Explaining Modern Antisemitism to Mayoral Candidates and the Winnipeg Media
This is a special episode that combines the TGCTS 2022 Winnipeg election coverage with Marty’s work as editor-in chief of TheJ.ca, Canada’s national onlne Jewish newspaper.
Last Monday the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg held a mayoral forum which included 2 questions specifically on antisemitism and anti-Zionism.
The board of that organization does not represent the grassroots Jewish community. The Federation falsely purported to the candidates and the audience that it represents the entirety of the 15,000 members of our Jewish community, failing to disclose it represents only its donors (est. at 1300). It represents what we call the machars– the bigshots. They never stand on the frontlines going face to face with Jew-haters. They didn’t even want to protest Linda Sarsour’s speech here in 2019.
Like all Jewish Federations in North America, JFW has a problem when it comes to speaking truth to power about Jew-haters– because Federation officials are political creatures seeking to curry favour with governments. To talk about those things raises discomfort in the political class Federation machars aspire to belong to. Instead, they put the Jews of Winnipeg at risk with their Sha-shteel tactics.
As a consequence, we get forums like last week, where the actual incidents of pro-Israel Jews being threatened and beaten up on Broadway in May 2021 didn’t get mentioned in the Federation questions. That’s why the Laith Marouf scandal, where an antisemite received $133,000 in federal “anti-racism” funding approved by Heritage Canada bureaucrats, didn’t get mentioned.
Those topics get explained. These are relevant to the Winnipeg election, because only Jenny Motkaluk and to a lesser extent, Kevin Klein, seemed to get what the Jews of Winnipeg, are up against.
The other candidates- and there was a political calculation for some – fall short of what we needed to hear beyond “I support Israel”.
Saying “white supremacy” is a sound-bite void of meaning. The threat from left-wing influences that have seeped into our governments (ie Heritage Canada) and into our education system (Toronto and Ottawa high schools and our universities) is immense and existential.
As Marty asks– how many white supremacists were chanting they would ‘rape your daughters’ and ‘stab the Jews of Tuxedo’ when the Israeli Canadian Council rally for Israel Independence Day was charged at across police lines in front of the Legislature? Who were those attackers?
Marty reviews the responses at the forum and to the Free Press survey by the candidates. He explores their words and their actions and takes the media to task.
This week in TheJ.ca, Marty selected specific stories about incidents involving antisemitism – specifically online hate and in education institutions – that will shock listeners when they read the details. On Thursday please read those stories, as well as a column on why Jews can’t rely on Israel to deal with antisemitism in our communities. We have to rely not only on Jewish leadership- who TheJ.ca push constantly to grow some balls – but on our secular political leaders.
Politicians and the media have to confront and denounce things Laith Marouf supports – like BDS, critical race theory and equity programs that delegitimize the Jewish experience and space in western society, and that deny Jewish indigenous rights to a safe and secure State of Israel.
Do it before more Jews get beaten on the streets of Winnipeg.
