Local News
Parents of Gray Academy students offer praise for “Gray Away”
By BERNIE BELLAN
At the end of my conversation with Lori Binder, Rob Dalgliesh, and Andrea Ritter about how Gray Academy has adapted to online learning, I asked Andrea whether she could suggest the names of some parents who might be willing to offer comments about how their children have taken to online learning.
Andrea sent me names of three parents: Tara Kozlowich, who has children in Grades 3 & 6; Sophie Gaulin, who has children in JK & Grade 2 (and who has been in Guadaloupe since before the pandemic due to her husband’s work); and Marla Levene, who has children in Grades 6 & 9.
In addition, I also contacted Jonathan Strauss (who was actually the individual who had suggested that I do a story about how well Gray Academy is doing with online learning.) Jonathan has boys in Grades 4 & 7.
Following are the questions I posed to Tara, Marla, and Sophie: (I simply asked Jonathan to offer some capsule comments about his impressions of “Gray Away”.)
1. How much time do both of your children typically spend doing online learning in a given day?
Tara Kozlowich: We have two daughters at the Gray Academy. One is in Grade 6 and the other in Grade 3. They spend most of their school day in a balance of live online classes and independent work. Our older daughter has dedicated times where she can attend a google meet to ask her teacher questions about assignments or to go over something in a personalized setting, similar to what you would expect in a classroom. Our younger daughter has smaller group breakout sessions which has been very helpful in teaching different concepts and providing 1 on 1 attention. They also participate in a range of other subjects such as French, Art, Gym and Music.
Marla Levine: Our children (grade 9 and grade 6) spend between 5 1/2 to 6 hours a day learning. There are also breaks in the morning and afternoon as well a lunch break.
Sophie Gaulin: Our son, Samuel is in Gr. 2 and spends in average 4 1/2 hours in total online, learning, between zoom classes and homework.
Our daughter, Charlie in JK spends about two hours total, mainly on zoom.
2. Does it vary much from day to day?
Tara: One of the great things about Gray Away is that there is consistency and structure, which is such an important part of their school day – especially in the situation we all find ourselves in. The schedule can differ by day but expectations are always clearly communicated to the kids.
Marla: Each day the amount of time spent on computer as opposed to working alone changes.
For our daughter in grade 6, there is a “meet” with her general studies teacher first thing in the morning. They spend the morning with a combination of instruction from the teacher and independent time to do the assigned tasks. At the end of the morning they have a check in before lunch. The afternoon is a similar format with the Judaic studies teacher. In addition, the other itinerants (French, art, gym, debating/public speaking, music, etc.) are spread at different times within the morning or afternoon throughout the week.
For our son in high school, the week is divided into his various classes. For any given class they may have a live meet with instruction, time to work on posted assignments with the teacher available on a meet for questions, or a combination of both. There is also small group advisory with a designated teacher to check in on the kids and how they are doing.
For elementary, the itinerants vary from day to day. The content / format for main subjects in General and Judaic studies also vary depending on what they are working on at that time. In high school, it varies from day to day (depending on what each teacher is doing in that subject on that day) as well as from class to class.
Sophie: It doesn’t vary much from one day to another.
3. How are they reacting to it? (For instance, did they adapt to it quickly? Was there a novelty aspect to it at first? Are they feeling the same way about it now as they did to start?)
Tara: They have both adapted well to the Gray Away program. Although they miss their teachers and classmates, the school has done a great job keeping them engaged and supported and they are able to connect digitally with their friends and teachers daily.
We are in a good routine with the program. Our older daughter who is in Grade 6 is independent and does not need assistance from us throughout the day. Our daughter in grade 3 needs some help each morning getting organized for the day. The structure of the program has allowed us to both work from home with minimal interruptions to our workday. Although the higher grades were already well versed in turning in assignments electronically, it’s amazing how quickly our younger daughter has picked up submitting assignments online, or taking her weekly spelling test online.
Marla: When Gray had to stop in school instruction, there was a huge unknown for everyone as to what to expect. Starting from the first day of Gray Away, our kids have been busy, engaged, happy, at ease. They are excited to see their peers and teachers. They are happy to remain connected to school. These are very uncertain times for everyone and Gray has given the kids a sense of normalcy, schedule, purpose to their day
Sophie: Our situation was a bit complicated at first because we are away in Guadeloupe. My husband was doing a locum at the hospital in NICU and PICU. We were supposed to stay on vacation only 10 days and come back mid-march but because of the COVID, he was asked to stay and help for an extended period of time.
