Harriet Zaidman’s latest book focuses on a bygone era that also incorporates some well-known Winnipeggers in the story
By MARTIN ZEILIG In her latest novel for young adults, Winnipeg author Harriet Zaidman reinforces the role of ice hockey as being, in her words, “synonymous with Canada.”
No doubt about it: Hockey is, indeed, a defining cultural entity within our country.
Winnipeg Jewish hockey players of yesteryear
The following article is taken from the February 13, 1986 issue of The Jewish Post and was written by the late Leible Hershfield, the Jewish Athlete of the Half Century. In our Dec. 22 issue we ran two memoriams for Labovitch brothers, Irvin and Max. The Labovitch brothers, of whom there were four, were all terrific athletes. Leible’s article mentions two of them: Max and Lou.
Letters from readers responding to the list of Manitoba synagogues
By BERNIE BELLAN Elsewhere on this website (http://jewishpostandnews.ca/8-features/987-a-list-of-all-winnipeg-synagogues-that-ever-existed) you can see the list of synagogues that may have existed at one time or another in Manitoba. That article led to quite a few responses from readers, some of whom offered recollections of their own of synagogues from a bygone era. In addition, we were made aware of one synagogue, known as the "Pavlitcher" synagogue, located at the corner of Dufferin & Aikins, that was not included in the list of synagogues. Click on "Read more" to see the letters we received, also a story about a building that still stands on Pritchard, known as the Hebrew Friends Temple, about which we knew nothing.
JCFS works to meet the needs of Holocaust survivors
By BERNIE BELLAN In 1933 the Jewish population of Europe was 9.5 million. Following the war it was 3.5 million. Two thirds of European Jewry perished in the Holocaust. Prior to the war Poland had the largest Jewish population in Europe: over 3 million. Following the war, it was reduced to about 45,000.
Community leader Heather Leonoff receives prestigious Law Society award
By MYRON LOVE Heather Leonoff is this year’s recipient of the Law Society of Manitoba’s Richard J. Scott award.
“I am honoured,” says the Director of the Manitoba Department of Justice’s Constitutional Law Branch of the award that was presented to her on November 26. “I am very pleased to be recognized by my peers.”
Jewish Federation AGM: Record year both for revenues and expenditures - fuelled by one-time contributions in aid of Covid relief
By BERNIE BELLAN For the second year in a row the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg held its Annual General Meeting online. This year’s meeting, which took place Wednesday evening, December 8, was relatively brief, lasting only 45 minutes, but while the meeting may have been relatively short in length, it certainly delivered some uplifting news.
A chat with the son who wrote the viral obituary for his ‘plus-sized Jewish lady redneck’ mother
(New York Jewish Week via JTA) — When Andy Corren’s mother, Renay Mandel Corren, died on Saturday in El Paso, Texas, at age 84, he did what many bereaved children with a creative bent would do: He wrote an obituary.
“A more disrespectful, trash-reading, talking and watching woman in NC, FL or TX was not to be found,” Corren wrote in the obituary that was published Wednesday in the Fayetteville Observer, the newspaper of the North Carolina city where Mandel Corren lived for many years.
Barb Winestock’s cheerfully irreverent attitude toward her fight with cancer
By BERNIE BELLAN In July 2019 Barb Winestock was diagnosed with a form of cancer known as Glioblastoma.
Here is a description of Glioblastoma: “Glioblastoma is an aggressive type of cancer that can occur in the brain or spinal cord. Glioblastoma forms from cells called astrocytes that support nerve cells.
New JCFS office manager Mara Pellettieri has strong ties to our Jewish community
By MYRON LOVE For Mara Pellettieri, the Jewish Child and Family Service’s new office manager, community has always been of prime importance. One of eight children of Leslie and the late Les Nepon, she has truly been immersed in our Jewish community from birth.
Heather Perlov of “Heather’s Pretty Parties” one of 14 finalists for Manitoba Woman Entrepreneur of the Year Award
By BERNIE BELLAN Ten years ago Heather Perlov (who was Heather Oliphant at the time) was asked by a friend who knew how much Heather loved to wear costumes whether she could come to a children’s party dressed as a princess and entertain the children there.
