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Former Chai dance studio transformed into new B’nai Brith thrift store

Noa Kaufman - community engagement assistant (left) with Aviva Tabac, Community Engagement Manager - WPG B'nai Brith Canada

By MYRON LOVE After a year’s effort, the former Dickie Dee building turned Chai Folk Ensemble rehearsal space at 531 Notre Dame Avenue has been transformed into Kavod, B’nai Brith Canada’s new thrift store.
“We opened our doors for a soft opening on September 8th,” reports Aviva Tabac, Manitoba Community Engagement Manager for B’nai Brith. “We are stocking new and gently used men’s, women’s and children’s clothing, footwear, accessories and select houseware items.”
Readers may remember B’nai Brith’s big blue boxes at different locations for people to drop off clothing they no longer needed.  The main issue with the bins, Tabac points out, is that “People were vandalizing them by tipping them over and trying to retrieve the items inside.”
All donations can be dropped off at Kavod during business hours.
In bringing Kavod to fruition, it truly took a village. Tabac gives much credit to Michael Mostyn, B’nai Brith’s CEO; Judy Foldes, Chief Operating Officer; and staff across Canada, in assisting with various tasks and projects. As well, gratitude and credit goes to Winnipeg philanthropists.
“Earl and Cheryl Barish were instrumental in supporting us with the location, permits, renovations, and in getting us up and running,” she says. “We are grateful to our donors for their support and commitment to our mission.”
The new Kavod thrift store measures about 2,000 square feet and includes a large retail space for product, sorting and pricing; a meeting and staff room for volunteers; and an area for storage and preparing food hampers.
Tabac reports that B’nai Brith provides between 10 and 20 kosher-food hampers to those in need weekly – each containing a donated assortment of fruit and vegetables, and a variety of nonperishable goods. The hampers will be packed at Kavod.
Tabac explains that Kavod will be rolling out several community programs over the next year. Every month, select agencies will refer a pre-determined number of clients to Kavod to shop in the store free of charge, with a certain amount of store credit per household. Clients can shop with dignity and choose items that they need instead of being handed what we think they need.  
Kavod aims to be an enjoyable shopping experience for individuals and families while taking some of the financial burden off them during challenging times.
Currently, Kavod has 15 volunteers. Tabac says B’nai Brith has partnered with Volunteer Manitoba and Opportunities for Employment to add manpower. 
A Customer Grand Opening is scheduled for Nov. 10. The store will be open five days a week – Sunday through Thursday.
Readers can drop off donations for Kavod at the front entrance during business hours, from 10am-5pm. 
For more information, please contact Aviva Tabac at avivat@bnaibrith.ca.

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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.”

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Gray Academy to Represent Manitoba at National Reach for the Top Competition

Gray Academy staff (l-r): Daniele Miller, Lindsey Leipsic, Nick Maier

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.”

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