Israel

Perspectives of Survivors: Lessons in humanity

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

With the antisemitic cries and chants of the anti-Israel and pro-Hamas gangs filling the air of Montreal, The Suburban reached out to local Holocaust survivors to gain their perspective as many Montrealers are calling this era the Canadian version of the “1930s climate”.

The survivors unanimously agreed that the smokescreens of demonstrations under the guise of pro-Palestinian sentiment are a stark reminder of Nazi ideology that plagued Europe in the years leading up to the Holocaust. The attacks on Jewish institutions terrifies them as they remember how thresholds of acceptance of hate were pushed to the point of embracing hate, leading to the death of 6 million Jews.

The conversations and the public and political response — or lack thereof — is familiar to those who remember and who have survived the horrific outcome that ensued when they last experienced this momentum in their surroundings.

“I am an old man now, I am afraid for the future,” 88-year old Andrew “Andy” Fuchs, who was taken by Nazis and saw both of his parents murdered at the age 8, said to The Suburban. “It is devastating to see how quickly everyone forgot about us and what happened to us. We are human, we are all the same family of humans, why do they hate us?” Andy said while stoically trying to hold back his tears. “On October 7, when Hamas terrorists attacked Israel and took hostages, Andy was rushed to the emergency room as his blood pressure “went through the roof” as one of his social workers described. “After all the devastation that the Holocaust has caused, why don’t they see how dangerous this is? Why is no one speaking out to defend us? To speak up, they need knowledge of history and courage. A small group of antisemites is enough to blow up and create fear in other people which allows them to do terrible things and allow terrible things to happen,” According to Andy, October 7 was a perfect example of his greatest concerns. “Leaders don’t like to speak out against how some people feel, but these people are being misled by hate. We need to stop the propaganda. Zero tolerance is the only way. Those using what they call democracy to incite hate are misusing democracy and we need to talk about that. It was not only the Nazis that killed our families, it was the indifference to antisemitism like we are seeing today.”

Ted Bolgar, who will be 100 years old this September, has spent a lifetime educating people in various institutions about the Holocaust to ensure that there would be no repeat. He retired at the age of 95, at the onset of the Covid-19 crisis. According to Ted, ignorance is at the core of antisemitism and both Ted and Andy believed that if they dedicated the rest of their lives following their liberation from the Nazis to educating others that they would help to change the world’s perspective about Jews. “It is very disappointing because I thought people learned from the Holocaust and understood that it was wrong. I am still here and I will keep trying,” Ted explained to The Suburban.

According to Andy and Ted, “Never Again” depends greatly on education and the support of leaders who apply zero tolerance policies on racism, without exceptions, towards Jews.

Perspectives of Survivors: Lessons in humanity Read More »

Community rallies at McGill against anti-Israel hate

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

Large numbers of Montrealers turned up last Thursday, May 2 at the Roddick Gates of McGill University to rally against anti-Israel hate emanating from the encampment inside the campus that was established on April 27. The crowd was so large Sherbrooke St. was closed for three hours. While the pro-Israel crowd chanted “Bring them home” about the hostages still held by Hamas since its terrorist attack on Israel Oct. 7, and “Am Yisrael Chai,” the anti-Israel demonstrators chanted slogans such as “all Zionists are racists.” Some 50 of the latter group formed a chain and faced off against the SPVM, some of whom were on horseback.

The pro-Israel rally was organized by the student group StartUp Nation, Chabad at McGill and Chabad at Concordia, Bring Them Home Now Montreal and many other organizations. On hand were Yair Szlak and Steven Sebag of Federation CJA, former CSL councillor Glenn Nashen and many others, including Cantors Adam Stotland, Gideon Zelermyer and Daniel Benlolo, who sang together.

Anastasia Zorchinsky, founder and president of the StartUp Nation group, said “we’re here to stand for peace, we’re here to stand for unity! We’re also here to call out the vile hate that has been infesting our universities!….We’re experiencing the worst cases of antisemitism our generation has ever seen because of universities like McGill and Concordia, which are not enforcing their policies when Jewish students are targeted!”

Just before the rally began, Premier Legault called on the SPVM to dismantle the “illegal” encampment.

