Eta Yudin

“Unlearn it” program to fight antisemitism launched in Quebec

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

The Centre For Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), Federation CJA and the Quebec government recently unveiled a Quebec version of Unlearn It, the educational resource that “supports parents and educators in teaching youth how to identify, unlearn, and stand against antisemitism.”

The program for elementary and high school students, announced at a Gelber Centre press conference by CIJA Quebec vice-president Eta Yudin, Quebec Minister Responsible for the Fight Against Racism Christopher Skeete and Federation CJA board chair Steve Sebag, comes at a time of skyrocketing antisemitic incidents, in words and deeds, in Quebec since Oct. 7, including antisemitic smears directed at Jewish students in school classrooms and playgrounds, and on social media.

The Unlearn It program, a free, bilingual resource launched in Ontario in 2023, “offers short educational videos and discussion guides to frame constructive, courageous conversations – at home or in the classroom – centred on Canadian Grade 6-8 students’ lived experiences with antisemitism and online hate.” Animated videos, in French and based on actual antisemitic incidents, were shown at the press conference.

Yudin said that “at a time when the figures show a frightening rise in hate crimes and incidents – in Montreal, the SPVM noted a 67 percent increase in hate crimes and a 138 percent rise in hate incidents – and when we have sounded the alarm many times about the ravages of antisemitism in our society, a new, effective educational tool to combat this scourge is sincerely welcome.

“With this choice, the Quebec government is following its words with actions.”

Yair Szlak, President and CEO of Federation CJA, said that “since education is often the best weapon for destroying prejudice and confronting hatred, we’re delighted to have been able to adapt the Unlearn It program. It will also help combat hatred among fellow students. This program will help protect our community by providing a new educational weapon to combat hateful prejudice.”

Skeete said that raising awareness is “crucial in countering prejudice and preventing discrimination in its various forms.

“I would like to express my deep gratitude to the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), the advocacy agency of Federation CJA. Through their collaboration with our government, they have brought to fruition a valuable and innovative tool for promoting peaceful coexistence, thereby strengthening our shared commitment to fostering a more inclusive and harmonious society.”

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Another Jewish school terrorized by gunshots

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

The Belz school located in the same building as the Young Israel Synagogue on Hillsdale in Côte des Neiges-NDG was fired upon at 3:36 a.m. Tuesday May 28, but police were only called to the scene the afternoon of Wednesday May 29. The bullet holes were noticed by an employee on Wednesday, and a perpetrator was seen on the school’s video cameras firing at the school.The shooting came six months after Yeshiva Gedolah on Deacon, three blocks away from the school, was fired upon twice. The latest incident also occurred a few days after a Jewish girls school was shot at in Toronto.

For the first time Yair Szlak, president and CEO of Federation CJA and Eta Yudin, Quebec vice-president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish affairs demanded action from the Mayor directly. “We have had enough. Yet another Jewish school was shot at in the middle of the night — in Canada. Decisive action must be taken by Mayor Plante and leadership at the municipal level to finally put an end to the atmosphere of permissiveness towards antisemitism that is now rampant in our city. Mayor Plante referred to Montreal as a “city of peace” [while condemning Israel’s actions in Rafah on social media], but this is not the Montreal anyone wants to live in.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that he was “disgusted that another Jewish school has been the target of a shooting. Relieved that no one was hurt, but I’m thinking of the parents and community members in Montreal who must be incredibly shaken. This is antisemitism, plain and simple — and we will not let it win.”

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre wrote, “the second shooting at a Jewish school in a week. We are witnessing a terrifying escalation of antisemitism in this country. The Trudeau government must step up and finally do something to protect Jewish people in Canada against this violence.”

Outremont MP Rachel Bendayan, who represents the area, posted, “four shots at a Jewish school on Hillsdale early Tuesday. I spoke with school administration, community leaders and the federal Minister of Public Safety. The police are investigating. This is the third shooting at a Jewish school in [the] Outremont [riding]. This has to stop.”

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said, “It is completely unacceptable that a Jewish school is once again targeted. Antisemitism has no place in Montreal. The SPVM is on the scene to investigate and I am confident that they will once again find the guilty person.”

The Jewish Community Council is “calling for a rapid and comprehensive response by the government of Canada, the Quebec government, and the City of Montreal so that Jewish Montrealers can once again feel safe walking to school, attending synagogue and going about their daily lives. The JCC has repeatedly called on governments to do more. But our voices have been ignored. We hope and pray that this latest attack serves as an alarm bell.”

B’nai Brith Canada said “such heinous crimes cannot be allowed to become normalized in Canada. We demand an immediate response from leaders at all levels of government. The incitement that has created an environment in which such diabolical acts can so readily occur must end and the safety and security of Canada’s Jewish communities must be ensured.”

Deborah Lyons, Canada’s Special Envoy for Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, said “Canadian leaders at every level and across the spectrum must act, or ask themselves if this is the future they want for Canada.” n

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Suspect arrested in Yeshivah Gedolah shooting

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

By Beryl Wajsman, Editor
The Suburban

The SPVM arrested Mahdi Ahmed Abdirazak last week as a suspect in connection with the shots fired at the Yeshivah Gedola on November 12, 2023. The man, aged 20, lives in Les Cedres and was arrested in LaSalle by the West Criminal Investigation Division (Project Group). He appeared in court and was arraigned on charges of discharging a firearm, theft and receiving stolen vehicles.

On November 12 around 5 a.m., gunshots were heard on Deacon Road, near the intersection with Van Horne Avenue. A suspect is seen on video shooting in the direction of the Yeshivah located on Deacon Road, before quickly leaving the scene in a getaway vehicle. When they arrived, the police officers saw bullet holes on the school door and shell casings were found on the ground. It was the second shooting at the Deacon Rd. school in four days. The week before, Molotov cocktails were thrown at a synagogue and Jewish community centre in the West Island.

The investigation will continue regarding the possible participation of one or more other individuals in the shooting. Anyone with information is asked to contact 911 or their local station. You can also call anonymously to Info-Crime Montréal at 514 393-1133 or via the reporting form available on the infocrimemontreal.ca website.

Eta Yudin, Quebec vice-president of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, applauded the arrest and stated, “This attack marked a significant change in the threats experienced by the Jewish community in Quebec since Oct. 7 and well before. The stress and anxiety it caused the Jewish community since then cannot be underestimated, as we have had to endure intimidation after intimidation, as well as serial violence and antisemitism.”

“While the escalation of violence and hatred against our community only continues, we are nonetheless pleased that further charges may be brought against the suspect. This senseless act, this act of terror, must lead to more serious charges, as we have often repeated since the Hamas attacks. This will send a strong message that targeting a community with such acts is unacceptable. We must remember that some politicians had rightly declared that shooting at schools was a form of terrorism. The safety of Jewish Quebecers is at stake, but so is the safety of all Montrealers.” n

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