Last week, GAJE reported the observation by Melissa Rivkin, the director of day school strategy at the Seattle-based Samis Foundation that “strong Jewish day school education provides youngsters with a foundation that gives them the wherewithal – knowledge, identity, and confidence – in the future, to take up the task of defending civil western society.”
Defending civil western society – along with Israel, Judaism and Jews – has become the chief priority and preoccupation of our community, and, one can add of communities throughout the West, since October 7, 2023.
But it helps to have allies.
The Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy, a Calgary-based, think tank, is indeed an ally of all Canadians who treasure the rule of law in this country that is founded upon democracy’s truest value: respect for the inherent dignity of all human life.
Earlier this month, GAJE published a personal letter from Mark Milke, the Foundation’s president. The letter was entitled, An attack on all of us: Why the Aristotle Foundation will not be silent on antisemitism. It is inspiring and deeply affecting like the grasp of a hand that reaches out to pull you up after a fall.
This week the Aristotle Foundation published a documentary entitled “Why Canadians Should Support Israel.” It is an important 18-minute statement that warrants wide distribution and wider viewing.
The following are the introductory explanatory remarks that accompanied the documentary in the email GAJE received from the Foundation.
“Canadians have often fought autocracies, tyrannies, and supported a free, flourishing world. Now our liberal democratic allies in Israel are facing their own existential threat. This past week, the International Criminal Court even issued an arrest warrant for the Israeli prime minister, this after civilian casualties in Gaza. Except those are a direct result of the war Hamas started on October 7, 2023.
“Israelis face what Canada, the United Kingdom, France, and others faced in the Second World War: A genocidal ideology intent on exterminating others. Bizarrely, since October 7, 2023, proper moral blame and proper reasoning for the tragedy of civilian deaths has been turned upside-down and inside-out.
“You’ve heard the accusations: Israel is the colonizing, warmongering state. Both “sides” in the Israeli-Hamas conflict are somehow equal in blame. This is ghastly wrong.
“There are excellent reasons for Canadians to support Israel. There are solid reasons to blame Hamas, Hezbollah, and the genocidal regime in Iran for the civilian deaths ever since in Gaza and in Lebanon.
“Our latest documentary film explores the wrongheaded accusations against Israel and her people. This documentary also exposes the radicals in Canada. Recall the recent “protest” in Vancouver where “Death to Israel” and “Death to Canada” were chanted.
“Don’t think for a moment the two are not linked. The attacks on Israel are already metastasizing worldwide. They are not only anti-Jewish and anti-Israel, but anti-West, anti-Canada, and frankly, anti-Enlightenment and anti-civilization.
“That’s why you need to watch “Why Canadians Should Support Israel” and share it far and wide. This is the most important documentary we have ever produced.”
To the above description GAJE adds: this is a most important documentary for all who care for the permanent, secure future of democracy.
Along with the “knowledge, identity, and confidence” related to living Jewishly that flow from a day school education, this documentary by the Aristotle Foundation, is another arrow in the quiver that we carry near our hearts in the vital task of “defending civil western society.”
(Why Canadians Should Support Israel can be accessed on the website of The Aristotle Foundation for Public Policy.)
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If you wish to contribute to GAJE’s lawsuit for fairness in educational funding, please click here.
For further information, please contact Israel Mida at: imida1818@gmail.com
Charitable receipts for donations for income tax purposes will be issued by Mizrachi Canada. Your donations will be used for the sole purpose of underwriting the costs of the lawsuit.
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Shabbat shalom. Am Yisrael Chai
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education (GAJE)
November 29, 2024
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 