This week, we spoke out to demand action against those targeting Jewish institutions. We have taken steps to gain intervenor status in an upcoming hearing involving the encampment at University of Toronto, and we have laid plans for a four-part series to train our supporters to be effective online advocates.  

Read on to learn more. 

CIJA

It’s difficult to recall a week like this past one after multiple attacks against Jewish schools and a synagogue. We made a call for more than just words and outlined the action we believe was necessary against such violent acts. An elementary school for Jewish girls in Toronto was shot at, which was just one week after Montreal police announced they arrested a suspect in connection with shots fired at a Montreal Jewish school last November. The week was capped with an individual pouring an accelerant and then lighting the front doors of a Vancouver synagogue. Read our statement. In between those incidents, news broke Thursday that, overnight on May 27/28, another Jewish school in Montreal was hit by at least one bullet. 

In response, Yair Szlak, President and CEO, Federation CJA, and Eta Yudin, CIJA’s Vice President - Quebec issued a joint statement.

We are grateful to the elected officials in Quebec and Canada who publicly condemned these vile and dangerous incidents, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Leader of the Opposition Pierre Poilievre, MPs Rachel Bendayan, Anthony Housefather, Pierre Paul-Hus, Quebec Minister Pascale Déry, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, MPPs Michael Ford, David Piccini, Michael Kerzner, Stephen Lecce, Lisa MacLeod, Toronto City Councillors Brad Bradford, James Pasternak, Dianne Saxe, and Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca. 

Violent acts targeting religious institutions of any faith are despicable and dangerous, and they must be stopped. CIJA will continue to call on the federal government to: Clearly direct law enforcement to take decisive action in finding the perpetrators and upholding the law generally; Ensure that Crown Attorneys prosecute lawbreakers using all means necessary, including existing hate crimes legislation; And add Samidoun to Canada's Listed Entities for its role in instigating protests across the country and its ties to terrorist organizations such as the PFLP.

The University of Toronto encampment continues to disrupt campus life and threaten the security of Jewish students and staff. Signs and chants of "Zionists go back to Europe," "Glory to the Martyrs," and "Burn Tel Aviv Down" are just a small sample of some of the disturbing and targeted abuse faced by Jews on campus because of this encampment. 

This week, the University of Toronto served documents seeking an injunction order from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice. CIJA and UJA have jointly retained counsel to represent us as we seek intervenor status at the injunction hearings.

On Tuesday, hundreds of Canadians will start on their journey to become digital activists engaged in the fight against online antisemitism and hate at the first sessions of our Intro to Digital Advocacy webinar series. Will you be among them? Over the course of four webinars from June 4 to June 25, Introduction to Digital Advocacy will host international experts who will provide insights into how to fight contemporary antisemitism online. You’ll gain the fundamental knowledge required to identify, monitor, and report antisemitic and anti-Israel content. At the end of four sessions, you’ll be able to call yourself a digital advocate. This webinar is a follow-up to October’s Antisemitism: Face It, Fight It conference held in Ottawa.

If you want to do something about the antisemitism and other hate in your social media feeds, register today.

REGISTER NOW

Community Calendar

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

June 5 | Yom Yerushalayim
June 9 | UJA Walk with Israel
June 12-13 | Shavuot
June 24 | Saint-Jean-Baptiste Day (Quebec)
July 1 | Canada Day

CIJA in the News 

Hypocrisie des instances internationales? (Le Devoir) 

Montreal police arrest man in connection with shooting at Jewish school shooting (The Jerusalem Post) 

Gunfire evidence found at all-girls Jewish elementary school in North York (CityNews Toronto) 

Diaspora Jewish groups condemn ICJ ruling, but note it allows IDF action (The Jerusalem Post) 

Gunmen open fire on Toronto Jewish girls school: police (The Post Millennial) 

Shots fired at Toronto Jewish girls school, police investigating (CBC News Toronto) 

Volley of shots fired at Jewish girls’ school in Toronto; no injuries (The Times of Israel) 

Toronto police to boost presence after multiple suspects opened fire at Jewish elementary school (CTV News Toronto) 

Une école juive de Toronto visée par des coups de feu, selon les policiers (ICI Radio-Canada Toronto) 

Police investigate shots fired at Jewish elementary school early Saturday (Toronto Star + The Canadian Press Syndication) 

La police de Toronto enquête sur des coups de feu tirés contre une école juive (Le Droit, + syndication de La Presse Canadienne) 

Shots fired at Jewish girls’ school in Toronto (Jewish News Syndicate) 

Hating on Israel will not bring justice to Palestinians, advocate says (True North) 

