Local News
Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra to feature “Violins of Hope” at December 3 concert
By Myron Love On Saturday, December 3, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra will be featuring a program with a strong emphasis on music with Jewish connections – pieces for example such as Prokofiev’s “Over-ture on Hebrew Themes,” Joseph Achron’s “Hebrew Melody, Op. 33,” Marc Lavry’s “Three Jewish Dances,” and John Williams’ “Theme from Schindler’s List” in a concert featuring two violins that were saved from the Holocaust.
“In a moving and unforgettable program, the audience will hear the stories behind both of the violins and experiences in performance the sounds the owners heard as they played them,” notes Brent Johnson, the WSO’s associate director, education and community. “This concert will offer a musical journey from Holocaust to hope.”
The violins will be played by Concert Master Gwen Hoebig and Sonia Lazar, a member of the WSO’s first violin section. Lazar (who is married to Ezra Lazar, the son of Matthew and Nola) is eagerly looking forward to playing one of the violins. She and Hoebig will also be doing solo performances.
This concert, notes Jim Manishen, the WSO’s artistic consultant, was originally supposed to have been performed two years ago – but was shut down by Covid. The story behind it begins in 2016 when Shelley Fain-tuch, the Jewish Federation of Winnpeg’s former community relations director, first heard the two violins being played while attending an AIPAC conference in Washington, D.C. “I was in a cafeteria,” she recalls. “At the sounds of the violins, everyone went silent.”
As soon as she returned to Winnipeg, Faintuch contacted Jim Manishen about arranging a concert featuring the violins.
Faintuch explains how the violins that were saved from the ashes of the Holocaust came to reemerge in public. It began when someone in Israel brought a violin to Amnon and Avshalom Weinstein for repairs. While examining the violin, the two Israeli violin builders saw black ash inside and realized that this was a violin that had come from a concentration camps. The word got out and soon the brothers were receiving many more violins for repair that had come out of the camps. Over time, the brothers amassed a collection of several of these violins.
“These violins of hope have been played in concerts by prestigious symphony orchestras throughout America,” Faintuch says.
Of the two violins that are coming to the WSO, it is known that one of them, a Stradivarius, was owned by the Hecht family, originally from Billefeld in Germany. The family fled to Holland after the Nazis came to power. In Amsterdam, Mrs. Hecht – whose first name was Fanny, and who played the violin, became friendly with a neighbour, Helena Visser, who was also a violin player. Before the Nazis rounded up all the Jews in Amsterdam – including the Hechts – Fanny Hecht gave her violin to her neighbour for safekeeping.
The Hecht family, Fanny and Alex, and their sons, Fritz and Ernst, were all murdered by the Nazis.
When the Visser family, on a visit to Yad Vashem, learned the fate of the Hecht family and, subsequently – about the Violins for Hope, they donated the Hecht violin to Amnon and Avshalom.
The provenance of the second violin at the concert isn’t known.
Avshalem, Shelley Faintuch notes, will be in attendance at the concert and will be telling the story of the violins.
In addition to the appearance of the violins at the concert, Brent Johnson notes, the instruments will be part of a Holocaust awareness program in schools – featuring presentations by Faintuch and performances by Sonia Lazar at several Winnipeg high schools, including Grey Academy.
“We are also offering students a special discounted price for the concert of $25,” Johnson adds. “Students can order up to six tickets at our special price.”
The violins from VOH will be arriving in Winnipeg on November 22.
Johnson notes that, prior to the concert, there will be an extended pre-concert talk, from 6:40-7:10 – with appearances from Shelley Faintuch, Avshalom Weinstein. and WSO conductor Daniel Raiskin.
Jim Manishen reports that, following the concert, the two violins will be loaned to the Canadian Museum for Human Rights where they will be on display until March. While at the museum there will be numerous outreach programming presentations once again involving Shelley Faintuch and Sonia Lazar – including a special presentation and performance on Jan. 27, 2023 (International Holocaust Remembrance Day) at the CMHR Garden of Contemplation featuring violinist Victor Schultz.
Johnson reports that more than 1400 tickets have already been sold for the concert so interested readers should consider ordering tickets as soon as they can by phoning the box office at 204 949-3999 or going online at wso.ca .
Adds Jim Manishen: “These violins have to be played and heard.”
And Johnson concludes that “in a moving and unforgettable program, the audience at the concert will hear the stories behind both violins and experience in performance the sounds the owners heard as they played them – a musical journey from Holocaust to hope.”
Local News
Thank you to the community from the Chesed Shel Emes

