Community Update

December 19, 2024

“Jewish students have demonstrated immense resilience as they find themselves on the front lines of an existential battle on campus. Our Federation CJA On Campus Team has been there every step of the way, to support and empower them. And our work has paid dividends. Our students are standing up for themselves, countering misinformation and fighting back against abuse of podium, intimidation and hate from masked protesters." – Yair Szlak, LL.B, President & Chief Executive Officer, Federation CJA

As the Fall 2024 semester comes to a close, we reflect on what has been a challenging few months across our Montreal public and non-Jewish private day schools, CEGEP and university campuses.

A total of 126 incidents of antisemitic and hateful behaviour on campus were reported this past semester alone, a staggering 87.5% increase over last year’s monthly incident rate. As a result, Jewish students continued to feel unsafe and pressured to hide their identity.

Thanks to your steadfast support, not only was the team ready to take swift and decisive action on campuses, but we have been hard at work, equipping Jewish students with the strength and confidence to overcome these challenges. It’s all part of our multipronged approach centered on advocacy, safety, empowerment, unity and coalition-building. So that we can ultimately build resilience in our students, to show up, speak up, and stand up to hate on campus.

Here are just some of the many successes we have seen on campus this semester:

ADVOCACY AND ISRAEL EDUCATION

Students’ Actions Lead to Ousting of Second Cup Franchisee

Federation CJA and Hillel Montreal made international headlines and helped spark concrete action. This video, shared on our Hillel Montreal Instagram page, shows the now infamous franchisee of the Second Cup at the Jewish General Hospital openly threatening Jewish students at Concordia by performing a Nazi salute and calling for the “Final Solution.” The video went viral, allowing for the woman to be identified and ultimately having her franchisee agreement terminated.

An individual associated with a Vanier College student anonymous submission account has also just been arrested after posting threatening comments against Jews online including calls for Zionists to be “put in gas chambers,” “Hitler was right,” and claims that supporters of Israel “love blood.” This development follows collaboration with our campus partners, including Hillel, and a brave student who brought the offensive and likely criminal content to police attention.

Parents Take Action, Too, at Public & Non-Jewish Private Schools

In collaboration with CIJA this fall, we ran two webinars directed at parents of students at public and non-Jewish private schools. The sessions outlined how to navigate relationships with schools amidst rising antisemitism and outlined how parents can file a complaint.

At Collège Sainte-Anne, parents indeed took action by identifying a concerning academic program being planned at the school that offered a one-sided view of the antisemitic terror attacks of October 7th. By reporting the program via our incident report form, we were able to support parents in drafting a formal complaint to then send to school administration. The school director, in turn, reframed the session to ensure balanced content and pledged to consult with the Jewish community in adopting a curriculum that acknowledges the Jewish connection to Israel, Israel's right to exist, and a fair account of the Middle East conflict.

The outcome reinforces the critical role students and parents can play by reporting hateful incidents on campus to Federation CJA.

REPORT AN INCIDENT

We’re Changing the Narrative on Campus

We welcomed Emmanuel Trau to serve as our first-ever Shaliach Hasbara as well as Ronen Nazarov, our new Jewish Agency for Israel Fellow (JAFI) on campus.

With Jewish students connecting more and more with the other side, instilling Jewish pride and resilience in our students is all the more imperative. Emmanuel and Ronen are helping us eliminate any doubts as to who they are, by educating students about Israel and deepening convictions about the Jewish narrative. They are also helping promote the beauty of Israeli culture, through special programming on campus.

Supporting Students in their Legal Action

Only students have the standing on campus to make their voices heard. That’s why our campus advocacy team, led by Federation CJA’s Director of Campus & Advocacy Judy Kremer, is there to guide and support our courageous students who initiate legal action.

At Concordia, student groups Hillel Concordia, StartUp Nation and individual Concordia students sought an injunction, calling on the school’s administration to enforce their own policies and protect its students.

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Quebec’s Higher Education Ministry to Investigate Campus Climate

Amidst ongoing protests and a growing number of students sharing they feel unsafe on campus, Quebec’s Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry has ordered an investigation be conducted..

The investigation, initiated thanks to Federation CJA and CIJA’s ongoing advocacy, will help determine whether Dawson and Vanier Colleges “have taken all measures at their disposal to ensure the physical and psychological safety of students,” rights Déry qualifies as “non-negotiable.”

Students play a critical role in filing reports with their schools to address these issues. For step-by-step instructions on how to file complaints, broken down by campus, refer to our Student Resource Guide.

Parent/Student Briefings Held in Advance of Dawson College Strike Days

The night prior to the first scheduled vote to strike, we held a briefing for parents and students at Dawson College. 135 student leaders, parents and external legal consultants were on the call, as we mobilized students. An emergency Zoom call followed, led by Federation CJA and CIJA, bringing together security professionals, advocacy and community experts to answer many students and parents’ concerns and questions regarding the strike. We also helped circulate a student-driven petition denouncing the Dawson administration’s decision to pre-emptively close Dawson campus due to the strike. The petition, which ultimately garnered over 2,200 signatures, also condemned Dawson’s lack of leadership and called on school administrators to acknowledge their mishandling of the situation.

"As a Dawson Jewish student leader, I could not be prouder of what we accomplished: in spite of all the discrimination and harassment Dawson Jewish students experienced this year, we never gave up, we never lost hope." – Allan Hoffman, Dawson Jewish Student Association co-president and graduate of Federation CJA’s B’Yachad Advocacy Fellowship.

Fostering a United Front Against Hate: “Survived to Tell”

This fall, Federation CJA and Hillel Montreal had the privilege of hosting the “Survived to Tell” virtual reality project, presented by israel.is.you, making Montreal the first city in Canada to experience this powerful initiative.

