Category: News

Prison sentence for hate

An Ontario court has handed down a 12-month prison sentence to a man who incited hate against Jews in public during a vigil last year at Nathan Phillips Square in Toronto.

“We commend the Court for making clear that there is a difference between free speech and hate speech, and for demonstrating that those who target our community, or any Canadian community, will be held accountable under our country’s laws,” said Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith Canada’s director of research and advocacy.

Razaali Bahadur, 45, was convicted this past June of inciting hatred at the April 7, 2024, event. His outbursts included blood libel, such as that Jews enjoy killing children and are, as a collective, responsible for killing Jesus.

During Bahadur’s sentencing, B’nai Brith Canada delivered an impact statement reflecting the fear and anguish many Jewish Canadians have felt as antisemitism has increased in this country.

As part of its advocacy at the federal level, B’nai Brith Canada penned a formal submission to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance, which is preparing an official report to inform the federal government’s fall budget.

In addition, B’nai Brith Canada is calling on the federal government to use the Budget Implementation Act to eliminate a loophole that temporarily allowed Samidoun, which was listed as a terrorist entity in this country in 2024, to continue operating as a nonprofit corporation.

“It is astonishing that, in Canada, an organization does not automatically lose its corporate status when it is declared a terrorist entity,” said Robertson. 

In its fall budget submission, B’nai Brith recommended that the government:

• Make new investments to strengthen Canada’s resilience against violent extremism;

• Ensure that recipients of federal grants are in compliance with Canada’s anti-racism strategy: Changing Systems, Transforming Lives, 2024-2028;

• Develop a five-year plan to enhance Canadian youths’ understanding of contemporary antisemitism, as outlined in the IHRA working definition of antisemitism, which Canada adopted in 2019; and

• Make mandatory the existing antisemitism training approved for federal public servants.

– Courtesy B’nai Brith Canada

New fall lecture series

White Rock South Surrey Jewish Community Centre’s first-ever Fall Speaker Series, starts Oct. 29, with a talk on Jewish immigration to Canada. (image designed by Chloe Heuchert)

On Oct. 29, I will help launch White Rock South Surrey Jewish Community Centre’s first-ever Fall Speaker Series, which will also feature presenters from the Jewish Genealogical Society of British Columbia and the Jewish Museum and Arch-ives of British Columbia over the coming months.

For my presentation, I will give an introduction to the history of the Jews in Canada and some of the adversities they have had to face. I start off with the first known Jewish settlers, who came here in the 1760s, following Britain’s conquest of New France. So, Jews first came to Canada when it was under the British colonial rule. While there were no legal restrictions on them, the opportunities for integration into public life and to hold public office were limited. 

One of the earliest Jewish settlers was Aaron Hart, a fur trader who lived in Trois-Rivières, Que. The Hart family was influential over generations and laid the groundwork for Canada’s first Jewish community, in Montreal, in the late 1760s. 

Most formal Jewish communities – which grew into the ones we inhabit now – were established in major Canadian cities during the 19th century. Most of these Jewish Canadians would have been small business owners, farmers and traders. While small in number, they established the first synagogues and communal organizations.

During the latter half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, a significant surge of Jewish migration from Eastern Europe occurred. Between 1880 and 1920, Canada’s Jewish population grew from a few hundred to tens of thousands. These individuals found jobs as garment workers, shopkeepers and tailors, among other things, contributing to the industrial economy. They formed organizations, published English and Yiddish newspapers, held social gatherings, etc. In the larger community, Jewish immigrants were regularly at the forefront of labour, social justice and human rights movements, in part because of their own experiences with marginalization. 

While Jewish immigrants had thriving communities, they also faced adversity. Antisemitism dates back millennia, before there was even a word for it. In the context of the first Jewish settlers in Canada, Jews were often treated with suspicion and faced social exclusion. Certain professions, institutions and clubs were closed to them. Different publications and political figures depicted Jews as a threat to Canadian morality and economic stability. Restrictive measures were put in place in the 1910s and 1920s, as Jews were seen as “undesirable.” The 1923 Immigration Act severely restricted Jewish and other immigration. (Most notably, it effectively banned Chinese immigration.)

Antisemitism continued to be prevalent during the interwar years, becoming more organized and explicit. Hotels, social clubs and resorts often displayed signs barring Jews and there were several groups advocating for even more restrictive policies. The government of William Lyon Mackenzie King was antisemitic and, during the Second World War, only permitted a small percentage of Jews into Canada – the attitude of “none is too many,” in reference to Jewish immigrants, applied. Many Jewish boys and men were put into internment camps and the government imposed strict financial responsibility requirements on those wanting to sponsor others to enter the country or be freed from internment. While immigration policies began to loosen after the Holocaust, antisemitism is an ongoing challenge in Canada. 