We decided to stay together as a family but the kids didn’t have their school material and we didn’t have a printer, books… nothing. So at first it was a very stressful situation. But right away I saw why Gray is often described as a family: from Joyce Kerr, to Lori Binder, to the teachers, to Ira… we were shown an extensive solidarity that enabled us to continue their education abroad. They were sending the material every day. When we couldn’t find the material to do an activity (because we had restrictions to go out of the house for the first 6 weeks), they made sure my children didn’t feel left out.
They were amazing at providing a structured day so that the kids didn’t feel like they were on holidays but at the same time, my children feel empowered by the new learning experience. When the teacher says that they have a 30 minute break, they put their timer and go off. The system put in place is extremely organized and doesn’t require much of my time. And I have to admit it suits me fine because I work long hours remotely with my colleagues in Manitoba.
4. Do you think they are learning as much as they would be in a physical class room setting?
Tara: Although it’s hard to replicate the class room environment, they are not only learning academically, but also have the benefit of learning so many other skills such as resilience, kindness and the importance of community during difficult times. The school has done a great job of also continuing to make connections through online events whether it be for Yom Haatzmaut or a weekly Shabbat Assembly. It has been amazing to see families come together online.
Marla: We are incredibly pleased with how much our children are learning. Whether it is “as much” is easier to assess with our daughter as we can compare with what our son was learning in grade 6. It appears to us that they have not missed a beat … the teachers have modified lessons and brought in new innovative teaching, allowing the kids to flourish.
Sophie: I don’t know if they are learning as much but what I can say, is that they have not felt disconnected from school thanks to the amazing program put in place. I couldn’t believe how fast Gray was able to respond to the crisis. Within a couple days, we felt they had things under control and I felt really guided through this experience.
I feel that my children are still learning a lot. Yet they miss the real interaction with their friends and teachers.
They are also learning different skills. For instance, my 7 year-old son started writing his own emails to his teachers. So he learnt how to be responsible for sending his work or sending an email explaining why he couldn’t do it.
5. Lori mentioned that they actually have recess breaks built into the program? Do your children go outside during those recess breaks?
Tara: Our kids will often take their breaks outside for short walks or connecting with friends virtually. It’s nice to be able to spend ‘lunch recess’ with them and hear how their morning went.
Marla: The kids definitely take breaks. Sometimes that involves an outside activity and sometimes it involves an inside activity. It depends on the day and how much time they have. For example, with our son, if he happens to finish an assignment early he will often go for a walk or a bike ride or do some other type of exercise.
Sophie: Yes the schedule is very balanced. They have recess breaks and my children put the timer on and go off. Sometimes they go swimming in the pool, sometimes they go in the yard chasing lizards and caterpillars!
I invited each of the respondents to add a final comment.
Tara: Overall, our family has been so happy with Gray Away – in a short period of time the school came together quickly to launch a program that has been so well received.
It is important to mention how committed our teachers and Administration have been throughout this time – they have shown a tremendous amount of dedication to their students. Special touches like surprising the Grade 6 students with an early delivery of the coveted Gray Academy Raiders sweatshirt, or sending a personalized letter (received through regular mail!) to our younger daughter letting her know how much they miss her was such a nice surprise. These gestures have gone a long way towards our children’s happiness.
Well done Gray Academy!
Marla: We cannot thank the Gray team enough. They were able to create in a matter of days an online learning platform that should take years to launch. The administration, teachers and all staff adapted to create a learning environment that is truly remarkable. They also have gone above and beyond to check in to ensure each of our kids (and our family as a whole) is coping well with all that has come with this pandemic. We are so fortunate to have people so dedicated to our children and their well- being – educational, mental and physical. (As an aside, I should add that we have had conversations with many of our peers who are parents and our peers who work in the various educational systems. We can say confidently that there is no other private or public school that compares on any level to what is going on at Gray from an educational perspective, a connection to teachers/classmates and overall concern for emotional and physical well-being.)
Finally, here is what Jonathan Strauss had to say:
“Our family has been very impressed with how quickly Gray Away was developed and launched.
“The daily structure means that our kids are working without the need for us, as their parents, to be involved in their day to day work. From what we hear from other parents this is not the same as many other schools.
“The boys are spending much of their school day on their computers. While it is more than normal, we are happy that they are being engaged with their education for more than just a couple of hours per day.
“Seeing their friends every day on video calls means a lot to our kids. Having been separated for so long from their friends they look forward to this regular connection via Zoom.
“We can’t say enough about how pleased we are with Gray Away. Lori, her leadership teams and all of the teachers have done a tremendous job in transition quickly to online learning.”
