Local News
Gray Academy has gone eight months with not one single case of COVID
over 675 cases in other Manitoba schools
By BERNIE BELLAN
While Manitobans can rightfully be said to be in a state of shock over how this province has gone from having one of the best records anywhere at keeping COVID at bay to now having one of the worst in Canada, the focus has very much been on the tragic situations in many personal care homes.
Yet, the situation in schools for the most part is one where there has also been a steady number of COVID cases either having been reported or suspected. Since all available evidence to this point, however, is that COVID simply does not affect young people to the same degree that it does the elderly (among whom I can rightfully count myself), I think it’s fair to say that not much attention has been paid to what’s been happening in schools in this province.
According to the CBC Manitoba website, however, “Manitoba had recorded 675 cases of COVID-19 in schools as of Nov. 17. A total of 513 of those were students and 162 were staff members.
The CBC website goes on to note that “The province has posted dozens of possible exposures at schools across Manitoba on its website – including more than 150 exposures at schools in the Winnipeg health region since Sept. 25.”
Since ours is a newspaper serving the Jewish community I thought it appropriate to take a look at what’s been happening in the only fully JK-12 Jewish day school in the province: Gray Academy.
Luckily, it is fair to report in the case of that school that “no news is good news.”
Since the first lockdown began on March 14 I’ve had occasion to speak with Gray Academy Head of School and CEO Lori Binder twice before: In our May 27 issue, when we took a detailed look at how Gray Academy had made the successful transition to teaching online through what it called its “Gray Away” online program; and in our Sept. 2 issue, when we took a look at plans that were put in place to welcome back students under the highly restrictive protocols that the province had established for all schools in Manitoba.
Now, with almost three full months having gone by since the start of the new school year, I thought it appropriate to speak with Lori again to get her assessment of how things have gone at Gray Academy thus far. Joining in the phone conversation was Andrea Ritter, Director, Marketing and Communications.
No cases of COVID at Gray Academy thus far
I began by asking whether “there have been any incidents of COVID at the school?”
Lori answered: “Thank G-d no, there have not. We’ve been healthy every day.”
I asked: “Are any of your students now taking their schooling online?”
Lori: “Let me give you a general overview. We are fully open. We are able to have our students with two meters distance all the way up to Grade 12. We made that change when schools moved to orange and that was already in place in the elementary. We were able to spread out more, so that for example, our Mac lab that was used for the film class, we’re now using it for other classes and we’ve moved a grade to another corner of the school.
“We are open five days a week for every one of our students unless they fail our health screening.”
Lori went on to explain that if, for any reason, a student is unable to attend classes in person beginning with Grade 5, they are able to “access classes online. They are able to login to ‘Google classroom’ and they are able to participate.” As well, students are beginning to learn to use Google Classroom independently in Grades 3 & 4.
But, she noted, “we don’t have a remote choice option – meaning a student is just choosing to be remote – but if they’re not in the building and they’re still well enough to learn, they can access the classroom from home.”
In terms of how many students have actually been absent from school on any given day, Lori said that the average attendance has been “approximately 90% on a daily basis.”
Enrolment has remained up
I asked how enrolment this year compares with last year?
“Last year it was 494,” Lori answered. “This year it’s 484.”
She noted, however, that the school’s “retention percentage” (meaning “how many students didn’t graduate and were eligible to return”) is at “93%”.
Lori added that, “We only had two families that, before school started, chose to home school.”
In terms of how many new students are at Gray Academy this year, Lori said there are 60 new students (who could be in grades as early as Junior Kindergarten). While there were 80 new students in the 2019-20 academic year, the lower figure, Lori explained, is largely explained by the fact that, “of those 60 new students we’re seeing more local as we’ve seen fewer families arrive from outside of Canada.”
Andrea Ritter noted that “this has been an unusual year when we’ve had to turn people away when we filled our rooms. We had to maintain that distancing between students in rooms – which meant we had to limit our capacity in certain classrooms. We had to cut off our registration for JK and K for sure.”
Lori gave as an example an inquiry the school had from someone wanting to enroll their child in Grade 4. “We had no more room,” she explained, “ so we had to tell them their child was on a wait list.”
