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Some more reflections on that controversial medical school valedictory address – and why are there so few Jewish medical students?
By BERNIE BELLAN I wanted to return to the subject of Dr. Gem Newman’s valedictory address in front of an audience of graduating U of M medical students, their families, and other guests on May 16, which is almost three months ago.
While Newman’s controversial remarks continue to reverberate – most recently with the forced departure of the Professional Association of Residents and Interns of Manitoba President-elect, Dr. Matthew Bzura, in June of this year, there were several other aspects to the story of that valedictory address that deserve mention.
The first aspect – and one which may have been overlooked by many readers if they hadn’t read a very short column in The Jewish Post by Freda Glow about the graduation ceremony – which she attended because a granddaughter was a member of the graduating class, was Freda’s observation that there were only five Jewish students in this year’s graduating class.
I’m not sure about the accuracy of that observation; after all, as I’ve tried to show time and time again on this website – deciding who is and who isn’t Jewish these days is not at all easy.
But, for the sake of argument, let’s agree that, if not absolutely accurate, Freda’s observation was reasonably close to the mark. Now, I don’t have bona fide statistics on how many Jewish students have graduated from the Faculty of Medicine over the years, but prior to the quota system that was imposed upon Jewish students entering into Medicine by the then-dean, Alvin Mathers, in 1932, one out of every four incoming students in Medicine had been Jewish for quite some time. From 1932-1944, however, the number of incoming Jewish students was reduced to a little over 10 each year.
Even when the quota was lifted, it took some time before Jewish students began to enter into Medicine at the University of Manitoba in substantial numbers. Still, according to Eva Wiseman in her history of Jewish physicians in Manitoba, titled “Healing Lives” (published in 2019), more than 400 Jewish physicians have practised in Manitoba since 1881.
So, if Freda Glow’s observation about how few doctors who were part of this year’s U of M medical school graduating class were Jewish is true, it certainly says a lot about how different our community is today from what is was 30, 40, or 50 years ago when Jewish students comprised a huge chunk of the total medical school enrolment.
When you combine that observation with one that was made by Dr. Michael Boroditsky, who was the then-President of Doctors Manitoba, when he spoke to the Remis lecture group, also in May, that “in a 2023 poll of physicians here, to which one third of active physicians responded, 12% of physicians said they were likely to retire within the next three years; 14% said they were likely to leave Manitoba; and 26% said they were likely to reduce their hours,” we can expect the number of Jewish physicians practising in Manitoba in the near future to soon be a fraction of what it once was.
Which leads me back to Dr. Gem Newman’s valedictory address in May when he said, “I call on my fellow graduates to oppose injustice -and violence – individual and systemic. I call upon you to oppose settler colonialism, both at home and abroad. I call upon you to stand in solidarity with Indigenous people everywhere, here in Treaty One Territory, where an Indigenous man can expect a life ten years shorter than mine – and in Palestine (ed. note: loud cheers erupted at that point from among the students), where Israel’s deliberate targeting of hospitals and other civilian infrastructure has led to more than 35,000 deaths and widespread famine and disease.
“Many medical organizations, including the W.H.O. and Medecins sans Frontiere, and countless unions, including the Canadian Federation of Nurses Union, have repeatedly called for a ceasefire in Gaza, while there has been deafening silence from the Canadian Medical Association, Doctors Manitoba and PARIM (Professional Association of Interns and Residents of Manitoba), and so I call upon you to join me in calling for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. Join me in calling for unrestricted humanitarian and medical aid in Gaza. Join me in calling for an end to the targeting of medical facilities, medical staff, and journalists.
“I’m sure that some of you here today are worried that you may face censure for speaking out against the genocidal war that Israel is waging upon the people of Palestine, that it could jeopardize your career before it’s even begun. I understand that fear…”
I noted in my report on that speech that “Dr. Newman’s speech was greeted with a standing ovation from his fellow graduating doctors.”
And that might be the most important aspect of what went down that day in May. In subsequent weeks Jewish physicians in Manitoba organized themselves into a new group, “The Jewish Physicians of Manitoba.” As Dr. Michael Boroditsky noted when I asked him about the reasons for the formation of that group, “Jewish physicians in cities across Canada and the U.S. have been forming formal associations in response to heightened antisemitism following the Hamas massacre of October 7.”