I would really have liked to talk with individual children, and I might still do that – but I think I’ll save that for a future article.
Local News
Hershfield sisters star in annual 55+ Manitoba Seniors Games
By MYRON LOVE Mindy (Hershfield) Zabenskie has once again proven the old adage that it’s never too late to try something new.
Last August, the retired office worker, along with her younger sister, Esther Hershfield, entered the 55+ Manitoba Seniors Games, which were held in Steinbach. In a field of about 1,200 senior athletes, Zabenskie, competing in the 100m and 200m races, came away with one gold and two silver medals for her performances in the 65+ category. Hershfield did even better with gold medals in the 200m and 100m runs and silver in the 400m and 800m competitions.
In the swimming portion, Esther Hershfield came in first place in her age category in all her swimming events – including the 50m breaststroke, the 100m freestyle and the 100m breaststroke.
As far as the track races went, Hershfield conceded that she “did find the 800m run a little more challenging. I’m more used to the shorter distances, ” she noted. “I will have to do more training for the 800m run. I found that distance a little tiring.”
“It was a lot of fun,” Zabenskie said of this past summer’s competitions – the second go round for the two sisters. Up to that point, they had only run half marathons.
Hershfield noted that last year’s games were held in Brandon –where the sisters were joined by oldest sister Lois, who participated in the cribbage tournament – which is also part of the activities.
Hershfield pointed out that she has always been involved in athletics. She was a phys-ed teacher in Seven Oaks School Division prior to retirement in 2013. She reported that she swims twice a week and runs twice a week with a friend.
Zabenskie, by contrast, is a late bloomer. She only ran her first marathon in 2013 – in Ottawa, while visiting her daughter, Susan. That was three years before she retired.
Looking back, Zabenskie said, she can’t tell you what motivated her to take up running. “I was never athletic,” she noted. “I was never interested in exercise or physical activity. My daughters (Susan and Pamela – who lives in Winnipeg) have always been athletic. They probably encouraged me.”
It was a real challenge for me to start running,” she added. “I am shocked at how well I have done. I really am proud of myself and my accomplishments.”
While Zabenskie did participate in one marathon in Palm Springs several years ago, she generally restricts her running efforts to just two annual runs – the Winnipeg Police Service run in May, and the Winnipeg Fire and Paramedic Service run in October. Those runs are both 5 kilometres.
The Fire and Paramedic Service run, she reported, started and finished at Canadian Mennonite College, while the police event began and ended at Assiniboine Park. Timers clocked in the runners.
“While everyone gets participation medals for doing the marathon,” Zabenskie pointed out, “I have finished in the top ten several times in my age category and have improved my time to less than 40 minutes. I am happy with my results.
Three years ago, to help motivate her and improve her performance, Zabenskie hired a personal trainer. “She has come to know my strengths and weaknesses,” she noted. “She runs with me and is able to point out where I can improve my technique.
“She also got me started on weight training.”
Zabenskie added that she tries to run three times a week in her neighbourhood – weather permitting. In the winter months, she works out on her treadmill. She does weight training twice a week.
She said that she is looking forward to entering the Police marathon again in the spring and both sisters are eager to take on the 55+ competitions, which will be held in Winkler-Morden next summer.
Local News
Kristallnacht Documentary focuses on courageous Hungarian Jew who saved the lives of the last group of twins in Auschwitz
By MYRON LOVE On November 9 and 10, our Jewish community commemorated the 87th anniversary of Kristallnacht – the Night of Broken Glass – the infamous series of pogroms against the Jewish communities of Germany and Austria – with the showing of a new documentary, titled “The Last Twins.” The documentary, written by Patrick McMahon and narrated by actor Liev Schreiber, tells the story of Erno (Tzi) Speigel, who risked his life to save the last surviving twins in Auschwitz.
In her opening remarks, Belle Jarniewski, the executive director of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada (which co-sponsored the evening, along with the Rady JCC and the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg), reported that over a two-day period in 1938, the Nazi-inspired hordes burned more than 1,400 synagogues in the two countries, desecrated Jewish religious objects, vandalized and ransacked thousands of Jewish-owned businesses, homes and apartments, and stole valuable belongings. Nor were Jewish orphanages, seniors homes and hospitals spared the mayhem. Nearly 100 Jews were murdered and about 30,000 Jewish men were subsequently interned in concentration camps.
To add insult to injury, the Nazis then demanded 1-billion reichsmarks from German and Austrian Jewish communities – “atonement payment” – to clean up the mess.
