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Congregation Shir Tikvah officially dissolves

SHIR TIKVAH logoBy BERNIE BELLAN In our July 24, 2019 issue we broke the news that Congregation Shir Tikvah was ceasing operations. In that issue we reported that “A Winnipeg congregation that had been holding High Holy Day services for the past 16 years is ceasing operations. In that article we wrote that, in a letter sent to congregation members dated July 12, Congregation Shir Tikvah President Sharon Bronstone stated:

 

Dear Members of Congregation Shir Tikvah,
On behalf of the Board of Directors and myself, it is with great sadness that we inform you of our decision not to hold High Holy Days Services this coming year.
After sixteen years in operation we can only see the writing on the wall that our numbers have been declining and at this time we don’t see a viable option to move forward.
When we started out no one thought our “little congregation” would ever amount to anything nor did anyone think Shir Tikvah would become a household name to hold Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services for sixteen years.
While closing our doors is not what we had in mind, we do want you to know how important your presence, contributions and commitment has been to all of us. To be a part of an amazing group of people devoted to helping us thrive over the years has been incredibly heartwarming to everyone who has served on the Congregation Shir Tikvah Board as well as those behind the scenes. We applaud you for sticking by us!

As a follow-up to that story we were recently contacted by Sharon Bronstone to inform us that Congregation Shir Tikvah is now officially dissolved.
Among the several artifacts that the congregation had accumulated over the years were two Torah scrolls which had been donated to the congregation by Leonard Kahane in 2015. In a story I wrote that year I gave the explanation as to how those two Torah scrolls had ended up with Shir Tikvah. That story also told how the congregation had first come about:

It’s not often that a Jewish congregation in Winnipeg is able to commemorate something as momentous as the acquisition of a new Torah scroll. If memory serves correct, the last time any congregation here was able to mark such an occasion was in May 2012, when Temple Shalom celebrated the completion of the “Penn Torah scroll”, which was the crowning achievement of scribe Irma Penn shortly before her passing that same year.
Now, a congregation about whom we don’t hear very much is also about to unveil two new recently-acquired Torah scrolls. Congregation Shir Tikvah, which is in its 13th year, will be unveiling the two Torahs at its Rosh Hashanah service on Monday, September 15.
The Torah scrolls are the gifts of Dr. Leonard Kahane, in memory of his late wife, Hope Renee, who passed away in 2006.

Recently I sat down with three individuals who were instrumental in creating Shir Tikvah congregation and who have played vital roles in keeping that congregation alive every high holiday since 2003: Sid Ritter (the former executive director of Bnay Abraham Synagogue prior to the merger of that synagogue with the Beth Israel and Rosh Pina synagogues in 2002), his wife Hinda , and Sharon Bronstone (a past president of the Beth Israel congregation).
As much as I was interested in hearing the story of the Torah scrolls, I was even more interested in knowing what has led the various individuals who have gathered together each year at the Viscount Gort Hotel (save for two years at the old Blue and Gold room in the former Winnipeg Stadium) for high holiday services to stay together.

The story, for those not familiar with it, is that at the time that three north-end Winnipeg congregations – the Beth Israel, Bnay Abraham, and Rosh Pina, decided to merge into one in 2002, not all members of those congregations were enthused with the idea of the merger. According to Bronstone, “Some of us were not happy the way it (the merger) turned out…and Sid, David (Bloomfield, also one of the original movers behind the creation of Shir Tikvah and a past president of the Beth Israel), and I started getting phone calls from others, asking ‘What are you going to do?’ “
“Nobody really wanted to start anything,” says Bronstone, “but the phone calls kept coming in and we did start something – it was a one-shot deal, in 2003” (high holidays services in the basement of the Viscount Gort Hotel on Portage Avenue).
“The first year we had 83 people – which surprised us,” she notes. “It came around that we met a second year, also at the Viscount Gort.” Since then the number of people attending Shir Tikvah’s services has continued to grow, to the point where there are anywhere from 150-180 individuals now attending annually (although one year there were over 200 people in attendance, Bronstone notes.)

(Ed. note: In my conversation with Sharon Bronstone on March 10, 2021 Sharon offered the following observations about the original formation of Congregation Shir Tikvah:
“Some of us were younger people who weren’t comfortable going to a larger synagogue.
Rabbi Green (who was the rabbi at Congregation Beth Israel at one time) had suggested, when Shir Tikvah was first formed that (to paraphrase) “You’re doing something for people who do not want to belong to a synagogue, but wanted somewhere to go for High Holiday services.”)

