Obituaries
Roseline Usiskin (née Wolodarsky)
With great sadness, we announce the sudden passing of Roseline Usiskin on November 2, 2022 after a brief illness. She was ninety-four years old. Roseline (also known as Baba, Rose or Roz) was an important person in so many people’s lives. She was a friend and a mentor to us all; a shining example of integrity, principle and kindness.
Roz was born in 1928 in Winnipeg, the third of seven surviving children born to Joseph Wolodarsky and Florence (Litman). She married Larry Usiskin in 1949. Roz is survived by her sons Michael (Jean), Arnie (Robyn) and Len (Priscilla), and her grandchildren Jana (Nic), Josh (Shelley), Aaron (Kasandra), Beth (Rob), Jacqui (Max), Mika (Alekcei), and great grandchildren Laurence, Miriam, Konrad, Julia, Felix, Aria, Nolan, Edie, Basil, Nya and Lola as well as her sister Evelyn, brother Bill (AnnMaree), brothers-in-law Dave and Sid (Viki) and sister-in-law Marcia, and many nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. Her parents, Joseph and Florence, her husband Larry, her siblings Doris, Jack, Shirley and Marilyn, and her sisters- and brothers-in-law Fred, Shirley, Sid, and Martin predeceased her.
Roz lived a remarkable and engaged life, which was shaped in her youth by radical left wing family members and friends who were writers and activists. She thought critically and she was curious about the world and other’s points of view. She loved to read and debate ideas and to discuss the pressing issues of the day.
Some of her activities and accomplishments include teaching kindergarten at Peretz and Shalom Aleichem schools; director of the children’s summer Camp Husavik; completion of high school as an adult and then going on to complete a Master’s degree in Sociology and History (earning a gold medal for both); lecturer at the University of Winnipeg; published articles and book reviews focused on the Jewish radical left in Winnipeg (she was widely consulted about her research); founding executive director of the Manitoba Multicultural Resource Centre; president of the Jewish Historical Society of Western Canada where she facilitated its’ move to the Jewish Community Campus; a lifelong member of the United Jewish People’s Order (UJPO) serving for many years as local President and also as a member of the national executive board; member of the national editorial board of the Canadian Jewish Outlook; and member of Jewish Voices for Peace. Roz also translated (from Yiddish to English), edited and published two books of letters by her father and his relatives.
Roz’s social and political activism included many progressive issues related to human rights, peace and social justice. She was part of the secular Jewish movement and was passionate about preserving Yiddish language and culture. She sang in various Jewish and labour choirs and was a founding organizer of the Shalom Aleichem Cultural group.
Roz and Larry travelled extensively all over the world. She loved attending cultural events — theatre, concerts, movies, ballet and opera.
Maintaining close family connections was extremely important to Roz. She was the matriarch of both the Wolodarsky and Usiskin families and she ensured that family and friends came together for every possible milestone or simcha. She loved to host suppers and gatherings in her Winnipeg home and at her Winnipeg Beach cottage. Food was an essential part of every get together. She especially enjoyed lively conversations with family and friends, often with a cup of tea in hand.
Both Roz and Larry were supportive, loving and proud parents and grandparents. They raised three active boys in a modest bungalow on Burrin Avenue in West Kildonan. Roz was very involved in her childrens’ and grandchildrens’ lives. She was also involved in the lives of her siblings and many nieces and nephews. Many people not in our family adopted her as a mother figure. They knew they could always come to her for support and advice.
We are inspired by her enthusiasm for life, her kindness and generosity, and the curiosity and intellect she demonstrated throughout her life. Her whole family is proud of all her accomplishments and the ideals she stood for. We know Roz felt there was still much work to be done to make the world a better place for all, and she was involved in projects as recently as this past autumn. She planted many seeds for peace and justice, and her legacy will carry on to make a better world.
Roz’s funeral was held Sunday, November 6, 2022, at the Hebrew Sick Cemetery. We are planning a larger celebration of Roz’s life at Winnipeg Beach next summer. Donations in Roz’s honour may be made to: UJPO (United Peoples Jewish Order), the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, the Judaic Studies Program at the University of Manitoba, or to a meaningful organization of your choice.
Obituaries
LIN JOSEPH ROSENBAUM
October 17, 1952 – April 18,2026
It is with great sadness that the family marks the passing of Lin, loving son, uncle, great-uncle, brother and brother-in-law. He will be greatly missed.
Lin completed his undergraduate degree in business at the University of Manitoba. He eventually took and completed apprenticeship as an electrician and worked as a licensed electrician with his father Harry. He took pride in his work and craft and assisting his father. He was greatly valued by their customers .
Lin was adventurous , traveling throughout Europe. He was a kibbutznik, and always spoke fondly of time spent in Israel. He was an avid runner, and had participated competitively in the Boston Marathon .
