Local News
Winnipeg congregations report largest attendances since 2019 for high holidays
By MYRON LOVE It was a frailiche Yom Tov this year. From all reports, there seems to have been a real joy for people able to once again attend services without having to deal the Covid restrictions of past years.
The final numbers are in and they tell the story. Overall, Yom Tov attendance was almost back to where it was pre-Covid restrictions. Lets start with the Shaarey Zedek, our community’s oldest and largest congregation.
Dr. Rena Secter Elbaze , the Shaarey Zedek’s executive director, reports that close to 700 worshippers attended the main service, 268 more were at the family service and just over 340 followed online. In comparison, about 200 were in attendance in person last year and that number included attendance at both services.
For this year, we decided to have only one service,” Secter Elbaze says. “It was wonderful having everyone together again. Some people were really emotional about being able to come together again.”
As noted in my pre-High Holidays report, this was the second year that the Shaarey Zedek held Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services in the gym of the Rady JCC. Regular Shabbas services have continued to be held in the Berney Theatre, with weekday services at Temple Shalom – while their long term, spiritual home is being updated and expanded. Elbaze had noted that “in an effort to show our members that we appreciate their patience and understanding during this period of construction, we offered all of our members free seating for Yom Tov for those who wanted to attend services in person, as well as congregants viewing the services on-line.”
Non-members, she added, were able to[purchase their seats and be eligible for free seating if they participated in the daily minyanim or volunteered their time to help with Shabbat minyanim.
A further incentive was the return of popular Rabbi Alan Green to join Rabbi Anibal Mass in leading the main service. Rabbi Mass also led the family service – accompanied by Grant Park High School Grade 12 student Noah Trachtenberg – in the Asper Campus Multipurpose room.
The Yom Tov experience was further enhanced for Shaarey Zedek worshippers by the participation of the popular Quartet and the 20-voice Ruach Folk Choir.
“We were very pleased with how everything turned out,” Elbaze says. “This was the best Yom Tov ever.
“And we are really looking forward to being back in our own building in time for next Yom Tov.”
The members of Congregation Etz Chayim are also looking forward to davening in their new building. Next month, the congregation is scheduled to leave their current 70-year-old location in north Winnipeg and move into the new Etz Chayim building.
Etz Chayim Congregation Executive Director Jonathan Buchwald wrote in an email: “The general feedback from congregants was that they really enjoyed services this year. It was noted, however, that there were some bittersweet feelings, as these were the final High Holy Day Services in the Matheson Avenue building. We are looking forward to holding services next year in our new home at 1155 Wilkes Avenue, formerly the Shriners headquarters, near the IKEA store in south Winnipeg.“
Buchwald reports that 500 tickets were sold in person for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, with another 70 screens watching on-line – which grew to 90 for Kol Nidre. Almost 200 people attended Ne’ilah services. He adds that about 60 people attended a special service in the junior auditorium, led by Deborah Spigelman and Nina Eilberg, which was designed for families of all ages,while 50 children of all ages attended the junior service.
“On the first day of Rosh Hashanah and on Kol Nidre,” he says, “we held a unique program designed for teens in grades 9 to 12 led by Halley Ritter,” Buchwald added.
“One of the highlights of our services occurred during Kol Nidre,” he noted. “It involved the removal of all our Sifrei Torah which were then held by various congregants for each of the three recitals of the Kol Nidre prayer. For the first recital, the Sifrei Torah were held exclusively by teenagers and young adults.”
Services were led by Rabbi Kliel Rose and Cantor Tracy Kasner – with Kelly Robinson leading the High Holy Day Choir.
The third largest gathering for the High Holidays this year was Rabbi Matthew Leibl’s brand new “Services on the River: A modern High Holidays” which were held at the scenic Gates on Roblin. “I was very pleased with the attendance,” says the rabbi, who has been in demand for weddings, funerals and other community events since he left the Shaarey Zedek four years ago. “I wasn’t sure what to expect,” added Rabbi Leibl.
He reports that 250 signed up for his Yom Tov services. “We had a good mix of ages. We had families, couples, singles, even multigeneration families.”
In our earlier pre-Yom Tov report, Rabbi Leibl had observed that he had a lot of people asking him what he was going to do for Yom Tov. “I perceived that there was a need for another alternative for High Holiday services,” he noted.
