Local News
Some thoughts on the passing of Jim Carr
By BERNIE BELLAN I first met Jim Carr when I decided to take an evening course Jim was teaching about politics at the University of Winnipeg in the 1970s. He was already well known to many Winnipeggers from his occasional appearances on the local CBC news program “24 Hours,” where, although still only in his twenties, he was able to offer informed insight about politics.
Jim was only two years older than me, but he was so much wiser. A scan of the many tributes that have poured forth since his death on December 12 was announced reveal – if you weren’t already aware, how incredibly diversified his interests were.
But, since this is a Jewish newspaper I’ve decided to focus on aspects of Jim’s life as they relate to his own Jewish identity. Yes, it’s true that even though Jim did not go out of his way to draw attention to the fact he was Jewish, he was still immensely proud of his heritage.
At the beginning of his contribution to the Jewish Foundation’s Book of Life in which he writes about his Jewish background, Jim notes, in a way that would probably sound so familiar to so many of us, that “My grandparents all arrived in Canada in the early 1900s. They came from Europe with no money and no English; they came with nothing but hope, optimism, and the desire to work hard to make a life for their families in this young country.
“Those early seeds of risk and hard work have taken root as the Carr and Golden families have flourished in this great land. It’s a story that can be told thousands of times for thousands of families who saw Canada as an oasis of calm and opportunity in troubled times. I’m very aware, and proud, that to this day people from around the world continue to come to Canada. Together, we weave an elegant, multicultural tapestry that is the envy of the world.
Jim didn’t attend Jewish school, although in conversing with him he often liked to drop Yiddish expressions. He also mentions that his mother belonged to “Hadassah,” while his father belonged to the “Montefiore Club,” which was really just a venue for Jewish men to play cards.
Typically for young south end boys growing up in the 1960s, Jim wrote that “I was involved in some Jewish youth activities and enjoyed my time as a member of Toppers in BBYO. I had my Bar Mitzvah at Shaarey Zedek where I shared the pulpit with another young man, Howard Gurevich.”
Jim goes on to describe his schooling and some of the organizations with which he was associated to that point in his life. (He was still with the Business Council of Manitoba until 2015, which is when he reentered politics, this time becoming the MP for Winnipeg South Centre.)
“I attended school at Brock Corydon, Montrose, Grant Park, University of Winnipeg Collegiate, the University of British Columbia, and McGill University. I have enjoyed—and still do—a diverse career. I have always been drawn to pursuits, both volunteer and professional, that have the potential to improve life in my city, my province, and my country. I played oboe with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra; served on the editorial board of the Winnipeg Free Press; have held senior administrative positions with the Manitoba Arts Council and the University of Winnipeg; and I served my community for four years as a Member of the Legislative Assembly and as deputy leader of the opposition. Today, I am proud to be the President and CEO of the Business Council of Manitoba…”
It was shortly after having written that when Jim entered into the final chapter of his political career – in 2015, when he was first elected as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South Centre – a position he held until his death last week.
A scan of our own Jewish Post archives reveals that Jim’s name didn’t enter on to our own pages until 1996, when we reported on a panel discussion held on February 28 that year which was sponsored by the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University, the topic of which was prospects for peace in the Middle East.
Jim had just recently returned from a trip to Israel (his first time there), where he had gone to report on the Palestinian election for the Winnipeg Free Press. (With Jim on that trip also was the late Sol Kanee.)
That article also gave a foresight of the optimism that Jim continued to hold the rest of his life that Israeli Jews and Palestinians could work together, when he said that “Israelis and Palestinians now are talking about ‘taking walls down, not erecting new ones’ ”(in response to a series of terrorist bombings in Jerusalem that had been occurring), “and a proposal to divide the two peoples is a ‘non-starter.’ ”
In our June 27, 2001 issue we reported on yet another panel discussion on peace in the Middle East – again sponsored by Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University (Wouldn’t it be nice to have that organization contributing once again to the intellectual life of our community the way it used to?)