While university administrators across North America (including here, both at the U of M and the U of W) cowered in the face of anti-Israel protests that shook their campuses and university teachers who added to the intimidation that Jewish students have been experiencing (such as that notorious teach-in about Israeli genocide and colonialism conducted by U of W professors in November, not too long after the Hamas massacre of October 7), some notable Jewish politicians have not been afraid to challenge the cowardice of university administrations.
Foremost among those politicians has been Josh Shapiro who, until quite recently, was considered the favourite to be Kamala Harris’s running mate in the U.S. presidential election.
By most accounts Shapiro had the prerequisite attributes that should have led Harris to choose him as her V-P candidate, but Shapiro had angered many in the left wing of the Democratic party over this overt support for Israel.
Here’s what the NY Times had to say back in May about Shapiro and his refusal to lay down before the leftist activists who had taken over so many university campuses across the U.S., including the University of Pennsylvania: “As university officials have struggled to define where free speech ends and hate speech begins, a tension upending the final weeks of the school year, Mr. Shapiro has issued stern warnings about their responsibility to protect students from discrimination. The issue hits close to home: On Friday, police cleared an encampment of pro-Palestinian demonstrators off the campus of the University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Shapiro had said it was “past time” for Penn to do so.”
Did Shapiro’s strong support for Israel cost him a place on the presidential ticket? In time, I suppose we’ll know.
To end this column, I wanted to return to my observation at the beginning of this column that “there were several other aspects to the story” of Gem Newman’s valedictory address that deserve mention.
Aside from the intimidating effect that the resounding cheers Newman received that day must have had on Jewish students (or other students who were made deeply uncomfortable by Newman’s remarks and the standing ovation he received from his fellow classmates), there were some very thoughtful and articulate responses to Newman that I published on this website.
One was by former Manitoba Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont, titled “First Do No Harm,” which was a lengthy and well researched response to Newman. The other was a more impassioned response by former Winnipegger Dr. Solly Dreman, titled “We Must Not Be Silent.” Both those pieces have been viewed over 4,000 times each on this website since they were first published.
I know that I’ve been hugely critical of Netanyahu’s conduct of the war in Gaza from the get-go, but having said that I have nothing but admiration for members of our community, wherever they are, who have been taking strong stands denouncing the antisemitism that permeates so much of the criticism that has been a constant theme of much of the criticism of Israel – beginning the day after the October 7 massacre. Still, the chilling effect on Jewish student that the support individuals like Gem Newman received from his classmates is bound to reverberate for some time to come.
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Gustavo Zentner talks about his role as CIJA Vice-President for Manitoba and Saskatchewan
By BERNIE BELLAN Gustavo Zentner has played many roles since arriving in Winnipeg from his native Argentina in the early 1990s.
In a May 2022 article written for The Jewish Post & News by Myron Love, Myron wrote this about Zentner, who had just become President of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg at the time:
“The new president of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg – who originally hails from the city of Corrientes in northeastern Argentina – notes that his great-grandfather –among the earliest Jewish immigrants to the city, was one of the founding members of the organized Jewish community and its cemetery – and his mother was the first (and thus far still the only) female to lead the community.
“ ‘My earliest memories are of my mother always chairing meetings of the Federation,’ he recalls.
Thus, it is no surprise that Zentner threw himself into volunteering with the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg very soon after he arrived in our community – among the wave of Jews from Argentina who immigrated here 20-25 years ago.
“ ‘I was delighted to come to Winnipeg,’ the new Federation president says. ‘I found a warm and welcoming community and was happy to contribute in any way I could.’ Zentner adds, ‘This is a wonderful community and I believe that everyone counts, every person has a story to tell and something to contribute, let’s make sure everyone is part of the conversation’.
“As a board member, Zentner has, over the past 15 years, chaired first the Human Resources Committee – followed by the Community Planning, Allocations Committee, and most recently served as Treasurer, chairing the Finance and Audit Committees. He has volunteered with many other organizations; no doubt that experience will serve him well as he builds bridges throughout the community.
“In his business career Zentner is the president of InterPOC (International Point of Commerce), an international business consultant, and Honorary Consul of Brazil in Manitoba. Zentner places a lot of emphasis on consultation and planning.”
