AVI rallies for the People of Iran in Toronto

PLUS: Our mental health workshop with JACS Toronto, engaging students in Regina, Calgary, and Montreal, and more!

Click the above to watch a recap of the "Global Day of Action" in Toronto

⁠This past weekend, Allied Voices for Israel (AVI) joined over 350k Iranians and their allies in Toronto to march in support of the people of Iran. Demonstrators called for an end to government repression in Iran, as widespread protests inside the country have been met with violent crackdowns.

The rally was one of many happening worldwide, as part of what has been labelled a Global Day of Action.

Hundreds of Israeli flags were flown – a symbol of unity and solidarity in the face of pure evil. The message that day was loud and clear: the People of Israel stand with the People of Iran. 

To watch a recap of this momentous and historic rally, please click here.

Click here to discover some budding Zionist campus leaders!

Zionist campus leaders: who are they, what do they stand for, and why does it matter?

In this two-part series, AVI Student Ambassador Emily spotlights the incredible Zionist Campus Leaders who are making a difference in fighting hatred on campuses across Canada, and why you should be following them. She breaks down the values and impact of Jewish student leadership on campus.

We are proud to say that many of these courageous students are AVI Student Ambassadors or alumni!

To learn more about these inspiring students in Part One of the Zionist Campus Leaders series, please click here.  

For Part Two, please click here. 

AVI staff hosted a lunch for our new group of social media interns

We're proud to share that six university students at campuses across Ontario have joined our team as Social Media Interns! Last week, our internship kick off with a lunch and brainstorm session at Crema Cafe in Toronto.

Interns had an opportunity to connect with their like-minded peers, exchange creative ideas, and learn a bit more about AVI's mission, social media messaging, and content strategy.

We are excited to see the ideas, creativity, and fresh perspective these passionate Interns will bring to AVI. Their mission is to help empower their peers to create opportunities for conversation, education, and allyship. Trust us, you’re going to want to stay tuned for some fresh and exciting content on our socials!

Our Common Roots Ambassadors enjoyed our workshop with JACS Toronto

AVI and the Jewish Addiction Community Services (JACS) were proud to collaborate on a workshop for teens (many of them our Common Roots Ambassadors), focused on how to effectively balance one's understanding of anti-Jewish hatred while effectively taking care of their mental health.

Creating space for young people to learn, ask questions, and build resilience is critical. Together, we’re committed to supporting the next generation with the tools, language, and confidence to navigate hate and protect their wellbeing.

For more photos of the workshop in action, please click here.

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Click the above still to watch!

On our recent educational retreat in Niagara Falls, Common Ground Ambassadors and University of Calgary students Soujatya and Story describe what allyship means to them.

“I believe delivering the [right] message is really important in times of shifting narratives,” explains Soujatya. “For me, allyship means reuniting the societies who face backlash for standing up for what is right,” adds Story. 

To hear more from these incredible students, please click here.

Click the above graphic to listen to episode 11 of Common Voices, featuring Bahraini Peace Activist Fatema Al Harbi

On Episode 11 of the Common Voices podcast, AVI Founder and Executive Director Koren sat down with Fatema Al Harbi – a Muslim-Arab advocate from Bahrain who dedicates her life to advocating for coexistence, peace, and diplomacy between Muslims and Jews. ⁠

In this excerpt (which you can watch here), Fatema discusses the initial public reaction in Bahrain to the Abraham Accords, noting that while the Bahraini people are kind and immediately “respected that decision,” it remains challenging for them due to the indoctrination of hate through media propaganda, their parents, and their teachers.⁠

Fatema and Daniel also discuss her background and advocacy, her experience visiting Israel, the impact of her work in promoting allyship and coexistence between Muslims and Jews, and so much more. ⁠

To listen to Episode 11: Coexistence, Peace, and Diplomacy in the Middle East & Beyond, please click here. 

To listen to our latest episode: ‘People can smell death inside Iran’ – a Canadian-Iranian Journalist’s Perspective, with Canadian-Iranian journalist Negar Mojtahedi, please click here.

Tabling with Save A Child's Heart at the University of Regina

Valentine’s Day may be over, but there is still plenty of love to go around, especially towards the children whose hearts need it the most.

AVI had the opportunity to table with the Jewish Students Organization (JSO) at the University of Regina and StandWithUs Canada to spotlight Save a Child’s Heart, a life-saving Israeli organization providing critical heart surgeries for children around the world.

We were also joined by AVI Student Ambassador Artsiom, who attended our recent Common Ground Israel mission in Israel. 

Because love isn’t just roses and chocolate. Sometimes, it looks like a second chance at life.

Drop by if you're in or around McGill to learn more about this life-saving organization!

We will continue to spread the love for Save A Child's Heart at McGill University! Join us for a heart-to-heart about this organization's critical mission to provide children of all backgrounds with a chance at life.

Be sure to drop by McGill's engineering building on Monday, February 23rd for some swag and to support an incredible cause! This is a partnership with SACH at McGill.

Click here and here to learn a bit more about these incredible holidays!

Our team at AVI would like to wish our Muslim friends a Ramadan Mubarak! As Ramadan begins, Muslims around the world enter a sacred month of fasting, prayer, charity, and reflection. Wishing peace, strength, and meaningful reflection to our Muslim allies who are observing this holy month.

We would also like to wish our Chinese friends a Happy Lunar New Year and Gong Hei Fat Choi! 

As we welcome the Year of the Horse, we celebrate a symbol of strength, perseverance, energy, and determination. In many traditions, the horse represents progress, resilience, and the drive to move forward – values that remind us of the power of community and shared purpose. Wishing our Chinese friends good fortune in the year ahead. 

At AVI, we believe in showing up for one another, building bridges across cultures and faiths, and standing against hate in all its forms.