We’re delighted to share a major milestone in our Capital Campaign, “Building on our Tradition.” Launched in November 2018, this campaign aimed to replace our outdated facility with a modern space tailored to our unique needs. Our new building is designed with ritual at its core, featuring ample preparation space, Shomer space, and storage, creating a warm and welcoming environment for our community during times of need.
We’re grateful to the nearly 1,000 generous donors who contributed over $4 million towards our new facility. A $750,000 mortgage will be retired in November 2025, completing this monumental project in just seven years.
We’re also thrilled to announce that our Chesed Shel Emes Endowment Fund has grown tenfold, from $15,000 to $150,000, thanks to you, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba’s FundMatch program, and Million Dollar Match initiative in 2024. Our fund helps ensure that everyone can have a dignified Jewish funeral regardless of financial need.
As we look to the future, our goal remains to ensure the Chevra Kadisha continues to serve our community for generations to come. Our focus now shifts to replenishing our savings account and growing our JFM Endowment fund.
We’re deeply grateful for your support over the past several years.
It’s our privilege to serve our community with care and compassion.
With sincere appreciation,
Campaign cabinet: Hillel Kravetsky, Gerry Pritchard, Stuart Pudavick,
Jack Solomon, and Rena Boroditsky
Murray S. Greenfield, President
Local News
Winnipeg Beach Synagogue about to celebrate 75th anniversary

By BERNIE BELLAN (July 13) In 1950 a group of cottage owners at Winnipeg Beach took it upon themselves to relocate a one-room schoolhouse that was in the Beausejour area to Winnipeg Beach where it became the beach synagogue at the corner of Hazel and Grove.
There it stayed until 1998 when it was moved to its current location at Camp Massad.
On August 2nd members of the synagogue will be holding a 75th anniversary celebration.

As part of the celebration anyone who is a descendant or relative of any of the original members of the first executive committee (as seen in the photo here) is invited to attend the synagogue that morning.
If you are a relative please contact Abe Borzykowski at wpgbeachshule@shaw.ca or aborzykowski@shaw.ca to let Abe know you might be attending or for more information about the 75th anniversary celebration.
We will soon be publishing a story about the history of the beach synagogue, which is something I’ve been writing about for over 25 years.
Local News
Vickar Family cuts ribbon on new Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre

By MYRON LOVE In the words of Larry Vickar, the Shaarey Zedek’s successful Dor V’ Dor Campaign “is not only a renewal of the synagogue but truly a renewal movement of Jewish life in our community.”An integral part of that renewal movement was the creation of a daycare centre within the expanded synagogue. On Monday, June 23, Larry and Tova Vickar cut the ribbon, thereby officially opening the Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre in the presence of 100 of their family members, friends and other supporters of the project.
The short program preceding the morning ribbon-cutting began with a continental breakfast followed by a welcome by both Fanny Levy, Shaarey Zedek’s Board President, and Executive Director Dr. Rena Secter Elbaze. In Elbaze’s remarks, she noted that Larry and Tova wanted their family (including son Stephen and family, who flew in from Florida) and friends at the event to celebrate the opening of the Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre, “not because of the accolades, but because, as Larry put it, he hopes that their investment in the congregation will inspire others to do the same.”
“When Larry and I spoke about what this gift meant to him and the message he wanted people to take away,” she continued, “I couldn’t help but connect it to the teachings of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi whose book – Age-ing to Sage-ing – changes the whole way we look at the concept of ageing and basing it on our ancestral teachings.”
She explained that his concept of “Sage-ing” is based on three key ideas – Discover your meaning and purpose; accept our mortality and think about the legacy you want to leave.
“Larry spoke about these exact concepts when we met,” she said.
Elbaze also noted the presence of Shaarey Zedek’s newly-arrived senior Rabbi Carnie Rose, former Rabbi Alan Green, and area MLAs Mike Moroz and Carla Compton.
Larry Vickar expressed his great appreciation for all those in attendance. “Tova and I are deeply moved to stand here with you today for this important milestone in our community”, he said. “We are grateful to be surrounded by all of you, the people we care about, our family and friends… you who have touched our lives and played some part in our journey.”