The open letter 158 McGill University professors addressed to principal Suzanne Fortier denouncing the boycott movement, supporting Israel, and upholding academic freedom, has made headlines from Canada to Israel. Inevitably, in an ad hoc, grassroots initiative like this, not every anti-boycott and pro-democracy professor was …
The Canadian Jewish News
Let’s honour Israel by calling out irrational hatred
As Israel celebrates its 68th birthday, too many enemies still regret its birth, and desire its death. The fight against Israel all too often transcends rational discussion about historical facts or current events. Israel-bashing has become an industry and an identity. On campus, Israeli Apartheid …
LEAVE AN EMPTY SEDER CHAIR FOR A JEW MURDERED BY TERRORISTS
Sadly, I am updating something I wrote in 2003, when Palestinians terrorists were targeting Israelis – as they are today. Once again, during this year’s seders, we will celebrate our joyous holiday of liberation with heavy hearts. Even as we revel in our freedom as …
BDS: BULLYING, DEMONIZATION AND SLANDER
On Jan. 31, 1961, Israel’s ambassador to Canada, Yaacov Herzog, 39, visited McGill University to debate famed 71-year-old British historian, Arnold Toynbee. Five days earlier, while lecturing at McGill, Toynbee had denied Israel’s right to exist while unfairly comparing Israelis to Nazis. In the ensuing debate, the older historian ultimately …
My Open Letter To Trudeau: Jewish Invisibilty Hurts
Dear Mr. Prime Minister, I get it. Of course you’re annoyed. All you did was sign off on a perfectly reasonable statement marking International Holocaust Day by mourning the suffering of all who suffered. What could be easier, nicer and less controversial? Yet, suddenly, the Jews …
In these Perilouse Times, Words Matter
These are worrying times. We have an American president who refuses to acknowledge the nature of the harshest ideology targeting America since Communism, and resents using the “t” word, terrorism, for blatantly political acts of violence. We have university students – emboldened by cowed professors …