October 31, 2024
TORONTO – B’nai Brith Canada is astounded and appalled by the University of Toronto’s refusal to acknowledge its concerns on behalf of the Jewish community about a pair of problematic events scheduled to take place on campus next week.
“We were disappointed, to put it mildly, by the U of T’s response to a letter we sent last week,” said Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith Canada’s Director of Research and Advocacy. “In the wake of the antisemitism that proliferated at the encampment last summer, U of T committed to securing its campus and creating an environment that is safe for all students. The response we received from the university dismissed our valid concerns and did not even express a hint of compassion for Jewish students, who are concerned that the two events next week will further escalate tensions and incite hatred on campus.”
The first of the two planned events is a Nov. 7 appearance by Francesca Albanese, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the “Occupied Palestinian Territories.” Albanese has repeatedly legitimized the acts of terrorist organizations, including violence against Israeli civilians.
On Nov. 8, anti-Israel radicals intend to host a so-called “Anti-Zionist Ideas Conference.” The panel is set to include Nasser Abourahme, who has described Zionism as “colonialism” and, in doing so, rejects the Jewish people’s ancestral ties to the Land of Israel. Other participants include Daniel Boyarin, who advocates for a no-state solution to the conflict in Israel, effectively calling for the destruction of the world’s only Jewish State.
In response to B’nai Brith’s letter, which cited concerns for the security and well-being of the Jewish community, a spokesperson for U of T President Meric Gertler wrote that the school “does not take positions on contentious social, political or other issues apart from those directly pertaining to higher education and academic research.” The University did not offer any proactive assurances or commitments to mitigate the issues B’nai Brith raised on behalf of Jewish students, faculty and staff.
“Even if U of T feels it cannot stop the events from taking place, it could have done more to acknowledge the bona fide concerns of its Jewish community,” Robertson said. “It could have offered to increase security on campus or committed to monitoring the events for incidents of hate speech or misinformation. Instead, the administration seems disinterested in the impact the events will have on the Jewish members of its community.
“U of T appears to have wiped its hands of the matter, and that is extremely difficult to accept.”
