antisemitism

Oberman testifies at Commons Committee on antisemitism

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

Lawyer Neil Oberman, the senior partner at Spiegel Sohmer who has succeeded in obtaining six injunctions to move anti-Israel protests 50 metres from Jewish community institutions, testified last week in Ottawa at the House of Commons Justice Committee regarding the antisemitism that is rampant in Canada, particularly on many university campuses.

Oberman has also served legal warnings on McGill and Concordia demanding action be taken by them to deal with antisemitism on campus. “As a lawyer and a supporter of my community, I think the need for this committee in 2024 goes to show how some of our Canadian values have deteriorated,” Oberman told the committee. “I want to express my concern with the rise in antisemitism that has been documented by various organizations and agencies. Antisemitism is not a thing of the past, but a present and growing threat to our society [and is] not only a problem for Jewish people, but for everyone who values human rights, democracy, and pluralism.”

Oberman also told the committee that “many members of our community have experienced intimidation, hate, bullying and aggression because they are Jewish. When people yell out ‘From the river to the sea’ and ‘intifada,’ all it does is create an atmosphere of aggression towards an identifiable community, which knows exactly what it is supposed to mean.”

The lawyer said numerous examples of antisemitism have been brought to his attention, including a “student being beaten in elementary school by classmates for not supporting Palestine, and when the teacher witnesses it, she encourages the beating; antisemitic student newspapers on campus promoting hatred by propagating tropes; antisemitic graffiti on campuses; a Concordia University group attacking students for being Jewish”, the protests and blockades leading to a need for an injunction to protect local Jewish community institutions “a Jewish teacher being targeted for having a friend who used to be in the IDF and then being subject to a protest outside of her school while she was teaching and a change.org petition for her employer to fire her,” and “Jewish students being harassed by teachers on CEGEP campuses to donate money to organizations that promote hatred.”

Oberman said intimidation on university campuses, CEGEPs and other academic institutions “is in my view the most serious matter facing our community today. “The young people of our community are part of the future and are currently being targeted because they are Jewish. When you discourage, intimidate, bully, and instill fear in a student, you in effect break their morale and impact their ability to want to stay in the community and grow with the community for the future. There is still hope, there is still a bright future, but we must collaborate as one to ensure that hatred does not overcome our Canadian values.” n

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Judge extends injunction against anti-Israel protests

By Beryl Wajsman, Editor
The Suburban

Superior Court Justice Chantal Masse extended the injunction against pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests near Jewish institutions until April 10. The injunction was originally granted by Justice Serge Gaudet. Attorney Neil Oberman, Spiegel Sohmer senior partner, had originally obtained a 10-day provisional injunction.

The proceedings before Justice Masse March 15 were attended by a dozen political and community leaders including Amb. Deborah Lyons,Canada’s Special Envoy on Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, Mount Royal MP Anthony Housefather, D’Arcy McGee MNA Elizabeth Prass, Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi, City Councillor Sonny Moroz, Federation CJA CEO Yair Szlak and CIJA Quebec Vice-President Eta Yudin.

The extension maintains the ban on protests within 50 metres of the sidewalks in front of the Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue on St. Kevin Ave., the Federation CJA building on Côte Ste. Catherine Rd., the YM-YWHA building on Westbury Ave., Herzliah High School on Mountain Sights Ave. and United Talmud Torahs of Montreal on St. Kevin.

The injunction is against Montréal4Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement Montreal, Alliance4Palestine.QC and Independent Jewish Voices, and Bara Iyad Abuhamed. The latter faces charges of assaulting a police officer during a trespassing protest by an anti-Israel mob inside Carrefour Laval.

On March 5 an anti-Israel mob of some 100 protested in front of the Spanish & Portuguese Synagogue of Montreal against the synagogue hosting a trade fair called The Great Israeli Real Estate Event. The day before, some 60 anti-Israel protesters barred the doors to Cummings House on Côte Ste. Catherine Rd. for four hours during an event with three Israeli speakers. Audience attendees were yelled at, spat on and shoved while the mob blocked the entrance, yelling antisemitic threats.

