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Record Canadian Representation at World Jewish Congress Plenary
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The 13th World Jewish Congress (WJC) plenary assembly held this week in Jerusalem was historic for a number of reasons. First and foremost, a record 20 Canadian Jewish Congress delegates participated, the largest Canadian contingent ever. Additionally, it heralded the re-vitalization of WJC, which a year earlier was caught up in inner turmoil, budget worries and staffing challenges. With the re-election of WJC President Ronald Lauder, it is clear that these issues are now behind this venerable international Jewish advocacy organization.
CJC Past President and current Canada-Israel Committee Chair Moshe Ronen, was re-elected as Vice president of the WJC. Ronen was part of a coast-to-coast Canadian delegation led by CJC Co-President Rabbi Reuven Bulka, CEO Bernie M. Farber and National Executive Director Benjamin Shinewald. Shinewald also represented CJC on a Legal Panel created for the adoption of a new WJC Constitution.
In all more than 500 participants from more than 65 countries around the world debated vital resolutions and heard from top Israeli leadership at a very intense time in Israel. President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Opposition Leader Benjamin Netanyahu, Foreign Minister and leader of the Kadima party Tzipi Livni, Defense Minister and leader of the Labour Party Ehud Barak, Minister of Diaspora Affairs Isaac Herzog and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat were amongst the plenary keynote speakers. Each brought a message of hope, resilience and peace despite the recent hostilities in the Middle East. Despite their political differences, each speaker was firmly resolved that Israel will brook no threat to any Israeli citizen.
Amongst a number of hotly debated resolutions was one that concerned the Durban Review Conference (aka "Durban II"). The Canadian delegation stood strongly with Prime Minister Stephen Harper's prescient move, supported just as strongly by the Opposition Liberals with support as well from the NDP, to disassociate from an international forum that would vilify Israel and foment hatred against Jews. Indeed, in her remarks to the plenary, Foreign Minister Livni singled out Canada for its forthright support of Israel and the Jewish people. While the resolution against Durban II was strong, the Canadian delegation wanted more uncompromising and unequivocal language demanding that other countries now follow Canada's lead and not participate at the Durban Review Conference to be held in April of this year in Geneva. As a result, we were unable to support a milder version of the resolution that eventually passed on the plenum floor.
And such is the beauty of the World Jewish Congress - that despite differences and even disagreements, there is an international Jewish table to which we can bring our issues to be discussed and debated. It is truly a unique Jewish creation which is well-respected by leaders around the world. For our Canadian delegates it was also clear that through organizations like CJC and WJC we have a clear and effective voice on both the domestic and international fronts.
Pictures:
L: Ehud Olmert, Prime Minister of Israel and Bernie Farber, CEO CJC
R: Members of the Canadian Delegation at WJC Plenary in Israel
Additional photos can be found in the CJC Photo Gallery below |
Canadians Show Solidarity with Israel in Coast-to-Coast Rallies
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More than 5,000 people packed Toronto's Beth Tzedec Synagogue
United Israel Appeal Federations Canada (UIAFC) is very pleased to report that more than 10 concurrent pro-Israel rallies took place on Thursday, January 8th across Canada. This truly was a coast to coast event which included Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. Close to 15,000 people gathered nation-wide to express their solidarity, to join with Israel via live communication in Be'er Sheva and other communities, and listen to strong supportive and unwavering messages from Canadian government representatives. Messages of determination and appreciation also came from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and other Israeli leaders.
"I believe that it was the first time that a coordinated effort of this scope, utilizing web casting technology, was accomplished", said Barbara Farber, President of UIA Federations Canada. "All Canadian Jewish communities standing together simultaneously connecting to Israel. What an incredible united impact!"
The web cast continues to be available at www.jewishcanada.org for those who wish to watch it. For additional photos from various rallies, please see the photo gallery section below.
Our office in Israel is active on a daily basis providing support to children in southern Israel who were forced out of school and to the disabled and elderly who have limited mobility. Special attention is also given to those who suffer from trauma. Judy Recanati, co-founder of Natal, a trauma centre for victims of terror and war (and an organization supported by UIAFC) had these words for the Toronto audience:
"Trauma is not predictable. You never know who will react and you never know when... it may affect those who you expect and those who you least expect," said Recanati.
We all hope and pray for calm and peaceful days in all of Israel.
