Antisemitism Conference Concludes with Premier's Support
An important antisemitism conference at Queens Park concluded this week with Ontario Premier Doug Ford making firm commitments to stand with the Jewish community. The gathering highlighted critical issues facing not only Canadian Jews but all citizens who value the nation's foundational principles.
The conference emphasized how Judeo-Christian values that have supported Canada's freedom and democracy for 158 years now face significant threats, concerns that many Canadians have yet to fully recognize.
Kristallnacht Commemoration Amid Rising Violence
This week's remembrance of Kristallnacht, the 1938 Nazi pogrom that destroyed hundreds of synagogues across Europe, occurs against a backdrop of increasing antisemitic incidents in Canadian cities.
In Toronto, Kehillat Shaarie Torah synagogue suffered its tenth window-smashing attack, while at Toronto Metropolitan University, an Israeli speaker faced violence when pro-Hamas protesters shattered glass doors during an event, shouting "free Palestine" as Jewish students sought safety.
These contemporary attacks make the historical memory of Kristallnacht feel alarmingly present, with Jewish institutions and individuals facing targeted violence from extremist groups.
Political Rhetoric Fuels Concerns
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow recently made controversial statements at a National Council of Canadian Muslims charity gala, describing events in Gaza as "genocide." Such unfounded and contested remarks, experts warn, empower extremists and contribute to the antisemitic violence now emerging in Toronto and nationwide.
The recent election of Zohran Mamdani as New York's mayor has raised additional concerns about the normalization of antisemitic views. Mamdani has declined to condemn calls to "Globalize the Intifada", a phrase used by pro-Hamas activists that many associate with violent Palestinian uprisings characterized by suicide bombings in the 1980s and 1990s.
Throughout his campaign, Mamdani repeatedly accused Israel of committing "genocide" in Gaza while employing disputed terminology about "occupation" and "apartheid" - despite Israel's disengagement from Gaza in 2005 and the equal rights enjoyed by two million Palestinians living within Israel's borders.
This pattern of political rhetoric echoes concerning historical precedents, bringing to mind Joseph Goebbels' observation that repeated falsehoods can become accepted as truth. As mainstream Jewish communities and their allies express shock at these developments, the worry remains that what were once considered fringe, distorted views may become normalized in political discourse.