White Rock South Surrey Jewish Community Centre’s new speaker series was created to highlight and celebrate Jewish heritage and identity in Canada. Its goal is to engage the community in exploring Jewish genealogy, culture and history, while encouraging intergenerational dialogue and a personal connection to the past. Ideally, it will serve as a platform for education, reflection and preservation of Jewish life in Canada, inspiring attendees to delve into their own histories and contribute to the broader communal narrative.

To register for any of the series talks, go to wrssjcc.org. 

Chloe Heuchert is an historian specializing in Canadian Jewish history. During her master’s program at Trinity Western University, she focused on Jewish internment in Quebec during the Second World War.

Series explores music

Building Bridges, Kolot Mayim Reform Temple’s annual six-part free lecture series, returns this year, beginning Nov. 2, 11 a.m., on Zoom. The theme for this season is Kolot Zemirot: The Many Voices of Jewish Music, exploring the role of music in shaping and sustaining Jewish identity across generations worldwide. 

The series opens with Dr. Lori Şen presenting Classical Echoes in Ladino: Sephardic Songs Reimagined. Rooted in the folk melodies of Sephardi Jews and shaped by centuries of migration, Sephardi art song brings a distinctive voice to the Western classical stage. Şen explores the transformation of Ladino folk songs – an expressive Judeo-Spanish language enriched with influences from Turkish, Arabic, Greek and other cultures encountered throughout the Sephardi diaspora – into Western classical art song. 

Through musical examples, historical context and stories from her research, Şen reveals a genre that not only preserves Jewish memory but also expands understanding of what Jewish classical music can be. Her presentation offers listeners a rare sound world that bridges history, culture and art. 

Şen is a Turkish mezzo-soprano and Fulbright alumna known for her versatility across opera, art song, musical theatre and jazz, with an international performing and teaching career. She uniquely bridges the worlds of art and science with a background in physics coupled with vocal pedagogy and voice science. As a dual citizen of Turkey and Spain, her multicultural perspective drives her pioneering research in Sephardi art song. She is recognized as the first to catalogue Western classical settings of traditional Sephardi folk songs and to create a Ladino diction guide specifically for singers. 

Currently assistant professor of vocal pedagogy at Shenandoah University and part of the voice faculty at the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, Şen has shared her work worldwide.

For more information about the Building Bridges series, visit kolotmayimreformtemple.com. The series is partially supported by the Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island. Donations are gratefully accepted, with tax receipts for gifts over $25. 

– Courtesy Kolot Mayim Reform Temple

Bull, bear or bubble?

Though North American stock indexes have risen to new heights in recent months, anyone who regularly checks financial news these days is unlikely to encounter the words “calm” and “steady” in descriptions of present-day markets. Rather, financial media are inclined to employ adjectives such as “turbulent” and “rocky.”  Some headlines are saying the market (or sectors within it) is in bubble territory.  Meanwhile, gold, often a refuge for those looking for stability, has also climbed to all-time highs.  

David Heyman, a financial adviser for Edward Jones in Victoria, said it’s hard to decide whether we are in a bubble or not.  COVID, he argues, exposed the vulnerabilities of the world’s supply chains, and many governments, especially in the United States, focused on domestic industries as a means not to be dependent on suppliers in other parts of the world.

“This is inflationary and costly, but it partly explains the strength in stock markets. Trump, in particular, is determined to bring industrial production back to the US. This trend is expected to continue for many years,” Heyman said.

To avoid risk in the event of a precipitous market decline, Heyman advises those close to retirement to have portfolios heavier in bonds and GICs (guaranteed investment certificates). For those in the earlier stages of their careers, he thinks equities, in the long run, are the way to go.

“History shows you can make a lot more in the stock market than you can in the bond market, but you’ll have to be able to withstand the volatility and endure the next recession, which will come one day,” he said.

In Canada, Heyman said, high prices in the housing market and the fact that interest rates may not fall as low as hoped have put the domestic housing market under pressure.  Further, unemployment in Canada is heading upwards, while tariffs are in place and a trade deal remains elusive.  There is a similar situation in the United States, he added, with inflation expected to remain high.

“The impact of tariffs in Canada has not been fully felt, as the Canadian dollar has declined to compensate, but Canada is more exposed to US tariffs than most countries. Sharply lower immigration in Canada will also have a dampening effect on the economy,” Heyman said.

Shay (Shy) Keil, senior wealth advisor at ScotiaMcLeod, said many people are worried that a market correction is imminent but that each investor would be impacted differently.  

“Be mindful of what you own and make sure you are not overly concentrated in any one area,” Keil said. “When you are young, you have the time to weather 10-15% declines in the stock market. When you are retired or nearing retirement, your ability to withstand a market decline is absolutely a function of how you are invested, and the reality is that many people do not know what risks are in their portfolios.

