business – Page 6

Elman’s grows in Vancouver

Millie Krause, who runs Elman’s, with receptionist Bonita Bouchard. (photo from Elman’s)

They started making horseradish 80 years ago and haven’t stopped. Elman’s Food Products is still making horseradish in small batches and, over the years, they have added new pickled products to the mix.

Today, Elman’s is run by Millie Krause, widow of the founder’s son, Manny Finkleman, who passed away in 2004. The company is gradually increasing its reach west from Winnipeg, led by Millie Krause’s daughter, Payton.

Six years ago, Payton Krause moved to Vancouver to be closer to friends and expand the family business, in which she first started working in the late 1980s. By then, the family had moved the company out of the garage and into its current-day location on Jarvis Avenue in Winnipeg’s North End.

“At that time, Payton, my daughter, was working here,” Millie Krause told the Independent. “And that was good, because she could keep an eye on things while I was running back and forth to hospitals, and taking Manny back and forth to this and that.”

In 2004, Manny Krause passed away. Since then, the brunt of the management has been in his wife’s hands.

“It was a really big learning curve for me, because my background was in sales. It took awhile,” she said. “Everybody wanted the same deals that Manny used to give and they didn’t really know who I was … but we survived.

“I always say that, if you don’t know something, find out. Just ask. If we look a little stupid or something down the road, who cares? Just get it done. That’s really the attitude we took it with. Now, what Manny said to me before he passed away … was that I should run it [Elman’s] for a couple of years, with Payton’s and everyone’s help … and then, sell it. So, 15 years later, I’m still here. The thing is, back then, when Manny was running the business, he ran it, if I might say, by the seat of his pants. He dealt with every problem that came up at the time, but he didn’t really remember what he did the next time, so it was like constant chaos.”

She and her daughter have tried “to reformulate the company and brand it – brand it into something that maybe wasn’t there at the time,” she said.

They position their products in the specialty food section, staying away from big retailers like Walmart and Giant Tiger. They sell the product by promoting the story behind it – making sure people know they’re a small, local family business with a long history in the city.

“I think we’ve succeeded in doing that,” said Krause, saying the process has “been a little slow.”

“Before Manny passed away,” she explained, “we were shipping from Winnipeg to Thunder Bay, and then west, but in very small ways. Then, Payton wanted to move out there, as apparently she needs mountains and water around her, and she wanted to open it up further. Actually, she’s done that.”

Expansion means winning over new clients, and that is exactly what her daughter is achieving in Vancouver.

“In fact, Payton had to pass a taste test,” said Krause. “Some of the wannabe customers she went to call on cut up 10 slices of pickles and said, ‘OK, now, which one is yours?’ And, I think she thought, ‘Sheesh! What if I get this wrong?’ But, she got it right.”

One breakthrough is that Elman’s pickles are included in all B.C. Ferries’ burgers. “They put the pickle on the top of the bun,” said Krause.

As another example, she said Elman’s are also used by Fairmont Hotels in Vancouver.

“The goal is to obviously get more business,” she said. “Up until this point, we didn’t have a lot of boots on the ground. We don’t have salespeople. The only ‘salespeople’ we have is Payton in the Vancouver area, but she has managed to do quite well. That is her goal – to get as much business as we can. It will hopefully get to a point that we can get enough business to be busy continually.”

Krause is hoping to get in with another large food service restaurant, which would allow Elman’s not only to be busier but to have the working capital to keep operations going. According to its website, the company currently has about 10 regular staff and casual employees.

Elman’s products carry a kosher certification from OU Kosher. For more information, visit elmans.ca.

Rebeca Kuropatwa is a Winnipeg freelance writer.

Eliminating chlorine’s effects

Elliot Kimelman’s C-Spray is available online at amazon.ca. (photo from Elliot Kimelman)

Going for a swim is something many people enjoy. But, many times, even if you shower right after, you can still smell the chlorine. If only there was a way to prevent that. Now, thanks to Winnipegger Elliot Kimelman, there is.

Kimelman attended Gray Academy of Jewish Education for elementary and high school. He took to swimming as a child and kept it up, eventually becoming a swimming instructor in Grade 10.

“I was really enjoying my job, but that’s how the idea for C-Spray started – because my skin started getting really irritated by the pool water,” he explained. “I have quite sensitive skin, so it bothered me a lot. I knew I had to be in the pool for work, but, at the same time, I could literally feel the damaging effects on my skin, which I didn’t like.”

He tried various products, but didn’t find them very effective. So, he researched the topic more deeply and found that certain combinations of minerals and vitamins have the potential of eliminating chlorine molecules. And, with help from some friends who were studying chemistry at the University of Manitoba, he developed a chlorine-eliminating body spray.

“Basically, I found that Vitamin C is one of the active ingredients in a solution I created that eliminates chlorine on skin, hair, swimsuits, or anything,” said Kimelman. “I felt that this was cool and very interesting.