Michael Eshayek, also of StartUp Nation, called on universities to “stand up against Jewish hatred and to be on the right side of history! Today, it’s the Jewish community, tomorrow it will be someone else!”

McGill law student Jamie Fabian said when the anti-Israel mobs call for intifada, “we don’t call for violence. We use the law, and as law students, as Jews, we stay peaceful. We use the law to defend what’s right, and what’s right is not antisemitism!”

McGill graduate Sydney Rouah, who was in Israel Oct. 7, said Jewish life is “bigger and stronger, and certainly more important, than ever! I woke up Oct. 7 thinking it was a regular Saturday morning, I soon realized how wrong I was. I saw many sights that still shocked me. I see people younger than me changing into uniform, running in to war to save their people with no regard what could happen to them.”

McGill alumni Dr. Samantha Balass said the university “has become the breeding ground for antisemitism and what is McGill’s response? Underwhelming! They shuffle their feet and dodge responsibility, leading to the rampant antisemitism festering within their walls! McGill, we demand better and we will settle for nothing less!”

Szlak, president and CEO of Federation CJA, said, “we are here in support of students who celebrate and sanctify life, and we stand in stark contrast to the pro-Hamas campers who celebrate the deaths of Jews and Israelis and are calling for a global Intifada.”

Rabbi Reuben Poupko, who thanked Premier François Legault for his support of Israel and calling for the dismantling of the encampment, said the anti-Israel activists “think they’re reliving the 1960s, singing John Lennon’s Give Peace A Chance.

“Peace rallies don’t have slogans like ‘long live Oct. 7’, “long live Hamas’, ‘glory to our martyrs’, ‘globalize the Intifada’! Those aren’t peace slogans! Those are battle cries! We know how this movie ends — with the Jewish people strong and secure! I wish everyone here the strength, the resilience, the courage and the wisdom to keep up the fight and to make sure your voices are heard every day!” n

Community rallies at McGill against anti-Israel hate Read More »

Montreal Iranian youth stand with Israel

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

The Iranian Youth Circle organized a demonstration in downtown Montreal to denounce Iran’s missile attack on Israel, calling on the Canadian government to declare Iran’s paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization. “Stand and fight for human rights!” the demonstrators chanted.

The group states that IRGC members are terrorists and is calling on the Canadian government to revoke the citizenship and permanent residency of IRGC members residing in Canada and force them to leave the country.

One of the organizers, Negin Sepehri, says that the world needs to understand that Iranian people are separate from the mullahs (Islamic Shia clergy). The values of Iranians coincide with those of Canadians and Israelis who strive to maintain the highest standard of democracy. “The majority of people (Iranians) with brains in their head don’t have any problem with Israel.”

“Canadians can act and demand, as we are, that the IRGC be named a terrorist organization,” one of the demonstrators, Ava Afrashteh, said. “We want people to know that Iran is not the Islamic Republic.”

A flyer distributed at the demonstration illustrates the past 45 years of the horrendous treatment of women, crimes, repression, torture, executions, assassinations and warmongering under the Islamic republic. The flyer highlights the “bystander” effect, calling on Iranians and Canadians to stand up and speak for human rights and dignity. n

Montreal Iranian youth stand with Israel Read More »

Jewish community demands Plante act against antisemitism

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

The Montreal Jewish community is calling on Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante to react more strongly to antisemitism and recent pro-Hamas demonstrations outside Jewish institutions, including the March 4 blockade outside Federation CJA and the March 5 protest of a real estate event at the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue.

As well, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) revealed that a poster at the Montreal Holocaust Museum was vandalized March 25 with stickers saying “Free Palestine” and “Boycott Genocide Israel.”

“Anti-Israel protesters like to pretend they’re not antisemitic,” CIJA posted on X. “So why did they vandalize a poster at the Montreal Holocaust Museum? These demonstrations of hate must stop.”

CIJA and Federation CJA also revealed that lawyers for Federation served Plante with copies of the recently granted and extended injunction prohibiting pro-Hamas protests from within 50 metres of the Federation CJA building, the Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue, the Cummings Centre, the Sylvan Adams YM-YWHA, Herzliah High School and United Talmud Torah of Montreal.

“Following months of antisemitic protest allowed to promulgate on the streets of Montreal, and as protesters continue to test limits, the Mayor must step up and must impose tougher measures to protect community centres, schools and places of worship,” the two organizations stated. “We expect the Mayor to make sure law enforcement upholds the court’s order and do everything within their powers to ensure that the terms are adhered to.”

Federation CJA and CIJA added that they have conveyed their messages through direct communications and public statements to Montreal officials, including Plante, regarding “the grave safety concerns of the Jewish community and the urgent need for concrete measures to deal with the escalating nature of the public protests and potential violence targeting the Jewish community, as well as the dramatic rise in antisemitism.

“A clear message must be sent to those who seek to promote hate in our streets that this will not be tolerated, and this starts by making sure the injunction is being respected.”

Federation CJA CEO Yair Szlak also says Plante never said anything about the March 4 blockade of the Federation CJA building, but Plante told reporters she did respond by retweeting a condemnation from CDN-NDG Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa.

Plante and other Montreal officials have also responded to critics that people should feel safe in Montreal, and that the right to protest is protected by the Canadian and Quebec Charters. n

Jewish community demands Plante act against antisemitism Read More »

Pro-Palestinian protesters barricade IDF reserve soldiers’ event

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Photo Hannah Bell

Maria Cholakova
Local Journalism Initiative

On March 4, over 150 pro-Palestinian protesters blocked the entrance of the Federation CJA building, to protest three Israel Defence Forces (IDF) soldiers speaking at a StartUp Nation hosted event. 

The original event was set to occur on Concordia University’s campus. Due to backlash, the event was cancelled but was later moved to CJA.

Although CJA didn’t release the address of the event until 6 p.m. on March 4, a half hour before the start of the talk, the address was leaked on social media. 

The Link had a ticket and a media pass, and had confirmed our attendance by phone, yet was not allowed to enter the CJA building.

Along with Solidarity for Human Rights Concordia (SPHRConU) and Montreal4Palestine, Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) Concordia joined the protesters to stand in solidarity with Palestine. 

During a speech by IJV members, the speakers condemned the event being hosted in front of the Holocaust Museum. 

“To hold an event like this, at a space that commemorates one of the worst acts of humanity, is an insult to the victims of the Holocaust our ancestors and the Jewish people,” said the speaker. “Being an anti-zionist Jew often means standing against our own communities, which we were once a part of, and taking a critical look at the institutions we were once connected to, but refuse to anymore.” 

Several times during the night, Israeli on-lookers agitated pro-Palestinian protesters, flashing them the middle finger, calling them names and becoming increasingly violent. At around 7 p.m., a woman shoved a pro-Palestinian protester and hit their camera. 

During the protest, several speakers took turns to speak to the crowd. Palestinian activists encouraged protesters to stay calm, keep blocking the doors and not get agitated by on-lookers. 

The protest was monitored heavily by police, with over six police cars surrounding the building and streets. 

Demonstrators blocked all three entrances and demanded that IDF soldiers not be let into Montreal.

According to a protester, who wished to remain anonymous for safety reasons, IDF soldiers shouldn’t be allowed in Montreal. “We are talking about soldiers that only a few weeks back were killing children, civilians, conducting war crimes, [yet] they are just invited to an event like they are guests,” said the protester. They continued to urge the Canadian government to sanction and stop their support for Israel. 

The sentiment was echoed by other participants. According to Laith Barghouthi, SPHRConU “[Organizers] are still brainwashed thinking that IDF soldiers… are heroes of some sort. They are genocide enablers, they are killing children… they are doing all sorts of evil crimes,” Barghouthi said.

Montreal4Palestine, SPHRConU and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) all released statements about the event by the night’s end. 

In a statement released after the event, Montreal4Palestine accused the SPVM of being hostile and threatening towards protesters. “This behaviour is not an isolated case. It is part of a broader context of police brutality and systemic racism against racialized people in Montreal,” read the statement.

In addition, SPHRConU condemned the location of the IDF event, stating, “Hosting soldiers under investigation for genocide by the International Court of Justice in a place of rememberance for genocide victims is a new low, even for the Zionist entity.”

During the protest, CIJA also released their statement, calling the pro-Palestinian protesters an “aggressive and physically intimidating mob.” The statement further demanded the SPVM to make arrests, citing that calling for “intifada,” which translates to ‘uprising’ in Arabic, is terrorism against civilians and not a peaceful protest. 

With files from Julissa Hurtado, Hannah Bell and Nadia Liboneye

Pro-Palestinian protesters barricade IDF reserve soldiers’ event Read More »

Plante won’t act on complaint against anti-Israel barrage at Agglo, Norris cut

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , , ,

By Joel Goldenberg

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante has decided that she and the island-wide agglomeration council will not act on B’nai Brith Canada’s complaint that the council broke its own rules in allowing a barrage of anti-Israel questions to be directed at Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi, in December and January.

Levi, who defended Israel’s right to defend itself in a video shot by anti-Israel activist Yves Engler and in social media postings, was not present at the December meeting, where seven anti-Israel questions were asked, and did not respond at the January meeting, where nine questions were asked. At the first meeting, the questioners told agglomeration officials they were asking about subjects like road conditions.

Plante said “it’s the house of citizens; citizens are allowed and they are welcome and we should be happy that they take the time and leave their home to come and ask questions. To me, this is democracy.

“Freedom of speech in these spaces are part of our values, and within our laws. As elected officials, it often happens that we get uncomfortable questions. I get a lot of questions that are uncomfortable and emotional from citizens. It is difficult, but it is also my job to welcome comments, questions. And right now, I know it might be difficult because of the conflict happening in the Middle East, but I think we should value the fact we are a democracy where any citizen can ask a question.”

Plante also said Levi acted on his right not to respond to the questioners. Former Projét Montréal majority leader Alex Norris — dropped from that role late Thursday — also mentioned questioners’ right to freedom of speech during that meeting.

Levi replied at that meeting, “If I understand correctly, Councillor Norris, what we’re saying is, we recognize that there are rules, but we’re not going to follow the rules.” Norris did not respond.

B’nai Brith’s complaint to the Quebec Municipal Commission about the December meeting said the agglomeration allowed questions that were supposed to be about city-related topics and were instead about the Israel-Hamas War and the situation in Gaza. The CMQ responded that an investigation is unnecessary. B’nai Brith filed a second complaint about the January meeting, which was also rejected.

Levi responded to the news of Plante’s refusal to act by posting on Facebook that, “It’s rather ironic that in the last two Montreal agglomeration council meetings, 16 individuals have attended under the guise of championing free speech, only to use it as a platform to criticize my exercise of the same right. Mayor Plante’s argument that allowing people to flout agglomeration rules in the name of free speech might have had some validity if it weren’t for Councillor Norris repeatedly suggesting that complaints be filed against me for exercising my own rights.

“If Mayor Plante genuinely supports free speech, she should consider making Agglomeration rules more accommodating to the range of topics discussed. Hampstead sets an example in this regard. Unlike Montreal, we don’t restrict questions to a 90-second limit, limit them to two per person, or confine the question period to 30 minutes. Council meetings in Hampstead sometimes involve passionate debates with individuals, making us perhaps the only municipality on the island of Montreal with such lenient rules for participants. During each question, I intentionally exercised my right to remain silent. However, this right was consistently undermined by Councillor Norris, who encouraged individuals to file complaints against me whenever I chose to remain silent.”

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs posted its reaction to Norris no longer being majority leader.

“Alex Norris’s disqualifying conduct at the Montreal Agglomeration Council, including allowing its use for repeated antisemitic attacks against Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi, was deplorable. Today, we are pleased to see he lost his position as a leader.” n

Plante won’t act on complaint against anti-Israel barrage at Agglo, Norris cut Read More »

100,000 protesters rally in Ottawa for Palestine

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Photo Dorothy Mombrun

Iness Rifay & Hannah Vogan
Local Journalism Initiative

In his eight years of bus driving, Mourae Mouassine feels he has never taken a more important contract than the drive from Montreal to Ottawa on Nov. 25.

“This is more than work,” he said, seated in the school bus driver’s seat with a keffiyeh hanging from his shoulders. “I am proud to be here to support humanity.”

Mouassine was one of the bus drivers who volunteered with Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) to mobilize protesters from across Canada to Parliament Hill. Nine sold-out PYM-affiliated buses departed from Place du Canada around 9:30 a.m., all of which carried about 50 participants per busload.

Mouassine keeps a folder on his phone filled with pictures of the children who have died since the attacks on Gaza started. Between Oct. 7 and Nov. 26, over 6,000 Palestinian children have been killed. Following the collapse of Gaza’s health system, the Health Ministry has been unable to keep a regular count of the casualties, but it believes the toll continues to rise sharply.

“I have four kids,” he said. “Every time I see this murder, I can’t sleep. Imagine if it was my child, my friend’s child, my neighbour’s child; I cannot accept this.”

Upon arriving in Ottawa, Mouassine stood on Parliament Hill alongside his family who drove from Montreal to attend with him. They joined over 100,000 protesters gathered from all around the country in what organizer PYM considers the largest pro-Palestinian protest in Canadian history. 
 
“We are not standing on the hills of Parliament because we think we can convince or appeal to Justin Trudeau or the Canadian government’s morality,” said Yara Shoufani, a PYM member. “We are standing here because we know that by building a movement of the masses, we can force the Canadian government to change its direction.”

Speeches began echoing against the walls of Parliament around 1 p.m., delivered by a variety of speakers. Among them were independent Hamilton Centre member of provincial parliament Sarah Jama, who was removed from the Ontario New Democratic Party caucus; Dr. Tarek Loubani, a medic who worked in Gaza’s Al-Shifa hospital; Montreal Mohawk activist Ellen Gabriel and journalist Desmond Cole. 

“We will never be bullied or intimidated into silence while Justin Trudeau and his partners in crime continue to support the genocidal Israeli regime in the slaughter of more than 14,000 people,” Jama said. 

On Nov. 24, Israel granted a four-day ceasefire in Gaza to exchange 50 of the 240 Israeli hostages held by Hamas with 150 Palestinian women and teenagers in Israeli detention. For Loubani, this isn’t enough. 

Loubani shared his experiences with protesters of “sewing up children’s heads” in Gaza without anesthesia prior to the events of Oct. 7. 

“Ceasefire is not my only demand,” Loubani shared with the crowd. “I will not go back to treating patients without tools. I will not go back to making up for the failures of the world to treat our Palestinian brothers, sisters and siblings.”

Protesters began marching through Ottawa at 3:40 p.m., with the demonstration looping back to reestablish its place on Parliament Hill around 5 p.m. Palestinian flags and signs of all sizes waved in the dry, chilly wind. The signs read “stop killing children” and “end the genocide in Gaza.”

Janine—a Palestinian protester who wished to keep her last name anonymous for safety reasons—has witnessed the Israeli occupation first hand. She feels that what is happening in Palestine is unjust, and deserves nothing less than demonstrators to dedicate their Saturday to solidarity. 

“[Our politicians] are the ones who are in control of this situation, they are the ones who are murdering the children—maybe not first hand—but they are not calling for the ceasefire,” said Janine. “For us to be such a huge number in the capital of our country puts a lot of pressure on Justin Trudeau who is complicit.”

English, Arabic, and French chants were loudly, and diligently, repeated throughout the protest. “The people united, will never be defeated,” “From Turtle Island to Palestine, occupation is a crime,” and “Ceasefire now” were among the chants cried out in unison by the masses.

Jina —who wished to keep her last name anonymous for safety reasons— is another Palestinian protester who wore face paint that read “Free Palestine” on her cheek. Jina partook in the protest because Palestinians “deserve to have a land, and deserve to live in it.” 

Jina recalled how when she was little, she would bear jealousy, as her classmates who weren’t from Canada would share about going home for the summer, while she had to stay. “I couldn’t go home, there’s no such thing for me. I just know that’s a feeling that a lot of other [Palestianians] feel,” expressed Jina. “I don’t think that is a feeling that anyone should feel.”

100,000 protesters rally in Ottawa for Palestine Read More »

Scroll to Top