This week, we invited you to learn more about how the new online harms bill will impact you, joined our faith partners in calling for safer community spaces, and ask you to set an extra place at your seder table. 

Read on to learn more. 

CIJA

170 drones
30 cruise missiles
120 ballistic missiles

That’s what several countries including the United Kingdom, United States, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Egypt worked with Israel to intercept and destroy overnight. Launched by the Islamic Republic of Iran and their proxies, and aimed at Israel, 99% of these 300+ aerial threats were successfully intercepted – one of the most impressive missile defence operations in history.

We demanded unequivocal statements from political leaders, including both Prime Minister Trudeau and Foreign Minister Joly, that condemned the attack from Iran and showed support for Israel. Those statements from the Government of Canada, the Leader of the Official Opposition, and others can be found on our Twitter/X timeline. 

Israel has rightly cautioned that it cannot tolerate any Iranian (or proxy Iranian) attack on its sovereign territory, and we now await the Israeli response to this assault. We encourage you to follow us on X (formerly Twitter) where we provide updates as we get them.

Do you have questions about Bill C-63, the new Online Harms Bill? Join us April 17 at 1 p.m. ET for a special briefing from law professors Dr. Micheal Geist and Dr. Emily Laidlaw as they analyze the bill, its intentions, and the pros and cons of how it will help fight online hate.  

Across Ontario, troubling protests have targeted places of worship and community institutions catering to children, seniors, and vulnerable individuals. CIJA and several multifaith organizations sent a joint letter to Premier Ford about safeguarding essential services providers from disruptive protests.

In a piece in the National Post, CIJA vice-president Richard Marceau explains why CIJA and Canadian families who lost loved ones in the horrific October 7 Hamas terrorist attacks filed a Federal Court application for judicial review of the Government of Canada’s decision to resume funding for the controversial United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), contending that the decision to do so was patently unreasonable because it violates Canadian law.

This Passover, there will be empty chairs at more 100 seder tables across Israel. CIJA is joining the World Jewish Congress and UK’s Board of Deputies of British Jews in urging families to set an extra place at their seder table for one of the more than 100 men, women, and children still held hostage by Hamas. Learn more.

As you gather with your loved ones in Canada over Passover, take a moment to honour the memory of those killed on October 7, and to pray for the return of all the hostages and for a return to peace in Israel.   

And, to inspire ideas and actions in this deeply complicated and troubling period for Israel and the Jewish people, CIJA has developed a Passover discussion guide that poses four thought-provoking questions pertaining to some of the most difficult advocacy issues facing Canada’s Jewish community today. We encourage you to include them in your Seder to generate engaging and important conversations with friends and family.    

Community Calendar

Communities are gathering in cities across Canada in support of the people and land of Israel. Find an event near you.

April 22-30 | Passover
May 5-6 | Yom HaShoah
May 12-13 | Yom Hazikaron
May 13-14 | Yom Haatzmaut
May 20 | Victoria Day
Jun 12-13 | Shavuot

CIJA in the News 

Richard Marceau: Why we're taking the federal government to court over UNRWA funding (National Post, + Postmedia Syndication)

Passover reflections: Fighting modern-day plague (Jewish Independent)

Canadian families who lost loved ones on Oct. 7 join court challenge to Canada’s decision to resume funding UNRWA (The Canadian Jewish News)

Des Winnipégois reviennent sur les six mois de guerre entre Israël et Gaza (ICI Radio-Canada)

Jewish group, families of Oct. 7 victims, suing Trudeau government over UNRWA funding (True North)

Families of Oct 7 victims suing Trudeau government for resuming funding for UNRWA (The Post Millennial)

Jewish Canadians deserve the support of Muslim Canadians (Western Standard)

Des proches de victimes du 7 octobre s'opposent à la reprise du financement canadien à l'UNRWA (The Times of Israël)

Relatives of October 7 victims file suit against Canadian resumption of UNRWA funding (The Times of Israel)

Jewish community challenges Ottawa's 'grotesque' decision to resume funding UNRWA's aid in Gaza (Law360 Canada)

Swastika drawn on poster of baby, other Hamas hostages in Toronto park (The Jerusalem Post)

Israeli Ambassador attends six month commemoration of Oct.7 (The Suburban)

Housefather to remain with Liberals (The Suburban)

The big housing reveal (Queen's Park Observer)

Judge expands injunction against anti-Israel protests protecting 27 institutions (The Suburban)

Canadian relatives of Oct. 7 victims take government to court over renewed UNRWA funding (Jewish Insider)

The Times of Israel Daily Briefing: Day 188 - High Court to decide whether to wade in on Gaza aid (The Times of Israel Podcast)

Le CIJA poursuit le gouvernement canadien pour son soutien à l'UNRWA – Balado Yasmine Abdelfadel (QUB Radio)

Ottawa taken to court over UNWRA funding – Afternoons with Rob Breakenridge (Newstalk 770AM)

Community Careers

Associate Director, Communications & Marketing - CIJA
National senior professional, External Affairs - CIJA
Associate Director, University Relations and Public Education | Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver/CIJA
Digital Marketing & Communications Specialist - Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver