For Immediate Release
October 23, 2012

Toronto, ON – The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has announced its 2013 opening and closing dates that coincide with the Jewish High Holidays of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. In response, The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the advocacy arm of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and other Canadian Jewish Federations, offered the following statement:

“It certainly would have been preferable if the opening and closing dates did not coincide with Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. However, we understand that TIFF does not choose its own dates. It is locked into the schedule set by the International Federation of Film Producers’ Association and such date constraints are beyond TIFF’s control,” said David Spiro, Greater Toronto Co-Chair of The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.

“We appreciate TIFF’s commitment to provide additional screenings of films shown during the High Holidays so that Jewish community members will have an opportunity to see them. We believe that, under the circumstances, this is a fair accommodation for the Jewish community. We also appreciate that Cameron Bailey, the festival’s Artistic Director, has reached out to us directly to explain the circumstances TIFF faces. Toronto’s Jewish community has a close and longstanding relationship with TIFF and its leadership,” added Spiro.

-30-