“It was a turning point,” Jarniewski noted. “It was the moment when words of hatred turned into co-ordinated destruction and when indifference from the rest of the world gave way to the Shoah – the murder of over 6 million European Jews at the hands of the Nazis and their willing collaborators.
The great 16th century kabbalist, Rabbi Isaac Luria, taught that when God created the world, he had to hide his overpowering light in a series of shells. At some point, the shells broke and the divine light fell into the darkest levels of hell. It is the responsibility of Jewish souls to descend into that world to redeem the divine sparks in order to repair the world – the original meaning of tikkun olam.
The Shoah certainly represents the lowest level of darkness. The catastrophe also produced many examples of individuals – both Jewish and non-Jewish – who were willing to risk their lives – in the midst of the darkness and danger around them – to save lives. The names of many of them have been enshrined over the years at Yad Vashem, Israel’s national Holocaust museum. Erno Spiegel was one of them.
It was in May 1944, when Spiegel and his twin sister were deported to Auschwitz. They were among the thousands of Hungarian Jews who were shipped to the death camp, where the notorious Dr. Joseph Mengele greeted each trainload of Jews and determined which were to be sent immediately to the gas chambers and which were to be allowed to live on a little longer as slave labour in the death camp’s factories.
Spiegel and his sister were spared immediate death because the demonic doctor had a special interest in twins, on whom he did numerous gruesome experiments. Many – perhaps most – died.
When a new group of Jewish twins – all of whom were children – were separated from subsequent trainloads of Hungarian Jews they were housed in separate barracks for boys and girls. Mengele serendipitously put the 29-year-old Spiegel in charge of the boys’ care, and Spiegel determined to do his best to look after them.
According to the documentary, not all of the “twins” were really twins. Some were siblings who were born close together and bore a strong resemblance to each other. Spiegel made sure to enter in the forms the same birthday for both brothers in these cases.
He also quickly let them know what had happened to their families and, between experiments, tried to teach them some math and geography.
The documentary includes interviews with several of these twins – survivors – who had immigrated to Israel or North America (or, in one case, stayed in Hungary) who recalled their experiences in Auschwitz and beyond. They reported that, to them, Spiegel became a father figure who saved their lives.
The closest they came to death came in October,1944, when a junior officer discovered them in their barracks and ordered them immediately to the gas chambers. The survivors recalled how Spiegel saved their lives by risking his own to seek out Mengele. The doctor was outraged that a junior officer would try to countermand him and the boys were returned to the barracks.
Spiegel’s efforts to save as many twins as possible were put to the maximum test in January 1945 – when the Russians liberated Auschwitz and the German guards fled. Just prior to the Russians entering the camp, the Nazis had removed most of the prisoners from Auschwitz – including the older sets of twins – and force-marched them in the worst winter weather in years into Germany – leaving the younger twins to fare for themselves. Very few survived these death marches.
The Russians didn’t stay long. So, Spiegel took charge. He promised the kids that he would get them home again. They all set off on foot. They walked for two days – sleeping one night in an abandoned school and the second night in a farmer’s barn. He got them rides with Russian soldiers to Krakow in Poland, where they were housed in a building that had been German headquarters in Krakow. There he found them enough to eat and got identity papers for the kids. He also acquired a pass from the Russians that guaranteed Russian help along the way.
After dropping all the kids in their home communities, they all went their separate ways. Spiegel married and moved to Israel. He and his wife had two kids (who were also interviewed for the documentary). He became involved in theatre in Tel Aviv.
He never talked about Auschwitz.
The first his daughter, Judith Richter, and son, Israel, knew about his heroism, came in 1981 when Richter’s husband, Kobi, came across a story in Life Magazine at a store in Boston where the couple were living. Flipping through the pages, he stumbled on a story about Mengele. In the story was a picture of Spiegel next to a photo of two of the twins.
One of the twin survivors, also living in the States, also saw the story. He contacted Kobi and Judith (who co-hosted the documentary) which led to a dramatic reunion between Spiegel and the twin.
In 1985, Israel put Mengele on trial in absentia. Speigel was called to testify. To his surprise, all those in the courtroom whose lives he saved were asked to stand and about a dozen did.
Several reunions between Spiegel and one or more of the twins followed and the twins continued to reach out to each other after he died in 1993. Toward the end of the documentary, four of the twins are seen holding a reunion in Israel, reminiscing, and celebrating their bar mitzvahs at the Western Wall.
“The last Twins,” Belle Jarniewski observed, “is not only a Holocaust film, but also an urgent reminder of the human capacity to choose compassion over cruelty, to protect the vulnerable, and to recognize the power one person can have in the face of systemic evil.
