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Advocacy @ HBT: Deborah Lyons at Holy Blossom

The week of November 22, 2024

Deborah Lyons, Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism spoke at Holy Blossom last week. 

Holy Blossom Temple was proud to host Deborah Lyons, Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, last week.  The Advocacy Committee knows that bringing Deborah Lyons to speak to our greater community was both timely and vital. Her visit helps reinforce the knowledge that synagogues have an important role in building interfaith alliances against antisemitism.  

In a fireside chat with our very own Tom Friedland, the Special Envoy discussed the recent release of the Government of Canada’s Handbook on the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism, her role on the federal stage, working with our non-Jewish allies, and how we can all participate in combatting antisemitism in schools, the workplace, and the public square. It was an inspiring evening that included active participation from non-Jewish clergy, Jewish and non-Jewish university students, and members of our congregation. 

You can find a video recording of the event here:

 

Click here to see the Handbook

Learn more about Advocacy@HBT here.  

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Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

The week of November 13, 2024

CIJA and Anti-Palestinian Racism (APR) 

This week CIJA is working hard to educate about the nuances and political agenda behind the phrase “Anti-Palestinian Racism.” While ‘all Canadians, including Palestinian Canadians, are entitled to full protection under Canada’s robust human rights laws…’ there are several concerns that a formal adoption of this policy will be weaponized and result in a restriction of legitimate expressions of support for Israel and Jewish identity.  

CIJA has published a resource about APR here that you can download, read, and use to educate your circles.  

Of primary concern is that the IHRA definition of antisemitism, which has been adopted by Canada, is in direct conflict with some of the proposed language included in APR. “APR conflates political opinions about Israel with racism, a stance that goes against the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliances (IHRA) definition…”  

CIJA has also prepared a letter of concern for the Prime Minister and Minister Khera, the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities. You can read it, and sign your name if you so wish, at this link.  

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Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

The week of November 8, 2024

IHRA Antisemitism Handbook Released / Deborah Lyons to discuss the Handbook NEXT WEEK at Holy Blossom / Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism provides additional IHRA resources.  

 

After years of dedicated work, the Canadian Government and the office of Deborah Lyons, Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, have released the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Handbook. This is a vital and timely resource for identifying and addressing antisemitism, in both traditional and subtle forms. You can read the handbook in its entirety here, or learn about it from CIJA at this link.  

Deborah Lyons, whose helped author the handbook, will join us in person on Wednesday, November 13th  at 7:00 pm. Special Envoy Lyons will inform us about her ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism, discuss the challenges faced by Jewish Canadians as they grapple with a historic rise in antisemitism, and engage in a moderated conversation with members of the Holy Blossom Temple Advocacy Committee. Please register at the above link and join us for a vital, timely, and deeply topical evening.  

An additional resource on the IHRA Handbook comes from the ALCCA. Click on the link to learn about the history of the document, how it can be utilized, and the next steps that are needed to transform it from a government document into a meaningful tool for fighting antisemitism.  

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Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

The week of October 30, 2024

Antizionist Conference at U of T / Pushing Back the Boycott at the University of Windsor / Special Envoy Deborah Lyons coming to HBT / UN Rapporteur Reprimand.  

On November 8th, the University of Toronto will, regrettably, host a conference titled “The Anti-Zionist Idea: History, Theory and Politics.” This conference amplifies “notorious terror apologists and disguises antisemitic ideas as academic discourse.” Legitimizing these voices can only continue to foster hatred and hostility, endangering our students. Hillel Ontario asks that you add your voice to theirs and share your concerns with the leadership of University of Toronto. 

The Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism (ALCCA) has launched a petition urging the University of Windsor to pause the shortsighted and dangerous agreement that it made with students and occupiers earlier this year. The ALCCA asks that you support their efforts to overturn this academic boycott of Israel that the University of Windsor has begun to implement. 

Please join us at Holy Blossom Temple for an important conversation with Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, Deborah Lyons on Wednesday, November 13th  at 7:00 pm. Special Envoy Lyons will inform us about her ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism, discuss the challenges faced by Jewish Canadians as they grapple with a historic rise in antisemitism, and engage in a moderated conversation with members of the Holy Blossom Temple Advocacy Committee. 

CIJA calls upon Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and the Government of Canada to condemn Francesca Albanese on her visit to Canada. Ms. Albanese is the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 and has a history of public statements and actions that are incendiary, aligned with terrorist entities like Hezbollah, and deeply antisemitic.  

 

Learn more about the Advocacy Committee

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Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

The week of October 25, 2024

Special Envoy Deborah Lyons coming to HBT, Antizionist Conference at U of T, CJPAC’s Year of Political Action

Please join us at Holy Blossom Temple for an important conversation with Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, Deborah Lyons on Wednesday, November 13th  at 7:00 pm. Special Envoy Lyons will inform us about her ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism, discuss the challenges faced by Jewish Canadians as they grapple with a historic rise in antisemitism, and engage in a moderated conversation with members of the Holy Blossom Temple Advocacy Committee.

