Jewish Voices, Jewish Angst, Canadian Jewish Reality

"We have to be open-eyed that the [Liberal-led Canadian] government is not a reliable partner."

"Security is foundational, but insufficient. I don't want to be a hostage in my own shul the rest of my life."

"In terms of standing up for Jewish rights -- for Jews to be proudly and openly Jewish, and proud Zionists -- that's something we have to support ourselves. It's not that long ago that prime minister Trudeau stood up and proclaimed he was a Zionist. But his successor did not say the same thing, and that's telling."

Rabbi Adam Cutler, Adath Israel synagogue, Toronto

 

"[Carney] scattered crumbs of concern, and acted like it was a feast."

"[The Prime Minister was] playing a politically charged 4D chess game. He moved his knight, and now we respond, as a Jewish community by moving our queen."

"[Whereas Carney] came on our turf to lecture us, to have us listen to our own problems [community leaders as a group should meet Carney on Parliament Hill and] have him sit and listen to us, while we tell him the real roots of the problems, and offer our own recommendations. All with the cameras on, too."

Matthew Taub, director Unapologetically Jewish advocacy group

 

"The prime minister's speech at Toronto's Holy Blossom synagogue on June 1 was the latest in a] series of slaps in the face [from the prime ministers to the Jewish community.] It's all up to us now. I would like to see the community proactively mobilized, for sure."

"I think that what we're failing to do is show up in large numbers ... I think that this is partially the failure of our own leadership."

"When the encampments went up, what was the reaction? Handwringing and feeling terrible. But the number of people who actually showed up to confront the people involved in the encampment was minimal."

"It's just that our own numbers stay home. Maybe it's exhaustion, but we're not, to be honest, doing our part to defend ourselves."

"If we want to have standing the community, it's not going to be given to  us. We have to stand up and demand it."

Michael Teper, president, Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation 

A poster against antisemitism seen on International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in Markham, Ontario, Canada, on March 22, 2025. (Creative Touch Imaging Ltd/NurPhoto via Reuters)

 

The Jewish community is still reeling with abandoned hope in the wake of the prime minister of their country of birth abandoning his responsibility to serve and protect all the people of the country without fear or favour, equally and with the full powers of his executive position. They heard a speech recounting everything they already know; that their community is in grave danger; that threats have given way to dangerous violence; being visibly Jewish in the larger Canadian community has brought out the vitriolic hatred of antisemites, spurred to expression by a burgeoning Muslim population now representing 5 percent of the Canadian population; 10 percent in Toronto, according to 2021 figures.

 

That number has grown even larger in the past five years, with the total Muslim-Canadian population now approaching two million as opposed to a Jewish-Canadian population of 400,000. Where demographic voting blocs are concerned, clearly there is an advantage in catering to one that has four times the ballot box potential of the other. So, while Mr. Carney decried the shootings and fire-bombings at Jewish houses of worship and schools, the vandalism at community centres and Jewish-owned businesses, never once did he hint at the source of these -- like the campus anti-Israel, pro-Palestinian camps harassing Jewish faculty and staff -- Muslim-incited.

 

Photo Credit: Matt Gurney

 

"Canada's civic compact is failing Jewish Canadians", said the prime minister, yet from his attitude of condemnation and empathy, never did he hint at the foundational cause; the importation of cultural/religious Jew-hate courtesy of immigrants, refugees, illegal migrants and student visas emanating from the Middle East and North Africa -- emigrants bringing with them part of their heritage that rejects Canadian social norms and values. One can commiserate with the plight of Canadian Jews, but never betray the source of their affliction. 

 

"We have nothing to expect from this government. They've made it very clear they're not interested in supporting the Jewish community. They've made it very clear that they don't really even see much of a problem", stated Amir Epstein, director of pro-Israel advocacy group Tafsik, based in Toronto. It has been during the past decade, matching the latest tenure of the Liberals as government in Canada, that the Canadian-Muslim population has approached such heights of community size. And never has the federal government intervened even once to do its part to put a stop to the venomous racist campaign demonizing Israel and Jewish Canadians.

 

In May alone the prime minister admonished Israel, had a 'cordial phone call' with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to congratulate him on the PA's ripening (absent) democratic credentials, then a call to Israeli President Isaac Herzog that left much to be desired in terms of friendly relationships of mutual trust. The icing on the cake was Louise Arbour's choice as the next governor general, who as UN human rights chief, UN Watch pointed out her repeated singling out of Israel as a 'human rights abuser' reflecting her sympathies with Palestinian victimhood.