Arky Berkal has served as cantor from day one, while Sharon’s son Adam has served as “lay rabbi”, also from the very beginning. (Every year Adam Bronstone has come back to Winnipeg for two weeks during the high holidays, no matter where he may have been living anywhere in the world.) In recent years, Jared Trotman has also been contributing as “Ba’al Shacharit”, this year to be joined on the bimah by Avrom Charach.
As far as Torah scrolls have gone though, the congregation had been in the practice of borrowing two scrolls belonging to the Gray Academy each year. Later, when those Torahs were sent for refurbishing, Shir Tikvah was able to borrow two more Torah scrolls from the Talmud Torah-Beth Jacob congregation on Main Street. Most recently it had been borrowing two Torahs from the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue.

Bronstone notes that, even though there “were 48 Torahs” in the Etz Chayim as a result of the merger of the three congregations and that the Simkin Centre also had a surplus of Torahs, “no one wanted to give any to us.”
But, last year, explains Bronstone, while they “were breaking fast, Dr. (Leonard) Kahane said to me ‘Is there anything I can do for you?’ I didn’t understand what he meant, so I said ‘I don’t think so.’”
“No, no, what I meant is ‘What are you short?’ “, Dr. Kahane continued, according to Bronstone. “Well, after Yom Tov, I called him,” she continues, and mentioned that they were short Torahs of their own, so “he made us a fantastic offer of two Torahs”.
At that point Hinda Ritter explains how Sid and Leonard Kahane went down to Florida to visit a store known as “Tradition”, whose owner specialized in the sale of Torahs “that have been reclaimed from the Holocaust”.
“The Torahs go to Israel,” Hinda adds, “where they’re vetted and fixed, and he (the owner of Tradition) gets them.” (The Torahs are kept near the Kotel, where authorized scribes are allowed to work on them, Sid Ritter explains later in the conversation.)

Sid Ritter adds: “There are two locations in the world where Holocaust Torahs are kept. One is in Jerusalem and the other location is London, England. My opinion is we ought to be getting Torahs from Jerusalem. Those Torahs are checked by an authorized scribe to make sure they are all kosher.”
(At this point I interjected, asking whether it was permissible to repair a Torah that had been severely damaged. According to Sid Ritter, it depends on the degree of damage.)
“I asked our contact in Florida whether it would be possible to obtain one Torah that came from Poland and one from Romania,” Sid continues, “because our donor’s family came from Romania.”
“After some back and forth, eventually two Torahs were found – one from Poland, and one from Romania – and that’s what we ended up with,” he says.

There was an added element to the purchase of the Torahs that entered into the equation, Sid adds: The weight of the Torahs. Theirs is an “egalitarian congregation”, he explains, and they didn’t want to acquire Torahs that would be too heavy for women to carry.
So, what are the components that go into adding to the weight of a particular Torah? Sid wondered. One obvious factor would be the weight of the scroller, or the “Etz Chayim,” as it is referred to. “It depends on whether it’s made of hardwood or softwood,” Sid explains. But, another added element is the type of ink used in creating a particular Torah. “The heavier the ink, the more massive the Torah – not so much the parchments – they’re largely the same,” he adds.

But, how do you know a Torah comes from Poland, for instance, while another comes from Romania? “It turns out that there are actually distinct styles,” Sid says, that can indicate where a Torah comes from.
I ask: “How much does a Torah go for anyway?”
Both Sharon and Sid chime in: “Lots!”
In addition to the actual scrolls, Dr. Kahane also paid for the Torah covers, which were made in Israel.
Since Congregation Shir Tikvah meets only for high holiday services, I ask where the Torahs will be kept during the rest of the year. It turns out that Sid Ritter will keep them in his own home – under conditions “that are reasonably temperature controlled”, he notes.
The ark and the podium used by Shir Tikvah were designed and built by Zvi Gitter, Sharon Bronstone says, and they’re meant to be easily disassembled. As a matter of fact, she notes, “ we have given them out when people have bar or bat mitzvahs in hotels.”
“We are, in my estimation, a real synagogue,” she adds, “because the only things we were lacking were our own Torahs”.

