Our Past Programs since 1997

An Historical Overview of the Life and Contributions of Rabbi Israel Kahanovitch, Chief Rabbi of Western Canada (1907 - 1945)
By Jodi Giesbrecht
     AND
Nineteenth Century Cemeteries in Winnipeg and Transcona: Their Significance as Heritage Sites
By Scott de Groot
Tuesday, May 29, 2007 at 8:00 p.m.
Shaarey Zedek Synagogue
The Jewish Heritage Centre is working with Parks Canada toward the designation of Rabbi Kahanovitch and the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery as an individual and site of historical significance. University of Winnipeg history students Jodi Giesbrecht and Scott de Groot were contracted to conduct the research, with Jodi focusing on Rabbi Kahanovitch and Scott on the Shaarey Zedek cemetery.

Our 6th Annual Holocaust Symposium
Thursday, May 10, 2007
University of Winnipeg
The Topic this year was: "The Holocaust, Lessons Learned".

2007 Sol & Florence Kanee Distinguished Lecture Speaker: Dr. Deborah Lipstadt Monday, April 30, 2007, 8:00 p.m. Shaarey Zedek Synagogue Dr. Lipstadt's book HISTORY ON TRIAL: MY DAY IN COURT WITH DAVID IRVING [Ecco/HarperCollins, 2005] is the story of her libel trial in London against David Irving who sued her for calling him a Holocaust denier and right wing extremist. She will present her story of the trial. Tickets: Adults $36, Seniors and Students $18. Donations of $125 get a tax receipt plus 2 tickets. $500 includes 6 tickets. See our Poster for this Event

Carol Matas launches new novel "The Whirlwind"
Wednesday, April 18, 2007, 10:30 a.m.
Asper Jewish Community Campus
See this Review. Presented by Jewish Heritage Centre/Holocaust Education Centre as part of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg's Holocaust Awareness Week 2007. More information is about Carol is available on her web site: http://www.carolmatas.com

Booklet: Sir. Martin Gilbert
The text from Sir. Martin Gilbert's Kanee distinguished lecture from April 30, 2006 was printed and distributed to all members along with the January 2007 Newsletter.

Presentation by Russ Gourluck
"A Road to Opportunity for Winnipeg Jewish Families"
Thursday, February 1, 2007, Temple Shalom (1077 Grant Avenue)
Mr Gourluck is  former teacher and principal. His books include "Going Downtown: A History of Winnipeg's Portage Avenue" and "A Store Like No Other: Eaton's of Winnipeg". His talk was about the new Canadians from Eastern Europe that arrived in Winnipeg in the early 1900's.

Exhibit - Samuel Freedman - Man of Law
Nov 7, 2006 through Jan 7, 2007
Marion and Ed Vickar Jewish Museum of Western Canada. 
A rich multi-media exhibit you shouldn't have missed! It comprised of material that Brownie Freedman (Sam's widow) collected for almost 70 years.

    

Book Launch and Lecture - Prof. Benjamin M. Baader
Thursday, November 23, 2006, 7:30 p.m.
Adult Lounge, Asper Jewish Community Campus
The Rady Jewish Community Centre and the JHC, as part of the Jewish Book Fair, hosted Prof. Baader's launch of his book: "Gender, Judaism, and Bourgeois Culture in Germany". Prof. Baader is a History Professor from the University of Manitoba.  

The Asper Foundation Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program
Information Session on the 2007 trip
Wednesday, November 15, 2006 at 7:00 p.m.
Multi Purpose Room, Asper Jewish Community Campus
All grade 9 Jewish students not enrolled in the Gray Academy of Jewish Education were invited with their parents to attend this general information session about the program. Programming commences February 2007.

Kristallnacht
Community-Wide Program
Thursday, November 9, 2006, 7:00 p.m.
Berney Theatre, Asper Jewish Community Campus
This was an illustrated talk by Shelley Faintuch on "Broken Glass: Modern Antisemitism Comes Full Circle." This was presented by the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg with the cooperation of the Holocaust Education Centre of the JHCWC and March of the Living.

