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RABBI JOSEPH PERETZ WEIZMAN
Date of Passing: Apr 21, 2020
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RABBI JOSEPH PERETZ WEIZMAN
1920 - 2020
He was predeceased by his parents, five siblings all of whom were murdered in the Holocaust; and by his wife Riva. He is survived by his children, Sam (Agi) Weizman and Tzila (Yacov) Schneid; six grandchildren, David (Debra), Amy (Micah), Adam (Joanna), Aliza (Mark), Adina (Ryan), Elana (Shane); and 15 great-grandchildren.
Peretz was born in Lodz, Poland in November, 1920. He had a happy childhood with a tight knit extended family, successful family business in pharmaceutical wholesale, and a strong faith as followers of the Ger Rabbi. However, this life was destroyed in 1939 and his entire family was murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust. He was the sole survivor. He returned to Lodz after the war and rebuilt a new life. He met Riva and they married in 1946. They had their first child, Sam, in 1947 in Poland. They moved to Israel and in 1952 had Tzila. Following the advice of his wife's cousin, the family immigrated to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1953. Arriving with nothing but his family, brilliant mind, and excellent oratory and people skills, he initially worked as a teacher at the local Jewish day school and then completed his rabbinical studies. In 1960 he became the Rabbi of Bnai Abraham Synagogue. This would be his pulpit for over 50 years as the synagogue grew to become one of Western Canada's largest congregations. He participated in the life events of most of Winnipeg's Jewish Community and became a prominent figure not only among Canada's Jewish community but also among clergy of other Faiths as well as government leaders. He was a published author and the subject of an exhibit at the Marion and Ed Vickar Jewish Museum of Western Canada. He also served briefly as the Rabbi at Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue in Toronto.
In 2009, he relocated to Toronto, Ontario to be closer to his children. Although he no longer had a congregation of his own, he continued his rabbinical duties to the end, providing support and wisdom to his new community. He was a devoted husband to his beloved wife Riva, particularly in her last years when she was ill. He was a doting grandfather and great-grandfather and his close relationship with his great grandchildren brought him tremendous joy. Despite all the hardships he endured in life, his sense of humour and quick wit never left him and there was not a scenario for which Peretz could not apply a joke or anecdote. He touched countless lives and his memory will live on forever.
The family would like to express its thanks to the staff of Kensington Place, the staff of Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and to Rabbi Morrison of Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue.
Funeral services were held at Pardes Shalom Cemetery on April 23, 2020.
Memorial donations can be made to the Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre, the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, or a charity of your choice.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 25, 2020
Condolences & Memories (3 entries)
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I was honoured to have paid Rabbi Weizman a visit at his residence in February 2019, & he remained as sharp & steeped in memory & in thought as ever, even if a bit slower. He was great friends with my grandfather, a fellow congregant of his shul & fellow survivor Dov Perlov. How poignant for him to have passed on Yom Hashoah, the Holocaust Remembrance day. He died as he lived: as memory. Memory was not a project to him - it became the essence of his identity: it was who he was. I remember his booming voice delivering challenging existential divrei torah penetrating beyond the weekly reading, dissecting & illuminating the very crisis of humanity in the aftermath of the moral chaos of the Shoah. As a boy, I warmly remember walking with him throughout West Kildonan on the Sabbath afternoon, listening to his wit & wisdom on Hebrew & the mystery teachings of the letters. May his memory be a blessing & a witness to all of humanity, and may he be reunited in some meritous cosmic realm with his family, for whom he so longed to be with throughout the days of his life. The world has lost a great man, and the heavens have gained a sage. - Posted by: Alon D Weinberg (Student) on: Apr 25, 2020
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Rabbi Weizman, z"l. He was the rabbi at my bar mitzvah, and when my mom worked at the Bnai Abraham he was always very kind to her. I remember he had a sharp sense of humor. He was rabbi of a North End synagogue at a time when the North End was slowly losing its Jewish community to the South End, but he played a crucial role in the North End's Jewish history. His passing also marks the passing of an age in Winnipeg's history. - Posted by: Brent Sasley (student) on: Apr 25, 2020
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Heartfelt condolences to all the Weizman family on the great loss of your beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Our both families go back many years in Winnipeg from the days of Atereth Israel Shule, later to the Bnai Avraham Shule. There was a special connection between both your dear parents (Z"L") and our Garfinkel/Weinstein family. May both their Memories be for a blessing. Baruch Dayan Emet......Sadly, Esther Weinstein and family,now of Vancouver and Toronto. - Posted by: esther weinstein (friend) on: Apr 25, 2020