ALCCA is proud to have the support of more than 100 distinguished Canadians, diverse in their identities, experiences, and faiths, who unite in a simple message against antisemitism to their fellow Canadians.
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About the Initiative
Oct 7: A New Reality for Canadian Jews
On October 7, 2023, life completely changed for Canadian Jews. Of course, right-minded Canadians, not just Jews, deplored Hamas’ unspeakable atrocities in slaughtering 1,200 men, women and children. But almost immediately, organized protestors in Canada celebrated Hamas’s barbarities.
Those murdered included Israeli-Canadian Vivian Silver, a peace activist and founder of Women Wage Peace and the Arab-Jewish Centre for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation. She was involved, among other things, in ferrying children from Gaza to Israeli hospitals. What perversity of ideology, human behaviour and appalling ignorance explains the glorification and martyrdom of those who torture, behead and burn Jews alive? Or of those who brag about how many Jews they’ve slaughtered?
Sadly, antisemitic (and for that matter, anti-Muslim) hatred always increases during conflict in the Middle East. However, Canadians are now witnessing staggering levels of overt antisemitism that poison our society and place our Jewish community, its students and children, at risk.
In May 2024, 28 community organizations formed a coalition to combat antisemitism in Canada. The Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism (ALCCA) has since expanded to more than 45 member organizations. These are Jewish and non-Jewish organizations that recognize that antisemitism and hate affect us all. And that we can only defeat them together. Jewish Educators. Parents. Students. Doctors. Psychologists. Dentists. Canadian Women. Lawyers. Indigenous leaders. Muslims. Hindus. Catholics. Iranian-Canadians. On-Campus Jewish Organizations. NGOs. Academics. Professors. Synagogues and interfaith groups. Experts in antisemitism, national security, extremism and its financing, Human rights advocates. Researchers. A Media Monitor. And so many others.
The Alliance is guided by five principles:
We believe in the power of working together.
We support the IHRA definition of antisemitism, adopted by Canada and over 40 countries around the world.
We believe in respectful dialogue with those who disagree with us.
We believe that Canadians have a duty to reject all forms of extremism. This is not a “Jewish” issue. It is a “Canadian” issue.
We believe that protecting our children represents our highest priority.
Today, the Alliance is proud to announce the support of over 100 distinguished Canadians, all honoured for their enormous contributions to our country. They are diverse in how they self-identify, in their lived experiences, religious faith, and political beliefs.
But they share a simple message to their fellow Canadians:
Zero Tolerance for Antisemitism
We will not be silent in the face of relentless antisemitism in Canada.
We will not be silent as Jewish community centres, places of worship, schools, businesses, and individuals are harassed and intimidated.
We will not be silent as our streets and public spaces are taken over by those who celebrate barbarities.
We will not be silent as the voices of the Jewish community and its allies are suppressed, marginalized, and demonized on campuses.
We will not be silent when young students are conscripted to participate in hate activities.
We will not be silent when indoctrination replaces critical thinking and respectful dialogue.
We support ALCCA’s fight against antisemitism through advocacy, education, and respectful dialogue.
List of Distinguished Canadians Supporting ALCCA
Howard Alper, C.C., FRSC | Gail Asper, O.C., O.M, LLD |
Tony Aspler, C.M. | Sara Angel, C.M. |
Sally Armstrong, O.C. | Naomi Azrieli, O.C., DPhil |
A. Charles Baillie, O.C. | Marilyn Baillie, C.M. |
Dr. Michael Baker, C.M., O.Ont | Brent Belzberg, C.M. |
Charles Bronfman, O.C. | Michael Budman, C.M. |
Ed Burtynsky, O.C., RCA | Judy Feld Carr, C.M. |
Sandra Chapnik, C.M., O.Ont | Charlie Coffey, O.C. |
Ronald I. Cohen, C.M., MBE | Dr. Zane Cohen, C.M. |
F. Anthony Comper, C.M., O.Ont | The Hon. Irwin Cotler, O.C. |
Susan Coyne, C.M. | Dr. Daniel Drucker, O.C. |
The Hon. Nicole Eaton | Wendy Eisen, C.M. |
Michael Enright, C.M. | Hershell Ezrin, O.Ont |
Lynn Factor, C.M., O.Ont | Eli Fathi, C.M. |
Anthony S. Fell, O.C. | The Hon. Linda Frum |
Rabbi Frydman-Kohl, C.M. | Joan Garson, C.M. |
Dr. Phil Gold, C.C., GOQ, MD, PhD, FRSC | Anne Golden, C.M., O.Ont |
Karen Goldenberg, C.M., O.Ont | Dr. Bernard Goldman, C.M., MD, FRCSC |
Morris Goodman, C.M. | The Hon. Stephen Goudge, O.Ont |
Carole Grafstein, O.C. | Hon. Jerry Grafstein, KC |
Anthony F. Graham, C.M., MD | Don Green, C.M. |
The Hon. Melvyn Green | Roger Greenberg, C.M. |
Franklyn Griffith, C.M. | Jay Hennick, C.M. |
The Hon. Alexandra Hoy | Valerie Hussey, C.M. |
The Hon. Frank Iacobucci, C.C. KC | Victoria Kaspi, C.C., FRS, FRSC |
Bruce Kidd, O.C., OLY, PhD, LLD | Warren Kimel, C.M. |
Dianne Kipnes, C.M. | Irving Kipnes, C.M. |
Olga Korper, C.M. | The Hon. Harry S. LaForme, O.C., IPC |
Sheldon Levy, O.C. | Nancy Lockhart, O.Ont |
Jack London, C.M. | Jon Love, C.M. |
Leon Major, C.M. | Jacob H Masliyah, O.C., AOE |
James Meekison, C.M. | Professor Errol Mendes, O.Ont |
Heather Munroe-Blum, O.C., O.Q. | The Hon. Joseph R. Nuss, C.M., KC |
Janice O’Born, C.M., O.Ont | Charles Pachter, O.C., O.Ont |
Sandra Paikowsky, C.M., PhD | Hon. David Peterson O.Ont |
Crystal Pite, C.M. | Anna Porter, O.C., O.Ont |
Lynn Posluns, C.M. | Rob Prichard, O.C., O.Ont |
Lola Rasminsky, C.M. | Heather Reisman, O.C. |
Dorothy Reitman, C.M. | Joel Reitman, C.M. |
Professor Kent Roach, C.M. | Janis Rotman, O.Ont |
Sandra Rotman, C.M., O.Ont | Calin Rovinescu, C.M. |
Eli Rubenstein, O.C. | Lionel Schipper, C.M. |
Gerald Schwartz, O.C. | Gary Segal, C.M., O.B.C. |
Isadore Sharp, O.C. | Brigitte Shim, C.M., FRAIC |
Molly Shoichet, O.C., O.Ont, FRS, PhD | Jacques J.M. Shore, C.M. |
Annabel Slaight, O.C., O.Ont | Howard Sokolowski, O.Ont |
Edward Sonshine, O.Ont | A. Howard Sutcliffe, C.M. |
Lawrence M. Tanenbaum, O.C. | Carol Tator, C.M. |
Dr. Charles Tator, C.M. | Jim Temerty, C.M. |
D. Lorne Tyrrell, O.C. | The Hon. Karen Weiler, C.M., O.Ont |
Donald Ziraldo, C.M., BSC, LLD |
Please note that this list of Distinguished Canadians represents only the first release of signatories. Other Distinguished Canadians will be identified from across Canada in subsequent releases.
How You Can Help
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Host a workshop: Bring awareness and tools for advocacy to your place of worship or local community by hosting a workshop.
For more information about volunteering or hosting a workshop, contact us at info@alcca.ca.
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Read our press release for more details about this initiative and the inspiring support of distinguished Canadians here.
Please contact us at info@alcca.ca with any questions about this project.