Philanthropy and volunteerism have always been a meaningful part of my life. I grew up learning by example, from my parents, my aunt, and both sets of grandparents, all of whom lived their lives guided by a deep sense of community and service.  I feel incredibly fortunate to come from such phenomenal people, each a shining example of what it means to be a mensch.

Rarely does a week go by without someone stopping me to share a story about my late parents, Celia & Mike Kaufmann - their compassion, their generosity, and the lasting difference they made in people’s lives. I never tire of hearing these beautiful sentiments - they remind me just how deeply my parents’ kindness continues to ripple through our community. 

I also hear beautiful anecdotes about both sets of my incredible grandparents: 

My Baba Clara (Meyerowitch; b. 1897, in Baranavichy, Belarus) came to Canada in 1913, and my Zaida David Issac Thompson (b. 1896, in Shebezh, White Russia) arrived in Canada in 1905, and settled in Pine Ridge, MB, before moving to Winnipeg, where they met and then married in 1918. Clara was known for her grace, generosity and compassion, raising not only their 3 children (Pearl, Manuel& Celia) but also her sister’s 4 children altogether in their home. Dave opened D. Thompson Electric on Main St near Redwood, an appliance shop (which he kept closed on Shabbat), that later grew into an Electrical contracting company, wiring countless homes and many prominent civic buildings. He became a pillar of Winnipeg’s Jewish community, and I still see his name on numerous plaques and cornerstones of early Jewish institutions. Although I never met my Zaida Dave - he passed away in March1961, before I was born - and I was only one year old when my Baba Clara passed away, I feel as though I’ve always known them. Through my incredible Mother’s stories and the legacy of their “good names”, their presence continues to resonate deeply in my life. 

My Mom, Cecelia Ruth(Thompson), was born in Winnipeg on Nov 22, 1927, and raised in our city’s North End on Machray Ave and was University-educated. She learned strong values by example from her parents and dedicated much of her life to community service, volunteering with numerous women’s organizations, including Pioneer Women, Hadassah-WIZO, ORT, and both the Talmud Torah and Rosh Pina Sisterhoods. She was an endlessly positive person - always happy, smiling, and known for her infectious laugh! My Mom often performed quiet acts of tzedakah, many times anonymously. She found joy in helping others, often in ways no one knew about, and had a beautiful habit of making people feel as though they were the ones giving to her.  She treated everyone she met with warmth and respect, reflecting the values she taught me: humility, graciousness, compassion, and respect for people, animals and our planet. 

Sadly, she passed away on March 30, 1977, at only 49 years old. She is deeply missed by all who had the privilege of knowing her and will always be lovingly remembered.  z”l

Like my Mom, my Dad’s life was a testament to resilience and service. 

Marek Kaufmann was born on July 17, 1926, in Milówka, Poland - a small town in the mountains near the Czech border. At just 13, he and his family were thrown into the darkness of the Holocaust. 

He endured the brutality of the Gross-Rosen concentration camp, enduring unimaginable hardship alongside his Father. Yet, through a combination of luck, courage, resilience and G-d’s grace, his entire immediate family - his father Joachim, his mother Antonia(Tonka) and beloved sister Judith - survived the Nazi horror. Their survival was nothing short of a miracle! Many of their extended relatives, particularly the women, were murdered at Auschwitz. Though he witnessed humanity at its cruellest, my Dad refused to let that darkness take root in his heart and define him. His good nature, humour, and unwavering belief in the goodness of people shone through the rest of his life. That resilience - his ability to choose hope over hatred - remains one of his greatest triumphs, and one of the many reasons our family will always be deeply proud of him. Truly, he was an inspiration!

After three years in Displaced Persons camps following the war, my family came to Canada in 1948,eager to begin anew and join Winnipeg’s Jewish community. It was then that my Dad began using the name Michael (Mike), the name by which he would become known for the rest of his life. 

My Dad first worked as a car mechanic at a garage near my Zaida Dave’s business, where he met my Mom. They married on Oct 1, 1950 - the very first wedding ceremony held at the new Shaarey Zedek Synagogue on Wellington Crescent. 

Although his formal schooling ended at grade eight because of the Holocaust, he built his career through determination and skill. He began working for his father-in-law at the family business, then known as D. Thompson Electric, where he became a Journeyman Electrician and later an Electrical Estimator, learning everything through hands-on experience. After my Zaida passed away in 1961, my Dad took over D. Thompson Ltd. and carried forward his father-in-law’s legacy with dedication. 

In the early 1970s, he accepted the role of Vice President of Western Canada for State Electric, offered to him by Kurt Rothschild of Toronto, the company’s owner. My Dad’s leadership played a key role in the company becoming Canada’s largest electrical contracting company. Despite frequent travel to his offices in Calgary, Edmonton, and Vancouver, he remained deeply involved in both the Jewish and broader communities. He served as President of the B’nai Brith Men’s Lodge, Chairman of the Winnipeg Committee for Soviet Jewry (Refusniks) in the early 1970’s and President of the Winnipeg Construction Association.  He also served two terms as President of the Board of the Rosh Pina Synagogue, guiding its amalgamation with two other Shuls to form Etz Chaim Synagogue. 

