Marjorie Blankstein: A generous leader with an unwavering belief in community

For more than half a century, Marjorie Blankstein has helped shape Winnipeg through generosity, leadership, and an unwavering belief in community.

Born in Winnipeg in 1929, Marjorie is the daughter of physician Max Rady and community activist Rose Rady. Her parents were deeply engaged in civic and philanthropic life, and their example left a lasting impression. Max was among the first Jewish physicians to receive admitting privileges at St. Boniface Hospital, while Rose was an influential volunteer and leader in Jewish community organizations.

A graduate of the University of Manitoba (1950), Marjorie devoted much of her life to strengthening opportunities for young people and supporting the Jewish community. In the 1960s, she helped Jewish Child and Family Service establish a group home for boys. As President of the National Council of Jewish Women (Winnipeg Section), she led a collaboration with the Junior League of Winnipeg to create a nursery school serving Indigenous children in Winnipeg’s core. She also helped produce the landmark CELDIC (Commission on Emotional and Learning Disorders in Children) Report, advocating for the integration of children with emotional and learning challenges into regular classrooms.

Her lifelong commitment to community has been recognized with the Order of Canada, the Order of Manitoba, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Manitoba. Yet for Marjorie, philanthropy has always been about responsibility rather than recognition.

The arts have also been a constant presence in her life. As a child, Marjorie attended symphony concerts, a tradition she later continued with her husband, architect Morley Blankstein. Over the decades, the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra became a cherished part of the couple’s cultural life, and Marjorie later served on the Symphony’s board.

Her daughter, Carol McArton, reflects on that enduring connection to the arts.

“In my mom’s lifetime—and in mine—Winnipeg has always been a serious player in the major performing arts: theatre, ballet, the symphony. They are world-class,” she says. “Our city would be diminished without them.”

The family’s ties to the orchestra deepened further when Carol’s husband, Barry McArton, joined the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra as Director of Marketing and Public Relations and later became Executive Director in 1991. During Barry’s tenure, the orchestra launched the Winnipeg New Music Festival, and he developed a close working relationship with music director Bramwell Tovey. Widely known in Winnipeg’s cultural and nonprofit communities, McArton later served as Executive Director of the CancerCare Manitoba Foundation, where he launched the popular public art fundraiser Bears on Broadway, pairing local artists with large bear sculptures displayed throughout the city.

At the age of 96, Marjorie still takes her seat in the concert hall, just as she did as a child, many decades ago. This reflects a lifelong belief in the power of music to bring people together. The endowment she established with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra carries that belief forward, ensuring that the music she has cherished throughout her life will continue to inspire audiences for generations to come.

Through her philanthropy, service, and enduring commitment to Winnipeg’s cultural landscape, Marjorie has helped ensure that the city’s artistic institutions continue to thrive. Her legacy reflects the values she inherited and carries forward—a deep sense of community responsibility and a conviction that the arts are essential to a vibrant city. Because of that belief, the music will continue.