“The Jewish community in Canada is feeling frightened to a level that I have never seen,” Liberal MP Anthony Housefather told the House of Commons Justice Committee. But almost simultaneously a survey has revealed that most Canadians have no dislike of Jews. What gives? Read more…
Jewish Canadians are concerned that a wave of antisemitism is sweeping across the country, according to MP Anthony Housefather who has been inviting selected witnesses to a House of Commons Justice Committee hearing. His assertion is backed up by a recent academic study by a sociology professor at the University of Toronto who has found that “most Jewish Canadians feel unsafe and victimized“.
Yet that same study also revealed that despite “record-high” fears of antisemitism among Jews, “most Canadians do not have negative views towards Jews.”
How is this possible? If most Canadians have positive views of Jews, what are Jews afraid of? Is Jewish fear a product of hype from the Zionist lobby? Or is there something to it?
Fully 70 percent of Jewish respondents said they are “very” or “somewhat” emotionally attached to Israel. According to Brym, because support for the existence of a Jewish state in Israel is a central component of their identity, most Jews regard strong criticism of, or public protests against, Israel as a threat to their existence as Jews.
According to Robert Brym, a sociology professor at the University of Toronto, two-thirds of Canada’s Jews currently feel unsafe. At the same time, his study also shows most Canadians actually have positive feelings about Jews. In the words of the Canadian Jewish News “They like us!!.”
Eighty-three percent of Canadians hold positive feelings about Jews – Study
Brym’s research findings are a sharp rebuttal to organizations like B’nai Brith Canada (BBC) whose recent antisemitism audit reported that online attacks and threats against Jews in Canada in 2023 are at the the highest level the organization has reported in 40 years. A similar claim was also made in a report by the US-based Anti-Defamation League, which indicates “that the war in Gaza helped spread a fire that was already out of control.”
But Brym calls both the Bnai Brith and ADL reports “misleading”, and he questions their “very flawed” methods. His criticisms echo those of others who claim the Bnai Brith audit is constructed to exaggerate the level of antisemitism by, among other things, including criticism of Israel as examples of antisemitism.
Brym’s study, published in the spring 2024 edition of the academic journal Canadian Jewish Studies, found that 83% of Canadians hold positive feelings about Jews.
Canadians like Jews more than they like Israel
Canadians’ attitudes toward Israel are not reflected in their attitudes toward Jews. According to his study less than 3% of Canadians have strong negative views about Jews, but four times as many have strong negative views about Israel. The groups with the most negative attitudes toward Israel are, in order, Muslims, supporters of the New Democratic Party, and university students.
“Although some critics of Israel have negative attitudes toward Jews, most do not,” Brym study.
In this context, it is somewhat surprising that the Justice committee of the Canadian parliament is beginning a hearing on antisemitism in Canada and on campuses. Some organizations have raised an alarm, claiming that the purpose of the hearings is to hype fear of antisemitism in order to suppress the rising wave of criticism of Israel. Critics also note that it deflects attention away from the very real rise in islamophobia and anti-palestinian racism.
Antisemitism DOES exist in Canada … and must be dealt with
The identification of a general positive attitudes towards Jews, does not mean that there are no pockets of antisemitism in Canada. There are, and they should be dealt with, first by education and second, if necessary by legal action. In a previous post, this page has called for rigorous police identification of every incident of apparent antisemitism, particularly where the threat of violence is real or implied, followed by prosecution where appropriate and full public disclosure.
Canada Talks Israel Palestine (CTIP) is the weekly newsletter of Peter Larson, Chair of the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine (OFIP). It aims to promote a serious discussion in Canada about Canada’s response to the complicated and emotional Israel/Palestine issue with a focus on the truth, clear analysis and human rights for all. Readers with different points of view are invited to make comment.
Want to learn more about us? Go to Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine.ca
Canada Talks Israel/Palestine 
My friend, you have the wrong link. It points to Koffman’s study, not Brym’s.
RajaSent from my tablet.
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I believe the survey is correct. Housefeather seems to raise the alarm when criticism of Israel & its atrocities against the Palestinians emerge. He seems to equate the growing & justified resentment of Zionism as antisemitism .
