Features - Winnipeg Jewish Review

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs Applauds Queen’s Park for Refusing Permit for Al-Quds Day

Ottawa, ON – Today, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) received a letter from the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Ontario Legislature confirming that the annual Al-Quds Day protest has been refused a permit to hold its event at Queen’s Park – originally scheduled for this Saturday – for reasons of “public safety”.

In 2011, CIJA videotaped the Al-Quds Day protest held on the Legislature’s grounds. Speakers accused Israelis of being “racist”, “inhuman”, and “barbarians” who “suck the resources and blood from people all around the world” – statements reminiscent of historic antisemitism. One speaker went so far as to refer to Israel as a cancer that must be killed. Footage also showed protestors displaying the image of the Ayatollah Khomeini (who created Al-Quds Day in 1979) as well as the flag of Hezbollah, a banned terrorist organization.

CIJA provided this video evidence directly to the Sergeant-at-Arms, who manages security and event permits at Queen’s Park. For the past two years, CIJA has been in regular contact with the Sergeant-at-Arms, making the case for appropriate action to ensure that the Legislature’s grounds are not abused as a venue to showcase such vile rhetoric.

Upon receipt of today’s letter, Shimon Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, issued the following statement:

“We applaud the Sergeant-at-Arms for refusing to grant a permit to the organizers of Al-Quds Day. We know that this decision was not taken lightly, but reflected serious deliberation and analysis of the video evidence CIJA captured in 2011. Just as we must preserve freedom of speech, we must ensure that Ontario’s Legislature – a symbol of our freedoms – is never exploited as a platform for an event that glorifies terrorism and promotes antisemitism.

“Given their reckless record, the organizers of Al-Quds Day may very well reject the Sergeant-at-Arms’ ruling and proceed without authorization. In light of this possibility, we ask that the Legislature take appropriate measures this weekend to uphold its decision.”

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is a non-partisan organization that serves as the advocacy arm of the Jewish Federations of Canada.

To view video footage of the 2011 Al-Quds Day protest at Queen’s Park, click here.

A Private Member’s Resolution introduced by NDP MLA for The Pas Frank Whitehead, which calls on the federal government to expand the mandate of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to investigate nutritional experiments conducted on Aboriginal people in Manitoba and other parts of Canada, was passed unanimously today by the Legislative Assembly.

Whitehead introduced the resolution following revelations published by University of Guelph food historian Ian Mosby, who uncovered evidence that federal scientists used malnourished residents of Norway House, OCN and other Aboriginal communities as test subjects to study the effects of nutritional supplements in the 40s and 50s.

“Manitobans are rightfully shocked and saddened to learn of these experiments, but for many of us who grew up in these communities, the revelations don’t come as a surprise,” said Whitehead. “It is time for all Canadians to learn the real truth, not half of it. Healing and moving forward in a better way requires us all to know the full story of what happened in Residential Schools, including these nutritional experiments. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is best positioned to do this important work.”

The resolution calls on the federal government to expand the mandate of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to extend beyond its June 2014 expiration date. The Resolution also urges the federal government to provide any and all relevant documents on these experiments to the Commission.

“The Canadian government spent many generations, over a century, attempting to take the Indian out of the child. I don’t believe extending the mandate of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission beyond five years to fully investigate this new evidence is too much to ask,” said Eric Robinson, Minister of Aboriginal and Northern Affairs and MLA for Kewatinook. “Now that we have scratched the surface of another dark chapter in our collective history, it is our responsibility to ensure the full story is told.”

Once again the Islamists in Toronto are getting ready to mark Al Quds Day with a demonstration at Queen’s Park on August 3rd 2013 at 3:00 p.m. Why should Canadians be concerned about it?

Al Quds is an annual event founded by the Islamic dictator Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1979 to mark the end of Ramadan. It is a day of solidarity with “Palestine” that calls for the destruction of Israel and its replacement with an Islamic extremist state.

