The Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada is pleased to announce that Sharon Graham, who recently completed her doctorate at the University of Manitoba, has won the 2020 Switzer-Cooperstock biennial competition for the best essay on Western Canadian Jewish history. Her essay, “Pearl Finkelstein, Unknown Hero: the Winnipeg Jewish Orphanage and Social Work in the Winnipeg Jewish Community in the 1930s” traces Pearl Finkelstein’s career beginning as a volunteer and eventually working as a paid social worker. The essay analyzes Finkelstein’s approach to community, service, and the causes of poverty and compares it with that of professionally trained social workers. Dr. Graham’s paper is based in part on her access to historical files from the orphanage. The date of Dr. Graham’s virtual presentation is October 15^th at 7 pm. Please contact Stan Carbone via email for registration information.