TO: Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police

FROM: Diana Ralph, Coordinator, Independent Jewish Voices (Canada)

We are writing, as Jews from across Canada, to urge you to reject B’nai Brith Canada’s Feb. 24 allegations that “university campuses…have become breeding grounds for promoting hatred against Jewish Students.” First of all, it is important to clarify what is, and what is not anti-Semitism. Anti-Semitism refers to prejudice and discrimination against Jews and aspersions against Judaism as a religion. It is NOT anti-Semitic to responsibly raise concerns about oppressive policies of Israel (even though Israel advocates attempt to characterize criticism of Israel as “the new anti-Semitism).

B’nai Brith’s Feb. 24 press release should be understood in the context of the organization’s current uncritical support for Israel, and its previous attempts to characterize any criticism of Israel as hate crimes against Jews. Five years ago, B’nai Brith VP, Frank Dimant introduced a resolution to forge an alliance between B’nai Brith and the Christian evangelical right in Canada and later expelled 8 dissenting members. Since then, B’nai Brith has completely abandoned its human rights function, and focuses instead solely on attacking anyone critical of Israel, making it similar to the U.S. Anti-Defamation League. ¹

To counter popular outrage against Israel’s massacre of over 1,300 people in Gaza last month, B’nai Brith launched a campaign to characterize Gaza solidarity events as anti-Semitic. On February 12, B’nai Brith issued a press release claiming that Jewish students were being harassed at a Gaza solidarity rally at York University. ² However, You-tube evidence shows that the pro-Israel students provocatively marched into the middle of the York University Gaza Solidarity Rally, that insults were thrown on both sides, and that it was not the Jewishness of the Jews which was being attacked, but their uncritical support of Israel ³ . B’nai Brith placed a full page advertisement in the Feb. 14 National Post urging university presidents to ban Israeli Apartheid Week (which will focus this year on protesting Israel’s Gaza assault).

There is no credibility to B’nai Brith’s allegations that Canadian campuses “have become breeding grounds for promoting hatred against Jewish students.”

Independent Jewish Voices (Canada) represents Jews from across Canada who have in common a strong commitment to social justice and universal human rights. We would be glad to meet with you to offer a Jewish alternative to that of B’nai Brith and other Israel Lobby organizations.