Local News
CIJA Security expert gives briefings to representatives of Winnipeg Jewish organizations
By BERNIE BELLAN Gerry Almendrades was born in Peru and served 20 years in the Canadian Armed Forces. In his current role he is the Director of Community Security for CIJA (The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs).
On Tuesday, May 3, he was in Winnipeg as part of a three-day tour of various Jewish facilities, including the Asper Campus, Winnipeg synagogues, and other Jewish community organizations.
I was already at the Campus to attend a Bridges for Peace luncheon, and while I was there Adam Levy, Public Relations & Communications Director for the Jewish Federation, who was also at the luncheon, asked me whether I’d like to attend a briefing that was to be given by Almendrades later that afternoon.
“Sure,” I thought: “Why not? Might be interesting.”
However, as pertinent as some of the information that Almendrades ending up giving might have been, his briefing turned into a two-hour lecture – which really could have been easily condensed into three simple words: “Run, hide, defend.”
That was the easy to remember line that Almendrades emphasized repeatedly during his talk. Probably the most useful part of his presentation was when he played a very well done video made by the Peel Regional Police Force that showed an imaginary enactment of an armed perpetrator, armed with a rifle, making his way into a building and proceeding to go from room to room searching for victims to shoot.
The actors in the video attempt to leave the building by means of available exits, but some of them are unable to do so, so they end up hiding in different rooms. They lock doors, barricad them where possible, turn off lights and, where closets or storage rooms are also available, hide there as well.
It was all quite scary to watch, although used as we all are to seeing depictions of that sort of thing in films and TV programs, as well as videos of actual incursions, we’re well innured to seeing how people react when an attacker or attackers invade a building in which they are either working or visiting. It’s inevitable that people will panic, Almendrades said, but try to get out or hide, rather than confront the attacker, he warned.
Almendrades also reminded attendees at the briefing to silence their phones – but not to turn them off entirely in an attack situatiion.
And yet, should not everyone be able to escape an attacker or remain hidden, as a last resort, Almendrades said: Defend yourself. “Improvise defensive tools”, such as a fire extinguisher, scissors, whatever is at hand, he said. “Work together as a team, there’s strength in numbers.”
Almendrades also suggested that every organization do a “security audit,” looking for weak spots within their buildings that might allow an attacker to gain entry, and to educate workers within those buildings upon proper escape routes and where the best places to hide might be, should someone not be able to escape in time.
Still, as someone who used to have an office located within a local synagogue, I was well used to being able to see individuals at the front door of that synagogue on the closed circuit screen that was in our office. More often that not, they were delivery personnel, holding some sort of package. If you’ve ever seen “Three Days of the Condor,” which is one of my all-time favourite movies, you’ll understand that the first line of defense against any would-be attacker is to make absolutely sure you can authenticate who they are before they gain admission into your building.
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First year medical student Tim Rozovsky founds new association for local Jewish medical students
By MYRON LOVE In the face of a concerning surge in antisemitism over the past nearly three years, I am happy to report a good news story in that regard. Tim Rozovsky, the founder of the new Jewish Medical Students’ Association of Manitoba, reports that he and his fellow Jewish students enrolled in the University of Manitoba’s Max Rady College of Medicine are not experiencing any significant issues involving antisemitism.
Hopefully, the matter of the notorious Med school Valedictorian who used his podium to attack Israel was a one-off.
“My goal in forming the Jewish Medical Students’ Association of Manitoba,” says the first year medical student, “was to create a safe, supportive environment for my fellow Jewish medical students.”
He reports that the current first year class at the school has eight Jewish students – an increase over more recent years – with maybe a dozen more in the other years.
For a new medical student, Rozovsky already has an impressive resume. He was born in Russia and grew up in Israel. After the completion of his army service in 2018, the then-22-year-old rejoined his parents, Dr. Katya and Alexander, who had moved to Winnipeg a few years before.
Prior to coming to Winnipeg, Rozovsky had completed a personal trainer program out of The Academic College at Wingate in Jerusalem. Some readers may know the young man from his work as a Master Personal Trainer at the Rady JCC.
Shortly after arriving here, he enrolled in a kinesiology program at the University of Winnipeg. He graduated with a BKin Honours in 2023 and did post graduate work at the University of Manitoba. Last fall, he received his MSc in Physiology and Pathophysiology – earning two gold medals, along with 32 awards and scholarships in the process.
Rozovsky says that it was his mother who inspired him to pursue a career in medicine. Dr. Katya Rozovsky is an associate professor at the University of Manitoba and an attending radiologist, specializing in pediatric diagnostic imaging.
(Tim also adds that his wife, Irina Gelzin, whom he married about a year ago, is training to be a nurse.)
Insofar as the Jewish Medical Students’ Association of Manitoba is concerned, Rozovky reports that the group gets together multiple times a year. One of its programs was a joint Chanukah celebration with the Jewish Physicians Association of Manitoba.
There was also a joint program with the Christian Medical and Dental Students’ Association of Manitoba.
“More recently, we have been helping prospective Jewish medical students with their applications,” he says. “Hopefully we will be able to get together over the summer with the incoming Jewish students.”
As to his own future plans, Rozovsky notes that it is too early for him to be deciding on a specialty. “My goal,” he says, “is to work hard and get good grades and become the best doctor that I can be.”
Local News
Gray Academy to Represent Manitoba at National Reach for the Top Competition
By NOAH STRAUSS Posted June 6) Gray Academy’s Reach for the Top team is headed to Moncton, New Brunswick, to represent Manitoba at the National Reach for the Top tournament.
Reach for the Top is a Canadian school league that quizzes teenagers on a variety of different topics, from science and history to pop culture. Reach started out in 1961 in Vancouver, where a local CBC station broadcasted the new show; it eventually became a national broadcast starting in 1966. Alex Trebek, who famously hosted Jeopardy!, started out by hosting Reach for the Top.
Gray Academy’s very own team, made up of Grade 7 and 8 students, will travel to Moncton, New Brunswick, to compete as Team Manitoba. By winning the provincial Reach tournament, they secured their spot in the national competition.
Faculty members at Gray Academy are very supportive of the program. The Jewish Post spoke with three different staff members at the school. Coach and high school teacher Danielle Miller says she is excited for the trip; although she will not be accompanying the team herself, shehas coached them all year.
“This year we had over 20 students come to the club to join us, they practice twice a cycle at lunch,” Miller said. Due to the large turnout this year, two teams had to be formed. At lunch practices, students split into two teams of four where each player has a buzzer. The two teams compete to see who can answer the most questions correctly.
One of the two teams did exceptionally well at various tournaments throughout the year and will be traveling to nationals as the sole team representing Manitoba.
Co-coach Micah Doerksen described Reach as a great academic competition where young minds are tested on various topics through quick,fast-paced questions.
High school guidance counselor Lindsey Leipsic said, “We have athletes, non-athletes, we have students who are really involved and students who are not as involved at school, and we have quiet leaders, and we’ve seen friendships be built in Reach.” Some of her favorite memories of Reach involve seeing students from across Winnipeg come to Gray Academy and bond with one another. Lev Chisick, who is competing at nationals, agreed, saying, “Moncton is going to strengthen our school spirit and make us a better team.”
As the junior team makes their way to Moncton, the senior team will head to provincials. Later this week, students from the senior team will travel to Virden, Manitoba, to compete at the provincial level. The team qualified after placing high enough at their most recent tournament, which took place at St. Paul’s.
Confidence is high as the school heads into these final tournaments. When Nath Goldenberg, who is also competing at nationals, was asked what he is most looking forward to, his answer was short and sweet:“Winning.”
