Harley Finkelstein, the President of Shopify and a prominent Canadian entrepreneur, has broken his public silence to voice a grave concern: Canadian Jews are being targeted simply for being Jewish. In a powerful personal account, Finkelstein describes a disturbing shift in the Canadian landscape, where celebrations of Jewish life unrelated to geopolitics are being disrupted while the nation, he feels, stands idly by.
A Personal Awakening to a Troubling Trend
Finkelstein, who identifies as a proud Jewish-Canadian and the grandson of Holocaust survivors, explains his decision to speak out. His parents immigrated to Canada from Hungary after the 1956 revolution, seeking the safety and freedom the country promised. For most of his life, he believed deeply in that promise. However, over the last few years, he has witnessed a change that compelled him to break his silence, moving from a hope that the situation would improve to a conviction that reality now deserves clarity.
He cites two pivotal moments that crystallized his fears. The first occurred in Montreal during the summer of 2025. Finkelstein hosts a podcast called Big Shot, focused on the stories of Jewish entrepreneurs, emphasizing culture and creativity, not politics. During a live recording at Startupfest, protesters attempted to rush the stage and disrupt the event. The disruption was not tied to any political discussion but was solely because Jewish hosts and a guest were celebrating Jewish stories publicly.
A Deeply Personal Blow in the Nation's Capital
The second, and more profound, incident happened in Ottawa. For Finkelstein, the local Chabad house was a second home during his student years. He later fulfilled a promise to his campus rabbi by helping to establish the Finkelstein Chabad Jewish Centre, a permanent hub for Jewish students in the capital. The project took over a decade to realize and was intended as a symbol of Jewish survival, resilience, and a confident future in Canada.
The opening ceremony in October 2025, a moment he had long envisioned sharing with his parents and children, was marred by protest. As he began his opening remarks, protesters started chanting, accusing him of complicity in events happening half a world away. They attempted to drown out the celebration of Jewish community and life, only relenting when he stepped off the stage.
A Call for Recognition and Action
Finkelstein's account underscores a painful reality: Jewish institutions and cultural events in Canada are facing hostility that conflates them with international conflicts. The disruption of a non-political podcast and the attempted silencing of a community centre opening point to a targeting of Jewish identity itself. His statement serves as a powerful call to acknowledge this specific form of prejudice and to reaffirm the Canadian promise of safety and freedom for all, including its Jewish citizens. He challenges the nation to move from passive observation to active protection of its core values.
