Local News
Dina Raihman’s lifelong journey in education
Foreword by BERNIE BELLAN Seven years ago, The Jewish Post & News published a story by Rebeca Kuropatwa about a woman who had arrived in Winnipeg from Israel in 2008. That woman was Dina Raihman.
Before moving to Canada, Dina had spent 25 years working as an educator in Israel. As Rebeca wrote at the time, Dina brought her passion for teaching with her and eventually opened her own private after-school program specializing in mathematics and science.
Over the years, Dina has kept in touch with us as her educational programs have continued to grow. What began as evening classes held in rented classrooms throughout Winnipeg gradually evolved into permanent school locations.
In 2022, she opened Integral School at 1080 Waverley Street in Linden Woods. Since then, a second location has opened in Transcona, and Dina says plans are already underway to open a third location in Sage Creek. All three locations offer after-school educational programs for students of different ages and abilities.
As we noted in a 2022 follow-up article to Rebeca Kuropatwa’s original story, Dina quickly identified a problem after beginning work as a substitute teacher in Manitoba’s public and private schools. She noticed that many mathematically gifted students were not being sufficiently challenged and, as a result, were failing to reach their full potential.
In 2014, she decided to do something about it.
Starting with only 17 students, her evening school steadily expanded. Today, approximately 270 students are enrolled in her programs.
When Dina recently contacted me to tell me about the opening of her second location in Transcona, I told her that rather than simply writing another update about the school, I wanted to know the story behind the educator herself.
Both Rebeca and I had previously written about Dina’s success working with children from many immigrant families, including those from countries where mathematics and science education has traditionally been emphasized, such as Israel and Ukraine. But neither of us had ever explored the experiences that shaped Dina’s own lifelong commitment to education.
So I asked Dina to tell her story in her own words.
Here it is:
My Story
By DINA RAIHMAN My story began long before I was born.
During World War II, my parents, along with my grandparents, were forced to leave Ukraine to escape the war. Fate brought them to Georgia, where our family eventually settled. It was there, after the war, that I was born.
My childhood, school years, and youth were spent in Georgia. It was there that I first discovered my love for mathematics and realized I wanted to become a teacher. I have always believed that a great teacher changes a child’s life not only by teaching a subject, but by teaching a child how to think.
I later attended the Voroshilovgrad Pedagogical Institute (now located in the city of Luhansk, Ukraine), where I earned a Master’s Degree in Mathematics and Physics. Even then, I knew teaching would become my life’s work.
In 1990, my husband and I made an important decision to begin a new chapter of our lives in Israel.
We lived there for seventeen years, raised our two children, and continued building both our family and our careers.
Then, in 2006, we made another life-changing decision.
We immigrated to Canada after my older sister had moved here. Like many newcomers, we knew we were starting almost from scratch, but we believed the opportunities available for our children made every sacrifice worthwhile.
As with many internationally trained professionals, I needed to have my education recognized in Canada. Although I already held a master’s degree and many years of teaching experience, I was required to earn Canadian teaching qualifications.
For a period of time, I worked at the University of Winnipeg. I was even offered the opportunity to pursue a PhD and continue an academic career.
Although it was an exciting opportunity, our family had only recently arrived in Canada. Financially, it was impossible for me to devote several years to graduate research while supporting my family. Instead, I chose another path—one that allowed me to continue studying while working.
I became a substitute teacher in Winnipeg.
Looking back, those years were among the most valuable of my professional life.
Over several years, I taught in approximately 80 percent of Winnipeg’s schools. Every school, every classroom, and every group of students gave me new experiences and broadened my understanding of Canadian education.
While teaching, I also continued studying at the University of Winnipeg to earn my Permanent Professional Teaching Certificate.
In 2010, I successfully received my Permanent Professional Teaching Certificate, allowing me to teach permanently in Manitoba schools.
My first full-time teaching position took me far north to the community of Pukatawagan, where I taught Biology to students in Grades 9 through 11.
The experience taught me resilience, adaptability, and the importance of understanding every student’s individual background.
After one year, I returned to Winnipeg and continued substitute teaching.
During the 2012–2013 school year, I accepted a one-year teaching replacement position in Saskatchewan, where I taught Mathematics to students in Grades 9 through 12.
By then, an idea that had been growing inside me for years had become impossible to ignore.
I wanted to create my own educational program—one that would help students truly understand mathematics, develop logical thinking, build confidence, and prepare for future academic success.
That dream became reality in 2014 when I founded the Physics and Mathematics Integral School.
