These 3 hockey-playing Jewish brothers just made NHL history
By EVELYN FRICK July 26, 2021 (JTA) — Talk about goals: Luke Hughes has become the third brother in his hockey-playing Jewish family to be drafted in the first round of the NHL Draft. The New Jersey Devils picked the 17-year-old defenseman fourth overall in Friday’s selections, making the Hughes brothers of Orlando, Florida, the first American family to have three siblings drafted in the National Hockey League’s first round.
These Jewish athletes have won medals at the Tokyo Olympics
Among the Jewish athletes to win medals in Tokyo are, left to right, Avishag Semberg (Javier Soriano/AFP via Getty), Jessica Fox and Lilia Akhaimova. (Semberg photo: Javier Soriano/AFP via Getty; Fox photo: Patrick Smith/Getty; Akhaimova photo: Jamie Squire/Getty)
By EMILY BURACK July 29, 2021 (JTA) — The Jewish highlights of the Tokyo Olympics kicked off with Jewish basketball superstar Sue Bird serving as one of Team USA’s two flag bearers at the opening ceremony, a huge honor.
14th annual Cancercare Manitoba Foundation Challenge for Life returning on August 5
By MYRON LOVE The 14th annual Cancercare Manitoba Foundation Challenge for Life 20KM walk (or 200-minute workout) is back again at its new time – as a result of Covid 19 – with several members of our Jewish community once more playing an active role.
As with last year, participants this year are walking in small groups covering the same distance over two weeks from August 5-17.
Proposal by College of Physicians and Surgeons to have all circumcisions performed in medical clinics “cut off” before it could go anywhere
By BERNIE BELLAN It began with an emailed message sent out by Jewish Federation CEO Elaine Goldstine to members of the community on July 13.
In her message, Goldstine informed recipients that the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Manitoba had issued a draft proposal that, if accepted, would prevent any circumcisions from being performed anywhere other than in a “medical clinic”.
Shindico launches second major apartment complex on Taylor
By BERNIE BELLAN In 2020 Shindico broke ground on the first major apartment complex that company has undertaken in Winnipeg: Taylor Claire (named for Sandy and Robert Shindleman’s late mother), at 1120 Taylor Avenue.
With construction slated to be complete by the summer of 2022, leasing has been moving ahead at a steady pace with over 50 units already reserved.
Canadian Associates of Ben Gurion University hold online gala event featuring Shira Haas of “Shtisel” and “Unorthodox” fame
By BERNIE BELLAN Shira Haas may be only 26 years old, but she has already become one of Israel’s best known actors, having starred as an Orthodox Jew in both “Shtisel” and “Unorthodox”. (In real life Shira is not Orthodox, by the way.)
On Wednesday, July 7th, Canadian Associates of Ben Gurion University presented a cross-Canada online event promoting brain research at Ben Gurion University, during which Senator Linda Frum, who was in Toronto, took a leaf from her late mother, Barbara Frum’s playbook, and interviewed Shira Haas, who was in Tel Aviv, in what turned out to be an enjoyable and quite interesting 40 minutes back and forth.
Haskel Greenfield peers into the mouths of donkeys (and other critters) for new information concerning Bronze Age civilization in Middle East
By MYRON LOVE There is a Biblical story doubtless known to regular shul goers in which an ass talks. For those readers who are not familiar with it, the story can be found in Numbers 23-35 in the Torah.
Anita Jacobson: The return of the native (sort of)
By GERRY POSNER Flexibility is an important quality as chiropractor Martin Gurvey (about whom you can read at http://www.jewishpostandnews.ca/8-features/836-martin-gurvey-a-very-flexible-guy) has demonstrated, but then in another related way, so has Anita Jacobson. You might say that Anita is to Occupational Therapy as Martin is to Chiropractry.
For popular dance teacher Rheesa Schachter, Kids Etc. is a family affair
By MYRON LOVE In more ways than one, for Rheesa Schachter, Kids Etc. Youth Movement Company is a family affair. Her daughters, Taylor and Jessica Smith, whom she describes as her two best friends, have been an integral part of Kids Etc. since they were teenagers - both as students and, later, as teachers – and, since 2017, have been her partners in the business.
In the case of “The Ninth Terrorist”, how closely does art imitate life?
By BERNIE BELLAN A while back I was sent a link by reader Morley Bernstein to a very interesting story that happened to be on the CBC website. The story was about longtime hockey guru Sherry Bassin, who has spent a good part of his life managing hockey teams at various levels.
This particular story had to do with an episode in Bassin’s life that happened in 1983, when he was the assistant coach and general manager of Canada’s national junior team.
JCFS AGM: Jewish Child & Family Service reports hugely expanded case load due to Covid
By BERNIE BELLAN Jewish Child & Family Service took on 66 new older adult cases during its 2020 fiscal year (which ended March 31, 2021). That compares with a usual average of 15 new cases a year.
The increase in caseload was a direct result of Covid, reported Al Benarroch, Executive Director of JCFS, during the Annual General Meeting of JCFS on June 24.
Is there more to 2 stories than we've been told?
By BERNIE BELLAN Two ongoing stories have certainly led to a fair bit of conjecture within Winnipeg’s Jewish community as to whether there’s more to both stories than we’ve been told. The first has to do with Rabbi Matthew Leibl’s leaving his position as one of the two rabbis at the Shaarey Zedek.
Shaarey Zedek announces hiring of new executive director: Ran Ukashi
Following is a release issued by the Board of Shaarey Zedek: The Board of Directors of Congregation Shaarey Zedek is pleased to announce that Ran Ukashi, PhD will be joining our organization as our new Executive Director beginning Monday, July 12.
Sisters Alison Gervais, Andrea Katz working together to empower women
By MYRON LOVE Eight years ago, sisters Alison Gervais and Andrea Katz decided to combine their expertise in marketing (Katz) and public relations (Gervais) to create a new boutique communications firm with a focus on empowering women as consumers and business owners. Today, their FIT Communications has a roster of clients right across Western Canada.
“Canada’s Rabbi” has died
(CJN) Rabbi Reuven Bulka, who served as spiritual leader of Ottawa’s Congregation Machzikei Hadas for 48 years, died of cancer early on June 27 in New York. He was 77.