It was during his term as President of the Federation, in the immediate aftermath of the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre, that Zentner played a pivotal role in rallying, not only members of the Jewish community, but members of the larger Winnipeg community, in support of Israel.
Zentner chaired three large rallies that year – the first at the Asper Campus in October , when over 2,000 individuals crowded outdoors on the campus lawn , followed by another large rally at the Manitoba Legislature, and finally a rally in the Rady JCC gym in memory of the late Vivian Silver.
Each time Zentner touched just the right chord, demonstrating an eloquence along wth a sincere passion for Israel and the Jewish community here. In 2024 Zentner developed strong lines of communication with various levels of government to bring awareness of the heightened antisemitism that had sprung up everywhere in the wake of the October 7 attack. Zentner was especially successful in forming a strong bond with then-Winnipeg Police Service Chief Danny Smyth, along with other members of the WPS, in an effort to respond to and, where possible, prevent antisemitic attacks in the city.
Thus, it was no surprise that, not too long after Zentner’s completion of his term as Federation President, he moved into a new position, this time as the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs Vice-President for Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
This past September 25th, Zentner spoke at the Remis Forum Luncheon, where he told the audience about his role with CIJA.
Zentner began by describing his own firsthand experience witnessing terrorism as a young Argentinean Jew during the 1990s: “I was there when there were two terrorist attacks – in March 17, 1992 and July 18, 1994. That forged my Jewish identity and my commitment to becoming more visible in terms of leadership in the Jewish community, while building a business or working for others or working for government.”
While Zentner spent a great deal of time during his talk focusing on the need for Winnipeg Jews to support Israel and especially to engage the younger generations in supporting Israel, he also took time to explain just what it is that CIJA does and what his particular role is in that organization.
“Our main business is Canadian Jewish advocacy,” he said. “CIJA is the advocacy agent of Jewish federations across the country.”
The head office of CIJA is located in Toronto, Zentner noted.. The president and CEO of CIJA, Noah Shack, took over from his longtime predecessor, Shimon Koffler Fogel, in June this year. In addition to the Winnipeg office, CIJA also has staff in Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver.
“Our core objective today is to combat antisemitism across Canada,” Zentner stated. But, in addition to that role, CIJA also consults with other Jewish communities around the world in a group Zentner described as the “J7” (similar to the G7 group of countries that discusses economic issues).
“Canada’s is one of the seven largest Jewish communities in the world,” he noted. (In order, the world’s seven largest Jewish communities are in: Israel, the US, France, Canada, the United KIngdom, Russia, and Argentina.)
As Zentner explained, “So, when we know that the Prime Minister in Australia or the Prime Minister of Great Britain is thinking of something, and our counterparts in those countries are considering what the reaction will be, we are (engaging) in a lot of discussion so we can anticipate and respond, (not only to) support another Jewish community in another country, but also (to) understand what may be the implications of such policies here.”
In addition, Zentner noted, CIJA is also the representative organization which handles compensation for Holocaust survivors through the Claims Conference.
When it comes to combatting antisemitism, however, Zentner stressed that his “background in economic diplomacy” has been instrumental in affecting how he “engages with governments.”
As CIJA’s representative here, Zentner said that his approach to dealing with various levels of government “is different than many other Jewish organizations. And I can guarantee you it’s mostly different than what most Jews in Winnipeg expect of me because I used to speak in a different way. Today I have to go to meetings with the chief of police or the chairman of the Winnipeg police board, and around the table there are many other minority groups. And while they each focus on their own activities, sometimes what people say is not reflecting on reality. So that’s a very diplomatic way of saying, ‘What are you talking about?… My community, the Jewish community has been intimidated since last Yom Kippur (2023).”
Zentner added that he has been very direct in telling various levels of government, especially the police “to take action” to combat antisemitism.
“To do that, we consult with and engage with law enforcement on an ongoing basis,” he said. And, when it comes to defending Jewish members of the community, Zentner emphasized that we should be looking to the police to do that job – not to members of our own community: “We look to law enforcement to do that for us,” he stressed.