Exhibit - Mr. Justice Samuel Freedman
Opening Tuesday, November 7, 2006
For the opening, there was a Panel Discussion program, chaired by Jack London on Aspects of the Life of Samuel Freedman. 

Lecture: "More Than Just Business" by Prof. Hans Werner
An Historical Overview of the Jewish-Mennonite Relations in Winkler
Tuesday, October 10, 2007, 7:00 p.m.
Berney Theatre, Asper Jewish Community Campus
Prof. Werner's lecture explored how Jewish merchants played a role in mediating the market for Mennonites in Winkler. It was followed by a discussion: "The Jews and Mennonites of Winkler", led by Harold Buchwald. 

Lecture: Professor Serena Keshavjee
Modernism and Manitoba Architecture 1945-1975
Monday, September 18, 2006, 7:00 p.m.
Adult Lounge, Asper Campus
Dr. Keshavjee is an Assistant Professor of Art History and Coordinator of the Art History Programme at the University of Winnipeg. Her lecture was followed by a Panel Discussion: The Contributions of Jewish Architects, with the panel made up of Terry Cristall (Number Ten Architecture Group), Alex Katz (Stechesen Katz Architects) and Professor Oliver Botar (School of Art, University of Manitoba).

Bus and Walking Tour 
of the 1919 General Strike and the Jewish North End 
Sunday, September 17, 2006, Departure at 1:00 p.m.
Departure from Congregation Etz Chayim, 123 Matheson Ave East
Guides were Professor Nolan Reilly (Department of History, University of Winnipeg) and Roz Usiskin (local historian). 

Asper Foundation Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program
Education Sessions: Winter/Spring 2006
Trip To Washington D.C.  May 21 - May 24, 2006
Download the 2006 Program Brochure (pdf file 569 KB) or see the program's webpage.

Our 5th Annual Holocaust Symposium
"Righteous Among the Nations, Courage To Care, Courage To Act"
700 students from Winnipeg and rural Manitoba were in attendance. 
- 9:00 a.m. Official welcome
- 9:15 a.m. Candle lighting ceremony by students of the Asper Foundation Human RIghts and Holocaust Studies Program.
- 9:25 a.m. Opening remarks by Morris Henoch, Symposium chair.
- 9:30 a.m. Recognition of Holocaust Survivors in our Community: Dr. Stephan Carter, Albert Gazan, Barbara Goszer, Joe Riesen(bach), Walter Salzberg.
- 10:00 a.m. Keynote speaker: Berendina R.H. (Diet) Eman
- 11:15 a.m Closing Remarks by Dr. Byron Sheldrik, University of Winnipeg.
- 12:45 - 2:30 p.m.: Break-out Sessions

Inaugural Guest Lecturer
Sir Martin Gilbert
Topic: The Jews of Arab Lands
Sunday April 30, 2006, 8:00 p.m.
Shaarey Zedek Synagogue

We were pleased to announce that the Annual Sol and Florence Kanee Distinguished Lecture Series was established to honour the Kanees, and to help sustain the JHC. Sol Kanee is the longtime former Honourary President of the Jewish Historical Society and laterally the Jewish Heritage Centre, and is a national and international Jewish leader. With his beloved Florence z'l, Sol Kanee has been a dedicated supporter of our organization.

This inaugural lecture took take place Sunday evening, April 30th, at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue. Our distinguished guest lecturer was the internationally renowned historian, Sir Martin Gilbert of London, England. Sir Martin is Winston Churchill's official biographer and a leading historian of the modern world. The author of seventy-five books, he is an Honorary Fellow of Merton College, Oxford, his alma mater, and a Distinguished Fellow of Hillsdale College, Michigan.

