June 21, 2022
On June 13th of 2022, our National Coordinator Corey Balsam was invited to speak to Canadian parliamentarians at an event hosted by the Canada-Palestine Parliamentary Friendship Group. Below, we reproduce […]
April 8, 2022
The following is an open letter sent on behalf to Independent Jewish Voices Montreal (IJV) to the McGill University administration on April 7, 2022. Dear Suzanne Fortier (Principal and Vice-Chancellor) […]
March 23, 2022
Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) Canada joins with millions of people around the world in calling for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We also […]
March 3, 2022
On January 11, several groups of Canadian rabbis issued a statement regarding the United Church 2022 General Council discussions on the church’s policy positions on antisemitism, Israel and Palestine. Those […]
November 16, 2021
Independent Jewish Voices-Toronto congratulates the hundreds of courageous students at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute for staging a walk-out and demonstration on Friday, November 12th, in protest of anti-Palestinian racism and […]
October 4, 2021
Subject: Joint submission re: Online harms legislation To whom it may concern, As organizations and individuals with expertise in anti-racism, we are profoundly concerned by the government’s proposed “online harms” […]
September 30, 2021
Dear Ms. Russell-Rawlins, Ms. Kelman, Mr. Spyropoulos and Ms. Spence, It takes real courage to stand up for freedom and justice when you know that you will be attacked in […]
September 30, 2021 Statement from Independent Jewish Voices – York Re: Antisemitism training by Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) for members of the York Federation of Students (YFS). On Monday, September […]
September 23, 2021
Well, here we are at the end of another Canadian federal election. We’ve emerged from a highly unpopular election campaign in the middle of a global pandemic with largely the […]
June 23, 2021
As Jews who believe in social justice for everyone, Independent Jewish Voices Toronto (IJV) supports Javier Davila, one of eight equity advisors with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Recently, Davila […]
June 21, 2021
June 21st marks National Indigenous People’s Day in Canada. It is a day to celebrate the cultures and contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples across these lands. However, […]
June 10, 2021
Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) denounces the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) for unilaterally adopting the extremely divisive and widely rejected IHRA definition of antisemitism in Quebec yesterday. Benoit Charette, Quebec’s […]
May 28, 2021
Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) congratulates a group of Toronto artists for calling on the Koffler Centre of the Arts to live up to its new “social justice” mandate by […]
May 27, 2021
Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) and the Arab Canadian Lawyers Association (ACLA) are disappointed but not surprised by the outcome of the Canadian Judicial Council’s (CJC) review of the conduct […]
May 19, 2021
Dear Mayor John Tory and Premier Doug Ford. In the wake of a large rally protesting Israeli aggression and violence against Palestinians attended by well over 10,000 people in Nathan […]
May 18, 2021
Canada’s three political Jewish establishment groups would have us believe that Canadian Jews stand behind the recent Israeli aggression in Gaza and the West Bank. But the truth is quite […]
May 14, 2021
Independent Jewish Voices Canada is standing with Palestinians around the world to mark Nakba Day on May 15th. Nakba (Arabic for “catastrophe”) Day is observed in Palestine and around the […]
April 21, 2021
We are writing today to call on the University of Toronto and its Faculty of Law to reinstate immediately the offer to Dr. Valentina Azarova to serve as the next […]
April 7, 2021
The Honourable David LamettiMinister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada The Honourable Steven GuilbeaultMinister of Canadian Heritage Dear Ministers Lametti and Guilbeault, As organizations committed to the defence of […]
April 6, 2021
We believe in a world where we are all safe and cherished—a world without racism, without antisemitism, and without Islamophobia. As fascist, racist, and authoritarian governments and political parties increasingly […]
March 11, 2021
Since its inception 120 years ago, the Jewish National Fund-Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael (JNF-KKL) has been one of the main engines for the colonization of Palestinian lands. It owns 13% of […]
March 9, 2021
In March, 27 Montreal-based anti-racist organizations sent an open letter to Mayor Valérie Plante and Montreal’s city council, demanding they take a stance against the dangerously misleading International Holocaust Remembrance […]
March 4, 2021
This open letter was written by the International Jewish Collective for Justice in Palestine (IJCJP) in response to a virtual conference of mayors which claims to be convened with the […]
February 24, 2021
(Vaughn, Ontario City Hall. Image: Mhsheikholeslami, CC BY-SA 4.0) A controversy has erupted around the renaming of a school in York Region north of Toronto that threatens to pit members […]
