Some 40 young adults attended this year’s annual North End Jewish Bus Tour put on by J-PEG [the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg's young adult division] which took place the first week in November. The three hour historic tour of Jewish Winnipeg is designed to give participants a sense of the old North End that once served as the hub of Jewish communal life in Winnipeg.
It the 1930’s the Jewish community grew exponentially as a result of the wave of immigration from Europe. Immigrants arriving by train, at either the CP Station on Higgins and Main or at the CN Station on Main and Broadway, could count on a personal welcome into their new community
As one participant of the bus tour told the Winnipeg Jewish Review, "It is always wonderful to walk down memory lane to appreciate the rich life and sense of community my Grandparents had in our Jewish community. This bus tour for me highlights the roots of our Winnipeg Jewish community and the strength and vibrancy my grandparents generation has passed on to future generations to continue investing in our community for future generations. "
The bus tour led by volunteer tour guide David Cohen, a former CEO of the Jewish Foundation, stopped at a variety of locations, such as :The old YMHA [now known as Mondragon in the Exchange],YMHA that was on Hargrave – now a parking lot ,I.L. Peretz school,Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate , ·Talmud Torah,Omnistsky’s,Gunn’s Bakery,CP railway station,Mount Carmel Clinic,State Theatre,Oretzki’s Dept,Chesed Shel Emes,Sharon Home North,Askenzi Synagouge,Chavuracht Tefillah Synagogue,Chochinov Farm,Jewish Public Library,Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre,Jewish Orphanage of Western Canada.
Participants got to learn about The Mount Carmel Clinic, for example, which was established in 1926 at a time when. Jewish doctors and dentists, among other professionals, faced discrimination. The Mount Carmel Clinic was established in 1926 to provide medical care to the Jewish community. It was the first free community health centre in Canada.
Not only did participants of the historic bus tour get a chance to absorb the sights and sounds of the historic Jewish North End , but they also were served a continental plus breakfast on the bus, -bagels, cream cheese and fruit.
Boris Boldyrev, a participant said “My favorite part of the bus tour was the old Jewish Community Centre on Hargrave Street. It gave me more of a realistic picture of how old the community is and where everybody convened to be involved in the community. It helped me appreciate what we have accomplished today as a community.”
The participants learned how by 1930, the Jewish community had become sufficiently affluent that members were no longer prepared to lay out and prepare their dead at home. The Chesed Shel Emes, located across the street from the Mount Carmel, was built to facilitate preparation of the deceased for burial according to Orthodox Jewish tradition.
The tour also focused on Jewish education, which as always been a community priority. West Kildonan was home to the Rosh Pina night school, I.L. Peretz Shul, Talmud Torah and Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate day schools. As the community eventually migrated south, these schools amalgamated into Gray Academy of Jewish Education.
The sights and sounds of the old North end of Winnipeg have been captured by many writers over the years. For example, Former Manitoba Attorney-General Rolland Penner in an interesting article in Canadian Dimensions entitled “Red in Winnipeg’s North End reminisces about his communist roots and mentions the Jewish Liberty Temple located east on Pritchard.
Penner recalls, “A Mrs. Wiseman (not Adele Wiseman’s mother) who lived down the street from the Liberty Temple, named her firstborn son “Liberty.” Six o’clock and suppertime, she stuck her head out the little front porch and yelled in a voice that reached three blocks either way: “LIBERTY!” One could almost hear the applause up and down the street!”http://canadiandimension.com/articles/1776
J-PEG's North End Bus Tour is an annual event that happens at the end of October – beginning of November, and has for r the last few years an integral part of J-PEG’s Club Fed leadership development course. This year’s bus tour showcased Shalom Residence, one of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg’s Combined Jewish Appeal’s beneficiary agency. Faye Mount, Co-President of the Shalom Residence Board talked about what Shalom Residence is and the programs and services they provide to both the Jewish and Winnipeg communities. All proceeds collected from the participants of the bus tour were donated to Shalom Residence on behalf of the participants.
Rolland Penner in an interesting article in Canadian Dimensions entitled “Red in Winnipeg” reminisces about the Jewish Liberty Temple located east on Pritchard.
Penner recalls, “A Mrs. Wiseman (not Adele Wiseman’s mother) who lived down the street from the Liberty Temple, named her firstborn son “Liberty.” Six o’clock and suppertime, she stuck her head out the little front porch and yelled in a voice that reached three blocks either way: “LIBERTY!” One could almost hear the applause up and down the street!”
J-PEG's North End Bus Tour is an annual event that happens at the end of October – beginning of November, and has for r the last few years an integral part of J-PEG’s Club Fed leadership development course. This year’s bus tour showcased Shalom Residence, one of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg’s Combined Jewish Appeal’s beneficiary agency. Faye Mount, Co-President of the Shalom Residence Board talked about what Shalom Residence is and the programs and services they provide to both the Jewish and Winnipeg communities. All proceeds collected from the participants of the bus tour were donated to Shalom Residence on behalf of the participants.
Editor's note: As I wrote up this article I began having memories of going on the South End Bus to Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate every day back and forth to school from grades 7-12. Although David Cohen wasn't on my school bus (we weren’t lucky enough to get a tour guide), I think that essentially I saw the highlights of this J-PEG tour on a daily basis--but alas, no one ever thought to serve us breakfast and we never got to stop at Gunns! Actually, there was one time when we were able to eat breakfast, which was when I convinced the bus driver to let us off at Salisbury House on the corner of Matheson and Salter instead of taking us to school.
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