He made friends well and remained committed to volunteerism with community arts , including the Winnipeg Fringe Festival. He showed great empathy to others, reflected in his work with Mood Disorders Manitoba.
Lin believed in the worth of all persons and saw the good in others. His best nature illuminated the best nature in others; to a brother, son, friend, uncle and great-uncle, always.
Obituaries
Recent funerals – as posted on the Chesed Shel Emes website
| Harold Diamond | Tzvi ben Yaacov v’Chana | 04/12/1935 | 12/05/2026 | 25 Iyar 5786 | Shaarey Zedek Cemetery | More Info |
| Ray Schnoor | Raizel bat Ephraim v’Rachel | 13/06/1927 | 05/05/2026 | 19 Iyar 5786 | Shaarey Zedek Cemetery | More Info |
| Gila Ruth Fainstein | Rachel bat Kiva v’Leah | 25/06/1935 | 04/05/2026 | 14 Iyar 5786 | Rosh Pina Memorial Park | More Info |
| Toby Schwartz | Chaya Tovah bat Moshe v’Chana | 16/07/1932 | 01/05/2026 | 14 Iyar 5786 | Shaarey Zedek Cemetery | More Info |
| Rachel Wolman | Rachel Bayla bat Moshe v’Malka | 03/02/1962 | 24/04/2026 | 7 Iyar 5786 | Shaarey Zedek Cemetery | More Info |
| Leah Gitlin | Laya bat Yosef v’Frayda | 04/09/1926 | 08/04/2026 | 21 Nisan 5786 | Shaarey Zedek Cemetery | More Info |
| Lin Joseph Rosenbaum | Yosef Levi ben Hershel Zvi v’Dvorah | 17/10/1952 | 06/04/2026 | 19 Nisan 5786 | Hebrew Sick Benefit Cemetery | More Info |
| Norman Stein | Nachum ben Avraham v’Chaya | 10/06/1932 | 06/04/2026 | 19 Nisan 5786 | Bnay Abraham Cemetery | More Info |
| Marvin Saul Silver | Menachem Shaul ben Avraham v’Chana Gitel | 20/11/1941 | 05/04/2026 | 18 Nisan 5786 | Shaarey Zedek Cemetery | More Info |
| Kimberley Dawn Kirshenbaum | Isabella bat Avraham v’Sarah | 09/12/1969 | 03/04/2026 | 17 Nisan 5786 | Rosh Pina Memorial Park | More Info |
| Walter Ganetsky | Zev ben Yosef haLevi v’Tziporah | 23/09/1940 | 02/04/2026 | 15 Nisan 5786 | Bnay Abraham Cemetery | More Info |
| Lorelei Camille Lavitt | Rachel bat Yaakov v’Raisa | 11/04/1936 | 26/03/2026 | 8 Nisan 5786 | Rosh Pina Memorial Park | More Info |
| Melvin Myers | Moshe ben Chaim v’Rachel | 24/04/1936 | 24/03/2026 | 7 Nisan 5786 | Shaarey Zedek Cemetery | More Info |
| Naomi Sharon Searles Koslovsky | Nechama Sara bat Shmuel v’Chana | 11/04/1940 | 23/03/2026 | 5 Nisan 5786 | Hebrew Sick Cemetery | More Info |
| Suzan Kravtsov | Chaya bat Shlomo v’Malka | 27/11/1935 | 23/03/2026 | 5 Nisan 5786 | Shaarey Zedek Cemetery | More Info |
| Marcelo Chaffer | Moshe ben Chaim vFreda | 23/05/1959 | 20/03/2026 | 2 Nisan 5786 | New Israeli Congregation of Montevideo, Uruguay | More Info |
| Bonni Book | Basia Miriam bat Noach v’Tovah Chana | 29/04/1944 | 14/03/2026 | 25 Adar 5786 | Shaarey Zedek Cemetery | More Info |
| Sarah Schwartz | Sarah bat Moshe v’Leah | 21/08/1930 | 08/03/2026 | 19 Adar 5786 | Jewish Memorial Gardens, Ottawa ON | More Info |
| Jennie Goldstine | Shaindel bat Aharon v’Manya | 25/09/1929 | 06/03/2026 | 17 Adar 5786 | Shaarey Zedek Cemetery | More Info |
| Shelley Fogel | Shaindel bat Yehuda v’Sarah | 16/02/1935 | 05/03/2026 | 16 Adar 5786 | Rosh Pina Memorial Park | More Info |
To see more funerals go to https://chesedshelemes.org/records-of-the-deceased/
Obituaries
MEL MYERS April 24, 1936 – March 24, 2026
It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Mel Myers, K.C. on March 24, 2026, a month shy of his 90th birthday.
He will be lovingly remembered by his wife Sharon; sons, Noel (Joan) and Paul (My-Phung); daughter Sarah; sister Gayle Myers (Jan Cooper); brother-in-law Brian Kaplan (Renee); grandchildren, Emily and Lily; nephews, Harris (Nina) and Ira (Ruby); nieces, Rachel (Alex) and Robyn (Kerem); great-nephew Jude; great-niece Chloe; extended family and many friends.