February 8, 2021
[“Kingston Onatrio ~ Canada ~ Queens University ~ Ontarion Hall ~ Heritage ~ Historic” by Onasill ~ Bill – 80M Views is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 2.0] Independent Jewish Voices – Kingston Statement It […]
February 1, 2021
Independent Jewish Voices is calling for immediate action by the Canadian government after a French court ruled on January 27th, 2021, to proceed to trial in the case of Canadian […]
January 31, 2021
Several IJV chapters helped to organize or attended vigils across the country on Friday to mark the 4th anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting. Below is the text of […]
January 29, 2021
[CDN-NDG borough mayor Sue Montgomery. Photo: Sarah Mongeau-Birkett, La Presse] On January 27th, in a special council meeting, the Montreal borough of Côte-des-Neiges – Notre-Dame-de-Grâce (CDN-NDG) moved on very short […]
January 7, 2021
(A Palestinian youth wearing a face mask rides his bicycle past a mural painting of a nurse injecting a vaccine to a COVID-19 virus in Gaza City, on 31 December […]
December 10, 2020
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 10, 2020 Jews Across the Globe Applaud Statement by Palestinian and Arab Academics, Journalists, and Intellectuals We, Jewish groups and individuals from across the globe, applaud the […]
November 2, 2020
On October 26th, 2020, the Government of Ontario unilaterally adopted the controversial International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance working definition of antisemitism (IHRA-WDA) by means of Order in Council 1450/2020. This move […]
October 26, 2020
On August 14, 2020, Independent Jewish Voices Canada was invited to participate in a roundtable of Jewish organizations to discuss how the federal Ministry of Justice can go about combating […]
October 21, 2020
STOP THE POGROMS AGAINST THE MI’KMAQ On September 29, Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) expressed our support for the Mi’kmaq people and the Sipekne’katik First Nation currently engaged in a standoff […]
October 2, 2020
Unknown individuals are placing unattributed adhesive stickers around Halifax that promote conspiracy theories and foment hatred toward vulnerable groups, especially using COVID-19 as a starting point. Independent Jewish Voices condemns […]
September 29, 2020
Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) affirms our support for the Mi’kmaq people and the Sipekne’katik First Nation who are currently engaged in a standoff in Nova Scotia to affirm their […]
August 24, 2020
The new leader of the Conservative Party of Canada, and potentially Canada’s next prime minister, will likely be a disaster for human rights in Israel-Palestine. Erin O’Toole won the vote […]
August 9, 2020
The following open letter was written by Dan Freeman-Maloy, an IJV member and academic researcher originally from Barrie, Ontario, in response to news that Barrie City Council would be considering […]
July 23, 2020
Independent Jewish Voices has joined a coalition of Montreal-based unions, academics, artists, and community groups calling for an end to Netanyahu’s illegal annexation plan in the occupied West Bank, as […]
July 14, 2020
July 14, 2020 In early July, the Jewish Defense League (JDL), a group identified as a “proscribed terrorist group” by the FBI, unleashed a campaign of intimidation against Foodbenders, a […]
July 2, 2020
We are two rabbis and other members of the Hamilton, Ontario, Jewish community who call on the religious institutions of our community to take the clear moral stand of opposing […]
June 10, 2020
Last week several Asian-Canadian community organizations set up a website www.covidracism.ca to spotlight an uptick of racist incidents against Asian-Canadians amid the COVID-19 crisis. Independent Jewish Voices reaches out to […]
June 1, 2020
Independent Jewish Voices Canada stands in solidarity with everyone taking part in Black Lives Matter demonstrations against police brutality in cities around the world right now. We join our voices […]
May 15, 2020
May 15, 2020 – Today, Independent Jewish Voices Canada is standing with Palestinians around the world to mark Nakba Day. Nakba (Arabic for “catastrophe”) Day is observed in Palestine and […]
April 27, 2020
Independent Jewish Voices Canada is calling on the Canadian government and civil society to put the utmost pressure on Israel to end its siege on the Gaza Strip and alleviate […]
March 9, 2020
Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) strongly denounces the Canadian government’s shameful attempt to thwart justice in Israel-Palestine by urging the International Criminal Court (ICC) to let Israel off the hook […]
March 6, 2020
Toronto, March 6, 2020 Three Canadian justice-seeking organizations will combine efforts on Saturday at the Ontario NDP Provincial Council to voice strong opposition to Bill 168, which aims to officially […]
February 28, 2020
(Image: Jason Kuhrt, Imaging Apartheid) Independent Jewish Voices Canada is deeply dismayed and concerned with the Ontario Government’s decision to unanimously approve Bill 168, the Combating Antisemitism Act, on its […]
February 27, 2020
