Since October 7th of last year, the world has turned dark and dangerous in ways that harken back to 1930s Germany, right before the Holocaust extinguished the light of six million Jewish souls. Some will no doubt scoff at this idea and the “never again” hashtag.
However, over and over again, Hamas has promised that they will not stop with the butchering of 1,200 Israeli residents, including eight Canadians, and instead pursue their agenda of martyrdom until they wipe the Jewish people and the state of Israel from the face of the Earth. Such is the depth of evil that fuels the existential threat that confronts Israel, every single day. However, that hatred is not only being felt within Israel.
Over the last ten months, Jews in Canada have been subjected to a relentless barrage of attacks. Day schools, synagogues, businesses, community centres, Holocaust museums, and hospitals have all been targeted, including in the ridings we represent. Canadian citizens who are Jews have been targeted with gun violence, Molotov cocktails, bomb threats, assaults, and death threats.
Just this week, Anthony was targeted by antisemites who put up posters featuring swastikas in the streets of Montreal, comparing Jewish contributions to Canada to those of the Nazis to Germany. The signs said Zionists were not wanted here and Anthony, a Jew, should get out of the country. A country, by the way, that he was born in and his family has lived in since the 19th century.
My family has been here since the 19th century and we have indeed helped build this country. I am not going anywhere. Sorry antisemites. You may not like what I have to say but I will keep saying it and I will keep being a proud Jew and a Zionist. pic.twitter.com/T1NLVRdFuz
— Anthony Housefather (@AHousefather) July 2, 2024
Yes, October 7th unleashed a tidal wave of Jewish hatred. Indeed, B’nai Brith’s annual audit on antisemitism reported 5,791 antisemitic incidents committed in 2023, more than double the year prior. Jews represent about one percent of the Canadian population. Just 390,000. But they are the group that, by far, suffers from the most hate crimes. Most Jewish Canadians do not feel safe, and they will not feel safe until laws are enforced and they see concrete action by all levels of government and support from broader civil society.