Services on the River: A modern High Holidays” were scheduled for the second day of Rosh Hashanah, Kol Nidre and Yom Kippur morning. “Because the shofar is not traditionally blown on Shabbat, we decided to celebrate Rosh Hashanah on the second day instead to be able to have the shofar in our service,” Rabbi Leibl pointed out in explaining why he didn’t offer services for the first day of Rosh Hashanah.
The three services were each 90 minutes in length. “My services were designed to offer moments of reflection and introspection, beautiful live music, and a celebration of the Jewish New Year, all against the pastoral backdrop of the Assiniboine River, which was also our site for Tashlich on Rosh Hashanah,” Rabbi Leibl noted.
“With the river right outside the door, there was a strong sense of serenity accompanying Tashlich,” he added.
Rabbi Leibl described “Services on the River: A modern High Holidays” as “a real team effort,” which he led in collaboration with the husband and wife cantorial team of Justin Odwak and Sarah Sommer.
Most likely, readers can look forward to a reprise of “Services on the River: A modern High Holidays” next year.
Still with the South End, both Ruth Livingston and Jack Craven, presidents respectively of Reform Congregation Temple Shalom and the Orthodox Adas Yeshurun Herzlia report good turnouts for the High Holidays this year – with new families at both their services. The Lubavitch Centre’s Rabbi Avroham Altein also reports some new families at the services this year.
Back in the North End, Rob Waldman, the president of the egalitarian Chevra Mishnayes congregation in Garden City, noted in an earlier interview that the board was not expecting much change from last year. Last year’s attendance was 90 – exceeding expectations. This year’s services, led again by Al Benarroch, also attracted about 90 people.
The venerable House of Ashkenazie, the last of our community’s older-style Orthodox congregations, was the only shul to report a bit of a decline in attendance from last year – when about 50 people came for the first day of Rosh Hashanah and over 40 for Kol Nidre. – numbers which were the best in some years.
One new option this year for frum members of our community living in the North End was the reborn Chavurat Tefila – on the corner of Hartford and McGregor – which has reopened – after being closed for three years – as the North End Orthodox Minyan. The new congregation began regular Shabbat services at the end of July. Yom Tov services attracted about 40 men and women, with Rosh Hashanah services led by Avi Posen – who came in from Israel – and Yom Kippur services by Cantor Natanel “Naty” Schlossberg from Brooklyn .
Finally, there was one more option for those seeking to attend a High Holiday service. After a two year absence, Camp Massad resumed its innovative Rosh Hashanah service last year. Daniel Sprintz, the camp’s executive director, was pleased to announce that Massad was again hosting its usual Rosh Hashanah program on the second day.
Local News
Fringe Festival star Melanie Gall to appear at Gwen Secter Centre July 16
By BERNIE BELLAN A veteran performer at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, Melanie Gall, will be making a special guest appearance at the Gwen Secter Centre on Thursday, July 16.
Melanie will be the featured speaker (and entertainer) for the Remis Speakers’ Series that day. The Remis Speakers’ Series is held every Thursday starting at noon and ending at 1:30. This year’s series began May 7 and will continue through the end of October. This year it has been attracting increasingly large audiences – ranging from 40-60 people, as it offers attendees the opportunity to enjoy a delicious – and kosher lunch, while listening to a very diverse variety of speakers – all the way from Gail Asper talking about returning the Ten Commandments to Assiniboine Park to Rabbi Matthew Leibl performing Christmas songs that were written by Jewish songwriters. At the same time it provides those attending a chance to make new acquaintances – or perhaps bump into old friends they haven’t seen in a long time.
Melanie Gall’s own story is sure to be riveting. I’ve written about Melanie in the past, but the past two summers had been especially nerve wracking for Melanie, as she was subjected to a torrent of antisemitic abuse over her support for the State of Israel.
You can read my story about what Melanie went through during the Winnipeg Fringe Festival – both in 2024 and again last year, at Melanie Gall subjected to antisemitic abuse.
Melanie, who will be entering her 13th year of performing at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, will be peforming in only one show this year – a departure from her past practice of performing in multiple shows (as many as three different shows) during the Fringe Festival.
Elsewhere on this website we’ll be offering a preview of Melanie’s show (which is called “The Ballad of Isobel Gunn” and which is based on an incredible, but true story), along with previews of several other shows.