“I started creating the solution, just for myself, and I used it and loved it … and didn’t think much of it. Then, I was discussing it with my coworkers and friends, and they all said, ‘Elliot, you have a really interesting product there. Why don’t you try bringing it to market?’ So, I thought to myself, ‘That sounds great. But, how do I do that?’”

He was in high school at the time.

In Grade 12, Kimelman enrolled in an entrepreneurial program for students, called Junior Achievement. When his group was looking for an idea for a product or a service to create in a four- to five-month period, Kimelman pitched the idea of C-Spray and the group liked it.

“They all thought it was quite unusual,” he said. “They didn’t really understand it. I don’t think I understood it at that point. But, they didn’t have any other interesting ideas, so we thought, ‘Why not?’ That’s when C-Spray was born.

“I was the president of that entrepreneurial group. And so, we met every week for five months. We created this product – the beta version, the testing, the prototype – and we brought it to market, in the sense that there were a few trade fairs that were organized for us that we sold the product at … which was all very exciting.”

Then, Kimelman found his first client – the owner of Swimming Matters, a swimwear accessory outlet in Winnipeg. They were interested in the product and agreed to carry it on a trial basis.

But, being part of a short-term program, C-Spray was shelved when Kimelman’s Junior Achievement stint ended. He went off to business school but soon decided to re-launch C-Spray, which he did this past summer.

“At that point, I’d studied business for almost two years,” he said, “so I had a better sense of what accounting was, what marketing was, how operations worked, etc. And, I felt I might as well try to start this business up again when I come home for the summer…. I arrived back in May and I put the pedal to the metal, and basically started C-Spray again. I started Winnipeg production, getting all the pieces moving. Then, of course, the most difficult part – getting the sales. I started talking to everyone I knew, every store I could think of – a store for luxury swimwear, cheap swimwear, anything related to aquatics whatsoever.”

Kimelman has been getting feedback from a wide range of customers, from high-end swimwear retailers who are worried about chlorine on their swimwear, to people who swim all the time and are worried about the chlorine’s effect on their skin and hair.

C-Spray has been on sale via amazon.ca, as well as at 10 other retail outlets in Winnipeg and Toronto. The product comes in two spray bottle sizes, 240 millilitres, which should be good for about 160 uses, and half that size.

“How it works is, after you swim, whether in a chlorinated pool or hot tub, you get out, hop in the shower and rinse off whatever pool water you have on you,” said Kimelman. “Then, you spray an ample amount of C-Spray all over your body and hair – anywhere you’d like to eliminate chlorine…. It doesn’t actually turn soapy … there aren’t any additives in it whatsoever. You spread it around your body and hair, and then shower as usual. You can use whatever products you’d like. At the end of the process, you’ve completely eliminated chlorine, which soap alone doesn’t do.”

Kimelman said that, even in saltwater pools, high levels of chlorine are used, so you should follow the same process.

While other products on the market claim to eliminate chlorine, Kimelman has found that they mostly just mask the smell.

C-Spray differentiates itself in a few ways. First, it is made with a combination of vitamins, minerals and stabilizing salts. “There are no additives, parabens (preservatives), perfumes, colours or sulfates,” said Kimelman. “It’s a completely natural, raw formula, which a lot of customers like.”

Second, he said, “When you do chemical tests to other products specifically marketed as being chlorine-eliminating shampoo and body wash … in beakers, you see the concentration of chlorine via these DPD tablets…. C-Spray eliminates the chlorine instantly, but these other products either don’t or they only mask the smell of chlorine, but it still exists. So, C-Spray is more effective than most sprays on the market.”

The only reason you will not find C-Spray in retail stores in other places in Canada, including Vancouver, is because Kimelman has not yet had time to spread the word.

“I’m happy to work with any retailer, to give some samples or give an introduction remotely,” said Kimelman. “My plan is now to primarily focus on maintenance and building the company slowly and organically while I finish school.”

Rebeca Kuropatwa is a Winnipeg freelance writer.

China’s increasing Israeli ties

Israel’s IVC Research Centre concludes that, with each passing year, some 16% more companies have at least one Chinese investor. (photo by Dave Gordon)

With headlines proclaiming the largest trade war in history, the United States and China began dueling tariffs July 6, and the ongoing row threatens hundreds of billions of dollars of product distribution. But, while China has locked horns with our neighbours to the south, it is partnering more and more with Israel.

According to Thomson Reuters data, Chinese investment in Israeli corporations tripled in the past few years to $16 billion, with about $600 million directed specifically to startups. Israel’s IVC Research Centre concludes that, with each passing year, some 16% more companies have at least one Chinese investor. The Jerusalem Post has stated that it will be no time before China surpasses the United States as Israel’s main foreign investor.

The Chinese “are leveraging Israeli tech to fuel their economy. Israel is held in high esteem as a hub of innovation,” said Hagai Tal, chief executive officer at Tel Aviv-based Taptica, an Israeli mobile advertisement company. “Many Israeli companies also see important opportunities in the East, and the meeting point of these two approaches is what produces such successful business partnerships.”

