Becoming the Messiah: The Life and Times of Menachem Mendel Schneerson
The Chabad-Lubavitch movement, one of the world’s best-known Hasidic groups, is driven by the belief that we are on the verge of the messianic age. One man is most recognized for the movement’s success: the seventh and last Lubavitcher rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson (1902–1994), believed by many of his followers to be the Messiah. While hope of redemption has sustained the Jewish people through exile and persecution, it has also upended Jewish society with its apocalyptic and anarchic tendencies. So it is not surprising that Schneerson’s messianic fervor made him one of the most controversial rabbinic leaders of the twentieth century. Ezra Glinter provides the first biography of Schneerson to combine a nonpartisan view of his life, work, and impact with an insider’s understanding of the ideology that drove him and that continues to inspire the Chabad-Lubavitch movement today.

The Second Vatican Council was a monumental shift in the Church’s relationship to the World outside of it. One highly significant progression of the Church is its relationship to the Jewish People. This session  will take us through a short history, the devastating effects of the Holocaust ( Shoa) and the Vatican II document Nostra Aetate- the Declaration on the Church’s relationship with non-Christian religions, with meaningful encounters between Jews and Catholics in its aftermath.

A look at a trend of blurring and photoshopping women's faces out of photos and videos or refusing to publish photos of women's faces in some Orthodox publications and social media.  

Identifying with Nature: How Jewish Culture Inspires my Environmental Advocacy
Jewish culture is full of respect for the natural world around us. Having formed as a people in close connection with the Land of Israel, many aspects of Jewish tradition are closely tied to respect for the land and water, sometimes in ways that are not so obvious. I have been deeply involved with the environmental movement for over a decade and believe that my Jewish culture shapes my love of nature and desire to protect it. Let me convince you that caring for the environment is an inherently Jewish value.

Witness the desperate situation of the Jewish defenders of Jerusalem surrounded by four Roman legions. The historical situation will be shown using the strategy game "Storm Over Jerusalem" and the game mechanics will be explained to give a feel for the tactics used by both sides during this battle.

The Jewish History Your Mother Didn’t Teach You
In this session, you’ll be taken on a whirlwind tour of Jewish history from the ancient kingdom of Israel to the arrival of Jews in America. But this is history you didn’t learn at school - we’ll talk about how Greek gymnasiums influenced modern ritual circumcision, discuss the parallels between the Maccabees and Game of Thrones, meet the wealthy Jewish woman who rescued thousands of Jews from being burned at the stake, and more.

Life, Death, and Giving Life: Brain Death and Organ Donation in Jewish Law. In this session, Rabbanit Adena Berkowitz will look at contemporary legal and societal approaches to organ donation and brain death and the sources and discussions in Biblical, Rabbinic and Contemporary sources. Does halakha accept brain death? Are organ donations and transplantation permissible under Jewish law? How do Jewish legal decisors approach this issue in light of new technology and the differing views within the worldwide Jewish community?

Panel Discussion: Giving Back: Volunteer Journeys in Israel
Explore the transformative experiences of volunteering in Israel through the perspectives of individuals who have served in various capacities. From working with Sar-El to participating in the Hineni Jewish Community Mission, and stepping up to volunteer in the aftermath of October 7, our panelists will share their personal stories of contribution and resilience. Gain insight into the challenges, rewards, and deep connections formed while supporting communities and causes in Israel during times of both hope and crisis.

Antisemitism in Winnipeg: A View From the Frontlines
What does antisemitism in Winnipeg look like? What are best practices to fight against it? In this session, we will talk about antisemitic incidents specifically in Winnipeg that have occurred since October 7, 2023, plus discuss ways to fight back effectively.

The Passover Seder is built on questions -but what if the act of questioning matters even more than the answers? This session explores why inquiry is central to Jewish tradition and how a “fifth question” can spark deeper meaning and conversation at your Seder. Come ready to think, challenge, and ask!

This presentation will explore the rise of antisemitism and the tools needed to combat and confront the oldest form of hate. One of the best ways to engage learners in the reality and various experiences of survivors of the Holocaust, is to take them on a journey through places of Holocaust memory. This is exactly what Kelly Hiebert has been doing for the last 6 years at Westwood Collegiate. In preparation for this emotional trip, Kelly Hiebert spends one year preparing students through lectures, interviews with survivors, inquiry-based learning on topics that students want to learn more about, and by building relationships and community with the Jewish community. Today, you will hear about the last trip where Kelly took a group of 30 students through Poland, Slovakia, and Austria to learn about the horrors of the Holocaust, but also, the resilience of the Jewish people past and present. Mahina Krause is one of these students and will be sharing her journey with us. 

No Words: Poetry After Oct. 7
In this session we will sample Israeli poetry written in the months following October 7, 2023: the breach and brutality at Israel’s southern border on Shabbat Simhat Torah. The poems are collected from personal websites and blogs of poets and of people who do not usually consider themselves artists. All are individuals who, at first, have no words to convey their shock, grief, and sleeplessness, yet somehow find forms and formats to register their visceral screaming, and express outrage, tears, critiques, as well as bitter ironies that they observe in the aftermath. The poems will be distributed in Hebrew with the presenter's English translation. We'll read in both languages and discuss in English.