Mel was predeceased by his parents, Hymie and Rose Myers, and his brother, Paul.
Mel was a powerhouse of a man. He was worthy of praise and accolade, a person of substance and impeccable character who gave his time and talents to make our lives, our world, a better place for all.
According to Sharon and to many, he knew everything and everyone; he was an extraordinary lawyer and delighted in the law; he loved humanity; he was fascinated by many things and had an unquenchable thirst for the acquisition of knowledge. He was the consummate family man, who loved the lake, gardening and being with his beloved Sharon. He was a respected and dutiful father and father-in-law, and an even better Zaida!
Mel and Sharon were married on May 29, 1960. They were partners in marriage and in life for over 65 years. In 1961, when Mel graduated with honours from the University of Manitoba Law School, he was appointed a crown attorney with the Manitoba Attorney General’s department. He was the first Jewish crown counsel and served in that capacity for three years before going into private practice.
Mel had a long and distinguished legal career and became a partner with the law firm of Pollock, Nurgitz, Bromley, Myers and Hewak. This Winnipeg-based law firm now bears his name, Myers LLP, and is honoured to continue to practice in Mel’s name to uphold his legacy for generations to come.
Mel was Manitoba’s pre-eminent advocate for labour and a vigorous defender of fundamental human rights. As a labour lawyer, among numerous notable cases, he successfully defended the constitutionality of the Rand formula under the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the prohibition against mandatory retirement as age-based discrimination under the Manitoba Human Rights Act. Mel was a strong champion of workers’ rights across Manitoba. His work touched thousands of lives and forged advancements for labour and human rights across Canada. As a human rights advocate, he served as the first chairperson of the Manitoba Human Rights Commission from 1974 to 1978. He has appeared before numerous commissions, including the Monnin Inquiry into violations of Manitoba’s election laws. In addition to litigation before labour boards, arbitrators and the courts including appearances before the Supreme Court of Canada, Mel also taught classes on labour relations and administrative law at the University of Manitoba and a bar admissions course on criminal evidence. He mentored countless union lawyers and advocates in the presentation of cases. As well, he tirelessly advanced the education of union members.
Mel served as the Chair of the labour relations subsection of the Canadian Bar Association (Manitoba Branch). He also was a former president of the YMHA Community Centre and was a former member of the Board of Regents, University of Winnipeg.
After his retirement from active practice in 2001, he was appointed Chair of the Automobile Injury Compensation Appeal Commission, where an advisor’s office to assist citizens dealing with Manitoba’s public auto insurance plan was established with his input. Throughout his retirement, he continued to frequently act as a labour nominee on arbitration boards.
Mel was involved in many community organizations and was a longtime member of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada. His wisdom, guidance, and steadfast support was always appreciated by the Board.
In 2002, the annual Mel Myers Labour Conference on labour law was established in his honour by his former law firm. Proceeds are donated to a charitable cause espousing economic and social justice. Mel was a co-founder and past president of the Canadian Association of Labour Lawyers, an association of 800 lawyers representing trade unions and professional organizations across Canada.
Mel was the recipient of several awards, including the Bora Laskin Award in 2005, which recognizes distinguished contributions in the field of labour law. Nominations of Mel for this award referred to “his willingness to work himself to the point of exhaustion, his fierce commitment to fairness and due process, and his conviction that protecting the rights of labour is fundamental to the preservation and strength of Canadian democracy.”
In addition to his professional activities, Mel maintained a broad range of interests in the arts and theatre, music, history, politics, travel, reading and sports of all kinds. He was also known for his immense and varied collection of trade union memorabilia and his readiness to discuss or debate any topic with passion and energy.
A very special thanks to the staff of Simkin Centre, Simkin 1, especially Nurse Cheryl, for their extraordinary care and vigilance over the time Mel was a resident as well as the staff of Realcare Inc, especially Cathy, Felix and Olumide, for the dignified and exemplary care they showed Mel.
Mel’s funeral was held at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue on March 27th officiated by Rabbi Carnie Rose. Beautiful words of tribute were given by Mel’s son, Noel, and sister, Gayle.
Pallbearers were Noel Myers, Paul Myers, Harris Kaplan, Kevin Marks, Seth Marks, and Evan Roitenberg. Honorary pallbearer was Brian Kaplan.
In honour of Mel’s memory, donations can be made to the ‘Mel Myers Endowment Fund’ (in support of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada) at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba (call 204-477-7520 or online at https://jewishfoundationofmanitoba.crowdchange.ca/146553) or to the ‘Mel Myers, Q.C. Award’ at the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law (call 204-474-9195 or online at https://give.umanitoba.ca/) or to a charity of your choice.