September 4, 2024
 
The terrible news coming out of Israel over the weekend hit me hard. The horrific stories of our hostages overwhelmed me with sadness, as evidenced by the tears streaming down my face. It seemed like the wind was knocked out of me as I tried to recenter and focus on the important weeks ahead. The collective pain and agony of the Jewish people on full display across mainstream and social media quickly turned into political posturing. Pro-Hamas demonstrations in cities around the world, including Montreal, were filled with the waving of Hamas flags and upside-down red triangles, reminding us of the true nature of the enemy we are facing.
 
In just over a month, we will be marking a full calendar year since Hamas launched its war on Israel and Jews around the world. We have witnessed the horrors resulting from generations of hate taught in UNRWA schools in Gaza as well as from decades of planning and seeding hate in liberal democracies. Unrelenting antisemitism has flared up on campuses and on streets across North America. And if this were our story in its entirety, one could only surmise that we are broken as a people.
 
But we are far from broken. Over the past 11 months, we have seen acts of incredible heroism and resilience in Israel and here at home. In the face of unprecedented antisemitism on our streets, we have seen firsthand a generation that refuses to be intimidated. We have seen greater engagement in Jewish life. Community members proudly wearing kippahs, “bring them home” dog tags and pins. We have witnessed university students stand up for what is just and right, fighting back against antisemitism on campus. Just a few days ago, students at Concordia University filed an injunction, demanding Concordia enforce their own policies to protect their Jewish and non-Jewish students from the toxic antisemitism and hate on campus.
 
And they are not alone. Last week, a group of prominent non-Jewish leaders wrote a brilliant Op-Ed in the Toronto Star entitled “Non-Jewish community leaders should stand up against antisemitism too”. We need many more voices like this to join our fight. A fight that is just and right and requires leadership. Leadership from governments, university administrations and all facets of society.
 
September is a time of renewal as we usher in the month of Elul in anticipation of Rosh Hashanah. It is a time when students return to school, with an expectation to be able to pursue their studies, free of intimidation and harassment. It is also a time when we launch our annual Combined Jewish Appeal® campaign. This year, we are asking our community to answer the call so that we can continue to support all the incredible programs and services we have been supporting for generations. We are also asking our community to do more, as we must invest significant resources to fight the toxic antisemitism that has spread in Montreal, all the while ensuring that our community members feel safe and secure to practice Jewish life, go to school and live proudly as Jews in our city.
 
Help us officially kick off our CJA24 campaign this coming Sunday with our March For Jerusalem, where thousands of community members will march together, culminating in a festival at Hampstead Park, featuring performances by Eden Golan, Montana Tucker, Jonny Daniels and many more.
 
The news of the barbaric execution of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Ori Danino, Eden Yerushalmi, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, and Carmel Gat z”l hit us hard. Our hope has been cracked. Cracked but not broken. It is through these cracks that more light shines through. Let us resolve to shine much more light through these dark days. Let us double down on being Jewish. Let us increase our Jewish engagement and treat one another with even more respect and dignity. Let us shine our light through the fragile cracks of society to make the world a better place, just as we have done for generations.
 
Last week, I had the opportunity to have coffee with a colleague of mine, the head of a Jewish federation south of the border. He was in Montreal settling his daughter as she begins her studies at McGill. During our “catch-up”, he asked me many questions about Monteal and our Jewish community. As I was rambling off statistics of engagement, fundraising, Jewish education and the like, he was astonished by Montreal and in awe of our community. Sometimes it takes talking to an “outsider” to realize how incredible and special our community is. There is no better Jewish community in North America and Federation CJA works tirelessly to keep it that way.
 
Let us pray for the safe return of our hostages; let us step into the month of September with resilience, inspiration and confidence; and let us keep shining our light brighter than ever. I look forward to seeing you on Sunday as we celebrate our connection to Israel and collective pride in our Jewish community.
 
Am Israel Chai!
 
Yair Szlak, LL.B
President and Chief Executive Officer,
Federation CJA
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