A Word from Our Chair | August 30, 2024

My name is Elan Pratzer, and I’m honoured to have taken on the role of Chair of the Board of Directors here at CIJA. Before I get too far into this message, however, I want to take a moment to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Gail Adelson-Marcovitz, our past Chair, for her exceptional leadership and dedication. I also want to acknowledge the hard work and commitment of the staff and Board at CIJA. 

There is no time when I would rather be involved in our community than at this moment and at CIJA. Our challenge is huge, and the threat to our way of life today as Jews in Canada and beyond is real and worth fighting against. Together, with other community institutions, with grassroots players who have sprung into action, with the support of our generous funders, and with you, the individual activist, we will prevail.  

We understand that October 7 has reshaped our world and the global Jewish community. We must now face the new challenges with an innovative, current, and clear strategy. While we focus on building that up, we won't lose focus on the battles on every other front – ones we'll confront with renewed and unrelenting determination.

Much of our work often goes on behind the scenes. There is tension and a balance between working discreetly to achieve objectives and policy changes, using public pressure to effect political results, and the need to keep our community informed. Having said that, we at CIJA are aware that the community demands – and deserves – to be better informed, and we have an obligation to be as transparent as possible. We are committed to keeping you, our community, more up to speed on the work CIJA undertakes on your behalf.  

Increasing transparency and accountability is both reasonable and necessary. The better informed you are about our activities, the more valuable your input will be on how you can assist us. Whether through federations or directly, your involvement and support are crucial. 

CIJA is making a difference and has been – and continues to be – involved directly and in coordination with others impacting government policy and decisions related to, amongst other challenges, law enforcement, hate crime, union grievances, university encampments, university antisemitism, pension fund BDS risk, K-12 school board policies, Anti-Palestinian Racism (APR) laws, Human Rights Commissioner selections, shechita, CRA charitable status, and our government’s relationship with, and treatment of, Israel. While we recognize things are never perfect and that there is always more to be done, we will continue, based on a renewed strategy and funding, to strive to make an even greater impact. 

I know you’re eager to help where you can. We see it in the Action Alerts in which we ask you to participate, which you do in big numbers. I also know these last weeks have made you hungry to do more. We need you to make a difference and play your part, and we will continue to invite you to do so.

We’re all watching anxiously as events unfold in the Middle East. Our professionals at CIJA will monitor those developments closely, and I encourage you to follow our official accounts on the social media platforms you use to stay up to date. 

And, while there are many eyes on that distant war, it doesn’t mean we here at home have not been affected. 

We’ve seen protests with rhetoric so hateful we thought it to be a relic of the past. We’ve seen radicalization where Canadians have gone overseas to commit terror attacks against Israelis, and we see some coming here determined to sow chaos – including the father-son duo arrested in Toronto who were planning an ISIS-inspired attack in the city. 

There is much for us to monitor. There is even more for us to do. And the work will not stop until we know we’ve made meaningful improvements to the quality of Jewish life in Canada, secured a safe future for our kids and grandkids, and ensured that we never let up on the battle against antisemitism. 

Our next CIJA Board meeting is coming up in just a few weeks, and I encourage you to reach out to those from your local federation, other Board members, or me, with any feedback you might have as we map out the next several months of advocacy plans at CIJA. 

I can’t guarantee I’ll respond to every message, but I do promise I will read each one and take your comments seriously. 

Thank you for your ongoing support and for being part of this journey. Together, we will navigate these times, and we will thrive. 

Am Yisrael Chai! 

Shabbat shalom,
Elan