A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Dear Community Members,

As we reflect on the past year, we are immensely proud of what we have accomplished together. This annual report presents a snapshot of our activities over the past year. It underscores the impact of your generosity – and the power of a community coming together to be there for one another, Kol yisrael arevim zeh bazeh (all of Israel are responsible for one another).

None of it would have been possible without the generosity of our donors, who continue to support the Federation’s work and mission as well as the vital work of our 12 beneficiary agencies. We meet with the beneficiary agencies regularly to ensure a collaborative approach to serving our community through direct lines of communication and support, when needed. Our agencies play a unique and pivotal role in the continued prosperity of our community.  

We have achieved two historical milestones that will serve the Jewish community and the community at large for generations to come. The establishment of Jewish Heritage Month annually in the month of May celebrates the immense contributions that the Jewish community brought to Manitoba and highlights a positive outlook for Manitoba’s Jewry. The Provincial adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Definition of Antisemitism in October cemented our advocacy efforts and engagement with the Government of Manitoba, and positions our community at the forefront of standing up against hatred, discrimination, and antisemitism. We will continue to build upon this momentum in the coming year and leverage our relationships with elected officials at all levels. 

We have increased our programs and relationships with Israel and our overseas partners. Our participation at the Canada-Israel Summit, held in Ottawa earlier this year, resulted in more visibility for our community across Canada and Israel. Winnipeg became a destination to many dignitaries this year, including the Consul General of Israel, the Mayors of Jerusalem and Sderot, the Executive Director of the Tel Aviv Foundation, and the Federation CEOs from across Canada. They all left with a greater appreciation for our community and all that we have built together.

The strength and well-being of our community’s next generation is critical to our sustainability and continued prosperity. This year, our board of directors visited both Camp Massad and BB Camp, to see first-hand the immersive Jewish experiences they both provide. Going forward, we will continue to have a strong focus on youth engagement, experiential education, and empowering young people to become involved and stay invested in our community.

Our community is strengthened by its diversity, and it is a key part of our mandate to ensure that we serve the entirety of the Jewish community – and we recognize that all forms of self-identity and Jewish identity enrich us as a community. This year, we were excited to begin our participation in the Jewish Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiative, spearheaded by the Jewish Federations of North America, which aims to better Federations’ ability to meet the needs of increasingly diverse Jewry.

Tikkun Olam is what we do. The war in Ukraine caused a humanitarian crisis that required an immediate response. Your donations and call to action resulted in more than $200,000 being raised in Winnipeg and directed to those directly affected in Ukraine. Our partner agencies, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) delivered support where needed and continue to work with us on immigration and settlement services.

We are shaping the future of our Jewish Federation through our recently announced Strategic Planning Initiative. We will chart a new trajectory for our Federation by looking internally at how we do business, and adjusting our priorities based on the evolving needs of our community. We look forward to consulting with you directly as we outline the Federation’s priorities to anticipate and address the needs of the Jewish community into the future.

Driven by our shared commitment to a vibrant future for the Winnipeg Jewish community, we will continue to deliver on our mission of nurturing and furthering Jewish life locally, in Israel, and around the world.

With our sights set firmly on the next year, we humbly ask for your continued involvement and support. Our community is stronger together.

Sincerely,

 

Our Mission

Jewish Federation of Winnipeg strengthens and builds Jewish life in Winnipeg, Canada, Israel, and overseas, acting as the voice of the community. 

Our Vision

A vibrant, engaged, connected and secure Winnipeg Jewish Community.

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT

No other gift has the power to impact more Jewish lives than a gift to the Combined Jewish Appeal. Because of the CJA, we can care for our most vulnerable; build and strengthen Jewish identity and education, invest in Israel and overseas, and promote Jewish/Israel advocacy. When you give through the CJA, you preserve and strengthen the quality of Jewish life.