According to Sharon Bronstone, now that Shir Tikvah Congregation is officially dissolved, the two Torah scrolls that the congregation acquired in 2015 are to be given to the Chevra Mishnayes Congregation (about which we have a story on page 34.)

As well, Sharon adds, the ark and the podium mentioned in that 2015 story will be donated to Congregation Temple Shalom, along with the white gowns worked by the lay rabbi and cantor.

As far as the High Holiday books that had been accumulated by Shir Tikvah over the years, Sharon says, of the 160 books in the congregation’s possession, 60 have been able to find new homes in other congregations, but there are still 100 remaining to be donated. If anyone is interested in acquiring these books they are asked to contact Sharon at 204-338-5064.

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BB Camp reverses decision to retain Jacob Brodovsky as co-director 


BB Camp  parts ways with co-director, who had held a variety of positions at BB Camp for the past 15 years

By  BERNIE BELLAN (Posted April 17) In an email just issued by BB Camp, the camp’s Board of Directors has announced that “the Board of Directors and co-Executive Director Jacob Brodovsky have amicably agreed to part ways, having regard to the best interests of the Camp and the community at large.”

There is no mention in the announcement as to the status of Brodovsky’s co-director (also his wife), Lexi Yurman.

The decision announced today constitutes a complete reversal of the Board’s earlier decision to retain Brodovsky as co-director. The Board had issued a statement on April 9 in which it said that “After conducting painstaking due diligence, the BB Camp Board of Directors unanimously voted to retain Co-Executive Director, Jacob Brodovsky, following his full apology for his serious error in judgement on social media.”

The statement by the board issued today (April 17) goes on to say that “the Camp Board expressly and unequivocally rejects and denounces the nature and content of the social media posts that were ‘liked’ (by Brodovsky) and in no way does that personal activity reflect the views of BB Camp or its Board.”

That statement refers to several social media posts which were posted by someone (or perhaps a group) that goes by the name “Rusty Robot,” which were posted in the spring of 2024, and to which Jacob Brodovsky attached his name as “liking” them.

There had been a myriad of accusations levelled against Brodovsky on social media, and one website in particular had been leading the charge to have him dismissed. That website not only ran several articles demanding that Brodovsky be fired, it allowed a slew of comments to be posted – many of which contained highly incendiary accusations against Brodovsky. (There were also a great many comments coming to his defence.)

In its announcement of Brodovsky and the camp parting ways, the Board goes into great detail about where certain areas of the camp’s operation need to be strengthened. The announcement says “Through this period, we have undertaken a careful and thoughtful review of our Camp’s policies and have taken guidance from experts in the community.  While we believe strongly that the Camp has been, and will continue to be, a safe Jewish place for children, we have nonetheless identified areas where improvement is warranted, and the Board has agreed to pursue these steps to benefit the Camp.”

The announcement outlines the areas in which it is seeking to improve certain aspects of the camp experience:

  • The Board has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and will incorporate it into our Code of Conduct.  We believe taking this step gives formality to the Camp’s existing and unbending commitment to Jewish safety and outright rejection of any form of antisemitism or anti-Zionism.  Our adoption of the IHRA definition will be posted to our website.
  • We will review and update the Camp’s mission statement and core values statement to better reflect the Camp’s fundamental support of Israel.
  • Employees and Board members will be required to sign the Code of Conduct, which will outline support of the IHRA definition and include confirmation that they will not publicly promote ideas that are contrary to the mission of the Camp or which are contrary to the IHRA definition.
  • We will take steps to hire a Jewish Education Coordinator to develop and implement enhanced Jewish and Israeli programming at Camp. 
  • We will strike a community outreach sub-committee of the Board to formally engage with Israeli and other community organizations in order to repair relationships and enhance opportunities for collaboration.
  • We will take steps to ensure that all Camp staff have a formal ability to communicate directly with the Board.

Yet, nowhere does the Board describe in any way how Brodovsky failed to meet any of the areas which the Board says it will seek to strengthen. It does say though that “Our campers will continue to do what they have been doing for decades: proudly sing Hatikvah daily while the Israeli flag is lowered, participate in meaningful and inclusive daily prayer services, enjoy the “Shabbat Procession” and Friday challah, and feel a connection to Israel and Judaism through our programming.”

Further, the  announcement issued by the Board also says that the Board  “would like to highlight we were particularly proud of what our Executive Directors initiated last year to support Israelis in need.  They engaged with the community to raise funds which were used to bring young Israeli campers from destroyed communities in the Gaza envelope, along with a chaperone, to Camp for a session.  This provided an incredible relief to those kids and gave our community’s kids a chance to connect with Israelis who have suffered so greatly.”