The topic of his Kanee Distinguished Lecture was The Jews of Arab Lands, the fascinating history of the course of the Jewish communities in Arab countries from Biblical times to the present, and the dynamic roles they played in the development of those societies until expelled. It was a gripping story of the sordidly familiar pattern of Jewish dispersion: of flourishing and creative Jewish communities greatly contributing to the development of their countries yet faced with the continual threat of persecution, discrimination and violence.

Lecture: Holocaust Memoir Digest, Studying the Holocaust Through the Words of Survivors 
by Esther Goldberg (wife of Sir Martin Gilbert)
Sunday, April 30, 2006, a.m.
Herzlia Synagogue

Lecture: Winnipeg Jews and the 1918 Influenza Epidemic
Professor Esyllt Jones (of the University of Winnipeg)
Tuesday, March 21, 2006, 7:00 p.m.
Holocaust Education Centre

Special Tour of: Salvador Dali - Aliyah Suite
With: Helen Delacretaz, Curator of the Winnipeg Art Gallery
Tuesday, March 7, 2006, 2:00 p.m.
The Winnipeg Art Gallery, 300 Memorial Boulevard
The JHC was honored to have Helen Delacretaz, Curator, Decorative and Fine Arts of the Winnipeg Art Gallery, give us a special tour of the Salvador Dali exhibit. The exhibit was a set of prints, commissioned in 1966, to commemorate the independence of the state of Israel in 1948.

Lecture: To Whom Did They Belong? (The Vatican and Child Survivors of the Holocaust), given by Professor Michael R. Marrus
Monday, December 12, 2005, 7:00 p.m.
Berney Theatre, Asper Campus, 123 Doncaster Street
Michael Marrus, Professor of Holocaust Studies from the University of Toronto, a renowned author on children survivors’ life after the Holocaust, spoke during the Jewish Book Fair.  The Holocaust Eduction Centre of the JHC co-sponsored this program with the Rady Centre.

The Transfer Agreement
Lecture by Harold Buchwald CM QC LLD
Monday, November 14, 2005 at 7:30 p.m.
Berney Theatre, Asper Campus
The compelling story of a little known transaction between the Jews of Palestine and the Third Reich in 1933. This was a little known pact to halt the economic boycott of Nazi Germany by Zionist Organizations that threatened to topple Hitler's government, then only in its first year of power.

Thunder Bay Nostalgia with Paul Shaffer
Monday September 26, 2005, 8:00 p.m.
Berney Theatre, Asper Campus
This event, co-hosted by the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada and the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba featured Paul Shaffer as Guest of Honour. Deputy Mayor Mike Pagtakhan brought greetings from the City of Winnipeg. Entertainment was by Finjan (Shayla Fink, Kinzey Posen, Myron Schultz). Several hundred were in attendance. Thanks go to the Jews of Thunder Bay Planning Committee for their work to plan the evening.

Mazel Tov! A Chasene! The Jewish Wedding
Jewish Wedding Exhibit
July 27 through November 27, 2005
Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum
A Jewish marriage is seen as an encounter between a man and a woman that is enshrined in holiness and initiated by a sacred ceremony. The wedding intertwines laws, liturgies, and customs that have developed over several millennia, and simultaneously honours and confronts an ancient heritage in a fruitfully open-ended conversation. The wedding incorporates beliefs and traditions that reflect the diversity of Jewish identities throughout history that continues to the present day. 

The exhibition uses texts and photographs to explain the rituals of the ceremony, the celebrations and plans associated with the wedding, and contemporary issues that couple face. Among the artifacts to be seen are bridal gowns and clothing from as early as the end of the 19th century; telegrams, invitations, dinner menus, and newspaper items from the early Israelite Press; wedding contracts (ketubot); and a wedding diary from a 1970s bride. 

Marsha Usiskin, Michael Usiskin, Roseline Wolodarsky Usiskin and Larry Usiskin, Esther Usiskin, David Usiskin. 24 December 1949

Panel Discussion: Aspects of Contemporary Jewish Marriage
Sunday September 25, 2005, 2:00 p.m.
Adult Lounge, Asper Campus
Panelists: Dr Mark Etkin, Dr. John Hofley, Rabbi Dr. Neal Rose, Judy Plotkin.
Roz Usiskin moderator.
The panelists explored a wide range of topics including intercultural marriages, same-sex relations, Jewish marriages and living arrangements in the context of broader social trends, and religious definitions of marriages (Liberal, Orthodox, Conservative, etc.)

