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Richard Marceau

Finding Hope in Hardships: Thank-you to Our Allies

We are fast approaching the Jewish holiday of Simchat Torah, a day that now holds entirely new meaning. It was on this holiday last year that the terrorist organization, Hamas, carried out the largest massacre against Jews since the Holocaust. Jews around the world continue to mourn the 1,200 innocent lives taken on October 7, 2023. We wait in anguish for the release of the 101 hostages still held in Gaza. And, most importantly, we continue to pray for peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

Antisemitism in Canada has skyrocketed over the last year. Jewish communities have been targeted by protests, synagogues in Montreal and Vancouver have been firebombed, Jewish schools in Toronto and Montreal have been shot at, and vandalism and harassment have become daily realities.

Yet, at a time when Jews have felt most intimidated and isolated, we have also witnessed allies publicly denounce antisemitism, standing in solidarity with the Jewish community. These allies join us in our call for dialogue, unity, and peace, and they prove we are not alone.

This past summer, nearly all Pride parades in Canada gave way to acts of antisemitism. The exception was Pride Montreal, which chose love and unity over hatred and division. While other Pride organizers capitulated to the demands of extremist hijackers and vilified Jewish and Israeli participants, Montreal Pride allocated security for the Jewish delegation to ensure their safety while marching. The result: a day of acceptance, for all. Pride Montreal broke the mold, bravely exemplifying the importance of uniting communities to combat hatred.

In an encouraging trend, Christian communities in Canada have begun issuing letters of support for Canadian Jews after witnessing this meteoric rise in antisemitism. Father Deacon Andrew Bennet from the Christian think tank CARDUS recently published the Canadian Christian Declaration on Antisemitism, which unites diverse Christian leaders from across the country in unequivocally denouncing antisemitism. The declaration also serves as a pledge for Christian leaders nationwide not only to speak out but to also work with the Jewish community in combating antisemitism. Similarly, Ottawa-based One-Way Ministries published the Ottawa Letter of Concern, which denounces antisemitism on behalf of Christian leaders from across the Ottawa region. The King Street Community Church in Oshawa, too, issued their own, equally powerful statement of support for Canadian Jews during these troubling times.

We also saw allyship emerge from Canada’s private sector. In August, the Hon. Paul Tellier, Hon. Kevin Lynch, Andrew Molson and Paul Deegan published an uplifting column in the Toronto Star, urging non-Jewish business, government, university and community leaders across Canada to stand up to antisemitism. The authors – all C-suite executives of CN, BMO Financial Group, Avenir Global, and Deegan Public Strategies respectively – wrote that “Canada urgently needs a whole-of-society commitment to denouncing and eradicating antisemitism.”

The courage and solidarity demonstrated by these allies provides the Jewish community with hope during these troubling times. Standing up to antisemitism should be an obvious Canadian value, yet it is one now lost on so many. These allies have shown remarkable bravery in speaking out against antisemitism and standing with us in our time of need. Their willingness to confront prejudice and offer unwavering support provides a vital source of strength for the Jewish community.

Allies inspired by the leadership and conviction of those highlighted here who are looking for a community they can join – one that is working with ours for the benefit of Canadian values – should explore the recently formed Allies for a Strong Canada. The organization is recruiting a diverse group of Canadians, including an impressive list of non-Jewish public figures, to use their platforms to speak out against the hate we’re seeing and ensure a message of unity with the Jewish people gets across.

We are grateful also to the many other allies, not mentioned in this article, who have provided crucial support for the Jewish community since October 7. To all, from friends, colleagues, and peers to fellow advocacy groups, faith organizations, and political leaders: we thank you for your allyship and solidarity. We take it to heart, not for granted.

Jews cannot defeat antisemitism alone, and, as Canadians, promoting inclusivity and combating hatred are values that bind us together. We hope other ethnic and faith communities, business leaders, and civil society influencers from across the country will find inspiration in these acts of solidarity and join in the effort to expel antisemitism from Canadian life.

About the Author
A former Member of Canada's Parliament and a lawyer, Richard now works as Vice President & General Counsel for the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs. He is the author of A Quebec Jew: From Bloc Québécois MP to Jewish Activist for which he received the Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Award. He co-edited the Canadian Haggadah Canadienne which received positive acclaim in Canada and worldwide.
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