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Obituaries

RABBI CARLA ELYNN FREEDMAN

Rabbi Carla Freedman will go down in history as a trailblazer. Not only was she the first Canadian woman to be ordained as a rabbi, she was also the first rabbi in history to become a grandmother.

With great sorrow, Rabbi Carla’s family announces that the trail reached its end when, after a short, but devastating illness, she passed away on Monday, September 23, 2024, just five weeks shy of her 80th birthday.

Carla Elynn Freedman was a leader from the moment she was born. While studying at West Kildonan Collegiate in her hometown, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, she took on her first elected leadership role, serving as President of B’nai Brith Girls, District 6. In this role, she honed her storytelling skills, winning an international championship by recounting the heroics of Hannah Senesh. She also discovered what would become a deep, lifelong love of Judaism.

In 1965, shortly after the birth of her first daughter, Deborah, she became one of the earliest members of Temple Shalom, Winnipeg’s first Reform synagogue. She celebrated the birth of her second daughter, Rena, in trailblazing fashion, with the Temple’s first baby naming ceremony.

After earning a B.A. in English and a master’s in educational psychology from the University of Manitoba, Carla worked as a counsellor in private practice and as a management training specialist with the federal Department of Transportation. 

She celebrated her 40th birthday by leaving Winnipeg to pursue her passion for Reform Judaism full time. She enrolled in Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in Cincinnati, Ohio, graduating with a master’s degree in Hebrew Letters in 1989. She was ordained the following year, becoming the first Canadian-born woman rabbi in the process.

While in rabbinical school, Carla met the love of her life, Jeanne Shanin. Carla and Jeanne spent 39 joyous years together, moving throughout the U.S. as Carla took on congregational pulpits at Beth Israel Congregation in Plattsburgh, New York, Jewish Family Congregation in South Salem, New York, and since 2013, at Beth Israel Congregation in Sun City Center, Florida.

In 1992, while serving in Plattsburgh, Carla achieved her most treasured accomplishment when, upon the birth of her grandson, Jesse, she became the first rabbi in history to become a grandmother. She repeated the feat two years later, with the birth of her granddaughter, Brianna.

While she had a lifelong aversion to the color green, she had a world-class green thumb and an unmatched gift for keeping her hundreds of plants healthy. She found immense joy in simple pleasures: spy novels, Israeli music, anchovies, black licorice, popcorn, Rachel Maddow, Monk, and anything from the British Isles. But by far her greatest joys were serving her congregations and spending time with her family.

Rabbi Carla is survived by her soulmate, Jeanne of Riverview, Florida; her daughters, Deborah Melman-Clement (Tim) of Kingston, Ontario and Rena Rubin-Hines (Michael) of Toronto; her grandchildren, Jesse Rubin of Calgary and Brianna Rubin of Toronto; her sister, Phyllis Yaffe of Toronto; and her niece, Sarah Yaffe (Jay, Lewis, and Reya) of Toronto.

She was predeceased by her parents, Lou and Yetta Freedman, and by her beloved pets, Mo and Harley.

The family would like to thank all those who cared for Carla with such skill and compassion. 

Funeral services were held Wednesday, September 25 at Beth Israel the Jewish Congregation of Sun City Center, 1115 E Del Webb Blvd., Sun City Center, Florida, 33573, USA. Shiva Minyan with open mic tributes will follow. To view the recordings, contact cowebmaster1@jcscc.org.

Shiva will also be held in Toronto from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Sunday and Monday, September 29 and 30 at 70 Rosehill Ave., #208.

Please feel free to honour Rabbi Carla’s memory with a gift to Beth Israel Congregation’s newly created Rabbi Carla Freedman Memorial Fund for the purpose of bringing to the congregation live music, speakers, and scholars in residence; or the charity of your choice.

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Obituaries

EARL (ARIE) PERLMUTTER

We are saddened to announce the passing of our dear friend and cousin Arie Perlmutter at the age of 77. Arie died peacefully after a brief but difficult struggle with cancer on April 12, 2025.

He was predeceased by his parents, Hymie and Thelma and by his beloved sister Sheila.

Arie developed and maintained many close friends throughout his life. He attended St. John’s High in the 60s and kept in touch with many of his classmates. He began his working life as a delivery driver for City Bread. This was followed by a career of over 20 years at Advance Electronics, where he was a well-respected and expert sales associate. He hung out at North End Sals, for virtually his entire life, discussing (arguing? kibitzing?) with many people too numerous to name, the issues of the day but especially about sports, and most especially about baseball.

In his retired life, he was a member of Larters Golf Club, golfing with much enthusiasm and passion, if not prowess. Arie donated to and volunteered at the Winnipeg Humane Society for many years.

His family and friends would like to thank the staff at the St. Boniface Hospital whose compassionate and caring attention to Arie in his final days was truly a great comfort to him.

In keeping with Arie’s wishes, cremation has taken place and no funeral will be held.