The Wedding Garden Party
Wednesday August 24, 2005, 7:30 p.m.
Jewish Foundation Garden, Asper Campus
Entertainment with Eli Herscovitch and friends. A demonstration of traditional folk dance. Door prizes and silent auction. Come attired in a wedding-related costume. Hors d'oeuvres and desserts. 

Volunteer Reception
Tuesday June 21, 2005, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Garden, Asper Campus
This event honoured our volunteers. Entertainment included live music and refreshments.  

Museums: Guardians of Canada's Ethnic Diversity A Panel Discussion Sunday June 5, 2005, 2:00 p.m. Berney Theatre This was a panel of representatives: Stan Carbone from the Jewish Heritage Centre, Dr. Roland Sawatzsky from the Mennonite Heritage Village Museum, Dr. Phillipe Mailhot from the Musee de St. Boniface, Ken Romaniuk from the Oseredok Ukrainian Cultural and Educational Centre and Tammy Axelsson from the New Iceland Heritage Museum discuss the challenges Museums are facing. Jimm Simon, President of the Association of Manitoba Museums moderated.

See the 8 page brochure (pdf 1.3 MB)

Gray Academy Roots Project May 4 to end of May 2005. Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum Family history projects from Grade 7 students were on display. This amazing research and artistry by the students was not to be missed!

Holocaust Symposium
Thursday May 12, 2005, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Duckworth Auditorium, University of Winnipeg
This year's theme was: "The Holocaust - Horrors of the Camps". This one-day symposium for Manitoba high school students featured Leon Bass, an American liberator of concentration camps. Mr. Bass will spoke in the morning.  In the afternoon there were breakout sessions. 

Walking On - Remembering Mauthausen
Photo Exhibit by Cathrine Stukhard
Tuesday January 18 to Friday April 15, 2005
Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum


This exhibit consisting of about 40 photographs of the Austrian concentration camp  began with an official opening ceremony on January 17th with guest dignitaries, including His Excellency Otto Ditz, Austrian Ambassador to Canada. This exhibit was graciously provided by the Austrian Embassy and the Austrian Ministry of the Interior with the support of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg/CJA.  See Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba John Harvard's Remarks

Asper Foundation Human Rights and Holocaust Studies program
Winter and Spring, 2005
Asper Jewish Community Campus
About 100 Jewish and non-Jewish students enrolled in grade 9 in Winnipeg outside of the Jewish school system learned about Human Rights issues and the Holocaust. Students also performed community service. The program culminated with a trip to Washington in April 2005.

Treasures To Share
Exhibition opened Sunday Sept 12, 2004 to the end of December 2004
Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum
This was an in-house curated exhibit featuring archival material that is part of JHC's archive and artifact collection that has been accumulated over the past 36 years. Most of this material has never been displayed before. See our brochure about the display (.doc file 2.3 MB).

JHC Annual General Meeting
Wednesday December 15, 2004 at 7:00 p.m.
Multipurpose Room, Asper Jewish Community Campus
Followed at 8:00 p.m by:
Biographical Overview of Miriam Waddington
Immediately following the business portion of the AGM, Abe Arnold, Prof. Neil Besner, Mildred Gutkin and Irma Penn described the life and poetry of the late Miriam Waddington.

A History of the Montefiore Club 
A Lecture by Saul Henteleff
Wednesday, November 24, 2004 at 7:00 p.m.
Holocaust Education Centre, Asper Jewish Community Campus
The lecture was followed by a viewing of Mr. Henteleff's documentary video on the Montefiore Club of Winnipeg. This program was part of the series of initiative celebrating the Double Chai anniversary of the Jewish Historical Society of Western Canada.