And, who was the chair of that panel discussion? You guessed it: Jim Carr.
Continuing in that vein, for years Jim was an active member of the Arab Jewish Dialogue, which was founded in 2006 by Ab Freig and the late Harold Buchwald as a means by which members of Winnipeg’s Jewish and Arab communities could engage in meaningful discussion.
Through the years whenever I spoke with Jim about the prospects for peace between Israelis and Palestinians, he held to his belief that peace could be achieved, but only through a return by Israel to the pre-1967 borders and the recognition by Palestinians of Israel’s right to live within secure borders.
Was he naïve to continue holding to a view that has undoubtedly been rendered almost totally irrelevant as a result of Israeli settlements on the West Bank and the apparent utter refusal of most Palestinians to abandon the notion that violence against Israelis is justified? Perhaps, but Jim was a small-l liberal through and through.
The last time I had a chance to sit down with Jim and have a really meaningful chat was in September 2018 when he had just returned from another trip to Israel, this time as Canada’s Minister of International Trade Diversification. Jim was very proud of the growth in trade that had been occurring between Israel and Canada, especially since the signing of a free trade treaty between the two countries in 1997 (and which was modernized in 2014).
Yet, I wondered whether Jim’s almost dogged insistence on even-handedness might be something for which he could be criticized by Jewish groups for not doing more to represent “Jewish” interests? I pointed out, for instance, that in speaking with Dimitri Lascaris, who has long been a fierce critic of Israel, when I mentioned to Lascaris that Jim Carr was, in fact, Jewish, Lascaris said he wasn’t aware of that. I said to Jim that was indicative of how even-handed he was perceived by other politicians.
I wondered though how Jim felt about being a “Jewish” member of Cabinet?
He responded: “I can only speak for myself. I am not in Cabinet to represent Jewish interests to the Government of Canada, but I’m Jewish, so I bring with me my sensitivities, my sensibilities, who I am as a person – and who I am as a person is very much a product of how I was raised in the community in which I was raised and with which I still feel a very close association as early as today – when I was in synagogue.” (That interview took place the second day of Rosh Hashanah.)
That was quintessential Jim Carr – a thoroughly thought out and articulate sentence that reads as well on the written page as it sounded when he spoke those words to me.
At the same time I should mention that Jim was also actively engaged in a dialogue with Muslim members of the Federal Liberal caucus, along with fellow Jewish members of the Liberal caucus. That was Jim: always wanting to keep the discussion going – maybe not to achieve any specific goals, but simply for the sake of keeping lines of communication open.
In closing, I want to note that the last time I saw Jim was this past summer when he was at a meet and greet event in Lindenwoods. There weren’t many people there; I was a little surprised because it was a beautiful summer day and I thought more people would have turned out to see Jim. As it was, when I went up to say hi, Jim flashed that trademark smile and told me that he always enjoys reading The Jewish Post & News. I told him that in many ways he had been a role model for me – as a champion of a style of thoughtful liberalism that is often under attack. But he looked very tired and I saw that just coming out to that event, even though he was sitting down, must have been quite an effort for him.
I will miss Jim Carr, as a friend, as a devoted member of the Manitoba community, and as a Jew who represented values that were engrained in those of us who grew up in the 1950s and 60s when it was fashionable to believe that public service was a noble aspiration. I’m not sure there are any others like Jim Carr still around in our community.
Jim Carr’s body was laid to rest at Shaarey Zedek Cemetery on Wednesday, December 14 in a private graveside service.
Local News
Rady JCC Ken Kronson Sports Dinner to feature two heroes from Toronto Blue Jays World Series Championship teams of 1992 and 1993
By MYRON LOVE This year’s 52ND annual Rady JCC Ken Kronson Sports Dinner – scheduled for Thursday, June 4, at the Convention Centre – will feature as special guest speakers two heroes from the Toronto Blue Jays World Series champion teams of 1992 and 1993: former player Joe Carter and former manager Cito Gaston.