In the meantime, if you’re not already a member of the Remis Speakers’ Series group, but would ike to attend this coming Thursday, simply email us at jewishp@mymts.net and we’ll reserve a spot for you. The cost for the lunch is only $20.
The Gwen Secter Centre is located at 1588 Main Street (corner of Smithfield). There is parking available on a lot behind the centre or on the street.
Local News
Folk Festival Report
(Posted July 10) During this year’s Winnipeg Folk Festival we’re going to be running an ongoing blog report – with photos and blurbs from the festival, sent to us by our Folk Fest correspondent Heather Silbert.
Here’s Heather’s first entry (sent Friday at 3:33 pm): “It’s a hot hot day at the 51st Winnipeg Folk Festival! Lots of people; lots of good vibes; and an abundance of awesome music!!”
“We just moved to spruce hollow. Nice and shady. listening to Jacob Brodovsky.”
4:21 pm: “Jacob just announced that he lost his job and received a lot of vitriol from the Jewish Community because he’s a Jewish person who believes that Palestinian and Jewish lives are intertwined, and he is against genocide. He is very deeply feeling, and expresses all these big feelings through his songs. I want to give him a hug, but it’s so hot outside!”
5:33 pm: The inscription in the plaque below begins with some lines from a Bruce Cockburn song called “Joy Will Find a Way (A Song About Dying)”: and continues with: “Memory Lane honours those who are no longer with us but whose presence lives on in the music, memories and moments we share here…”
7:06 pm “Gorgeous hand made polymer clay jewelry! Amanda Greisman makes gorgeous pieces that can be worn across many occasions! And she’s so so nice!” (See her booth called “Blue Sky Jewelry.”)
(Posted July 11, 4:20 pm) “Would you drive your bike to BHP for FF in this weather? I would drive here, but not sure if I’d have enough steam to bike home!”
“There’s aren’t any flower/leaf art installations this year(that I’ve found!) but loving the fairy village!!”
“It’s another sweltering day. Bright blue sky and a light Breeze. Cat Clyde is rocking it out at Bur Oakbank!! Loving it!!”
8:04 pm: “Snacktime! Excellent energy, good time! We’re sitting 2 tarp rows in front of the frog to the left of the Canadian flag. (Total FF directions! LOL!)”
Local News
New GrowWinnipeg “Grow Together” highlights diverse origins of our growing Jewish community
By MYRON LOVE On Monday, June 11, about 120 younger Jewish Winnipeggers from diverse backgrounds came together at the Asper Campus for an evening of food and music, games and prizes and, most important, the opportunity to socialize with their peers from a growing community that reflects the long term success of our community’s 26-year-old GrowWinnipeg initiative.
“We are gathered here to celebrate your and your parents’ decisions to come to Winnipeg, build families and raise families here,” noted Dalia Szpiro, GrowWinnipeg’s director, in addressing the young adults in attendance.
To summarize, the GrowWinnipeg Initiative arose when our past community’s leadership recognized that our Jewish population was an aging and shrinking community with aging infrastructure.
The first stage was the planning and construction of the Asper Campus, which brought our major institutions and organizations under one roof in an attractive new building.
The next challenge was to attract more people to our community. GrowWinnipeg was created to take on the challenge. The initiative, which was officially launched in 2000, is unique in its efforts to reach out to young Jewish families throughout the Western world.
The first outreach efforts were directed at Argentina’s sizeable Jewish community at a time when the South American country’s economy was going through a very difficult period. Several of our community leaders visited the Jewish community in Buenos Aires and a website was established. Arrangements were made for local families to host Jewish Argentinians here on exploratory visits and the community helped the prospective immigrants navigate the then new Provincial Nominee Program, find jobs and establish themselves here.
Since then, many young families – from Argentina, as well as a great number of other countries – have chosen to make Winnipeg their new home. The young people at the recent GrowWinnipeg evening were reflective of the diversity of our growing community. During the course of the evening, I had the opportunity to speak with not only Israeli-born participants, also young people from Russia and Ukraine, Turkey and Uruguay – and a young lady who grew up in Ottawa.
Naomi Kirshenblatt Palansky originally came here from Ottawa to go to university. She met and married local entrepreneur Noah Palansky in 2023. (We wrote about Noah in the December 19, 2025 issue). That same year, the former competitive swimmer who competed in the Maccabiah Games in 2009 and 2013 served as manager of the Canadian Junior swimming team participating in the games. She is currently the director of operations and strategy for a company called CoinFlip.
