On June 20 Moe Levy is being honoured by the Jewish National Fund at its Negev Dinner at the RBC Convention Centre with proceeds going toward the construction of the Ethiopian Women's Empowerment Centre in Beit Shemesh as well as The Israel Asper Community Action Centre in Ofakim. Ofakim is one of the communities that was devastated by the Hamas attacks on October 7..
The Ethiopian Women's Empowerment Centre will provide vocational training, computer and communications support and will include a Parent and Family Centre to uphold the traditions of the Ethiopian community in Beit Shemesh and assist in enabling Ethiopian school children to be on track for success. The Centre will also have a Centre for the Heritage and Culture of Ethiopian Jews.
Proceeds will also go towards expanding The Israel Asper Community Action Centre, which honours the memory of Israel Asper, z”l, founder of The Asper Foundation, who passed away on October 7, 2003. The Centre serves thousands of youth every year, and among other things, runs scouting and volunteer programs, has two choir groups, two theatre groups, self-empowerment programming and leadership programs. The Centre is home to Ofakim’s Big Brother/Big Sister program and an afternoon program for girls at-risk. The Centre hosts art programs, performances, stand-up comedy and night cafes during holidays and vacations.
Mayim Bialik is the Negev's keynote speaker for this year. Mayam is a mother, scientist and science communicator, a product of Jewish scholarships, a mental health advocate and a popular actor. She is known for her down to earth and intimate approach to speaking and storytelling. Mayam stands firmly rooted in her Jewish heritage and values, straddling the worlds of both traditional Jewish observance and progressive social justice initiatives. Mayam was amongst the first A-list celebrities to speak out following Oct 7.
Throughout his life Levy has exhibited tremendous leadership and extraordinary impact in the fields of entrepreneurship and human rights, participating in many ground breaking initiatives. Born in India, Levy moved to Winnipeg at age 20, and began studying commerce at the University of Manitoba on a part-time basis, while he also worked for Transport Canada during the day, graduating with a Bachelor of Commerce Degree (Honours) in 1973. For a while Levy made pizzas at Pizza Place in Grant Park Shopping Centre in the evenings, to help support himself in obtaining an education. Levy went to school on a full time basis to finish his B Comm and received a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) degree in finance in 1974.
One of the things Levy remembers most about growing up in India, “is the level of poverty that existed, and the difference between the haves and the have nots” Levy, who is Sabbath observant, also recalls “how my mother played a huge role in helping poorer Jews immigrate from Bombay to Israel in the 1950’s and 60’s.” In fact, a lot of Levy’s family moved to Israel before and after the birth of the State. “My great-grandparents, grandparents, and parents are all buried in Rishon Le Zion,” he notes, adding that he has a strong connection to Israel and her people. He has four sisters and their families who live there.
Levy who was the long time Executive Director of the Asper Foundation is now a Director at the University of Manitoba as part of a program entitled “Idea Start,” which is “designed to encourage innovation , entrepreneurship, and creativity." The concept behind the Idea Start program is to “foster an entrepreneurial culture at the U of M” and make it a "hub of cutting edge innovation.”
After graduating with an MBA, Levy worked as a consultant, and was hired by the Manitoba Department of Industry and Tourism and then became the Executive Director of Enterprise Manitoba. " In this capacity, I developed and managed one of Canada’s first business incubator initiatives, " he told the Winnipeg Jewish Review. Levy then became the President and CEO of The Canadian Heritage Co, one of Canada’s largest mail order firms.
"The first time I met Izzy Asper was when I created the Centre for Entrepreneurship at the University of Manitoba, raising $330,000 to get the Centre started on a part-time basis," Levy recalls.
Izzy wanted to give a gift to U of M for the 25th Anniversary of Can-West Global as he believed that entrepreneurship drives everything ,creates wealth and enables individuals to come up with ideas that change the world. He put $1 million into the Centre for Entrepreneurship in 1997, which became the Asper Centre for Entrepreneurship." It is now known as the Stu Clarke Centre at the Asper School of Business. Levy was its first Executive Director.
In 1993, Levy purchased the Winnipeg Fur Exchange, which he describes as "an outfitter and retailer of parkas, and boots for the northern climate," and sold it in 1999. He became the Executive Director of the Asper Foundation that same year.
