Rabbi.
Born in a small shtetl (Jewish village) in Lithuania on 1 June 1914 to Sara Shapiro and Shimon Berkal, his mother died when he was three. His father then married Hennah Eidelman, who brought along her two children to join the Berkal family. In 1927, he travelled to Winnipeg along with his relatives and other immigrants escaping persecution and poverty in Europe. His brother Abe and his sister Doris had been sent earlier to work and to save enough money to bring the rest of the family over.
At an early age, he displayed a talent for singing and found his place in synagogue along with his father, who was a Rabbi. He received his ordination (semikhah) to practice as a clergy from Rabbi Israel Isaac Kahanovitch. In 1938 he left Winnipeg to go south for his first position in Grand Forks, North Dakota, at B’Nai Israel Synagogue. He also studied music at the university there, as well as meeting Sara Ginsberg (1917-2009). They married in 1939, and went on to have four children.
After 16 years in the Grand Forks community, he took on a new position at Shaarey Zedek Synagogue at Winnipeg, as cantor and assistant Rabbi. This was a much larger congregation and placed new demands on him. He served the community over the next 50 years, officiating at and conducting thousands of bar/bat mitzvahs, weddings, funerals, conversions, High Holiday services, legion gatherings, interfaith meetings, leisure group luncheons, and condolence calls. Over the many years, he taught Hebrew lessons, filled in for Rabbis who had come and gone, and was responsible for all clergy and cantorial functions for a congregation of a thousand families. He continued to sing in special choirs, accompanied by pianist Mitch Parks, and was particularly remembered for his rendition of the Kol Nidre prayer.
Despite the heavy load of his role at Shaarey Zedek, he never complained and was appreciated for his optimism, his gentle nature, his undiscriminating kindness to all, and his humility. He enjoyed flying kites, watching Star Trek, taking violin lessons in retirement, and the beauty of nature.
He died at Winnipeg on 19 October 2009 and was buried in the Shaarey Zedek Cemetery.
Obituary [Sara Berkal (Ginsberg)], Winnipeg Free Press, 14 March 2009.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 7 November 2009.
“Sara and Louis Berkal,” The Endowment Book of Life, Jewish Foundation of Manitoba.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 9 January 2025
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