Chevra Synagogue

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

A remarkable sense of camaraderie filled the air at The Chevra Synagogue last week as more than 1,300 attendees from many faiths and cultural communities gathered for a speech from Mosab Hassan Yousef, widely known as the “Son of Hamas”. His father was a co-founder of Hamas. Mosab left Hamas at 19 and for ten years served as a high-level operative for Mossad, Israel’s intelligence service. Yousef called for strengthening commitment against hate, bullying, and antisemitism.

Yousef delivered a powerful speech that resonated deeply with the audience, inspiring a sense of unity and shared purpose, inciting multiple standing ovations throughout the evening. His message was one of resilience and courage to remain firm against adversity. His talk in the evening was one of two he had been scheduled to give. During the day he was to have spoken on campus at McGill in an auditorium at the McIntyre Medical Building. But just days after approving his talk, McGill Provost Angela Campbell and Vice-President Fabrice Lebeau cancelled all speakers at McGill through January because of supposed online “threats” received about the Yousef address. This in spite of the fact that over the past four weeks McGill allowed on campus talks by two infamous antisemitic and pro-Hamas speakers Francesca Albanese and Iyad Abuhamed. The on-campus talk was converted to a Zoom meeting with even more people — some 500 — listening to Yousef’s message.

During the book signing portion of the evening, The Suburban asked Mosab, “What fuels your fearlessness?” He responded with a thought-provoking statement: “Fear is not a feeling (for me). As long as you feel, you remain under the pressure.”

Despite facing unimaginable personal risks—including risking his life as the most hated and hunted man by radical Islamists and surviving a childhood where his own father, Sheikh Hassan Yousef, who beat him daily, wanted him dead—Mosab stands up to fight for justice.

The Chevra’s Rabbi Asher Jacobson spoke to The Suburban and expressed deep concern about the increasing levels of hate and antisemitism both in Montreal and around the world. “We are seeing hate rise and excessive bullying and antisemitism,” Rabbi Jacobson said. “Tonight is about standing up to that hate, and no one has shown more bravery and courage against antisemitism, anti-Zionism, anti-civil rights, anti-democracy, and anti-freedom that Mosab.”

Before the formal proceedings began, presentations were made by the master of ceremonies, the synagogue’s president Aaron Bloom, who set the tone for the evening. Bloom spoke passionately about Yousef’s bravery in speaking out against antisemitism and the terrorist ideology plaguing the world under the guises of freedom movements. Bloom highlighted how, while political authorities in Canada and around the world often refuse to speak out and take action against antisemitism, Mosab exemplifies courage and resilience.

Community activist and philanthropist Roslyn Margles took the stage, emphasizing the importance of standing against hate. As the first to bring Mosab Hassan Yousef to Montreal some time ago, she praised his courage in speaking out against antisemitism. Margles noted that it is via such acts of bravery that communities gain strength in unity.

The event was secured by a robust security presence, including private security, the Montreal Police, Quebec Provincial Police, and RCMP agents, ensuring the safety of those who gathered. n