OUR WELCOMING COMMUNITY 2012 Annual Report Jewish Foundation of Manitoba – 2012 Annual Report 1 WELCOMING NEWCOMERS A COMMUNITYCOMM SHAPED BY KINDNESS AND GENEROSITY FromFrom the llattera half of the 19th century to the Rady Jewish Community Centre, rightright throughthrou to today, the Jewish Jewish Child and Family Service, the Gray community of Winnipeg has always Academy of Jewish Education, the Gwen knknownown hohoww to welcome and assist Secter Creative Living Centre, and others nnewcomers.ewcomers Through formal institutions to help newcomers. The money has gone and ininformalform connections, we’ve been to English classes for seniors, transportation there fforor eaeach other with a kind word, services to help kids get to school, a Shabbat ddinner, a job lead, a minyan, cultural programs, and much, much more. hhelpelp witwithh learning English, maybe Also significant, the JFM’s robust a warm ccoato to get through a first scholarship program has helped about MaManitobanitoba wwinter. 100 newcomers pursue their education – ThrouThroughgh vavarious waves of immigration, in the last four years alone! Almost half THROUGHTHROUGH VARIOUSVARIOOUS WAVESWAVEV S tthehe commcommunityu has always sought to of our scholarship recipients in the past embrace neneww members of the community. four years are first-generation Canadians OFOF IMMIGRATION,IMMIGRATION, THETHE TodaToday,y, virtuvirtuallya every Jewish organization and they have collectively received COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYSALLWAYS in WinnipeWinnipegg reaches out to newcomers nearly $300,000. in some way.w Whether through free The JFM’s role is just one demonstration SOUGHTSOUGHT TOTO EMBRACEEMBRACE NEWNEW or subsidisubsidizedz services, memberships, of our community’s values. There are anandd tuitiontuition;; llow-interest loans; resettlement others – too many to describe here. MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.COMMUNITYY. sservices;ervices; or new social connections, But perhaps through the eyes of three ouourr cocommunitymmun recognizes the importance people who were once newcomers to TODAY, VIRTUALLY EVERY of helping people feel truly at home. Winnipeg, we can learn about the impact JEWISH ORGANIZATION IN At the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, of kindness. The impact of generosity. we take great pride in our support of The impact of tzedakah. WINNIPEG REACHES OUT TO programs that help Jewish newcomers adapt to life in Canada. Since 2001, NEWCOMERS IN SOME WAY. the JFM has distributed over $300,000 TheThe Jewish FoundationFoundation ofof Manitoba extendsextends its The Jewish FFoundationoundation ooff Manitoba wowoulduld alalsoso gratitudegratitude to Keith Levit forfor our cover and featurefeature llikeike to thank the WinnipWinnipegeg AirAirportsports AuthoritAuthority,y, storystory photography.photography. sstewardstewards of WinnipWinnipegeg JamJameses ArmstrArmstrongong 2 http://www.keithlevitphotography.com/http://www.keithlevitphotography.com/ Richardson IInternationalnternational AiAirport.rport. GREETED WITH WARMTH Isaac Gotfried lived through the horrors who thought his English might already of the Holocaust. With good fortune and be “too good”! cunning, Isaac and his brother Bernard That immediate hospitality, those early Z”L survived the harshest, most oppressive gestures, and the playful laughter all circumstances imaginable. When the helped Isaac Gotfried feel welcome. war was over, the Gotfried brothers Within a week, another cousin had initially stayed in Germany. In 1947, helped him find a job as a cabinet maker. their aunt Zlata Mittleman in Winnipeg A good career in cabinetry, confections, heard that the boys were still alive and and insurance followed. brought them here, skirting immigration rules at the time by saying they were Today, Gotfried and his wife Hilda are her brothers. retired and enjoying a beautiful life. Gotfried has been an active community Isaac Gotfried remembers his arrival in volunteer delivering Kosher Meals on Winnipeg: “We were greeted at the CNR ISAAC GOTFRIED Wheels, helping seniors with their station on Main Street by family and shopping, and, with Hilda, has even some strangers. We were among the volunteered in Israel on two separate first groups of displaced persons (DPs) to occasions. Today, at 88, Gotfried gives arrive in Winnipeg.” “I WAS GIVEN A LOT AFTER THE back by speaking about his wartime They were greeted with fanfare and experiences to high school students and WAR… WE NEED TO CONTINUE enthusiasm. “A row of cars went in adults of all backgrounds. convoy up Main Street to my aunt’s house He experienced horror in Europe, but beauty TO BEFRIEND NEWCOMERS AND on Machray Avenue,” recalls Gotfried. in Canada. On their first day in Winnipeg, Gotfried recalls GET THEM INVOLVED IN THE “I was given a lot after the war,” Gotfried that his uncle Aaron (Zlata’s husband) says. “We need to continue to befriend JEWISH COMMUNITY.” pressed his suit as well as his brother’s as newcomers and get them involved in the there was to be a party in their honour Jewish