Happy Christmas to our Christian Friends, Seasonal Best Wishes, and a Merry New Year to All
As 2023 approaches, a lot of reflection is taking place on the events and impacts of 2022. Are we out of the pandemic yet? Are we yet to experience more extreme weather? Are we free to travel? Will elections in America and Israel, or leadership changes in the UK bring about desired results? Will Russia resist going nuclear? Will Iran’s theocracy be deposed? Will China’s Communist Party be removed or become more draconian? Will Canada withstand foreign intervention/influence? Will the economy continue to weaken and our material well-being be affected or not? It is almost as hard to assess the issues that occurred as to predict the events to come. But what we do know is this:
Jews are demanding justice to address antisemitism, Jews are proud and resilient, Judaism is everlasting, Israel is strong, and “we will overcome!”
Land Claims and Disputes
CAEF was a proud co-sponsor of several in-person and one online speaking event featuring Naomi Linder Kahn, Director of the International Division of Regavim, during the week of December 12-18. All were excellent presentations, teaching the truth about Jewish rights to the land of Israel and the online recording is available here. Meanwhile, what was unfolding back in Israel has become a key pivotal story just days following Naomi’s departure.
Now the whole world knows that the European Union is very much behind the illegal land grabs by Arabs, creating fake towns, erecting illegal structures, and destroying ancient archaeological material which was proof Jews were on the land thousands of years ago. There must be words for the crimes being committed but they don’t come to mind, but like eco-terrorism, this is unique. Creating a fake history, destroying actual history, eroding the land, ignoring treaties, the Oslo Accords, security protocols, and trying to establish “facts” to support a state within a state, are pretty radical acts of sabotage.
Regavim is truly home to today’s Maccabees.
Read JNS article about the EU’s secret report and plans to establish Palestinian claims in Area C.
Watch Ron DeSantis, Governor of Florida, speaking in 2016 when he was Florida 6th District representative in the U.S. House of Representatives (2013 to 2018), explaining why the US should oppose the offending UN resolution 2334. That resolution denies Jewish history on the land and ignores facts and boundaries. DeSantis makes a clear case for truth and shows the map of Israel’s boundaries, and the successive decisions and actions of the UN which reduced the Jewish state.
Check out this Map to Understand Today’s Chanukah Story
Today, it might not be the temple that is invaded and destroyed but illegal land grabs to reduce Israeli territory and claim falsely that these are Palestinian historical lands, are equally if not more egregious and disastrous. Do most Jews know where Judea and Samaria exist? Where our ancient capital stood? Where the ancient kingdoms existed and where ancient tombs are still standing? Do Jews in the diaspora grasp the geography of the land and how it is secured and how it is at risk? Do Jews in the diaspora understand there are hundreds of thousands of Jews living in the ancient heartland, turning it into productive lands, building homes and futures? Area C was, by agreement, set aside for Jewish development while Areas A and B are fully available for Arab communities, so why are illegal Arab activities happening in Area C?
The Enemy Within
Charles Cooke, CAEF board member provided a review of a book all Jews, especially Progressives, should read. While antisemitism has existed throughout time and morphed according to the times, it seems there were always antisemitic Jews, thus the Chanukah story itself. Charles writes that the situation is much worse today, as author Edward Alexander says “self-hating Jews have made large contributions to the ideology and politics of global antisemitism”. Read the full review.
Also recommended is David Bernstein’s book, Woke Antisemitism, How a Progressive Ideology Harms Jews. Foreword by Natan Sharansky. (review to follow)
Advocacy and Action
A Single Letter Might Move a Small Mountain, Change a Policy, Inform a Bureaucrat...
Readers should not despair that writing letters is futile, for communication around antisemitism, be it offering information, reporting an incident, filing a complaint, arguing a point, demanding an answer… are all ways to stand up for Justice for Jews. Richard Sherman provides regular contributions as he tackles Jew hatred, anti-Israel bias and ignorance regularly with clarity and commitment. He received a serious positive response from Indiana University when pointing out they offered a platform to a known terrorist.
Read letter to the President and the University’s response.
CAEF wrote to the Prime Minister and 4 Cabinet Ministers calling on Canada to condition funding to the Palestinian Authority on their repealing the law to reward killers of Jews. Read here.
CAEF wrote to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre concerning some of the speakers at Reviving the Islamic Spirit conference, noting those with antisemitic histories, as well as those promoting misogynist, anti-LGBTQ messages and promoting anti-interfaith harmony. Read here.