Pogroms in Poland and Ukraine in 1920-21 presaged what was to follow 20 years later
Review by MARTIN ZEILIG Pogrom is a Russian word meaning ‘‘to wreak havoc, to demolish violently,” says the online Holocaust Encyclopedia on the United States Holocaust Museum website.
“Historically, the term refers to violent attacks by local non-Jewish populations on Jews in the Russian Empire and in other countries. The first such incident to be labeled a pogrom is believed to be anti-Jewish rioting in Odessa in 1821.
Isaac Colish and the Jews of West Kildonan
Introduction: Further to the list of Manitoba synagogues which you can find elsewhere on this website (http://jewishpostandnews.ca/8-features/987-a-list-of-all-winnipeg-synagogues-that-ever-existed), we were intrigued by a listing of a “Kildonan Talmud Torah”. There was no street given for the location of that particular Talmud Torah so, as we have done so many times in the past, we contacted Stan Carbone of the Jewish Heritage Centre to see whether he could provide some further information about the Kildonan Talmud Torah.
Anthology of Latin American Jewish stories
Oy, Caramba! Edited by Ilan Stavans. University of New Mexico Press, Albuquerque, 2016
Reviewed by CARL ROSENBERG The world of Jewish communities in Latin America has only become widely known in Canada and the U.S. in the last two decades or so, partly thanks to the pioneering work of writers and scholars such as Ilan Stavans, the editor of this anthology.
A list of all Winnipeg synagogues that ever existed
Further to our story about the Ashkenazie Synagogue proposing to repurpose itself, which you can read elsewhere on this site at http://jewishpostandnews.ca/local/983-ashkenazie-synagogue-sees-to-repurpose-itself-into-a-synagogue-museum, we were intrigued at the suggestion that there were, at one time, 14 (or 18, depending which Minuk brother was offering information), synagogues in the North End.
Apparently both Minuks were well short of the mark. If you click on "Read More" you will find a complete list of synagogues that existed in Manitoba at one time or another, along with a caption giving the names of the synagogues in the montage at left.
Winnipeg-born writer Sidura Ludwig receives 2021 Vine Award for new collection of short stories
By MYRON LOVE You could rightly say that Sidura Ludwig is “over the moon” about being named the winner of the 2021 Vine Award for fiction for “You Are Not What We Expected”, her first collection of short stories.
“This is a huge honour,” says the former Winnipegger. “I am thrilled, overwhelmed, speechless. It was a real surprise. I didn’t even realize that my book still qualified as it was released 18 months ago.”
Lessons in Fusion” speaks to the fluidity of Jewish identity in the contemporary world
Reviewed by BERNIE BELLAN In preparing to write this review I searched our archives to see whether we had ever published anything previously about Primrose Mayadag Knazan; sad to say, we hadn’t.
It’s about time we made up for that oversight, as Primrose had already established herself as a playwright of considerable talent, having had her three plays been awarded “Best of Fest” at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival on each occasion she premiered a new play at the Fringe.
CJOB sports guy Cameron Poitras living the dream
By MYRON LOVE Ten years ago or so, Cameron Poitras was at loose ends. He had just dropped out of university and, as with many young people entering their 20s, wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.
COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic for Pediatric Doses at Gray Academy Dec. 7
We received the following communication from Gray Academy, informing parents of any children age 5-11 of a special clinic that will be held at Gray Academy Tuesday, December 7...During School Hours and After School...Register by Wednesday, December 1
Rabbi Matthew Leibl explaining the Jewish origins of popular xmas songs
By BERNIE BELLAN This article first appeared in the Dec. 23, 2019 issue of The Jewish Post & News. Since being posted to our website almost two years ago, it's become one of our most widely read articles - and the Youtube video of Rabbi Matthew singing xmas songs written by Jewish composers has been viewed hundreds of times.If you want to watch the video, you can see it at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bWyZ1djqxaI
Here's my story from Dec/2019: It's hard to believe, but it was only two years ago that Rabbi Matthew Leibl entertained a packed room of mostly seniors in the Adult Lounge of the Asper Campus with a medley of famous xmas songs - all written by Jewish composers.
Rabbi Matthew Leibl is not your usual rabbi – but he sure can command a room.