Israeli Shimi Azar, who runs mobile advertising Spotad’s Asia-Pacific operations, said he has seen “China becoming an innovation power in only a few years.”

China has 232 of the world’s 2,000 largest companies, up from 43 in 2003, according to Forbes magazine. Of the top 20 technology giants, China has nine, including Alibaba, Tencent, Ant Financial, Baidu and Didi. (The United States has 11.) C-Trip International is larger than Expedia, and China produces more online sales than anywhere else, says Market Watch.

“Big cities like Shanghai or Shenzhen already feel quite Western in almost every respect so, culturally, we are becoming closer every year,” said Azar. “The younger generation is eager to learn English and travel the world, so I’m convinced that any significant cultural differences to speak of will soon be a thing of the past.”

Ronen Mense is vice-president of Asia for AppFlyer, a mobile marketing analytics and attribution platform, which went to market with an Asia-first model. “In today’s digital and mobile-first world,” he said, “the Chinese mobile market is like no other. The numbers are staggering: about 800 million mobile users, nearly 500 million users making payments with their phones, nearly $2 billion quarterly revenue in the Chinese iOS App Store – more than any other country in the world.”

Lee Branstetter, professor of economics and public policy at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College, said Israel is “doing truly world-class research” in microchips, security and machinery. Adding to the reasons why China and Israel are collaborating more is the political clampdown sweeping through the United States; notably, concerns over security, trade, foreign debt and foreign corporate control.

The bilateral cooperation was echoed at the political level when Chinese President Xi Jinping and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu signed a memorandum in 2015, agreeing to partner in the technology sector.

For the past four years, the China-Israel Innovation Summit has taken place with the support of their respective countries’ governments. In the past two years, two Israeli companies entered the Chinese stock exchange for the first time: Alma Lasers (bought out by XIO Group in 2013) and Sisram Medical, in part owned by China’s Fosun Pharmaceutical. Major acquisitions are now legion.

In 2016, a Chinese consortium, led by Giant Network Group, paid $4.4 billion to acquire Playtika, an Israeli video game company. A year prior, China’s XIO Group ponied up $510 million for medical device firm Lumenis.

Last year, Kuang-Chi Group – whose stated aim is to “invest in and collaborate with innovative technology projects worldwide” – announced it was looking to base its headquarters in Tel Aviv. Its chairman, Dr. Ruopeng Liu, told Forbes that it all had to do with Israel’s “global reputation for innovation,” coupled with China’s strength in the global market.

Forbes also has reported that Ogawa, a healthcare leader in China, is earmarking $10 million for wellness technology investments in Israel.

Peggy Mizrahi, a Chinese citizen who now lives in Israel, sees two nations who have a similar view of the world. Mizrahi is vice-president of Indigo Global, an Israeli boutique investment advisory firm, with activities and operations in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. She said the “Chinese are [known for] long-term planning, conservative and hierarchical, unlike the commonly recognized Israeli mindset as fast, innovative, impatient, flexible and [with a] lack of respect for authority. However, paradoxically, both countries share something deeper than that: the refugee mindset – a people suffered for decades in wars, exiles, and Holocaust, massacres; struggled for independence and peace; respect of culture, history and the power of knowledge; and, most importantly, both Israelis and Chinese believe that economic progress and technological advancement will ultimately bring peace and prosperity to the world.”

David Maman, chief executive officer and co-founder of Binah.ai, recently sold one of his companies, HexaTier, to Chinese conglomerate Huawei. According to Maman, it’s not unusual for scores of delegations each month to visit Israel from the biggest corporations in China – including Fosun, Huawei, Alibaba, Tencent and Baidu – to explore investments and other ventures with Israeli startups.

Just as sure as tech can be used for the good, one expert had concerns about increasing collaboration.

Branstetter, who served as the senior economist for international trade and investment for the U.S. President’s Council of Economic Advisers, added there must be care ensuring technology isn’t misused.

“If an American pilot were ever shot down by a Chinese missile powered by Israeli technology, it would be a real problem for the Israeli government.”

Dave Gordon is a Toronto-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in more than 100 publications around the world.

Shoes with celebrity appeal

Stuart Weitzman built up his father’s business into an empire. (photo by Phillip Pessar)

There are so many styles of women’s shoes, including the stiletto, platform, wedge, kitten, sling backs, peep toe, mule or sneakers. Unlike our favourite outfits, the fit of our shoes doesn’t change much in relation to our waistlines. A great pair of shoes can boost our confidence and turn a “shlumpy” outfit into something eye-catching. Marilyn Monroe declared, “Give a girl the right pair of shoes and she can conquer the world.”