I asked whether there was a breakdown of class size by grade. Lori said they had figures for high school and elementary. “Last year our high school (Grades 7-12) was 211 and this year it’s 218. Our elementary (JK-Grade 6), last year was 283; this year it went down a little to 266.”
All staff returned this year – and have remained
At that point in the conversation I said I wanted to turn attention to the staff of the school. I asked whether everyone had returned?
Lori answered: “Our staff is all here. No one chose not to continue working because of COVID and we’ve welcomed some new staff. They’ve been amazing. Our staff are so committed to who we are as a school community, committed to being able to provide our students purpose, a place to be, and a community where they’re known and cared for by the teachers.
“If you were to say to us, before we knew what COVID was, that we’re going to run a school, and we’re going to keep changing, and as a teacher you’re going to have to start moving around from class to class – and you’re going to have some kids in one classroom and some in another, and you’re going to always be on the alert for changes from the province – our staff have been really incredible.
“From my educational lens, what I see is that our kids really want to be in school; they want to be somewhere. They don’t want to be in isolation. We’re all social beings, teenagers especially – they crave being with others, being in community.
“We’re doing things we’ve never done before. Bernie, if you ever want to come and watch our pick-up and drop-off – it’s a science we’ve created. We’ve got this orderly fashion how kids get out of their cars so we can limit gatherings and have kids go through doorways one at a time. We’re just so grateful for the positivity of our staff and the partnership with our families.”
Could Gray Academy remain open if other schools are forced to shut their doors?
I wondered though about something that doesn’t get discussed much within general conversation. The province has been releasing data about which geographic areas have been hardest hit by COVID (also which schools) and it has been quite evident that the pandemic has taken a disproportionate toll on socioeconomic groups that are more disadvantaged. Now, with talk of a possible even more drastic shutdown that would encompass schools this time – but with Gray Academy, among other schools, having fared quite well in terms of avoiding any incidents of COVID, I asked whether the possibility that some schools might be allowed to remain open while others would have to close had ever been brought up in discussions with representatives from the Department of Education?
Lori responded that “What I can share, and has not changed ever since the summer, is they’ve always spoken about what would make schools move into the red pandemic response level. We know that one reason is transmission in a school that is specific to that school. We saw that happen with one of the first schools in the River East School Division (John Pritchard) where a cohort was moved out – and that was specific to that school.
“That same basic message is what we’re still hearing: ‘There would be a change to a school if there’s evidence of transmission within a school….We have to be prepared for anything that might happen., but my belief is there won’t be a decision made based on anything other than what’s happening in specific schools.”
Some classrooms have been able to accommodate fairly large numbers of students
I wondered what the maximum class size is now that each student is required to maintain a distance of 2 metres all around?
“In elementary, believe it or not,” Lori responded, “we’ve taken out furniture; we’ve removed bookshelves that were screwed to the walls for decades – in order to make more room – it would be around 18 or 19; and in high school, we’ve been using some of the larger spaces for classrooms – like the Mac lab – where we can get around 20 or 21 students. Right now, because we’ve always had the availability of the Berney Theatre, there is a group in the foyer and a group utilizing the theatre so that we can really give kids the space.”
“That would mean you’re having university style lectures in the theatre itself,” I suggested.
Further, because there are windows in the foyer the school is able to open the blinds and get some natural light into that space, Lori explained.
Andrea added that students who are taking classes in the theatre have become quite resourceful in adapting to the theatre format. “It’s energized the kids. As soon as they went to the Berney (Theatre) they all started coming up with ideas, like ‘How can I create a lap desk for myself?’ because it’s hard to hold your Chromebook on your lap while you’re taking notes.”
Lori also noted that, until the province ordered the entire city into code red, Shmoozers had been providing hot lunches for kids – brought to them in their rooms. “We’re trying to keep our hot lunch program going – at least for this month,” she noted, “with food from other kosher catering. We don’t have volunteers coming in right now, so we (the staff) are doing that.”
