Latest news with #AbrahamGlobalPeaceInitiative
National Post
02-06-2025
- General
- National Post
Canadian Jewish organizations condemn Colorado attack, call for action against antisemitism at home
In the wake of another antisemitic attack in the U.S., organizations representing the Canadian Jewish community condemned the incident and renewed their call for governments to take concrete steps to prevent more like it. Article content Article content On Sunday in Boulder, Col., eight people were injured, some with serious burns, when 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman allegedly used Molotov cocktails and an improvised flamethrower on a small group of people assembled to raise attention for the remaining 58 Israeli hostages in Gaza. Article content Article content Abraham Global Peace Initiative CEO and founder Avi Benlolo said he was saddened by the incident, but 'not surprised.' Article content It's the byproduct, he said, of demonstrators becoming 'much more hostile, much more desperate' in an effort to seek attention. And he thinks it's only going to escalate. Article content 'I think we're going to see more Colorados,' he told National Post Monday. Article content In a post to X, B'nai Brith Canada called it 'a cowardly act of hate filled violence' and suggested this and other recent antisemitic attacks 'are emblematic of what happens when radical extremism is allowed to flourish and when hatred is incited without consequence.' Article content B'nai Brith Canada stands in solidarity with the Jewish community in Boulder, Colorado. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack. Targeting a group that was peacefully gathered to call for the release of the hostages is a cowardly act of hate filled… — B'nai Brith Canada (@bnaibrithcanada) June 1, 2025 Article content Less than two weeks ago in Washington, D.C., two Israeli Embassy staff members — Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26 — were shot and killed by a gunman who later yelled 'Free Palestine' while being arrested. Article content Article content Hamas's infiltration of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 — during which 1,195 people were killed and 251 more were taken hostage — and the Israeli military's response have led to a wave of antisemitic attacks in Western countries, including Canada. Article content And while there haven't been any hate crimes resulting in the deaths of Jewish people in Canada, there has been a marked increase in other offences in the 19 months since hostilities began with the terrorist group in Gaza. In 2023, of the 1,284 hate crimes targeting a religion — a jump of 67 per cent from 2022 — 900 were against Jewish people, that's over 70 per cent of all hate crimes and a 71 per cent increase over the previous year, according to Statistics Canada police-reported hate crime data. Article content There were more than four times as many antisemitic hate crimes as the second-most targeted religious minority, Muslims. Article content In Toronto, antisemitic hate crime spiked 76 per cent in 2023 over the year prior, with almost 68 of the 146 occurring after October, per the Toronto Police public safety data portal. Article content That figure climbed 20.5 per cent in 2024 with 176 reported hate crimes targeting Jewish people, which represented 81 per cent of all religion bias hate offences. Article content That includes three shootings at Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School in North York — which was unoccupied at the time — and vandalism at the Kehillat Shaarei Torah synagogue, among other unpublicized incidents. Article content Article content In response to Sunday's events, Toronto police said Monday officers would continue to maintain a heightened presence around places of worship, community centres, schools and other faith-based locations as they have since the Washington attack. Article content Meanwhile, in Vancouver, police data from December 2022 to December 2023 showed a 62 per cent increase in antisemitism, while officials in Montreal accounted for 212 in the calendar year following Oct. 7, 131 of which were reported before January 2024, per The Canadian Jewish News. In March, the city's Congregation Beth Tikvah was hit with a firebomb just over a year after being damaged in a similar attack that included a fire at a nearby Federation CJA building.
Vancouver Sun
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Vancouver Sun
Canadian Jewish organizations condemn Colorado attack, call for action against antisemitism at home
In the wake of another antisemitic attack in the U.S., organizations representing the Canadian Jewish community condemned the incident and renewed their call for governments to take concrete steps to prevent more like it. On Sunday in Boulder, Col., eight people were injured, some with serious burns, when 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman allegedly used Molotov cocktails and an improvised flamethrower on a small group of people assembled to raise attention for the remaining 58 Israeli hostages in Gaza. He reportedly yelled 'Free Palestine' as he did so. Soliman has since been charged with federal hate crime and other charges, and the FBI is investigating it as an act of terrorism. Abraham Global Peace Initiative CEO and founder Avi Benlolo said he was saddened by the incident, but 'not surprised.' It's the byproduct, he said, of demonstrators becoming 'much more hostile, much more desperate' in an effort to seek attention. And he thinks it's only going to escalate. 'I think we're going to see more Colorados,' he told National Post Monday. In a post to X, B'nai Brith Canada called it 'a cowardly act of hate filled violence' and suggested this and other recent antisemitic attacks 'are emblematic of what happens when radical extremism is allowed to flourish and when hatred is incited without consequence.' B'nai Brith Canada stands in solidarity with the Jewish community in Boulder, Colorado. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack. Targeting a group that was peacefully gathered to call for the release of the hostages is a cowardly act of hate filled… Less than two weeks ago in Washington, D.C., two Israeli Embassy staff members — Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26 — were shot and killed by a gunman who later yelled 'Free Palestine' while being arrested. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Hamas's infiltration of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 — during which 1,195 people were killed and 251 more were taken hostage — and the Israeli military's response have led to a wave of antisemitic attacks in Western countries, including Canada. And while there haven't been any hate crimes resulting in the deaths of Jewish people in Canada, there has been a marked increase in other offences in the 19 months since hostilities began with the terrorist group in Gaza. In 2023, of the 1,284 hate crimes targeting a religion — a jump of 67 per cent from 2022 — 900 were against Jewish people, that's over 70 per cent of all hate crimes and a 71 per cent increase over the previous year, according to Statistics Canada police-reported hate crime data. There were more than four times as many antisemitic hate crimes as the second-most targeted religious minority, Muslims. In Toronto, antisemitic hate crime spiked 76 per cent in 2023 over the year prior, with almost 68 of the 146 occurring after October, per the Toronto Police public safety data portal. That figure climbed 20.5 per cent in 2024 with 176 reported hate crimes targeting Jewish people, which represented 81 per cent of all religion bias hate offences. That includes three shootings at Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School in North York — which was unoccupied at the time — and vandalism at the Kehillat Shaarei Torah synagogue , among other unpublicized incidents. In response to Sunday's events, Toronto police said Monday officers would continue to maintain a heightened presence around places of worship, community centres, schools and other faith-based locations as they have since the Washington attack. Meanwhile, in Vancouver, police data from December 2022 to December 2023 showed a 62 per cent increase in antisemitism , while officials in Montreal accounted for 212 in the calendar year following Oct. 7, 131 of which were reported before January 2024, per The Canadian Jewish News. In March, the city's Congregation Beth Tikvah was hit with a firebomb just over a year after being damaged in a similar attack that included a fire at a nearby Federation CJA building. Benlolo conceded the attacks on both sides of the border are adding to unease felt by Canadian Jews, but he said 'mobs of people' more radicalized than their southern counterparts partaking in extremist activism is a clear and present danger. 'If you're in Florida, as an example, you'll never see these kinds of rallies and obstruction of Jewish events. The authorities and, basically, the community just won't allow it,' he said, comparing the sometimes violent anti-Israel demonstrations to those seen in Germany before the Nazis rose to power. 'They are marching through Jewish neighbourhoods. They are obstructing Jewish businesses. They are trying to shut down events. They're calling venues and trying to shut them down. So, there is a complete and utter obstruction of daily life if you are a Jewish person. It feels like we're back in the 1930s.' He said Ottawa needs to start taking growing antisemitism more seriously as a threat within Canada. As it stands, he said Jewish people feel abandoned by the federal government. 'And that's been leading to us feeling now, and that feeling is growing, that there is tacit approval, particularly by this incoming government, that we haven't seen the condemnations that you would think, and the action taken that you would think,' Benlolo said. 'Sadly, it feels like a political decision by the government.' While Prime Minister Mark Carney has taken a critical stance on Israel's war efforts, he condemned the Washington shootings on X, at which time he also reiterated a campaign promise 'to introduce legislation to make it a criminal offence to intentionally and willfully obstruct access to any place of worship, schools, and community centres; and a criminal offence to willfully intimidate or threaten those attending services at these locations.' B'Nai Brith and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs also called for action in separate posts to X. 'We call upon Canadian leaders to confront the extremism and incitement compromising the vitality of our society and to take immediate action to ensure the well-being of all Canadians,' CJIA posted. 'Anti-Israel and anti-Jewish radicalization is a growing threat in North America that demands a forceful response from authorities,' B'Nai Brith wrote. 'We need decisive action to protect our community and all Canadians.' — With files from the Canadian Press and the Associated Press Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Edmonton Journal
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Edmonton Journal
Canadian Jewish organizations condemn Colorado attack, call for action against antisemitism at home
Article content In the wake of another antisemitic attack in the U.S., organizations representing the Canadian Jewish community condemned the incident and renewed their call for governments to take concrete steps to prevent more like it. On Sunday in Boulder, Col., eight people were injured, some with serious burns, when 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman allegedly used Molotov cocktails and an improvised flamethrower on a small group of people assembled to raise attention for the remaining 58 Israeli hostages in Gaza. He reportedly yelled 'Free Palestine' as he did so. Soliman has since been charged with federal hate crime and other charges, and the FBI is investigating it as an act of terrorism. Abraham Global Peace Initiative CEO and founder Avi Benlolo said he was saddened by the incident, but 'not surprised.' It's the byproduct, he said, of demonstrators becoming 'much more hostile, much more desperate' in an effort to seek attention. And he thinks it's only going to escalate. 'I think we're going to see more Colorados,' he told National Post Monday. In a post to X, B'nai Brith Canada called it 'a cowardly act of hate filled violence' and suggested this and other recent antisemitic attacks 'are emblematic of what happens when radical extremism is allowed to flourish and when hatred is incited without consequence.'
