Chanukah celebrates the bravery, freedom, resilience and victory of the Jewish people.
CAEF wishes good health and a safe year to all our readers, supporters, friends and family.
May Israel soon achieve victory over its enemy Hamas, and may the brave IDF and resilient Israelis secure a bright future, with all the hostages freed and lasting peace in the Middle East.
As the year draws to an end, and we make plans for 2024, please donate to CAEF as we challenge antiZionism and Jew hatred in all its forms.
The attack of October 7th that was on Israeli soil, was an attack on all of Western civilization and liberal values, an assault beyond comprehension in its barbarism and destruction.
THIS CHANUKAH, WE SEND PRAYERS TO ALL WHOSE LIVES WERE CRUSHED AND ALL WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO OVERCOME THE PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL PAIN OF THIS TRAGEDY.
We ask everyone to keep the hostages in your minds and Israel in your hearts.
CAEF and Others Happy to Greet the Lapidot Family
Members of the Toronto Jewish community warmly greeted the 12 members of the Lapidot family who travelled from Israel to share their story, their strength and love, after having lost their beautiful 23-year-old Tiferet. CAEF members were privileged to meet with the family for a private dessert reception at which the family members spoke of their “sunshine” and what their loss means, and the suffering they have endured after Hamas’s cruelty. Despite that, their love of Israel and the Jewish people helped them bring hope and assurance to our own community that Israel will win, that Israel lives.
(See photo of the arrival of the family and the greeting group, and below at the Ottawa rally at which Tiferet’s uncle spoke.)
Ottawa Rally for Israel
An amazing turnout, estimated to be 15,000 Jews and allies, gathered on Parliament Hill, December 4th to support Israel, demand release of the hostages, and condemn antisemitism at home and globally. Organized by UJA-CIJA, the program was well publicized, wonderfully well organized and had a cast of inspiring speakers.
Live streaming spanned the country so the expansive support for Israel and the Jewish people was palpable. Cooperation and contribution from so many organizations and ethno-specific communities was tremendous. We must keep this up in the months and years ahead.
Watch the full recording here:
Norman Finklestein Protest
On December 5th, Canadians Supporting Israel, with assistance from CAEF, stood outside the Toronto Public Reference Library to protest the presence of Norm Finkelstein, notorious betrayer of Jewish values and of Israel. On October 7th, Finkelstein posted a hideous message of solidarity with Hamas:
“If we honor John Brown’s armed resistance to slavery; if we honor the Jews who revolted in the Warsaw Ghetto — then moral consistency commands that we honor the heroic resistance in Gaza. I, for one, will never begrudge — on the contrary, it warms every fiber of my soul — the scenes of Gaza’s smiling children as their arrogant Jewish supremacist oppressors have, finally, been humbled,” (on his Substack.)
Toronto City Councillor James Pasternak wrote an open letter to the City Librarian, Vickery Bowles, asking that she cancel the event that was on tax-funded property. Needless to say, she did not respond favourably despite facts showing that Finkelstein trivializes the Holocaust claiming it is an industry for the Jews, justification for the state of Israel, which he equates with Jewish supremacy conspiracy theories.
Upcoming Event
Recommended Reading and Viewing
Read article in CJN about the bus company that chose not to show up for the rally.
Read OpEd by Joe Oliver former Minister of Finance in Conservative government, in the National Post.
Watch Lucy Aharish, the first Muslim Arabic TV anchor on Israeli tv.
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