Levy notes that Izzy and Babs Asper created the Asper Foundation in 1983, and in 1999 he recalls, "I saw an ad to run a Jewish Foundation in Manitoba, and I put my name in for the running since I wanted to stay in Manitoba. I had another opportunity to become the Vice-President of St. Claire's College in Windsor, Ontario, but my family wanted to stay in Winnipeg." “I’m glad that I did”
Levy says that he had a final interview to become the Executive Director of the Asper Foundation with Izzy Asper, Gail Asper and Richard Leipsic. "I started the interview with a joke, and Izzy outlined all of the things he wanted to accomplish with his Foundation over the next three hours.” When Levy’s wife Barbara, z"l, asked Levy how the interview went, Levy recalls, “I said he wasn't really sure, as I hadn’t said that much.” Levy recalls being thrilled to get the position of being the first Executive Director of the Asper Foundation "Izzy and I clicked from day one. We became really good friends, well beyond the relationship of employer-employee."
Levy had been in the job for only a few short months when, on Nov. 22, 2000, Izzy Asper made what was at the time the two largest donations ever made by an individual in the city: $10 million to the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, and $10 million to the Winnipeg Foundation. Other big gifts were also made that included the St. Boniface Hospital, the University of Manitoba, Hebrew University of Jerusalem and others.
Levy describes Izzy as someone "who always wanted to do big things. He didn't want to be just a cheque writer. He understood that in order to do create change you need to take risks." The projects and programs the Asper Foundation has created and funded both in Israel and Canada, including, of course, the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, demonstrate the ability of Izzy and Babs, and their children to think big." Levy was inspired working with Izzy, and only wishes he had had more time to work with him. Izzy died in 2003 at 71, only four years after Levy became Executive Director of the Asper Foundation
Levy emphasizes that "from the day Izzy and I first talked about the creation of the CMHR on July 18, 2000, it took 14 years until it opened. Levy points out that ,"With a project such as the CMHR, you need to have the commitment and have the ability to continue to persevere and not give up." Levy did not give up, and neither, of course, did Babs, Gail, David and Leonard Asper. The idea of a museum that Izzy so dearly cherished was turned into reality, especially through the tireless efforts of Gail Asper and Levy. "With Gail’s determination the fundraising team of the Friends which she led, succeeded in raising the private sector donor funds from over 8500 donors," Levy says. Levy put together the business plan, put together the content team, organized an international architecture competition, and along with Gail and the Asper Trustees ensured politicians of different levels of government were all kindly disposed to its creation-- the first national museum outside of Ottawa.
Levy told the Winnipeg Jewish Review it has been the honour and privilege of a lifetime to have worked with Izzy and Babs Asper, Gail, David and Leonard, and Richard. And in particular Gail as they worked together on every project of the foundation over 23 years The Asper Foundation has just been so incredibly generous to this city, province and Israel. The Asper brand is so well recognized, from the Community Actions Centres in Israel, to HU to the CMHR. The current trustees of the Asper Foundation -Gail Asper, David Asper, Leonard Asper and Richard Leipsic- have done an exceptional job in leading this Foundation, and in making the world a better place.” I am so pleased that the foundation is now in the capable hands of Anita Wortzman as she leads it into its next chapter” Levy noted.
Levy stresses that Izzy and Babs Asper set up the Asper Foundation as a legacy to our community. As Levy concludes, "We can all be very grateful to Izzy and Babs. The impact of the Asper Foundation, on the Jewish community and wider of Winnipeg is profound. About 1/4 of the Jewish Federation's CJA Campaign comes from the Asper Foundation."
Taking what he learned from the Asper Centre for Entrepreneurship, Levy then established the Asper Hebrew U’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and later the University's Innovation Program, which brings an entrepreneurial mindset to all faculties at the University. A program in East Jerusalem focused on educating Arab women in entrepreneurship has changed its culture creating many hundreds of jobs.
Levy is a recipient of the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University's Scopus Award for his work promoting humanitarian causes. He received a Distinguished Alumni Award for Lifetime Achievement from the U of M this past fall. He is also the recipient of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg’s Sol Kanee Medal for Distinguished Community Service, the Mahatma Gandhi Peace Award and the Community Champion Special Award by the Canadian Race Relations Foundation.