Stephen Lewis Guest Speaker
at Banquet Honouring Founders of the Jewish Historical Society
36th Anniversary Special Event 2004
Sunday October 31, 2004
Etz Chayim Synagogue, 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Stephen Lewis spoke on the topic:
"Canada's Role in Addressing Human Rights Violations on the Global Stage".

This banquet honored founders and builders of the Jewish Historical Society, including Past Presidents, original members of the Archives Committee and staff members.

The banquet also was the culmination of a campaign dedicated to the goal of Members, Memoirs and Mezumen.  We were seeking to enroll new Members in the Heritage Centre, gather new Memoirs, documents, photos and memorabilia, and raise Mezumen - funds - to ensure the future of the Jewish Heritage Centre which now incorporates, the Jewish Historical Society and Archives, the Marion and Ed Vickar Jewish Museum , the Freeman Family Foundation Holocaust Education Centre and the Genealogical Institute. 

For more information on this dinner, see our Anniversary Dinner Brochure (pdf 433 kB).

The Art and Soul of Peace Through Humour
Sunday May 30, 2004 to Monday August 23, 2004
Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum
This exhibit consisted of some 40 paintings that deal with the prospect of peace in the Middle East. They are painted by Jewish, Arab, Bedouin and Druze children living in Israel. This exhibit has travelled throughout Israel, the United States and Canada. It was previously displayed at the Koffler Centre for the Arts in Toronto. This exhibit was co-sponsored by the Mennonite Heritage Museum of Winnipeg.

Annual Kavod Evening: Shem Tov Awards
Wednesday June 2, 2004, 7:30 p.m
Shaarey Zedek Synagogue
The Jewish Heritage Centre was pleased to present its Shem Tov award this year to Marshall Wilder.

Association of Canadian Jewish Studies Conference
Sunday May 30 to Monday May 31, 2004
Asper Jewish Community Campus and University of Manitoba
The Annual Conference of the ACJS was in Winnipeg this year.  The Jewish Heritage Centre sponsored the Sunday sessions at the Asper Campus.
Sunday May 30, 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Adult Lounge:
We honoured Abe Arnold on his appointment to the Order of Canada.

Jewish Heritage Centre's 3rd Annual Holocaust Symposium
University of Winnipeg, Duckworth Centre
Wednesday May 12, 2004
The theme this year was "Women of Resistance".  There were over 750 grade 9 to 12 students attending this all-day program.  See our page about the Symposium.

The Asper Foundation Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program
January to May 2004
Holocaust Trip to Washington
For the 5th year, the Jewish Heritage Centre administered this program.  Grade 9 students learned about the Holocaust, did community service, and finished with a trip to the Washington Holocaust Memorial Museum.  The trip to Washington, D.C. took place this year from Sunday May 2 to Wednesday May 5. See our page about the program.

Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Bodyguard: Morris “Two – Gun” Cohen
By Ruth Wright Millar, 
Journalist and History sleuth from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
Wednesday, April 28, 7:30pm
Holocaust Education Centre
This was a reading and a presentation of a video on: Morris “Two – Gun Cohen” (1887 – 1970) was one of the most flamboyant characters to emerge from the Canadian West. His was truly the life of an adventurer and soldier of fortune. He was to become an active figure in Dr. Sun Yat-sen’s Chinese nationalist movement, the Guomindang.

The Reconstruction of the Jewish Past Through Yiddish Sources
A Lecture by Victoria Khiterer, PhD.
Thursday March 11, 2004 at 7:30 p.m.
Holocaust Education Centre.
Professor Khiterer's primary interest is the History of Jews in Eastern Europe, the Russian Empire and the countries of the former Soviet Union. Among her publications is a study on the documents of Jewish History in Kyiv's archives. She has also lectured at Harvard, Princeton and other Universities.