It should also be noted that the Board of the Jewish Federation issued a statement on April 14 that gave a forewarning that the BB Camp Board was coming under great pressure to part ways with Brodovsky.

The Federation statement said: “We are aware of the concerning situation regarding BB Camp.


“While BB Camp is governed by its own board of directors and operates independently — as do all of the Federation’s beneficiary agencies — we have listened closely to the concerns of community members, whose trust in the camp has been shaken. The Federation takes these concerns with the utmost seriousness.
“Our Executive has already held a number of emergency meetings, and our Board will be meeting on Tuesday night to further discuss the matter. A formal statement will be shared with the community this week.”
If there is a statement issued by the Federation we will provide an update to what is clearly an ongoing story. How the camp will reorganize itself this close to the opening of camp season is not explained in the announcement issued by the BB Camp Board. What it does say is that “The Board is actively working on a transition plan that ensures that Camp operates as it always has – as a safe Jewish place for campers to spend their summers, build leadership skills and create memories in an incredible wilderness environment.  The Board has great confidence in our returning staff team, including our exceptionally talented Operations, Program and Wilderness Directors, each of whom held the same position last year.  Camp has a culture guided by the dozens of amazing staff who commit their time and energy for the benefit of our community’s children.  We are blessed to have a strong and capable staff team ready to welcome our campers this summer, and the Board will work hand in hand with them to ensure the Camp’s continued success.”

Hats off to that hateful website which played such an instrumental role in seeing the departure of someone whom the Camp Board thanks for his “tireless efforts for the Camp over the last four years as Co-Executive Director and his dedicated service in a variety of Camp positions over the last 15 years.” If there is anything more to report on this story, we will do our best to do that here, but in past instances of administrators of Jewish organizations in Winnipeg leaving suddenly, it has consistently been the practice of neither the board involved in that person’s departure nor the person – him or herself, to say anything for public consumption that might explain their sudden departure.

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Sandy Sheegl honoured after retiring as executive director of G.R.O.W. Winnipeg

Karyn Lazareck (left) with Sandy Sheegl

By BERNIE BELLAN It was in the late 1990s that a group of individuals gathered at the old YMHA on Hargrave to discuss the lack of opportunities for individuals with special needs in the Jewish community. A steering committee was formed, under the leadership of Karyn Lazareck.
In an article written for The Jewish Post & News by Fern Swedlove in 2010, Fern explained how that steering committee eventually came to create a program known as G.R.O.W. – which stands for “gainresourcesourway.”
Here is how Fern described the evolution of G.R.O.W. from a seed of an idea to a thriving organization that serves the needs of a great many young adults with special needs in our community:
“In 2002, G.R.O.W. in Gimli was founded as a project of the Steering Committee for Persons with Disabilities in the Jewish Community. The committee of volunteers was led by Karyn Lazareck, and through partnering with the University of Manitoba Department of Occupational Therapy, a unique summer life skills program for young adults (age (18- 24)) with social and intellectual disabilities was developed. The program provided the opportunity for individuals to learn and practice life skills and social skills in a safe environment. The partnership with the university supported the development of evidence-based curricula as well as quality assurance through the establishment of a program evaluation process.
“The G.R.O.W. in Gimli Program quickly became known in the community, and based on its success, the G.R.O.W. in Winnipeg Program was established in 2010. Originally, both of the programs were piloted under the auspices of the Rady Jewish Community Centre. In November of 2013 further success and development of the program facilitated G.R.O.W. becoming an independent registered, charitable organization governed by a Board of Directors comprised of parents and professionals

G.R.O.W. participant Rachel Nickel with her mother Marilyn. Rachel was a recent participant in the Winter Special Olympics held in Turin, Italy, where she won three bronze medals in snowshoeing.


“The G.R.O.W. in Winnipeg Program is an innovative, transitional day program for young adults (21 and older) preparing for independent living. Centered on the individual with a goal oriented approach, the program focuses on life management, health and healthy living, and the development of social, recreational, and pre-vocational skills.”

