What a year it's been!  Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) has been at the forefront of Jewish communal advocacy for 90 years, and 2009 has been as important a year as any in our history.  CJC is proud to share with you our 2009 Top Ten Year in Review. 

On May 31, Canadian Jewish Congress held a truly historic 29th Plenary Assembly. Prime Minister Stephen Harper was presented with the Saul Hayes Human Rights Award and used the occasion to announce a major national policy initiative regarding remedies for victims of terror.  Leader of the Official Opposition Michael Ignatieff gave the keynote address at the luncheon.  NDP Leader Jack Layton and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May provided policy addresses and took questions from the audience, while Israel's Vice Prime Minister Silvan Shalom chose our plenary to make his very first North American address.  Julia and Henry Koschitzky received the Samuel Bronfman Medal for outstanding contribution to the Jewish community of Canada.  Last, but certainly not least, we bid farewell to co-Presidents Rabbi Reuven Bulka and Sylvain Abitbol, while Mark J. Freiman took the presidential reins.

On August 27, 2009, Quebec Jewish Congress and Federation CJA marked CJC's 90^th anniversary by hosting an amazing 500-person dinner featuring Quebec Premier Jean Charest as the guest of honour.  In his speech, Premier Charest spoke about Canadian Jewish Congress, Quebec Jewish Congress and the critical contributions made by the Quebec Jewish community to the evolution and development of Quebec.

A few weeks later, on September 15^th, CJC celebrated our 90th anniversary at Queen's Park in Toronto.  Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty hosted a reception in our honour and he, along with Leader of the Opposition Tim Hudak and Leader of the NDP Andrea Horwath, addressed Congress board members, volunteers and staff.  Mike Colle, M.P.P. for Eglinton-Lawrence, also marked Canadian Jewish Congress's role in shaping Ontario and Canada with a member's statement in the Provincial Legislature earlier that day. 

Judy Kremer, CJC National Board Member; Adam Atlas, QJC President; Quebec Premier Jean Charest; and Marc Gold, President, Federation CJA at the QJC-CJA dinner.

Tim Hudak, Leader of the Opposition, Ontario; Amir Gissin, Consul General of Israel; Monte Kwinter, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economic Development and Trade; Andrea Horwath, Leader of the Ontario NDP; Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty; Bernie M. Farber, CJC CEO, at the Queen's Park reception.

Mia Farrow launches Darfur: A Jewish Response

In response to constant rocket attacks from Gaza into southern Israel, the Israeli Defense Forces launched Operation Cast Lead in late 2008.  On January 8, 2009, concurrent pro-Israel rallies took place across Canada under the auspices of United Israel Appeal Federations Canada, with the support of Canadian Jewish Congress, the Canada-Israel Committee and the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy.  This truly was a coast-to-coast event, which included Federation-sponsored rallies in Halifax, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton, London, Winnipeg, Calgary and Vancouver. Close to 15,000 people gathered nation-wide to express their solidarity with Israel.

More than 5,000 people pack Toronto's Beth Tzedec Synagogue for a pro-Israel rally

In 2009, CJC continued to fight - and defeat - some of the most pernicious anti-Israel and antisemitic resolutions proposed in Canada. 

After CUPE-Ontario President Sid Ryan called in January for a boycott of Israeli academics at Ontario universities, Canadian Jewish Congress led a broad, public campaign against this discriminatory, single-minded obsession with the demonization of the State of Israel.  Ryan was forced not only to retreat from this position but also to apologize for suggesting an outrageous analogy between the Israel and Nazi Germany.

At the United Church of Canada General Council in August, delegates were asked to vote on several resolutions that were highly critical of Israel, including one that promoted a boycott of Israel.  Some of the supporting documents even called into question the loyalty of Canadian Jewish Parliamentarians to Canada.  Congress CEO Bernie Farber, past co-President and current Rabbinic Emissary Rabbi Reuven Bulka and long-time CJC activist Dr. Michael Elterman attended the General Council in Kelowna and, once again, CJC was successful in ensuring that these offensive resolutions were rejected.

Dr. Michael Elterman, Officer of CJC - Pacific Region; Rabbi Reuven Bulka, CJC Past co-President; and Bernie M. Farber, CJC CEO, at the United Church of Canada General Council, in Kelowna, B.C.

