On this edition of Honourable Menschen, The CJN Daily‘s tribute to recently passed pillars of the Jewish community, we’re remembering people from across the country who left their mark on Canadian Jewish life.
Dianne Kipnes was a clinical psychologist and philanthropist in Edmtonon who, together with her husband, Irving, fought to find and fund better treatment for people with cancer-related conditions. Sandy Keshen was the long-serving executive director of Toronto’s Reena organization, founded to help her own daughter—and other people with disabilities—find facilities and inclusion within the community. Michael Mostyn, the former CEO of B’nai Brith Canada, was a lawyer who revitalized the Jewish advocacy organization to fight antisemitism on a national stage, while also assisting seniors, youth and the poor. Lou Hoffer was a Holocaust survivor from Transnistria, in Romania, who became a tireless advocate for the victims of the Nazis murdered in that part of Europe. And Stanley Diamond, a genealogy expert from Montreal, embarked on a quest to learn more about his family’s genetic blood disease, Beta thalassemia, and wound up helping thousands of Jewish people discover European roots—including Douglas Emhoff, Gwyneth Paltrow and Alan Dershowitz.
To share these stories, we’re joined by The CJN’s obituary writer, Heather Ringel, and also by Lila Sarick, The CJN’s ews editor.
Credits
- Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner)
- Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer)
- Music: Dov Beck-Levine
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