Local News
Israeli-born Ofir Smadar making a positive impact on new community
By MYRON LOVE Ofir Smadar is easy to like. He projects an old-world charm. He is warm and friendly, and the Vickar Auto Group’s newest Sales and Lease Executive seems to have all the skills needed to succeed in his new position.
And, although the Israeli-born and raised Ofir has only been in Winnipeg for two years, he has already become a familiar face in our Jewish community. He notes that for the past year, he has been a volunteer at the Shaarey Zedek – including serving on the catering committee.
“I have really been made to feel welcome at the Shaarey Zedek,” he says. “People there have been very friendly. I am looking forward to my acting role in the Shaarey Zedek’s upcoming Purim Shpiel. It is going to be a musical with a Motown theme. We are starting rehearsals soon.”
Offir adds that he is also participating in Jewish Federation and Congregation Etz Chayim young adult programs.
It wasn’t the attractions of our Jewish community and the opportunity to sell cars, though, that brought Ofir to Winnipeg. It was rather his ambition to train to be a pilot.
“I had always wanted to become a pilot,” says the Israel Defence Forces veteran, who grew up in Netanya in western-central Israel. “In my mid-40s, I decided it was time to give it a try. I researched aviation schools in Europe, the United States and Canada and settled on a course at St. Andrews Airport (which is just north of Winnipeg off McPhillips Street).”
Ofir had already had a few previous careers in Israel. For many years, he was a DJ and a photographer, arranging special events in and around Netanya. He also worked as a substitute teacher and sold cars.
“About eight years ago, I was hired by a Skoda dealer,” he recounts. The Czech-made auto, he points out, is a branch of Volkswagen.
“I had always loved cars and working with people,” he says. “Just after I bought a car from the dealership, they offered me a job. I was really successful, I had become the top-selling sales rep – but had to quit about six years ago to look after my parents full time.”
Both of his parents had been diagnosed with cancer. While his father did pass away, his mother recovered. Ofir was able to resume his working life and decided to finally realize his ambition to be a pilot.
“I did some research into aviation programs in Europe, the United States and Canada,” he notes. “I came across this Israel Facebook group discussing pilot training at St. Andrews Airport.”
The course, he reports, was scheduled to take 12-18 months. He was one of 30 Israelis who were enrolled.
“I was in the program long enough to almost earn my private pilot’s license,” he points out, “but I had to drop out before getting my private license because the funds I brought with me from Israel were running out and I had to find a job here.”
That is when Larry Vickar enters the picture. Smadar notes that he met Larry and Tova Vickar at the Shaarey Zedek. “Larry is amazing – and Tova reminds me of my mother,” Ofir says. “We became good friends.”
Ofir began working for the Vickar Auto Group at the end of October. He is based at the Vickar Financial Services office at 1501 Dugald Road, next door to the Vickar Auto Group head office.
“Everyone at the office has been so kind and helpful,” he reports.
Ofir observes that selling cars in Winnipeg is quite a bit different than selling cars in Israel. The biggest difference: In Israel, you never get to test-drive the model you want to buy, and you have to wait several months for your order to arrive.
“Here, the customer can drive the car home on the same day,” he continues.
Ofir is looking forward to deepening the roots that he has already put down here, and, perhaps one day soon, he is hoping to start a family.
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Local News
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.”