Renowned designer Stuart Weitzman was born into a shoe business family. But, while his father had started a shoe company in Massachusetts in the 1950s, Weitzman’s goal was a career on Wall Street and he went to and graduated from the Wharton School. However, after his father died, he started to make the transition from talented hobbyist sketcher to acclaimed shoemaker. His strong work ethic coupled with an eye for style created the prevailing Weitzman empire. His designs flew off the shelves of upscale stores and filled pages of top fashion magazines.

photo - Stuart Weitzman — Stuart Weitzman *(publicity photo)*

In 1971, Weitzman partnered with a Spanish shoe factory, Caressa. In 1986, Weitzman bought all the shares from his Spanish partners and became independent. Success over the years led to Weitzman’s ownership of nine factories throughout Spain, which granted him the ability to keep his upscale shoe brand at a price 30% to 50% lower than that of his contemporaries. At his peak, Weitzman owned 120 private boutiques and sold globally in department stores.

Fifty years in the business has attracted a large following of shoe enthusiasts to Weitzman’s creations, including celebrities like Beyoncé, Kim Cattrall, Jennifer Aniston and Taylor Swift. In 2002, Weitzman fashioned a pair of million dollar shoes, almost literally dripping in diamonds, worn by actress Laura Harring to the Academy Awards. He also designed the most popular nude sandal worn among celebrities, which has become a classic and essential for many women.

Weitzman sold his company to Coach for an estimated $574 million in 2015. At the age of 76, he remains the creative director. It is now Weitzman’s wish to find a successor, as his two grown children, Rachel and Elizabeth, have chosen different routes.

Weitzman and his wife, Jane Gershon, worked together to build the business. Together, they also became philanthropists, donating to many causes, but also establishing the foundation Pencils of Promise, which focuses on opening schools in Ghana, Laos and Guatemala.

Weitzman and Gershon are passionate about their Jewish roots and work to ensure the future of Jewish communities and Jewish heritage. Consequently, a substantial amount of their contributions and time commitments revolve around Jewish institutes and causes around the world.

Weitzman, an avid ping-pong player, participated in the Maccabiah Games in Israel in 2009 and 2013. Also in 2013, he made a donation of $1 million to Maccabi USA. “My participation in the Maccabiah Games was one of the greatest experiences of my life!” he has said.

A man used to working 16-hour days in a creative environment doesn’t seem set on a quiet retirement. The list of projects he has planned is long. A top priority is constructing a Jewish museum in Madrid dedicated to Spanish Jewry. On the horizon is producing a Broadway musical with Sir Trevor Nunn about the life of Andy Warhol.

Just in case the wedding superstition is true, let us do as the bride is advised – whatever our footwear, let us remember to exit with our right foot first to ensure a lucky day.

Some shoe facts

40,000 years ago, it seems, people began wearing shoes
the first women’s boot was made for Queen Victoria in 1840
sneakers were first made in America in 1916
heels were added to shoes in the Middle East to lift the shoe from the burning sand
Marie Antoinette had 500 pairs of shoes
the only shoe museum in North America is the Bata Shoe Museum, in Toronto
gold and silver coins placed inside a bride’s wedding shoe is an old Swedish custom
Chinese brides throw one of their red bridal shoes to the roof of their house to ensure the couple’s happiness
Altocalciphilia is the name for having a high heel fetish

Ariella Stein is a fashion writer based in Israel.

Sweet birthday party for kids

Jordana Saks gets great joy from baking. (photo from Saks of Sweets)

“I love baking, because it’s a fun activity that allows me to be creative. More importantly, there is nothing more fulfilling than the wide-eyed smiles I see on other faces when they enjoy something that I have baked.”

Jordana Saks’ love of baking inspired her to create Saks of Sweets, which plans and leads kids’ birthday parties. “What better way to celebrate a birthday than with friends while baking, decorating and eventually eating the delicious cookies?” she asks on the business’s website.

Born and raised in Niagara Falls, Ont., Saks studied cognitive science at McGill University in Montreal, before heading to San Francisco for a year. She arrived in Vancouver about 18 months ago, and has been in love with the city ever since.

Recalling her early sweet baking impressions, Saks said, “I started baking as young as 6 years old. My mom and aunt inspired me to bake, and taught me the tricks of the trade. When the eggs in my aunt’s fridge were past the expiry date, she used to call me over to practise the art of cracking an egg.

“Every year at Chanukah, for the family party, my aunt and I would make cookies and spend hours decorating them with unique designs. In addition to this tradition, we baked at least one new recipe each month. Still, to this day, when I visit home, we get together for a baking day – trying new recipes and recreating past ones.”

When Saks was studying at McGill, she used baking as a stress reliever, leaving her and her roommate with an abundance of baked goods.

“To prevent ourselves from eating an entire cake or a couple dozen cookies, I started an Instagram account called Saks of Sweets, where I could share when and what I was baking,” said Saks. “My friends would comment on what they wanted to try. I would find out where they were studying on campus and would deliver the goods, until nothing was left of that batch.”

