PLUS: Valentine's Day tabling for a cause at OCAD, hosting Professor Gil Troy in Montreal, and upcoming student initiatives at TMU and York!
Click the above video to watch Allyship Advisor Justin Chow's powerful address at this week's TDSB meeting
Earlier this week, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) held a vote on Affirming Jewish Identities & Addressing Antisemitism, a report on consultations and recommendations on how to combat rising anti-Jewish hatred in TDSB schools.
During a hearing where deputations were presented on the findings of the report, extreme voices promoted vulgar antisemitic rhetoric, glorified terrorism, and excused hatred directed at Jewish students.
Notorious antisemites were given the opportunity to share their despicable views – drawing zero condemnation from trustees. To hear speaker after speaking diminishing and denying what many Jewish students experience at TDSB schools was a new low for our city.
Allied Voices for Israel (AVI) Allyship Advisor Justin Chow served as a beacon of light at that meeting, delivering a powerful speech in support of the report and calling on the TDSB to treat anti-Jewish hatred with the same decency and gravity they do with any other form of hatred.
To listen to Justin's powerful speech, please click here.
To read the report, please click here.
TDSB trustees voted in favour of the report
We are pleased that the motion to uphold the report was carried by a majority vote of 13-5. This is a first step in ensuring that Jewish students and their allies feel safe and supported in schools across Toronto!
Israel advocate and AVI friend Shai DeLuca made an informative video on how the TDSB allows Jews to be tokenized – please click here to watch it.
AVI students and staff at OCAD University
Our AVI students at OCAD University helped spread the love on Valentine's Day by promoting awareness of Save A Child's Heart, an important Israeli charitable organization, in partnership with the OCAD Jewish Club.
We hope everyone is celebrating love in whatever way makes sense for them! Please click here to see more photos from our tabling.
Click the above still to watch our Common Ground Ambassadors embark on a culinary tour of Ramle
On our Common Ground Israel mission this past winter, our Common Ground Ambassadors visited the shuk in the diverse and colourful city of Ramle.
Ramle stands as a bastion of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim coexistence. Our Common Ground Ambassadors had a blast sampling Tunisian, Turkish, and Indian dishes! Some of our allied students even tried falafel – a staple in Israeli cuisine – for the first time!
Please click here to find out how they rated each dish!
Director of Education Gabriela Rosenblum spoke at another Toronto Catholic School this week!
On Tuesday, AVI's Director of Education Gabriela Rosenblum led a session on Understanding Anti-Jewish Hatred to a class of Grade 6 students at a Catholic school in the Greater Toronto Area.
To hear some snippets from the workshop, please click here.
Professor Gil Troy addressed Montreal students during our collaborative Israel Impact Workshop series this week
AVI had the privilege of co-hosting dedicated historian and author Professor Gil Troy last week, in partnership with Hillel Montreal, Federation CJA, and StandWithUs Canada. Professor Troy shared invaluable insights on the intersection of academia, Zionism, and Israel’s future, especially in the face of rising antisemitism.
Professor Troy’s passion for Jewish advocacy sparked meaningful discussions and inspired a renewed commitment to action. To top it off, attendees had the special opportunity to have copies of his book signed, making it a truly memorable experience! This event was part of a six-session Israel Impact Workshop Series.
To watch snippets from his talk, please click here.
All TMU students welcome!
Join us for the Shuk Festival at TMU and step into a bustling Israeli marketplace on campus!
On February 26th, TMU will come alive with the vibrant sights, sounds, and flavors of the Shuk Festival—a celebration of Jewish culture, community, and connection to Israel.
📍 Where: POD 54
📅 When: February 26th from 10AM - 5PM
Mark your calendar and bring your friends—we’ll see you at the shuk!
Join us for bagels and brunch at York!
On Wednesday, March 5th 2025 at 2:30 PM, AVI and SSI York are hosting a bagel brunch on campus!
Come learn about exciting opportunities with AVI and connect with the SSI York leadership.
Location will be shared upon registration. Kashrut observed.
Our #AmbassadorSpotlight this week is TMU Business Student Adial Benezra
Meet Adial, one of our wonderful Common Ground Ambassadors studying Business Management at Toronto Metropolitan University! Please read a testimonial on her experience with AVI below.
I had the honor of going on the first-ever AVI trip to Israel this past June, and it was an incredible experience.
Although I visit Israel every summer with my family and friends, visiting Israel with AVI was a completely different experience. Being there, hearing a multitude of perspectives and personal stories from a diverse group of people, touring the old city of Jerusalem, visiting the cities of Ramle and Rahat, visiting the Nova Festival site to further understand the depth of our history and the complex geopolitical and social issues that the State of Israel and its citizens face daily, was an extremely moving experience.
The group that Idaliah and Noa selected for the trip are each unique in their own way, and it was incredibly eye-opening to hear outlooks from peers that were completely differed from mine. The ability to voice our thoughts in an environment that encouraged us to engage in challenging discussions led to incredible friendships and mutual respect for one another.
Furthermore, this trip was a reminder of how important it is to combat dangerous and false narratives across campuses and on social media, engage in productive dialogue, and try to find common ground, as I believe we all have more in common than we think.
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