Many people go through life attracting attention—pursuing money, power, or fame. Saul Feldman had none of these ambitions. He was a quiet, shy, and intensely private man. With no desire to be the centre of attention, he showcased his generosity out of the spotlight and with no desire for reward or acknowledgement.

Saul was the oldest of three sons, born and raised in the north end of Winnipeg in 1924. He and his brothers grew up on Enniskillen Avenue, where Saul would live most of his life. He spoke fluent Yiddish. After high school at St. John’s Technical School and his 1946 graduation from the University of Manitoba, Saul worked as an electrical engineer, one of the few Jewish engineers in the province.

As a student, he worked on the construction of the Alaska Highway. Saul had a long and successful career with Winnipeg Hydro, and an impeccable personal and professional reputation.  

For many years, Saul lived with -- and cared for --his parents, both personally and financially (his mother lived into her nineties).He also cared for his younger disabled brother for decades and was an enduring source of support to his best friend during illnesses spanning twenty- five years. 

Throughout his life, Saul showed a limitless willingness to help and be a good friend to others. He was very handy and loved using his mechanical and electrical talents to assist anyone. He was never satisfied unless he felt the work was “perfect.”  Saul not only had manual dexterity, but he was also brilliant. He had depth and intelligence, which remained with him until the end of his life.

After a coronary scare in mid-life, he became a founding member of the Winnipeg Cardiac Reh-Fit, to which he devoted considerable time and energy regularly until his mobility declined. 

During his long life, he maintained a close relationship with his dear friends, the Selchens, who cherished his gentleness, kindness and droll humour. To Saul, their three children were his family; to them, he was Uncle Saul.

Though he had some real adventures when he was young, it was not until later in life that he became less shy and began engaging in wide-ranging conversations on various topics. At ninety-nine, he was still mentally sharp, with an astonishingly good memory.  

What motivated him to donate close to 2.5 million dollars, with little fuss or fanfare, to the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba?

His gift, one of the biggest individual donations ever made by a single person to the Foundation, was not a surprise to those who knew him as a man who spent his whole life dedicated to the care of others and wished to continue with this commitment after his passing.

Why the Foundation?

Saul saw it as the lifeblood of the Jewish community. He knew his gift would benefit many organizations and individuals in Winnipeg and possibly beyond. That desire to help others was so much a part of who Saul Feldman was in his lifetime, and it continued after his death in March 2023. 

Maimonides, the greatest codifier of Jewish law and ethics, described eight levels of mitzvah, tzedakah/charity. When Saul left his estate to the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba, he achieved the second highest level of tzedakah- giving without knowing to whom one gives and without the recipient knowing from whom he received.”  What a fitting final act from Saul Feldman after a lifetime of selfless generosity.

Story curated by Moshe Selchen.

‍