The World is Silent About Violation of Jewish Girls and Women
Canadian Voices Supporting Israel letter to Women’s Shelters, Sexual Assault Centres and Women’s Studies Departments at Canadian universities, written and read by Andria Spindel, Executive Director, CAEF at Havdallah service on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, November 25, 2023 (Canadian Voices Supporing Israel is a loose coalition of individuals committed to standing up for Israel and countering lies).
A new petition has been launched targeting the silence of UN women on the atrocities committed against the women of Israel during and after the Hamas attack on October 7. #MeToo_Unless_Ur_A_Jew is a grassroots global campaign. When it comes to being a “global champion for gender equality” and raising awareness of human rights violations against women, it is very clear that for UN Women, and the UN as a whole, Jews simply do not count. Click on the graphic below to sign the petition today.
The Hamas sexual pogrom and the deafening silence of the world’s feminist movements
Where is the outrage from Save the Children or UNICEF when underage girls are savagely raped in front of their mothers by sadistic Hamas terrorists?
Read article on Hamas sexual pogrom and the world’s silence, by Nitsana Darshan-Leitner, President of Shurat HaDin, (Israel Law Center).
Recommendations Shared with MPPs
On behalf of CAEF, on November 24, 2023, Charles Cooke, Anita Bromberg,Andria Spindel and Michael Teper met with the Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, MPP for York Centre and Laura Smith MPP for Thornhill. The two expressed solid support for Israel and outlined the various ways the current Conservative government and individual MPPs have spoken up and shown their staunch support for Israel and the Jewish community.
The delegation presented specific legislative requests to the Minister to combat antisemitism in primary and secondary schools and to protect religious institutions.
CAEF asked that institutions such as community centers and schools be protected in new legislation modelled after the existing Protecting Women’s Access to Abortion Services Act and, in particular, Sections 3-8. This Act provides for safe zones around abortion clinics of between 50-150 metres where women accessing a clinic cannot be harassed, hindered or interfered with in exercising their access to abortion services.
The Act creates offences for which police can exercise their power of arrest. CAEF would like new legislation enacted to provide the same protections to Jewish schools and synagogues and businesses.
It was noted that such new legislation could serve other communities as well.
Multi-faith Prayer Service Done with Grace
CAEF sends special appreciation to the Grace Life Centre and organizer par excellence, Molly Banerjie, for having a multi-faith prayer service on November 26 for Israel, the Israeli and foreign nationals being held hostage in Gaza, for innocent civilians in Gaza, for Christians who are also being persecuted by Hamas, and for Canada. CAEF was a grateful sponsor of the evening, along with BINA, the B’nai Israel congregation in Toronto, and no fewer than 8 other Christian Zionist congregations.
The program of music and prayer, with messages of inspiration from Rabbi Tina Grimberg and Pastors from several churches including Pastor Teck Uy, of Grace Life, amplified the message that Jews are not alone. That we have tremendous friends in the Christian Zionist community is powerful support which must be acknowledged and expanded.
Cantor Beny Maissner, assisted by Judith Weinroth (VP, CAEF) reading English translations, and Howard Kamen both sang beautiful Hebrew prayers and songs of both pain and praise to the audience of Christians and Jews.
Deputy Consul General of Israel for Ontario and Western Canada, Shani Azulai also acknowledged the importance of having Christian allies and spoke of the pain that people in Israel are experiencing and the goal of eradicating evil that, along with rescuing all hostages, is all-important.
See photos from the evening:
Hear Message from Bassam Eid, Sponsored by Allied Voices for Israel (AVI)
People packed the room at a private reception with Bassam Eid, Palestinian peace activist, human rights expert, political analyst, and journalist on November 26th, an outspoken critic of Hamas, and realist on options for Israel. In his presentation, Eid notes that aid going into Gaza will end up with Hamas, the UN is out of touch, creating conflicts not solving them. He asserted that Iran has outsized influence on Gaza and that there is no pressure being put on Hamas to cease the war, but the international community is pressuring Israel.
A Witness to the Atrocities of October 7th Reports
Majed El Shafie is that unique individual that Jews refer to as a “mensch” meaning a decent man, a kind, compassionate human being, someone who is concerned with things outside of himself. Majed is an Egyptian-raised Muslim who suffered severe persecution in Egypt and fled on jet skis to Israel many years ago. On arrival, he was arrested and for 2 years he battled with authorities to let him stay. He stayed, converted to Christianity, confirmed his belief in the rightness and righteousness of the Zionist entity, and eventually made his way to Canada where he founded One Free World International (OFWI), a leading human rights organization based in Toronto.