The Jewish Diaspora in China - A Lecture by Xu Xin
Berney Theatre, Asper Jewish Community Campus
Thursday, January 8th, 2004
Xu Xin is professor of History of Jewish Culture and Director of the Centre for Jewish Studies at Nanjing University, People's Republic of China. Professor Xin also spoke on the following topics:  Relations between China and Israel since 1949 and Chinese Policies towards Judaism. This lecture was cosponsored with the Jewish Heritage Centre by The Yunnan Project Hope of Canada, Inc.  See the Jewish Post and News review of this event.

Mame-Loshn: Yiddish in Winnipeg Exhibit
Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum
August 3 to December 15, 2003
This exhibit Yiddish was our major in-house exhibit of the year.  It opening to coincide with the Peretz School Reunion that took place from August 1st to 4th.  It offered a fascinating overview of the history of the Yiddish language and culture, as well as its role in Winnipeg. 

Yiddish Exhibit Programs: We had several very exciting programs throughout the Fall months expanding on the role of Yiddish in Winnipeg's Jewish past.  They were:

• Lecture/Symposium: "Yiddish Profile of a People"
  Thursday Sept 11, 2003 7:30 p.m. in the Berney Theatre
  
Lecturer was Mildred Gutkin.  This was immediately followed by a Symposium on Yiddish in Winnipeg.  Symposium panelists were Oscar Antel, Rabbi Peretz Weizman and Esther Leven.
 
• Film - "Almonds and Raisins: the History of Yiddish Cinema"
  Thursday Sept 18, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. in the Holocaust Education Centre
  
Moderator: Rabbi Neal Rose.
 
• Film - "Tevye Now and Then: the Americanization of Tevye"
  Sunday Sept 21, 2003 at 2:00 p.m. in the Berney Theatre
  
Moderator: Rabbi Neal Rose. 
 
• Film - "Translated and Improved Upon: Yiddish King Lear"
  Sunday Sept 21, 2003 at 7:30 p.m. in the Holocaust Education Centre
  
Moderator: Rabbi Neal Rose. 
 
• Panel Presentation: "The Future of Yiddish"
  Thursday Oct 16, 2003 7:30 p.m. in the Holocaust Education Centre
  The moderator was Edith Kimelman.  The panelists were Chana Thau, Martin Green,
Archie Kraut and Rachela Secter.  
 
• Concert: "Remembering Our Noah (Noah Witman)"
  Sunday Nov 23, 2003 2:00 p.m. in the Etz Chayim Synagogue
  
This was a program of tapes, videos, and music from the life of Noah Witman. 
 
• Concert: "Sounds of Yiddish"
  Sunday Dec 7, 2003 2:00 p.m. in the Etz Chayim Synagogue
  
This was an amazing program of music, readings, and Yiddish humour. 

Thunder Bay: Dedication of Addition to Permanent Gallery
Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum
Fall 2003
Materials and artifacts have been collected documenting the Jewish History of Thunder Bay, Ontario. These were be put together as a new entry made up of two display cases in our Permanent Gallery.

Radicalism Book Launch
Sunday, June 15, 2003, 2 p.m.
Following up on our very successful Radicalism Conference in Sept 2001, we have produced a book of papers from the Conference. This first-of-its-kind documentation of local Manitoba Jewish Radicalism will be part of the JHC's Jewish Life and Times series.  

Young at Art Display
Until early July 2003
Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum of Western Canada
We were proud to display this local collection of creative writing, photography, art (painting, sculpture, sketching), crafts (needlework, woodwork, knitting) and other handy work from our more senior citizens of our community.  Sponsored by the Coalition for Older Adults.

Annual Kaved Evening
Wednesday, May 28, 2003, evening
Etz Chayim Synagogue
The local community awards were handed out.  This year, the Jewish Heritage Centre's recipient of the Shem Tov award was Gerry Posner, President of the JHC during 2001 and 2002. 

The Hersch Zentner Holocaust Symposium: May 1, 2003
University of Winnipeg
Well-known speakers highlighted a full day with 1000 students.  The theme of this year's symposium was:  "Children of Holocaust, Children of War Today".