“But tonight’s commemoration is not only about the past. It is also about the present and the future. At a time when antisemitism has risen exponentially around the world, we are ever more aware of the danger of leaving hate unchallenged. As our youngest Holocaust survivors reach their tenth decade of life, we must continue to connect to education, remembrance and moral courage.”
Local News
Dave Hill’s participation shows that you don’t have to be Jewish to participate in the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba’s Endowment Book of Life
By MYRON LOVE Despite the impression given by certain biased media, Canadian Jewry has many friends from outside our community. On the one hand, there are the Christian Zionist friends of Israel and the Jewish people – groups such as Bridges for Peace and Christian Friends of Israel (see accompanying article), and individuals such as John and Irene Plantz and Rudy and Gina Fidel, who contribute their moral and financial support to Israel and our local Jewish community. There is also Kevin Klein, publisher and editor of the Winnipeg Sun, whose newspaper is a whole-hearted supporter of Israel and the Jewish People and strong fighter against antisemitism.
Then there is Dave Hill, a prominent local lawyer – a partner in the law firm Hill Sokalski – who has been in practice for more than 50 years. On Sunday, November 2, Hill was one of eight new signatories to enter their names and life stories into the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba’s Endowment Book of Life.
Hill reports that he has been making donations to the Foundation for the past ten years. “I believe in giving back to the community,” he says, noting that he is also a supporter of the Winnipeg Foundation and several medical institutions. “I have always had a great deal of compassion for the Jewish People who have suffered over 2000 years of persecution.”
The 2025 signers – in addition to Hill – were Jack and Belva London, Jeff and Sarah Morry, Moe Levy, Becky Kaufmann (a former JFM board member who flew in from Toronto), and Stewart Fay – in memory of his late wife, Patricia.
As explained on the Foundation website, the Endowment Book of Life program – which was started in 1998 – “is a planned program that offers participants an opportunity to leave both a financial and historical legacy to the community.”
Donors promise to leave a bequest to the Foundation, in return for which their family story is inscribed in the Book of Life.
The annual official unveiling of new stories this year was held on Sunday, November 2, at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue and included brunch, some musical entertainment featuring a talented quartet of singers: Julia Kroft, Alyssa Crockett, Tyler Leighton and Nathanial Muir.
Speaking on behalf of his fellow signers, Jack London noted that, “In Jewish thought, giving tzedakah is not just charity – it’s a moral obligation. An endowment gift is a powerful expression of this duty. It reflects the Jewish principle of tikkun olam. It can be a spiritual act, fulfilling commandments, and enhancing the donor’s connections to their faith.”
The former dean of the University of Manitoba Faculty of Law had words of praise for “the wonderful purpose and mechanisms of the Jewish Foundation and its truly extraordinary staff.”
He noted that the Foundation was established in 1964 by “a group of visionary leaders and has been a beacon of hope and opportunity for decades.” He further pointed out that “its endowment funds have empowered countless initiatives, from supporting education and cultural programs to ensuring the wellbeing of our most vulnerable. Through the Foundation, we see the power of collective generosity, and we remember that when we come together, we can achieve extraordinary things.”
“Giving isn’t just about money,” London observed. It’s also about its impact. Every contribution, no matter how small, has the potential to change and better lives. Every gift by way of endowment results in an endless rate of return from investment which can be employed year after year to support our institutions and assist individuals in need to survive more comfortably and our community to flourish.
“Think of it like planting seeds. You may not see the tree grow overnight, but one day someone will sit in its shade benefitting from the kindness you showed today. In fact, l’dor v’dor, (from generation to generation) is another core Jewish concept. Endowments embody it by supporting those future generations. It is a way for donors to leave not only the currency, but the legacy of Tzedakah (charitable giving), a mitzvah deeply rooted in Jewish ethics.
“So, let’s put some leaves on the ‘tree” of giving’.
“Today’s signers,” London concluded,”have added our familial names, our memories and our promises in support of the Foundation’s good deeds. May good triumph and may peace prevail.”
In his own remarks, John Diamond, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba’s CEO, described the Endowment Book of Life program as one of the Foundation’s “most meaningful and most successful initiatives”.
“By entering their and their families’ life stories in our book,” he said, “our donors both honour those who came before and inspire those who will come after us.”
In his closing remarks, the JFM’s chair Dan Blankstein reported that the Endowment Book of Life book currently contains over 800 stories. Echoing John Diamond, Blankstein observed that “Our Endowment Book of Life is both a living history of Jewish life in Manitoba and a guide to the future”.