On November 28th, at an event hosted by the Israel Consulate for Ontario and Western Canada, Al-Shafi released his independent findings of Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel last month in a report entitled, Anatomy of an Attack: The Truth Behind October 7th. This report is the culmination of the fact-finding trip to Israel by OFWI’s President and Founder, Majed El Shafie and a film crew who traveled along the border with Gaza.
Besides presenting a written report, OFWI shared the trailer to his film, Dying To Live - The October 7th Massacre, which you can watch below. The full documentary will be released after he completes a section with more interviews.
Voice of Son of Hamas Founder in Toronto
On short notice, and with incredible will and determination, a small group of Israel defenders organized an amazing program on November 29th with 5 Muslim speakers, attended by over 500 people.
Mosab Hassan Yusef, son of one of the founders of Hamas, has for two decades been warning of the dangers and fundamentalist Islamist ideology behind Hamas, its charter and intent to destroy Israel and all Jews, its savagery, mistreatment of Arabs in Gaza and brutality at all levels of the society it pitilessly “governs.”
On October 7th, Mosab Yusef again came out of his personal comfort zone, his quiet life in the US, to both defend Israel in the war against this evil, and to warn all in Western society of the potential harm that awaits if Hamas is not destroyed. He presented personal experiences and explained that Gazan civilians suffer, not because of Israel but because of the leaders of Hamas, including his father, whom he hopes Israel would kill. He literally apologized for having saved his father’s life in the past.
A panel moderated by Raheel Raza, a Pakistani Canadian, founder and President of Muslims Facing Tomorrow, featured MPP Goldi Ghamari, an Iranian dissident, and Chair of the Ontario Standing Committee on Justice Policy; Assad Sam Hanna, a Syrian American and member of the US armed forces, and anti-terrorist consultant; and Bassam Eid, Arab Israeli and founder of the Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group, and a political analyst living in Jerusalem. The panel agreed that the greatest danger facing the west, Islamist extremism, is being funded by Iran, and all countries need put the IRGC on their terrorist list. Additionally, they spoke of the harm being done in their home countries against the civilian populations by their own leaders who are Islamists, all wanting to destroy Israel.
Watch video of Mosab Hassan Yusef's presentation from the night before when he presented a similar talk to the University of Michigan:
Action Initiatives to Support
McMaster Petition
McMaster University is sanctioning Jewish students and staff while condoning an antisemitic faculty member, Ghada Sasa, who organized the antisemitic protests in Toronto that targeted the Miles Nadal JCC, Jewish MPs, and the owners and patrons of Cafe Landwer and Aroma. With thousands of followers on Twitter, Ghada Sasa also claims that Israel, not Hamas, killed Israeli festival-goers on October 7th.
A double standard exists. McMaster is sanctioning Jews while condoning incitement of antisemitism by McMaster staff. We must act! Please sign this petition and pass it on.
Moncton City Reverses Discriminatory Ban on Chanukah Menorah Outside City Hall
Annual civic Menorah banned by Moncton City created a furor. Read the National Post article:
Just today, the City of Moncton reversed its decision, showing the power of collective civic action in making a difference following a nationwide petition.
Recommended Readings/Viewings
Read Jerry Grafstein in The National Post: Dear Justin Trudeau, rampant antisemitism on your watch is shameful
Read article in Tablet Magazine, on world silence about Hamas killing Palestinian Arab Children, published in 2014. Did anyone on the world stage take notice?
Read Wall Street Journal article on the threat of a post Hamas Palestinian State
Read Toronto Star article by George Monastiriakos, that states Israel will never apologize for being more powerful than its enemies
Daniel Gordis in the Times of Israel, writes about his awakening and leaving conservative Judaism
Caroline Glick in JNS.org asks, What do the Palestinians Want?
Watch pro-Israel “protest” and “pro-Palestinian” protest
Read Times of Israel, What US Education Dept is doing about campus antisemitism
Read new poll conducted by the Arab World for Research and Development(AWRAD) among Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip and Judea and Samaria, in an article published by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, on Palestinian support for terror, rejecting peace.