The school first opened on Corydon Avenue before later moving to St. Vital.
Today, we operate permanent locations on Waverley Street and in Transcona, and we are preparing to open our third Winnipeg location in Sage Creek.
Since opening our doors, our mission has never been simply to teach mathematics.
We have always wanted to create an environment where children learn to think independently, analyze problems, embrace mistakes as part of learning, and believe in themselves.
Over the years, more than 1,000 students have studied with us.
One of our greatest sources of pride is seeing our graduates continue their education at Canadian universities in fields such as engineering, computer science, medicine, economics, and the natural sciences.
Since opening in 2014, we have helped more than 430 students successfully graduate from high school, many of whom have continued into university programs requiring strong mathematical foundations.
For us, however, success means much more than university admission.
We strive to develop logical thinking, independent problem-solving, confidence, perseverance, concentration, and the ability to learn from mistakes.
I often tell my students:
“Mistakes are not failures. They simply show us what we still have to learn.”
Today, approximately 270 students attend our programs.
We offer both in-person and online classes, making our programs accessible to students throughout Winnipeg and beyond.
Our youngest learners begin at 3 to 5 years of age, where they develop early mathematical thinking, logic, concentration, and problem-solving skills through engaging activities designed specifically for preschool children.
For school-age students, we offer both Beginner and Advanced groups, ensuring that every child learns at the level best suited to their abilities.
Our programs include:
Mathematics
Logic
Geometry
Mental Math using the Japanese Abacus program
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
In addition to our regular classes, we prepare students for mathematics competitions. Each year, many of our students participate in contests organized through their schools, where they apply not only mathematical knowledge but also logical reasoning, analytical thinking, and effective time management.
One of our proudest achievements is that 15 of our students have earned certificates recognizing them among the top 25 percent of young mathematics students in Canada through these prestigious competitions.
For me, these accomplishments represent much more than awards.
They demonstrate that every child has the potential to succeed when they are given encouragement, effective instruction, and the opportunity to believe in themselves.
Throughout my career, I have come to believe one simple truth:
Children are not born “good” or “bad” at mathematics.
They become successful when they have a teacher who can explain difficult ideas in simple ways, encourage them during challenging moments, and inspire them never to give up.
That is why every student who walks through our doors becomes part of one large family.
Looking back today, I realize that the journey that began many years ago in Georgia has become far more than a teaching career.
It has become a lifelong mission to help children discover confidence, develop their abilities, and understand that with the right guidance, they are capable of achieving far more than they ever imagined.
Local News
Scenes from Shalom Square 2026
Shalom Square – the Israel pavilion, is on until Saturday night, August 8. As usual, audiences have been packing the Rady JCC gym to watch entertainment provided by the Chai Folk Ensemble and Kadima Dance Troupe.
(All photos courtesy of Keith Levit)
Local News
Nakba exhbit at CMHR – you can see it right here and make your own assessment
By BERNIE BELLAN (Posted June 26, updated July 19) The Nakba exhibit at the Canadian Exhibit for Human Rights opened to the public June 27. The morning before the exhibit was set to open to the public, (it had a private opening for invited guests the evening of June 26) we received a press release from the CMHR. That press release gave a very detailed description of what was in the exhibit, along with photos (supplied by Annie Kierans of the CMHR).
There is also a link right at the beginning of the press release that will allow you to watch the same videos that anyone attending the exhibit can watch. We reprinted what was sent to us without making one edit. We leave it to you to form your own opinion as to whether the exhibit is fair in its presentation, and whether it is lacking “context” – which is an accusation that has been levelled at the exhibit’s organizers by some representatives of Jewish organizations.
We have received many emails in reaction to the exhibit. If you have an opinion and would like to see it published on this website, you can send it to jewishp@mymts.net, but please indicate whether you would be willing to have it published on this website.
Here is what we received the morning of June 26:
Winnipeg, MB — June 26, 2026 — The Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) will open a new exhibit tomorrow that explores human rights violations related to the ongoing forced displacement of Palestinian Canadians.
Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present will be on display in the Rights Today gallery on Level 5 until 2028. Featuring personal stories told through artifacts and video testimonies, the exhibit presents Palestinian Canadians reflecting on their ongoing struggle for human rights. The small exhibit reveals enduring patterns of loss and resilience, helping visitors understand more about this contemporary human rights story.
Palestinian Canadian stories are now included alongside many other stories of forced displacement and human rights violations featured in the Museum’s galleries. Each of these stories contribute to our visitors understanding of human rights and help the Museum fulfill its mandate to foster reflection and dialogue.