In a subsequent article that I wrote in 2022 about the 20th anniversary of the G.R.O.W. in Gimli program, I noted that Sandy Sheegl was the executive director of the G.R.O.W. program. What I didn’t know at the time was that Sandy was the only executive director G.R.O.W. had ever had.
On Thursday, April 10, a large group composed of parents of G.R.O.W. participants over the years, along with many participants themselves, gathered at the home of Barb Ivans, who was one of the members of that original steering committee which led to the development of G.R.O.W.
The purpose of the evening was to honour Sandy Sheegl who, after 23 years as executive director of G.R.O.W., will be retiring from that position.
Karyn Lazareck paid tribute to Sandy’s long years of service. She described how she first met Sandy at one of those early steering committee meetings:  ”And there I was chairing a meeting in a hallway and in way over my head. The meetings were unbelievable. We had all kinds of very knowledgeable people who had a lot to say, and as an inexperienced chair, I let them say it. And so the meetings were marathons. At one of those meetings, I leaned over to ask my friend Joanie Sheps: ‘Who that young woman was silently crying in the corner?’ and Joanie told me ‘That’s Sandy Sheegl and her son was just diagnosed with autism’ and Joanie and I knew firsthand how hard it was for parents seeking support, especially within the Jewish community. So she (Joanie) looked at me and said, as only she could, ‘Well, she better get a grip,’ and I think we can all agree because Sandy got her grip.

“Sandy joined our committee and, over the next 30 years took on numerous roles, culminating as the executive director of G.R.O.W. She co-chaired the special needs steering committee, working alongside Jan Thompson, and together this committee lobbied the synagogues, schools and camps to promote inclusionary policies.”
Lazareck went on to describe how Sandy Sheegl oversaw the growth of G.R.O.W. from what was originally just a summer program in Gimli to a full-time program with the purchase of a house at 93 Willow.
Sandy Sheegl has worked tirelessly to insure the success of the G.R.O.W. program. Karyn noted that  ”One of Sandy’s greatest moments in leadership came during the dark days of Covid. While most programs shut down, Sandy ensured that G.R.O.W. remained active. She and the team held Zoom meetings twice daily, hosting games, contests, and even delivering bingo cards to participants’ homes.

“She secured funding that allowed for a staggered reentering, ensuring that doors at G.R.O.W. were open well before any other program. And I don’t know of any other professional in the field who did what she did, out of love and compassion… and dedication. Sandy brought that competitive spirit to fundraising and under her leadership, our events became more successful each year.”

One of the ongoing aspects of the G.R.O.W. program has been a hockey tournament held as a fundraiser. Karyn noted that, although the tournament was not held last year, it will be mounted again this coming May 31st. Participants come from many different areas. If you would like to participate or perhaps know someone else who might like to participate you can email G.R.O.W. at info@growyourway.ca or call 204-505-3799.
In one final moment of tribute, Lazareck noted that she herself will soon be honoured with the presentation of  a “meritorious service medal from the Governor General acknowledging G.R.O.W. and its influence beyond this province. I knew the honor must be shared with her, and so I’m inviting Sandy to join me in Ottawa for the presentation.”

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BB Camp finds itself embroiled in controversy over camp co-director Jacob Brodovsky

BB Camp co-director Jacob Brodovsky

(April 10, 2025) By BERNIE BELLAN It began with an article on a website that purports to expose anyone the owners of the website (whoever they are; their name or names are not listed anywhere on the site) deem to be anti-Israel.)
In an article recently posted on the website, B’nai Brith Camp co-director Jacob Brodovsky is accused of “engaging with anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian posts.”
The article goes on to say that “These activities, critics argue, demonstrate a clear bias that is inappropriate for someone in a position of influence over impressionable Jewish youth.” (The article does not give the names of any of these “critics.”)
The article further says that “ ‘It’s unacceptable,’ said one community activist. (Again – no name given.) ‘Parents send their children to BB Kenora for a safe, enriching Jewish experience—not political indoctrination against Israel. We demand Jacob’s removal.’ “
Nowhere does the article cite any instance in which Brodovsky engaged in “political indoctrination against Israel” in his capacity as camp director.
What apparently enraged the author of the article on the website was Brodovsky “liking” certain social media posts that had been posted by someone who goes by the name “Rusty Robot.” Apparently the social media posts that are at the centre of this controversy were posted in the spring of 2024, which might lead one to wonder: Why is the author of the article going after Brodovsky now?

