Jews, as well as law-respecting and democracy-cherishing individuals throughout the western world were not surprised by the fact of the anti-Israel-pro-Hamas demonstrations on October 8, 2023. We were, however, surprised and increasingly appalled at the nature of those demonstrations, how trans-border-organized they were, how sizable the numbers, how uniform the signage and especially how brazenly unembarrassed and shameless were the chanters breathlessly urging upon the world, the elimination of the State of Israel and of its Jews. (“From the river to the sea….”).
Our feelings of surprise intensified. For, after those first ugly days, the haters, marchers and chanters grew more voluble delivering their vile message, bolder in their tactics, and more audacious in their aspirations for violence. We need not examine the reasons why this was so. We need only observe, without reservation, that the abject failure of western governments – including that of Canada – through silence, or pro forma, banal, substance-less condemnations – “This is not who we are.” – have effectively encouraged the haters to become more aggressive in trying to achieve their malevolent aims. The constant demonization of the State of Israel has led inexorably to the intimidation, harassment, bullying and attempted harming of Jews. Here in Canada.
Now, when the demonizers target our communal way of life and our religion, we are no longer surprised. We are angry and determined.
Earlier this week B’nai Brith Canada issued a press release calling attention to the campaign by the anti-Israel-pro-Hamas champions to have the Government of Canada revoke the charitable status of our Jewish schools because the schools teach our children about the State of Israel.
It is not overstatement to write that seeking to remove the charitable status of our schools is to seek their demise. Seeking the demise of our schools is effectively to seek the demise of the keystone of our communal way of life: Jewish education.
This new, malign reach by the haters is aimed at erasing Jewish life here, in our society. That may sound overstated but it is not. There can be no truthful, meaningful Jewish education in Jewish schools that does not rest on the core, foundational triad of “The faith of Israel. The Land of Israel. The people of Israel” The education of which we write is not about learning to be “religious”. It is about cherishing our history, traditions, culture, and sense of peoplehood.
“Eliminating the charitable status of these schools on these grounds would give credence to an antisemitic double standard and infringe on the right of thousands of Jewish youths to a Jewish education rooted in their system of beliefs,” Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith Canada’s Director of Research and Advocacy, pointed out.
Robertson noted that the campaign attempts to weaponize Canadian charity law and appears to be part of a concerted effort to “villainize” Jewish institutions. He reminded us that the singling out of Jewish schools comes on the heels of a previous effort by the same groups to discredit and defund certain Jewish summer camps that have Israel-related programming. Such campaigns “demonize” Zionism and Zionists, prejudicing Canadian Jews, the vast majority of whom believe in the right of the State of Israel to exist.
Robertson also noted that some of the groups associated with the campaign are known to promote or celebrate acts of terror targeting Israelis or Jews and said they cannot be treated as credible or moral actors. They are engaged in what he describes as “sustained, intentional and organized targeting” of Canada’s Jewish community.
In this latter observation, Robertson echoed Simon Wolle, B’nai Brith Canada’s Chief Executive Officer, who stated: “This is not an isolated issue or campaign. It is a coordinated and malicious attack on Jewish life extending from sector to sector and charity to charity.”
We commend B’nai Brith Canada for shining public light on this dark, new development.
This is our fight. All of us. We must convey our outrage to our federal representatives and demand response that prevents the attacks on Jews and on Jewish life.
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If you wish to contribute to GAJE’s lawsuit to achieve fairness in educational funding, please click here. Charitable receipts for donations for income tax purposes will be issued by Mizrachi Canada. Your donations will be used for the sole purpose of helping to underwrite the costs of the lawsuit. For further information, please contact Israel Mida at: imida1818@gmail.com Thank you, in advance, for considering doing so.
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Shabbat shalom
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education (GAJE)
May 1, 2026
Grassroots for Affordable Jewish Education 