When she moved to Vancouver, Saks recalls listening to a podcast called Side Hustle School, with Chris Guillebeau. “The entrepreneurial wheels in my brain were turning,” she said. “I was thinking about my passions and how I could channel those into a business. And, combined with my love for baking is my love for working with children. I’ve had many experiences working with kids and have enjoyed every one of them. After sitting down for an hour at a coffee shop and thinking about how to combine these two passions, the idea for Saks of Sweets quickly emerged.”

Saks of Sweets provides in-house baking birthday parties. Saks’ clients have loved the parties because, as parents, they do not need to stress or worry about anything except for inviting the children. The rest of the planning is in the hands of Saks of Sweets and Saks leads every party, along with one helper.

“We set up the individual baking stations, and the children will learn to roll out the Saks of Sweets shortbread cookie dough,” said Saks. “They will then choose from a wide variety of cookie cutters to create their cookies.

“While the cookies are in the oven, the children will decorate and personalize their baking aprons. Lastly, they will have a wide range of icing colours and sprinkles to decorate their unique creations. As an extra bonus, the take-home box for the cookies and the personalized aprons double as a loot bag.”

Prospective clients only need to provide a table for the rolling and decorating, and a working oven for the baking. Some parents like to provide a meal for the children, like ordering in pizza.

photo - Saks of Sweets brings the party to your children — Saks of Sweets brings the party to your children. *(photo from Saks of Sweets)*

For those not wanting to have the party in their own home, Saks of Sweets partners with the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver, so that people can rent the centre’s party room for the birthday celebration.

“Right now, I am doing cookie cutting and decorating, but I’d like to move more into baking other delicious things, such as cakes, cupcakes, pies and more,” said Saks. “This expansion will happen soon, when the time is right.

“When I started this business, my hope was to channel my passions into throwing a creative birthday party that makes both the children and parents happy. I wasn’t overly concerned about the business scalability or strategy, because I didn’t want to get bogged down in the details or dissuade myself from taking that first step.

“From that perspective, my hopes have been met. Each party has been extremely well received by the parents, and the children are always smiling. My only new hope is that I can throw these more often.”

Saks of Sweets is Vancouver’s only in-house baking birthday party. The business concept is all about convenience. It is meant to be stress-free for parents, so they can also enjoy their child’s party.

Saks of Sweets can accommodate most dietary restrictions or allergies and works with clients to tailor the party to any needs or wishes. “For example, in the past, I’ve had to ensure all ingredients are kosher … and I can do parties for families that are kosher,” said Saks. “Furthermore, the ingredients and the cookies are all nut-free. However, they may contain traces of nuts, due to baking utensils that may have touched nuts in the past.”

The cost for a Saks of Sweets party for 10 to 12 children is $300, and each additional child after 12 is $22. For more information, visit saksofsweets.ca.

Rebeca Kuropatwa is a Winnipeg freelance writer.

Remembering Sam Belzberg

Samuel Belzberg

Businessman and philanthropist Samuel Belzberg died on March 30 in Vancouver, after suffering a stroke several days earlier.

Belzberg, 89, was the chair and chief executive officer of Gibralt Capital Corp., which is based in Vancouver.

After moving here in 1968, Belzberg formed Western Realty with his brothers, which they sold in 1973, according to the Vancouver Sun. In 1970, he formed First City Financial, which adapted through the years, operating until 1991.

In his 60s, Belzberg reinvented himself as a private equity investor, quickly amassing significant successes. He bought out and revived the Keg restaurant chain. He also financed a Quebec-based vaccine manufacturer called ID Biomedical and took on real estate projects in Nova Scotia, California, Oregon and elsewhere.

In his later years, he became more known for his generous philanthropy. Belzberg’s parents had immigrated to Alberta from Poland just before many of their friends and family were sent to Nazi concentration camps, and it was the immigrant experience that inspired him to help others.

“Mom and Dad lost so many of their brothers and sisters, yet Canada took them in,” he told the Sun in 2003. “This country takes people in, so why shouldn’t we help people? It’s our responsibility to help. I think about it every day.”

Belzberg headed the initial $13.5 million campaign to build Simon Fraser University’s (SFU’s) Downtown Vancouver campus, a space that has since become an integral part of the city’s urban life.

SFU president Andrew Petter told the Vancouver Sun that Belzberg will have a lasting legacy at SFU. “Sam was a larger-than-life figure,” said Petter. “He was one of the builders of SFU.”

Both Belzberg and his wife, Frances, have been honoured by SFU for their leadership and contributions.

Belzberg also donated the initial $500,000 to start the Simon Wiesenthal Centre in Los Angeles in 1977 and served as its founding chairman. “Sam was both a visionary and proud Jew,” Rabbi Marvin Hier, who founded the centre, said in a statement.

On top of that, Belzberg helped found Yeshiva University High School of Los Angeles and was an active supporter of the Jewish community in Vancouver.

“Countless organizations in our community benefited from his vision and his philanthropy, including ours,” said Ezra Shanken, chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver. “He had such a youthful energy about him and, every time we met, he was always open to new ideas and new ways to help Jewish life flourish. He truly cared about this community and he appreciated others who valued tikkun olam and tzedakah as he did. He and [his wife] Fran were a team and they have instilled those values in their family from one generation to the next.”