Calgary Herald
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Calgary Herald
Canadian Jewish organizations condemn Colorado attack, call for more action at home
In the wake of another antisemitic attack in the U.S., organizations representing the Canadian Jewish community condemned the incident and renewed their call for governments to take concrete steps to prevent more like it. Article content Article content On Sunday in Boulder, Col., eight people were injured, some with serious burns, when 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman allegedly used Molotov cocktails and an improvised flamethrower on a small group of people assembled to raise attention for the remaining 58 Israeli hostages in Gaza. Article content Article content Abraham Global Peace Initiative CEO and founder Avi Benlolo said he was saddened by the incident, but 'not surprised.' Article content It's the byproduct, he said, of demonstrators becoming 'much more hostile, much more desperate' in an effort to seek attention. And he thinks it's only going to escalate. Article content 'I think we're going to see more Colorados,' he told National Post Monday. Article content In a post to X, B'nai Brith Canada called it 'a cowardly act of hate filled violence' and suggested this and other recent antisemitic attacks 'are emblematic of what happens when radical extremism is allowed to flourish and when hatred is incited without consequence.' Article content B'nai Brith Canada stands in solidarity with the Jewish community in Boulder, Colorado. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack. Targeting a group that was peacefully gathered to call for the release of the hostages is a cowardly act of hate filled… — B'nai Brith Canada (@bnaibrithcanada) June 1, 2025 Article content Less than two weeks ago in Washington, D.C., two Israeli Embassy staff members — Yaron Lischinsky, 30, and Sarah Milgrim, 26 — were shot and killed by a gunman who later yelled 'Free Palestine' while being arrested. Article content Article content Hamas's infiltration of Israel on Oct. 7, 2023 — during which 1,195 people were killed and 251 more were taken hostage — and the Israeli military's response have led to a wave of antisemitic attacks in Western countries, including Canada. Article content And while there haven't been any hate crimes resulting in the deaths of Jewish people in Canada, there has been a marked increase in other offences in the 19 months since hostilities began with the terrorist group in Gaza. In 2023, of the 1,284 hate crimes targeting a religion — a jump of 67 per cent from 2022 — 900 were against Jewish people, that's over 70 per cent of all hate crimes and a 71 per cent increase over the previous year, according to Statistics Canada police-reported hate crime data. Article content Article content There were more than four times as many antisemitic hate crimes as the second-most targeted religious minority, Muslims. Article content In Toronto, antisemitic hate crime spiked 76 per cent in 2023 over the year prior, with almost 68 of the 146 occurring after October, per the Toronto Police public safety data portal. Article content That figure climbed 20.5 per cent in 2024 with 176 reported hate crimes targeting Jewish people, which represented 81 per cent of all religion bias hate offences. Article content That includes three shootings at Bais Chaya Mushka Elementary School in North York — which was unoccupied at the time — and vandalism at the Kehillat Shaarei Torah synagogue, among other unpublicized incidents. Article content Article content In response to Sunday's events, Toronto police said Monday officers would continue to maintain a heightened presence around places of worship, community centres, schools and other faith-based locations as they have since the Washington attack.
National Post
30-05-2025
- General
- National Post
Avi Benlolo: The Jewish community is under attack — will you stand with us?
Article content This past week, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative hosted a powerful and inspiring gala at Toronto's historic Casa Loma. The keynote speaker, former Israeli UN Ambassador Gilad Erdan, addressed a sold-out crowd made up of proud Canadians — many of them children and grandchildren of Holocaust survivors. They gathered to counter hate, intolerance and to promote human rights and peace in the Middle East. But outside, a dangerous scene unfolded: a mob of radicalized agitators, emboldened and hateful, hurled slurs and threats at our guests simply for being Jewish. Article content Article content Article content I implore every Canadian to take the time to understand what is happening on our streets. There are men and women (and even children) dressed in full military fatigues. They wear keffiyehs over their faces (same as Hamas, ISIS or al-Qaida) to hide their identities and terrorize. They shout death threats at Jewish people — and at others who simply happen to be walking by. They block roads, sidewalks, and disrupt entire neighbourhoods. You need to know about this—and stop looking away as if its not your problem. Article content Article content Some attendees, deeply shaken, said the hatred reminded them of the stories their families told about Europe in the 1930s. It started the same way: mobs denouncing Jews, attempting to isolate them from public life, striking fear into their hearts. This isn't a page from a history book. It is happening at Jewish events every day on Canadian soil. Article content But you wouldn't know about it because Canadian media (except for the National Post) isn't reporting about this homeland support for terrorism. Our media broadcasters are keeping this threat hidden from Canadians, failing to critically analyze the hate infesting our streets. Just the other day, for the first time in history, Israel elevated its global threat alert for Canada to its highest level — warning Israelis about travel to this country. Canada's mainstream media was largely silent. Article content Article content Across the country, Jewish Canadians face increasing threats — from schoolyards to university campuses, from synagogues to charity galas. Demonstrators chant for violence, wave terrorist symbols, and show no fear of law enforcement. In fact, they often shout at and shove the very officers trying to protect us. Article content Article content Yes, our police services are doing their best. To their credit and leadership, the Toronto Police comes out in force. I cannot believe the abuse they take. They are shoved, spat at, sworn at and yelled at with megaphones. Our own police service members should not be treated this way. Why are Canadians not speaking out?