Lecture: Wilderness Gentry - Jewish Fur Traders in the Eighteenth Century
Holocaust Education Centre
Tuesday Apr 1, 2003.
Scott Stephen, a Ph.D. student at the University of Manitoba was the speaker.

Art Exhibit 
Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum
Jan 2003 to Mar 28, 2003.
This was a joint venture with JSA/Hillel to celebrate the artwork of Winnipeg's university students.   An amazing display of unique and original material.

Exhibit:  If only I could change the past
to January 2003
Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum, 123 Doncaster Street
The students of Holy Cross School under the guidance of their teacher Gerry Bohemier examine the horrors of the Holocaust through their amazing projects.  A must see!   Also see the Holy Cross School website for more info on the students' work.  

Max Freed: Profile of a Jewish Entrepreneur
Thursday, November 21, 2002.  7:30 p.m.
Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum, 123 Doncaster Street
A lecture by Dr. Isadore Wolch

Lecture: "Land settlement policies and ethnic groups in Western Canada 1870-1914"
Tuesday, October 22, 2002.  7:00 p.m.
Marion and Ed Vickar Jewish Museum
Lecture by Professor John Lehr, Geography Department, University of Winnipeg and with the theme:  A Jewish Farmer just cannot be.

Lecture: "Mike Usiskin: Profile of a Jewish Pioneer Farmer"
Thursday, October 8, 2002.  7:30 p.m.
Marion and Ed Vickar Jewish Museum
This was a joint lecture by Marcia and Roz Usiskin, about the story of the life of an Edenbridge farmer

Lecture and Panel: Saskatchewan Farm Colonies
Thursday, September 26, 2002.  7:30 p.m.
Adult Lounge, Asper Jewish Community Campus
The Myth of Jewish Farmers as Failures: Jewish Homesteaders on Saskatchewan Township 2-15-W2, a lecture by historian Anna Feldman. This was followed by a panel of speakers (Freeda Baron, Yude Henteleff, Joe Elfenbaum and Israel Zalik) who offered recollections and reflections of life on a farm settlement. Norman Vickar hosted the proceedings.

Lecture: History and Politics of early Jewish Farm Settlements on the Prairies
Abe Arnold
Wednesday, June 5, 2002.  7:30 p.m.
Lecture covered the period from 1882 to 1901.

Major Exhibition: Unturned Earth - The Jewish Farm Communities in Western Canada
Thursday May 23, 2002 to October 24, 2002 
Our major in-house Museum Exhibit for the year, at the Marion and Ed Vickar Jewish Museum. There were also related programs and events.  (See above) 

Annual Kavod Evening
Thursday, May 30, 2002

Shaarey Zedek Synagogue 

The Shem Tov award from the Jewish Heritage Centre for 2001/02 was awarded to Roz Silver.  

Winkler Plaque Dedication Ceremony
Sunday, May 26, 2002
Heritage Park, Winkler, Manitoba

A ceremony and celebration was held with the dedication of a plaque to commemorate and memorialize the pioneer Jewish settlers of Winkler, Manitoba who arrived from eastern Europe to that community between the 1890's and the beginning of the First World War, 1914.

Choices: How Can I Make a Difference?
Wednesday May 1, 2002
The University of Winnipeg. 

This one-day event was a Holocaust Anti-Racism Education Symposium. We involved 1000 students from across Manitoba. Key speakers included Ken McVey and Dr. Leon Bass.

Asper Holocaust Studies Program
Spring 2002.
Washington Trip may be the end of April 2002 

The Jewish Heritage Centre administered the student Education and Washington trip for the 3rd year. For more information, our Holocaust Studies Program page describes last year's program.

Teaching the Holocaust - A Guide to Inspiring Students
Thursday April 11,  2002
Berney Theatre / Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum
This was the JHC program for the Holocaust Education Week.  Educators Panel: Cara Zurzolo, Renee Kaplan, Gina Chodirker, Gerry Bohemier.  There was a special Holocaust exhibit prepared by Holy Cross school students who discussed their project in the Holocaust Education Centre on April 11.