In founding Al Quds, Khomeini stated, “For many years, I have been notifying the Muslims of the Danger posed by the usurper Israel which today has intensified its savage attacks against the Palestinian brothers and sisters and which in the south of Lebanon in particular is continuously bombing Palestinians homes in the hope of crushing the Palestinian struggle. …I ask God Almighty for the victory of Muslims over infidels.”

Hello we are a young family with two small children want to immigrate to Canada in Winnipeg please help us we need you to thank you.

Toronto, ON - Today, it was reported that the Israeli team participating in this week's Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) Women's World Cup in Oshawa will not be able to play in the final rounds should the team qualify because those games are taking place this coming Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. While FIL had made arrangements to ensure that Israel would not have to play this past Saturday during the qualifying round, FIL by-laws do not allow for the playoffs to be rescheduled to Friday before sundown or Saturday night after sundown on July 20th, the final day of the tournament.

In response, David Spiro, Co-Chair of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), Toronto, issued the following statement:

"Having spoken with both parties, we respect the Israeli team's adherence to religious practice and we are sympathetic to the Federation's constraints, in terms of its governing regulations and the logistical challenges involved in rescheduling the playoffs. Moreover, we appreciate the arrangements it has already made to allow the Israeli team to compete in earlier games while observing the Sabbath.

"At its core, the World Cup is about bridging national and cultural divides through excellence in sport, by uniting the world's top athletes to compete for the global title. It is important for all of the athletes to be given an opportunity to compete in every game of the tournament and for the winner to be determined on the field rather than by default. We urge FIL to work with the Israeli team on a creative solution that respects the Federation's rules while enabling the Israeli players to contend for the Cup."

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is the non-partisan advocacy arm of the Jewish Federations of Canada.

Howard English
Senior Vice-President, Greater Toronto Region
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs
416.631.5735

WASHINGTON — AIPAC welcomes Ron Dermer as Israel's new ambassador to the United States. Mr. Dermer has a deep understanding of the critical value of the U.S.-Israel relationship and the importance of further strengthening the alliance between these two democratic allies. We also express our gratitude to Ambassador Oren for his service over the past four years as he worked tirelessly and effectively to bolster the bond between the United States and Israel. His eloquence and diplomatic acumen made a significant difference, and we wish him all the best for his future endeavors.

Consistently ranked as the most influential foreign policy lobbying organization on Capitol Hill, AIPAC is a bipartisan American membership organization that seeks to strengthen the relationship between the United States and Israel. For more than 50 years, AIPAC has been working with Congress to build a strong, vibrant relationship between the U.S. and Israel. With more than 100,000 members across the United States, AIPAC works throughout the country to improve and strengthen that relationship by supporting U.S.-Israel military, economic, scientific and cultural cooperation

This was a fascinating article and I'm anxious to read the next installment. I hope it comes out soon. (I was really glad to read that you said Kaddish at the old synagogue.)

Haven't yet gotten into them, but by the headlines, this edition should keep me reading for quite a while. Great, Rhonda.

We are seeking stories about personal experiences with intuition, premonition or precognition for a book we are writing. We invite WINNIPEG JEWISH REVIEW readers to share such stories with us. The stories we have in mind would involve experiences where people obtained information through any means that defies logical explanation (such as in a dream). Paying attention to or acting on such information may have even changed, or saved, their lives. Please send any such anecdotal accounts to us at: [email protected], along with contact information. Please, no attachments.

Hurray Elliot! I moved to West K. From River Heights seventeen years ago and I
have no issues..save a lack of decent eateries...but EK faces the same
problem...it's all a mind set. We have The Wellness Inst
for fitness and, let's face it, driving south for theatre or other 'anythings'
is no hardship in a city this size.
Welcome to the hood!

As is customary in our community, the young couple, together with their immediate family

Toronto, ON – Today, the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) confirmed that it has informed the Canadian Soccer Association that players are permitted to wear turbans while playing soccer.

