Local News
Six cases of Covid confirmed at Rady JCC managed early years centre on Grosvenor
By BERNIE BELLAN The first confirmed cases of Covid at one of the day care centres operated by the Rady JCC have occurred at the centre on Grosvenor Avenue.
That centre, which has 48 children attending, has been divided into three equal cohorts during the pandemic, none of which have any contact with one another.
On January 27, the first case of Covid was diagnosed in someone who was part of what is known as the “green room” cohort. On January 28 a representative of Public Health contacted management of the day care to inform them that a case had been confirmed. Public Health did not disclose whether the case of Covid was in a staff member or a child. Parents of all children in the day care were informed immediately and the entire day care was closed January 28 and 29 (which were a Thursday and a Friday). Parents and children belonging to the green room cohort were ordered to isolate for 14 days (until Feb. 11).
On February 1, the other two rooms – the blue and yellow rooms, were allowed to reopen; however, on February 2, parents of children in the blue room were informed that there had been a case of Covid confirmed in that room as well. Parents of children in the blue room were also ordered to isolate for 14 days.
At that point, however, unlike the first case that had been confirmed in the green room, parents of children in the yellow room were not informed that another case of Covid had been confirmed – this time in the blue room. Although the blue room was also now closed (and will remain closed until February 16), parents of children in the yellow room were not informed officially of the second confirmed case of Covid until February 11.
It was on Friday, February 12, that management of the Rady JCC informed parents of all children in the day care by way of an email sent from Rady JCC executive director Rob Berkowits that a total of six cases had been confirmed in the green and blue rooms (four in the green, and two in the blue).
In the email sent to parents on February 12, parents were also told that Public Health now defined the situation at the day care on Grosvenor as an “outbreak” situation on its website.
A spokesperson for the Rady JCC day cares told us that the rules as to what constituted an “outbreak” had been changing over time and that it was not at all certain that the number of cases at the Grosvenor day care had constituted an “outbreak” according to Public Health – until management of the day care was so advised by Public Health on February 10.
Subsequently, on February 13, we were contacted by one parent of a child in the daycare who expressed concern at what she described as “a lack of communication” about the situation at the daycare.
At that point we contacted Rob Berkowits to try to obtain some clarification as to why parents were not informed there was an “outbreak” at the Grosvenor day care until February 11.
As noted, Rob explained that Public Health did not inform the Rady JCC that Public Health classified what had happened at the day care as an “outbreak” until February 10.
I asked him though, why there had not been any disclosure to parents until February 11 that a total of six cases of Covid had been confirmed at the day care.
Rob said, “We’re consistently learning and navigating this – just like anyone else…Public Health has been changing its rules and how it defines an outbreak… I think we’ve been navigating this with as great a degree of transparency as we possibly can.”
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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.”
