WINNIPEG — In a move to keep out a Jewish group that’s critical of Israel, a Jewish seniors centre here has barred any public forums except those sponsored by the centre itself or its owner, the National Council of Jewish Women.

The Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre [Myron Love photo]

The Gwen Secter Creative Living Centre, a north Winnipeg seniors centre that celebrated its 25th anniversary last spring, instituted the new policy Dec. 18.

The United Jewish People’s Order (UJPO) – a left-wing secular humanist organization founded in 1926 that’s highly critical of Israel and had been holding programs at the centre since 2005 – claims the new policy is intended primarily to keep out its political programs.

UJPO’s dispute with Gwen Secter began in late May 2007 and relate to a forum on Israel planned for early June, UJPO’s president, Roz Usiskin, said in a letter to the Jewish Post and News in Winnipeg. The subject was to be Israel’s war with Hezbollah in 2006.

“On May 26 [2007],” she wrote, “after publicity was underway, we received a phone call from Gwen Secter staff that the UJPO forum on Israel could not be held on their premises. In a subsequent letter dated June 7, ’08, [Gwen Secter] stated that their decision was made ‘after it was brought to our attention about the controversial nature of the discussion and the potential for criticism of the State of Israel.’”

In a letter of response on June 28, UJPO suggested that in future, in order to avoid difficulties, the Gwen Secter Centre might consider a disclaimer policy for renters, stating that the centre isn’t responsible for the views expressed by the renters or their  speakers.

“This policy is common practice in the media and in public buildings,” Usiskin said. “This proposal appeared to resolve the issue.”

However, in a letter on Aug. 28, 2008, the Gwen Secter board wrote that UJPO public forums can no longer be held in the Gwen Secter Centre building.

When UJPO members asked for an explanation, they received a second letter from the Gwen Secter board, on Sept. 18, stating that there had been phone calls from prominent members of the Jewish community in Winnipeg strongly objecting to UJPO being permitted to hold public discussion forums in the building owned by the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW).

As well, the community members suggested that the nature of UJPO’s discussions casts aspersions on Israel and, therefore, may be contrary to NCJW’s goals and ideals.

The community members also said the disclaimer about the opinions of groups that meet in the facility wasn’t satisfactory.

“Opinions about the actions of the Israeli government are not monolithic within this community,” Usiskin wrote in her letter to the Post.

“We feel that this decision by the Gwen Secter is part of an effort to prevent alternative viewpoints, to stifle debate and control  discussion on important issues that matter to Jews here and in Israel. We believe that the exchange of views strengthens a community… This decision casts a negative light on the Gwen Secter board and the ‘prominent’ people who pressured the board. It harms our institutions and community and stifles intelligent dialogue.”

The leftist group is now seeking another venue for its activities and hopes to continue its work in the city’s north end, Usiskin wrote.

UJPO springs from Winnipeg’s Jewish socialist/Communist tradition. For many years, the leftist organization held all its public forums and other activities at the Na’amat Hall on north Main Street, several blocks north of the Gwen Secter Centre.

In the fall of 2005, after Na’amat’s decision to leave its rented premises and move to a smaller office, UJPO approached the centre about holding its programs there.

“Our membership was growing,” Usiskin said in her letter. “We decided to move our activities to the Gwen Secter Centre to benefit from their larger and better facilities.

“When we applied to Gwen Secter, we informed them of our various activities, explaining that our main programs over the years were a series of monthly public forums on a variety of subjects, including Jewish cultural topics, health issues, aboriginal affairs, Canadian politics – federal, provincial and city – as well as forums on Israel.”

Usiskin said UJPO’s forums are educational. “Information and ideas are exchanged,” she wrote. “No one is prevented from giving his or her views and discussion is encouraged. The tradition of the Jewish people is to engage in scholarly debate and critical inquiry. Our history and traditions have taught us to pursue the cause of social justice and human rights, excluding no one. That is the history of the Jews in Winnipeg whose participation in the struggle for what is right for all is legendary.”

She said that UJPO brought a new North End Jewish Folk Choir to the centre, as well as an annual Warsaw Ghetto memorial program, both of which Gwen Secter agreed to co-sponsor. UJPO members also joined the centre and participated in its programs.

Usiskin was on vacation and not available to comment directly for this article.

Rose Aziman, president of National Council of Jewish Women in Winnipeg, and representatives from the centre declined to comment on the situation.

But Gwen Secter co-president Menorah Waldman has resigned from her position to protest the new policy.

“I believe that all facets of the Jewish community should be welcomed at the centre,” Waldman said.