The immersive experience shared the stories of five survivors of October 7th, including Remo Alhuziyel, a Muslim-Israeli-Bedouin police officer who heroically saved over 200 people during the Nova festival attack. Remo spoke directly to Arab-speaking students at Concordia University, engendering a deeply emotional connection for both Jewish and non-Jewish students, fostering understanding and unity within our community. At least two students, so jarred by what they’d seen, removed their political apparel. One even took off her Keffiyeh and began crying, while another took off his student strike pins and scarf, placing them in his bag after a meaningful and emotional conversation.

WATCH

LEADERSHIP

Federation CJA Sent Campus Delegation to General Assembly in Washington, D.C.

The General Assembly brought together Jewish professionals and leaders from 148 federations across North America to Washington, D.C. last month. Federation CJA was the only community with the foresight to bring 21 CEGEP and university students to the conference, further delivering on our promise to build the next generation of proud, resilient, and empowered Jews.

The event focused on addressing pressing challenges, including the rise of global antisemitism and the ongoing wars in Israel. Over three days, participants engaged in critical discussions, advocated for stronger protections for Jewish communities, and explored strategies to empower the next generation of Jewish leaders.

“The students came back uplifted, hopeful and equipped with the tools to make a difference back home. Their feedback reassured me about the future of our community.” - Natana Shek, Chief Jewish Identity and Engagement Officer, Federation CJA.

WATCH

EMPOWERMENT AND RESILIENCE

We’re Bringing Students Together

Since July, Hillel Montreal has engaged over 600 CEGEP and university students through various programs. Such as our Hillel Welcome Soiree or our equally successful Froshashana party, as well as Shabbat dinners, both downtown and in the West Island.

The October 7th student-led unity vigil, made possible thanks to Federation CJA in collaboration with 20 promotional partners, saw over 1,000 stand united outside McGill’s Roddick Gates on Sherbrooke Street. The commemoration was held in memory of those who lost their lives in the October 7th attacks and in solidarity with those still being held hostage in Gaza.

“It has been a difficult semester. Despite it all, there are now 90 Jewish John Abbott students showing up at Hillel events, up 50 percent from last year. We’ve been a safe space for Jewish students on campus to freely express who they are. The Shabbat dinner was a perfect way to have our fall semester culminate!” - Kaia Shvarts, Hillel Co-President at John Abbott College

Federation CJA Launches Campus Initiative Micro-Grants

Federation CJA launched its first ever Campus Micro-Grants Initiative for young resilient Jews to combat antisemitism, celebrate Jewish life, and support Israel. The initiative received three times the expected number of applications, demonstrating the enthusiasm and leadership of young Jewish students across campuses. A total of 20 grantees received funding, which will support initiatives on a wide range of campuses, including McGill, Concordia, L’Université de Montréal, l'Université Laval, Marianopolis, and off-campus projects.

Hillel Lev Fellows Program: Empowering Jewish Student Leaders

The Hillel Lev Fellows Program has officially launched, kicking off with an inspiring first meeting! This program is dedicated to engaging CEGEP and university students with leadership potential in strengthening Jewish life on campus.

With ongoing support through weekly check-ins and cohort meetings, the Lev Fellows are set to make a lasting impact on campus communities. This program, powered by Federation CJA and generously funded by the Azrieli Foundation, empowers students to lead with purpose and creativity.

Inspiring Guest Speakers Empower Students on Campus

Over the course of the semester, students heard from a wide range of compelling speakers, such as Loay Alshareef, Mosab Hassan Yousef (Son of Hamas), Michal Cotler-Wunsh, EndJewHatred’s Alexandra Louise Smith, Natan Sharansky and Hillel Neuer, Executive Director of UN Watch. These discussions opened up meaningful conversations across campuses.

“Students left feeling inspired and empowered to speak up for what is right. Moreover, they had the opportunity to engage directly with speakers like Hillel Neuer, one of the leading voices in the fight for human rights. He emphasized the importance of Jewish student leadership in confronting these challenges and shaping a safer, more inclusive environment.” – Judy Kremer, Director, Campus & Advocacy, Federation CJA

We’re Supporting Faculty As Well

Our Montreal Academic Network Against Antisemitism (MANAA) is serving as the eyes and ears of the academic community, providing mentorship, building community, and better supporting students in navigating any challenge on campus. The 160 members that make up MANAA are combatting repeated instances of abuse of podium and abuse of platform on campus through ongoing dialogue and meetings with CEGEP and university administrators.

While students enjoy a well-deserved holiday break, we remain hard at work preparing for what may lie ahead during the Winter 2025 semester. Our focus remains on uniting, empowering and building resilience amongst our students as they navigate challenge after challenge on campus.

You have been invaluable in this effort, and we are deeply grateful for your continued support. With your help, we will continue working towards a more inclusive and supportive campus community for all.

We wish students, faculty and their families a joyful and restful winter break—take time to breathe, recharge, and celebrate!

Warm regards,

Yair Szlak, LL.B

President and Chief Executive Officer,

Federation CJA

Talmud Torah Students Inspiring Next Generation of Jewish Philanthropists

Levana and Ellie raised nearly $1,000 thanks to their lemonade stand, which they proudly brought to Federation CJA in a large jar, along with their mother Eva Derhy. A member of Federation CJA’s Ora Collective who also recently joined Montreal’s Lion of Judah cohort, Derhy was proud to see her daughters engage in philanthropy at such a young age in what proved to be a full-circle moment for her.

ADVOCACY AND ISRAEL EDUCATION

LEADERSHIP

EMPOWERMENT AND RESILIENCE