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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.”

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Canadian survivor of Supernova Music Festival massacre Shye Klein recounts his story to Winnipeg audience

By MYRON LOVE Growing up in democratic countries in Western society, we are fortunate to be able to go about our lives oblivious to potential danger. We go to sporting events, concerts, folk festivals confident that there is nothing to worry about and we can have a good time.
Such was the thinking for about 3,500 young Israelis who converged on Kibbutz Re’im, near the border with Gaza, on Saturday, October 7, for the Supernova Music Festival. In the early morning hours, their idyll was shattered by an onslaught of Hamas and other Palestinian terrorists that resulted in the worst terrorist attack in Israel’s history.
The number of victims who were murdered was more than 350. Among those who survived was young Canadian photographer Shye Klein – who was in Winnipeg on Monday, March 11as part of a speaking tour of Canada and the United States – to give eye-witness testimony of what he experienced and share his photos and videos of hat horrific day.
Klein’s presentation – in the Rady JCC gym – in front of about 300 people – was sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg,  Hillel, and the Asper Foundation. 
Prior to Klein’s testimony, those in attendance heard introductory remarks by Federation CEO Jeff Lieberman and Federation President Paula Parks, as well as StandWithUs Canada University of Manitoba representative Benjamin Margulets.   The speaker was introduced by University of Manitoba student Matthew Morry.
Originally from Toronto, the 26-year-old Klein made aliyah last April.  He noted that, initially, when his cousin Mordechai told him about the upcoming festival a few week s in advance, the idea of going didn’t appeal to him.
“Just thinking of the people crowding around the stage, the garbage, I wasn’t interested,” he recalled.
Mordechai asked hm again the day before though, and he changed his mind.  “I didn’t know many people in Israel, yet,” he said. “I thought this might be a good way to meet people.”
Klein’s small party of eight arrived at the location around 1:00 A.M. on the morning of the festival, and set up their tent.  “I had no idea how close we were to the Gaza border,” he noted.
 
So, while his cousin and friends were chilling and enjoying the scene, Klein grabbed his camera and began to mingle.   At this point in the presentation, he showed on screen all of the concert-goers whose photos he took throughout the night and early morning – talking a little bit about each one.
He also described the layout, small stages and main stage and the “marketplace”.
He added that, typical of such raves, the smell of drugs was omnipresent.
It was about daybreak – about 7:30 in the morning – when, he noted, people began getting messages on their cell phones about incoming missiles aimed at Tel Aviv, Petah Tikvah and elsewhere.

“The music was so loud that it muffled the sounds of explosions,” he recounted.  “While some people began packing up, the consensus still seemed to be that we were safe. There were no strategic targets anywhere around us.
“Then we start hearing gunfire. It didn’t sound like it was coming from the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). Then explosions.  There was a lot of commotion.”
Klein’s party quickly got to their car. “Of the eight of us, only three were in shape to drive,” he recalled.  “Mordechai drove while I started videotaping what was happening.”
He recalled that there was pandemonium – with people fleeing – in their cars or on foot – in every direction.  Standing in front of a screen showing his video of his group’s frantic efforts to escape,  he described  bypassing a long line of cars and trucks by driving around through a farm field, when they approached an IDF checkpoint where they were advised to go no further in the direction they were driving and to stay in their car no matter what.
His videos showed cars along the side of the road to Tel Aviv pocked with bullet holes. Klein added that there were bodies in some of the cars and along the road.
“We were freaking out,” he said.  “At one point, we were approaching three guys dressed in black and wearing masks. We drove right by them. Thank goodness,. they didn’t shoot.
“As we were driving, we could see smoke from burning houses.”
The group made it safely to Tel Aviv by about 9:45.
“While we were safe, I didn’t know what happened to all the people I had met and taken pictures of at the music festival,” he noted.  “I had exchanged contact information with them so, over the next few weeks, I went about contacting them.”
Happily, he was able to report that almost all of them were safe.  As he had done earlier – showing the photos of his new friends and acquaintances from the festival, he again posted their pictures on the screen and briefly told their stories.  One young woman, for example, had found herself on one of the kibbutzim under attack and hid in a fridge for several hours until she was rescued. Others found safety in the nearby JNF forest until rescued by the IDF.
Five and a half months after that horrendous day, Klein observed, “many people in Israel aren’t doing so well, but we are doing the best we can. No one is alone.  There is also a greater sense of togetherness than there was before the war.”
He also reported that his friends in Israel encouraged him to share his photos and video with the world. As a result, he is currently on a speaking tour of North American Jewish communities.
He said that he is scheduled to return to Tel Aviv on May1.

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Congregants give new Etz Chayim building two thumbs up

By MYRON LOVE To borrow from the late movie reviewers Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel, long time members are giving the new Etz Chayim building the two-thumbs up seal of approval.
“It’s beautiful,” says Brenda Keller who has been an Etz Chayim member – and the Rosh Pina before it – since 1990. “I love it,” the Garden City resident continues. I especially like what we did with the stained glass windows. The building has a nice, haimishe feel.”