In 2001, Belzberg created Action Canada, which, in partnership with the federal government, endows 20 fellowships each year to Canadians “who want to make a difference in the world.” He also founded the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation– a cause that was very personal to him. In the 1970s, his daughter, Cheri Belzberg, was diagnosed with the rare neurological condition, which impacted her mobility and speech. “Nobody knew the first thing about it in those days,” Belzberg told the Jewish Independent in 2014.

Belzberg received the Governor General of Canada Award in 1992 and, in 2002, was promoted to Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2009, he was awarded the Order of British Columbia for his extraordinary philanthropy and community leadership.

Belzberg is survived by Frances, his wife of 68 years, his four children, 16 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Matthew Gindin is a freelance journalist, writer and lecturer. He is Pacific correspondent for the CJN, writes regularly for the Forward, Tricycle and the Wisdom Daily, and has been published in Sojourners, Religion Dispatches and elsewhere. He can be found on Medium and Twitter. A version of this article was originally published by CJN.

How to cope with technology

Entrepreneur, venture capitalist, author and media visionary Leonard Brody is the keynote speaker at this year’s JFS Innovators Lunch April 24. (photo from JFS Vancouver

On Tuesday, April 24, Jewish Family Services (JFS) will be hosting its annual Innovators Lunch. The event, which encourages people to think as innovators and uplift lives to bring about meaningful and lasting social change, raises essential funds that go directly to serve JFS clients, programs and services. It has attracted more than 600 people in each of its 14 years.

This year, the keynote speaker is Leonard Brody, chair of Creative Labs, a joint-venture with Creative Artists Agency, the largest sport and entertainment agency in the world. He and his team are building new ventures and companies for some of the biggest celebrities and sports personalities in the world. He acts as principal in several venture capital funds throughout the world, and is behind the financing and creation of dozens of start-up companies every year. He is also one of the owners of Coventry City Football Club in England.

The award-winning entrepreneur, venture capitalist, bestselling author and two-time Emmy nominated media visionary has been called “a controversial leader of the new world order.” His upcoming book, in partnership with Forbes Magazine, is The Great Rewrite. In it, he addresses the rapid pace of change, innovation and disruption brought about by the internet and how to respond to its profound changes on our social and economic ways of life.

“Everything we do, from how we speak, how we buy, how we employ people, is being rewritten,” he told JFS. “The internet is the first time in our history where millions of people can speak directly to millions of other people at little cost, no regulation; the first time in our species that we have owned our communication at mass scale on a global level. The tools for innovation are nothing, the playing field is now level.”

Wherein lies the controversy? Brody argues that the resulting change in communication is “a massive disconnect between the institutions we’ve created and the people we’ve become.” He contends that it is the largest level of institutional shift in human history.

“Our world is inverted,” he explained. “We are fundamentally different than the people we were 100 years ago.” The institutions that run society are traditionally top down, he said. Take, for example, politics, with a prime minister at the top and the people at the bottom. Once the internet became ubiquitous, the power pyramids started to flip, or invert.

The pace can be disorienting, and Brody seeks to raise the level of our dialogue and provide a useful framework for action that people can look to and use. Through concrete stories, he provides many answers, ultimately offering a playbook on how we can engage in the world that’s being rewritten around us.

For tickets to JFS’s Innovators Lunch on April 24 at the Hyatt Regency Vancouver, visit jfsvancouver.ca/innovators. There is a limited number available, so book your space early.

Crocheting as work

The label for an Iota rug and pouf hand-knit by Kefaya, a Bedouin woman. (photo from Iota)

Some of the best projects are born out of a desire for change – at least that was the case with Iota, an Israel-based textile company empowering unemployed women through the art of crochet.

Each one of the company’s rugs, pillows and home accessories is hand-crocheted by Bedouin women from their own homes, providing them with meaningful work and an independent source of income.

Bedouins are an Arab Israeli subgroup, located mainly in the south, with their own distinct culture and social norms. Historically, Bedouins lived a nomadic lifestyle, and many still herd livestock. Women traditionally tend to the house and children, resulting in high unemployment and poverty rates. A 2015 survey showed the employment rate among Bedouin women as 22%, compared to 32% for all Arab women.

Founded by Shula Mozes, an active social entrepreneur for more than 16 years, Iota aims to support the many women, all over the world, who are unable to work outside of the home due to cultural, religious and geographical reasons.

When she started the company in 2014, Mozes chose crochet, a self-taught hobby, as a means to create a business that could empower these women and fuel social change. With the help of creative director Tal Zur, she later discovered that not only is crochet a very versatile technique, but it has its own universal language that can be written and learned, like music notes.

