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
BB Camp reverses decision to retain Jacob Brodovsky as co-director
BB Camp parts ways with co-director, who had held a variety of positions at BB Camp for the past 15 years
By BERNIE BELLAN (Posted April 17) In an email just issued by BB Camp, the camp’s Board of Directors has announced that “the Board of Directors and co-Executive Director Jacob Brodovsky have amicably agreed to part ways, having regard to the best interests of the Camp and the community at large.”
There is no mention in the announcement as to the status of Brodovsky’s co-director (also his wife), Lexi Yurman.
The decision announced today constitutes a complete reversal of the Board’s earlier decision to retain Brodovsky as co-director. The Board had issued a statement on April 9 in which it said that “After conducting painstaking due diligence, the BB Camp Board of Directors unanimously voted to retain Co-Executive Director, Jacob Brodovsky, following his full apology for his serious error in judgement on social media.”
The statement by the board issued today (April 17) goes on to say that “the Camp Board expressly and unequivocally rejects and denounces the nature and content of the social media posts that were ‘liked’ (by Brodovsky) and in no way does that personal activity reflect the views of BB Camp or its Board.”
That statement refers to several social media posts which were posted by someone (or perhaps a group) that goes by the name “Rusty Robot,” which were posted in the spring of 2024, and to which Jacob Brodovsky attached his name as “liking” them.
There had been a myriad of accusations levelled against Brodovsky on social media, and one website in particular had been leading the charge to have him dismissed. That website not only ran several articles demanding that Brodovsky be fired, it allowed a slew of comments to be posted – many of which contained highly incendiary accusations against Brodovsky. (There were also a great many comments coming to his defence.)
In its announcement of Brodovsky and the camp parting ways, the Board goes into great detail about where certain areas of the camp’s operation need to be strengthened. The announcement says “Through this period, we have undertaken a careful and thoughtful review of our Camp’s policies and have taken guidance from experts in the community. While we believe strongly that the Camp has been, and will continue to be, a safe Jewish place for children, we have nonetheless identified areas where improvement is warranted, and the Board has agreed to pursue these steps to benefit the Camp.”
The announcement outlines the areas in which it is seeking to improve certain aspects of the camp experience:
- The Board has adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism and will incorporate it into our Code of Conduct. We believe taking this step gives formality to the Camp’s existing and unbending commitment to Jewish safety and outright rejection of any form of antisemitism or anti-Zionism. Our adoption of the IHRA definition will be posted to our website.
- We will review and update the Camp’s mission statement and core values statement to better reflect the Camp’s fundamental support of Israel.
- Employees and Board members will be required to sign the Code of Conduct, which will outline support of the IHRA definition and include confirmation that they will not publicly promote ideas that are contrary to the mission of the Camp or which are contrary to the IHRA definition.
- We will take steps to hire a Jewish Education Coordinator to develop and implement enhanced Jewish and Israeli programming at Camp.
- We will strike a community outreach sub-committee of the Board to formally engage with Israeli and other community organizations in order to repair relationships and enhance opportunities for collaboration.
- We will take steps to ensure that all Camp staff have a formal ability to communicate directly with the Board.
Yet, nowhere does the Board describe in any way how Brodovsky failed to meet any of the areas which the Board says it will seek to strengthen. It does say though that “Our campers will continue to do what they have been doing for decades: proudly sing Hatikvah daily while the Israeli flag is lowered, participate in meaningful and inclusive daily prayer services, enjoy the “Shabbat Procession” and Friday challah, and feel a connection to Israel and Judaism through our programming.”
Further, the announcement issued by the Board also says that the Board “would like to highlight we were particularly proud of what our Executive Directors initiated last year to support Israelis in need. They engaged with the community to raise funds which were used to bring young Israeli campers from destroyed communities in the Gaza envelope, along with a chaperone, to Camp for a session. This provided an incredible relief to those kids and gave our community’s kids a chance to connect with Israelis who have suffered so greatly.”
It should also be noted that the Board of the Jewish Federation issued a statement on April 14 that gave a forewarning that the BB Camp Board was coming under great pressure to part ways with Brodovsky.
