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CJC Charities Committee Celebrates Reaching 500,000
Students with Anti-Racism Program
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On Tuesday, March
3, Canadian Jewish Congress Charities Committee (CJCCC) and Fighting
Antisemitism Together (FAST) hosted an event to announce that Choose Your Voice, a leading anti-racism
and antisemitism education program, has reached half-a-million Canadian
students.
The event was
celebrated with a choir and dance performances, a poetry reading and an art
display at Lord Lansdowne
Public School in Toronto, the first school to incorporate the Choose Your Voice education program into its curriculum three-and-a-half years
ago. Since then, this innovative bilingual
anti-racism program has reached students in seven provinces and one
territory.
Almost 200
students attended the event with Canadian Jewish Congress Charities Committee CEO
Bernie Farber, FAST Founders Tony and
Elizabeth Comper, Ontario Minister of Education the Honourable Kathleen Wynne,
and several other government officials, trustees and community leaders.
"I applaud
the work that has gone into the Choose
Your Voice program," said Minister Wynne. "All students deserve
an education system that is free from bias and discrimination, and
celebrates diversity and culture."
Choose Your Voice has received wide acclaim from educators for
promoting harmony, respect and equality in schools. Since its release there has
been a steady demand for it - in the last four months alone more than 45 school
boards have requested Choose Your Voice.
" Choose
Your Voice encourages students to be heroes rather than bystanders or
perpetrators by speaking out against antisemitism, racism and stereotypes," said
Tony Comper, FAST Founder and former President and CEO of BMO Financial Group.
"The resource helps create a safer place for our children by promoting
tolerance and creating hope."
"The extensive and
rapid success of Choose Your Voice is
cause for celebration," said Canadian Jewish Congress Charities Committee CEO Bernie Farber. "The program resonates with educators
and students alike because it sparks classroom discussion about the dangers of
intolerance in all its manifestations. It's proving to be a powerful component
of character education, bullying prevention and other programs that promote
safe and caring schools."
Julian Lee, a
grade 8 student at Lord
Lansdowne School,
wrote a poem for the event. Lee
explained to insidertoronto.com that in studying Choose Your Voice he has learned "everything that I think
every good human being needs to learn. It is so distinctively Canadian. Our
country is built of all different cultures of the world and we all learn to get
along together because racism, it's a terrible thing."
"There are
differences and thus disagreements but there are better ways to overcome these
disagreements than violence and misunderstanding. So I think it is important
that we all think things through, and get along before the guns come out."
To view the video shown and the event and hear more
about the impact Choose Your Voice has had on Julian and other students go
to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_aah3-iG84
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Hon. Jason
Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Offers a
Special Briefing to the Jewish Community
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Left to Right: Ed Segalowitz UJA Federation of Greater Toronto (UJAFED) Chief of Corporate Affairs, the Hon. Jason Kenny,Bernie M. Farber CEO CJC, Ted Sokolsky President and CEO UJAFED, Jeff Springer UJAFED Chief, Corporate Operations
On Sunday, March 1, Canadian Jewish
Congress and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto hosted a special in-person
briefing by the Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration
and Multiculturalism in Toronto.
Touching on topics ranging from the current
situation in the Middle East to Durban II to the terrorist attack in Mumbai, India,
the Minister expressed his Government's unwavering support for the right of the
Jewish people to be free from terror. Mr. Kenney noted the
existential threat faced by the Jewish people today and how this threat is
essentially the same threat Jews have faced for centuries. After
discussing his visit to Babi Yar, where more
than 30,000 Jews were murdered by the Nazis during the Holocaust, the Minister
noted that today's antisemites seek "the destruction of the Zionist entity and
the Jewish people for whom it is a homeland."
The Minister addressed how the Government
decided to dissociate from the upcoming sham, antisemitic UN conference known
as Durban II. He also spoke of the Government's decision not to deal with
NGOs such as the Canadian Arab Federation and the Canadian Islamic Congress
because of their despicable rhetoric against Israel
and against the Jewish community in Canada. Remarking on his
Government's support of "true Canadian multiculturalism," Minister Kenney noted
the Government's support for international Holocaust education and for
memorializing Canada's
own historical error in turning away the S.S.