Ashkenazie Synagogue seeks to repurpose itself into a synagogue/museum
By BERNIE BELLAN The Ashkenazie Synagogue at the corner of Burrows and Charles is Winnipeg's oldest synagogue and the last remaining of 18 synagogues which once dotted Winnipeg's North End. Now, like all the other synagogues that once existed contemporaneously with the House of Ashkenazie, it finds itself in a precarious position.
Jewish Heritage Centre lands CNN anchor Jake Tapper as next Kanee lecturer
The following is taken from a Jewish Heritage Centre release:
CNN Anchor and Chief Washington Correspondent Jake Tapper to Deliver the 2022 Sol and Florence Kanee Distinguished Lecture
The Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada is thrilled to announce that the 2022 Sol and Florence Kanee Distinguished Lecturer will be Jake Tapper.
Arab-Israeli plays critical role in Israel’s medical system
By MYRON LOVE Dr. Marian Khatib is a testament to the inclusive nature of Israeli society – and outs the lie to accusations of no-nothing Israel-haters.
As reported in the October 31 edition of The Jerusalem Post, the 40-year-old mother of two, raised in a small Arab village outside Acre, has just been appointed the director of the Breast Surgery Center at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center.
After more than 60 years, golden-voiced Lyle Smordin still broadcasting
By MYRON LOVE As Lyle Smordin tells it, when he was eight or nine years old, his mother Ida decided that he should learn to play the violin.
“At that time,” he recalls, “most Jewish mothers wanted their children to become musicians.”
Jason Klapman- from Peerless to a leader among peers
By GERRY POSNER It started in Winnipeg on August 17, 1934 when a young 23-year-old man named Meyer Klapman married a young 22-year-old woman named Gladys Wiseman. At that time, the young Klapman was a tailor operator. From that union came a story no doubt familiar to many readers and yet, with its own unique character.
Former Winnipegger Megan Kravetsky living La dolce Vida in Mexico
By MYRON LOVE Talking to Megan Kravetsky last week reminded me of the line from that once popular song “There you are down in Mexico, living free as the air. Here I am stuck in the city, not going anywhere”.
Three years ago, the veteran chef and restaurant consultant came across a deal she couldn’t refuse when she took advantage of an opportunity to buy Blake’s Restaurant and Bar, an established operation in Puerto Vallarta. Megan is now happily living year round in Mexico.
One man’s story – Barry Leipsic: choosing to serve his country during World War II
By BERNIE BELLAN Over the years we’ve had many stories in this newspaper chronicling the stories of brave Jewish men and women who served in various armed forces over the years.
It’s one thing to read history books that describe wars, it’s another thing to read personal accounts of what it was like to be in an actual war.
Witness to a mass murder
By DAVID and MILTON AMMEL Special to The Jewish Post & News Attacks on Jews have seen a sharp upsurge in recent years...indeed, many sources believe the epidemic of violence against Jews is the worst since Hitler. (In the latest perversion, some are even trying to blame the Jews for the Covid 19 pandemic!) The fact that 6 million Jews (or more) died in Hitler’s holocaust is beyond question; there are two questions that have faced the world ever since World War Two: 1. Did Allied leaders fighting Hitler know about the death camps long before their existence was known to the world? and 2. If the allies did know about it, then why wasn’t something done to at least limit Hitler’s atrocities?
Remembering a forgotten book: “Winnipeg Stories”
By IRENA KARSHENBAUM We take for granted that books will always be available to buy, but in fact, many books go out of print. Personally, I prefer rare titles as they are the most interesting.
Young entrepreneurs team up to provide helpful solution to parking woes
By BERNIE BELLAN Three years ago I wrote a story about a start-up tech company called Gryd.
One of the subjects of that story was a young entrepreneur by the name of Josh Glow, who was 22 at the time. Back in 2018 Gryd had developed a novel way for property managers to market units in their properties to would-be renters, using the latest in virtual reality technology. What Gryd allowed prospective tenants to do was to experience a 3D tour of any available rental unit – no matter where the viewer was situated.
Harriet Zaidman, Carol Matas launch new books aimed at the young reader market
Two of our community’s best known writers, Carol Matas and Harriet Zaidman, have both launched new books aimed at younger readers.
Carol’s book is titled “A Struggle for Hope”. Published by her long-time publisher, Scholastic Books, the book is available on Amazon. Harriet's book is titled "Second Chances. It's published by Red Deer Press.