The Federation statement said: “We are aware of the concerning situation regarding BB Camp.
“While BB Camp is governed by its own board of directors and operates independently — as do all of the Federation’s beneficiary agencies — we have listened closely to the concerns of community members, whose trust in the camp has been shaken. The Federation takes these concerns with the utmost seriousness. “Our Executive has already held a number of emergency meetings, and our Board will be meeting on Tuesday night to further discuss the matter. A formal statement will be shared with the community this week.” If there is a statement issued by the Federation we will provide an update to what is clearly an ongoing story. How the camp will reorganize itself this close to the opening of camp season is not explained in the announcement issued by the BB Camp Board. What it does say is that “The Board is actively working on a transition plan that ensures that Camp operates as it always has – as a safe Jewish place for campers to spend their summers, build leadership skills and create memories in an incredible wilderness environment. The Board has great confidence in our returning staff team, including our exceptionally talented Operations, Program and Wilderness Directors, each of whom held the same position last year. Camp has a culture guided by the dozens of amazing staff who commit their time and energy for the benefit of our community’s children. We are blessed to have a strong and capable staff team ready to welcome our campers this summer, and the Board will work hand in hand with them to ensure the Camp’s continued success.” |
Hats off to that hateful website which played such an instrumental role in seeing the departure of someone whom the Camp Board thanks for his “tireless efforts for the Camp over the last four years as Co-Executive Director and his dedicated service in a variety of Camp positions over the last 15 years.” If there is anything more to report on this story, we will do our best to do that here, but in past instances of administrators of Jewish organizations in Winnipeg leaving suddenly, it has consistently been the practice of neither the board involved in that person’s departure nor the person – him or herself, to say anything for public consumption that might explain their sudden departure.
Local News
Sandy Sheegl honoured after retiring as executive director of G.R.O.W. Winnipeg
By BERNIE BELLAN It was in the late 1990s that a group of individuals gathered at the old YMHA on Hargrave to discuss the lack of opportunities for individuals with special needs in the Jewish community. A steering committee was formed, under the leadership of Karyn Lazareck.
In an article written for The Jewish Post & News by Fern Swedlove in 2010, Fern explained how that steering committee eventually came to create a program known as G.R.O.W. – which stands for “gainresourcesourway.”
Here is how Fern described the evolution of G.R.O.W. from a seed of an idea to a thriving organization that serves the needs of a great many young adults with special needs in our community:
“In 2002, G.R.O.W. in Gimli was founded as a project of the Steering Committee for Persons with Disabilities in the Jewish Community. The committee of volunteers was led by Karyn Lazareck, and through partnering with the University of Manitoba Department of Occupational Therapy, a unique summer life skills program for young adults (age (18- 24)) with social and intellectual disabilities was developed. The program provided the opportunity for individuals to learn and practice life skills and social skills in a safe environment. The partnership with the university supported the development of evidence-based curricula as well as quality assurance through the establishment of a program evaluation process.
“The G.R.O.W. in Gimli Program quickly became known in the community, and based on its success, the G.R.O.W. in Winnipeg Program was established in 2010. Originally, both of the programs were piloted under the auspices of the Rady Jewish Community Centre. In November of 2013 further success and development of the program facilitated G.R.O.W. becoming an independent registered, charitable organization governed by a Board of Directors comprised of parents and professionals
“The G.R.O.W. in Winnipeg Program is an innovative, transitional day program for young adults (21 and older) preparing for independent living. Centered on the individual with a goal oriented approach, the program focuses on life management, health and healthy living, and the development of social, recreational, and pre-vocational skills.”
In a subsequent article that I wrote in 2022 about the 20th anniversary of the G.R.O.W. in Gimli program, I noted that Sandy Sheegl was the executive director of the G.R.O.W. program. What I didn’t know at the time was that Sandy was the only executive director G.R.O.W. had ever had.
On Thursday, April 10, a large group composed of parents of G.R.O.W. participants over the years, along with many participants themselves, gathered at the home of Barb Ivans, who was one of the members of that original steering committee which led to the development of G.R.O.W.
The purpose of the evening was to honour Sandy Sheegl who, after 23 years as executive director of G.R.O.W., will be retiring from that position.
Karyn Lazareck paid tribute to Sandy’s long years of service. She described how she first met Sandy at one of those early steering committee meetings: ”And there I was chairing a meeting in a hallway and in way over my head. The meetings were unbelievable. We had all kinds of very knowledgeable people who had a lot to say, and as an inexperienced chair, I let them say it. And so the meetings were marathons. At one of those meetings, I leaned over to ask my friend Joanie Sheps: ‘Who that young woman was silently crying in the corner?’ and Joanie told me ‘That’s Sandy Sheegl and her son was just diagnosed with autism’ and Joanie and I knew firsthand how hard it was for parents seeking support, especially within the Jewish community. So she (Joanie) looked at me and said, as only she could, ‘Well, she better get a grip,’ and I think we can all agree because Sandy got her grip.
“Sandy joined our committee and, over the next 30 years took on numerous roles, culminating as the executive director of G.R.O.W. She co-chaired the special needs steering committee, working alongside Jan Thompson, and together this committee lobbied the synagogues, schools and camps to promote inclusionary policies.”
Lazareck went on to describe how Sandy Sheegl oversaw the growth of G.R.O.W. from what was originally just a summer program in Gimli to a full-time program with the purchase of a house at 93 Willow.
Sandy Sheegl has worked tirelessly to insure the success of the G.R.O.W. program. Karyn noted that ”One of Sandy’s greatest moments in leadership came during the dark days of Covid. While most programs shut down, Sandy ensured that G.R.O.W. remained active. She and the team held Zoom meetings twice daily, hosting games, contests, and even delivering bingo cards to participants’ homes.
“She secured funding that allowed for a staggered reentering, ensuring that doors at G.R.O.W. were open well before any other program. And I don’t know of any other professional in the field who did what she did, out of love and compassion… and dedication. Sandy brought that competitive spirit to fundraising and under her leadership, our events became more successful each year.”
One of the ongoing aspects of the G.R.O.W. program has been a hockey tournament held as a fundraiser. Karyn noted that, although the tournament was not held last year, it will be mounted again this coming May 31st. Participants come from many different areas. If you would like to participate or perhaps know someone else who might like to participate you can email G.R.O.W. at info@growyourway.ca or call 204-505-3799.
In one final moment of tribute, Lazareck noted that she herself will soon be honoured with the presentation of a “meritorious service medal from the Governor General acknowledging G.R.O.W. and its influence beyond this province. I knew the honor must be shared with her, and so I’m inviting Sandy to join me in Ottawa for the presentation.”
Local News
BB Camp finds itself embroiled in controversy over camp co-director Jacob Brodovsky
(April 10, 2025) By BERNIE BELLAN It began with an article on a website that purports to expose anyone the owners of the website (whoever they are; their name or names are not listed anywhere on the site) deem to be anti-Israel.)
In an article recently posted on the website, B’nai Brith Camp co-director Jacob Brodovsky is accused of “engaging with anti-Israel and pro-Palestinian posts.”
The article goes on to say that “These activities, critics argue, demonstrate a clear bias that is inappropriate for someone in a position of influence over impressionable Jewish youth.” (The article does not give the names of any of these “critics.”)
The article further says that “ ‘It’s unacceptable,’ said one community activist. (Again – no name given.) ‘Parents send their children to BB Kenora for a safe, enriching Jewish experience—not political indoctrination against Israel. We demand Jacob’s removal.’ “
Nowhere does the article cite any instance in which Brodovsky engaged in “political indoctrination against Israel” in his capacity as camp director.
What apparently enraged the author of the article on the website was Brodovsky “liking” certain social media posts that had been posted by someone who goes by the name “Rusty Robot.” Apparently the social media posts that are at the centre of this controversy were posted in the spring of 2024, which might lead one to wonder: Why is the author of the article going after Brodovsky now?
According to the article, “The controversy has led some families to threaten to withdraw their children from the camp. ‘As long as Brodovsky remains, I’ll find another camp,’ stated one father. ‘He shouldn’t be shaping young minds with extremist views.’ ” (Again, the father’s name, similar to the “community activist,” is not given, nor is there any evidence cited of Brodovsky ever having shaped “young minds with extremist views.”)