“The challenge is that, when markets are volatile, investors often shift to much lower rate GICs/bonds without considering the significant impact it will have on their monthly income,” said Keil.  “We would recommend to consider investing more into blue chip investments that will potentially maintain strong income and historically may not be as impacted by market volatility.”

Keil specializes in guiding clients with tax-smart strategies and cash flow solutions. “Earning predictable and consistent income is valuable in all market and economic cycles,” he said. “Our clients sleep better knowing they can draw from this income without touching their original capital, even when markets are volatile.” 

This year has been a stellar one for technology stocks.  As of Oct. 16, the sector on the S&P 500 index, where many mutual funds are invested, has risen more than 19%, with some companies climbing nearly 35% year-to-date.  Consumer and energy stocks have shown much more modest increases and have declined in some cases.

On the Toronto Stock Exchange, most sectors have done well in 2025, with IT and materials leading the way during the current bull market.  Consumer staples, utilities and health care are often considered stocks that perform well in bear markets.

In general, bonds, while offering a lower return, tend to be more stable than stocks.  GICs are investments with set rates of return that are guaranteed up to $100,000 by the Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC).

When investing, one should understand that there is a risk of losing money.  While financial institutions may present packages that draw attention to positive returns over the course of several years, they will also include words to the effect that funds are not guaranteed to go up, values fluctuate and future results may not mirror past performance. 

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC. This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, investment or other advice.

מדוע האנטישמיות הולכת וגואה בעולם

 אנו עדים לעליה משמעותית באנטישמיות ברחבי העולם אחרי השבעה באוקטובר. על כך אין מחלוקת

אך נשאלת השאלה מה הביא לעלייה הכל כך משמעותית באנטישמיות כולל פגיעה פיזית ביהודים וישראלים בעולם? למרבה הצער בישראל מעדיפים שלא להתעסק בסיבות אלה רק בתוצאות שכידוע הן קשות מאוד ולא מוצדקות בשום מקרה

קודם כל: הגל האנטישמי הנוכחי לא החל מהשבעה באוקטובר אלא לאחריו. זאת, לאחר שבעולם החלו לראות את התמונות הקשות מרצועת עזה. גם הפעולות המזויעות של החמאס ושותפיו בשבעה באוקטובר שכללו רצח, אונס ועוד מעשים בלתי אנושיים – לא יכולים לשמש כתירוץ לפגיעה והריגת אלפי ילדים, נשים ואחרים שגרו ברצועת עזה. אי אפשר לטעון שכל תושבי הרצועה הם אנשי חמאס ושאר הארגונים, למרות שקל לעשות זאת. המראות הקשים האלה מהרצועה הם שהדליקו את מדורת השנאה הנוכחית כנגד הישראלים והיהודים בעולם. בישראל לא רוצים להבין זאת וממשיכים להתעלם מהמציאות הקשה של תושבי רצועת עזה, שחלקם הגדול אף מורעבים. לא פלא שישראל הפכה כיום לאחת המדינות השנואות בעולם. כצפוי ראש הממשלה, בנימין נתניהו, הוא אחד האנשים השנואים ביותר בישראל וכן ברחבי העולם כולו

הדיבורים של שרי הממשלה בדבר החלת הריבונות הישראלית על השטחים הכבושים, תוך כדי עיבוי ההתנחליות שהן דבר ביומו, וכן הגליית כל תושבי הרצועה בהתאם למשנתו הגרועה של נשיא ארה”ב המטורף, דונלד טראמפ, רק מגבירה את השנאה כלפי הישראלים והיהודים בעולם. החלת הריבונות והגליית הפלסטינים מהרצועה עשויות גם להרחיק מדינות ערביות מהסכמי השלום עם ישראל

ולאור זאת ולמרות הכל, ממשלת נתניהו מאלצת את צה”ל להמשיך ולהילחם בעזה כאשר מחיר הדמים הוא גבוה ביותר. כשש מאות חיילים נהרגו מאז כניסת צה”ל לעזה לאחר השבעה באוקטובר

מרבית החטופים שחזרו לישראל שוחררו באמצעות משא ומתן וצה”ל הצליח לשחרר בעצמו מספר בודד של חטופים. ומהצד השני נהרגו אלפי אזרחים מקומיים ברצועת עזה כתוצאה מפעילות צה”ל

לאור זאת אני שואל בקול גדול: כמה עוד חפים מפשע משני הצדדים צריכים להיהרג בעזה כדי שממשלת הדמים של נתניהו תואיל להוציא את הצבא משם? האם המספרים הגבוהים האלה שהשאירו אלפי משפחות יתומות מתאבלות על אובדן יקיריהם – לא מספיקים לכם? האם אתם רוצים וצריכים בעוד נהרות של דם באזור

