This week, we thank all those who attended Canada’s Rally for the Jewish People in Ottawa and made it a huge success through their support for Israel, for the hostages being held by Hamas in Gaza, and for the Canadian Jewish community. We are working closely with university administrations to ensure the safety and comfort of Jewish students and faculty, and we join Jews around the world in welcoming Chanukah as yet another celebration of our strength and endurance.

Read on to learn more.

The CIJA Team  

Last Monday, tens of thousands of community members and allies from across Canada came together on Parliament Hill in Ottawa to rally for the hostages, the people of Israel, and the safety of Jewish Canadians. Guest speakers included relatives of murdered Israeli Canadians Ohad Lapidot and Alex Look, and of Judih Weinstein Haggai, who is still held hostage by Hamas. Also featured were Holocaust Survivor Nate Leipciger, Members of Parliament, student activists, interfaith partners, and several rabbinical leaders.

At this historic show of collective strength, we demonstrated to all Canadians that the Jewish community is resilient and will not cower in the face of the overwhelming antisemitism plaguing our streets, campuses, and online spaces. We reminded elected officials that, as Canadians, we must all stand together in support of the people of Israel based on the shared values that unite us: human rights, democracy, and the protection of innocent life in the face of terrorism. Watch the full event here.

As Israel’s war with Hamas enters its third month, more than 137 children, women, and men are still held hostage in Gaza. We join Israelis and all good citizens of the world in hoping that every one of them returns home soon. If you are not doing so already, please follow us on social media, where we have been active on all platforms reporting developments, celebrating the return of the hostages released during the temporary truce, and dispelling misinformation and disinformation about Israel and the conflict.

We are seeing an alarming rise of antisemitic incidents across Canada and the world as well as an increase in online hate as misinformation, emotion, and opinions misguide people to hold Jews around the world responsible for what is going on in the Middle East.

This poses a grave danger to all Canadians.

We can all advocate for the Jewish community and for a safer Canada. So, if you see something, please say something. Use our online form to report incidents of hate to CIJA and help combat antisemitism in your community.

Report hate here.  

CIJA has been monitoring developments at Toronto Metropolitan University’s Lincoln Alexander Law School since October 20, when a student group issued an open letter replete with antisemitic statements.

We recognized the administration’s prompt response in distancing TMU from the harmful letter and appointing retired Chief Justice J. Michael MacDonald to address the deep-seated issues demonstrated by this student group’s blatant discrimination and by subsequent incidents on campus.

CIJA wrote a formal letter to the administration to ensure that the organized Jewish community's voice will be heard throughout the investigation and that the TMU administration will take steps to keep Jewish students, faculty, and staff safe on campus. In addition to CIJA’s support and partnerships with Hillels and faculty groups across Canada, our Legal Task Force is fully engaged in the issue of antisemitism on campus as all strategic options are considered.

CIJA has long been advocating for enhancements to provincial security infrastructure programs that help protect synagogues, community centres, and other facilities central to Jewish life. We were thrilled to see both Ontario and Alberta announce new updates to their provincial security infrastructure programs. These programs, and others like them across Canada, are lifelines for the safety of our Jewish community and have become even more critical with the dramatic rise of antisemitic attacks and violence in Canada since October 7th.  

Community Calendar

Communities are gathering in cities across Canada in response to the devastating war on Israel by Hamas and other terror groups in Gaza. Find an event near you.

December 7-15 | Chanukah

CIJA in the News 

Robyn Fryer Bodzin: Mélanie Joly's feminist foreign policy has no room for Jewish rape victims (The National Post)

Indigo bookstore vandalism sparks debate over definition of antisemitism (CBC News)

TMU and police investigate after swastika shown at Wednesday rally (Toronto Star)

Another Jewish group calls on Montreal's anti-racism commissioner to step down (CTV News)

Judy Zelikovitz: Stay Informed And Stay Connected (Alberta Jewish News)

FIRST READING: The pro-terror hate groups organizing almost all of Canada’s 'ceasefire now' rallies (National Post)

'Hamas has won a round in Moncton': City hall pilloried for cancelling annual menorah display (National Post, + Syndication)

Moncton city councillors cancelled a 20-year tradition of lighting a Hanukkah menorah outside city hall (The Canadian Jewish News)

Thousands expected at Canada's Rally for the Jewish People on Parliament Hill (Montreal Gazette)

'Please let our son’s sacrifice not be in vain': Mother of slain Jewish Montrealer says at pro-Israel rally (National Post)

Family of suspected hostage, Jewish groups and MPs rally on Hill against antisemitism - Pro-Israel rally planned for Parliament Hill (Toronto Star, + The Canadian Press Syndication)

Nearly 20 buses fail to take participants in Toronto to pro-Israel rally on Parliament Hill, UJA says (CTV News, CP24)

Hundreds bound for pro-Israel rally in Ottawa left stranded after buses fail to arrive (The Globe and Mail)

Jewish groups say antisemitism was the reason why a bus company didn’t show up to pick up Toronto passengers heading to a pro-Israel rally in Ottawa (The Canadian Jewish News)

Manifestation contre l’antisémitisme à Ottawa (TVA Nouvelles, Journal de Montreal, Journal de Quebec)

Hundreds stranded as buses fail to show for rally in support of Israel (The Jerusalem Post)

Undeterred by heavy snow, thousands rally in support of Israel in Ottawa, Canada (The Times of Israel)

Thousands fill Parliament Hill for pro-Israel rally (Ottawa Citizen)

Canada's Rally for the Jewish People brought thousands to Ottawa calling for the return of the hostages in Gaza – while rebuking recent waves of antisemitism (The Canadian Jewish News)

Pro-Israel demonstrators gather on Parliament Hill (CBC News)

'We don't deserve what's happening': Thousands rally on Parliament Hill against antisemitism (Toronto Star)

Toronto bus company no show for Ottawa pro-Israel rally participants, UJA says (CTV News Ottawa)

Pro-Israel Rally on Parliament Hill (CTV News Ottawa)

FIRST READING: The Montreal 'systemic discrimination' watchdog who seems strangely fine with discrimination (National Post, + Postmedia syndication)

Karen Restoule: My experience as a First Nations woman inspires me to stand against antisemitism (The Hub)

Power and Politics: Pro-Israel Rally – 6:18-19:18 (CBC News)

Social media reacts to Calgary mayor's decision to not attend City Hall menorah lighting (Calgary Sun)

Joly condemns Hamas rapes of Israeli women after weeks of pressure (The Globe and Mail)

'Silence isn't neutral': Emails show debate in Quebec universities on Israel, Hamas (Toronto Star)

VANCOLOUR: Holocaust comparisons are hurtful and harmful (CHEK Vancouver)

Community Careers

Associate Director, University Relations and Public Education | Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver/CIJA

CEO, Ottawa Soloway Jewish Community Centre

Community Engagement Specialist | Jewish Federation of Ottawa