In addition to the article on the website itself, there are several comments from individuals who, in some cases, give their full name, but in others only their first name, and who level some very serious accusations against Brodovsky, including this comment from someone who gives her name only as “Amy”: “if you are the director of a Jewish camp who shuts down support for hostages and protests the raising of the Israeli flag and singing Hatikvah, then your politics are affecting your role and the climate at camp.”
Two other commenters also criticize Brodovsky’s wife, Lexie Yurman, with someone named Rachel writing that ” I’m confused why there is no commentary on his wife, who runs the camp along side him and has allowed for this behaviour from him for years. She is complicit to his actions.” Another commenter by the name of Nancy writes: “I am confused to why Lexie Yurman, the co-director is not mentioned, since she has allowed for these actions to take place at the camp. She may not be able to control his online behaviour, but she certainly has control over actions taken at the camp and should be implicated in regards to the decisions made there.”
With controversy raging, the board of B’nai Brith Camp held an emergency meeting the evening of Tuesday, April 8, during which the directors discussed Brodovsky’s fate and how to respond to the article in question.
It should be noted that during the time that Jacob Brodovsky and his wife (and co-director of BB Camp), Lexie Yurman, have been running BB Camp (since 2021) it has seen record registrations.
On Wednesday, April 9, the board of BB Camp issued the following statement:
BB CAMP CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR APOLOGIZES FOR SERIOUS ERROR IN JUDGEMENT
Maintains Position, with Conditions, Following Unanimous Support of the Board
After conducting painstaking due diligence, the BB Camp Board of Directors unanimously voted to retain Co-Executive Director, Jacob Brodovsky, following his full apology for his serious error in judgement on social media.
After listening to all comments and concerns, the Board made a decision that it believes is best for the organization moving forward.
“While we know not everyone will agree with our decision, we have full confidence that Jacob will continue to provide our campers, families, and clients with the same safe and nurturing environment that they have come to expect and enjoy over the last four years,” said Board chair, Leah Leibl.
She pointed to Jacob’s sincerity in issuing an apology.
“I accept full responsibility and sincerely apologize for the gravity of my mistake and lack of judgement in liking posts that did not align with the values of BB Camp,” said Co-Executive Director, Jacob Brodovsky. “I am extremely remorseful for my actions and most grateful to be able to continue in my role serving our Jewish community.”
Jacob also reaffirmed his belief in the State of Israel and is working closely with others to examine steps that can be taken to strengthen Jewish life and deepen support for Israel at Camp.
Jacob added, “I believe in Israel’s right to exist and care deeply about the safety of all Jews and Israelis.”
In addition to the apology, the Board requires their Co-Executive Director, who agreed, to exercise due caution in his use of social media and avoid any activity that may run counter to the mission of the organization. The Board of Directors has also expressed to Jacob the extreme seriousness of this matter, and has reinforced to him his obligation to uphold all Camp policies.
Apparently though, the board’s statement did not mollify whoever runs the website that first broached the allegations about Brodovsky. In a post published also on April 9, an article on the website suggests that “the board’s decision to retain Jacob Brodovsky reveals a dangerous capitulation to woke pressures—at the expense of true Zionist values.”
The article goes on to say that “At the time of writing,” the website ” has received numerous communications from angry parents who are banding together and preparing a petition aimed at pressuring the board to overturn their decision and remove Brodovsky. This groundswell of community action underscores the depth of disappointment and anger toward a board that appears more concerned with appeasing a narrow ideological subset than with protecting the core values of Zionism and ensuring a safe, enriching environment for its campers.”
The article ends with: “The board’s weak and dangerous decision is setting a perilous precedent. By prioritizing appeasement over accountability, they have effectively signaled (sic.) that catering to woke demands is more important than protecting the future of our children and preserving the heritage of our community. As long as Brodovsky remains at the helm, the values of Zionism and the safety of our youth are under threat.
“The time for empty apologies and half-measures is over. The community’s message is loud and clear: Enough is enough, ‘the asshole has to go’. Until the board reconsiders its decision, angry parents are mobilizing, and their collective voice will not be ignored.”
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