Talking about the staff and lunches, I asked whether staff are still eating their lunches in the Kaufman-Silverberg Library?
“Our high school staff are,” Lori said, “but we still have our staff room. It’s just limited by how many people can be in there at once. There’s enough space for 12. There are other places for staff to go.”
Morale has remained high – and students have shown amazing resillience
I asked whether there are any assessments of morale that are taken on any sort of systematic basis or is it all based on anecdotal evidence? After all, I suggested to Lori, “you’re giving me what would be considered a pretty upbeat report.”
Andrea Ritter said she’d like to jump in at that point, “speaking both as a professional and as a mom” of two students at Gray Academy.
“I was home last year with both my kids (when all schools closed from March on). My older one (who’s 15 – in Grade 10) was fine; she’s very independent, she did her own thing. She didn’t mind being online.
“The little one (who’s 9 – in Grade 4),” Andrea continued – “it was really hard for her, especially when we weren’t having a full day of classes, when we would just meet (online) here and there. She really had a tough time emotionally.
“When we switched to full-on Gray Away in April, and she was with her classmates in a structured environment every day, it made an enormous difference for her.
“But for me, seeing the children here on site, I am amazed how they’ve taken everything in stride. Sure, every time there’s a change, they complain like crazy for a day or two, then they just move along and carry on with their day.
“Some of the high school kids especially have gotten a little bit innovative in providing entertainment for themselves. They can’t go anywhere, they’re not allowed to leave Campus – and that’s one of the ways we’re trying to keep control on transmission. (Ed. note: Compare that with kids from Grant Park who had been flocking both to the nearby McDonald’s and Grant Park Shopping Centre.)
Andrea continued: “They’re creating some new clubs at lunch, they’re hanging out in different spaces – but the little ones, in particular, interact when they’re outside – in masks, at recess – it doesn’t matter – it doesn’t make a difference to them. They take it completely in stride. I hear them all day. My window faces the playground. They play like they always have.
“I’ve certainly seen discussions online from different points of view – how terrible it is to have kids in masks all day. Fortunately for us we have the space. Our kids (up to Grade 4 and up) can be out of masks and have a mask break so long as they’re at their desks and when they have to put their masks on for recess (grades 3-6) or for gym (grade 4 and up) – they’re just taking it in stride.”
Lori chimed in: “Every day that we can have this building open and our children are healthy, it means that our kids are getting what they need to develop mentally, developmentally – and the resiliency – I am also proud of our students’ resiliency.… I remember the first day that kids were getting dropped off, who would have thought that three and four-year-olds would be hopping out of the car and walking themselves (with staff) to the early years’ wings door? Usually it would have been the parents holding their hands, walking them to the door of their classroom.
“We’re here to give kids a place to be and, from a mental health and wellness perspective, that’s what contributes to being able to learn.
“So, I’m not saying it’s not hard; it is hard and I’d like to see those vaccines come to light sooner rather than later, but as long as we can keep these kids feeling well, we’re upbeat.”
Local News
Jewish Federation holds first ever “town hall”
By BERNIE BELLAN It was a relatively small turnout – maybe 70 people were at the Shaarey Zedek Sunday morning, June 14 – but it may have been the start of a new foray by the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg into community outreach when a “town hall” was held to which members of the Jewish community had been invited to attend.
I had broached the idea of the Federation’s holding a community town hall with Federation CEO Jeff Lieberman back in the fall on an evening when he and newly installed Federation President Carrie Shenkarow had invited members of the community to come meet them for some one on one conversations.
I was disappointed that evening how few individuals showed up, so I shouldn’t have been surprised that the turnout for the town hall itself was relatively low.
But, give full marks to Lieberman and the others who were on the panel with him on June 14 for coming out to an event where they were prepared to answer any and all questions from audience members, as well as respond to questions that had been sent in by members of the community prior to the actual town hall.
Now, I should make clear that I have a particular position when it comes to attending any type of forum of the sort the Jewish Federation held, which is that any and all questions should be allowed – even if those questions might anger both the respondents to the question and audience members as well.
