Eleanor Rosenblat

My Story...

My family has always been the focus of my life. My mother, Sally Libby (née Winestock), was born in Russia and immigrated with her parents and four siblings to Winnipeg when she was five years old. My father, Louis Peretz Libby, was born in Lipton, Saskatchewan, to Polish parents and grew up with six siblings. My parents met in Watrous, Saskatchewan, and married in Winnipeg in 1939.

I grew up in Saskatchewan for 13 years, and then moved to Vancouver, British Columbia. Our home was filled with Jewish cooking, traditions, and lots of family holiday celebrations. My father was an entrepreneur, and through his tenacity and strong work ethic, became a successful businessman. My mother was a homemaker "par excellence." She was active in the Vancouver Jewish community. Her priority, however, was family first.

I graduated from the University of British Columbia with a science degree in Special Education. I worked both in Vancouver and Winnipeg as a Reading Clinician with the Child Guidance Clinic. Several years ago I changed careers to become a Real Estate Agent. I have been active as a volunteer in both the Jewish and Winnipeg communities as a fund raiser for the Jewish Federation, the Breast Cancer Foundation and Alzheimer Society of Manitoba.

I credit my parents for instilling in me the importance of commitment and service to our communities.

In 1973, I met and married Ronnie Rosenblat. We were fixed up by my aunt who was also a friend of the Rosenblat family. We have been blessed with two children, Kara and Josh. Kara married Jason Old. They have two children, Owen and Sadie. Josh is presently single and living in New York studying advertising.

Winnipeg has been good to our family. I have embraced, and have been embraced by wonderful family and friends. This is a very special community where family values, friendships and community spirit run deep. I chose to celebrate this character of our community by participating in the Endowment Book of Life. I want my children and grandchildren to know their "roots" and leave this legacy to them with the hope that this knowledge and gift will help preserve the Jewish community and its organizations for generations to come.