WINNIPEG, Manitoba — Tributes are pouring in across Winnipeg and beyond following the passing of Tova Vickar, a respected philanthropist, community leader, and humanitarian whose decades of charitable work left a profound impact on Jewish life, disability advocacy, childcare, and international humanitarian causes.
Tova Vickar, together with her husband Larry Vickar, became widely known throughout Manitoba for extraordinary acts of generosity that touched countless organizations and families. Friends, community leaders, and charitable groups described her as a woman of deep compassion whose quiet kindness shaped institutions and changed lives.
For many in Winnipeg’s Jewish community, the Vickar name became synonymous with giving. In recent years, Tova and Larry Vickar helped support the development of the new Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre at Congregation Shaarey Zedek, a project viewed as an investment in the future of Jewish life in Manitoba.
The childcare centre, which bears her name, was designed not merely as a facility but as a lasting contribution to families and future generations. Community leaders noted that the Vickars hoped their philanthropy would inspire others to strengthen communal institutions and support the next generation.
Beyond the Jewish community, Tova Vickar was recognized for supporting initiatives assisting individuals with disabilities and marginalized populations. The Vickars were instrumental supporters of L’Arche Winnipeg, helping establish the L’Arche Tova Café, a program dedicated to showcasing the abilities and talents of people living with intellectual disabilities.
Their philanthropy also extended internationally. Through their longstanding support of ANCOP Canada, the couple contributed to housing and humanitarian projects in the Philippines and other regions facing severe poverty. ANCOP Canada previously described Larry and Tova Vickar as among the organization’s most dedicated Canadian supporters.
Community members repeatedly described Tova Vickar as someone who gave not for recognition, but out of genuine concern for others. Social media tributes and statements released after news of her passing emphasized her warmth, humility, and enduring commitment to helping vulnerable people.
Her passing is being felt deeply throughout Winnipeg’s philanthropic, Jewish, and charitable communities, where many viewed her as a symbol of generosity guided by values of family, faith, and service.
Those who knew her say her legacy will continue not only through the institutions she helped build, but through the thousands of lives touched by her compassion.
“Tova” in Hebrew means “good,” a meaning many now say perfectly reflects the life she lived.