Additional photos can be found in the CJC Photo Gallery below. |
CJC Exposes Incitement to Hatred and Violence at Pro-Hamas Rallies
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At press conferences in both Toronto and Montreal, Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and our colleagues at the Canada-Israel Committee (CIC) exposed frightening video and photographic evidence of incitement to hatred and violence against Jews at recent pro-Hamas rallies held in communities across Canada, including in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary.
The pro-Hamas rallies were co-sponsored by a wide variety of organizations, including labour, ethno-cultural and religious groups. CJC demanded that these sponsors denounce the virulent antisemitism expressed at their rallies and asked law enforcement to investigate the possibility of violations of Canadian law.
Public reaction was swift, with strong coverage in both the English and French media. Several editorials and op-eds condemned the overt antisemitism expressed at the rallies and spoke out in defense of the Jewish community. The video and photographs are posted on our website, www.cjc.ca, which recorded a very strong surge in visits.
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| Widespread Condemnation of Sid Ryan |
After CUPE Ontario President Sid Ryan called in January for a boycott of Israeli academics at Ontario universities, Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) led a broad, public campaign to attack his intolerant perspective. Ryan stated that: "Israeli academics should not be on our campuses unless they explicitly condemn" an Israeli Defense Forces attack on a Gaza university. The university was well known to have housed a Hamas weapons laboratory. CJC was successful in generating significant editorial and op-ed comments across Canada, including in the National Post, the Calgary Herald and the Hamilton Spectator. A typical editorial appeared in the Windsor Star - a newspaper which serves a community where unions are particularly strong:
Ryan's bias: No place in Our Universities
The Windsor Star
January 8, 2009
CUPEOntario president Sid Ryan is seriously considering asking his membership to prevent Israeli professors from teaching in Ontario universities.
The ban is designed to protest the Dec. 29 bombing that damaged the Islamic University in Gaza, and a resolution will be put to a vote by CUPE's Ontario University Workers Co-ordinating Committee at a conference in Windsor next month.
"In response to an appeal by the Palestinian Federation of Unions of University Professors and Employees, we are ready to say Israeli academics should not be on our campuses unless they explicitly condemn the university bombing and the assault on Gaza in general," said Ryan.
While Ryan is careful to say "Israeli" professors, his support of the Palestinian request would logically lead one to conclude that the ban is directed at Jewish academics.
Janice Folk-Dawson, who chairs the university workers committee, went on to say the resolution is needed to prevent Israeli academics from offering biased views of the situation in Gaza.
It is the CUPE leadership that has succumbed to bias. The union has all but demanded professors bring politics into the classroom, and if they refuse, they will be dismissed. It has made condemnation a condition of employment.
Quite frankly, most professors, regardless of their backgrounds, stick to the disciplines they were hired to teach. But should any of them enter into an intellectual discussion -- about any number of controversial issues -- we in Canada expect they will not be subjected to discrimination or see their academic freedoms taken away.
Many professors have condemned the move and University of Windsor president Dr. Alan Wildeman told The Star "We would never consider taking a stand against Jewish people like that . . . Where do you draw the line?" Precisely.
Ryan, however, has clearly drawn a line in the sand, and he has no business doing so. Ontario universities do not need this resolution. They need a diverse group of professors who can think and teach and stimulate debate.
And it wasn't just CJC and the media speaking out against Mr. Ryan. Paul Moist, the National President of CUPE also weighed in on the issue by releasing a statement of his own with respect to the CUPE Ontario resolution, a portion of which we have included below :
CUPE National would like to state its position on the... resolution to ban Israeli academics from Ontario universities unless they condemn the "assault on Gaza."
As the national president of Canada's largest union, with over 580,000 members, I can say that none of CUPE's over 2,000 chartered bodies - including CUPE Ontario - have adopted such a resolution. I believe such a resolution is wrong and would violate the anti-discrimination standards set out in the CUPE Constitution. I will be using my influence in any debates on such a resolution to oppose its adoption.