Toward almost the very end of the town hall I did ask a question that did elicit a somewhat negative reaction from within the audience – about the uproar over the upcoming Nakba exhibit at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, but I’ll save what I asked and the response I got for later. Suffice to say for the time being, it seems apparent the suggestion that some Palestinians were forcibly expelled from their homes and have a right to have their story told is anathema to many in the Jewish community.
The town hall was moderated by Neil Duboff. Accompanying Duboff on the podium at the Shaarey Zedek were four other individuals, each of whom was representing a particular Jewish organization: the aforesaid Jeff Lieberman, CEO of the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg; Dr. Ruth Ashrafi, Regional Director, B’nai Brith Canada; Gustavo Zentner, CIJA Vice-President, Manitoba and Saskatchewan; and Bellle Jarniewski, Executive Director, The Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada. Later in the program, they were joined on the podium by Rabbi Anibal Mass of Shaarey Zedek Congregation.
Each of the panellists gave what turned out to be fairly lengthy descriptions of what it is they do in their opening remarks, lasting a total of 20 minutes.
From time to time William Sagel, who is community security director for the Jewish Federation, but was not present in person, also joined in the discussion via a remote link.
Rather than report on how each of the panellists described what they do in their respective positions, I’ll jump right into the question and answer session that ensued. However, the initial question and answer segment of the program turned out to consist of questions that had been submitted beforehand and were read out by Neil Duboff, who took turns asking different panellists to respond to different questions.
Considering that a town hall is supposed to be a forum where, after opening remarks by whoever is going to respond to questions from audience members, the floor is supposed to be opened up to members of the audience to ask questions, having Neil Duboff read questions that had been submitted beforehand contradicted what is supposed to happen at a town hall, but hey: This was a first for our community, so I’ll give them a pass this town – but guys, next time – if there is a next time, how about having a real town hall?
What follows are snippets of what turned out to be a very long event that ran well past the allotted two hours that had originally been set aside. (If answers to questions posed, either by Duboff – reading from questions that had been submitted or by actual audience members themselves, seem exceptionally short, it’s for reasons of space, not because respondents gave abbreviated answers.)
The first question Duboff asked, and which was directed at Gustavo Zentner, was: “What is CIJA’s strategy for holding public officials accountable when current laws are not being enforced?”
Zentner responded that he prefers to meet one on one with officials – on a confidential basis, but he tries “to set a paper trail of accountability.”
One particular event that had a significant impact on the relationship CIJA (as well as other community organizations, other panellists noted) has had with politicians at various levels of government was the Bondi Beach attack in Australia last December during Chanukah, when 15 people were killed and 40 wounded by two gunmen who opened fire as members of the Sydney Jewish community were gathered to celebrate Chanukah on the beach.
Zentner noted that, following that attack, he met with the premier of Manitoba as well as the leader of the opposition, to discuss how the Manitoba government could bolster security for the Jewish community here.
Zentner said that, coming out of that discussion, the Manitoba government has now created a position of prosecutor specifically to deal with hate crimes and that the government “gave specific funds for security infrastructure for the community.”
He added that “two weeks ago” the Winnipeg Chief of Police released hate crime stats for the City of Winnipeg. “We were interviewed four times in 24 hours” about what the chief had said, Zentner added.
The next question Duboff asked was addressed to Jeff Lieberman: “What does the Federation do to prevent people from attending events who aren’t invited?”
Lieberman answered: “We pre-register” attendees.
He also said he wanted to add something to Zentner’s response to the question asked about holding public officials accountable.
He referred to Premier Wab Kinew’s controversial comment at the Federal NDP convention, held this past March, when Kinew said “Let the Epstein class fight the Epstein war” – a remark that was widely regarded as a dog whistle to antisemites.
Lieberman said that “Kinew said some things that were not favourable. We met with him and around one month later we got $1 million in new funding for security.”
Duboff asked Ruth Ashrafi to comment about the upcoming Nakba exhibit at the CMHR – which is scheduled to open June 27.
Ashrafi noted that in December 2023, in response to Israel’s incursion into Gaza following the October 7 massacre, there had been a “die-in” at the CMHR and word began to circulate that the CMHR was preparing to open an exhibit about the Nakba.
