Mordechai Antal, a Montreal Jewish educator, labour leader and English Montreal School Board commissioner, died suddenly, he was 60.
Antal collapsed after suffering a heart attack while delivering a shiur in synagogue, a passing that reflected a life devoted to teaching, public service and Jewish communal life.
A fixture in Montreal’s Orthodox and Chabad communities, Mordechai Antal was widely known for his outspoken commitment to Jewish education, religious freedom and the rights of teachers in Jewish day schools.
Elected in 2014 to represent Ward 1 on the English Montreal School Board, Antal became a prominent voice on issues affecting faith based communities. During debates over Quebec legislation restricting religious symbols, he introduced a resolution affirming the constitutional right of school board staff to religious freedom, arguing that public institutions must protect diversity rather than suppress it.
A teacher by training, Antal served as president of the Federation of Teachers of Jewish Schools of Montreal, advocating on behalf of educators across the city’s Jewish school system. Colleagues described him as principled, persistent and unafraid to challenge policies he believed undermined students or teachers.
Within the Chabad Lubavitch world, he was active as a shliach and closely connected to the Jewish Russian Community Centre, where he supported communal and educational programming. He was known for his accessibility, intellectual engagement and willingness to bridge the worlds of education, Jewish life and public policy.
He is survived by his wife, Masha, and their children.
His death leaves a significant void in Montreal’s Jewish educational and civic landscape. Whether in the classroom, the boardroom or from the bimah, Mordechai Antal consistently stood at the intersection of education, identity and public life.
May his family be spared further sorrow.
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