One has to question his loyalties , constantly supporting Israel and denying its genocide. It is not Jews nor the Jewish people but rather the tragic horror show unfolding before our eyes and hearts committed by the Israel regime that is being condemned worldwide. Justice for the Palestinian people is what needs to be addressed not more hearings on antisemitism.
I was just talking to someone whose neighbour is a Zionist and went on the Walk With Israel. He was scared, because he thought the counter-demonstrators had that spy technology that takes pictures of everyone on the march, tracks them down, and harasses them.
Really? If anyone was able to do that, and going to do that, it would be the marchers! And where does that technology comes from? Israel!
I was just talking to someone whose neighbour is a Zionist and went on the Walk With Israel. He was scared, because he thought the counter-demonstrators had that spy technology that takes pictures of everyone on the march, tracks them down, and harasses them. Really? If anyone was able to do that, and going to do that, it would be the marchers! And where does that technology comes from? Israel! PS Logging on to WordPress is such a nuisance. I don’t think I’ll try to do it again.
That’s been clear to me and many of my Jewish friends… and relatives… ever since we learned the truth about what’s going on.
another antisemitic comment. You don’t get it do you.
you are still the most antisemitic person I have ever known .
hi Shelley, The survey shows that most Canadians like Jews. I think you should be happy about that. Like me, however, many have a negative view of Israel.
Peter,
You ask , “If most Canadians have positive views of Jews, what are Jews afraid of? “.
One possible answer is that they are afraid of the other 3%, those who have negative views of Jews. After all, it takes only a few people to do a lot of damage.
However, I think that answer is misleading. The fact is that many Jews have been taught to believe that being anti-Israel is being anti-semitic. I grew up in an environment that did that. My religious education classes in my childhood synegoge told me Israel was needed to protect us from another Holocaust.
I think the reason for that teaching is clear. During the years just prior to the Holocaust many Jews did want to go to Palestine to get away from the increasingly violent antisemitism in Europe. Some, including my own father, were not allowed to go to Palestine by the British (who controlled the area before Israel was created). This led some to the conclusion that Palestine had to be a Jewish State to allow Jews to escape the Nazis.
I never believed that conclusion. However, many of my classmates did believe it and I suspect that, if they are alive today, they still do. They would see an anti-Israel position as antisemitic.
What makes the situation worse is that some of the protestors are (quite understandably) angry about the thousands of people being murdered by the IDF in Gaza. In their anger, they shout and paint slogans that sound antisemitic. I share their anger but I consider those particular slogans (e.g. “Go back to Poland”) to be a tactical error because they provide ammunition for those that accuse the protestors of antisemitism. A small fraction of those protesting Israel’s bombing may mistakenly believe that all Jews support Israel. The presence of Jews among the protestors proves that belief false, but pain and anger often blinds people.
In spite of the horrible scenes we see every day, this is a time for people to be logical. Being angry at the killing of 40,000 and the destruction of infrastructure on which 2 million people depend is not anti-semitism; we would be equally angry if the death and destruction were being done by any country or people of any ethnicity. Jews need to open their eyes and understand that simple fact.
Canada-is the most antisemitic I have witnessed in my lifetime and I am 78. Peter Larson is the most antisemitic person I have ever known
Good Grief! You must know a different Peter Larson than I do.
The Peter Larson I know has worked tirelessly, creatively and respectfully to enable hundreds of people to become informed of historical and current facts in Israel Palestine and in Canada.
He is a facilitator who encourages informed awareness and thoughtful understanding. All MY Jewish friends have the highest regard for Peter’s receptivity, inclusivity and capacity to guide illuminating discussions, not infrequently on challenging topics.
Rather exceptional, don’t you think?
Every time I hear what Anthony Housefather has to say, I always think: Horsefeathers!
He represents a lot of people. 😢
Mr. Ehrenworth. IMO Dr. Larson upholds the principals and objectives of the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine ,especially when it comes to defending justice and human rights for all. To claim that he is anti-Semitic is most unfair and completely unwarranted.
Good piece Peter. My bet is that we’re seeing strategic hype.
David
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