In April 2024, Ashrafi said, lawyer David Matas, acting on behalf of B’nai Brith Canada, sent a letter to the CMHR, in which he voiced reasons that such an exhibit should not be mounted.
In November 2025, Ashrafi added, Jewish organizations were supposed to be informed about the Nakba exhibit, “but B’nai Brith wasn’t informed.”
She also referred to “all that other nonsense you can be a very good Jew and a non-Zionist.”
Belle Jarniewski also spoke about the Nakba exhibit, saying “consultation has not taken place on the exhibit…The problematic title suggests that the very creation and ongoing existence of the State of Israel is an ongoing catastrophe…This exhibit is putting a target on the backs of Jews across Canada…They (the CMHR) consulted with six percent of Jews across Canada – who are not Zionists…Carla Compton (the newly elected MLA for Tuxedo) said that ‘a museum is supposed to be about facts, not feelings’…The museum refused to say who is on the advisory council for the exhibit.”
Gustavo Zentner added: “The moment we were advised of the exhibit in November we asked them (the CMHR) not to make any more announcements…It is the federal government’s responsibility to take action on this problem. It doesn’t matter whether the government appointed the board.”
Duboff asked Lieberman: “What security planning is underway for community events?”
Lieberman asked Williams Sagel to respond. Sagel said there are security enhancements being implemented across a wide swath of community institutions, but he didn’t want to get into details.
Duboff asked a follow-up question: “What do you say to the suggestion that community responses to security threats are inadequate?”
Lieberman responded that “We have to be very careful what we do.”
Questions from the audience then followed. As one might expect, given the opportunity to speak, once handed the microphone, most audience members would go on and on without asking a question.
Here, in capsule form, are some of the questions asked:
“Why is there no Israeli person on the panel?”
“Why not put on a counter exhibit to the CMHR exhibit at the Convention Centre?”
“Why do we have three different organizations dealing with antisemitism?” (Actually, the questioner could have asked “Why do we have four different organizations” doing that, because the Jewish Federation, B’nai Brith, CIJA, and the recently formed Manitoba Institute to Combat Antisemitism, which is part of the Jewish Heritage Centre of Western Canada, all deal with antisemitism in one way or another.)
“How is what Belle is doing different from what Ruth and Gustavo are doing?”
Jarniewski responded: “We all collaborate all the time.”
A questioner asked what can be done about the Winnipeg Free Press which, he suggested, rarely prints an op-ed defending Israel.
Lieberman said: “It is not our mandate to take a stand against that particular business.”
A questioner asked “Why isn’t ‘Shomrim’ incorporated into the community?”
For readers unfamiliar with who “Shomrim” are, here is something generated by AI about Shomrim: “Shomrim Toronto is a dedicated volunteer organization committed to ensuring the safety and security of the Jewish communities across the Greater Toronto Area. As guardians of peace (Shalom), we bridge the gap between the community and local law enforcement through vigilant community patrols, educational programs, and direct incident response.”
In Montreal, “This is the community safety and emergency response patrol operating primarily within the Hasidic and broader Jewish communities (particularly in the Tosh and Outremont areas).”
Lieberman responded: “The organizations in Toronto an Montreal have been operated for numerous years.”
William Sagel added: “We’re training volunteers for the future.”
Then, I asked my question, followed by angry muttering from the audience. I began by suggesting that the Jewish community is far more diffuse than the panelists would have us believe and the idea that there is unanimity about the Nakba is not right. I also said that speaking at this particular “town hall” was really nothing more than speaking in an ‘echo chamber’ since none of the questions asked dared to challenge accepted wisdoms about Israel and the Nakba. I asked: “Is it not possible to acknowledge the existence of what Palestinians refer to as the Nakba?” (And, for anyone who might think what I said was absolutely outrageous, I simply suggest you do some reading about what Israeli leaders, including David Ben Gurion, Chaim Weizman, and many others, said about the necessity of expelling large portions of the Palestinian population in order to create a viable State of Israel. I deal in reality, not mythology. And yes, I know that 800,000 Jews were also forced to leave their homes in Arab lands.)
Gustavo Zentner said: “The museum has not been transparent in its dealings….The (federal) government has a responsibility to step in and handle its responsibilities for corporate governance.”
A series of questions were asked by audience members about financial aid for members of the community, either to attend Gray Academy or Jewish camps. One audience member said that more parents are now sending their kids to Gray Academy or to Jewish camps as a result of antisemitism, but there was a need for more bursaries for those kids.
Jeff Lieberman agreed that “more and more kids” have left public schools and enrolled in Gray Academy after facing antisemitism in public school. He added that Gray Academy is giving out “$1 million in bursaries” each year. Lieberman pointed out that Gray Academy Head of School Lori Binder was in the audience and he asked her to come to the front to address the question of financial aid for parents wanting to send their kids to Gray Academy.
Binder said: “No one who comes to our door will ever be denied a Jewish education,” but in response to the suggestion from one audience member that non-Jewish families are receiving financial aid to send their kids to Gray Academy, Binder was unequivocal in saying that’s not true, saying that “non-Jewish families are not receiving financial assistance at all.”
Although this has been a long article to read (if you made it this far) I’ve really only attempted to give a flavour of what happened at the town hall. By the time it was nearing an end, Neil Duboff suggested that it would be a good idea to hold another such town hall. Yes, tempers may fray at a town hall (and I’m used to being criticized for daring to say things that don’t go over well with many others), but it was a very civil discussion, albeit with not enough time for questions from actual audience members. Full credit to Jeff Lieberman for following through on my suggestion to hold a town hall. And now that there’s been one – and the organizers may have learned where they can improve things, it would be a good idea to hold another one – but please, try to include members of the community who are either disaffected – which I would suggest is the majority of the Jewish community, or even those who are stridently opposed to the positions taken by our established Jewish organizations.
Local News
Temple Shalom suffers significant flood damage – rendered unusable for rest of the summer
The following notification was recently received from Temple Shalom:
Dear members and friends of Temple Shalom,
As you all know by now, Temple Shalom suffered significant damage when part of the building flooded during the intense storm last week. I wanted to take this opportunity to provide you with a quick update on the situation at this time.
The flood primarily affected the entryway, the stairs, the lobby outside the sanctuary and the lobby downstairs. There is also a smaller amount of damage to other areas of the building, including the kitchen, the music room and the sanctuary. The damage is extensive and we have now learned that asbestos is present in the flooded area of the building and that we will need to undertake a major abatement project before the actual repairs can begin.
Steve has been managing this project and is working with our insurance company, restoration company, roofers, electricians and other trades. Flynn Roofing was able to assess and make temporary repairs to the roof, and so far, there have been no further leaks. Steve and Bernie have been working tirelessly to remove water, clean up debris and move furnishings and other material out of areas that will need repair. Cynthia has been answering phone calls and emails and making arrangements for the next steps in this process.
It is now clear that we will not be able to use the building this summer. By next week, no unauthorized individuals will be permitted in the building, and our staff will be working from home. We are still working on a location for our services this summer and will let you know the arrangements as soon as they are finalized; we are grateful to the congregations and community organizations that have already reached out to us and offered space. Currently, our Torahs are safe at Shaarey Zedek. Until the location for in-person services is confirmed, we will hold our services on Zoom (details to follow).
We are planning ways to keep our community together during this time.
Judith
President, Temple Shalom
Local News
Chesed Shel Emes is hiring
Chesed Shel Emes is looking for a daytime “Shomer Plus” – an individual who understands and appreciates the depth and significance of Shmira, who is able to assume some of the day to day tasks managing our facility, and who can take on some of the administrative work – be it graphic design, social media management, Board support, or providing back up for our 24/7 on call staff.
This is a unique position which calls for a blend of the spiritual and the practical. We are offering a part time, salaried, daytime position, with employee benefits. The successful candidate will need to be flexible, patient and have a sense of humor.
For more information contact Rena Boroditsky, executive director of Chesed Shel Emes at chesedwinnipeg@gmail.com or phone 204-582-5088
