June 16, 1920 – November 11, 2018
With deep sadness we mourn the death of our beloved mother Helen Kahane who passed away November 11, 2018.
She graced our lives with her generosity of spirit, diamond sharp intellect and golden care. Helen elevated us all right until the end of her 98 years. Funeral services were held at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue on Nov.13, 2018 led by Bill Weisman and her grandson Rabbi Ariel Goldberg. Pallbearers were her grandchildren Lorence Bryans, Hava Goldberg, Avi Goldberg, Lisa Goldberg Najman, Alicia Kutner Goldenberg and Mike Katz.
Interment was at the Shaarey Zedek cemetery. Donations may be made to the Helen and Maurice Kahane Fund of the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba and Canadian Hadassah-WIZO. Thank you to Dr. Colin Fletcher, the WRHA Palliative Care and the Grace Hospital Internal Medicine teams. We will always be grateful for her loving caregivers from “Friendly Caregiver Seniors Care” in her final few years and the support of the Shaftesbury Park Retirement Residence.
Born in 1920 in Winnipeg, eldest child of Sarah and Jacob Diamond, Helen grew up in Plum Coulee, Manitoba along with her brothers Lazar and Harold. Z”l. Her parents were instrumental in the community as the owners of the Queen’s Hotel and she was raised in the heart of the community with strong Jewish values, work ethic and loving kindness. At age 16, Helen moved to Winnipeg to complete grade 12 at Wesley Collegiate and went on to earn a BSC at the University of Manitoba, trained as a RN and became the head of Obstetrics at the Misericordia Hospital. In 1946 Helen married the love of her life, Maurice Kahane and devoted herself as a wife and mother of her four daughters; Barbara (Stephen Kutner of Holliston, MA), Ruth (Harvey Goldberg of Ottawa, Ont.), Debra(Sheldon Goldberg of Lions Bay, B.C.), and Joan (Paul Bryans of Salt Spring Island, B.C.)
Her immediate and extended family were the focus of her loving attention. She was a guiding force in each of her grandchildren’s lives and will be greatly missed by Ariel (Francesca), Hava (Mike), Avi(Amy), Lisa (Jonathan), Alicia (Teddy), Blake( Meredith) and Lorence. When she was not being the unsurpassed hostess to her family members, she travelled across the continent to visit them. She was an essential part of every family milestone. She was thrilled to be a great-grandmother to Sage, Rye, Elliott, and Olivia.
During the past few years she enjoyed having her brother-in-law, Leonard Kahane also living at the Shaftesbury. She loved and treasured her in-laws, nieces, nephews, cousins and their families. She became the matriarch of the Kahane/Diamond/Kluner and Jacob families and was cherished by everyone whose lives she touched.
Helen invested countless years volunteering and naturally rose to leadership roles, a pillar in the community, making an imprint on organizations such as Canadian Hadassah-WIZO, Shaarey Zedek Synagogue Sisterhood and the River Heights Community Centre.
Helen was a lifelong learner and taught her children to be strong, kind and honest. She lived a meaningful life. May our mother Helen’s memory be a blessing always.
