Local News
Wab Kinew’s speech at the walk for Israel October 7
Following are the complete remarks given by Premier Wab Kinew at the Asper Campus on October 8:
As we mark this sombre anniversary, I express my solidarity with you, as does our government. We recognize the sharp rise in anti-Semitism here in Manitoba, where threats to places of worship, community centres, and campuses have left many Jewish Manitobans feeling unsafe expressing their identity. This past year has been challenging for many, but we stand together, united in rejecting all forms of hate and ensuring that everyone can live freely and without fear.
As you well know, Jewish people around the world celebrated the new year just a few short days ago. To commemorate that holiday, many of you would have wished friends, family, acquaintances a sweet and healthy new year. And on this occasion, which I think we sometimes struggle to find the right words, I think we’d all agree that hope for a better year is something we all hold in common.
This past year has been challenging. It’s been challenging here in Manitoba. It’s been challenging for friends and family members in Israel. And it’s been a test for many people here right at home in Manitoba. But I want to affirm that Manitobans are resilient. And that Jewish people here in Manitoba are resilient.
And so, As a leader of the provincial government, I want to acknowledge the difficulty that so many people here tonight have faced. I want to say the challenging moments of stress, worried about loved ones, the experiences of that tear down tide, of anti Semitism, that we’ve already heard mentioned here this evening, that we’ve got your back, and we will continue to support you through this difficult period.
There have been threats made to places of worship, to community centers, to schools, threats to students, who are just trying to step onto campus to pursue post secondary education. These things have no place in our Manitoba. And I also want to say on a personal level, one of the things that has really, really bothered me, are the reports from friends in the Jewish community who share experiences of being afraid to show outward, physical signs of your Jewish identity.
And that hits home for me because I am an indigenous man who wears my hair long as a sign of cultural pride and a signifier of my religious identity. And it has always been the vision of our ancestors on these lands that all people would be able to come here and be proud of who you are. And to hear the clapping in this moment for community members of the Jewish community causes me a lot of concern.
And of course if you feel some way about that as I do, then I think it’s incumbent on all of us to work together to counteract that. And so we are recommitting, as we have been throughout our time in government, to combat anti Semitism here in Manitoba. Today we gather to commemorate this one year anniversary of a tragedy, a terrible and brutal attack on innocent civilians in Israel. And while there were people with different nationalities and religions among the dead on that day, we can also say definitively that October 7th, 2023 was the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust.
And so we join you in mourning. We join you in grieving and in observing and commemorating that anniversary. Leave it to strengthen our results. To build a pluralistic multicultural society here that has space for everyone and allows all people to be proud of who they are.
So I return here, this evening, a year later. We were with you just a few short days after the election, last year. And I return this evening to reaffirm what I told you last year. Israel has a right to exist, and that is non negotiable. And Israel has a right to defend itself. The hostages should be released immediately. I also want to say this. Israelis and Palestinians alike deserve to live in security, dignity, and peace. And peace.
Thinking about here at home, Manitoba is an exceptional province. It is a beautiful and welcoming place. And let me be clear, Manitoba’s Jewish community plays a very important role in welcoming people to this place. And as Premier, as your Premier, I am committed to ensuring that it stays that way. And I’m here to say that our team, all members of the Legislative Assembly, your Provincial Government, stand with you to ensure that all people can display their identity, including your Jewish identity, proudly.
Over the last year, we’ve established ongoing consultations between our government, myself as the leader of that government, and the leadership of the Jewish community. This strengthens us as an administration by assuring that we’re building safe spaces and reassuring that there’s no place for hatred in Manitoba.
I’m committed to ensuring that your government works to bring communities together from all across the province. And as we reject hatred, I also want you to know that our presence here this evening is about solidarity. If you look around you this evening and you see this tremendous crowd that is gathered here, I want you to know that the people that you have sent to the Manitoba Legislature are saying the same thing, whether through words or through our presence.
And that is this: Through this difficult year, going forward into the future, you are not alone. We stand with you. Shalom.
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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.”