But, by asking governments to be proactive in defending members of the Jewish community, Zentner explained, ..We’re not telling “civil society government to defend the Jews,” he said. “No, we’re saying ‘defend Canadian values’.”
A second objective for him though, Zentner suggested, is to revitalize “partnerships” with Israel so that governments can have “positive, healthy relationships with Israel…In my organization, and in my job, I am in charge of ensuring that we have viable, credible, open lines of meaningful engagement and communication with levels of government. And that is not easy.”
A “third component” of his role as CIJA representative, he said, is “community mobilization,” educating members of the Jewish community “on the importance of all of us remaining not only vigilant, but active.”
“Moving on,” Zentner said, he wanted to talk about CIJA’s “advocacy” work – “advocating for Jewish life, protecting synagogues, our community centres, and our schools – changing the course of policy…” through such measures as “Bill C9,” the Federal Government’s recently passed law banning “hate crimes” as defined in the statute.
Zentner went on to discuss the Federal Government’s recent decision to recognize a Palestinian state, and criticized that announcement, saying that “recognition cannot be without expectation of clear conditions for that Palestinian statehood.”
CIJA had been communicating with Prime Minister Carney since he first signalled this past July that Canada would be recognizing a Palestinian state in September, Zentner said, wanting to make sure that what the government said it would do was not going to be a unilateral preemptive gift reward to Hamas.” Again, he emphasized that what CIJA was trying to do was impress upon the government that it was not advocating for Israel – or even for the Jewish community alone, it was advocating for upholding “Canadian values.”
Another element of CIJA’s work, Zentner said, is “providing anti-Semitism training and Holocaust education. We provide support to other organizations that are training…. I’m working with the provincial government, the civil service commission, to ensure that they have anti-racism policies in place that there is (sic.) curricula to address antisemitism and anti-Zionism.”
Zentner went on to field a number of questions from the audience, touching upon consultations in which he’s been involved with the police – especially around the time that Folklorama was happening and there were regular protests from pro-Palestinians outside the Asper Campus. Those discussions led to an agreement that “Basically, to make sure that there is, whether through permits or other activities for next year, not to have protesters or pro-Hamas protesters outside the campus, the way they have been doing the tradition for the last ten years.”
He added that the Winnipeg Police Service is “committed to making sure they (will) have a strong presence and that they will act more effectively than what they” did this year.
At the end of his talk, Zentner harkened back to reminding the audience that he and his family left Argentina following two terrorist attacks against Jews (in 1992 and 1994).
He said, “We must not go into a dark space. That’s my role every day. And it’s a difficult role. But I’m not going to let that define who I am or how we define our community. I fully support and need to make sure that we all support our relationship between our community, Canada and Israel… I understand that there is more to (being) Jewish and identity than being Israeli and serving in the army,” but we have to be “moving forward. We have not lost anything. These are difficult times and I know it’s easy to feel lost, but we are not.”
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New play structure – “Gan Reut” (Friendship Garden) opens at Asper Campus
By BERNIE BELLAN It was a gorgeous Friday afternoon, October 3, when Lori Binder, Gray Academy Head of School (also Board of Jewish Education CEO) welcomed about 40 individuals to the opening of a brand new play structure on the Asper Campus – situated exactly where the old play structure (which had opened in 1997 with the opening of the campus) had been.
Most of the individuals who were there that day had played a role helping to see the new play structure built – either as donors, or as members of organizations that had participated in the planning and construction of the new play structure.
As Binder explained, “We wanted to call this the Friendship Garden. We wanted it to have a Hebrew name. ‘Reut’ – play, is the language of friendship and it’s also the language of learning. And so today for the very first time, as our kids were watching the structure be built – and that too was also an amazing learning tool, they began to learn to use the structure.”
Why was there a need for a new playground, some might wonder – when the old one was only 28 years old?
Binder cited several reasons for wanting a new play structure: “A lot of injuries were happening because there was pea gravel, and the pea gravel was surrounded by a border of wood. And if you did not have the ability to step over or walk through the pea gravel, you could potentially have an injury.”
She added that “pea gravel is only used in 3% of playgrounds today because you might skid and need a bandaid or have a cut.”
“But we also recognized that with the broken structure and the inability for all children in our community to play we wanted to begin to envision a new structure,” Binder added.
