Latest news with #Asper
Winnipeg Free Press
3 days ago
- General
- Winnipeg Free Press
Asper donates $3M for Shaarey Zedek upgrades
Gail Asper has announced a $3-million donation to the capital campaign for Congregation Shaarey Zedek, which she likened to Grand Central Station for Winnipeg's Jewish community. Asper said in her remarks at a ceremony where she announced the gift that the decision to support the synagogue 'was the easiest and fastest to make' because generations of her family have benefited from its services. 'If we have benefited so much from something, we have a responsibility to be there for it,' she said, adding her family wanted to do its 'fair share' to support the synagogue. The Asper Foundation is giving $2 million, and the Gail Asper Family Foundation is giving $1 million. The campaign to renovate the synagogue will cost nearly $18 million. The Jewish community has raised $8.4 million, including the donation from the Aspers. Another $3 million was from the synagogue's reserve fund, while the Manitoba government is contributing another $3 million. About $3.8 million must be raised. The donation will enable Shaarey Zedek to 'meet the needs of a changing congregation,' Asper said, adding she is 'confident it will be able to do so for generations to come.' Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Shaarey Zedek executive director Rena Secter Elbaze said the donation will enable the 'beloved building to be transformed' for the community. Congregation Shaarey Zedek was closed from 2022 until last fall for the renovation project, which included floor-to-ceiling windows in the auditorium, pews and carpeting in the sanctuary, modern conference rooms, accessible and gender-neutral washrooms, a child-care centre and upgrades to the audio-visual system. Asbestos was removed, and security features were enhanced, including the addition of shatter-proof windows, 32 CCTV cameras and a pass card-entry system. Secter Elbaze said the building is a 'welcoming space' for all and is used by non-Jewish groups as well. faith@ John LonghurstFaith reporter John Longhurst has been writing for Winnipeg's faith pages since 2003. He also writes for Religion News Service in the U.S., and blogs about the media, marketing and communications at Making the News. Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Winnipeg Free Press
26-04-2025
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Talking about mental wealth
Opinion Talking about money can be taboo for many. That's despite money often being on our minds, enmeshed in a host of emotions — good and bad. If you've ever wondered why, an upcoming event is an opportunity to gain insight and even ask a few burning questions on your mind about your mental wealth. Money on Your Mind, an event presented May 4 by Jewish Child and Family Service (JCFS) at the Asper Jewish Community Campus, offers the opportunity to hear from a world-renowned authority on the subject: Winnipeg's own, Dr. Moira Somers. Dr. Moira Somers is a world-renowned psychologist in money and mental health. (Ruth Bonneville / Free Press) Ruth Bonneville / Free Press Dr. Moira Somers is a world-renowned psychologist in money and mental health. The author of Advice that Sticks: How to Give Financial Advice that People Will Follow and a soon-to-be-published book on the psychology of fraud, Stumbles, Snakes and Scandals: Understanding and Preventing Financial Misconduct, Somers is a clinical neuropsychologist specializing in financial psychology and founder of the practice Mind, Money and Meaning. The two-hour event won't involve Somers talking about financial psychology so much as being an audience-guided discussion. It's likely a lot of people are feeling stressed about money lately, says Alexis Wenzowski, chief operating officer at JCFS. 'We are always looking to offer programming on issues impacting individuals and a lot of people are losing sleep because of financial worries lately,' she says, noting the event was jointly conceived by JCFS's mental health and addiction services group and its Asper Empowerment Program. The Asper program is a relatively new initiative at JCFS, funded by a $100,000 grant from the Asper family to provide services such as free tax return preparation, budgeting and employment development, while addressing other economic issues such as food security in the city's Jewish community. 'We recognized that financial stress ultimately causes disruption in family relationships … and so we were looking at how we could foster a serious conversation about how mental wellness intersects with financial wellness,' Wenzowski says. It's a growing area of interest, including among wealthier families in North America who might at first glance have few money problems. Yet they, too, often face challenges dealing with the sometimes fiery emotions that arise around money. 'Financial psychology really cuts across all demographics,' says Somers, a sought-after speaker across North America, who also works with Blackwood Family Enterprise that provides financial services to families with successful businesses. After all, we all share common biology, she adds. 'A lot of what goes on with financial well-being really does lie in the brain regarding our relationships to money and so we really have to get our heads straight before we can get our behaviour straight.' Often, views about money are so deeply embedded in our psyche, we have difficulty recognizing them for what they are. 'A lot of the things we learn about money we learn when we're young, watching the grown-ups,' Somers says. 'And we're great observers, but we're lousy interpreters.' As children, we can witness emotional conversations about money without entirely understanding what they're about and whether the ideas they convey about money are even healthy. 