In mid-February, CJC joined 125 parliamentarians representing 42 countries at the inaugural London Conference on Combating Antisemitism.  In the wake of the London Conference, Canadian MPs from all parties came together to form the Canadian Parliamentary Coalition to Combat Antisemitism and launch a Parliamentary Inquiry into Antisemitism in Canada.  The CPCCA's co-chairs are MPs Scott Reid (Conservative) and Mario Silva (Liberal).  

In September, CJC and its regions submitted written submissions to the Inquiry and, in December, Canadian Jewish Congress National President Mark J. Freiman, Quebec Jewish Congress President Adam Atlas and CJC Director of Government Relations and International Affairs Eric Vernon testified before the Inquiry.  To read the CJC oral and written submissions, click here. 

At January press conferences in both Toronto and Montreal, Canadian Jewish Congress and our colleagues at the Canada-Israel Committee exposed frightening video and photographic evidence of incitement to hatred and violence against Jews at pro-Hamas rallies held in Toronto, Montreal and Calgary. 

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 defence of the Jewish community.  To watch the video of the rallies, click here. 

A sign carried at a pro-Hamas rally in Montreal

In 2009, CJC continued to advocate for the security of the Jewish community, and the federal government announced that it would continue the Security Infrastructure Pilot (SIP) program for a third round.  This program, championed by CJC and led by CJC Ontario Region, provides cost-sharing opportunities for schools, community centres and places of worship to improve their safety through the purchase of security-related equipment.  CJC continues to advocate for an expansion of the parameters of the SIP and for its place as a permanent government program. 

Hon. Peter Kent, PC, MP and Hon. Peter Van Loan, PC, MP, joined by CJC CEO Bernie M. Farber, at the offices of the CJC Ontario Region and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Minister Van Loan used the occasion to announce the extension of the Security Infrastructure Program for a third year.

Marching with Kulanu at the Gay Pride Parade in Toronto

At a conference organized by Quebec Jewish Congress, prominent Canadian, Moroccan, French and Israeli Jews and Muslims sat side-by-side to launch a real and meaningful dialogue between these two communities.  Around the table were Jews and Arabs of Moroccan origin, leaders from their communities who play integral roles both at home and on the international stage at the United Nations. This was a tremendous step forward in Arab-Muslim-Jewish dialogue in Montreal.

Dr. Yehuda Lancry, former Israeli Ambassador to the UN and Paris; Dr. Mokhtar Lamani, former Ambassador of the Arab League in Bagdad; Madame Rachid Azdouz, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Education of the University of Montreal; M. André Gomel, Delegate of the 'Fondation Mémoire pour l'Avenir'; and M. Joseph Gabay, past-President of QJC speak at the QJC Arab-Jewish Dialogue Event.

A.  Supporting the Martin Aboriginal Initiative

CJC is thrilled to have been asked to participate in the Martin Aboriginal Initiative. Led by the Right Honourable Paul Martin and supported by Toronto Jewish community leader Larry Tanenbaum, this educational-based program is designed to help Aboriginal Canadians enjoy greater economic self-reliance and an ever increasing quality of life.

B.  Unveiling a New, State-of-the-Art CJC Website

Our revised state-of-the-art website, www.cjc.ca, has quickly become the leading website for matters of key concern to the Canadian Jewish community.  It includes a brand new video blog (or "vlog") which we update frequently, plus links to some of the most popular social networking sites.  Our new website is the Canadian Jewish community's "one-stop shop" for important advocacy matters affecting our community. 

C.  Launching the CJC Internship Program

In 2009, CJC launched an internship program for recent university graduates and others who seek professional experience in the Jewish community.  Our initial interns have been a tremendous asset to CJC, and they have gained exceptional work experience as well.  While we make an occasional call for interns, interested candidates can send résumés and cover letters at any time to CanadianJewishCongress@cjc.ca. 

D.  Representing Canada at the World Jewish Congress Plenary Assembly

The 13th World Jewish Congress (WJC) Plenary Assembly took place in Jerusalem in January.  A record twenty Canadian Jewish Congress delegates participated, the largest Canadian contingent ever.  Canada-Israel Committee Chair (and former CJC President) Moshe Ronen was re-elected as Vice president of the WJC.

Canadian Jewish Congress wishes you a happy and healthy 2010!

May we all continue to go from strength to strength!