Federation CJA CEO Yair Szlak said he was pleased with the extension. “Justice was done once again,” he said. “We’re very happy that the court recognized the urgency and importance of protecting the Jewish community. While freedom of speech and protests are part of our democratic rights, doing so while seizing a Jewish building and preventing Jews from living a free Jewish life is not acceptable in this country.” n

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Student group says Concordia lies on fighting antisemitism

By Joel Goldenberg

The recent response by Canadian universities to MPs that calling for the genocide of Jews violates Codes of Conduct and other issues does not match the reality on the ground, specifically at Concordia University, says the group StartUp Nation. Concordia denies this is the case. The university has received legal demand letters from attorney Neil Oberman, senior partner at Spiegel Sohmer, on behalf of Jewish students who accuse the university of allowing rampant antisemitism by pro-Hamas students that have included physical attacks on Jews.

Legal action has been launched against Concordia and other universities, calling for action against hate on campus.The group StartUp Nation organized last November’s pro-Israel rally at Concordia University, which took place after pro-Israel students were assaulted verbally and phsyically by pro-Hamas individuals.

The StartUp Nation letter, addressed to MPs Anthony Housefather, Ben Carr, Marco Mendicino, Anna Gainey and outgoing MP David Lametti, pointed out that “tensions on university campuses have skyrocketed since the brutal terrorist attack by Hamas on Israel on Oct. 7, and we congratulate you for reaching out to university leadership across Canada to gain a better understanding of the steps they are taking to fight hatred and racism and ensure students feel safe on their campuses.

“More needs to be done, and we are looking to elected officials like you to show leadership and to speak out,” wrote StartUp Nation founder Anastasia Zorchinsky and Vice President, External Affairs Michael Eshayek.

The two added that “unfortunately, there is a significant discrepancy between the answers provided and our on the ground reality. “To be clear, the administration is failing to implement its own policies. While we welcome the administration stating that ‘calling for genocide against the Jewish people . . . constitute a violation of Concordia’s University’s Code of Rights and Responsibilities,’ until now this policy has not been enforced. For example, posters have appeared on campus declaring ‘Free Palestine! Intifada Until Victory!’ At the November demonstration in the Engineering, Computer Science and Visual Arts Integrated Complex (EV Building) an enormous map appeared as a backdrop where Israel has been removed. Demonstrators frequently chant ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free’ and call upon, among other things, for the university to ‘cease exchange programs with Israeli institutions and cut ties with current and future Zionist donors.’”

Zorchinsky and Eshayek wrote that Concordia’s Code of Rights and Responsibilities “forbids demonstrators from hiding their faces by wearing masks. “Once again, this policy is not being enforced. We in fact fear that a good number of the instigators of the demonstrations on campus are not even Concordia students….To date, the administration has not launched proceedings against the instigators of recent demonstrations. We have for example indicated that Bara Iyad Abuhamed, a part-time student at Concordia since 2016, has broken our conduct code and is on campus in order to agitate. Mr. Abuhamed has been caught on film threatening and indeed attacking students and staff on campus. His posts on social media also call for violence against Jews. Yet the administration is turning a blind eye to his activities, and he has not been disciplined.”

StartUp Nation also argues that Concordia has not disciplined the Concordia Student Union and Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights in terms of a hostile environment on campus.

“They refer to Israel as an apartheid state, and together they have led anti-Israel activities, including a walk-out on campus. Leaders of the CSU are members of the SPHR and have been videotaped shunting at pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Contrary to its policies, the CSU has never consulted with Jewish and Israeli students and student groups like ours on the statements it has issued on the war in recent months and their impact on our community. The CSU has set a narrative on campus which makes Jewish and Israeli students unsafe, and the administration has not intervened.”

Asked for a response, Vannina Maestracci of Concordia’s media office referred us to the university’s response to the MPs and its Jan. 22 response to The Suburban, that “the university has taken several measures on campus to ensure our community’s safety, including increased monitoring of events and demonstrations as well as adding supplemental personnel when appropriate; meetings with student groups; the creation of a committee with expertise in mediation and conflict resolution; increased workshops on anti-discrimination for our community; launch of an active listening initiative to help community members address distressing events.

“I also want to reiterate that complaints and processes under the Code of Rights are confidential and, contrary to what is stated in the letter you refer to, we can confirm that the university is acting on complaints made following recent events. Also, regarding student associations, they are funded by student fee levies and are independent of Concordia University. In Quebec, the independence of student associations is enshrined in the Act respecting the accreditation and financing of students’ associations. However, Concordia University students and members are subject to the provisions of the Code of Rights and Responsibilities. Since Oct. 7, the university administration has held several meetings with members of student groups to ensure that any activities and demonstrations take place with respect for all members of the community and in contexts that are safe for all.” n

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