Exhibition highlights
Personal stories and artifacts: Experience firsthand accounts from Palestinian Canadians sharing their journeys of displacement and memory through a series of five artifacts. Cases display artifacts like property deeds, house keys, and a traditional Palestinian embroidered dress, accompanied by short videos that deepen understanding of the impacts of displacement.
Powerful artworks: In her painting Bound Together in Gaza, Malak Mattar, a Gazan artist, captures the struggles and resilience of her generation shaped by conflict. Her work pays homage to Guernica, Picasso’s powerful masterpiece depicting civilian suffering during war.
Curfews and Closures, by Rajie Cook, bears witness to life under military occupation during the 2000–2005 Palestinian uprising, when curfews and closures were expanded and further limited basic rights and freedoms.
Cultural heritage: Discover traditional Palestinian embroidery called tatreez. Tatreez motifs and colours are tied to place, family history and regional identity. Patterns are associated with particular towns, villages or areas of Palestine. In this way, tatreez is a form of storytelling: a way of preserving memory, sustaining identity and expressing resilience across displacement and exile.
Poetry and reflection: Engage with Mahmoud Darwish’s evocative verses, inspiring personal reflection on exile, voice, and responsibility. Visitors can take a card containing Darwish’s poem and add a personal note, fostering ongoing dialogue beyond the exhibit.
Contemporary context: Witness striking images of current events in Gaza and the West Bank, connecting past displacement to ongoing struggles.
Quotes:
“No force can silence the truth we carry. Growing up in Canada, my children lived the Nakba through our stories. And now we watch it happen again, live, on our phones. When I see the images coming out of Gaza, I am not watching the news. I am watching my history repeat itself.” -Fouad Sahyoun, a Palestinian Canadian featured in the exhibit
“We developed this exhibit with a clear awareness that Palestinian Canadian voices have too often been marginalized, silenced or spoken over — and that anti-Palestinian racism affects whose stories are heard and whose suffering is recognized. That is why we intentionally centred Palestinian Canadian voices throughout the exhibit.” -Isabelle Masson, Curator of Palestine Uprooted
“Human rights matter precisely when they are inconvenient, when the question of who deserves the dignity of having their rights recognized is genuinely contested. These are the moments where having a national museum for human rights is most important.
There are people who believe this exhibit should not exist in its current form. There are people who believe it should have existed sooner. There are people who will visit this exhibit and feel that it does not say enough, and others who will feel it says too much.
We have listened to every one of these voices. We have reflected. And we have renewed our resolve to continue the difficult, sometimes contested, and often controversial work of building understanding about human rights. We are a museum grounded in Canada’s human rights framework, whose mandate requires us to bear witness to the full complexity of the human story. We are proud to open this exhibit because the story it tells will help achieve that mandate, and because this story belongs in the collective memory of Canadians.”
- – Isha Khan, CEO
Local News
Jewish Federation releases amounts to be allocated to each of its 12 beneficiary agencies
By BERNIE BELLAN I had been reporting on allocations given to the 12 beneficiary agencies of the Jewish Federation for over 11 years – until last year, when I took a break from covering our major Jewish organizations.
These past couple of months, however, I’ve gone back to looking at financial information for some of our major Jewish organizations, including the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba and Jewish Child and Family Services. (If you want to read my reports on the two Annual General Meetings held by those organizations you can find them elsewhere on this website.)
Over the years as well, I had also been adding to a table that I began to compile 12 years ago that showed comparison figures year over year for how much had been allocated by the Jewish Federation to each of its 12 beneficiary agencies. Even though I didn’t do any reporting on allocations by the Jewish Federation last year, I was able to obtain information about the 2025 allocations that I’ve reproduced in the table that you can see here. (That table only shows information for the past five years, although I do have tables showing information about allocations going back as far as 2014 that can be found on my website if anyone is interested.)
Looking at the figures for this coming year though, a couple of things stand out: For one, there will be no allocation for Aleph Bet Child Life Enrichment, just as there wasn’t one last year either. This comes after having received allocations for as long as I’ve been covering the allocations committee, so that might require some further investigation to find out why Aleph Bet Enrichment is no longer receiving an allocation. Secondly, there will be a small allocation for the Irma Penn School of Jewish Learning – as there was last year also, after a multi-year absence of the school applying for allocations. The Irma Penn School used to advertise in The Jewish Post & News when it was active, but I don’t recall seeing anything about it the past two years. At one time it was very popular among adults. It would be worth looking into how it functions these days. (Over to you, Myron. You used to write about the Irma Penn School.)