'Sometimes, money messages we learn aren't the right ones like 'money is bad,' or 'money is the most important thing,'' Somers says. These black-and-white ideas about money often foster inflexible mindsets we carry into adulthood — buried deep within and yet insidiously impactful. Consider the widely held notion that talking about money is taboo. 'If we hold this belief, then we might not negotiate our salary; we might not talk to our dates about what we believe is important in life and that can lead to showing up in marriage with all kinds of unspoken assumptions,' Somers says. Recognizing and unpacking emotions underpinning money is a good first step toward dealing with financial challenges in a constructive way. 'For example, it's generally healthy to know how money is coming in and out of your life,' Somers says. 'That's being financially conscious.' Yet many people don't look at their credit card statements 'or they have no idea how much it's costing them to live their life.' That's not our fault entirely. We're hardwired to face what's in front of us and employ a bevy of mental constructs just to get us through the day. Trying to see the big picture might be too much to bear. 'Procrastination is the enemy of progress, but it can feel so good at the time to just kick that can down the road,' she adds. Success toward better financial well-being can seem unattainable because finances and our emotions are so complex. Problems appear daunting and insurmountable. So start small, Somers suggests. 'What is one small thing you can do that can get you closer to what it is that you're trying to accomplish that will make a difference?' That can be as simple as reading a financial news article every day or having a regular conversation with someone you trust about money. During Elections Get campaign news, insight, analysis and commentary delivered to your inbox during Canada's 2025 election. The event May 4, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m., might be a good first step. Tickets are $18 — though if that's too rich for your budget, contact JCFS, which may be able to help you still attend, Wenzowski says. 'The event is meant to be open to everyone,' she adds. 'It's a chance to have an honest conversation with someone specializing in this area, where, hopefully, people can learn some skills to cope with money stress and ultimately feel more empowered.' Joel Schlesinger is a Winnipeg-based freelance journalist joelschles@
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Leonard Asper excited to own Honey Badgers after long considering buying a pro team
TORONTO — Leonard Asper channels former New York Jets head coach Herm Edwards when listing his goals as the new owner of the Brampton Honey Badgers. "You play to win the game," said Asper in a phone interview. "So No. 1, I want to win. The goal is to win." Asper was announced as the new owner of the Honey Badgers by the Canadian Elite Basketball League on Tuesday. Asper is a lawyer, entrepreneur and the chief executive officer of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a Toronto-based media company that owns several cable channels in Canada and the United States, as well as a pair of combat sport promotions. "Sports is a good place to invest," said Asper. "It's a growth industry, mostly because of digital technology because a sports team today is a media company, it's intellectual property, and a multi-headed beast for revenue streams. "There's examples of a Manchester United or a Dallas Cowboys, these super brands, but pretty much even smaller teams, these second-tier leagues, have global reach now. They have players who are from various countries that generate interest from those countries. A local team is not really confined to its local market." The former president and CEO of Canwest Global Communications had wanted to buy a professional sports team for a long time — including potentially buying his hometown Winnipeg Blue Bombers with his brother David — but was waiting for the right opportunity. David Asper is already the owner and chairman of the CEBL's Winnipeg Sea Bears. "I've been looking at it for a couple years and couldn't agree on terms and I wanted to see the league develop a little bit more," said Leonard Asper of the Honey Badgers, who were formerly owned by the league. "But I have been nosing around different sports teams and leagues for a few years and turned down a few opportunities. "There's certain criteria I had, and this one ticked all the boxes." That included a situation where he could add value with Anthem's pre-existing relationships in the streaming and broadcasting industries. He also liked how the CEBL has been constructed since its founding in 2019. "Leonard Asper is a terrific addition to the CEBL and we are fortunate to add another high-profile team owner with strong business acumen and commitment to the community," said CEBL commissioner and co-founder Mike Morreale. "The league continues to grow into a premium destination for players, fans, sponsors, and owners who share the vision of Canadian basketball and the desire to grow the game right here in our own backyard." The Honey Badgers were one of the original CEBL franchises, first located in Hamilton but moved to Brampton, Ont., after winning their first championship in 2022. The Honey Badgers missed the playoffs last season. "We have an amazing, an outstanding basketball mind in (general manager) Jermaine Anderson, a Canadian basketball legend," said Asper. "I felt the team had great management in place with president Josie Pingitore, who is, again, a very experienced sports executive for operations." The Honey Badgers will start the 2025 season on the road, visiting the Montreal Alliance on May 18. Brampton will host the Scarborough Shooting Stars on May 25, a day after TNA Wrestling — one of Anthem's sports products — has back-to-back shows at the CAA Centre. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2025. John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press
