Al-Quds Day rally this week…
HAVE YOU BEEN FOLLOWING THE HATE RALLIES IN TORONTO?
Another Al-Quds Day hate-fest is set for this weekend in Toronto, at the end of Ramadan. It will be Saturday April 30th, at 361 University Ave, the location of a courthouse on land owned by the Government of Ontario. As reported by several organizations, the rally on April 24th called for the murder of Israelis and was an incitement for harm against Jews locally. Many organizations expressed horror and disgust. CAEF sent a letter to Mayor Tory and Councillors, which you can read here.
We can each do something to try and forestall this incitement to violence event. Every individual action matters.
There are 3 things that YOU can do:
Write an email letter to your member(s) of parliament (your own MP is most important).
Phone your member(s) of parliament
Visit your MP, MPP or Councillor – make an appointment to further the discussion.
In Canada, we elect officials to look after everyone’s security. It is important to contact all levels of government. Prime Minister Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug
Ford, and Toronto Mayor John Tory of Toronto have all made statements opposing antisemitism and the two senior levels of government adopted the IHRA definition of antisemitism. They now need to act on these policy commitments.
If you do not live in Canada, please write to our Prime Minister and Ontario Premier (email addresses below) stating that Canada must not allow such hatred and violence to be promoted on our streets and on government property. This is especially so, given that Canada is a signatory to the IHRA working definition of antisemitism and hosted a National Summit on Antisemitism at which the Prime Minister declared his commitment to act on this plague of hatred.
“Hatred in our streets”! Read the summary report by Brian Lilley in the Toronto Sun on Sunday’s hate fest. Read article.
“Al Quds Day is antithetical to Islam” Read article by Raheel Raza, President of Muslims Facing Tomorrow, in the National Post, April 27, 2022, in which she states that, “…Ramadan is about…renewal of our ethics and morals…” and not what she and others observed in past Al-Quds Day rallies, “…nothing but ‘undiluted hate’ from speaker after speaker”.
EMAIL ADDRESSES AND SAMPLE LETTER...
We need strong, powerful, and brief letters, AND be polite – try to put the points in your own words! Include your name, address including postal code, this identifies the constituency in which you live! Letters should be brief so read the material and sample letter and choose the points you want to make.
You may reference information from the articles above and below.
WHERE TO SEND LETTERS – EMAIL ADDRESSES
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pm@pm.gc.ca | Phone: 1 613 995 0253 | Twitter: @CanadianPM
Premier Doug Ford Premier@ontario.ca
Mayor John Tory mayor_tory@toronto.ca
A large number of letters can make a difference. Please send a blind copy to: sahaber@gmail.com
SAMPLE LETTER: (use your own words or copy this letter.)
Dear…,
I am very concerned about the Al Quds Day rally organized to challenge Israel’s right to exist and to deny Jerusalem’s connection to Jewish history. This rally will be in Toronto, April 30th at the end of Ramadan.
In previous years, Al Quds Day rallies have incited hatred and violence against Jews and Israel, and this year’s event is expected to be even more destructive, pushing the theme of a Global Intifada, the call to kill Jews.
Your government and all Canadian governments have stated policies against inciting hatred and antisemitism, thus this event and all those building towards the call for a Nabka Day, which spreads lies, hatred, bigotry and calls to harm Jews everywhere, should not be permitted on public land nor supported by any government institutions, including the police.
As a Canadian citizen, I am counting on you, to stop this hate fest before it occurs, to take action that supports IHRA, to protect the Jewish community from such harassment, intimidation, threats and calls for violence. Recent statistics reported by B’nai Brith Canada confirm that Jews are the most targeted community in Canada, and it is true in the US as well where the Anti-Defamation League reported this week. The rise in antisemitism is greater each year; it must be stopped with action not just words.
I look forward to an immediate reply to my concerns.
Yours truly,
(Your name and complete address with postal code)
WRITING POINTS AND IMPORTANT INFORMATION
People who hate Jews and Israel and who incite their followers to violence against have been arranging hate-based events on public property over many months and are protected by the police, rather than stopped.
The Government of Canada held an emergency summit on antisemitism on July 21, 2021, led by Irwin Cotler, featuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who pledged antisemitism has no place in Canada and much would be done to root it out.
The speakers at the summit agreed that it is not just historical antisemitism that threatens Jews and our communities, but significantly it is anti-Israel propaganda that clearly crosses the line into modern or contemporary antisemitism.
This Jew Hatred is promulgated by Islamists, pro-Palestinian NGOs that are aligned with terrorist groups, funding and moral support from the Iranian regime, fanatic radical Imams and online sites that spout lies and bigotry.
Know the IHRA - International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance Antisemitism Working Definition of Antisemitism.
This definition was adopted by Canada in 2019 and includes several important principles that note how antiZionism is antisemitism.