Also, the report of the Allocation Committee says: “The Jewish Learning Institute resumed their participation in the Allocations process after a hiatus of a few years to enhance their revitalized programming.” But the Jewish Learning Institute did receive funding in 2025 and 2024, so it’s not clear why the report says there was a “hiatus of a few years.” No big deal, really.
It’s always been interesting for me – and I’m sure for you, too, to look at trends: Which beneficiary agencies have been receiving the largest increases in allocations year over year or, as the case may be, the smallest increases in funding – relative to what other agencies received?
According to the report of the allocations committee, “The 2025-26 Combined Jewish Appeal Campaign raised $7,224,856 this year.”
That amount is $660,577 more than what was raised in the 2024-25 campaign, which was $6,864,279. While a portion of what was raised goes toward beneficiary agencies, another portion goes to Israel, another portion is to cover operating expenses of the Federation, and another portion goes to replenishing the Federation’s emergency fund, which was badly depleted during Covid.
Insofar as how much each of the beneficiary agencies receives,, each year the allocations committee of the Jewish Federation meets during the course of the year to decide how to allocates funds to the 12 beneficiary agencies of the Federation.
The allocations are to be given to the respective agencies on September 1.
The total amount allocated to the Federation’s beneficiary agencies is $95,700 more than what was allocated last year, and $193,600 more than what was allocated in 2024. There will be a total of $3,050,000 allocated in 2026, compared to $2,954,300 in 2025, and $2,856,400 in 2024. Interestingly, the total amounts allocated in 2023 and 2022 were higher than what were allocated in 2024 and 2025, but the allocation to Gray Academy in 2022 was exceptionally high – $974,000, compared with $900,000 this year. In 2022 Gray Academy was still dealing with the fallout from Covid and the huge increases in costs that arose from having to resort to online teaching.
As well, until this year, the most ever allocated by the Jewish Federation to its beneficiary agencies was also in 2022 – when the community was still in the grip of the Covid crisis and total allocations were $3,003,000. At that time the Federation tapped into an emergency fund that it had on hand – and totally depleted that fund.
In its report the allocations committee went into some detail explaining its methodology and how certain criteria were given special attention when it came to determining allocations.
Each of the agencies had representatives appear before the committee. Those representatives were given 15-20 minutes to make presentations to the members of the committee and answer a series of questions pertaining to eight different criteria.
Here, in summary, are the main criteria the report cites as “priorities” when it came to deciding how much to allocate to agencies:
- Social isolation and lack of belonging: “Longing for belonging,” a desire for a
stronger sense of connection to the Jewish community and Jewish identification. - Seniors Isolation: Does this program address the problem of seniors’ isolation?
- Teen Program Continuity Gaps: Gaps in programming continuity limit teen
leadership opportunities. Peer connection programs across this demographic
must be prioritized. - Building Jewish Identity and Connection: Strengthening Jewish identification
ensures every program builds Jewish community through authentic Jewish content
and context. - Poverty and Financial Barriers to Participation: Financial challenges can prevent
community members’ full participation in Jewish life. - Accessibility and Inclusion for People with Disabilities: People with cognitive or
physical challenges face barriers to full participation in Jewish life. - Exclusionary or Unwelcoming Environments: Language and practices may
unintentionally exclude interfaith families, LGBTQ+ individuals, Jews of color, and
others. - Data on Participation and Community Needs: Do you have data available on who
participates in programs, who is underserved, and what impact programs have?
Even after having subjected each of the agencies to that sort of rigorous scrutiny, however, the fact remains that the sizes of the increases given to each agency were quite consistent with what had been given in previous years.
Here, for instance, are the increases that have been given to some of the agencies for the past three years:
Gray Academy – 2026 increase over 2025: $30,000; 2025 increase over 2024: $30,000
Gwen Secter – 2026 increase over 2025: $19,000; 2025 increase over 2024: $11,500
JCFS – 2026 increase over 2025: $30,000; 2025 increase over 2024: $25,000
Rady JCC – 2026 increase over 2025: $18,000; 2025 increase over 2024: $10,000
What it all boils down to, I would suggest, is that the allocations each of those agencies received are consistent with what they had received in previous years, notwithstanding the supposedly rigorous criteria that the allocations committee says it adopted in reviewing the presentations given by each agency.