On November 8, University of Toronto will, regrettably, host a conference titled “The Anti-Zionist Idea: History, Theory and Politics.” This conference amplifies “notorious terror apologists and disguises antisemitic ideas as academic discourse.” Legitimizing these voices can only continue to foster hatred and hostility, endangering our students. Hillel Ontario asks that you add your voice to theirs and share your concerns with the leadership of University of Toronto.

CJPAC (the non-partisan Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee) has launched a year of political action to galvanize and mobilize the Jewish community and our allies. You can learn more about CJPAC’s three-pronged approach here. “With the possibility of a federal election being called anytime in the year ahead, there’s no time to wait.” Together we can go beyond the voting booth to strengthen our democracy.

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Holy Blossom Advocacy Committee Presents: Twenty Timely Podcasts

Since October 7th, the Jewish landscape in Israel, and throughout the diaspora, has changed dramatically with significant events happening daily. It can be challenging to keep up and appreciate all that is happening. Podcasts, including many born since the beginning of the war, allow us to dig deeper into issues and events, uncover historical background and hear different perspectives – all while driving, doing household chores, or walking the dog. Here is a list of 20 Podcasts, in alphabetical order, providing a variety of sophisticated political, cultural, and historical views to listen to and learn from:

Call Me Back
Journalist and foreign policy expert Dan Senor interviews guests about current developments in Israel, the Middle East, the US, and beyond. He is joined weekly by the Times of Israel’s Haviv Rettig Gur.

Decision Points
A Washington Institute Podcast hosted by David Makosky presents both a history lesson and an exploration of contemporary policy decisions impacting Israel, the US, and the world.  Season 5 is current.

Ezra Klein Show
Produced by the New York Times, The Ezra Klein show is not usually about Israel/Palestine, but since October 7, it has covered the war in several episodes with a liberal, progressive viewpoint.

For Heaven’s Sake
Hosted by the Hartman Institute scholars and Jerusalem residents Rabbi Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi, this podcast goes deep on all dimensions of the war and how the week’s news can be seen as a mirror of existing tensions and trends within Israeli society.

Groundwork
Hosts Sally Abed and Dina Kraft focus on Palestinians and Israelis refusing to accept the status quo and working to change it. A joint production of New Israel Fund and the Alliance for Middle East Peace.

Haaretz Weekly
Host Allison Kaplan Sommer discusses current events in Israel. Hosted by Israel’s oldest newspaper—Haaretz.

Identity Crisis
From the Shalom Hartman Institute, Host Yehuda Kurtzer invites “leading thinkers to unpack current events affecting Jewish communities in North America, Israel, and around the world, revealing the core Jewish values underlying the issues that matter to you.”

Inside Israel
Comedian Joel Chasnoff hosts serious conversations about Israel and current events. Each episode is recorded in front of a live audience.

The Israel Conversation
Formerly known as the Makom Israel Teacher’s Lounge, features discussions and debates on contemporary issues related to Israel and the Jewish world and provides educators with tools to discuss them

Israel Policy Pod
Experts from the Israel Policy Forum including Shanie Reichman and Neri Zilber discuss current events and analysis with various policymakers, activists, and academics.

Israel State of a Nation
Host Eylon Levy brings his idiosyncratic blend of “eloquence and ability to transmit outrage” (The Times) and “rhetorical tour de force” (The Guardian) to explore the most pressing questions facing the Jewish and inviting listeners into insider conversations with thinkers, policymakers, and media personalities.

Israel Story
Since October 7, Israel Story has presented short-form interviews capturing snapshots of lived experiences called “Wartime Diaries.” These include a CEO leading the Jerusalem volunteer centre, a woman with young children whose husband is serving, an evacuee from Sderot, and a gay man who fought to have his relationship recognized after his partner died fighting.

JPPI – The Jewish People’s Podcast
Explores the most pressing issues facing the global Jewish community. Hosted by Yaakov Katz in conversation with leading experts, politicians and thought leaders.

The Promised Podcast
TLV1 Journalists Allison Kaplan Sommer, Miriam Herschlag, and Linda Gradstein discuss the latest in Israeli politics, culture, and society with Professor Noah Efron.

The Tikvah Podcast 
Features conversations from Tikvah Fund fellows on a wide range of topics relevant to the Jewish world, the US, the West, Israel, and the Middle East, “bringing Jewish thinking and leaders into conversation with Western political, moral, and economic thought.”

The Times of Israel – The Daily Briefing
A 20-minute daily audio update hosted by Amanda Borschel-Dan, providing insight into current events through conversations with Times of Israel writers and editors. The episodes often delve deeper into material covered in Times of Israel articles.

Unpacking Israel History
Host Noam Weissman provides insights into “some of the most controversial and interesting events in the country’s history.” The most recent episodes focus on current events in Israel and abroad.

Unholy: Two Jews on the News
Israeli TV anchor Yonit Levi and London-based Guardian journalist Jonathan Freedland, host this weekly conversation unpacking how the news affects them as Israeli and Diaspora Jews and interviewing weekly guests.

Unorthodox -Tablet Studios
Tablet Magazine hosts Stephanie Butnick, Liel Leibovitz, and Joshua Malina discuss “stories recorded on the ground from a country mourning, healing, and coming together.”

What Matters Now – The Times of Israel
A weekly exploration of one key issue shaping Israel and the Jewish World, hosted by deputy editor Amanda Borschel-Dan.

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Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

The week of October 16, 2024

Deborah Lyons coming to HBT, Celebrating the Soviet Jewry movement, and grassroots advocacy success!  

Please join us at Holy Blossom Temple for an important conversation with Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, Deborah Lyons on Wednesday, November 13th  at 7:00 pm. Special Envoy Lyons will inform us about her ongoing efforts to combat antisemitism, discuss the challenges faced by Jewish Canadians as they grapple with a historic rise in antisemitism, and engage in a moderated conversation with members of the Holy Blossom Temple Advocacy Committee. 

The advocacy work we do today is built on the shoulders of giants. On Monday, October 28th, Holy Blossom Temple will honour our member, Wendy Eisen, for her incredible efforts in the Soviet Jewry Movement. There will be special appearances from Irwin Cotler, Elaine Harris, and Natan Sharansky. Be inspired and draw strength, so that your advocacy work can make a difference! You can learn more about this incredible evening and register to join us at the link. 

Jewish organizations, and our allies, are celebrating a decision by the Government of Canada yesterday to declare Samidoun an illegal terrorist organization. You can read more about Samidoun, its link to Iran, and its glorification of terrorism in this brief from the UJA. The outcry to recognize Samidoun’s allegiances to terrorist organizations, would not have happened without significant grassroots pressure. Many of us wrote to our representatives about this issue, and it is a victory for Canada, the Jewish people, and all of our allies that the government was responsive to our collective efforts. Advocacy in action!  

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Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

The week of September 27, 2024

Support the Jewish Educators and Families Association of Canada (JEFA) and learn about the advocacy that saved Soviet Jewry! 

JEFA has been one of the loudest and most effective voices advocating for accountability in the TDSB. In regard to the “Grassy Narrows Field Trip,” which became, in part, an anti-Israel protest, they have several action items open to educators, parents, and members of the community. If you would like to make your voice heard, you can learn more and send a letter to the Ontario College of Teachers demanding that they take action.  

The advocacy work we do today is built on the shoulders of giants. On October 28th, Holy Blossom Temple will honour our member, Wendy Eisen, for her incredible efforts to save Soviet Jewry. There will be special appearances from Irwin Cotler, Elaine Harris, and Natan Sharansky. Be inspired and draw strength, so that your own advocacy work can be effective! You can learn more about this incredible evening and register to join us at the link. 

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Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

The week of September 18, 2024

Upcoming voting at the United Nations, and honouring the advocacy work of the Soviet Jewry Movement. 

CIJA requests that you add your voice to theirs, as they lobby the Prime Minister to direct Canada’s vote in the United Nations to support Israel. The International Court of Justice advisory opinion will soon come before the UN general assembly. CIJA argues that this advisory is an explicit endorsement of BDS, utilizes ‘apartheid state’ language, and bypasses direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. You can click here to support CIJA’s work and tell the Prime Minister to support Israel at the United Nations.  

The advocacy work we do today is built on the shoulders of giants. On October 28th, Holy Blossom Temple will honour our member, Wendy Eisen, for her incredible efforts to save Soviet Jewry. There will be special appearances from Irwin Cotler, Elaine Harris, and Natan Sharansky. Be inspired and draw strength, so that your own advocacy work can make a difference! You can learn more about this incredible evening and register to join us at the link. 

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Advocacy @ HBT: What you can do

Advocacy @ HBT: Supporting Hillel, campus advocacy training, Michal Cotler-Wunsh comes to Toronto and commemorating October 7th 

Now that our students have returned to campus, our Holy Blossom Temple Advocacy Committee is highlighting an important initiative from Hillel Ontario. Add your voice in demanding that University Presidents protect Jewish students and hold demonstrators accountable. You can sign Hillel’s open letter to University Presidents here. 

On September 22nd, Hillel Ontario and Stand With Us are offering in-person training for university students who want to become campus advocates. Learn how, when and where to engage and disengage. Get advice from legal, security, and campus professionals on building alliances and finding allies. Please share with the university students in your lives! They can register here.  

On September 26th, The Canadian Friends of Hebrew University of Jerusalem are bringing politician and diplomat Michal Cotler-Wunsh to Toronto. Ms. Cotler-Wunsh was a member of the previous Knesset and, in a speech that went viral, powerfully defended Israel at the United Nations. You can learn more and register for the event here.    

Finally, please mark your calendars for the community-wide memorial on October 7th which is being put together by UJA. Holy Blossom Temple is one of the co-sponsors of the event. More details will be made available in the coming weeks. Register here.   

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