St. Louis in 1939.
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CJC Represents Canadian Jewry at Groundbreaking Global Antisemitism Conference
By Bernie M. Farber & Hershell Ezrin
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In mid-February we had the honour and privilege of
joining 125 parliamentarians representing 42 countries
at the inaugural London Conference on Combating Antisemitism. The Conference
was a unique opportunity for Jews and non-Jews alike to form a common purpose
and voice in eradicating antisemitism in all its manifestations.
Horrifying and disgusting examples of the rise of new forms of antisemitism
were unveiled and analyzed. Added to classical forms and stereotypes was the
now increasingly popular linkage of anti-Zionism and antisemitism, the
pernicious rise of Islamist extremist hate, and finally, state-encouraged or
assisted antisemitism as practised by Iran
and Venezuela.
By the conference's end, the tabling of evidence was counterbalanced by the
genuine, outspoken, public commitment of non-Jewish parliamentarians and their
governments to act in solidarity and implement innovative ideas to fight this
ancient scourge.
Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism, Hon. Jason Kenney,
accompanied by a group of ten Canadian Parliamentarians from the Conservative
and Liberals parties spelled out our Government's ambitious plan to fight antisemitism
and to restore civil dialogue. Kenney's voice was joined by the Foreign Ministers
of Italy and the Czech Republic, the Vice-President
of the German Bundestag, and numerous other international leaders.
Of all the strategies and tactics reviewed, one stood out for broader emulation: the development of all-party inquiries into
the state of antisemitism in individual countries. Such inquiries establish a
clear focus and accountability, a specific timeline for co-ordinated action by
government ministries, agencies and law enforcement groups and a political
check against any attempts at appeasement. It ensures that the fight against
antisemitism becomes validated by all parties, and avoids having it serve as a
wedge issue among politicians. It puts the onus for leadership of the battle on
non-Jews who have the most credibility in pushing this agenda within civil
society.
John Mann, MP, Chair of the British Parliamentary Committee Against
Antisemitism, was the driving force behind the London conference. With his steering
committee members, including Canadian Liberal MP Hon. Irwin Cotler, the battle
against antisemitism has been taken to a new level. In our view, the
committee's goal to adopt an effective framework to confront antisemitism on a
global level is being achieved. Kol hakavod to the leaders for their vision.
We face a long and hard battle, and our goal will suffer many ups and downs.
But the London Declaration outlines a clear road map for action, best practices
sharing and joint commitment.
Note: This is an edited version of an
opinion editorial that first appeared in the Canadian Jewish News.
For more information and for the
Conference's Declaration, visit http://antisem.org/.
Photo: (Left to Right) Bernie M. Farber, CEO Canadian
Jewish Congress; Hon. Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism; Senator Jerry Grafstein; Hon. Irwin Cotler; Professor
Gert Weisskirchen, outgoing
personal representative of the Chairman-in-Office of the Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) on Combating
Antisemitism; and Hershell Ezrin, CEO CIJA.
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CJC-CC, Quebec Region Passover Seder to be held in Sainte-Agathe
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Sainte-Agathe, Quebec has been selected as the
venue for this year's annual Passover Seder hosted by Canadian Jewish Congress Charities Committee,
Quebec Region (CJC-CC, QR).
The spirit of the Seder is in sharing the history of
the Jewish people, welcoming guests into our 'house', and discovering the links
that bind us. And so it is no coincidence that
Sainte-Agathe was chosen as the host city.
A
series of antisemitic events in Ste-Agathe last summer - from vandalism to an
assault on a Jewish student - cast a chill on the mountainside town. The Quebec media focused
most of their stories on sensationalized reports about
the resurgence of antisemitism in the region.