The dinner will also mark the launch of a new athletic scholarship in memory of the late Evelyn Golden – a truly remarkable role model for living a healthy life.
Born to Russian immigrants who had the courage and foresight to immigrate to Canada, Evelyn married Dr. Norman Moss and moved to Calgary, where her husband established a dental practice. In Calgary, she raised her three sons, Les, Mortie and Richard (who passed away at a young age) and was an active member of the local Jewish community. After her husband passed away in1970, she moved back to Winnipeg, where she met and married Don Golden.
Evelyn was an active recreational athlete all her life. Remarkably, her last golf outing was at age 100 with her second son. She walked the Glendale Golf Course three times a week until age 88 and had a hole-in-one at age 75. Growing up, she enjoyed tennis, and played well into her 70s. Evelyn was a wonderful homemaker and a dedicated community volunteer. She lived well, with an attitude of leaving disappointments behind, while living for today and planning for tomorrow.
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Throughout her long life, Evelyn never experienced a serious health crisis, nor had any surgeries.
Incredibly, Evelyn lived until the age of 103, passing away in 2019.
Her children feel that the Evelyn Golden Memorial Fund Scholarship is a fitting tribute to their mother. The scholarship will be awarded each year to one Jewish female between the ages of 11 and 17 who has shown a passion for athletics in general and golf in particular, and who also has some financial need.
The scholarship is the second new award to be established in the past two years. Last year saw the introduction of the Meyer Rypp Memorial Basketball Scholarship – reflecting the lifelong passion that the late Winnipeg businessman had for basketball. The scholarship is open to Jewish athletes – male or female – who have excelled in basketball at the school level.
The Max Labovitch Ice Hockey Scholarship is named for quite likely the only member of our Jewish community who made it to the NHL. The right winger played professional hockey for ten years – throughout the 1940s – including a stint with the New York Rangers – and is a member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame.
The scholarship is intended to provide some financial support to a young Jewish male hockey player (aged 12-16) “who demonstrates dedication, perseverance and growth in the sport of hockey.”
A second Labovitch scholarship – named for Max Labovitch’s wife, Loretta – is awarded annually to one Jewish female athlete – aged 12-16 – “who has dedicated a strong commitment to sport and personal growth.”
The Brent Knazan Award recognizes two Jewish young athletes – ages 13-16 – who model “fair play, respect and consideration for others and who positively influence teammates and peers both on and off the field of play.”
Then there is the granddaddy of them all – the Idy and Max Nusgart Jewish Athlete of the Year Award – the Rady JCC’s highest athletic honour. Each year, a winner is chosen from five nominees by an independent committee of sports journalists. The award celebrates athletes whose commitment, discipline and performance distinguish them from among their peers while representing the values of sport and community at the highest levels of competition.”
The winner of the Nusgart award – which has been given out since 1986, also receives a bursary from the Fred Glazerman Memorial Fund.
With the exception of the Nusgart and Rypp awards, athletes cannot nominate themselves.
Rob Berkowits, the Rady JCC’s CEO, notes that all of the funds listed above are administered by the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba. “We work cooperatively with the donors and the Foundation in regard to the criteria and framework of the awards and scholarships,” he says.
Berkowits points out that the Rady JCC Ken Kronson Sports Dinner – which was founded by the late Ken Kronson – a long-time member of the Rady JCC and its predecessor the YMHA – is our community’s largest single fundraising event.
“We normally draw about 1,300,” he reports, “and we are expecting another sellout this year.”
Another regular feature of the event will include honouring someone special – this year’s honourees being long time Rady JCC members and supporters Sally and Jeff Peel.
Berkowits reports that the Rady JCC – which opened in 1997 – currently has more than 5,000 members – two thirds of whom are not Jewish – from all ages and backgrounds. In addition to its physical fitness activities, the Rady JCC also supports an array of cultural programs, including Shalom Square (our community’s Folklorama pavilion), the annual upcoming Jewish Film Festival, the Music and Mavens programs, and the annual Yiddish Festival.