Although born in Montevideo, Uruguay, Yael Borovich grew up in Winnipeg. She is the daughter of Dalia Szpiro and Eduardo Borovich (and younger sister of Vanessa) all of whom moved here in 2002. She is a graduate of the Asper School of Business and works as a senior client relationship manager for Scotia Bank’s commercial branch.
Siblings Igal and Edem Avimelek arrived here from Turkey six years ago with their parents, Etel and Moris. Edem is in her second year at the University of Manitoba while Igal is studying engineering at UBC.
They report that their father, Moris, has established the Upperwear Textile Agency – marketing textile products online – while their mother Etel, is senior IT Director, software development and data analytics and enterprise architecture at Standard Aero.
“Our parents were looking to move to a new country and came across the GrowWinnipeg webpage,” Edem says. “GrowWinnipeg has been really supportive of us in helping us move here and become established.”
More recent arrivals Alex Tsmokaliuk and Jane Hin are from Ukraine and Russia respectively and have been together since 2022. “We were looking for a peaceful place to start a family,”: Alex says. “We heard about GrowWinnpeg and here we are.”
Alex is a fitness trainer while Jane is working for WRE Development as a property manager.
Dora Bronstein, who is originally from Beersheva, is also a recent arrival to our community. “I came to Winnipeg because I wanted to get away from war – and I heard about GrowWinnipeg,” she says.
She is currently working for L.C. Taylor Licensed Insolvency Trustee as an estate manager.
Erele Tzidon and Daniel Mejnov
Last October, GrowWinnipeg introduced its new Youth Ambassadors program.
“Since October, we have been working to create an organized system and opportunities to help young newcomers find their people within our community,” wrote Youth Ambassador Erele Tzidon on Facebook.
“Our mission is to help young immigrants find a sense of home in Winnipeg and support a smooth and welcoming transition.
We are excited to help bring our young Jewish community together.
As reported in the Jewish Post about 18 months ago, Tzidon is originally from Moshav Ginaton in central Israel. She came to Winnipeg in 2018 with her parents Ofer – formerly regional manager for a car rental agency in Israel and now an RBC branch manager – and Sharon – an emotional therapist in Israel who is currently working as an educational assistant at Gray Academy – and three younger brothers.
The 20-year Gray Academy graduate has recently completed her third year in Science at the University of Manitoba. For the past three years, she has also been a member of Dr. Inna Rabinovich-Nikitin’s research team at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences (ICS), researching the link between pregnancy complications and the risk for heart disease.
In November, 2024, Tzidon was presented with the Dr. James S. McGoey Student Award – based on the quality of her cardiovascular research at the ICS, which operates out of the St. Boniface Hospital campus’s Albrechchtsen Research Centre.
Tzidon’s fellow Youth Ambassador is Daniel Mejnov. He was born in Beersheva but moved to Winnipeg with his parents, Dennis and Victoria (and younger brother Alon) 14 years ago. He is currently enrolled in an IT program at the University of Winnipeg.
Mejnov welcomed all those in attendance at the celebration and thanked the volunteers who helped him and Tzidon organize the event.
“It has been great being able to bring so many people together,” he said. “This is a good way to unite our community.
Two other individuals of particular note that I spoke with at the event were Orit Agabayev and Alina Plis, partners in three year old A and O Event Décor, who provided the balloon arches and walls, table settings and centre pieces for the evening.
Agabayev is originally from Netanya and Plis is from Yeruham (in southern Israel). The latter has been here for 18 years and operates a daycare. The former came 16 years. Her principal career is working in the field of animal nutrition.
In an Instagram PosI from four years ago, Plis noted that “I have always been passionate about planning parties and events. I started out with planning big surprise birthday parties for my kids. Eventually I began planning and decorating events for family and friends. Now I am taking the next step with my friend, Orit, who shares the same level enthusiasm as me. What drives me to go above and beyond is simply the excitement my creations bring to those who see my work.
On Facebook, Agabayev added that “Alina and I are so excited to start A&O event decor. We both love decorating and planning different events. We hope that you can put your trust in us to create or decorate an event for you. We do Birthday parties, anniversaries, bachelor/bachelorette parties, proposals, weddings and more..
“Message us with your ideas to get a free quote and you’re one step closer to having an unforgettable event.”
