THIS SUNDAY: Come celebrate Iranian & Jewish unity at Pomegranate Fest

PLUS: Recapping AVI's annual staff retreat, revisiting Daniel's CBC Radio Canada interview, and more!

Pomegranate Fest is happening this Sunday at Earl Bales Park!

This Sunday, August 23rd, Allied Voices for Israel (AVI) is excited to partner with our Jewish and Iranian friends for Pomegranate Fest — a vibrant celebration of Jewish, Iranian, Moroccan, Sephardic, and Middle Eastern cultures! 

Join us at Earl Bales Park for a FREE day filled with live entertainment, poetry, authentic cuisine, and meaningful experiences that celebrate our shared heritage and bring our communities together.

We’re proud to be partnering with Magen Group, Music in the Park Toronto, Main Event Music, and others in support of Living Jewishly and Unity Through Sport.

Come celebrate culture, community, and connection with us! 

To learn more about Pomegranate Fest, please click here. 

Click the above still for a special message about Pomegranate Fest from the Iranian Patriot Alliance (IPA)

The Iranian Patriot Alliance (IPA) is proud to be a part of this meaningful gathering and to stand alongside Toronto’s Jewish community in a message of friendship and solidarity.

“At Pomegranate Fest, we’re not only celebrating our traditions we’re celebrating friendship, connection, culture, and freedom,” reads the caption of a video posted on IPA's socials earlier this week, with special messages of unity and support from Toronto's Iranian and Jewish community members.

To watch, please click here.

Top: Kicking off our epic staff retreat at the Jewish-owned Kapara Restaurant in Thornhill!; Bottom: Custom AVI swag and team building at a park near AVI HQ

AVI brought together staff from Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto for our annual staff retreat, where from Monday night to Wednesday, we celebrated organizational milestones, strategized for the rest of the year, and used our creative energy to plan some exciting allyship and advocacy initiatives for 2026-27.

We are so proud of our hardworking Comms team and Directors, who are emblematic of how much we've grown and the impact we've had on Canadian high school and university students of all backgrounds!

Our retreat kicked off Monday night at Thornhill's Jewish-owned Kapara restaurant. Monday belonged to productive discussions around calendar planning, productivity, and organizational structure, with fun team building activities and a pizza lunch outside.

Our AVI staff posing with some WNBA players Kiki Rice and Brittney Sykes 

We ended off day one with a bang — a WNBA game featuring the Toronto Tempo team versus Indiana Fever. This inaugural Jewish Community Night — organized in partnership with YALLA! and other partner orgs — marked the beginning of what we hope will become an annual tradition - one that celebrates Jewish life, community, and our growing presence in Canadian sport.

Our last day consisted of more important housekeeping items, some tips for facilitating our educational workshops, and talking points on building meaningful relationships with our donor, student, and community networks. Our retreat ended with some fun and friendly competition through a team trivia face off at the Quiz Room.

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Click the above to listen to an excerpt from a recent CBC Radio interview with AVI's Founder Daniel Koren

We are reminiscing on our solidarity lunch at Kiva's Bakery, after two of its locations were shot up in coordinated attacks against the Jewish-owned bakery chain.

CBC Radio Canada covered the gathering of AVI staff and various community members of all backgrounds, as they shared words of support and solidarity, making it onto other local and national news outlets such as Global News and CP24!

In the face of all this fear, it was refreshing and touching to see members of Toronto’s Christian, Iranian, Hindu, Somalilander, and Chinese communities show up with sentiments of unity, compassion, and support for Toronto’s Jewish community.

To listen to the segment with some meaningful pictures and videos from the gathering, please click here.

Click the above image for AVI Student Theron's experience on our most recent Israel trip with Montreal's Israeli Consulate

AVI Student Ambassador Theron had a meaningful time visiting strategic locations throughout Israel and learning all about its diversity and Jewish indigeneity on a recent trip we organized with Montreal's Israeli Consulate. 

“I had the pleasure to stop by the Save a Child’s Heart's Child foundation,” writes Theron. 

“While there, I met Rohana, a child with a crucifix necklace. Though neither of us spoke the same language, we were able to connect with each other as I had one around my neck as well. As I made my way out the door, Rohana waved while holding the cross and a smile on their face. It served to me as a reminder that even though we all come from different places and push through different struggles, we are all a lot more similar to each other than we often recognize.”

To see Theron's full post, please click here.

AVI Student Theron at the Western Wall in Jerusalem

Theron shared another beautiful post expressing his love for Israel and its many facets:

“We like to think that antisemitism has disappeared since the end of the Second World War, but this is not the case. It has rather changed forms in ways most people don’t recognize,” writes Theron. 

“Antisemitism is on the rise all over the world, it’s important we recognize this and take appropriate action to combat it, as never again is not tomorrow, or whenever a situation happens, never again is right now. Israel is now the only place safe from antisemitism, which is why it’s important that the state of Israel should exist.”

To read the rest and see Theron's full post, please click here.

Click the above flyer to buy tickets for Scotch & Cigars 2026!

Allied Voices for Israel (AVI) is delighted to invite you to an exclusive evening in Toronto: our second annual Scotch & Cigars for Israel.

On Thursday, September 17, 2026, join us for an elegant evening celebrating community, connection, and a shared commitment to Israel. Enjoy a curated selection of premium scotch, whiskey, and cigars, alongside gourmet kosher bites generously sponsored by Olive Branch Thornhill, and live music by Porch Jam. 

Generously sponsored by the Ganz Family Foundation, this special evening offers an opportunity to relax, connect, and engage with fellow supporters of Israel and the Jewish community in a warm and welcoming setting. 

The event location will be shared closer to the date.

Space is limited and spots are expected to fill quickly. Register today to secure your place.

For tickets, please click here.

For sponsorship options, 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.