עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי
On October 7, 2023, we witnessed the most devastating loss of civilian Jewish lives in Israel’s history. In the difficult days since we have continued to pray daily for peace and for the safety and well-being of all the people of Israel, especially those who remain in captivity and members of the Israel Defense Forces.
We encourage everyone in the Gray Academy family to support the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg’s Israel Emergency Fund, dedicated to providing vital support to victims of terror, rebuilding damaged infrastructure, and addressing the immense levels of trauma caused by the recent attack.
Israel Every Day
Fostering strong ties to the Jewish State is a key commitment of our school each and every day. Outside our building, the Israeli flag flies proudly beside the Canadian maple leaf. In our classrooms, we begin every morning with both O Canada and Hatikva. Our walls are alive with Israeli artwork. When we celebrate, Israeli music fills the air.
Hebrew is spoken and studied daily in every grade, from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12. As students advance in their studies, they learn more and more about the richness of Israel’s people, culture, geography, history and – at the right stage – about the political and social complexities of our Jewish homeland.
Israel When We Celebrate
Israel is an important presence in our holiday and milestone celebrations, especially Tu B’Shvat, Yom Yerusalayim and Yom Ha’atzmaut. Israel is remembered with somber appreciation on Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaShoah. In Grade 3, learning comes to life with an annual Virtual Voyage to Israel.
Connecting to Israel through P2G
Since 1997, our P2G (Partnership 2 Gether) program has brought Gray Academy students together with students from Dancinger High School in Kiryat Shmona, Israel. The program supports an invaluable exchange between countries and discussions related to life in Israel, as well as Jewish life in the diaspora.
Through this program, we have welcomed Israeli teens and teachers to Gray Academy to connect with our faculty and students of all ages. Conversely, we have sent more than 100 Gray Academy High School students to visit and learn in Israel for 10 days, as the second half of the exchange.
Through two-and-a-half decades, this program has created authentic and lasting relationships between students in the two countries.
See highlights from our unforgettable 2023 P2G visit:
