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Dear John, This week, we have asked you to tell the Canadian government to condemn Hezbollah’s aggressive actions against Israel. We advocated for the dismantling of hateful encampments on our university campuses, we hosted elected leaders and diplomats at Calgary’s Stampede, and we have been joining other organizations in the fight to stabilize access to kosher meat in Canada. Read on to learn more. CIJA
While Israel has been at war with Hamas in the south, Hezbollah has been launching rocket attacks from the north – actions it has undertaken for months with almost no comment from the Canadian government. It’s long overdue for the Canadian government and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly to condemn – clearly and unequivocally – Iranian-backed Hezbollah for its unprovoked attacks on Israeli civilians. On behalf of the Jewish community in Canada and our many allies, tell the Canadian government that it must, by condemning Hezbollah’s actions, recognize the dangerous and destructive role Hezbollah has played in its targeting of Israel.
Hate has no place on our campuses. CIJA is gratified that, at campuses across Canada, including at University of Toronto, McGill University, University of Ottawa and University of British Columbia, administrations finally took steps to prioritize the safety and well-being of its campus community and demand the dismantling of encampments. The encampments, which, aside from those at McGill, were all peacefully taken down, only served to harm campus community members, properties, and reputations of protesting students and faculty, by their glorification of terrorism and targeting of Jewish students and faculty on campus. An egregious exception was at the University of Windsor, where the administration capitulated to protesters’ demands that align with hateful BDS policies that foment an atmosphere of intolerance against Jews, normalize antisemitism, and contribute to the erasure of values central to Jewish identity. In coordination with the local federation and community stakeholders, CIJA is working closely with Jewish students and faculty at the University of Windsor. You can read more of our statement about that here.
A record-breaking number of community leaders, allies, and political decision-makers dropped in to our annual Spuds & Suds Stampede Breakfast – co-hosted with CJPAC, Calgary Jewish Federation, and the Jewish Federation of Edmonton – in celebration of this rich part of Alberta’s culture and in support of the Jewish community. Among the guests were Israeli Ambassador Iddo Moed, Premier Danielle Smith, Alberta NDP leader Naheed Nenshi, federal and provincial cabinet ministers, senators, and elected officials from across the political spectrum and all levels of government. View the photo album here.
This week, CIJA joined the two largest Canadian kosher certifying agencies, Kashruth Council of Canada (COR) and Global Kosher Certification Agency (MK), in a Federal Court hearing to secure an interlocutory injunction that would protect continued production of domestic kosher meat. The two-day legal process, which benefited significantly from Federation CJA and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto financial support, sought the suspension of new Canadian Food Inspection Agency guidelines that would significantly impact the viability of shechita. While it is never possible to reliably predict the outcome of legal proceedings, the sponsoring parties all felt the hearing went well and that our legal team presented the case persuasively. The judge indicated that a decision could be expected in August. In the interim, CIJA has scheduled a meeting with Lawrence MacAulay, the federal Minister of Agriculture, with the intention of securing his support for renewed discussions with CFIA with the objective of resolving the issue in a collaborative and constructive way. Shechita is a foundational element of a healthy, dynamic Jewish community, so all efforts are underway to ensure its stability over the coming years. Read our statement here.
Community CalendarAugust 5 | Civic Holiday (CIJA offices in Ontario and BC
closed) CIJA in the NewsAn interview with Gustavo Zentner (Canadian Mennonite) Trudeau government slammed for gap in screening of human rights commission head (Toronto Star) Movement 'will not end with the encampments,' pro-Palestinian protester says (Montreal Gazette) La communauté juive en cour contre l’Agence canadienne d’inspection des aliments (La Presse) Community CareersExecutive
Assistant to the President & CEO - Jewish Federations of
Canada-United Israel Appeal |
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The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is the advocacy agent of Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA, representing Jewish Federations across Canada |
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