WINNIPEG — For the first time in more than 10 years, the Winnipeg branch of the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada (NCJWC) is hosting the organization’s triennial convention.

“It will primarily consist of business meetings,” said Sharon Allentuck, NCJWC vice-president and co-chair of the convention (along with immediate past president Dianne Glass), which takes place Oct. 4 to 6 at the Hotel Fort Garry. Both Glass and Allentuck are from Winnipeg.

One of the focuses of the convention will be on a new project that the Toronto section has introduced to promote organ donation.  Toronto representatives will be filling in their sisters from the other Canadian sections on the new Gift of Life (organ and tissue transplant) program. 

Organ donation within the context of Halachah will also be the subject of Rabbi Alan Green’s presentation at the convention Shabbat supper. Rabbi Green is the longtime spiritual leader of Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Winnipeg’s largest synagogue.

Another order of business will be the installation of two new national vice-presidents, Paula Frisch from Toronto and Ronee Alter from London, Ont. The current president is Marni Besser from Calgary, who assumed the presidency two years ago and has agreed to serve for three more years.    

Allentuck said membership stands at about 3,000 nationally, with about 250 in Winnipeg.

“We will also be looking at ways to recruit younger members,” she said. “We will be redoing our webpage and logo and we’re considering opening a Facebook page.”

She notes that in Winnipeg, a couple of Argentine immigrants have recently joined NCJWC and are trying to restart a second chapter here.

Allentuck said that on the Saturday afternoon, the convention attendees will be given a guided tour of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, which will not be open to the public for another year and is located just a couple of blocks from the Fort Garry Hotel.

She noted that 35 national members are expected to attend the convention.