CIJA statement on shots fired at Bais Chaya Muska - 4:31-5:23 – News at 6 (Global News Toronto) 

CIJA demands justice following shots fired at Toronto Jewish school (CP24) 

Shots fired toward Jewish girls school in Toronto, no injuries (i24 News) 

Shots fired at Jewish school in Toronto (The Jewish Chronicle) 

Toronto police investigate shots fired at Jewish elementary school (The Globe and Mail) 

Shots fired outside Jewish girls elementary school in Toronto, none injured (The Jerusalem Post) 

Shots fired at Jewish school for girls in Toronto; no injuries reported; police investigating (The Times of Israel) 

University of Manitoba president responds to an anti-Israel speech by a medical school valedictorian drawing widespread condemnation—including from its biggest donor (The Canadian Jewish News) 

JEWISH SCHOOL SHOOTINGS: Police charge Montreal suspect, Toronto assailant still at large (Western Standard) 

Cutout of Netanyahu hanged from McGill University's Roddick Gates (CTV News Montreal) 

York police increase presence outside Jewish school after shooting as the community rallies in solidarity (NOW Toronto) 

York police bolster security outside Jewish schools in response to Toronto shooting (YorkRegion.com) 

Court deliberates U of T injunction as graduates face possibility of sharing convocation with encampment (Toronto Star) 

Montreal Jewish school targeted by gunfire, police say (CBC News) 

Will U of T’s convocation overlap with the encampment protest? A judge holds the answer in his hands (Toronto Star) 

Israel says Rafah blaze caused by a hidden store of Hamas weapons rather than the airstrike (National Post, + Postmedia Syndication) 

Motion pour reconnaître l’État palestinien: Québec solidaire accusé de prendre «le parti des terroristes» (Le Journal de Montréal + syndication QMI) 

Une autre école juive visée par des coups de feu (Le Journal de Québec + syndication QMI) 

Another Canadian Jewish school hit by gunfire (National Post + Postmedia Syndication) 

Jewish school struck by gunfire in Montreal, police investigating (CityNews Montreal) 

Assault charge laid, arrest made related to incident near the University of Toronto encampment—while its president speaks in Ottawa on antisemitism, and the school seeks a removal injunction (The Canadian Jewish News) 

'Targeted again': Montreal police investigate after gunshot fired at Jewish school (CTV News Montreal) 

Montreal police investigating after Jewish school hit by at least one bullet (The Globe and Mail) 

Montreal Jewish school hit with gunfire days after suspect arrested over November attack (The Times of Israel) 

Vancouver comic festival bans Jewish artist over past IDF service (The Jerusalem Post) 

Toronto Leaders Rally at Jewish School Where Shots Were Fired Over Shabbat (Haaretz) 

Iran Supreme Leader's Direct Message to US College Students Sparks Fury (Newsweek) 

Political leaders denounce latest shooting at a Jewish school in Montreal (Montreal Gazette) 

Shooting attack on Montreal Jewish school sparks outrage (Jewish News Syndicate) 

Canada sees second shooting at Jewish school in a week (The Jerusalem Post) 

Israel at War, Day 237: Red Crescent Says Two Employees Killed in Israeli Rafah Strike (Haaretz) 

Trudeau, CIJA condemn gunfire at Montreal Jewish school (Global News) 

Police investigating another shooting at Jewish school in Montreal (The Jewish Chronicle) 

Jewish organizations demand action after Montreal Jewish school hit by gunfire (Toronto Star + The Canadian Press Syndication) 

I Went To Jesse Brown’s Talk On ‘Antisemitism In Canadian Media’ (The Maple) 

Vancouver comics festival bans Jewish artist Miriam Libicki over past IDF service (Jewish Telegraphic Agency Syndication) 

Gunfire targets Canadian Jewish school for the second time in a week (Jewish Telegraphic Agency) 

Outrage after shooting attack on Montreal Jewish school (Israel Hayom) 

Montreal Jewish school hit by gunfire in second such attack in Canada within days (The Times of Israel) 

Des organisations juives sonnent l’alarme (La Presse + syndication de La Presse Canadienne) 

Antisémitisme: des organisations juives sonnent l’alarme après une nouvelle fusillade (L'actualité + syndication de La Presse Canadienne) 

Community Careers

National senior professional, External Affairs - CIJA
Associate Director, University Relations - Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, CIJA
Associate Director Advocacy, Public and Independent Schools - Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, CIJA
Hillel Director - Jewish Federation of Edmonton
Chief Executive Officer - Calgary Jewish Federation
Vice President/Director of Development - Jewish Federation of Ottawa/Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation