Office to combat antisemitism to open in Winnipeg

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This article was published 11/01/2024 (1014 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Concern about rising antisemitism has prompted a national Jewish organization to establish an office in Winnipeg.

The goal of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs’ office, which is being created in collaboration with the Jewish Federation of Winnipeg, is to address antisemitism in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

It will be led by Gustavo Zentner, the federation’s past president, who will serve as the centre’s vice-president for the neighbouring provinces.

Zentner’s mandate is to combat antisemitism by engaging with law enforcement, politicians, the media, academia and community organizations and faith groups about ways to preserve and protect members of the Jewish community. He is also tasked with providing resources to address antisemitism and other forms of hate.

The office will be one of five in Canada, joining others in Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver.

Jeff Lieberman said the new office is needed because of the spike in antisemitism in the province since the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.

Lieberman said the federation has received many reports about bullying and intimidation of Jews on university campuses and hate on social media. Many local Jews also feel general anxiety about things said at pro-Palestinian protests in Winnipeg, he said.

“People in the Jewish community are feeling insecure and threatened,” Lieberman said, adding calls about antisemitism have overwhelmed the federation. “We’ve done a decent job of dealing with it, but we have a small staff. It’s taking a lot of our time away from other things. The addition of a full-time person will take a lot of stress off our shoulders.”

The idea for the office came from members of the local Jewish community who also offered to put up the funds.

“We saw an urgent need emerging and felt compelled to support efforts to ensure the entire community has the knowledge and tools to address these issues,” Asper Foundation president Anita Wortzman said.

The office will not only address “the toxic spike in antisemitism but also help reaffirm the many partnerships the Jewish community has built with other segments of Manitoba society, helping insulate against the hate that has become so pervasive,” she said.

The centre was open to the idea when approached by the federation, president and CEO Shimon Koffler Fogel said.

“Winnipeg has historically always been an important centre of Jewish life in Canada,” he said, noting the city has produced many national leaders for the Jewish community.

Having an office in Winnipeg has been on the centre’s radar for some time, he said, “but other priorities and imperatives took precedence.”

That “deficiency” is being corrected, and the organization looks forward to having “a robust presence” in Winnipeg, he said, adding the city “is an important place for us.”

Koffler Fogel said the organization has fielded three times as many reports about antisemitism in Canada since Oct. 7 compared with the same period last year.

“The spike has been consistent across the country,” he said, with more than 1,000 incidents since the war started.

This includes assaults, protests that block roads, bridges and malls, graffiti, vandalism, intimidation and hate on social media.

“We see a pattern emerging in community after community that undermines the work done in the past to build bridges of collaboration in Canada,” he said.

Koffler Fogel said he is pleased Zentner has accepted the role in Winnipeg.

“For him, there’s no learning curve. He can hit the road running,” he said. “He knows the environment and the stakeholders. He’s ideal for this, and we are delighted to have him on our team.”

Lieberman agreed.

“Gustavo is the right person for the job. He has the skills and experience and already has good connections in the community,” Lieberman said.

Zentner said he is “honoured” to help create the new office in Winnipeg, adding he looks forward to engaging with people and organizations.

“For me, it’s about attentive listening for deep understanding and building bridges,” he said.

There are between 16,000 to 17,000 Jews in Manitoba and about 5,000 in Saskatchewan, the centre said.

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