Since the emergence of pro-Palestinian encampments on university campuses around the world, we, Quebec Jewish students, have suffered discrimination, intimidation and hatred.
Many have spoken on our behalf since October 7. Some have downplayed the anti-Semitism we collectively experience. As students, we want more than anything to have a rewarding university experience. Unfortunately, those who seek to discredit our experiences have forced us to commit to publicly defending our Jewish identity. With this open letter, we want to speak on our behalf.
We firmly believe in Zionism, in the right of the Jewish people to self-determination in their ancestral homeland, as a fundamental principle of our Jewish identity. Judaism cannot be separated from Israel; our religious texts are full of references to Israel, Zion and Jerusalem. In Israel, there are multiple archaeological remains testifying to a Jewish presence for millennia. The exiled Jewish people dreamed for two millennia of returning to their land—Judea, from which we take our name, “Jews.”
Our experiences in Quebec over the past nine months are a painful reminder of the experiences of our ancestors. Many of us grew up hearing our grandparents’ stories of ethnic cleansing camps. These events occurred because of anti-Semitism, which in every generation falsely blamed Jews for the ills of society. In Christian Rome, we were the murderers of Jesus Christ. In Europe, we were accused of wanting to dominate the world, whether as communists or capitalists. Nazism saw us as an inferior race. In Iran and the Arab world, we were ethnically cleansed. It was through this recurring hatred that 6 million of our ancestors lost their lives in the Holocaust and 800,000 Jews were expelled from the Maghreb and the Middle East.
Currently, we are wrongly accused of colonialism and apartheid, attempts are being made to rewrite history and erase our connection to our ancestral land. We are being dehumanized and our ethnicity is being discredited. Far from being a “white settler state,” Israel is home to Mizrachi, Ashkenazi, Sephardic and Ethiopian Jews. There are also millions of Arab Israelis, including over 1.7 million Muslims, as well as hundreds of thousands of Christians and Druze.
We were horrified to see that in the aftermath of the unprecedented Hamas terrorist attack, student organizations celebrated these murders, beheadings, rapes and hostage-takings as resistance, while the bodies of our loved ones had not yet been buried. We were horrified by the hateful slogans of the protesters, who speak of “resisting by all means necessary,” and who call for “the Intifada.” [une référence à deux vagues de violence terroriste qui ont entraîné la mort de milliers d’Israéliens] until victory.”
We felt helpless as we watched pro-Palestinian activists take over a university administration building. These same agitators hung an effigy of the Israeli prime minister wearing a noose, dressed in the uniform of an Auschwitz prisoner. They organized a “revolutionary youth summer camp,” advertised with images of masked gunmen. When will this moral inversion end, as Iran’s supreme leader congratulates these students on our campuses?
There is a sadly familiar silence surrounding these events. We are told that this is anti-Zionism, not anti-Semitism. How then can we explain that our schools and places of worship are being targeted for attack?
Our love for Israel does not mean blind political conformity. On the contrary, our love and commitment to Israel compels us to criticize its government when necessary.
We all come from a place of love and desire for a better future for Israelis and Palestinians alike. There has been too much suffering and bloodshed. Israelis, like Palestinians, deserve to live in safety, freedom and dignity. Hatred and calls for the destruction of a people will never advance these goals.
Our ancestors, many of whom fled persecution, settled in Quebec, where they found a welcoming society. Here, we had the opportunity to integrate and contribute to society as a whole. René Lévesque demonstrated an unwavering commitment to a culturally diverse and tolerant Quebec society, free from the scourge of anti-Semitism. This climate of trust allowed the emergence of Quebec cultural celebrities from the Jewish community, such as Leonard Cohen. What we have witnessed since October 7 runs counter to the Quebec values of the rule of law, democracy and equality, which have allowed us to prosper.
We enrolled in these universities because we wanted to develop our intellect and learn from respectful exchanges in complex debates. While campuses today are the target of hateful and simplistic rhetoric, it is never too late to begin to right these wrongs and to begin to build connections across political and religious divides. Our Jewish tradition is: “Love peace and seek peace.” We hope you will join us in our sincere search for world peace, truth, and human compassion.
Together we can rebuild our campuses.