Read article in Wall Street Journal by Leon R. Kass, on Why the Jewish Way of Living Matters
Read Ben Shapiro in an article in the Jewish Press by Alan Zeitlin asserts that everyone must take part in the media battle
Read about the Lionesses of the Desert: Inside Israel's all-female tank unit taking on Hamas terrorists - and led by British captain, 20, who says her role is 'a dream come true'
Hamas doesn’t distinguish its victims by nationality or faith
On October 7 it killed indiscriminately, including foreign nationals and Muslims in Israel. Watch the heartfelt story of an Arab Israeli whose wife was murdered by the terrorists.
New resources to help Israel and to fight Antisemitism
The American Jewish Committee (AJC) has a new resource to help one learn the tropes and understand how they are used against Jews and the State of Israel. Share them. Fight back with Truth. Quoting AJC, “Since Hamas terrorists viciously attacked Israel, we are seeing in real-time new antisemitic terms emerging and old tropes morphing, all to cast blame on the Jewish people and the Jewish state for society’s problems. AJC’s Translate Hate glossary has been used, cited, and downloaded millions of times by reporters, members of law enforcement, government officials, educators, and all sectors of society since it was established in 2019.” Access glossary here
Make a Difference Foundation, founded in Arizona, provides safety kits to IDF
Taksik Antisemitism Guild, is a new Canadian entity, offering firearms safety training, that states its unwavering commitment to fight antisemitism globally.
It's Not Antisemitism, a poem by Debbi Rose
Decrying the death of Palestinian babies, toddlers and teenagers is not antisemitic Ignoring Israeli babies burnt in ovens, 1400 people raped, beheaded, massacred… is antisemitic Caring about the end of hatred is not antisemitic Ignoring that Palestinian children are taught Jew hatred in schools and in mosques… is antisemitic Decrying the suffering of Palestinians is not antisemitic Ignoring that they suffer at the hands of their leadership and that they are treated inhumanely by surrounding Arab nations… is antisemitic
From our Friends at Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Centre
Shared on November 23, 2023: "The targeting of Jewish institutions, whether with a Molotov cocktail or hate graffiti, is vile antisemitism, plain and simple," said FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt. "Since Oct. 7, there has been an overwhelming spike in Jewish institutions being targeted and people of all ages reporting incidents of antisemitism, whether in their places of learning, in workplaces, online or on city streets. Jewish Canadians are losing their sense of safety, as they continue to experience hatred, threats of violence and incitement running rampant.
"Our leaders – in government, law enforcement, universities, schools and all institutions – must call it out and take any and all necessary measures to ensure the safety of the Jewish community, before it’s too late and someone gets seriously hurt or worse. What message does it send to Jews in Canada when instead of utter outrage, these incidents are met with apathy, acceptance or even silence?"
UK Friends publish October Declaration
We are a group of concerned British citizens and residents from a wide range of backgrounds and professions who stand in solidarity with British Jews and condemn all forms of antisemitism, whether in Britain or elsewhere.
We unequivocally condemn all acts of terrorism against civilians in Israel, especially the massacre on 7 October 2023.
Advocacy and Action
CAEF letter to Vickery Bowles, City Librarian, Toronto Public Library, Nov. 27, 2023 about hosting anti-Zionist, Norman Finkelstein. Read her response and CAEF follow-up.
“The Canadian town Hampstead is fining every person who tears down a hostage poster $1,000 (CAD) and $2,000 (CAD) for a repeat offender,” as reported by World Israel News. Please advise CAEF if you try to get similar support in other municipalities. Read story here.
CAEF is sharing a petition signed by many who objected to the Pro-Palestinian protest that disrupted this year’s Giller Prize presentation. It is a closed petition now but we need note that terrorist supporters, in pretext of supporting rights for Palestinian Arabs, have recently become very emboldened, disrupting events, blocking roads, crashing public meetings, and demanding everyone condemn Israel while ignoring the savage massacre of 1300+ people in Israel and that Hamas is a listed terrorist organization. Read the letter and see signatories.
Watch video to see experiences of prejudice that affect both Jewish and Hindu communities as we at CAEF and others build interfaith alliances.
Letter from Larry Shapiro to Washington Post, re sympathy for Gazan babies but not for Jewish babies
An Action Idea
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