This week in Canadian Jewish Advocacy | December 29 ,2024

In light of the recent hate crimes targeting Jewish sites in Montreal and Toronto, we urged governments and authorities to confront the growing crisis of antisemitism in Canada. We responded to the Government of Canada’s announcement that it will convene a national forum on combatting antisemitism. And we continued to advocate for municipalities to adopt measures, including safety zone bylaws, to protect Jewish institutions from hate rallies. Our message is clear: The time for platitudes and photo ops is over. Now is the time for real action to protect our community and the values that define Canada. 

For more information, please read below.

CIJA 

Overnight on December 20, Bais Chaya Mushka School for Girls was struck by gunfire for the third time this year. This followed an arson attack that took place just a few days prior that targeted both Congregation Beth Tikvah and Federation CJA’s offices in Montreal. 

After a week of escalating antisemitism, CIJA and our partners convened a press conference to call on our leaders to take concrete action against Jew hatred. See a message to the media from our Interim President Noah Shack here. 

In the wake of antisemitic rhetoric and rioting in Montreal in November, CIJA called for the Government of Canada to convene a national forum on November 25 as a springboard for meaningful action to protect Canadians. Since then, the situation has become increasingly urgent, with the repeated victimization of Jewish institutions in various communities. 

On December 20, in response to the thousands of Canadians who wrote to Prime Minister Trudeau, the Government of Canada announced that it is launching a  National Forum on Combatting Antisemitism. The Forum will take place in February 2025 and bring together key officials from all three levels of government, the judicial system, law enforcement, and representatives of the Jewish community to tackle these growing threats to Canadians. CIJA called on all levels of government to use the forum as an opportunity for concrete action, noting that its value will ultimately be determined by the results it produces. Watch this video for CIJA’s take on this issue. Read our press release here. Read a Word from Our Chair here.

Across Canada, demonstrations filled with hateful chants, signs, and antisemitic rhetoric have targeted Jewish institutions. Freedom of expression is a core Canadian value, but it is never an excuse to target or intimidate a community. CIJA has pushed for legislation that implements reasonable safeguards against hate rallies taking place in proximity to schools, places of worship, and other community institutions.  

In Toronto, we were pleased to see that the majority of Toronto Council Members voted to direct city staff to develop a proposed safety zone bylaw in early 2025. While this represents a step forward, we are calling on the City to move forward with greater urgency and ensure that meaningful consequences are imposed upon those who contravene any new bylaw. 

Would you like to stay current on issues of concern and news from CIJA as it happens? Sign up here to opt in to receive CIJA's press releases and media statements. To stay up-to-date with what’s happening in Israel and the effects of antisemitism on life here in Canada, sign up for the National Post's Channel Israel newsletter here.

Take Action

Tell the Government to stand up to division and hate – reject APR

Community Calendar

December 25 – January 2 | Chanukah
January 1 | New Year's Day (CIJA Offices closed)

Community Careers

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto 
London Jewish Federation | Executive Director
Jewish Federation of Edmonton | Associate Director of Development

CIJA in the News

• Police investigate 3rd shooting incident this year at Toronto Jewish elementary school (CityNews)
• Jewish leaders welcome Canada’s decision to convene a second national antisemitism forum (The Canadian Jewish News)
• Quebec politicians call for the end of protecting hate speech delivered under the guise of religion (The Canadian Jewish News)
• Des coups de feu tirés sur une école juive à Toronto pour la 3e fois (CBC Radio-Canada)
• Toronto Jewish girls school struck by gunfire again in third overnight shooting this year (Toronto Star)
• Canada launches new national forum to combat Jew-hatred (Jewish News Syndicate)
• Disgrace in Canada: Despair and hatred for Jews is becoming normalized – opinion (The Jerusalem Post)
• Toronto Jewish girls’ school fired at for third time this year (The Times of Israel)
• Une école juive de Toronto visée par des tirs pour la troisième fois (TVA Nouvelles)
• Shots fired at Bais Chaya Mushka girls school for the third time this year (The Canadian Jewish News)
• Singh to bring down Trudeau gov't? Poilievre calls cabinet shuffle a clown show – 6:35-7:47 (Bridge City News)
• Toronto Jewish girls’ school targeted by gunfire for 3rd time this year (Jewish Telegraph Agency)
• WARMINGTON: Toronto Jewish girls school being shot up for third time is national crisis (Toronto Sun)
• Canada in crisis: Gov't to convene national forum after Jewish school shooting, synagogue arson (The Jerusalem Post)
• Canada launches forum for combating antisemitism following synagogue, school attacks (The Times of Israel)
• 'Something's rotten in the state of Canada,' as antisemitism skyrockets – editorial (The Jerusalem Post)
• Chikli, Jewish Canadian MP exchange blows on rising antisemitism in Canada (The Jerusalem Post)
• CIJA reacts to third school shooting in months (Zoomer Radio CFZM)
• “Its absolutely unconscionable”: CIJA condemns antisemitic violence after 3rd school shooting (105.9 CFMS The Region)
• CIJA condamne l’antisémitisme inquiétant au Québec (QUB Radio)
• Update After Jewish School Shot at for 3rd Time (CP24)
• Hanoukka et Noël célébrés le même jour (La Presse)
• Hanukkah 2024 (Global News)