Combined Jewish Appeal

The 2021-2022 annual campaign raised a total of $6,201,200 from 2176 donations. Thank you to our Campaign Chair, Adam Levene; Top Donor Chair, Carrie Shenkarow; Women’s Philanthropy Co-Chairs, Gayla Guttman and Paula Parks; Lion of Judah Committee, Jessica Kraut, Marla Levene and Marie Vickar; Ben-Gurion Society Co-Chairs, Ellie and Michael Silver; Genesis YWG Chair, Yael Borovich; and to the many dedicated canvassers who made this campaign a success. We are proud to report that CJA’s cost to raise was just 9.4%, which is 11.6% below the accepted industry standard of 20%. See our Impact Report for more information on how our CJA funds are distributed. 

Women's Philanthropy & Lion of Judah

Women’s Philanthropy engages women in the fulfilling work of making the world a better place, building, and supporting Jewish life for today and for generations to come. All are welcome. Lions of Judah play a vital role in creating social justice, aiding the vulnerable, preserving human dignity and building Jewish identity through their leadership gift of a minimum of $5,000 to the Combined Jewish Appeal (CJA).

Leave More Than Memories Endowment Fund

Our Leave More Than Memories Endowment Fund is a perpetual annual campaign endowment fund held at the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba and created for the sole purpose of enabling donors to continue supporting the annual campaign, forever. We are happy to report that our fund rose to over $6.5 million this year.

Teens and Philanthropy (TAP)

By becoming members of the Teens and Philanthropy (TAP) Committee, teens ages 14-17 engage in an allocations process where, after careful deliberations, designated $3,600 to the beneficiary agencies of their choice. TAP aims to empower and educate future leaders in the Winnipeg Jewish community.


Ben Gurion Society (BGS)

Founded on three principles of education, motivation and recognition - Ben Gurion Society (BGS) embodies the legacy of David Ben-Gurion. Members develop leadership skills, access networking opportunities and attend special events. BGS is a donor recognition program for adults 25-45 who give a household annual campaign gift of at least $1,000.

Ukraine Relief Fund

The CJA funds agencies working overseas including The Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) and the Joint Distribution committee (JDC). Because of this, JAFI and the JDC were already on the ground doing critical work for Ukraine’s Jewish community and when war came to the region, we were able to mobilize quickly. Immediate and short-term needs addressed through this fund included: helping people make Aliyah to Israel; welfare services; providing medical equipment; securing temporary housing; providing humanitarian aid; establishing shelters at borders to neighboring countries. Our community has raised over $200,000 towards this cause to date. As this war continues so does our support.

2021-2022 Financial Development Highlights

The 2021 Combined Jewish Appeal Campaign raised an incredible $6,201,200 from 2176 dedicated donors. $2,055,537 of the total funds were raised by Women’s Philanthropy.

We were thrilled to welcome 110 new donors and 150 returning donors to our campaign.

In 2021, our 89 Lions of Judah raised $1,254,724 of the total funds raised through the CJA.

Our community raised over $200,000 for our Ukraine Relief Fund, supporting the Ukrainian people with essential services, evacuation, immigration and in the longer journey to recovery.

In its inaugural year, over 40 teens from various schools around Winnipeg actively participated on the TAP Committee, distributing $3,600 to local beneficiary agencies.

ALLOCATIONS

Please click here to view the 2021-2022 Report of the Allocations Committee

The Allocations Committee meets throughout the year with beneficiary agencies to deepen the relationships and understanding of needs, develop closer collaborations and offer support with expertise and community connections. In the spring, the Committee meets to review beneficiary agencies' requests for funding and recommends allocations to the Federation Board of Directors for approval. The process provides oversight to fulfill the Federation’s financial commitments to the community, ensuring the donors’ valuable investments are well spent.

2021-2022 Allocations Highlights

The allocations approved for September 1, 2022, will include initial support for the Senior Concierge, a cross communal collaboration of agencies to increase outreach to Jewish seniors. This collaborative model of service will be a model for filling community needs in the future. The position was initiated by the Community Planning committee, then piloted at Jewish Child and Family Service and has been transferred to Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre.

The Allocations Committee began to work with beneficiaries to identify and collect data on outcomes and indicators of change. As data is reported over the coming years it will provide a better understanding of the impact of Federation funding, strengthen the case for support, and offer leaders, donors, and community members a clearer picture of progress.

PUBLIC AFFAIRS & ADVOCACY

Public Affairs & Advocacy represents our community to other communities, government and media on a variety of matters including antisemitism, advocacy, social justice, and Holocaust awareness. It serves as the local representative for the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.

2021-2022 Public Affairs & Advocacy Highlights

Advocated for May to be designated as Jewish Heritage Month by the Province of Manitoba, an acknowledgement of the major contributions made by Jewish Manitobans to the rich social, cultural, and economic fabric of our province.

Advocated at the civic, provincial, and federal levels to advance Jewish concerns in the public arena. Our Federation is a trusted resource for our community, political, media, and faith-based partners, providing positions as well as nuanced insights and support on sensitive community and government relations matters.

Maintained close and positive relationships with local and national law enforcement to ensure the safety the community and provided security support and training through national partners.

Fostered meaningful relationships among diverse ethnic, racial, religious, and interest groups, building coalitions based on mutual areas of concern.

COMMUNITY PLANNING

Community Planning assesses the long-term needs of our Jewish community, identifies priorities, and develops action plans to involve community members across all demographics. Through a regular ongoing planning cycle, the committee gathers organizational leadership, conducts community consultation, and facilitates cross communal planning and collaboration.

2021-2022 Community Planning Highlights

In planning for Vibrant Jewish Life, the Education and Engagement Committee hosted a seminar on welcoming with Gather Inc, who in-serviced 70 staff and volunteers from 20 different groups on the immense value of and various approaches to one-on-one engagement in between events.

Find the annual update to the planning process and collected results on the new Community Planning webpage! Updates were made in the fall with a focus on continuous improvement, ongoing consultation in every area and gathering cross communal stakeholders.

In the area of Infrastructure and Building Capacity, the Leadership sub-committee launched a series of webinars for board and professional leadership from across the community, with a seminar on Jewish Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. This year, we began our participation in the Jewish Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion initiative, spearheaded by the Jewish Federations of North America, which aims to better Federations to meet the needs of increasingly diverse Jewry.

EDUCATION & ENGAGEMENT

Connects members of the Jewish community to more of Jewish life, in collaboration with community organizations and volunteers.

PJ Library

Offers Jewish-themed books that explore Jewish culture, values, and tradition to families with young children 0-8 years of age, and sends 11 books and one special gift every year to each child. Federation invests $50 US per year for each child’s subscription, at no cost to the participating families.

PJ Our Way

PJ Our Way is the next chapter of PJ Library aimed at children 8-12 years of age. It allows them to choose their own books, create programs and develop leadership skills.

2021-2022 PJ Library & PJ Our Way Highlights

Over 800 families participated in one or more of the over 50 programs/initiatives offered by PJ Library and PJ Our Way including virtual and in-person events like Kabbalat Shabbat, holiday programs and other initiatives.

Over 40 grandparents received a PJ Library Grandparents Pack with PJ Library books to enjoy when visiting with their grandchildren.

15 families, whose children do not attend Jewish Day School, received a Chanukah pack with holiday resources to share at their schools.

In 2022, 980 children and their families received PJ Library and PJ Our Way books each month.

11 PJ Our Way tweens actively participated in the Leadership Team, socializing, planning programs and doing mitzvot.

75 families connected and deepened their friendships through initiatives offered by 2 wonderful part-time PJ Parent Connectors including Shabbat dinners, playdates and coffee dates, Challah deliveries, workshops and more.

Close to 50 families participated in partnered programs between the Gray Academy of Jewish Education and PJ Library celebrating kids’ birthdays at fun and creative parties.

Community Outreach

Federation is dedicated to engaging the community through Jewish initiatives and events to give community members what they need to lead meaningful Jewish lives.

2021-2022 Community Outreach Highlights

Our Federation joined hundreds of communities around the world for the Global Day of Jewish Learning, involving 40 participants at a local online event.

Shalom Baby welcomed 62 new babies and their families in the bi-annual Baby Shower, at a virtual event in 2021, and two in-person events in 2022.

What’s Up in Jewish Winnipeg, an email digest with programs and initiatives happening in Jewish Winnipeg was sent to over 4000 subscribers each month.

A new social media initiative was launched highlighting Shabbat experiences, memories and traditions shared by members of our community representing different demographics.

GROWWINNIPEG

Our GrowWinnipeg initiative increases the Jewish population of Winnipeg by welcoming Jewish people from around the world to a vibrant, connected Jewish community and connects visitors with Jewish organizations, social and employment contacts to enable their settlement and integration.

2021-2022 GrowWinnipeg Highlights

Since September 2021, we received 12 exploratory visitors, with 18 currently booking their visits. We remain in contact with an additional 350 candidates who are in the process of qualifying for the program.

This year, we designed and implemented a new exploratory visit process to adapt to new immigration requirements, resulting in our candidates being selected by the province to immigrate to Manitoba.

200 members of our community volunteered their time connecting with candidates, sharing information regarding life in Winnipeg and employment opportunities. As a result, candidates made meaningful connections before moving here.

GrowWinnipeg’s success in revitalizing and strengthening our community has garnered attention nationally and internationally, and now serves as a model for other communities eager to implement similar programs.

ISRAEL & OVERSEAS

Promotes a strong connection with Israel and overseas by supporting needs and sharing opportunities, while working with partners to provide the community with Israel education and cultural events.

Birthright Israel

Birthright Israel offers the gift of a free, educational, 10-day peer group trip to Israel for young Jewish adults between the ages of 18 and 26. The trip allows participants to meet new friends and make connections to Israel, its people, and the Jewish community.

Partnership 2Gether

P2G connects the Jewish communities of Winnipeg and the Upper Galil Panhandle in Israel through Gesher Chai, people-to-people exchanges involving high school students and elementary school teachers and promotes the sharing of ideas and funding of projects. Other areas of focus include capacity building as well as youth education.

March of the Living

An educational program where Jewish teens travel to Poland to learn about the once flourishing Jewish community in Europe before the tragedy of the Holocaust. After a week of visiting villages, ghettos and concentration camps, the participants travel to Israel where they learn about its rich history and renewal of the Jewish people through its establishment.

Missions to Israel

Federation organizes Missions to Israel where participants learn about its history, politics and culture, take part in exclusive programs and see first-hand the impact our dollars make.

2021-2022 Israel & Overseas Highlights

This year, our community raised over $58,000 for the Mental Health Clinic for Youth in Kiryat Shmona that helps youth with anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders.

Supported students at Tel-Hai University, furthering their education through bursaries and scholarships.

P2G Coast to Coast allocated funding to science, technology, engineering, arts, and math education for elementary and high school students, post-COVID support for educators, and towards the creation of a regional knowledge centre in Kiryat Shmona.

NEXT GENERATION INITIATIVES

Promotes community leadership by building Jewish identity through Israel related activities, programming, social action and social events.

Hillel Winnipeg

Hillel Winnipeg is the centre for Jewish life on campus. Its mission is to provide opportunities for every Jewish student to deepen their connection to Jewish identity and community through social, social justice, and cultural/holiday programming.

Genesis YWG

Genesis YWG is the hub for Jewish adults between the ages of 25-45, committed to building a vibrant community through networking and volunteering activities.

 

2021-2022 Next Generation Initiatives Highlights

Hillel Winnipeg held in-person and virtual programming this past year, including a conversation with a Holocaust survivor, a movie night, and a Yom Ha’atzmaut party to celebrate Israel’s birthday.

Offered a series of workshops in collaboration with Hillel Israel and Brooklyn College Hillel called Kol Israel, which fostered a relationship between Canadian, Israeli, and American Hillel students and created a space for open and honest conversation.