My Dad was part of a group of Holocaust survivors who, over several years, visited many inner-city schools to share their stories and teach students about the Holocaust. 

For this, each of them received a “Shem Tov” award in 2005. It was the ONLY award ceremony he ever invited me to - as he told me, it was a group honour, not about him. That was my Dad, always humble. 

A year later, in 2006, I was honoured to receive a “Shem Tov” award for my years of volunteer work at Gray Academy of Jewish Education, which I accepted after previously declining. Just 6 days before he passed away, I spoke to my Dad on the phone and told him that I had finally decided to accept the award because of him. He never got to see me receive the award months later but knowing that he knew was what meant the most to me. 

After 43 years in the trade, he retired from State Contractors in 1995. But instead of slowing down, he saw a new opportunity and stepped up - serving as the construction liaison in the building of the Asper Jewish Community Campus. 

I remember attending the groundbreaking ceremony with my infant daughter, Cara, in her stroller. My Dad came over, beaming with pride, and said to her, “This is the building where you will go to school, where you’ll swim, and do many other activities in your lifetime.”

This then led to his appointment as the first Executive Director of the Asper Campus, a role he held with pride for several years. Known for his fairness and quiet wisdom, he was also appointed as a Mediator for the Manitoba Labour Board. He eventually retired from both positions in his mid-seventies, spending more time in the sun, golfing in Florida and Palm Springs, and enjoying the life he had so fully earned. 

When my Dad passed suddenly on Feb 18, 2006, in Palm Springs, the depth of love for him was clear. A memorial table, with a candle and condolence book, was set up in the Asper Campus so that former colleagues and community members could pay their respects. I was deeply moved by the outpouring of beautiful words and memories shared about him. z”l

My dear, sweet Bubby Antonia (Wulkan) (b. Sept 24, 1903 in Żywiec, Poland; d. Oct 22, 2001) and my Jaja Joachim Kaufmann (b. May 5, 1900, in Walbrzch, Poland; d. May 23, 1959 -before I was born), lived together with my Auntie Judy (Kaufmann) Zimmer (b. May15, 1930, in Milówka, Poland) and her husband. 

When my Mom, Celia, suddenly passed away on March 30, 1977, it was my Bubby & my Auntie Judy, who selflessly stepped in to raise me - I was just 14 years old. 

Bubby and Judy were two of the most remarkable people I was blessed to have in my life!

Both were humble and wise, always positive, kind, caring, giving, deeply loving. They were beloved friends to everyone who knew them, and to me, they were the heart of my family. 

Auntie Judy was far more than an aunt - she was my mentor, my guide, my calming voice of reason, and my constant source of love and support. 

She sadly passed away at the age of 90, on July 27, 2020, while we were all isolating during COVID. z”l

The compassion and selflessness that guided their lives reflected the very heart of our family -values that shaped not only me, but also my two older brothers. 

It is no exaggeration to say that my brothers, Dr. Robert Kaufmann (b. May 26, 1956) and Gary Kaufmann(b. Sept 21, 1961), and I were incredibly fortunate, truly having lucked out to be adopted (each separately) by Mike & Celia Kaufmann. In fact, my brother Rob even wrote a short story titled “The Lottery”, comparing our adoptions to winning exactly that!

My Mom, Dad, Bubby &Auntie Judy - along with the lasting legacies and lessons of my Baba, Zaida, and Jaja - have shaped my lifelong passion for community service and making a difference in people’s lives. May all of their memories be for blessings.  z”l

I was born in Winnipeg on January 25th, 1963, and became the youngest child on both the Thompson and Kaufmann sides of my family. From nursery school to grade seven, I attended I.L. Peretz School, whose menschlichkeit values mirrored my family’s. 

From a young age, I have been proud to champion many causes that support women, children, human rights, animals, the environment, and the global Jewish community. 

I have passed these same values down to my daughters, Cara Dveris (b. July 12, 1993) and Shira Dveris (b. Feb 22, 1996), who uphold them with integrity, and I couldn’t be prouder of them! 

Before taking action, I often ask myself, “Would this make my parents and daughters proud?” That question continues to guide me every day. 

Although I moved to Toronto in June 2021, I remain a very proud Winnipegger, a proud Jewish woman, and a committed Zionist. I am deeply grateful to my ancestors, whose efforts helped build the facilities, organizations and institutions that became the cornerstones of our community.

To me, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba represents today’s cornerstone - an organization that I was humbled to be a part of for fifteen years. During that time, I served as Chair of the Women’s Endowment for eight years, contributed to two subcommittees, and concluded my volunteer service as a Board member for four years before relocating to Toronto. Since settling there, I have continued to volunteer, finding new ways to give back and stay connected to the values that have always guided me. 

The JFM’s continued strength and growth assure me that our community’s future will remain bright- just as my parents and grandparents once dreamed!

Signing the Foundation’s Endowment Book of Life is both my pledge to help ensure the perpetuity of Winnipeg’s Jewish community and my love letter to my parents, aunt, grandparents, and my daughters, Cara and Shira. It is my promise that the values they instilled in me - of giving, belonging, and building for the future - will continue L’dor V’dor - from generation to generation.

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