Cantor Leslie Emery will dive into the history of how 1564 Torah scrolls survived the Shoah and ended up around the world. In this session we will follow the story of a Czech scroll that journeyed from it's original community all the way to Congregation Shaarey Zedek here in Winnipeg. We will explore some of it's more remarkable qualities including the Kabbalistic inspired letters contained within the scroll itself. In a space where history and mystery reside, we will dive into the implications of the nuances within the scroll itself, while giving voice to a scribing practice that was tragically lost to the past.

The Power of One: Resilience After Captivity
Facing the unimaginable, The Power of One chronicles the struggles of individuals grappling with the aftermath of captivity, including experiences as prisoners of war. This powerful narrative delves into the profound impact of PTSD and highlights the transformative power of hope, resilience, and the indomitable human spirit. The story also follows the inspiring journey of creating a service dog organization to provide crucial support and companionship to those affected by trauma, offering a lifeline of healing and connection.

Jewish and Resilient in Stressful Times
Even in the darkest times, there is always a light that refuses to be extinguished. This session will explore the stressors that Jews around the world have been experiencing in the wake of Oct. 7, 2023, the war in Israel, and the rise in antisemitism. Despite the challenges we have faced, we, as Jews, remain committed to fostering a world built on compassion, understanding, and connection. This session will explore some information and knowledge about our trauma and stress responses along with experiential mindful mental health practises for stress reduction and enhancing our emotional wellness. Through this session we will explore skills to learn better practises on how to find comfort in the connections we form and the shared experiences that unite us.

No Forbidden Fruit – No Angry God
The stories of the Hebrew Bible, the women and men who led the way of faith, are more magnificent than is told in our writings. That is what I believe after composing two channelled books, "Women of the Hebrew Bible: Their Stories" and "No Forbidden Fruit – No Angry God" which present those people and the events in a different light. I will be pleased to share some of these stories with you.

What is the burial society & why do we need one? This session will cover a little bit of Jewish history & an overview of the basics of a Jewish funeral in Winnipeg.

Jewish texts – Biblical, medieval and modern – over and over mention gardens. We will explore the continuing influence of the Garden of Eden and the gardens of the Song of Songs on Jewish writing. Listening to poetry, song, story and text, we will look at the ways the image of the garden suggests themes of beauty, loss and love.

Over the last 43 years, various interesting converts from all walks of life have shared their stories with Zev Brenner. as to why they left their lifestyles and religions to join the Jewish people.

Crafting Our Stories: Postcards of Hope and Identity - This is a double-block session
Facilitated by Art Therapists Tzafi Weinberg and Michaela Kaplan along with student Art Therapist Mishelle Aminov Kosonovsky, this 2 hour workshop will provide participants with an opportunity to contemplate their Jewish identity and how it has been effected since the events of October 7th. As individuals and as members of a larger community, we have all experienced great sadness, stress, and anger over the past year. Therefore the aim of this workshop is to come together in art making to draw attention to our strengths, our connections, and to hope. Each participant will create two collaged postcards, one related to their individual Jewish identity and a second related to community. We will then place all of our images together to represent the beautiful diversity and strength of the Jewish people. We hope that art making will bring release and catharsis to participants and that creating and processing together will strengthen community bonds. In our art therapy workshop, participants are welcomed to express themselves freely within a secure and supportive environment. No prior artistic skills are needed; everyone’s creations are valued.

Rebuilding Kibbutz Kfar Aza: A Story of Resilience and Renewal
Explore the resilience and spirit of the Kfar Aza community following the tragic events of October 7th. This session will provide an intimate look into the experiences of the community, the challenges they have faced, and the ongoing process of healing and rebuilding.

Singing in the Round. The Power of Communal Prayer
In this session, they will teach people how to use connection with each other in the Kol T’tilkah style. This technique uses energy and melody to create a prayer circle that transcends to a spiritual world.

In July, 2024, Naama traveled to Israel with a group of Canadian educators. The focus of the trip was to bear witness to the horrific terrorist attack of October 7, 2023 by visiting various sites of the massacre. Naama met with Israeli survivors, families of victims, educators, students, soldiers and citizens, all processing the horrors of the worst massacre upon the Jewish nation since the Holocaust. Naama will show a film of this difficult, incredibly meaningful journey that she and her friend, produced.

The Winnipeg Connection to Israel's Re-birth
The UN Partition Plan was influenced in a pivotal way by Rev. William Hull, a Winnipegger who went to Jerusalem in 1935 to open a Christian bookstore.  In 1947, he met with Judge Ivan Rand who was the Canadian member of UNSCOP and convinced him that the Jews deserved a state.  The seminar goes into some detail concerning the British Mandate period and how the San Remo agreement boundaries were forgotten due to how the British handled the Mandate.

Join Rabbanit Adena Berkowitz for an informative session on educational, spiritual and fun-filled ways to enhance your Passover Seder. You will walk away with a better understanding of the Seder and Passover including  how  the Seder came to be, the spiritual meaning behind matzah and the symbols at the seder and ways to keep kids and adults engaged!