בישראל בדרך כלל לא חושבים על רק על היום ולא על מחר ובוודאי ובוודאי שזה לא מטריד את ממשלת נתניהו: לא העליה הקשה באנטישמיות ברחבי העולם, לא העמקת הפילוג בתוך ישראל ולא המשך אבדן חיים משני הצדדים. בישראל בעידן של נתניהו שכחו כנראה שהאירועים הקשים האלה ברצועת עזה ישליכו גם על עתידה של ישראל ושכנותיה

יש לזכור שרבים בקרב הטרוריסטים הפלסטינים שאחראים על פעולות טרור רצחניות בישראל לאורך השנים, שייכים למשפחות שאיבדו את יקיריהן בפעולות שונות של צה”ל. ולכן לא מן הנמנע שתמונה זו תחזור על עצמה בעתיד הנראה לעין, וחלק מהטרוריסטים העתידים לפגוע בישראלים ימנו על משפחות פלסטיניות שאיבדו את יקיריהן ברצועת עזה. אני חושש שהתוצאה של הנזק העצום בעזה תעלה לישראל במחיר כבד בעתיד. וכמו שציינתי היינו כבר בסרט הזה בעבר

ארה”ב השאירה נזק רב במקומות בהן צבאה פעל בהם אפגניסטן, עיראק ווייטנאם. אך מדינות אלו רחוקות מאוד מארה”ב, לעומת רצועת עזה הסמוכה לישראל. מוטב היה אם ממשלת נתניהו הייתה חושבת גם על המחר, ועל כך שישראל מוקפת בשכנות שצריך להמשיך לחיות עימן גם בעתיד

New leadership at the JCCV

Following 12 years as president of the Jewish Community Centre of Victoria (JCCV), with many accomplishments to his credit, Larry Gontovnick will hand over the reins of the organization to Deborah Bricks at the JCCV’s annual general meeting in December.

A charitable nonprofit, the JCCV houses a deli, gift shop and library. It is also home to the Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island, PJ Library, Jewish Family Services and Kolot Mayim Reform Temple. Additionally, it provides a location for Bema Productions, the Victoria Jewish theatre, to hold its auditions and rehearsals, and it hosts other Jewish organizations, such as Hadassah-WIZO and Camp Miriam, for meetings and events. Among the activities the JCCV organizes are webinars with guest speakers, a virtual Jewish conversation café, drop-in mahjong, a book club and Israeli dance.

photo - After 12 years at the helm of the Victoria Jewish Community Centre, Larry Gontovnick is handing over the reins to Deborah Bricks
After 12 years at the helm of the Victoria Jewish Community Centre, Larry Gontovnick is handing over the reins to Deborah Bricks. (photo from Larry Gontovnick)

Gontovnick, by far the longest-serving president of the JCCV since its founding in 1989, oversaw the raising of grant monies to renovate the centre’s kitchen, revitalize the interior and exterior of the building, enhance its security system and improve its audio-visual system.

The technical side of operations witnessed the redesign of the JCCV website, which now offers an online calendar and a PayPal option for donations and membership dues. A newsletter was implemented for communications with members and friends, and a payment device was installed at the centre for purchases.

“I am most proud of maintaining the warm, friendly and welcoming environment of the deli and centre, and maintaining this important facility for the Jewish community in Victoria,” Gontovnick told the Independent about his time running the JCCV. “I am very thankful for the wonderful staff and volunteers at the centre and the board members, who have all been a great pleasure to work with.

“I will now turn my attention to three beautiful grandchildren and being the best zayde I can be. My wife and I will continue our travels, as well as thoroughly enjoy living in one of the most beautiful places on earth.”

A notable and ongoing program started under Gontovnick’s leadership is the Victoria International Jewish Film Festival (VIJFF), now in its 11th year.  Bricks is the current director of the VIJFF.

“I am so pleased that Deborah, a current board member and director of the VIJFF, will be standing for president at the upcoming AGM,” said Gontovnick, who believes the energy and enthusiasm he brought to the centre will be furthered by his successor.  

An event planner with deep roots in Jewish culture and community, Bricks has been designing and orchestrating arts and culture events – music, cinema and literature – through Deborah B Event Management, both in Toronto and, for the past 10 years, in Victoria. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Toronto in religious and cinema studies and a master’s in media and communications from the New School for Social Research in New York.

“The JCCV president role – a combination of strategic direction, community building and operational oversight – is especially important now,” Bricks said. “JCCV provides a home, a makom [place], for programs, services and events important to communities of Canadian Jews and our culture, such as the Lox, Stock & Bagel Deli, loved by community.

“And there are untapped directions for new, meaningful programs, services and events that build community among Jews in Victoria, seniors and families alike, and with our neighbours in Canada.”

As part of her community-building goals, Bricks is already engaging younger Victoria-area Jews from her own network to join the JCCV and its board, as well as older community members, who may enjoy the experience of Jewish community via the JCCV.