 

A large anti-Israel protest in Ottawa in August. Photo by Ashley Fraser /Postmedia

 

Her support for a regional human rights charter equating Zionism with racism helped Israel bashers feel entitled and diminished the impact of Israel's responses to terrorist violence as a self-defense reality. Rabbi Yael Splansky of the synagogue where Carney's speech took place had her own solution as an offering to remedy the situation: "Every peace-loving, democracy-loving Canadian ought to make antisemitism their concern and make their voices heard by their own elected leaders The Jewish community has been doing this work for years, but we cannot do it alone. Because antisemitism has been allowed to seep into Canadian waters, only a groundswell response can turn back the tide."

 

And there are other potential responses that could go a long way to solving these problems: Ottawa should "name the problem clearly .. antisemitism in Canada is being driven in significant part by anti-Israel and anti-Zionist hatred." The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs suggests: "ensure that terrorist organizations, their proxies, and their adherents cannot operate here. Public funds should not support organizations that initiate or promote hatred against the Jewish community. This must include addressing the weaponization of national institutions, including the Canada Revenue Agency and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights." 

 

Following his speech on antisemitism at Toronto's Holy Blossom synagogue June 1, 2026 Prime Minister Mark Carney met with Jewish leaders including (left) Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, and Anna Shternshis, head of the Jewish Studies department at the University of Toronto. Carney said Canadian Jews are being "brutally targeted by hatred". (Photo by Ellin Bessner/The CJN.)

 

"This isn't a time to shrink back, but to further engage elected officials. It's time for all of us to be active and make sure that they're hearing directly from us, and that we are doing our part in the equation to push them to do their part."

"Regardless of what party they're from, regardless of what part of the country you're in, their job is to listen to you, and represent you in the Parliament or the legislature or city hall."

Noah Shack, CEO, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs 

Canada Under the Liberal Government Offers No Guarantees of Equality for Canadian Jews

"[Canada is now] one of the centres of antisemitism globally. [There was a noticeable] rising trend in antisemitism [following the October 7 terror attacks on Israel, causing a] dramatic spike."

"It created a lot of concern in Israel. It drew the attention of the highest political levels in spite of the fact that we are, at the same time, busy with the war."

"We really came to realize that Canada has become one of the centres of antisemitism globally that we need to monitor much more closely." 

"The concern for security is something that's completely unprecedented. I never thought that would be an issue that we'll be dealing with at such a level in Canada. Unfortunately, it is, so what I'm doing about it is to draw the attention of all relevant governments: federal, provincial, municipal." 

Israeli Ambassador Iddo Moed, Ottawa Legation 

 

"What our message needs to be to our leaders is that if nothing is done, then you're sending a message: 'They can go ahead and go to the next level'."

"It's the literal broken windows theory."

Rabbi Daniel Korobkin, Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto synagogue 

Israel’s Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed looks at bullet holes in windows at the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto synagogue in Vaughan, which was recently shot at, Thursday March 12, 2026. Photo by Peter J. Thompson/National Post

 

Three synagogues were shot at in Canada in less than the space of a week. Jewish groups have been warning for years that there would be increasingly violent action taken against Jewish institutions, given the constant deliberately provocative marches by pro-Palestinian, pro-Hamas groups in Canada who have continued to harass and threaten Canadian Jews, while proclaiming the global Intifada that would destroy Israel. The marchers not only had the impact of victimizing Canadian Jews, but they also took it upon themselves to illegally block roadways and intersections, amidst displays of mass street prayers.

 

During the several years that Canada's Islamist cohorts organized marches, violations of public spaces, took over university campuses and threatened and harassed Jewish students and faculty, there were also shootings at Jewish day schools, synagogues, community centres, and private Jewish-owned businesses. Places of business were vandalized, fire-bombed and boycotted by vociferous antisemites. And while police were present at these daytime gatherings to maintain public order,  nothing was ever done to deter ongoing events of the same nature.

 

Jewish institutions have had to invest in security measures including fencing, metal detectors and private security guards along with other property reinforcements against intrusions. Governments at every level, from municipal to provincial to federal have essentially spouted the same tired expressions of 'this isn't Canada', and 'this will not be tolerated' and authorities express indignation over the rise of virulent antisemitism, while also decrying 'Islamophobia'. Cheap words and absent actions.

 

Members of the Jewish community, GTA police services and politicians gathered outside a North York synagogue to stand up against antisemitism after three synagogues were shot at over the span of a week. (Spencer Gallichan-Lowe/CBC)

 

Ambassador Moed appeared at one of the synagogues north of Toronto that had been shot at; the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto (BAYT) synagogue. The synagogue's front doors suffered ten shots shattering its windows. There were no injuries suffered at any of the three targeted synagogues. The ambassador spoke of the attack's intention to signal intimidation of synagogue members, and by extension, the population of Jews in Toronto, knowing they are targeted and the potential that this indicates, of serious physical harm, apart from the aggravated mental stress.

