Message to Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow from Aliza Spiro, Creative Director, Song Shule

Dear Mayor Chow,

I moved to Toronto from the USA in 2006. Today, as a Jew, I am afraid to continue living here. Before I elaborate, here is some background:

In 2011, I founded a music festival that has given work to hundreds of Canadian musicians and brought together tens of thousands of music-lovers of all backgrounds. In 2016, I co-founded an exciting new congregation that serves the Toronto Jewish community and has reached hundreds of thousands of Canadians through groundbreaking radio, television, and online broadcasts. I have also written, directed and/or produced full-scale, sold-out music and theatre productions at Toronto's major theatres and concert halls, uniting the community in a positive spirit.

I share this background for the sole purpose of showing you that, as an immigrant, I am excited about Toronto and have happily and gratefully contributed to the cultural landscape of this wonderful city of ours.

Since the October 7th Massacre, though, it is known that things have become more difficult for the Jewish people here. Nevertheless, I don't believe that you understand the level of fear that permeates the Jewish community.

Mayor Chow, quite frankly, and I am not alone in this, I attribute the ubiquitous danger we fear to you and your conspicuous absence of support for our community. You can issue statements all you like, but when you choose to not attend a 50,000-person Walk with Israel, or you choose to avoid a community commemoration for October 7th, your actions nullify your words, proving them empty. When you use the phrase "Genocide in Gaza", you are doing unspeakable damage.

Our enemies are watching, and your behaviour has empowered them horrifically. Our enemies are not simply bigots. Our enemies are bloodthirsty, angry, vicious antisemitic Hamas-supporters who hide their faces as they rally and shout "Globalize the Intifada" and "Death to the Jews". On your watch, right here in Toronto, our enemies attack synagogues repeatedly, shoot guns at girls' schools, beat up our university students, remove sacred mezuzahs from the doorposts of private homes, cover public spaces with anti-Jewish graffiti, vandalize Jewish businesses, and roam en masse, unchallenged, through Jewish neighbourhoods to intimidate the residents. You have allowed Toronto to become the Wild West without a marshal.

Our enemies want us dead. They say this. More and more loudly.

And here is why I am afraid to continue living here: What we live with here in Toronto is exactly what the Jewish community of Australia has been experiencing since October 7th, culminating in the Bondi Beach Massacre this past Sunday. Open threats without the support of political leadership.

It is not a secret that you cater to the Muslim community in hopes of getting their votes. Yes, there are more of them, enough to get you re-elected. But, Mayor Chow, be careful. These people are NOT all your friends. The radical Muslims will give you their vote in exchange for the freedom to wreak havoc. How do you not see this?! These are people who burn the Canadian flag when they assemble. The hate that begins with the Jews does not end with the Jews.

You never miss an opportunity to preach against Islamophobia and to bring it up in speeches whenever antisemitism is mentioned. Do you not see the vast difference between the two? Have you ever noticed that antisemitism is Jew-hatred while Islamophobia is a phobia, a fear. This fear is justified, and you apparently do not understand your role in creating the environment that fuels this fear. You ignore the fact that Muslims commit most of the attacks on Jews, while Toronto's Jews rarely engage in anti-Muslim incidents. Are they afraid of us? Absolutely not. Are we afraid of them? 100%. And they know it and thrive on this.

Are you aware that, since October 7th, most Jewish events do not publicize their locations until a day or two before the event, and even then, the location is revealed only to ticket-holders? We in Toronto are used to that and don't even think twice about it. My family in America was incredulous when they heard that we live this way. They are right, Mayor Chow! There is something VERY WRONG with this picture!

A lot of damage has been done, and I pray that there is still time to right the ship that is currently headed for disaster. It will be too late if you wait for people to be killed.

I ask you, before Toronto experiences a massacre like the one on Bondi Beach, to open your eyes. I beg you to see beyond your blatant antisemitism, just for once. Please, show the world that you know the difference between right and wrong, because until now, you have not. Do this for the good of your office, for the sake of your Jewish citizens, and for me, a new Canadian who loves this country and loves this city. Stop turning your back on the Jewish community in Toronto. Make it illegal to demonstrate unless your face is revealed. Keep the demonstrations out of our peaceful, residential neighbourhoods. Recognize the difference between free speech and incitement of violence. Listen to Councillor James Pasternak, MP Melissa Lantsman, MPP Michael Kerzner, and others who see the writing on the wall. Save this city.

With hope,

Aliza Spiro