Gary Jacobson concurs.   He also really likes how the stained glass windows from the old building have been incorporated into the new.  “The sanctuary is very nice,” observes the St. Vital resident, who has been a member  of the congregation since 2002 when the former Rosh Pina merged with the North End Beth Israel and Bnay Abraham congregation to form Etz Chayim.  “The acoustics and the lighting are both very good.”


The new Congregation Etz Chayim shul – at 1155 Wilkes in the south end – opened its doors at the beginning of March, culminating years of discussions about following our Jewish community’s demographic trends and moving south. Discussions even predating the 2002 merger of the three North end synagogues have been ongoing for several years about a move south.  The issue came to a head about 18 months ago.  Faced with a declining membership, a 70-plus year old (former Rosh Pina) building that needed a lot of work and had become too large for the existing membership combined with the fact that 70% of the members and 80% of the younger members lived south – the decision was finally made to take action.
“We just felt that it made more sense to put our money into buying a smaller, pre-existing building south and renovating it,” said Etz Chayim’s president, Avrom Charach, in an earlier interview.  “We were looking for a location within a ten minute drive from most of our members,” Charach reported.
The congregation was able to purchase just a building – a facility that had been the Khartum Shriners’ headquarters.   Etz Chayim sold their former building to an Eritrean Christian congregation.
The reconfigured new location – designed by leading architect and congregation member Ed Calnitsky – was originally supposed to have been re-opened in early December.  But, as often happens with construction projects and renovations, the best-laid plans rarely go off without some hiccups.
“Our new building feels very comfortable,” Charach says today. “And our acoustics are much better.”


The sanctuary can accommodate up to 350 people – about the same number as could be seated comfortable in the old building.  In the former building the sanctuary though could be doubled in size by removing the barrier that separated it from the auditorium. The 1155 Wilkes location doesn’t have an auditorium – but it does have a kiddush room large enough for 100 people. After Shabbat services, if necessary, the sanctuary can be rearranged for  additional  tables and food stations for Kiddush.
The kitchen, Charach points out, is smaller than the kitchen at 123 Matheson.  “We can still prepare kiddushes and provide for smaller functions with our caterer,” Charach notes.  “For larger simchas and programs,  we have an arrangement with our caterer, Lisa Odwak, who can prepare in a kosher kitchen and bring the food to the shul.”
Overall, Charach observes, the smaller facility is less expensive and easier to operate.
Outside, there is parking for up to 170 vehicles.
The synagogue membership stands at around 400 families, Charach reports.  “We have had a few more join over the past three months,” he says.    
He is happy to report that, for the first Shabbat, more than 200 were in attendance and, while the number was down considerably for the second Shabbat, it was still substantial.
“I think that we can look forward to about 100 daveners on Shabbat going forward,” Charach says.
He reports that two grand openings are in the plans – the first a Chanukat Habayit in early April where the new building will be officially dedicated – and a public opening later with government representatives and other dignitaries in attendance.  

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2024 Sol and Florence Kanee Lecture with Mike Fegelman of Honest Reporting

The Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada is pleased to announce that our 2024 Sol and Florence Kanee Lecturer will be Mike Fegelman, Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief of Honest Reporting Canada. The lecture will be held at 7 pm on Sunday, April 7, 2024 at Adas-Yeshurun Herzlia Synagogue.

Our speaker, Mike Fegelman, is a seventeen-year veteran of the Canadian journalism industry, Mike is the Editor-in-Chief of HRC and is responsible for the day to day running of the organization, its financial management and project development. Mike’s focus is on delivering efficiency and professionalism as HRC moves into new technological and geographical spheres that include the expansion of Honest Reporting’s  media monitoring services to French Canada with the launch of a Montreal office.

Mike was a former editor-in-chief, reporter, and anchor of various news programs and publications. A graduate of Carleton University’s renowned journalism program, Mike specialized in broadcasting and international reporting. Mike brings a marketing savvy to HRC having been a project manager for the market research firm Canmark Technologies for over six years.

Mike has testified before parliamentary committees and has given testimony to the Standing Senate Committee for Transport and Communications to express HRC’s concerns about the CBC’s reporting of Israel and the Middle East. Mike’s opinions and views are widely sought out for by Canada’s media and political elite. Mike’s work has been published in the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, La Presse, Montreal Gazette, Ottawa Citizen and many more. Mike is a columnist for Huffington Post Canada and the Times of Israel.

In 2013, Shalom Life listed Mike as one of their Top 20 Under 40 due to his dedication and significant contributions to Israel advocacy. Mike is also the immediate past President of the Village Shul and Aish Hatorah Learning Centre.

The annual Sol and Florence Kanee Distinguished Lecture is the Jewish Heritage Centre’s only fundraising event. Tickets are $50 and are available at Eventbrite.ca

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