Part of her vision as president, Bricks said, is to direct a new strategic plan for the JCCV that eventually transforms it (i.e., its constitution) into a Jewish community arts and culture centre. As a formal arts organization, the centre could access more local, provincial, federal and other grants.

photo - Deborah Bricks will be both president of the JCCV and director of the Victoria International Jewish Film Festival
Deborah Bricks will be both president of the JCCV and director of the Victoria International Jewish Film Festival. (photo from Deborah Bricks)

Bricks told the Independent that she sees the JCCV “serving up something Jewish-ish for everyone.”

While president, Bricks will continue as director of VIJFF, leading its planning, film curation and event strategy.

“As Victoria’s only Jewish cultural festival, we try to spotlight Canadian-Jewish filmmaking and filmmakers,” Bricks said. “This year, we have three films by Canadians, ranging from stories about a Franco-Moroccan mother and son, about Yiddish in Sweden, and about the early Jewish immigrant experience in Montreal.” 

Also playing will be Sabbath Queen, which follows the story of Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie, the heir of 38 generations of Orthodox rabbis who became a drag queen and the founder of Lab/Shul, an experimental “God-optional” congregation based in New York. It will be followed by a discussion with filmmaker Sandi DuBowski (via Zoom) and Victoria drag king Dublin Tendre.

This year’s festival runs Oct. 18-23 and features seven film events at the Vic Theatre. For more information, visit vijff.ca. 

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.

Human rights in sports

The seventh annual Simces & Rabkin Family Dialogue on Human Rights, organized by the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, Vancouverites Zena Simces and Dr. Simon Rabkin, and Equitas-International Centre for Human Rights Education, takes place Oct. 23, at noon, via Zoom. It tackles the topic of The Match-up Between Human Rights and Sports: How Both Can Win Well in Today’s Landscape.

According to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, “sport is anchored in human rights values. It promotes fairness, non-discrimination, respect and equal opportunities for all. As it reaches billions, including young people, it is a conduit for societal change through empowerment and inclusion.” Despite being anchored in human rights values, sport also faces human rights-related challenges through various forms of discrimination be it sexism, racism, ableism, classism or others. The Oct. 23 dialogue will explore the benefits of sport as a force for good in upholding human rights, the challenges currently faced by the Canadian sport system, and pathways to strengthen the balance between sports and human rights so that both win by promoting well-being for all.

The expert panelists featured will be Bryan Heal, Jeff Adams and Armeen Kadwa. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions and share comments.

Heal is social impact research lead with Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE), heading such initiatives as the MLSE Foundation’s Change the Game research program for youth in Ontario. 

Adams, a labour, employment and human rights lawyer, is a Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame inductee. He won three gold medals in the Paralympics: twice in the 800-metre (1996 and 2000) and once in the 1,500-metre (2000) wheelchair racing events. 

Kadwa is founder and executive director of the nonprofit Hijabi Ballers, which is dedicated to creating positive sport experiences for Muslim girls and women. 

The panel will be moderated by Wendy MacGregor, a consultant, educator and lawyer, and founder and executive director of Athlete Zone. She has a master’s in law on abuse and maltreatment of athletes. Her published work focuses on the root causes of sport violence, maltreatment prevention, power imbalance and wellness in sport.

To register for the free public event, go to humanrights.ca/event/matchup-between-human-rights-and-sports. 

– Courtesy Simces & Rabkin Family Dialogue on Human Rights

A last solidarity cycle

The inaugural Solidarity Cycle, in 2017. (photo by P. Simson)

We didn’t ride 100 kilometres, or even quite 50. It was a glorious symbolic ride in celebration of the many years of Solidarity Cycle, a much-beloved event that has seen dozens of cyclists and hundreds of supporters unite bike and heart to raise more than $400,000 for the Stephen Lewis Foundation Grandmothers to Grandmothers Campaign.

Even though Solidarity Cycle has pushed its last pedal – the event having been canceled this year – three members of Tikun Olam Gogos, who rode in the inaugural event back in 2017 and have served in numerous capacities every year since, just couldn’t let go.

Monday, Sept. 8 was a perfect day as Marie Henry, Darcy Billinkoff and I set out: not a drop of rain, not a wisp of smoke, just sunny skies with occasional clouds and a light breeze.

Nothing could keep us down, not Darcy’s fractured ribs, Marie’s stress injuries or my right hip, waitlisted for replacement. Could this “Wride of the Wrecked” be a clue to Solidarity Cycle’s demise?

There were more portents to come, but first it was time to ride.

Many features of our route to Westham Island came with joyful reminders of the previous cycles: cornfields reminiscent of the years of Chilliwack corn and chili celebration dinners, acres of sunflowers like those popping the Pemberton Valley ride the year of pandemic and big smoke, and kilometres of dike trails like those we traveled in Pitt Meadows. The one-lane, wood-deck river crossing onto the island was a refreshing antidote to that !@#$%!!! (oops, I mean challenging-but-fun) Golden Ears Bridge.

We reached our designated turn-around point, the Reifel Bird Sanctuary, to find the birds behind locked gates.

Even more dismaying, Emma Lea’s dairy bar was shut tight. NO ICE CREAM?! Clearly, the closed signs said it was time to wave a regretful goodbye to the ride that has fueled our summers and our love for the grannies these past eight years.

But, still, we weren’t quite done.

We topped off our ride with Heineken and lunch on the deck of the Riverhouse Restaurant and Pub, an indulgent reminder of many post-cycle beer and burger banquets. We always suspected we consumed more calories than we burned.

In the absence of a formal event this year, I did not solicit sponsorships. However, I set up a fundraising page to show my appreciation for the many people who have supported Solidarity Cycle over the years. Please do visit the page because there is a message there for you: slf.akaraisin.com/ui/grandmotherscampaign2025/p/BarbaraHalparin.

Without the yearly opportunity Solidarity Cycle has afforded you, I urge you not to forget the grandmothers and grand-others aiming to alleviate the scourge of HIV/AIDS that continues to significantly impact Africa. Here are some other ways you can continue your steadfast support for them, now that crucial international aid has been withdrawn. 

First, attend Tikun Olam Gogos’ other fundraising events. Second, be on the lookout for another in our fabulous concert series in the near future. Third, buy our merch! We sell our signature tote bags, pouches and other items, including our special edition O Canada line, at Fancy This Gifts (5044 48 Ave., in Ladner), by appointment at Joyce Cherry’s home boutique (604-261-5454) and on our website, tikunolamgogos.org.

You can also find our goods at several upcoming craft fairs: St. Thomas Aquinas Secondary School (Nov. 2); Dunbar Community Centre, St. Faith’s Church and St. Thomas More Collegiate (all Nov. 22); St. James Community Square (Nov. 30); and Kensington Community Centre (Nov. 30).

And, please – share your fundraising brainwaves with us because, of course, we are looking for a successor to Solidarity Cycle! 

Canada recognizes Palestine

On Sunday, Prime Minister Mark Carney issued a statement on Canada’s recognition of Palestine as a state.

“Recognizing the state of Palestine, led by the Palestinian Authority, empowers those who seek peaceful coexistence and the end of Hamas,” said Carney. “This in no way legitimizes terrorism, nor is it any reward for it. Furthermore, it in no way compromises Canada’s steadfast support for the state of Israel, its people and their security – security that can only ultimately be guaranteed through the achievement of a comprehensive two-state solution.”

photo - Prime Minister Mark Carney
Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on Sunday that Canada would recognize Palestine as a state. (photo from Office of the Prime Minister)

Carney noted: “Since 1947, it has been the policy of every Canadian government to support a two-state solution for lasting peace in the Middle East.” He said there was an “expectation that this outcome would be eventually achieved as part of a negotiated settlement,” but “this possibility has been steadily and gravely eroded” by several factors. 

In addition to other criticisms of both Hamas and Israel, Carney lists the “pervasive threat of Hamas terrorism to Israel and its people, culminating in the heinous terrorist attack of Oct. 7, 2023,” and Hamas’s rejection of Israel’s right to exist; “accelerated settlement building across the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while settler violence against Palestinians has soared”; “the E1 Settlement Plan and this year’s vote by the Knesset calling for the annexation of the West Bank”; and the “Israeli government’s contribution to the humanitarian disaster in Gaza, including by impeding access to food and other essential humanitarian supplies.”

Carney said the Palestinian Authority “has provided direct commitments to Canada and the international community on much-needed reforms, including to fundamentally reform its governance, to hold general elections in 2026 in which Hamas can play no part, and to demilitarize the Palestinian state.”

In reaction to the prime minister’s Sept. 21 statement, Noah Shack, chief executive officer of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, said, “Hamas is not an isolated phenomenon. It is a violent manifestation of the rejection of the right of the Jewish people to a state in our ancestral home – a rejection that runs deep within Palestinian society.

“As Prime Minister Carney himself has noted, a Palestinian state must be a Zionist state. Today’s announcement undermines that objective and gives Hamas and other Palestinian rejectionists a sense of victory. This will only make it harder to secure the release of hostages and build a better future for Israelis and Palestinians.”

Shack acknowledged that, while the “announcement does not come as a surprise, the details are important. The government has stated that, while it is extending recognition, normalization of relations with a ‘state of Palestine’ is an ongoing, long-term process…. We will argue that this must not proceed so long as hostages are in tunnels, Hamas remains in power and the Palestinian leadership rejects Israel’s existence as a Jewish state.

“And we will continue,” said Shack, “to make it clear that, with anti-Jewish hate escalating, our government must recognize the unintended effect foreign policy has on the climate in our own country.”

B’nai Brith Canada also issued a response to Carney’s statement.

“The PA has shown, time and again, that it cannot be trusted,” said Richard Robertson, director of research and advocacy for B’nai Brith Canada. “It is unable to govern the Palestinian Territories and has repeatedly demonstrated it is unwilling to deliver on the very commitments upon which Canada’s recognition is supposed to be predicated.

“The commitments include democratic reform, free and fair elections in 2026 without Hamas, and the full demilitarization of the Palestinian Territories.

“None of these conditions have been met. Hamas continues to arm itself, hold hostages and carry out terror attacks. Recognition under these circumstances does not bring us any closer to lasting peace, it only further compromises the prospect of a two-state solution.”

Robertson said the “government has chosen appeasement over principle.”

On Sunday, the United Kingdom, Australia and Portugal made similar announcements to that of Canada. Reaction from Israel was critical.

“After the atrocities of Oct. 7, while Hamas continues its campaign of terror, and while it continues to cruelly hold 48 hostages in the tunnels and dungeons of Gaza, the recognition of a Palestinian state by some nations today is, not surprisingly, cheered by Hamas,” wrote Israel’s President Isaac Herzog in an X post.

“It will not help one Palestinian, it won’t help free one hostage, and it will not help us reach any settlement between Israelis and Palestinians. It will only embolden the forces of darkness.

“This is a sad day for those who seek true peace,” he concluded.

Israel’s Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said he will release a formal response after he returns from the United States. However, in a widely reported Hebrew-language video statement, he said, “I have a clear message to those leaders who recognize a Palestinian state after the horrific massacre on Oct. 7 – you are handing a huge reward to terror.

“It will not happen,” he added. “A Palestinian state will not be established west of the Jordan.”

According to various news reports, Hamas did indeed applaud the recognition announcements, as did the Palestinian Authority. 

Harper speaks at local event 

At the Canadian Shaare Zedek Hospital Foundation (CSZHF) event on Sept. 7, which marked the foundation’s 50th anniversary: left to right, Col. Ilan Or, Israeli defence attaché to Canada; Rafi Yablonsky, CSZHF national director; Dr. Marla Gordon, CSZHF Western region board member; Dr. Arthur Dodek, CSZHF Western region board member; former prime minister Stephen Harper; Dr. Robert Krell, 2025 Western Region recipient of the Kurt and Edith Rothschild Humanitarian Award; Rabbi Andrew Rosenblatt of Schara Tzedeck Synagogue; Ilan Pilo, CSZHF Western Canada director; and Sam Sapera, CSZHF board chair. (photo by Alina Ilyasova)

Former prime minister Stephen Harper was on friendly ground when he addressed a packed sanctuary at Congregation Schara Tzedeck earlier this month. The former Conservative leader, who led the country from 2006 to 2015, is known as a stalwart ally of Israel and the audience of mostly Jewish Vancouverites welcomed him heartily.

The Sept. 7 event was the first fundraising gala for the newly formed Western region of the Canadian Shaare Zedek Hospital Foundation. The event and the surrounding campaign succeeded in funding nine incubators for the hospital’s pediatric department.

The event featured Harper in conversation with former BC premier Gordon Campbell, who told the audience that, of the prime ministers he served with concurrently when he was premier from 2001 to 2011, Harper was his favourite.

Harper said people ask him why he supports Israel so strongly.

“Has it got to do with religion or your view of the Jewish community?” he asked rhetorically. “I mean, there are a million reasons, but, as prime minister of Canada, the reasons were really simple. Here is this one country in the Middle East that shares our values and that is a friend of this country – and the people who are the enemies of that country are enemies of this country.”

Harper told the audience that there are a lot of loud voices condemning Israel and threatening Jewish Canadians, but, he said, they are not unanimous. “There are still a lot of people in this country that understand the value of our Jewish community, that are friends of the state of Israel, and that thank you for everything you do,” he said.

Harper lauded Israel for its actions to set back Iran’s nuclear program, arguing that the brief Israel-Iran conflict has positively realigned the region. People had warned that Israel’s attack on Iran’s nuclear capability was a dangerous escalation that could “lead to World War Three,” he said. 

“We know that not only was [the nuclear program] set back considerably, but the United States and Israel sent a real message that, if we see it again, we’re going to do the same thing again.” 

The results of the Israeli actions were overwhelmingly positive, Harper said. There was a very limited Iranian response – and, notably, no other nations coming to Iran’s aid, he said.

There were broader repercussions around Israel’s action against Iran and in the larger regional conflict, he added. Hezbollah was decapitated and the Lebanese government is now trying to push Hezbollah out. Hezbollah’s allies in Syria lost power. Hamas is massively degraded. 

Campbell expressed dismay at Prime Minister Mark Carney’s statement that Canada would recognize Palestinian statehood at the United Nations if the Palestinians meet a number of conditions. 

“My problem with that … the Palestinian Authority has never done one of the things that the prime minister said,” Campbell said.

