Local News
New kosher bakery opens in River Heights
By BERNIE BELLAN In our Dec. 9, 2020 issue Rebeca Kuropatwa reported on the success that a recent Israeli émigré to Winnipeg, Luba Yurchenko, had found selling her own baking in Winnipeg.
In that story Rebeca explained how Luba had taken a rather circuitous route to becoming a baker:
“When I was in my mid-20s, Luba recalled, ‘I was living with my dad, because my mom stayed in Russia and I grew up with him. He is a minimalist person. We didn’t have an oven in the house. We didn’t bake. I never baked.
“I got married in 2006, and, in 2009, Doriel was born. And, after three years, my husband (Vladimir) got me an actual oven and I started baking just for fun…just to see if I loved it or if I could do it.
“ I started to be very good at it. So, a year later, I decided to go to study it in Israel and I graduated in 2013.’
Even after graduating, Luba continued her education. She took two more courses in cake decorating and started working in a bakery in Ashkelon.
“ ‘A lot of Jewish families enjoyed our baking stuff, because it was kosher with a rabbi’s blessing,” said Luba.”
Luba and her husband Vladimir moved to Winnipeg in 2016. As Rebeca noted in her article, “Luba opted to go to culinary school, though she had already worked as a pastry chef in Ashkelon, after having earned her diploma from The Chef College in Israel.
In 2019, Luba felt she was ready to share her passion for baking with new clients. She began renting space at Adas Yeshurun Herzlia synagogue’s kitchen, selling her baked goods at farmers’ markets and to people she knew.
But, as Rebeca then explained, “Covid-19 hit. ‘We had big plans for this past summer of 2020,’ Luba said. ‘We were supposed to be at farmers’ markets and lots of places…even at the zoo market before Christmas, but all of it was cancelled.’
“Luba decided to realign her plans and spent time working on her website, making it possible for people to order goods. But then, Herzlia had to close its doors in line with the Covid-19 restrictions and shut downs, so Luba had to find another commercial kitchen to work out of – which she managed to do.”
Rebeca’s article went on to describe the many different foods that Luba has been producing, in addition to a variety of baked goods: “I’m also making food, like soups, and breads, and spreads, like baba ganoush and hummus and all kinds of stuff. I see that Indian people love me, because I use the spices, similar spices to them.”
Toward the end of her article, Rebeca added a line about what Luba’s plans were back in December: “Next up, Luba plans to open a bricks-and-mortar location in River Heights, once she has all the permits and equipment put together.”
We’re now happy to report that Luba, along with husband Vladimir, have realized that plan to open a bakery, and “Fantasy Cakes” opened at 530 Waterloo (corner of Corydon) on Tuesday, April 6.
But, here’s something else that will be of interest – and probably delight as well, to a great many of our readers: Fantasy Cakes will be fully kosher. Rabbi Yosi Benarroch of the Adas Yeshurun Herzlia Congregation informed me of the opening of Fantasy Cakes in an email received on April 7, adding that the facility is under the complete supervision of Winnipeg’s Vaad Hakashrut.
This marks the first opening of a new kosher facility in Winnipeg in years and the first new one that falls under Rabbi Benarroch’s supervision.
“All the breads and pitas are pareve,” Rabbi Benarroch noted, “while all the other baked goods are dairy.”
“All the equipment in the bakery is brand new, “ Rabbi Benarroch added. Before opening the bakery, Rabbi Benarroch and Vladimir Yurchenko actually took all the dishes and utensils that will be used in the bakery to the mikvah in the Rady JCC and kashered them there.
Fantasy Cakes will not be open on Saturdays, Rabbi Benarroch also said.
As for what Fantasy Cakes will have to offer, Luba Yurchenko will be turning out all the same goodies that she has already been producing, first at the Herzlia, then more recently at a downtown kitchen, but she is also planning more as time moves on.
As well, while customers, as yet, are not able to sit down and eat some of Luba’s pastries in Fantasy Cakes itself, you can order a coffee while you’re there. Plans eventually will include adding some tables and chairs, once the Covid-19 regulations allow for that indoors.
One final note: Rabbi Benarroch told me for sure to try Luba’s challahs. Luba says that she will be selling challahs only on Fridays for the time being.
The phone number for Fantasy Cakes is 204-306-4050.
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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.”