In response, David Koschitzky, Chair of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, issued the following statement:

“We commend FIFA for confirming the acceptability of religious head coverings on the soccer pitch. The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs was among a number of organizations that called on FIFA to intervene in this matter, for the purpose of ensuring that no child has to choose between playing soccer and observing their faith. We are hopeful that this announcement will enable the return of Sikh players to Quebec’s soccer pitches and their full participation in this wonderful sport.”

To read a letter sent by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs to FIFA (June 6, 2013), click here.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is a non-partisan organization that serves as the advocacy arm of the Jewish Federations of Canada.

Martin Sampson
Director, Communications and Marketing
613-219-3500
[email protected]

I will be coming to Winnipeg, August 12 to 16, after the IAJGS in Boston, where I will be joint venturing with Aaron Lansky and the National Yiddish Book Center, where Joseph J. Goodman's Yiddish book, Collected Writings, was saved. I will be meeting with The University of Manitoba and the Jewish Heritage Center of Western Canada on Monday, August 12. I would very much appreciate the opportunity to meet with you during my stay in Winnipeg.

If I might give you a little background:

Joseph J. Goodman was an Ukrainian immigrant and wrote poems about love and heartbreak, stories telling of the difficulties of life, essays about the Canadian prairies and reflections about how life should be lived. He was able to converse with the Slavic immigrants who were important to the construction of the transcontinental railroads and was appointed Naturalization Commissioner for Western Canada by King George. He traveled widely and wrote for both English and Yiddish newspapers. Sensitive to the difficulties of immigrants, he describes the struggles of pioneering Jewish settlers in Canadian prairie homesteads and towns. The range of feeling and observations in Collected Writings reveals Goodman's keen eye for life as he laments cultural changes and social inequalities.

Goodman published this book, originally Gezamelte Shriften, with People's Printing Company, Limited, 982 Main Street, Winnipeg, MB. Collected Writings has been translated and republished by Xlibris in a side-by-side Yiddish-English presentation. Appended with an extensive chronology about Goodman's life, a biography of his Russian years, information about people and places mentioned in the text, the growth of the Canadian Jewish community, and the Yiddish language it is both a historical document and a personal testament.

The 3-to-1 odds of more women to men at single events is not limited to Jewish singles, it is also occurs at many single events. It can even be as high as 10 women to every 1-2 single men. The other issues is that compared to other cities, Winnipeg does not hold many Jewish singles' events. I'm glad to see something has begun.

On Sunday June 2nd 2013 many Iranian Canadians came together to protest against an event held to commemorate Khomeini’s anniversary in Toronto. This event was organized by the “Muslim Community of GTA” and took place at the Islamic Society of York Region.

The original location for the event had been at the Al Huda Islamic Centre which is more centrally located and accessible by public transportation, however the organizers were forced to change the location one day before the event, once they realized that there would be major protests against this event. The new location was outside of the city of Toronto, in a very isolated location and not accessible by public transportation. No doubt this was done in order to prevent protesters from attending!

I am happy and proud to say that despite the isolated location and despite heavy rain during parts of the protest there was a large turnout at the protest and individuals from many different groups and organizations, as well as independent activists were present and able to create a unified front against Islamic extremism. It should be noted that Jewish Defence League had also called for a protest against this event and were present in large numbers.

Khomeini was not only an “Islamic Butcher” responsible for the rape, torture and execution of thousands of political dissidents he was also an Islamic extremist who advocated and supported international terrorism! The Regime he founded 34 years ago continues to oppress its own people, fund and support international terrorism and is actively building a nuclear weapon.

Canadians should be extremely concerned about the fact that there are Islamic extremists living among us who are openly supporting the violent and hateful ideology of this man. Who is to say that Khomeini’s supporters will not decide to FOLLOW his teachings by becoming active terrorists themselves? How do we know that today’s Khomeini supporter will not be tomorrow’s terrorist?

