Local News
Gray Academy shows increase in enrollment for second straight year
By BERNIE BELLAN For years now we’ve been tracking enrollment figures at both Gray Academy and the Brock Corydon Hebrew Bilingual program.
Enrollment at Gray Academy has shown a slight increase this school year – up from 468 last year to 474 this year (K-12). Enrollment in the Hebrew bilingual program at Brock Corydon has also held steady: 192 this year, compared with 193 last year.
And, while enrollment at both schools has remained relatively even in the past few years at both schools, it is interesting to note that, over the past 11 years there were two fairly significant drops in enrollment at Gray Academy: in 2014 and 2017.
In 2014 there was a drop of 90 students at Gray Academy. In our October 1, 2014 issue Myron Love referred to an explanation given by then Head of School Rory Paul for the quite large drop in enrollment that year. Here is what Myron wrote: “This year’s enrolment stands at just over 500, compared to just over 600 two years ago and 590 to start the year last fall. The decline actually began over the course of the year last year and continued throughout the summer, Paul reports. The school lost 20 students between September and June alone.
“ ‘Part of the decline in student numbers,’ Paul reports,’ is due to families leaving the city. That accounts for about 50 students.’ He notes that the families – both Winnipeg- born and recent immigrants – left for better jobs elsewhere. ‘In most cases, he observes, ‘the parents were middle management and moved because they were promoted to senior management positions.’ “
Compare that explanation with one given by current Head of School Lori Binder in 2021, when there was another fairly significant drop in enrollment that year – from 481 in 2020 to 458 in 2021. Readers may recall that only three short years ago we were in the midst of the Covid epidemic and Gray Academy had become the first school in the province to require all students age 12 and up to be fully vaccinated in order to attend school. Twenty out of the 485 students who had been registered to attend Gray Academy were subsequently pulled by their parents from the school.
But, added to that, I also had this in my report about enrollment at Gray Academy in the fall of 2021: “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.”
Again, this year, in an email to us, Lori noted that another 20 students left the school this year when their families left the city.
Thus, if there should be one constant concern for our Jewish community – based on what happened both those years at Gray Academy, it should be losing families to other cities.
We can now report, however, that the trend of losing families seems to have reversed itself since 2021. Enrollment at Gray Academy has not only held steady, it has increased both the past two years –to 468 last year and to 474 this years.
In analyzing enrollment at Gray Academy this current school year, Lori Binder offered the following pieces of information:
2023-2024 Total Number of Students JK to Grade 12: 474 (compared to 468 same time last year)
The total number of new students is 78 (compared to 66 at the same time last year).
Retention of students in 2023-2024 from eligible* students returning from 2022-2023: 98%
*When we count eligible students we remove graduates (44 graduates) and students who moved with their families out of the city (20 students moved outside of Winnipeg in the summer of 2023)
New Students This Year Include:
- 38 New Students in Early Years (JK & K)
- 12 New Students that Just Arrived in Canada
- 4 from Other Cities in Canada
- 2 International Students (Brazil and Australia)
- 17 from Public Schools
- 5 from other Independent Schools
The new students above can also be viewed as follows:
38 new to Early Years (JK & K)
16 new to Elementary (Gr. 1-6)
24 new to Grades 7 – 12 (high school)
- Graduating class size is 41 for the Class of ‘24
Local News
Winnipeg Fringe performer Melanie Gall subjected to antisemitic attack – for second year in a row
By BERNIE BELLAN (July 20, 2025)
Melanie Gall is a talented performer who is a veteran of the Winnipeg Fringe Festival – having appeared here many times.
Last year Melanie found herself being subjected to antisemitic attacks that were initiated by a site supervisor for the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, someone by the name of Eric Rae.
As I wrote on my story about Melanie’s experience, “…on the third day (of the Fringe Festival), she said, ‘the site supervisor (Rae) came and was wearing a pro-Palestinian symbol’ and told Melanie that he was wearing that deliberately because he was coming to Melanie’s venue.
“He told her, ‘that stance you’re taking (on social media) is a political symbol.
Rae also posted on social media: “We have a Zionist in our midst harassing pro-Palestinians.”
There was a concerted effort on social media last summer to boycott Melanie’s shows (She had three different shows altogether.)
As Melanie said during a phone conversation we had last summer about what happened to her, “This is so ridiculous. I’m being harassed and bullied because I’m Jewish…it’s not about Israel.”
Eric Rae was relieved from his duties after Melanie complained to the Fringe office staff, Melanie noted during our conversation.
She adds that other Fringe employees also complained about Eric Rae’s behaviour: “I wasn’t the only one who complained last year,” she wrote in an email sent today. “Several staff members complained, as Eric was not adhering to the Fringe policy that did not allow political symbols to be worn by staff. From what I heard, he refused to stop wearing it, and he did publicly target me. The Winnipeg Fringe upheld their safe spaces policy, and they were wonderful in the way they handled it.”
Further, Melanie was the target of an organized campaign on pro-Palestine social media calling for her shows to be boycotted.
(You can read the full story about what happened to Melanie, also to her mother during last year’s Edmonton Fringe Festival, at Melanie Gall.)
Just today we received another email from Melanie informing us that the same individual who targeted her last summer is targeting her again during this year’s Fringe Festival.
Melanie wrote: “Hi! Thanks so much for the mention in the preview article! I just wanted to let you know that Eric Rae is at it again.”
Attached to that email was a picture taken from Rae’s Instagram account.
As of the writing of this post, Melanie said that she is out of town for three days and is not aware whether any of her posters have been defaced – the way they were last summer.
She did add, however, that “I assume by ‘make her feel unwelcome’ (which is what is written on one of the pictures on Rae’s Instagram account) he is planning something. Ugh.”
Melanie also said that “The one post is too close to a threat to ignore.”
In a subsequent email Melanie also sent a screenshot of an exchange that took place on Rae’s Instagram account between him and someone who goes by the handle “Kat Cat.”
If we hear more about what’s been happening to Melanie we’ll update this article.
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.