CJC-CC, QR responded immediately by easing tensions, re-establishing strong
and warm ties between the town's Jewish and non-Jewish residents and expressing
the Jewish community's distress over increasingly serious incidents to Mayor
Laurent Paquette and municipal officials.
This Seder is our chance to thank all those in Sainte-Agathe who worked
with CJC-CC, QR to restore trust, harmony and security. It is also an opportunity
to strengthen the important ties that were created as we worked with Mayor
Paquette and his team to craft solutions and to reinforce friendships. The
evening promises to be one of our most memorable yet. |
Windsor
Jewish Federation's Student Social Justice Forum a Smashing Success
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One of the premier programs of the Windsor
Jewish Federation is the Annual Student Forum called "Together We Can Make a
Difference," a long-time dream of the Windsor Holocaust Education Committee. The Committee had the expertise to develop and
coordinate the workshop but lacked the necessary resources. Hence, a few
members reached out to some community organizations such as the Centre for
Studies for Social Justice and the Canadian Auto Workers Local 200, and a
partnership was born. On February 19th we held our fifth annual
workshop with a record-setting 137 students participating.
Local schools are invited to send two Grade
8 students with an interest in social justice. This year the interactive
workshops focused on the Holocaust, poverty and homelessness, refugees, promoting
respect for diversity and inclusion and the environment. An art workshop incorporated the overall
themes as well.
Because of their participation in the
conference, students realize that they are the agents for change in their
schools and their communities. Students leave the conference feeling that they
have the tools they need to foster social justice.
Students are then expected to return to
their schools and share the information with their peers and develop a project
that enriches their school or the greater community.
This program was recognized by the United Way for its
outreach to youth and the collaboration of the partners. The Windsor Jewish
Federation has also had significant media coverage over the five years. For the Windsor Holocaust Education Committee,
it is an exhilarating and effective way to make the world a better place.
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CJC Intern Waltzes into the Office
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Mira Schwartzburg with her dance partner Orlando Barbieri
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CJC is delighted to welcome Mira
Schwartzburg, a recent graduate of the Public Relations program at Humber College,
who is spending a co-op term working with Jordan Kerbel, CJC's Director of
Public Affairs and Communications.
Born in Russia,
raised in Israel and Canada,
Mira has a rather unique and multi-cultural upbringing. As an Israeli citizen,
Mira remains passionate about Israel-Canada affairs as well as current issues
affecting the Jewish community in Canada.
In her spare time, Mira keeps busy with
teaching fitness and dance classes. In fact, she is such an accomplished dancer
that Mira made it to the top 40 on the ever-popular TV show "So You Think You
Can Dance Canada".
A health and fitness expert and a graduate
in communications, Mira aspires to combine her two passions in a way that will
allow her to make a significant and positive impact on the world. One of her dreams is to organize a
dance-based fundraiser for the Toronto Humane Society.
CJC is
thrilled to have Mira on-board. Anyone else that would like to explore an
internship with our communications department is encouraged to email Jordan
Kerbel at jkerbel@cjc.ca.
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CJC Photo Gallery
CHOOSE YOUR VOICE  Bernie M. Farber, CJC CEO greets Kathleen Wynne, Ontario Minister of Education
Bernie M. Farber, Kathleen Wynne and Tony Comper
celebrate the Choose Your Voice milestone with students
Student choir performs at the Choose Your Voice ceremony
Hon. Jason Kenney's Special Briefing Hon. Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism Hon. Jason Kenney (right) greets participants Dr. Frank Bialystok, CJC Ontario Region Chair and Hon. Jason KenneyLondon Conference on Antisemitism Bernie M. Farber and Hon. Bob Rae, M.P.  Canadian Delegation at London Conference Bernie M. Farber, Joyce Murray, M.P. and Hon. Irwin Cotler, M.P.PASSOVER FOOD FOR CUBA Len
Rudner, Canadian Jewish
Congress' Ontario Region Director and Leanne Campbell, campaign associate with
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, load Passover supplies to be shipped to Cuba
as part of the organizations annual Maot Chittin Program.
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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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