 

In an interview, Ambassador Moed who was originally from the Netherlands and acted there as the Israeli ambassador as well, and as such was well familiar with the Netherlands' well earned reputation for antisemitism, explained that he was shaken by his experience in Canada. The threats that Canadian Jews face, he realized during his tenure in the country, he assesses as "incomparable to anything in the past".

 

When he was assigned to Israel's diplomatic mission in Canada he anticipated ambassadorial business as usual; business development, community relations, expanding trade and strengthening bilateral ties. Nothing prepared him for the reality of witnessing harassment of Canadian Jews and Israelis in the country. Israel's government has become all too aware of Canada's growing ill reputation as a country steeped in antisemitism; partially a result of its immigration/refugee/migrant-intake laxity.  

 

Beth Avraham Yosef of Toronto synagogue in Vaughan was one of two synagogues that were shot late Friday night. (CBC)

"Part of my visit here is to share with [Canadian political leaders] our grave concern, to share with them our perspective, that we see a clear escalating trend. We see that all the red lights are blinking. We see that all the warning signs are there. We are not sure that we've seen the end of this."

"This is sort of a global trend, and its expressions in Canada are one of the worst. Today we are speaking about the country [Canada] where most shooting incidents took place against Jewish institutions in the world."

"We are talking about [the Jewish] community which is the fourth largest diaspora that feels terrorized."

"It feels abandoned."

Israeli Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed 

 

 

Campus Anti-Semitism

"Should you choose not to defer ... and the complaints are proven to be valid, the University of Windsor will have to consider its options."
"The University cannot allow student organizations to compromise the university's commitment to provide a welcoming earning and living environment to each and every student on our campus. I trust that you will be amenable to my request."
University of Windsor President Alan Wildeman

"The University will not tolerate any practices, by any member or group of its community, that target specific individuals or entities on the basis of ethnicity, nationality, religion, or any other personal characteristic. The University of Windsor in the strongest possible terms does not support actions that compromise academic freedom or the safety and security of any of our students." "The University of Windsor will be uncompromising in its commitment to continue to be a place that is welcoming and safe for all students."

Finally, a university president with a sense of responsible judgement. Universities are places of higher education, where minds eager to learn collect and expect to be exposed to useful and meaningful learning experiences. Learning to hate is not necessarily one of them, although of late that has become a reality in all too many universities across North America, inclusive of Canada's. Academia is open to all manner of discussion groups, and fully discussing situations at home and abroad should never be closed, but they should be reasonable.

Debate should have a purpose, that purpose to explore all the intricacies and details of situations, to be informed, and then discuss the issues. Not to mount a campaign meant to isolate certain students and to identify certain countries as representing human rights abusers, and to find them guilty without cause, simply because to do so has become a popular group-think identification in support of a perceived underdog. Particularly when there are grotesque distortions of reality involved.

So, good on University of Windsor President Alan Wildeman. Perhaps his example may serve to inspire other university presidents to come to their senses and realize and respect their obligations to all whom they should be serving equally and without prejudice. A referendum of a University of Windsor Students' Alliance over the weekend endorsed the joining of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement against Israel, the world's perennial target, in a popularized hate-fest.

The issue, wrote Mr. Wildeman in a letter to the alliance has raised "serious questions about the operations of the UWSA", given the fact that he has received "many well-documented and detailed complaints about the processes used by the UWSA throughout the referendum". The university's administration is undertaking an investigation, and Mr. Wildeman cautions the referendum not be recognized as final until that investigation has been completed.

While the autonomy of student organizations is respected by the administration, the university expects and insists that the UWSA's actions be in accordance with "appropriate processes". Presumably, intimidation, manipulation of circumstances impacting on resulting votes must be among them. The campus Palestinian Solidarity Group conceived the referendum for the UWSA to commit to "identifying and divesting from companies that support or profit from Israeli war crimes, occupation and oppression."

Of those who voted in favour of the boycott, there was a total of 798, with 585 against, casting their nay votes, out of a total student body of 14,000 undergraduates at University of Windsor. Windsor-area Member of Parliament, Jeff Watson expressed his opinion in the House of Commons that the BDS movement is "misguided and hateful", condemning a February 27 vandalism incident at the UWSA offices as anti-Semitic.

Vandals spray painted a racist message inside a University of Windsor Student Alliance office. (Courtesy Jake DeJong)

The more things change the more they reflect the past.