We cannot AFFORD to remain silent and allow these Islamic extremists to organize such events which serve no purpose but to promote hateful Islamic extremist ideology. I for one will be keeping my eyes and ears open for any similar future events and will be there to voice my grave concerns.

There is no place in Canada for Islamic extremism and those who support that ideology!

Sayeh Hassan, Iranian Canadian Lawyer, blogger and Pro-Democracy Activist

I enjoyed the thoughtful writing in the Op-Ed: "Canada, Norway and Antisemitism?"
By Leigh Halprin of Winnipeg.

Living in essentially rural Washington State, I was guarded about attitudes toward Jews, and wondered how often I would be dealing with out and out anti-semitism. I was relieved to find out it is very rare here. The reason is the majority of the population is either Evangelical Christian, who have no animosity toward Jews, or non-religious people, who also seem to have no "dog in the fight".

As an accident of history, I believe that societies are overly concerned about Rabbi Michael Leo Samuel's observation that "when you hate one ethnic or religious group, hatred will spread like a contagion toward other peoples and faiths." The problem is these societies--liberal democratic--have chosen much too late to take this concern to heart. They are applying the concern to the one group--the native born or immigrant Islamists, that have the potential, the desire, and the religious teaching to deconstruct the society at large through any means possible. The concern for hate arrived much too late for the Jews, and apparently has never left, since it is so easy to stir it up once again, as though the horrors of 20th Century Europe never took place. Or 2000 years of Catholic generated persecution, for that matter.

Hate is not what should propel any society, in any case. A concern or fear of dangerous predators has always been considered healthy. But Islamophobia is considered, at the very least, to be declasse. I would propose that Islamophobia is a healthy response to understanding Salafist dogma. A good source of understanding is Future Jihad, by Lebanese Professor Walid Pheres.

What the snobbish, anti-semitic, (yet sweet on the so-called "Palestinians") Norwegians fail to understand, is the Middle East conflict has no resolution for the Arabs who run Gaza or the West Bank. Even the so-called moderate Fatah movement derives their name from the Jihad-focused word that means "the opening", as in "new lands open for Islam". They don't want peace unless it means the end of Israel, and all people under the rule of Islam. Like all Salafists, they are true to the call of the fallen Caliphate, and won't be happy until it is restored. Hate is certainly taught in their society. It is taught in their schools, and it is smartly exported to the BBC, who seem to bend over backwards to be their mouthpiece.

As far as Jews in the society at large, well, here in the United States we still have the right to own guns. My son has a Black Belt in Karate, can disarm a knife wielding attacker, and is quite accurate with a pistol. I urge all Jews to have concealed carry permits, learn to shoot and practice regularly at the range. The abuse gets much more scarce when the target can fight back.

Ottawa, ON – Today, the Government of Canada imposed additional sanctions on Iran for the purpose of strengthening the international effort to counter the Iranian regime’s illegal nuclear program. Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird announced a ban on all imports and exports from Iran, as well as the sanctioning of an additional 30 persons and 82 entities under the Special Economic Measures Act.

In response, David Koschitzky, Chair of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, issued the following statement:

“We applaud Minister Baird for strengthening Canada’s efforts to prevent the most dangerous regime in the Middle East, notorious for its abuse of human rights and support for terrorism, from acquiring a nuclear weapon.

“Unfortunately, Iran has failed to negotiate in good faith and has used the P5+1 talks as diplomatic cover while escalating its uranium enrichment activities. It is crucial that Canada and the international community continue to seek out additional economic and diplomatic tools to confront the Iranian nuclear threat and bring the Islamic Republic into compliance with its international obligations.”

For more information or to arrange an interview with CEO Shimon Koffler Fogel, please contact:

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is a non-partisan organization that serves as the advocacy arm of the Jewish Federations of Canada.