UJPO/JFSJ to hold landmark celebration event on June 25

North End

Wolseley

Garden City

All are welcome to attend an upcoming event, titled Joy and Struggle, that marks a milestone for an organization with origins that can be traced back to the arrival of Jewish immigrants to Canada.

The Winnipeg Chapter of the United Jewish People’s Order, which is subtitled Jews for Social Justice, will mark the 100th anniversary of the organization’s Winnipeg connections with an event that will be held on Thursday, June 25 from 7 to 9 p.m.

According to the organization’s website, UJPO was created in 1945 when the Labour League in Toronto, formed in 1927, and the Canadian Workmen’s Circle in Montreal and Winnipeg, formed in 1926, merged. The website states the organization “proudly maintains its socialist and secular orientation, which is reflected in the many cultural and educational programs that take place in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver.”

“It morphed out of mutual benefit societies and new immigrants to Canada who struggled with discrimination and exploitation,” said board member Ellen Karlinsky, noting how UJPO champions secular Jewish culture and education with a commitment to social justice. “There was no safety for them, and people helped each other.”

Karlinsky, who lives in Wolseley, said the Winnipeg chapter has a small, but committed passionate board — one board member is 96 and another member of the organization is 100 — and she encourages other folks to consider joining the board to continue its work, following in the footsteps of “a millennial” that has joined.

The June 25 event, which will be held at the Ukrainian Labour Temple at 591 Pritchard Ave., will feature performances by the North End Winnipeg Jewish Choir and The Shandes, as well as other guests and greetings from representatives from a number of organizations.

Karlinsky said anyone able to attend the event earlier, at around 6 p.m., will have the opportunity to have “a little tour of the building, giving a little bit of the history.”

“There will also be really yummy food, wine and coffee,” she added.

Emphasizing UJPO’s longevity, board member Harriet Zaidman said the organization remains relevant today as the present can often mirror the past.

“The organization has stayed the test of time, consistently advocating for progressive views on all fronts, representing the best values of the Jewish community, and standing for solidarity and social justice,” Zaidman, who lives in Garden City, said. “The Yiddish culture is very important to me; it gives continuity in the community and provides lessons and guidance — values that are as important today as they ever were.”

In light of recent and current events in Gaza, as well as numerous events in recent decades such as opposition to nuclear armaments or apartheid, as two examples, Zaidman said society delivers ongoing reminders of people trying to deny the rights of others, further highlighting the importance of social justice.

She also emphasized that because UJPO Winnipeg celebrates Jewish heritage without being religious, it’s involved with “some really good events” including a Warsaw Ghetto memorial event, with speakers and presentations by the North End Jewish Folk Choir, and a lecture series celebrating literature.

Zaidman has been a member of the choir for 20 years, and she noted folks don’t necessarily have to be Jewish or have a wonderful singing voice to join: “We sings songs of resistance and celebrate the joy of singing.”

Go online at www.ujpowinnipeg.com for more information.