Friday, November 21

When I first moved to Toronto, people always seemed to compare my new city to my former city of New York.  When I was brought to see Queen Street for the first time, my friend said, “It’s just like Greenwich Village.” (It wasn’t.)  On my first walk around Yorkville, I was told, “It’s just like Soho.”  (It wasn’t.) Seeing a show at Mirvish, they all said, “Yes, it’s just like on Broadway.”  (Sorry again.  Close, but no cigar.)

Now, many years later, I fear that Toronto and New York are more similar than they used to be, but for a very unfortunate reason. It is not merely that both cities are experiencing a rise in antisemitism, though that is a related result. No, the reason is far more sinister than that. It’s the elected leadership that is, plain and simply, a danger to the Jewish people.  By now, the Toronto Jewish community knows well that Mayor Chow famously referred to “the genocide in Gaza” a few weeks ago when addressing a group of Muslims at an event. But this week, the newly elected NYC Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, proved that he will be rivaling her.

A few nights ago, New York City’s Park East Synagogue was the venue for a Nefesh B’Nefesh event.  Nefesh B’Nefesh is a wonderful charity organization that assists people who want to make Aliyah to Israel. From helping in learning the language to looking for a job, setting up a home, planning the move itself and preparing for Israeli life, Nefesh B’Nefesh has been helping people relocate to Israel since 2002. 

Outside of the synagogue, 200 Hamasniks* staged a protest. The angry mob chanted “Death to the IDF” and “Globalize the Intifada”, the latter being a statement that, to date, Mamdani has never condemned. News reports are sharing that, in response to this protest, Mamdani’s office came out with a statement that distances him from the protesters. Sounds good, right? But this statement reveals where his heart really lies and the disturbing path that lies ahead:

“The Mayor-elect has discouraged the language used at last night’s protest and will continue to do so. The Mayor-elect believes every New Yorker should be free to enter a house of worship without intimidation, and that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.” (Italics mine.) Did you catch that last part?!  In clarification, Mamdani’s team said it “was specifically in reference to the organization’s promotion of settlement activity beyond the Green Line,” which “violates international law.” On his campaign trail, he was known to consistently refer to Israel’s actions in Gaza as a “genocide” and said the US, through its support of Israel, is “subsidizing a genocide.” And now, as Mayor-elect, the guy who’ll be running the city and setting the tone for the next few years, has, in one fell swoop, publicly condemned Nefesh B’Nefesh activity, and further confirmed his belief that the Jewish people have no right to Judea and Samaria. (To understand more about “the Green Line”, click here to read my 12-3-24 blog post about Judea and Samaria.)

It’s not pretty.  Not here in Toronto, not there in New York. When I moved to Toronto, one of the things I loved was how gentle, patient, and polite the Canadians were, in contrast to the aggressive New Yorkers. But with the mayors of both cities now speaking as they do, creating a dangerous situation for the Jewish communities they are elected to protect, it’s time for Canadian Jews to re-think the “gentle and polite” behaviour. It’s getting worse, folks. Please don’t just sit there. Say something. Do something. And then say something more. There IS strength in numbers. 

Am Yisrael Chai!