 

Some of the dozens of displays about the Holocaust prepared by the Holy Cross students.	Footsteps mark a boxcar floor. The Holy Cross students' tapestry is at the back.
The Holocaust Educators Panel

Children of the Holocaust
March/April 2002
Marion & Ed Vickar Jewish Museum 
This was one exhibit you shouldn't have missed.  (See above)

Pioneer Jewish Settlers of Winkler, Manitoba
Thursday February 19, 2002, 7:30 p.m.
Florence Kanee Foyer, Asper Campus 
A lecture by Mr. Harold Buchwald.  A snapshot of early Jewish immigration from the Shtetl to an emerging Manitoba settlement.  Adjustment, adaptation, and achievement.

Before, During, and After Durban
Wednesday February 6, 2002, 7:30 p.m.
Florence Kanee Foyer, Asper Campus 
A lecture by Mr. Yude Henteleff.  The world is the same. Near silence in the face of vicious anti-semitism.

The Wiseman Doll Collection
Nov 2001 through January 2002
Marion and Ed Vickar Jewish Museum
Titled "Old Woman at Play", this exhibition of Clara Wiseman's uniquely imaginative artwork was put on display in the Museum. This exhibit explored innocence, loss, love, and the creative spirit.

Spring 2001
We involved three Cultural Communities in Winnipeg. The Chinese, Japanese and Jewish Communities to work together to produce the "Shanghai Connection" Exhibit. For more info on the Shanghai Connection, see the Wonderful set of Web Pages that were created for it.

Fall 2000
We created out own unique exhibit highlighting a century of Jewish Musicians and Music in Winnipeg. Known as "Our Musical Heritage", the Exhibition was supplemented by four very well attended Concerts and the publication of the definitive book by Sharon Chisvin titled: "Our Musical Heritage". We have some more details about the events surrounding this project.

August 2000
For Folklorama Shalom Square week, we featured "Holidays at Home": Seven dinner tables set up to present traditional holiday setting, as well as "Horizons - Israel at 50 - Aerial Photography": A set of 34 fantastic and unique photos of Israel each an awesome 30 by 36 inches in size.

Spring 2000
We exhibited: Joseph Bau - A Schindler Jew and His Art. This exhibit provided an overview of the work of Israeli artist and Schindler List survivor, Joseph Bau. Over 40 of his works were on display. We have additional information about Joseph Bau. The Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies has put up a very descriptive web page of Mr. Bau and it displays many of his works.

Summer and Fall of 1999
We exhibited our first major in-house curated project: The Players - Our Community's Contribution to Sport. This exhibition coincided with the 1999 Pan-Am Games that were held in Winnipeg.

April 1999
Students built and exhibited a complete Red River Settlement from the early 1800’s under the direction of Winnipeg artist Riva Stone.

October 1998
We exhibited Remembering Luboml: Images of a Jewish Community – a project initiated in 1994 by Aaron Ziegelman, a Libivner who emigrated to the U.S. in 1938.

June 1998
Jewish Roots was on display from the Simkin Middle School’s genealogical research projects.

May and June 1998
We featuring the poetry of Rafi Aaron against the backdrop of collected photographs as a celebration of Israel’s 50th. The poet read his work as A Seed in the Pocket of Their Blood opened and again on the occasion of the Canadian Jewish Congress Plenary.

January 1998
We displayed an exhibition of the work of Moise Sadoun, a photographer from France living temporarily in our Community of Winnipeg who brought us Orthodox Images, a fascinating interplay of Orthodox Jews and modern settings.

December 1997
The Museum gallery had featured chanukiot.

September 1997
The Marion and Ed Vickar Jewish Museum of Western Canada opened our doors to the public, with a preview of our permanent collection, followed immediately by a major international exhibition - Anne Frank in the World. The Portnoy Gallery, our main exhibition space at the Museum, proudly thereafter hosted the National Council of Jewish Women’s Centennial Exhibit.

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