Readers who are interested in attending the dinner, being a sponsor or supporting the Rady JCC with a donation can contact Zac Minuk at 204 4806562 or online at zminuk@radyjcc.com.
Local News
Beloved former Gray Academy teacher Sharon Freed honoured by appreciative former students
By MYRON LOVE Nicole Freed was inspired to become a teacher by her mother’s example. “I remember the moment I decided to become a teacher,” the daughter of the late Sharon Freed, who passed away suddenly in December 2019, told a gathering of some of her mother’s former colleagues and students. The event, which was held to share memories of Sharon Freed took place in the Kaufman-Silverberg Library at the Asper Campus on Thursday, March 26.
As Nicole Freed recounted, “I was sitting at the kitchen table. Mom was helping me with my homework when she suddenly got up to call a parent. I remember my mom asking if a particular student was okay because she had missed two days of school. After she hung up, I asked her while she called. I suggested that the student was probably just sick. My mother’s response was that she cared about all of her students and wanted to make sure the girl was alright. That moment stayed with me. I wanted to be a teacher – like my mom – who cared about all of her students.”
Sharon Freed hold the record for the longest serving teacher in our Jewish school system. When she retired in 2015, she had taught continuously for 47 years, starting at the former I.L. Peretz School, then moving on to Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate, and finishing her career at Gray Academy. Over that time, she inspired two generations of students. Among them were former students Josh and Samantha Morry and their father, Howard. (Their mother, Hope, grew up in the south end.) In appreciation, the Morry Family has established the Sharon Freed Collection at the Kaufman-Silverberg Library in their former teacher’s memory.
Books and words were very important to Freed, recalled Kaufman-Silverberg head librarian Ana Esterin. “Sharon liked multigenerational novels, historical fiction, romance, and Russian novels, Esterin noted.. “She would frequently come in and ask what well-written new novels were in.”
Freed’s choice of literature is reflected in the new Sharon Freed Collection at the library The collection – behind glass doors in a bookshelf in the library’s foyer sits across from a giant mural with Freed’s visage in the centre of it and a table with a scrabble board with the former teacher’s name spelled out. (Scrabble was another of her passions.)
In formally introducing the Sharon Freed Collection, Lori Binder, Gray Academy’s Head of School and CEO of the Winnipeg Board of Jewish Education, welcomed Freed’s family members, friends and former colleagues and students in attendance either in person or via Zoom. Binder (who is also a former student of the beloved teacher) said the tribute to Freed was “a deeply moving afternoon filled with laughter, tears, and the tradition of storytelling that Mrs. Freed cherished so dearly.
“As we continue to reflect on Sharon’s impact, we are reminded of the words of Rabbi Sacks (z”l), who said that to be a Jew is to know that those who came before us live on in us. Yesterday was a testament to the truth of those words. Sharon lives on in the books we have curated in her honour, the students she mentored, the friends and family she loved, the colleagues she confided in, and the community she helped build.
Thank you for helping us ensure that Sharon’s story continues to be told. That is the thing we can all hope for, that when someone passes, they are remembered through stories.”
Speaking from Israel via Zoom, Freed’s older daughter, Andrea, remembered her mother as “a very special person. It seems that everywhere I go, I run into former students of my mother who want to share with me fond memories of her.”
Nicole added that “it is evident from today’s wonderful event that my mom truly did care about all her students and had special relationships with them. I realize now more than ever what a lasting impact a teacher can make.”
She also thanked Binder and Skye Kneller (Gray Academy’s Director of Advancement and Alumni Relations) for including Freed’s two daughters in the planning of the event. “It meant a lot that you both wanted to make sure that our opinions and thoughts were heard,” she noted.
Marilyn Beloff, Freed’s younger sister, flew in from Vancouver for the inauguration. “It’s clear to me why I’m here,” she said. “I’m here because of this deep love and respect for my sister and how much she’s taught me and lives within me each day.”
“The best way to honour her is to speak about her and keep her in your mind’s eye whenever you can…this wonderful collection will live on.”