The actual project took shape in a relatively short period of time. Design and construction was handled by a company known as Playgrounds R Us. President of the company, Matt Lacroix, noted that “typically a playground of not even this size” would take much longer to plan and build.
“We typically work with schools probably three to five years, sometimes two. So, from start to finish, for us to start a year and a half ago to now is pretty phenomenal,” Lacroix observed.
There are many new innovations included in Gan Reut, including the resilient rubber foundation, the handicap accessible play structures (that can even accommodate children in wheelchairs) and, on an unexpectedly hot October day – something that proved to be most welcome: shade everywhere you went.
Getting the project done required cooperation among Gray Academy, the Rady JCC, and the Asper Campus. When Binder first approached the Jewish Foundation for funding assistance, however, she said that initially, “we got denied.” However, rather than that being an impediment to moving forward, Binder said “it turned out to be a blessing.”
The reason, she explained, is the Jewish Foundation “plays such an integral role in matching us with potential donors, helping us bring something to light or getting something started.”
In the case of the playground project, it was the Rich family, led by Gavin Rich, who stepped up as lead donors. There were many other donors as well. (You can see all the donors’ names in the accompanying photo.) Also, the Jewish Foundation did come through with a grant – for the rubber foundation.
Binder spoke of the important role that play serves in children’s development: “Diane Ackerman states that play is the brain’s favourite way of learning. And if you go into the daycare or into any of our early childhood classrooms, you will see that they learn through play. Dr. Stewart Brown notes that nothing lights up a child’s brain-like play. And I bet some of you will want to also play because even at as adults, we like to play.”
The blue and white colour of the playground was also a deliberate choice, Binder noted. “Blue and white,” she suggested, was “very purposely chosen to match the colour of the Israeli flag and give us a reminder every day of coming to this amazing Jewish community campus.”
When it came to planning what would go into the playground, Binder thanked Rob Berkowits from the Rady JCC and Curtis Martin from the Asper Jewish Community Campus, “who were along for the journey…We also have many of our educators, an occupational therapist, early childhood specialists, elementary specialists, student life coordinators, all coming together with all of the different ideas.”
“I have to say it is overwhelming,” Binder added. “I’ve not really been involved in such a renovation project; it’s hard to make decisions. You can have a million different kinds of playgrounds.”
Not only will the playground, however, serve as a major enhancement to be enjoyed by students at Gray Academy and the Rady JCC daycare during weekdays, it will be open to everyone in the community 24/7, Binder noted.
Following Binder’s remarks, attendees heard from Rob Berkowits, CEO of the Rady JCC, who acknowledged the key role Binder had played in bringing the project to fruition: “I want to extend a heartfelt thanks to Lori Binder, Head of School at Gray Academy, for unwavering leadership in bringing this vision to life.”
Finally, Jill Winograd, who was representing the Asper Jewish Community Campus, offered remarks: “Spaces like this are more than slides or swings. They’re about belonging, imagination, and giving kids a safe place to grow together. So this project wasn’t about starting fresh, but renewal, taking something well used.
“So what makes this playground matter isn’t just the newer equipment or the safer surfaces, but the thoughtfulness behind it. Accessible roots, quiet corners. And spaces that welcome kids, parents and grandparents together. It’s built for inclusion and community. And I think grandparents is such a key word here because it’s really so lovely to see from our sponsors how many are in memory of grandparents and how special that time is at the playground for them.”
And, with that – and a ceremonial ribbon cutting by Gavin Rich and Marni Slonim, Grade 2 students from Gray Academy descended upon the structure – many with parents in tow, to demonstrate all the many features of the beautiful new playground.
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Gray Academy registration numbers continuing their upward trajectory
By MYRON LOVE Lori Binder, Gray Academy’s Head of School and CEO of the Winnipeg Board of Jewish Education, is happy to report that this year’s enrolment stands at 517 – the highest back-to-school number since 2013-2014. “We have had to add a second Junior Kindergarten class and, for the second consecutive year, a third kindergarten class,” she says.
Gray Academy students speak of feeling safe and being able to connect with their roots. As Binder points out, many of the students have parents and even grandparents who attended Gray Academy or its founding high school, Joseph Wolinsky Collegiate. In addition, 25% of the staff are Gray Academy alumni.
