Jews here feel safer than those in other Canadian cities: study

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This article was published 12/04/2019 (2461 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Despite a rising tide of anti-Semitism around the world, a research study of Canada’s Jewish population found Winnipeggers feel safer and more secure than is the case in other cities.

Bridges built with other faith groups and the wider community may have something to do with that, says Belle Jarniewski, director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada.

“This has led to friendships and understanding across faith communities,” she said, adding it bodes well for the future.

“Winnipeg is a very special place in terms of the relationships we have built with each other.”

The Environics Institute, the University of Toronto and York University, in partnership with organizations such as the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, conducted the study in 2018.

The results released last month revealed one-third of Jewish community members in Toronto and Montreal reported having experienced discrimination, compared with 23 per cent in Winnipeg.

The city’s Jewish population, however, continues to shrink; there are about 12,000 members of the community now, compared with 18,000 in 1950.

“I expect it to drop to 9,000 to 10,000 in a decade,” University of Toronto researcher Robert Brym said, adding about 10 per cent of survey respondents from Winnipeg indicated they plan to leave in the next five years.

“That’s pretty alarming.”

However, Brym said he believes the province’s stable economy and lower cost of living could help reverse the trend by attracting more Jewish immigrants.

And while the numbers are a concern, Jewish Federation of Winnipeg CEO Elaine Goldstine has noticed there is a bit of traffic in the opposite direction.

“I see people moving back,” she said of younger families returning from places such as Vancouver and Toronto to be closer to family and because of the lower cost of living.

Goldstine said Winnipeg’s Jewish community is no different than other faith groups in the city.

“Our goal is to leave a vibrant community for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren,” she said, adding the study results indicate Jewish identity, practices and upbringing are important here.

Of particular interest, she said, are results showing what Winnipeg Jews want most is more Jewish education and schools, and programs that “promote an active Jewish life.”

“We punch above our weight in Winnipeg,” she said. “People here want to be involved.”

The study found that to be the case nationally: two-thirds of Canadian Jews said being Jewish is very important in their lives; one-third said religion is an important part of being Jewish, although a majority say they believe in God or a universal spirit.

Only one in five lists attending synagogue services or observing Jewish law as important.

Rabbi Matthew Leibl of Shaarey Zedek Synagogue wonders if a generational divide might be having an effect.

“Synagogues attract an older demographic,” he said, noting young families and individuals don’t have time in their lives for services that run two or three hours long.

In response, Shaarey Zedek is trying new things to attract younger people, such as shorter services, a more user-friendly prayer book and family-friendly services.

For a long time, Leibl said, “synagogues were stuck in a pattern of not making big changes. You’re always worried about messing with something that’s been around a long time. But I think the changes in society, and the changes in the mentality of people we are preaching to, that’s what dictates what we do.”

He notes this isn’t just a Jewish problem: other faith groups are also dealing with declining attendance at worship services.

“I can’t convince someone not to move away,” he said. “But I can focus on those who are here.”

Benchmarked against comparable research in the U.S., the data show Canadian Jews are distinct from their American counterparts by being more connected to Jewish life through education, membership in organizations, friendships and connections to Israel.

“Knowing how Canadian Jews define their Jewishness and what they need and want from Jewish organizations can help shape community policy and programming,” Brym said, adding the survey shows “the Canadian Jewish community is substantially more cohesive than its American counterpart.”

The survey is beneficial for planning by Winnipeg’s Jewish community, said Zachary Minuk, director of marketing and communications for the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba.

“It helps us understand what our community is going to look like in the next 10 to 15 years,” he said. “It will help us plan for the future, making sure we have the right services going forward.”

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