Former colleague Lawrence Goldstine spoke about his service with Freed on the Jewish school teacher’s union leadership team. “Sharon was dedicated to fighting for the benefit of Gray Academy’s teachers,” he noted. “I considered her a mentor to me in that regard.”
Former student Ben Waldman credited Freed with how she inspired him to pursue a career in journalism. “Within this school, there’s a tradition of storytelling that begins the moment we enter,” noted the Winnipeg Free Press reporter. We become a part of the Winnipeg Jewish community in such a meaningful way, and I don’t think I fully understood how much Mrs. Freed had to do with that until after I graduated.
“As a teenager, I, like many other young people, was still trying to figure myself out,” he continued. “We were malleable and Mrs. Freed was very much a fixed entity. She knew who she was. And when you came into her room, she knew that she could help shape you, even if you weren’t ready to be shaped.
“I couldn’t think of a better way to remember her than with this gift of a collection in her memory… A celebration for Mrs. Freed is a celebration for this institution that we really do care about and love. I’m happy that a new generation of kids who may not have had the chance to be in her class will now at least know her name.”
Speaking on Zoom on behalf of the Morry family, Josh Morry said that “we had been talking for a long time about doing something to honour her memory. I’m so happy. This collection is so perfectly themed for what she loved, which is books and imparting that to other people. I do hope that her memory will live on. I am sure it does through all of us.”
Morry also spoke of wanting to create a “Mrs. Freed commemorative Scrabble tournament.” “I remember we used to come to her classroom and we would play Scrabble at lunch,” he recalled. “We would talk about the Queen, and we would try to impress her with the way in which we read when she called on us.
“I think as a lawyer, I use a lot of the writing skills that she taught us.”
Lori Binder concluded the presentation with a “very special thank you” to the Morry family, who joined the launch virtually. “Their generous gift made this collection and this launch possible,” she said.
She also thanked the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba for their ongoing and vital support of the library.
Librarian Ana Esterin reports that the initial Sharon Freed Collection includes 13 books. The library is encouraging individuals to consider a donation to the library to add to the collection.
Local News
Friends of JNF Canada to honour Jewish Physicians Association of Manitoba at upcoming Negev Gala
By MYRON LOVE In the words of the late, great Nazi hunter Simon Wiesenthal, “for evil to flourish, it only requires good men to do nothing.” In light of the ongoing Iranian and Muslim Brotherhood- (of which Hamas is a charter member) pogrom, not only against Israel but also Jews throughout Western Europe and North America, it is fitting that the upcoming Friends of JNF Canada Negev Gala – which is scheduled for Wednesday, May 5, will be recognizing a group of Winnipeggers who are taking action against the unprecedented upsurge in antisemitism in Manitoba’s medical system – with particular emphasis on the situation at the University of Manitoba’s Maxwell Rady College of Medicine.
“We are honoured to be recognized by the Friends of JNF Canada for our efforts to support Jewish trainees studying at the Medical College who are dealing with ongoing anti-Semitic discrimination and harassment,” says Dr. Charles Bernstein, the current chair of the still relatively new Jewish Physicians Association of Manitoba (JPAM).
“We know that most Jews in Winnipeg love Israel and support the JPAM’s goals.”
Bernstein described the project that is being funded by this year’s gala – the Medical Clinic at the Ashdod Rehabilitation and Therapy Centre – as a worthwhile institution that helps provide critical care and rehabilitation services in Israel to those who need it most.
(The gala this year is also featuring Yohay Sponder. the creator of his hit show “Self Loving Jew,” in which he is known for his sharp wit and bold humour, Yohay has performed for audiences around the world.)
“I have never seen the level of antisemisim here that we have been experiencing since October 7, 2023,” says Dr. Bernstein, an internist and gastroenterologist – with a particular focus on inflammatory bowel disease – who has been practicing in Winnipeg since1993.
While there were restrictions limiting the number of Jewish students who were allowed to enrol in medicine at the University of Manitoba prior to and during World War II, he notes, that quota system was brought to an end in the late 1940s.