“I realized that if I can learn to make things by crocheting small elements and putting them together, maybe we can teach women who don’t have work how to do the same,” Mozes said.

photo - Iota’s studio in Tel Aviv — Iota’s studio in Tel Aviv. (photo from Iota)

Iota now runs a small studio in Tel Aviv, where an all-female team of textile experts dreams up intricate designs. At least once a week, a member of the Iota team travels to Hura, a Bedouin village in southern Israel, to deliver raw materials to the women the company employs. Once complete, the finished products are transported back to Tel Aviv, each piece bearing a label signed by the woman who made it.

Currently, Iota employs three women in Hura, an intentionally small number, Mozes said, in order to maintain a strong commitment to each worker. “We have to respect their culture and empower the women slowly, so that they can work according to what they’re comfortable with,” she said.

Though centred on a 200-year-old technique, Iota’s designs are modern. The yarns used to create each piece are bespoke, developed in-house and produced in a local Tel Aviv factory. Mozes said that, by applying computerized designs, they’re able to create yarns that contain several different colours in the same thread, allowing the carpets to be made with one continuous string of yarn.

While Iota is currently only active in Israel, Mozes said she hopes to collaborate with other communities worldwide, which are experiencing high rates of female unemployment.

In January, Iota exhibited its collection for the third time at Maison & Objet, an international trade fair in Paris known for showcasing innovative design talents. The collection, ranging in price from 200 to 2,000 euros (from $315 to $3,150 Cdn), consists of colourful single-yarn rugs, oversized floor cushions, stools, one-of-a-kind swings and home accessories.

“I hope that, in the future, we will be able to take one of the women with us to an exhibition so she can experience the success of Iota firsthand,” Mozes said. “Without them, none of this would have happened.”

For more information, visit iotaproject.com.

Israel21c is a nonprofit educational foundation with a mission to focus media and public attention on the 21st-century Israel that exists beyond the conflict. For more, or to donate, visit israel21c.org.

Talent agency expands

Back in university, Jeff Jacobson started working in the career he loves – being a talent agent. (photo from Jeff Jacobson)

“When I was a kid, my favourite movie was Jerry Maguire. He was an agent, and I wanted to be one, too,” said Jeff Jacobson, co-owner of Talent Bureau. “Whenever my buddies and I talked about some famous athlete or musician, I wanted to know who represented them.”

Jacobson started on the road to the career he loves when he was at the University of Victoria. “I was a promoter, organized concerts of rap and hip-hop music at UVic,” he said. “We tried to get the performers all they wanted, but I was getting tired of the musicians’ ‘diva’ attitude. I wanted to work with a different kind of performer.”

His chance came in 2007. Still a student at the time, he arranged for Al Gore to speak at the university. “Amazingly, Mr. Gore agreed. He came to Victoria. And I thought: that’s what I want to do. Many people and organizations want speakers at their events. Speakers are much better than musicians. The logistics are easier, too. Musicians often have an entourage, so you need hotels and transportation for at least a dozen people, while a speaker comes alone. Easier to arrange.”

Jacobson graduated in 2008 with a degree in American history. That year, he also organized an event featuring Colin Powell as a speaker.

“History teaches us about great men and women. It’s all about storytelling,” he said. “It’s exactly what I do professionally: bring great men and women to speak to people and help them tell their stories.”

With two powerful speakers behind him already, Jacobson went to work for the National Speakers Bureau. In 2014, he left the company and opened his own, then called Jeff Jacobson Agency.

“I don’t organize concerts or events anymore,” he said. “I’m a middleman. I bring talent and event organizers together.”

He said about 80% of his business comes from speakers.

“When people invite a speaker to speak at their event, they expect more,” he said. “They want social media. They want a YouTube video. We make sure it happens. We facilitate all the extras and help the speakers produce content. We’re a 21st-century agency. We represent the social media generation.”

For Jacobson, being a modern company means that he and his employees aren’t at their small office 9 to 5 every day. Most of their internal communications and business with clients can be done online or over the phone.

“My partner Jeff Lohnes is based in Toronto. We have staff members in Ottawa and in Nelson, B.C.,” Jacobson explained. “At the moment, our team is six people. Last year, we booked talents for approximately 300 events all over the world. We booked speakers for events in Latvia, in New Zealand, but the majority of our business comes from the events in Canada and the U.S.”

In addition to speakers, the agency handles entertainment, mostly bands, but other activities, as well. Companies will come to Talent Bureau, as the company is now called, when they want a celebrity to endorse their product or service, for example. Jacobson listed some of the speakers and organizations he has helped bring together.

“We worked with Rogers and Google, American Express and Sysco, Pfizer and Microsoft. We booked speakers for universities like UBC, McGill and Georgetown,” he said. “Recently, I placed the speakers at the SFU Public Square’s Brave New Work Event – Van Jones from CNN and Anne-Marie Slaughter. I booked former prime minister Stephen Harper to speak at the FarmTech Conference in Edmonton.”

As word-of-mouth has spread about the good job they do, more and more exclusive speakers have been asking Talent Bureau to represent them.

