaiserslautern paid a little over $2.6 million in 2011 to bring Shechter to the Bundesliga from Hapoel Tel Aviv.
Daniel Peretz
When Peretz was sold to Bayern Munich, it wasn’t the most expensive deal involving an Israeli player, although it was arguably the most important. He became the first Israeli Jew to play at Bayern, which is one of the biggest clubs in the world. The transfer fee for Peretz paid by Bayern Munich to Maccabi Tel Aviv was around $5.4 million.
Oscar Gloukh
Gloukh is one of the best young Israeli players right now. He already has three international goals in a dozen appearances to his name. Somehow, Gloukh is already one of the most expensive players in Israel’s history. After coming up with Maccabi Tel Aviv, he moved to Austrian giant Red Bull Salzburg in 2023 for a transfer fee of close to $7.5 million. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see him top that number one day.
Liel Abada
Abada has been a part of two huge transfer deals in his young career. In 2021, Scottish club Celtic paid $4.8 million to acquire him from Maccabi Petah Tikva. However, that number was topped in 2024 when Charlotte FC of MLS paid a fee of $8 million for Abada.
With Charlotte FC, Abada competes in North America’s top league, facing teams from both Mexico and Canada. Throughout North America, sports betting has taken off in recent years. That includes betting in Canada, where there is a large collection of trusted sports betting platforms.
Eran Zahavi
To date, Zahavi holds the record for the most expensive transfer fee paid for an Israeli player. It’s fitting for Israel’s former captain and all-time leading scorer. In 2016, Chinese club Guangzhou City paid $12.5 million to get Zahavi from Maccabi Tel Aviv. That record was nearly broken later that year when another Chinese club offered $20 million for Zahavi, who turned it down and stayed with Guangzhou City.