Thank you for joining us for Scotch & Cigars for Israel
PLUS: A call on the Task Force Chair to expedite action at TMU, furry ally spotted at Hillel Ottawa mixer, and more!
Sponsors, stakeholders, and attendees join AVI for our 2nd annual Scotch & Cigars for Israel (click the photo above to access the full photo album)
On behalf of all of us at Allied Voices for Israel (AVI), thank you to everyone who came out to our second annual Scotch & Cigars for Israel event!
On Thursday, nearly 180 guests joined us for a fantastic evening of rare scotch, fine cigars and incredible food from Olive Branch. The room was full of positive energy all night, with guests laughing, connecting and meeting new friends.
One of the true highlights of the night was hearing from our AVI Student Ambassadors, Cielle, Ryenne, Bisrat, and Brandon, about the work they're doing on campus. So many guests came up to us afterward to say how moved they were by these students' courage in standing up to anti-Jewish hatred and hostility.
They also told us how much they appreciate AVI's mission of building real allyship between Jewish and non-Jewish Canadians. It was a powerful reminder of why we do this work.
The music from Porch Jam had the rooftop buzzing all night. Thank you again to Mark Wexler, Avi Behar and the gang! Thank you to Nate Pavlotski for capturing it all. You can see our photo album here.
A huge thank you to our title sponsor, the Ganz Family Foundation, Neil Closner and the Closner Family Foundation, Dr. Steven Stein and Family, Justin Lesnick and Olive Branch, and our Entertainment Sponsor, Raviv Kunets and R5 Event Design.
We're also deeply grateful to our sponsors Mark Schachter and Cansew Inc., Rick & Lillian Ekstein and Family, Warren & Debbie Kimel and Family, Mark & Sheryl Nightingale and Family, Harris & Partners Inc., Howard & Joyce Simmons and Family, Peter Ekstein and Family, Goldstein Financial Consultants, BRS Tax Lawyers, Channel 1 Media Solutions, Mark Wexler and Wexmark Homes, David Wallach and MoviePosters.com, Evelyn Breslin and Family, Jonas Scholl, Sasha Weisz and Family, and Arrow Furniture.
Thanks also to JForce Security for keeping everyone safe.
(Top): AVI Student Ambassadors and Staff; (Bottom): Scotch and Cigars Co-Chair Justin Lesnick with Shlomo Assayag (The Kosher King) and DJ Howie T
Finally, thank you to our Board Chair, Matthew Friedberg, and our co-chairs, Jonathan Spiegelman and Justin Lesnick, for leading this event. I'd also like to recognize our committee for bringing this night to life: Brandon Ball, Margarita Cargher, Olga Goldberg, Ben Kettner, Jodi Michaels, Kyle Harris, Michelle Rose, Darryl Singer, David Teffaine, Eton Ziner-Cohen and Tiphaera Ziner-Cohen.
We can't wait to see you next year!
To access the full gallery from the evening, please click here.
To watch a quick recap of the evening, please click here.
Click the above to read our joint letter with B'Nai Brith Canada and StandWithUs Canada
At Toronto Metropolitan University, a recent external review has documented serious concerns about anti-Jewish hatred, exclusion, intimidation and the erosion of a sense of belonging among members of the Jewish campus community.
In response, we joined B’nai Brith Canada and StandWithUs Canada in writing to the Hon. Bob Rae, Chair of TMU’s President’s Implementation Task Force on Campus Expression, Antisemitism and Community Safety, urging the Task Force to turn the report’s recommendations into timely, meaningful and measurable action.
We call on TMU to move with urgency, strengthen Jewish life on campus and ensure Jewish students, faculty and staff can participate fully in university life without fear of harassment or marginalization.
This situation is untenable. Jewish students cannot wait. The time to act is now.
To read our joint letter, please click here.
A furry friend displayed allyship pride by rocking our AVI merch!
Proud Ally of the Month: Meet Hans
Our newest ambassador has four legs! Hans showed up to a recent Hillel Ottawa mixer proudly wearing his AVI "Proud Ally" shirt, and he was a hit with everyone there.