“To handle this level of clients, an agent needs a very thick skin,” Jacobson joked. These clients, he said, “They always want things their way, and we make sure they are satisfied. We also help the organizers to realize their ambitions for their events. We are matchmakers between talents and events.”

In addition to a thick skin, Jacobson said a keen interest in current events and a deep familiarity with pop culture are absolute necessities for his hectic profession. “I have to talk to people in different industries: sports, agriculture, manufacturing, art, science. I have to speak their lingo,” he explained, “be up to speed about everything that happens, be aware of the biggest trends.”

An obsessive consumer of news, Jacobson tweets multiple times a day, but his main focus is people. “You need a sense of humour to handle such a job and you need humility. I always remember that, although I deal with celebrities, I’m not one.”

He also stressed the need to care, to be passionate about his work. “Sometimes, bizarre challenges or obscure requests spring at you, and you must be prepared to deal with them,” he said. “For example, once a client canceled on me…. He was booked to speak at an event but, at the last minute, he remembered his daughter’s graduation and canceled. I had to find a replacement fast. Another time, a client asked the event organizers to build him a canoe on stage. Flexibility is the key.”

In general, Jacobson said he has to prove his value as an agent, earn his reputation every time he books someone. “One of the modern challenges for an agent is the democratization of talent,” he explained. “Everyone has a website. Anyone can approach him or her online, so why do they need an agent? I prove myself by caring about the people I work with. Everyone has a chaotic schedule, and it’s my job to juggle those schedules, to find good opportunities. Every day is like a Rubik’s Cube and, one day, I might even solve it.”

It was just this year that Jacobson and Lohnes rebranded the agency, changing the name to Talent Bureau. “It was a collaborative decision but it’s the right direction,” Jacobson said. “When you say Jeff Jacobson Agency, nobody knows what it is, but when you say Talent Bureau, it’s clear what we do. And we are still new enough in the business to be able to rebrand without damage.”

To learn more, visit talentbureau.com.

Olga Livshin is a Vancouver freelance writer. She can be reached at [email protected].

The wrap dress began it all

Diane von Furstenberg was born Diane Simone Michelle Halfin in Brussels, Belgium. (PR photo)

Character. Intelligence. Strength. Style. That makes beauty.” These timeless words of wisdom were expressed by the iconic Diane von Furstenberg.

Born Diane Simone Michelle Halfin in Brussels, Belgium, 18 months after the liberation of Auschwitz – where her mother, Lily Nahmias, was among those interned – von Furstenberg was taught from a young age, “Fear is not an option.” Following this motto has helped her become a legendary designer, with a business that was worth some $300 million in mid-2017, according to Forbes.

image - Diane von Furstenberg made the cover of Newsweek, among other publications, in 1976 — Diane von Furstenberg made the cover of Newsweek, among other publications, in 1976.

Von Furstenberg married Austro-Italian Prince Egon von Furstenberg in 1969. Soon thereafter, in 1972, she introduced her blueprint classic wrap dress. She made the cover of Newsweek, among other publications, in 1976, after selling five million dresses worldwide. Today, the quintessential wrap dress is on display at the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as von Furstenberg has been a major contributor to women’s fashion.

It was crucial, on a personal level, for von Furstenberg to be financially independent. She never wanted to rely on a husband or anyone else to pay her bills. Divorcing in 1972, she was determined, as a single mother of two, to make her dreams come true. A degree in economics helped her land a job as an apprentice in a textile house, which was where she learned the art of fabrics.

Von Furstenberg’s passion for prints began when she received the gift of a Pucci-designed outfit from a lover. And the idea of the silk, jersey wrap dress came to her when she saw Julie Nixon Eisenhower on television donning a wrap top with a skirt.

The wrap dress was considered both ageless and timeless: worn by women of varying cultures and sizes, from working women to the more wealthy. The wrap dress became a symbol of independence and power for a generation of women.

During this time, while ascending in her career, von Furstenberg lived a vibrant life. She had relationships with both men and women, she dressed the famous and traveled the world. She found love again with her present husband, Barry Diller. Though she had to relinquish the title of princess, she was still deemed royalty in the fashion business.

And her empire extended through the years to other domains. She wrote several books, including the memoir The Woman I Wanted to Be. She started a collaboration with the Gap, designed rooms and suites for Claridge’s hotel in London and starred in her own reality show, House of DVF.

Life was not without its challenges. She has battled cancer and, at one point, almost lost her business, but von Furstenberg prevailed.

The importance of her Jewish heritage became publicly apparent in the 1980s. It was then that she began her longtime commitment to preserving the memory of the Holocaust, and she became a prominent fundraiser for the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C.

Von Furstenberg is a philanthropist, giving back through various initiatives. For her, the empowerment of women has always been at the forefront – “Every woman can be the woman she wants to be!”

Ariella Stein is a mother, wife and fashion maven. A Vancouverite, she has lived in both Turkey and Israel for the past 25 years.