UPDATED: Over 650 Canadian academics have now signed on to an open letter opposing the International Holocaust Remembrance Association (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. Our letter, and the signatories, are below. […]
February 21, 2020
(Photo credit: Kai Pfaffenbach/Reuters) Independent Jewish Voices Canada is shocked and horrified by the February 20 attack by a gunman on two shisha bars in the German town of Hanau, […]
February 3, 2020
On January 28, 2020, US President Donald Trump unveiled his “peace” plan for Israel-Palestine alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Notably absent alongside these two embattled leaders, fighting to hang […]
January 9, 2020
Independent Jewish Voices stands in firm and uncompromising solidarity with the people and the Hereditary Chiefs of the Wet’suwet’en nation in their struggle to defend their land against Coastal GasLink […]
December 30, 2019
On December 10, the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission conferred its Individual Human Rights Award upon Halifax social activist Rana Zaman, citing Zaman’s “desire to see unity and solidarity amongst […]
November 26, 2019
Independent Jewish Voices Canada unequivocally supports courageous Palestinian students and their allies who showed up en masse at York University in Toronto on November 20th to protest a planned presentation […]
October 22, 2019
October 22, 2019 You’ve seen the results by now: Liberal minority government with the NDP holding the balance of power. This could be a good thing for progressives, especially on […]
September 6, 2019
The following letter has been sent to Minister of Justice and Attorney General David Lametti, urging him not to appeal the recent Federal Court ruling on wines originating from illegal […]
August 7, 2019
August 6, 2019 On Saturday, July 27, Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) Montreal participated in a counter-protest in Trois-Rivières, Québec, against a new white supremacist umbrella group, la Vague Bleue*. Violent […]
June 27, 2019
IJV Canada Statement on Rana Zaman June 27, 2019 The federal New Democratic Party has removed noted Halifax activist Rana Zaman from the party’s candidacy in the Dartmouth – Cole […]
June 13, 2019
June 13, 2019 There is no doubt that antisemitism is a growing threat. The recent murderous attacks on Jews in Pittsburgh and San Diego are proof that hatred of Jews […]
May 14, 2019
An open letter to the Toronto Jewish Community regarding the UJA Walk with Israel On Monday, May 20, members of the Toronto Jewish community will participate in the annual Walk […]
April 25, 2019
Sorry* Not Sorry – Unapologetically Working for Social Justice Such is the title of an event being hosted by the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg and the Canadian Muslim Women’s […]
April 10, 2019
With Bibi almost sure to win, it’s time to ramp up the pressure Although the final results have yet to come in and the new coalition has yet to be […]
March 29, 2019
March 29, 2019 Every March 30, Palestinians commemorate Land Day, the anniversary of a 1976 general strike against Israeli land expropriation by Palestinian citizens of Israel. Israeli police killed six […]
March 15, 2019
March 15, 2019 In the wake of the devastating white supremacist and Islamophobic shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand, Independent Jewish Voices would like to extend our heartfelt condolences and solidarity […]
March 13, 2019
13 March 2019 TORONTO–Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) and the United Jewish People’s Order (UJPO) welcome the findings of a survey of Jewish Canadians published yesterday by the Environics Institute. […]
November 7, 2018
November 7, 2018 Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is slated to deliver an official apology for the Canadian government’s role in turning back the MS St. Louis. The ship, which […]
September 14, 2018
Pro-Israel lobby groups B’nai Brith Canada and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) have once again levied the charge of antisemitism at a Palestinian rights activist in what appears to be an attempt to tarnish his reputation. Their latest target is lawyer and former Green Party Justice Critic Dimitri Lascaris.
May 15, 2018
Seventy years have passed since the state of Israel was established in Palestine. As a direct result, hundreds of Palestinian villages were destroyed, thousands were killed and and hundreds of […]
April 17, 2018
April 17, 2018 Independent Jewish Voices Canada (IJV) applauds statements released by NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and Green Party Leader Elizabeth May regarding the ongoing crisis in Gaza. In a […]
January 29, 2018
[Version française] IJV Statement on the One Year Anniversary of the Quebec Mosque Shooting The terrible murder of six Muslim men of Quebec City, one year ago today, demands that […]
August 22, 2017
One important aspect of the Charlottesville racist events is the brazen inclusion of the Jews as targets for white supremacist wrath. Scenes of Nazis marching with firebrands chanting “The Jews […]
October 24, 2013
We of Independent Jewish Voices – Canada extend heartfelt greetings to and solidarity with Idle No More. We are Jewish Canadians of diverse backgrounds who share a strong commitment to […]