Allyship comes in all shapes and sizes. Be a proud ally like Hans!
Click the above to watch AVI's Founder Daniel Koren promote Flags of Fellowship, through our partnership with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ)
For the third year, Allied Voices for Israel (AVI) is proud to partner with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) for Flags of Fellowship — a powerful annual initiative bringing Jewish and Christian communities together in remembrance, solidarity, and support for Israel.
Since its inaugural year in 2024, AVI has been one of the first Canadian organizations participating in this initiative, joining communities across Canada and around the world in planting Israeli flags to honor the lives lost on October 7 and to remind the Jewish people that they are not alone.
What began as a field of flags has become a lasting symbol of something much bigger: friendship between communities, standing together against hatred, and showing up for Israel — year after year.
We are grateful to IFCJ Canada for this meaningful partnership and for the opportunity to continue turning solidarity into action.
To watch Daniel's message about AVI's participation in Flags of Fellowship, please click here.
To learn more about Flags of Fellowship, please click here.
Click the above to read our full statement with CIJA, Hillel Ontario, and other community organizations
In response to the Government of Ontario’s announcement of new directives to strengthen accountability at Ontario universities under Bill 166, AVI, Hillel Ontario, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), Canadian Friends of Simon Wiesenthal (FSWC), and other Jewish community organizations issued a joint statement:
“The Ontario government has introduced new requirements to strengthen how colleges and universities respond to hate and discrimination on campus — including minimum requirements for policies and rules, clearer complaint processes including ensuring that regardless where complaints are submitted they are referred through the complaint’s mechanism process, anti-hate training, and new consequences for institutions that fail to comply.
At Toronto Metropolitan University, Justice Benotto found that existing policies were too often not enforced 'consistently and decisively.' These new measures reinforce a simple principle: institutions must not only have rules, they must enforce them.
We have consistently called for stronger accountability and meaningful consequences when institutions fail to protect students or enforce their own policies.”
To read the full statement, please click here.
Click the above to register
Attention all students and staff! We’re bringing to you an amazing opportunity at both Mount Royal University and the University of Calgary on September 28 & 29th for Sukkot.
Staff and students will have the opportunity to shake the lulav and enjoy yummy goods!
- UofC will be on the 28th from 11am-3pm
- MRU will be on the 29th from 11am-3pm
See you all there!!
Click the above to register!
AVI and Sharaka, an NGO focused on promoting the Abraham Accords,, are thrilled to announce the United We Stand: Voices for Peace in the Middle East Tour. In partnership with AVI, it is Sharaka's first ever cross-Canada speaking tour across schools, campuses, and community events around the country.
This unprecedented set of multi-city speaking engagements in Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, and Langley will feature a powerful, diverse panel of leaders dedicated to real dialogue and regional peace: Luai Ahmed, Tamer Masudin, and Fatema Al-Harbi.
Beyond fostering interpersonal connections, Sharaka actively promotes tolerance and fights extremism through global outreach and specialized educational programs—including leading historic Arab delegations to Holocaust memorial sites to counter antisemitism and build regional empathy.
To purchase a ticket in your city, please click here.
Click the above graphic to learn more and apply
To kick off our next Common Roots Ambassadorship, we will be taking our cohort of high school students on a trip to Houston, Texas, for an immersive exploration of coalition-building and advocacy.
As one of the most diverse cities in the United States, Houston offers a unique opportunity to hear from inspiring Jewish communal leaders, advocates, and interfaith partners who are building meaningful relationships and creating positive change within their communities.
Through engaging workshops, dynamic conversations, and hands-on learning, Grade 8-12 students of all backgrounds will strengthen their advocacy and leadership skills, learn effective strategies for community engagement and storytelling, and connect with peers from across Canada.
Together, participants will explore how collaboration, allyship, and shared values can help create lasting impact while exploring Houston’s history and culture, enjoying exciting activities, and building friendships that will last a lifetime.
If you're looking for a community that feels like home and a program that pushes you to grow and learn, you just found it.
To learn more and apply, please click here.
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