Local News
Gray Academy’s mandatory vaccination policy for high school students receives overwhelmingly positive response from parents
By BERNIE BELLAN In our September 1 issue we reported that Gray Academy had become the first school in Manitoba that would be requiring all high school students age 12 and up to be vaccinated in order to attend school this year.
At the time that we reported that decision, which had been made by the board of the school and which had just been publicly announced on August 24, Head of School Lori Binder said that she had received a number of inquiries from parents who were unhappy with the decision to require that all high school students be vaccinated, but she added that it would take some time to assess the full reaction among parents.
We can now report that only 4% of students – a total of 20 out of 485 who had previously been registered to attend Gray Academy this year, have left the school as a result of the mandatory vaccination policy. As well, to this point five new students have been registered in the school following the announcement. Finally, three students who had previously been registered in the school will now be home schooled instead, Lori noted. (Five students who had attended Gray Academy in 2019 were home schooled last year, she added.)
In discussing the ramifications of the new vaccination requirement, Lori explained that “we spent a good week and a half speaking with a number of families” about the new policy. In all, she said, “twelve families departed out of the more than 300 families altogether” who send their children to Gray Academy. Health and safety were our foremost concerns,” Lori noted.
But, when I asked her whether there was any one particular concern brought up by parents who objected to the new policy, Lori answered that “there was a spectrum of concerns.”
She also demurred from answering the question “out of respect for the privacy of the families involved” when I asked her whether the families that were opposed to having their children vaccinated came from a particularly identifiable component of the Jewish community. (To be clear, we have received reports that objections to vaccinations run especially strong within certain members of newly arrived immigrants to Winnipeg.)
“It was very important to speak to these families, hear their concerns, to explain how the decision was made and to support them in all ways possible,” Lori said, adding that “never before has the board had to make a late decision such as this one, but we are in a pandemic and are centering the health and safety of the entire school community”.
While 12 families did decide to withdraw their children from Gray Academy, other families “that had shared concerns about the decision did decide to stay,” Lori also noted.
In terms of total number of students, enrolment at the school this year compares favourably with previous years. There are 76 new students in the school, compared with 58 new students last year.
Perhaps of greater concern to the Jewish community might be the fact that the families of 20 different students have left Winnipeg since the end of the school year last June. (Until we see the results of this year’s census, however, we still will not have a clear idea what the size of Winnipeg’s Jewish population really is.)
Other information reported by Lori Binder during our conversation is that 33 students graduated from Gray Academy in June, and there are 25 students in the graduating class this year.
When you factor out the students who have left Winnipeg, Gray Academy has a “94% retention rate,” Lori said, not including the students whose parents pulled them out of the school because of the mandatory vaccination policy.
Altogether, there are 458 students registered at Gray Academy this school year, which compares with 481 last year (2020), 492 in 2019, 469 in 2018, and 2017, Lori reported.
As far as class sizes go, the two-meter separation between students in grades one to six still remains in place (as it does in all elementary schools in Manitoba), but as a result of having all Gray Academy students in grades seven to twelve now vaccinated , Lori explained that there is more flexibility as to class sizes in the high school.
While still maintaining a meter-and-a-half separation between students in the high school, spaces such as the Multipurpose room can now be used as classrooms that can accommodate far more students with two meters distance, which is the distance maintained in the elementary school.
Local News
Thank you to the community from the Chesed Shel Emes
We’re delighted to share a major milestone in our Capital Campaign, “Building on our Tradition.” Launched in November 2018, this campaign aimed to replace our outdated facility with a modern space tailored to our unique needs. Our new building is designed with ritual at its core, featuring ample preparation space, Shomer space, and storage, creating a warm and welcoming environment for our community during times of need.
We’re grateful to the nearly 1,000 generous donors who contributed over $4 million towards our new facility. A $750,000 mortgage will be retired in November 2025, completing this monumental project in just seven years.
We’re also thrilled to announce that our Chesed Shel Emes Endowment Fund has grown tenfold, from $15,000 to $150,000, thanks to you, the Jewish Foundation of Manitoba’s FundMatch program, and Million Dollar Match initiative in 2024. Our fund helps ensure that everyone can have a dignified Jewish funeral regardless of financial need.
As we look to the future, our goal remains to ensure the Chevra Kadisha continues to serve our community for generations to come. Our focus now shifts to replenishing our savings account and growing our JFM Endowment fund.
We’re deeply grateful for your support over the past several years.
It’s our privilege to serve our community with care and compassion.
With sincere appreciation,
Campaign cabinet: Hillel Kravetsky, Gerry Pritchard, Stuart Pudavick,
Jack Solomon, and Rena Boroditsky
Murray S. Greenfield, President
Local News
Winnipeg Beach Synagogue about to celebrate 75th anniversary
By BERNIE BELLAN (July 13) In 1950 a group of cottage owners at Winnipeg Beach took it upon themselves to relocate a one-room schoolhouse that was in the Beausejour area to Winnipeg Beach where it became the beach synagogue at the corner of Hazel and Grove.
There it stayed until 1998 when it was moved to its current location at Camp Massad.
On August 2nd members of the synagogue will be holding a 75th anniversary celebration.
As part of the celebration anyone who is a descendant or relative of any of the original members of the first executive committee (as seen in the photo here) is invited to attend the synagogue that morning.
If you are a relative please contact Abe Borzykowski at wpgbeachshule@shaw.ca or aborzykowski@shaw.ca to let Abe know you might be attending or for more information about the 75th anniversary celebration.
We will soon be publishing a story about the history of the beach synagogue, which is something I’ve been writing about for over 25 years.
Local News
Vickar Family cuts ribbon on new Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre
By MYRON LOVE In the words of Larry Vickar, the Shaarey Zedek’s successful Dor V’ Dor Campaign “is not only a renewal of the synagogue but truly a renewal movement of Jewish life in our community.”An integral part of that renewal movement was the creation of a daycare centre within the expanded synagogue. On Monday, June 23, Larry and Tova Vickar cut the ribbon, thereby officially opening the Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre in the presence of 100 of their family members, friends and other supporters of the project.
The short program preceding the morning ribbon-cutting began with a continental breakfast followed by a welcome by both Fanny Levy, Shaarey Zedek’s Board President, and Executive Director Dr. Rena Secter Elbaze. In Elbaze’s remarks, she noted that Larry and Tova wanted their family (including son Stephen and family, who flew in from Florida) and friends at the event to celebrate the opening of the Tova Vickar and Family Childcare Centre, “not because of the accolades, but because, as Larry put it, he hopes that their investment in the congregation will inspire others to do the same.”
“When Larry and I spoke about what this gift meant to him and the message he wanted people to take away,” she continued, “I couldn’t help but connect it to the teachings of Reb Zalman Schachter-Shalomi whose book – Age-ing to Sage-ing – changes the whole way we look at the concept of ageing and basing it on our ancestral teachings.”
She explained that his concept of “Sage-ing” is based on three key ideas – Discover your meaning and purpose; accept our mortality and think about the legacy you want to leave.
“Larry spoke about these exact concepts when we met,” she said.
Elbaze also noted the presence of Shaarey Zedek’s newly-arrived senior Rabbi Carnie Rose, former Rabbi Alan Green, and area MLAs Mike Moroz and Carla Compton.
Larry Vickar expressed his great appreciation for all those in attendance. “Tova and I are deeply moved to stand here with you today for this important milestone in our community”, he said. “We are grateful to be surrounded by all of you, the people we care about, our family and friends… you who have touched our lives and played some part in our journey.”