The school also plays an integral role in helping families moving to Winnipeg from Israel, Argentina, Brazil and other countries to adapt to their new homes. Over the past two years, the EAL (English as an additional language) program has expanded significantly to accommodate growing needs.
Gray Academy is one of the only JK-12 Jewish day schools in Canada. The school remains committed to academic excellence, along with programming that builds community and connection. Gray Academy was the first Jewish day school in Canada to receive accreditation from Canadian Accredited Independent Schools (CAIS), a community of independent schools that meet and exceed rigorous national standards that inspire excellence and ongoing school improvement.
New this year, Binder notes, is the just-built AJCC Gan Re’ut (Friendship Garden), a fully accessible playground that children of all ages and abilities can use and enjoy. A new rubber foundation and accessible equipment make the new playground safer and more accessible for everyone.
She further reports that the four-year-old Gray Academy-Tough Duck Community Ice Rink, located on Danzker Field, has been enhanced with an asphalt base so that the facility can be used year-round for a wider variety of activities.
The school has also expanded its after-school music programs this year. In addition to traditional band and drumline programs, students can also take part in jazz, rock and vocal ensembles.
Binder notes that parents and grandparents of children are welcome to engage with the school. “Last year we launched a new “Grandpals” program for grandparents,” she says. “We offer several different ways for grandparents or any special seniors in students’ lives to engage with the school while being able to see their grandchildren.”
And did I mention that, over the years, Gray Academy’s outstanding debating program has been placing very well in national and international competitions?
In terms of tefillah and spirituality, Binder reports that the school is building on past informal connections with local clergy to allow more student interaction with our community’s rabbis and cantors. Throughout the year, clergy from various congregations will be coming in to the school in a more formal way.
A very important part of Gray Academy’s mission is fostering a love of Israel. Over the years, quite a few Gray Academy graduates have made Aliyah.
An important part of Israel education has been the nearly 30-year-long Jewish Federation of Winnipeg P2G (Partnership 2Gether) student and teacher exchange programs linking Gray Academy high school students with their counterparts at Danciger High School in the northern Israeli community of Kiryat Shmona and Nachshonei Hachula Elementary School in Yesod Hamala in the Hula Valley. For many years, Gray Academy would send groups of six to eight Grade 10 and 11 students to visit Danciger. Likewise, Danciger would send students to visit Gray Academy.
In fact, a group of Danciger students and faculty happened to be in Winnipeg on October 7, 2023. When the group was forced unexpectedly to extend their stay in Winnipeg until flights to Israel could resume, Danciger students and staff participated in our community’s subsequent show of support for our brothers and sisters in Israel.
While the program has been paused since then, Binder reports that she was in Israel in July and visited both schools. “With many Israelis having been able to return to their homes in the north after nearly 18 months of displacement, we are hoping to restart the exchange programs in the spring,” she says.
Binder adds that two young Israelis volunteering with Shaarey Zedek Congregation in something called the “ShinShinim program” (which is a year of service in the Diaspora prior to serving in the IDF) have recently arrived in Winnipeg and will be paying weekly visits to the school. The Jewish Agency for Israel’s ShinShinim program sends Israeli Grade 12 graduates to Jewish communities in the diaspora to enhance the teaching of Hebrew and love for Israel.
To commemorate October 7, the school – for the third year in a row – will be holding “Havdallah for Hope,” a memorial program for high school students, followed by Havdalah for the entire student body and community guests.
Binder points out that the school has a strong focus on affordability. “It is very important to us that no child is turned away because a family can’t afford to pay,” she says.
She notes that Manitoba is one of only a few Canadian provinces that fund independent schools such as Gray Academy, with the school receiving approximately 50% of comparable public school funding per student. Binder adds that the school offers a robust Bursary Assistance program, strongly supported by funding from the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg’s Combined Jewish Appeal. “Over 60% of our families receive some level of bursary support,” she reports. “We work with every family to ensure that no child is ever turned away because of inability to cover the full parental contribution.”
Just weeks into the new school year, Gray Academy is already looking ahead to enrolment for next September.
For more information about what Gray Academy has to offer and application dates, phone 204 477-7425 or email admissions@grayacademy.ca.