According to the article, “The controversy has led some families to threaten to withdraw their children from the camp. ‘As long as Brodovsky remains, I’ll find another camp,’ stated one father. ‘He shouldn’t be shaping young minds with extremist views.’ ” (Again, the father’s name, similar to the “community activist,” is not given, nor is there any evidence cited of Brodovsky ever having shaped “young minds with extremist views.”)
In addition to the article on the website itself, there are several comments from individuals who, in some cases, give their full name, but in others only their first name, and who level some very serious accusations against Brodovsky, including this comment from someone who gives her name only as “Amy”: “if you are the director of a Jewish camp who shuts down support for hostages and protests the raising of the Israeli flag and singing Hatikvah, then your politics are affecting your role and the climate at camp.”
Two other commenters also criticize Brodovsky’s wife, Lexie Yurman, with someone named Rachel writing that ” I’m confused why there is no commentary on his wife, who runs the camp along side him and has allowed for this behaviour from him for years. She is complicit to his actions.” Another commenter by the name of Nancy writes: “I am confused to why Lexie Yurman, the co-director is not mentioned, since she has allowed for these actions to take place at the camp. She may not be able to control his online behaviour, but she certainly has control over actions taken at the camp and should be implicated in regards to the decisions made there.”

With controversy raging, the board of B’nai Brith Camp held an emergency meeting the evening of Tuesday, April 8, during which the directors discussed Brodovsky’s fate and how to respond to the article in question.
It should be noted that during the time that Jacob Brodovsky and his wife (and co-director of BB Camp), Lexie Yurman, have been running BB Camp (since 2021) it has seen record registrations.

On Wednesday, April 9, the board of BB Camp issued the following statement:
BB CAMP CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR APOLOGIZES FOR SERIOUS ERROR IN JUDGEMENT
 
Maintains Position, with Conditions, Following Unanimous Support of the Board
After conducting painstaking due diligence, the BB Camp Board of Directors unanimously voted to retain Co-Executive Director, Jacob Brodovsky, following his full apology for his serious error in judgement on social media. 
After listening to all comments and concerns, the Board made a decision that it believes is best for the organization moving forward. 
“While we know not everyone will agree with our decision, we have full confidence that Jacob will continue to provide our campers, families, and clients with the same safe and nurturing environment that they have come to expect and enjoy over the last four years,” said Board chair, Leah Leibl. 
She pointed to Jacob’s sincerity in issuing an apology. 
“I accept full responsibility and sincerely apologize for the gravity of my mistake and lack of judgement in liking posts that did not align with the values of BB Camp,” said Co-Executive Director, Jacob Brodovsky.  “I am extremely remorseful for my actions and most grateful to be able to continue in my role serving our Jewish community.”
Jacob also reaffirmed his belief in the State of Israel and is working closely with others to examine steps that can be taken to strengthen Jewish life and deepen support for Israel at Camp. 
Jacob added, “I believe in Israel’s right to exist and care deeply about the safety of all Jews and Israelis.” 
In addition to the apology, the Board requires their Co-Executive Director, who agreed, to exercise due caution in his use of social media and avoid any activity that may run counter to the mission of the organization. The Board of Directors has also expressed to Jacob the extreme seriousness of this matter, and has reinforced to him his obligation to uphold all Camp policies. 
 
Apparently though, the board’s statement did not mollify whoever runs the website that first broached the allegations about Brodovsky. In a post published also on April 9, an article on the website suggests that “the board’s decision to retain Jacob Brodovsky reveals a dangerous capitulation to woke pressures—at the expense of true Zionist values.”
The article goes on to say that “At the time of writing,” the website ” has received numerous communications from angry parents who are banding together and preparing a petition aimed at pressuring the board to overturn their decision and remove Brodovsky. This groundswell of community action underscores the depth of disappointment and anger toward a board that appears more concerned with appeasing a narrow ideological subset than with protecting the core values of Zionism and ensuring a safe, enriching environment for its campers.”
The article ends with: “The board’s weak and dangerous decision is setting a perilous precedent. By prioritizing appeasement over accountability, they have effectively signaled (sic.) that catering to woke demands is more important than protecting the future of our children and preserving the heritage of our community. As long as Brodovsky remains at the helm, the values of Zionism and the safety of our youth are under threat.
“The time for empty apologies and half-measures is over. The community’s message is loud and clear: Enough is enough, ‘the asshole has to go’. Until the board reconsiders its decision, angry parents are mobilizing, and their collective voice will not be ignored.”

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