WINNIPEG — A multicultural concert celebrating Israel’s 60th Anniversary put on by the Manitoba-Israel Shared Values Roundtable was attended by more than 900 people of many different faiths and backgrounds at Winnipeg’s Pantages Theatre.

Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble performed during program

The Shared Values Roundtable is a group that was initiated by Christine Melnick, below left, Manitoba’s NDP minister of water stewardship, and the late Harold Buchwald, a leading member of the Jewish community.

“Our group recognizes that the people of the Manitoba and Israel share many important values, such as belief in a democratic system of government, respect for freedom of speech and human rights, and commitments to public health care, public childcare and education,” said Melnick, who has been to Israel a number of times.

“Manitobans and Israelis have a strong commitment to family and community and believe that high literacy rates and public services are important building blocks that form the foundation of a society that honours freedom of opinion and values differences” she added.

The Sept. 14 concert, which was dedicated to Buchwald, featured eight top-notch performances from a number of ethnic communities.

One of the first guests to give greetings was Darlene Dziewit, president of the Manitoba Federation of Labour, who said she had experienced “a transforming visit to Israel.”

“It is important to see that in Manitoba, [unlike other provinces, where labour federations have supported boycotting Israel], people who identify with the left politically are also supporters of Israel,” Melnick said.

NDP member of Parliament Judy Wasylycia-Leis, (Winnipeg-North) gave greetings and said how exciting it was for her to be in Israel in May for its 60th anniversary celebrations. She noted that Pat Martin, another NDP MP (for Winnipeg Centre) was present at the event.

The first half of the Shared Values concert featured the music of Hinode Taiko, a drumming group, as well as dances by the India School of Dance Music and Theatre, and the Rusalka Ukrainian Dance Ensemble.

Manitoba Justice Minister David Chomiak, who attended the event, said he is “a big supporter of Israel.”

He added: “I was one of the Ukrainian kids who used to dance with Rusalka. I wasn’t that good. I was in the back row.”

The concert also featured an amazing hoop dance by First Nations dancer Brian Cline, accompanied with vocals and drums by Ray Stevensen. Cline was introduced by former Assembly of First Nations chief Ovid Mercredi, from the Grand Rapids First nations, who has also been to Israel several times on missions with the Jewish National Fund.

About 200 members of First Nations communities from northern Manitoba, Northern Ontario and Saskatchewan came to Winnipeg for the event.

“Many First Nations people have a real connection to Israel because of the things that we [the First Nations and the Jewish People have] suffered. Israelis have a love for the land and we also have a love for the land,” said Linda Mavsilar, a Christian member of a First Nations community in Saskatchewan.

“It is our intention to grow the Manitoba-Israel Shared Values Roundtable, and attract members of different faiths and communities,” said Sharon Blady, an NDP MLA for Kirkfield Park.

Andrew Swan, the province’s minister of competitiveness, training and trade, also gave greetings and said that Manitoba, can learn a lot from Israel’s experience “of being able to take in one million immigrants from the former Soviet Union.”

The second half of the concert featured the Brazilian music of Viva Capoeira, the dancing of Magdaragat Phillipines Inc., and a spirited performance by Evans Coffie, a West African dancer, singer and percussionist who invited members of the audience to join him in dance. The concert ended with a performance by the city’s Chai Folk Ensemble, North America’s oldest and largest Israeli folk dance ensemble.

Richard Buchwald and Jonathan Kroft, president of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, both paid tribute to Harold Buchwald.

“My father always brought people together for the common purpose of Israel,” Buchwald said.

Afterward, the audience, most of whom consisted of members from the general community, were invited to have a slice of a large birthday cake with the Manitoba and Israeli flags on it.