community.” that very night. And he remembers being encouraged by a cousin to go to the library To read Isaac Gotfried’s personal story, to get books to learn English. “I shall visit the Endowment Book of Life at endeavour to do so,” a young Gotfried http://www.jewishfoundation.org/ replied, sparking the laughter of relatives bookoflife1.cfm. Jewish Foundation of Manitoba – 2012 Annual Report 3 HOME IS WHERE THE LOVE IS “Home is where the love is,” says Mirtha grateful to the Jewish Foundation of Lopez. And to her, Winnipeg is home. Manitoba for helping me financially. With Dr. Lopez and her family came to Winnipeg the Foundation’s support, I was able to from Argentina in 2003. “We will never reach my goals.” forget how welcome the Winnipeg Lopez earned her Canadian licence seven Jewish community made us feel from the years ago and today she is practising as moment we arrived,” she says. Lopez, a full-fledged, recognized psychiatrist at husband Carlos, and sons Federico and the Selkirk Mental Health Centre. Gaston were greeted at the airport with It wasn’t just the JFM that helped Lopez smiles, hugs, and even a challah. and family. Her family was subsidized at Once the initial excitement wore off, various times by Camp Massad, the Rady the challenges of earning a livelihood JCC, and the Gray Academy. “When we began. Lopez was a trained psychiatrist were able to start paying full tuition at MIRTHA LOPEZ with 20 years of experience in Argentina, the school, we did it with great pride,” but her medical credentials were not she says. Lopez also received help recognized here. The process to earn the from Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of “THE COMPANIONSHIP, THE right to practise here was cumbersome, Canada, a loan from the Asper Helping expensive, and long. WARMTH, THE FINANCIAL Hand Initiative, and various types of help Lopez tried to get non-psychiatric from Jewish Child and Family Service SUPPORT, AND THE counselling work, but was told nearly and the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg. 40 times that she was over-qualified. She is especially grateful to Evelyn Hecht MORAL SUPPORT WERE SO Ultimately, Jewish Child and Family who worked so closely with newcomers Service welcomed her as a counsellor. at the Federation. WONDERFUL... THIS IS MY The JFM eased Lopez’s financial burden “The companionship, the warmth, the COMMUNITY NOW.” by providing a scholarship while she was financial support, and the moral support studying and writing exams to qualify as a were so wonderful,” says Lopez. “This is Canadian psychiatrist: “I will be eternally my community now.” 4 GAINING CONFIDENCE, ACHIEVING SUCCESS For a teen born and raised in Canada, Risman got the job, gained confidence, filling out that first job application is and has come a very long way since. no big deal. But imagine being new to She graduated from the Gray Academy the country and not knowing how to and has just completed her third year of speak English. studies at the University of Manitoba’s “At first it was bad. I cried all the time and I Asper School of Business. Instead of wanted to leave. I didn’t speak English and selling burgers during the summer of I didn’t know anybody,” says Ukrainian- 2013, she is working in an accounting born Sandra Risman, 21, of her arrival in office. She has been able to pursue Winnipeg five years ago. “And I needed her business education thanks, in part, to find a job. I wasn’t sure what to do.” to four scholarships from the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba. Within a few days of her arrival from Israel with her mother, father, and “I’m so grateful for the support. I think brother, Sandra connected with Sophia, our community does a lot for newcomers. the daughter of a woman who worked There are people who come without a lot SANDRA RISMAN with newcomers at Jewish Child and of money or contacts, and no furniture,” Family Service. “She helped me fill out says Risman. “It’s important that we make “I’M SO GRATEFUL FOR an application form at McDonald’s and them feel welcome.” waited for me when I met the manager. THE SUPPORT. I THINK OUR She was so helpful.” COMMUNITY DOES A LOT FOR NEWCOMERS... IT’S IMPORTANT THAT WE MAKE THEM FEEL WELCOME.” Jewish Foundation of Manitoba – 2012 Annual Report 5 MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT AND CEO As we reflect and report on 2012, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba inches ever closer to a very special milestone. Starting in the fall of 2014, the Foundation will celebrate its 50th anniversary. It will be a time to celebrate; a time to inspire philanthropy; and a time to look at the future of our impact on the community. As significant as the milestone and celebration will be, the fact is we are always seeking to inspire philanthropy; and we are always aware of the impact we have on the community. 2012 was no exception. We are pleased to report that we were able to welcome about $3.6 million in new capital, and exceedingly proud that we were able to provide approximately $2.9 million in grants and scholarships.