“I’m trying to give the new government a chance,” Harper replied, calling the Carney government a “kind of improvement” on the previous administration. “The only interpretation you can put on it is in fact rewarding the events of Oct. 7th.”

Harper said he cannot recall any precedent for Canada, or any other country, recognizing a state that does not exist.

“But, on top of that,” he said, “Who exactly are you? … There is no leadership among the Palestinian populations, including the [Palestinian Authority], that actually unequivocally recognizes the right of a Jewish state to exist. It’s great to say, ‘I favour theoretically a two-state solution,’ but the problem is this other state would be a state that does not support a two-state solution. You’d actually be moving further away from that objective.”

While Israel’s military actions have improved the geopolitical situation in the Middle East, Harper acknowledged there has been a concurrent spike in antisemitism in Canada.

“I really feel a lot of sympathy for ordinary Jewish people who face this in their private [and] professional lives and feel intimidated,” he said. “I guess that the only advice I can give you is to be resolute.… You can’t let those occasions slip. You can’t let them go by.”

Harper said he has been accused of dismissing criticism of Israel as antisemitic, an assertion he rejects.  

“Being opposed to policy of the government of Israel is not antisemitic,” he said. “But being opposed to Israel because it is the only Jewish state in the world is the definition of antisemitism.”

Harper spoke, as he has previously to Jewish audiences, of his father, Joseph, who came of age during the Second World War, when the world was existentially threatened by fascism.

“One of the consequences of that is he grew up just as a very determined opponent of antisemitism in a period – we’re talking the ’40s, ’50s – where some of these things were expressed openly. He was very vocal in opposing that. And, frankly, he is just turning over in his grave watching some of what is happening today.”

Despite almost a decade out of office, the former Conservative prime minister did not shy away from politics, crediting the Liberal party with running an excellent campaign earlier this year and identifying shortcomings in the Conservative party’s approach.

Harper cited Donald Trump’s intervention in the campaign as a factor and anxieties around the Canada-US relationship for upending conventional wisdom, including polls that had predicted a Conservative landslide before former prime minister Justin Trudeau resigned.

“I do think the [Conservative] party has to take a hard look at what went right and what went wrong,” said Harper. “The Liberals displayed incredible tactical flexibility, and we did not show the same level of flexibility.”

Of the Conservatives, he said: “We ran a very principled campaign, but we need to show a lot more adaptability when circumstances change.”

Harper and Campbell also addressed economic issues. The former prime minister said the challenges presented by the current American administration are a chance to diversify Canada’s trade relationships.

“If we have an opportunity to be a genuine globally connected economy, instead of just kind of an economic appendage to the United States, which in some ways we have become, I [see] opportunity,” he said. 

Both Harper and Campbell, in their time, were advocates for the economic benefits of resource extraction.  

“Resources are not the only thing we have, but it’s a big, big comparative advantage,” Harper said. “We’re the country that has an unlimited range of natural resources in a rule-of-law environment, far removed from conflict zones. Do you know how rare that is in the world when it comes to vital resources? And that’s what we have. And we’re not getting them out of the ground, and we’re not getting them around the world.… We’ve got to get our energy to Asia. We’ve got to get our energy to Europe.… It will bring billions of dollars into Canada, create thousands and thousands of jobs in Canada. We are up against the clock, and the clock doesn’t care much about us.”

The Sept. 7 program began with a video showcasing Shaare Zedek Hospital’s achievements in maternal and neonatal care, as well as the range of advanced medical procedures for which the hospital is known. The religious and ethnic diversity of the hospital’s staff and patients is a particular source of pride for the facility’s leadership and their Canadian supporters. 

Harper spoke highly of the hospital, which treats more than a million patients a year.

“The Shaare Zedek Hospital is, to me, emblematic of just so much of what has made Israel a remarkable country,” he said. “[It has] become a world-leading institution that services people beyond politics, race, religion, ethnicity … just a tremendous institution.”

The event was presented by the Canadian Shaare Zedek Hospital Foundation in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, Congregation Schara Tzedeck, the Jewish Independent and the Jewish Medical Association of British Columbia. Organizers expressed special thanks to CJPAC, the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee, for their community support.

Ilan Pilo, Western Canada executive for Canadian Shaare Zedek Hospital Foundation, announced the success of the event, which resulted in funding for nine “Giraffe” incubators – each one costing $50,000 – for the hospital where 22,000 Israeli babies are born annually.   

Dr. Robert Krell was awarded the Kurt and Edith Rothschild Humanitarian Award. (See jewishindependent.ca/harper-speaks-at-gala.) The award was presented by Dr. Arthur Dodek, a member of the board of the Jewish Medical Association and of the CSZHF, and Sam Sapera, chair of the board of the CSZHF, which marks its 50th anniversary this year.

The event was co-emceed by the Jewish Medical Association’s Dr. Marla Gordon and Zach Segal, who was a Conservative candidate in this year’s federal election.