In its inaugural year, Genesis YWG hosted a series of events and volunteer activities that engaged more than 150 members of our community.

CREATIVE & COMMUNICATIONS

Engages viewers and readers in the Jewish and general communities from Winnipeg and around the globe in a creative, informative way. Using a variety of social media platforms, email marketing tools and our newly refreshed website, we keep the community up-to-date on the latest from Federation and beyond.

2021-2022 Creative & Communications Highlights

Federation’s extensive social media presence highlights news, updates, community member features and holiday celebrations shared with our steady growth in followers and engagement.

Based on the strength of Federation’s website presence, our community was chosen as part of a select group of Federations across North America to have a role in shaping the web presences of Federations across North America.

Last year, Federation sent 203 emails to the community covering a wide range of subjects, featuring news, events, and more from its departments.

Across its entire social media presence, Federation has a combined 11,486 followers who are kept up-to-date several times a week with timely updates relating to the community.

FINANCE

AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

View our 2021-2022 Audited Financial Statements approved by our Board of Directors.

  • A total of $103,000 over the budgeted amount was allocated to partner agencies as decided by the Board of Directors.
  • This amount came out of previous years’ surpluses accumulated in the Operating Fund.
  • “Unrealized losses on investments” refers to change in market value of securities held as of year-end.

WHO WE ARE

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

As of December 6, 2022

Executive Committee of the Board

President: Gustavo Zentner
Vice President, Co-Chair Women's Philanthropy: Paula Parks
Immediate Past President: Joel Lazer
 
Departmental Chairs
Marcelo Aprosoff, Allocations
Jessica Cogan, Israel & Overseas
Carol Duboff, Community Planning
Neil Duboff, Honourary Council
Jason Gisser, Public Affairs & Advocacy
Bryan Hack, Next Generation Initiatives
Elana Schultz, Education & Engagement
Carrie Shenkarow, Financial Development
VACANT, Finance

Board Members at Large

Josh Blatt
Eduardo Borovich
Yael Borovich, Chair Genesis YWG
Bryan Borzykowski, Winnipeg Board of Jewish Education Rep
Neil Duboff, Honourary Solicitor
Patrick Elazar
Rietta Floom
Phil Gussakovsky
Gayla Guttman, Co-Chair Womens Philanthropy
Jonathan Katz
Shane Kozlowich
Jeff Lieberman, Jewish Foundation of Manitoba Rep
Marcelo Mandelbaum
Kliel Rose, Council of Rabbis Rep
Ginna Sapozhnik, Rady JCC Rep
Brent Schacter
Al Shpeller, Jewish Child & Family Service Rep
Ellie Silver

Board of Governors

Don Aronovitch
Marjorie Blankstein, C.M.
Ben Cohen
Neil Duboff
Mel Fages
Ian Goldstine
Sid Halpern
David Kroft
Jonathan Kroft, K.C.
Adam Levene
Israel Ludwig
Ted Lyons, O.C.
Laurel Malkin
Howard Morry
Monte Nathanson

CURRENT STAFF

Elaine Goldstine, Chief Executive Officer 

Carlos Benesdra, Chief Financial Officer 

Rebecca Brask, Chief Development Officer 

Abby Flackman, Engagement Team Associate

Irina Gelzin, GrowWinnipeg Assistant 

Florencia Katz, Education & Engagement Director

Jordan Lazareck, Office Support 

Linda Levesque, Campaign Associate 

Adam Levy, Public Relations & Communications Director 

Madeline Lopez Ficher, Creative Director 

Raya Margulets, Hillel Post-Secondary Leadership Coordinator 

Graciela Najenson, Development Director

Carmelle Noiseux, Director of Operations

Evelyn Orlovitz, Donor Relations & Programs Manager 

Anna Ren, Accountant 

Faye-Rosenberg-Cohen, Chief Planning and Allocations Officer 

Sam Slutchuk, Development Associate

Dalia Szpiro, GrowWinnipeg Director