(I would refer readers who wanted to learn more about the efforts to abolish the quota system to read Eva Wiseman’s account in her book, “Healing Lives: A Century of Manitoba Jewish Physicians,” which is available at the Kaufman-Silverberg Library.)
“We have had a comfortable life here in the medical school since the quota system was ended more than 75 years ago,” Bernstein observes.
“In my medical class of 100, 35 of us were Jewish. There was never any problem with antisemitism in the medical profession, the medical school or the hospitals. In fact, the St. Boniface Hospital and Health Sciences Centre allowed large menorahs in front of their entrances without any incidents.”
That changed suddenly after October 7 – especially in the medical school. Bernstein referenced in particular the notorious case of the 2024 medical school valedictorian who sparked a tsunami of outrage when he chose to use his valedictory speech to his fellow 2024 University of Manitoba Max Rady College of Medicine graduates to disparage Israel.
He gave over half of his 25 minute presentation to the Israel-Hamas conflict, demanding an immediate ceasefire in the conflict with Hamas, which was raging at that time, while decrying the widespread destruction in Gaza and claiming that the number of dead Palestinians was 35,000– a figure that even the United Nations had discredited. He further charged Israel with deliberately targeting healthcare workers. He specifically challenged Doctors Manitoba and the Canadian Medical association to add their voices to the call for a ceasefire.
“It has been a difficult couple of years,” Bernstein says. “Despite entreaties by JPAM and other Jewish community organizations, Newman faced no consequences – from the medical school, the university, Doctors Manitoba or the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba.
“We pointed out (in letters to the above-mentioned institutions and organizations) that this kind of hatred against any other religious, racial or ethnic group would not be tolerated – to no avail.”
He reports that there may be some hope that karma will catch up to the antisemitic valedictorian. He is still posting hateful messages online. As a result, there is hope (and an expectation) that the requisite medical bodies will investigate and take action.
Bernstein, however, is not optimistic about a positive outcome.
Of greater concern, Bernstein notes, is that a Muslim Brotherhood-0influenced group on campus called “Students for Justice in Palestine” has put out a “target list” of six Zionist University of Manitoba professors – including Bernstein.
“We have a real concern that someone may be influenced to take action and attack one of us,” he says.
Last year, he continued, Belle Jarniewski, the executive director of the Jewish Heritage centre of Western Canada and a world leader in Holocaust education, was invited to speak to the Medicine I class about antisemitism.
“She gave a detailed and informative speech,” Bernstein says.
After her presentation, he points out, there was an online campaign led by a first year medical student to demonize her as “being unworthy and inflammatory to other groups ,” and demanding that she be prevented from speaking to medical students again.
“The problem is not so much in the hospitals as it is in the medical college,” Bernstein notes.
Bernstein reports that the idea behind JPAM originated with Drs. Michael Boroditsky and Laura Chisick in the fall of 2023. The official launch was in June 2024, with Bernstein being chosen as the first chair.
He notes that the membership currently stands at 161 and this year has opened up associate membership to other health care professionals such as nurses, chiropractors physiotherapists, and occupational therapists.
He adds that since JPAM’s founding, Jewish physicians in most other provinces have formed sister organizations (although Ontario already had such a group.) and that there is now a Canadian Alliance of Jewish Physicians led by Toronto-based Dr. Ayelet Kuper, who is best known for publicly exposing – in December, 2022 – the alamring level of antisemitism at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine.
Bernstein also reports that current Jewish students in medicine here have formed their own junior version of JPAM (the Jewish Medical Students Association)
“We are not demanding special treatment,” Bernstein says of JPAM. “We are only asking that Jewish physicians and trainees be treated like any other ethnic or racial group and that there be consequences for hateful words and actions directed against Jews.”
Readers who are interested in supporting JPAM, the Friends of JNF Canada, and the medical clinic in Ashdod, can contact the Friends of JNF Canada office at 204 947-0207 or online at Winnipeg@friendsofjnfca.org.