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Obituaries

IRENE MARANTZ (nee KATZ) November 28-1930 – March 30, 2025

Our mother, Irene , passed peacefully in her own home at the age of 94. Irene was predeceased by: her parents, Abe and Sally Katz , her husband; Cyril Marantz, sister Clarice Rosenbloom, brother Max Katz, sister Bernice Grant, her sons-in-law Mike Langer and Bruce Cook
Irene is survived by her children: Jeff Marantz and Barb, Debra Marantz, Susan Marantz, Ellen Marantz, and brother Harvey Katz; her grandchildren, Sarah Marantz Lindenberg and Ira, David Marantz and Olivia; her great-grandchildren Rose, Izabella and Max; and many nieces, nephews and friends.
Our mother was born in Fort Francis, Ontario. After meeting and marrying my father Cyril she moved to Winnipeg. Mom loved that she moved to Winnipeg and had this large Jewish community for which she became an integral part of and it became a major part of her life.
Once her youngest daughter Ellen was in school, she went to work at the family business : Marantz and son, as a bookkeeper, and worked there until her early 70s.
Irene love to go to synagogue and be a part of Rosh Pina congregation. She was also a member of the sisterhood and was very involved in the activities in and around the synagogue. She was so grateful to learn Hebrew and to be able to participate in the Shabbat and other holiday services.
She spent every summer since the birth of her eldest son Jeff, at Winnipeg Beach.
She loved the beach riding her bike, going for long walks, meeting with her beach friends, playing cards and sharing good meals.
Irene was a kind soul.
She never had a negative word to say about anybody and nobody ever had anything but a kind word to say about her.
Her family was the light of her life. She encouraged her children to pursue their dreams and be the best they could be.
She was a loving and caring grandmother to her grandchildren, and her home was always opened to them, her friends, her children’s friends and even to strangers.
Funeral was held on April 2
Pall bearers were : David Marantz, Ira Lindenberg, Allan Marantz, Ari Marantz, Stephen Rosenbloom, Hartley Katz. Honorary pall bearer: Josh Marantz

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Obituaries

SYLVIA BASS NOVEMBER 19, 1924 – MARCH 14, 2025

On March 14,2025, after a very long life and a brief illness Sylvia Bass (nee Breitman) passed away peacefully. She is survived by son Ken, daughter Robyn Lerner (Neal) and grandchildren Jordyn (Tina), Shea (Anna) and Blake (Jacqueline). She is predeceased by her husband Harold and her four siblings (Alvin, Joseph, Belle and Shirley).
Sylvia was born on November 19, 1924, and had her North End Winnipeg childhood shaped by the rigours of the Great Depression. When the warehouse that employed her father went out of business in 1931 her mother, a seamstress, regularly worked late into the night to keep the family from destitution.
In 1942 Sylvia graduated from Isaac Newton High School with an A average and entered the world of work as a receptionist and secretary. In the pre- Dictaphone era this was a challenging vocation, requiring mastery of the arcane language of Gregg and Pitman shorthand. Her employers included Dr. Art Lerner and a forerunner agency of Jewish Child and Family Services.
In 1948 Sylvia met her life partner Harold Bass, an auto mechanic and auto body shop proprietor. After they married, at the fashionable Marlborough Hotel, she devoted herself to providing a home for her husband and children -Ken, born in 1950 and Robyn, in 1960. Her responsibilities increased in the Fall of 1966 when Harold decided on a radical career change, from the auto trades to government employment as a welfare worker.This meant attending an eleven month college course, available only in Brandon.
Sylvia was always sociable, enjoying the company of her Garden City neighbours, her many friends and her large extended family. For many years she was active in Pioneer Women (Na’amat), and a memorable 1971 trip to Israel strengthened her connection with the homeland. She and Harold also travelled to Chicago and Florida, as well as several trips to Las Vegas, where she indulged the Breitman family taste for gambling.
In their later years Sylvia and Harold focused their attention on their grandchildren, letting everyone know of their many and various accomplishments. Unfortunately, in 2009 Harold suffered serious health problems and was no longer able to live at home. He died the next year. Because her natural sociability made living alone out of the question Sylvia moved to the Portsmouth Retirement Residence, where she was a vital part of the community for the next sixteen years.
The funeral took place at the Chesed Shel Emes on Sunday, March 16 with interment at the Shaarey Zedek cemetery, Rabbi Anibal Mass presiding. Pallbearers were Jordyn Lerner, Shea Lerner, Blake Lerner, Harrison Katz, Ramy Penner and Benji Winestock. Neal Lerner, David Davis and Ken Bass were honorary pallbearers. Our thanks to the caring staff at the Portsmouth, JTRC Care Services and the Grace Hospital. Special thanks to Dr. Terry Babick, who cared for Sylvia for many years and helped her to reach 100.
Anyone wishing to make a donation is asked to do so to an Israeli – linked charity of their choice.

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