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| CJC Quebec Region (CJC, QR) to Promote Dialogue through Cartoons |
 From March 12th to 22nd CJC, QR will co-host an international exhibition featuring the works of world renowned political caricaturists including French cartoonist Jean Plantu and Israeli caricaturist Michel Kishka. The two cartoonists will be in Montreal to launch the event, which is part of the annual Action Week against Racism. Cartooning for Peace is a project developed by Plantu, political cartoonist for the French daily newspaper Le Monde, and former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan. This prestigious exhibit will be shown in Canada for the first time thanks to the work of CJC, QR and its partners, the City of Montreal and Images Interculturelle. The initiative has resulted in a number of exhibitions and symposia in Europe, the Middle East and the US. The genesis of Cartooning for Peace occurred during when Plantu had leading Israeli and Palestinian figures sign the same cartoons. For information, or to add your name to our guest list for this and other upcoming events, contact fgutman@cjc.ca or at T: 514.345.6411 ext. 3166. |
| CJC Quebec Region (CJC,QR) to Commemorate Rwandan Genocide |
From April 6th -24th the largest exhibition of photographs and memorabilia of the Rwandan genocide will be showcased at the Monument National in Montreal. This will be the centerpiece of a three week series of activities marking the 15th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide. In addition to the very moving exhibit, CJC, QR, in collaboration with Page-Rwanda and IBUKA (non-profit organizations dedicated to helping Rwandan survivors) plans an educational and inspiring series of lectures, symposia, dialogue and panel discussions focusing on reconciliation and healing. CJC,QR will also partner with PAGE-Rwanda to organize the official commemoration of the 15th anniversary of the genocide.
For information, or to add your name to our guest list for this and other upcoming events, contact fgutman@cjc.ca or at T: 514.345.6411 ext. 3166.
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Remembering the Honourable Judge Sydney Harris, z'l
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Judge Sydney Harris | It is with great sadness that Canadian Jewish Congress marks the passing of the Honourable Judge Sydney Harris, a distinguished member of the Ontario Provincial Court, former national president of Canadian Jewish Congress (1974-1977) and a respected member of the Community Relations Committee of CJC Ontario Region.
Judge Harris was an outstanding leader of the Jewish community. We were truly fortunate to have an individual who was prepared to serve, and whose service could bring kavod to our community. His stature, earned through dedication to the rule of law and to human rights, brought credit to us all. He was in the forefront of many initiatives that changed the face of Canadian Jewry and Canadian society. Under his watch, neo-Nazis like John Beattie were rooted out and arrested, the Holocaust Remembrance Committee was created, and Canadian Jews became engaged in the battle to liberate their brothers and sisters from the Soviet Union.
Judge Harris was an advocate for legislation to broaden civil liberties and human rights. He pushed for changes to the Criminal Code concerning hate literature and spoke out against capital punishment. He was a tireless supporter of civil rights in the United States during the 1950's and 1960's and met with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in 1963.
As Ontario Regional Chair Frank Bialystok observed, the loss of Sydney Harris, along with other departed giants of our community - Louis Lenkinski, Ben Kayfetz and Stephen Speisman to name but a few - represents a diminishment of our entire community. These individuals were the living memory of our community. We will not see their like again.
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CJC Photo Gallery
On Monday, December 22, leaders of the Calgary Jewish Community Council met with Prime Minister Stephen Harper before his appearance at Chabad's Chanukah Candle-lighting Ceremony at Calgary City Hall.
In the photo: Lance Davis, CJCC Executive Director; Gerry Barron, CJCC President; Prime Minister Stephen Harper; Nelson Halpern, CJCC Past-President; David Busheikin, member of the Community Relations Committee; Judy Shapiro, CJCC Community Relations Director. Photo Courtesy of the Prime Minister's Office
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Stand with Israel Rallies
Participants at the rally in Montreal
Participants at the rally in Toronto
Participants at the rally in London 
Participants at the rally in Hamilton
Participants at the rally in Winnipeg
Participants at the rally in Halifax
Participants at the rally in Ottawa
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WJC Plenary - Israel
Members of the Canadian Delegation at WJC Plenary in Jerusalem
Rabbi Reuven Bulka, CJC Co-presdident with Israel Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Leader of the Opposition and Bernie Farber, CJC CEO
Tzipi LIvni, israel's Foreign Minister and Bernie Farber
Bernie Farber, Rabbi Reuven Bulka and Ehud Barak, Minister of Defence
Ossie Goldenberg, Cdn Delegate; Marilyn Shapiro, Cdn Delegate; Nir Barkat, Mayor of Jerusalem; Mark Goldberg, Cdn Delegate |
Letters to the Editor
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Congress Amcha is always interested in your feedback. Please feel free to email your comments or suggestions to jkerbel@on.cjc.ca. We will try to include them in future editions.
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