Portage la Prairie Mayor Sharilyn Knox was joined by Andreas Romanow earlier this month to proclaim May 2023 as Jewish Heritage Month in the City.
"It made me really proud that the Mayor reached out to me and asked me to be part of that," Romanow says with a smile.
Jewish Heritage Month is acknowledged across Canada and is an opportunity to celebrate and educate future generations about the inspirational role that Jewish Canadians have played and continue to play in Canada.
"You can proudly say that you're Jewish and don't have to hide it. Because in our family, there was a time when they had to hide that they were Jewish. So, it makes me really proud that I can say that we're Jewish."Romanow moved to Canada from Germany back in 2007 and explains that it has been a good transition for his family.
While Portage does have a handful of Jewish families, Romanow notes that he will have to go to the Jewish centres in Winnipeg and Brandon to celebrate his beliefs. However, he and his family gather for Shabbat feasts every Friday to honour their religion.