* Co-signed this letter: Hayley Langleben, University of Montreal; Alexandre Banon, Montreal; Harlee Applebaum, McGill; Coral Brener, University of Montreal; Michael Nathan, UdeM; Aurelie Hadid, Concordia, JMSB; Ari Smith, McGill; Abigael Benchaya, UdeM; Anafa Gamliel McGill; Deanna Luxenberg, University of Montreal; Anastasia Zorchinsky, Concordia; Sivan Klil-Drori, McGill; Emily McGill; Benjamin Rehany, McGill; Tal Smith, McGill; Alison Dahan, University of Montreal; Dahan, University of Montreal; Kasey Wiseman, University of Sherbrooke; Samantha Jacobson, University of Sherbrooke; Melanie Segev, McGill; Samuel Levkovsky, McGill; Jacqueline Snidman-Stren, Concordia; Daphney N., Concordia; Miriam Kestecher, Concordia; Aaron, Concordia; Marissa, Concordia; Chana Leah Natanblut, Concordia; Madi Farkas, McGill; Noah Singer, HEC Montreal; R Friedman, McGill; Diana Levitin, Concordia; Amber Amiga, Concordia; Ido, McGill; Naveh Gershon, McGill; Reuben Polansky-Shapiro, Concordia; Nathanel Harell, McGill; Adam Goren, Concordia; Elia Nissan, McGill; Nicole Nashen, McGill, BCL/JD 2026; Abhinav Deshwar, Concordia; Jessica Bensimon, McGill; Jennifer Silver, McGill; Rachel F., Concordia; Emily Arnovitz, McGill; Raigorodskyi Igor, Vanier College; Sarah, Concordia; Orly Wazana, Concordia; Noam Amiga, McGill; Kim Bensim, UQAM; Meir Hersson-Edery, University of Montreal; Zohar Benchetrit, McGill; Jessica B., McGill; Sarah Jacobson, McGill; Samantha Chankowsky, Concordia; Sarah, UdeM; Liora Zini, McGill; Hailey Laxer, McGill; Jamie Fabian, McGill; Ashley Bloom, McGill; Zachary Sholzberg, McGill; Joshua Schecter, Concordia; Michael Eshayek, Concordia; Eytan, Concordia; Elsa Dahan, UdeM; Matan Tordjman, McGill; Magalie Dadoun, McGill and UdeM; Zachary, Concordia; Noa Peretz, Concordia; Sydney Cohen, University of Montreal; Raquel Lazarowitz, McGill; Ethan Zlotnik, Concordia; Samuel Vasserman, McGill; Mia Moghrabi, McGill; Clifford Mardinger, University of Montreal; Cheryl, Concordia; Grace Kosten, McGill; Samantha Ullrich, McGill; Helene Suissa, McGill; Samuel Benzaquen, McGill; Gabriel Derhy, Concordia; Madi Farkas, McGill; Stav, McGill; Albert Kar, McGill; Samara Wigdor, Concordia; Andrew Dubrofsky, McGill; Shirel Amzallag, University of Montreal; Steven Ifrah, University of Sherbrooke; Jessica, Concordia; Laureen, University of Montreal; Alex Malamud, McGill; Lisa Cieply, McGill; Cohen, UQAM; Gad Medalsy, UQAM; Isabel Lubarsky, Dawson College; Raphael Barchichat, UdeM / UQAM / HEC / UdeS / McGill; Moché Levy, University of Sherbrooke; Michael Skierka, University of Montreal; Adam, Laval University; Amanda Marciano, McGill; Alycia, Concordia; Ode, University of Montreal; Liora Elfassy, McGill; Emilie Rosenthal-Bustamante, Concordia; Arieh Rosenthal, McGill; Noa, McGill; Baruch Toledano, McGill; Eytan Haddad, College Cork; Sarah Kitner, McGill; Sabrina Cohen, McGill; Sarah Harroch, University of Montreal; Sophie Tsoller, University of Montreal; Jonathan Daysn, UQAM / HEC / McGill; Arielle Bouhadana, Concordia; Zev Wood, McGill; Jase, McGill; Avraham Ouaknine, UQAM; Emma Asheghian, McGill; Emily Gorovoy, McGill; Sarah, Concordia; Karina Dobkin, McGill; Ashley, McGill; Maayan Freedberg, Concordia; Karin Plis, McGill; Ron Fudim, Concordia; Michelle, McGill; Alexa Shlien, McGill; Gopal Jain, Concordia; Alex Goldman, McGill; Raphael, Dawson; Reese Irgang, McGill; Marley Brookman, McGill; Rebecca Pais, McGill; Hayden Rubenstein, McGill; Amanda Rosenthal, McGill; Oz Gutzait, John Abbott; Arindam Mor, Concordia; Benjamin Lawee, McGill, Martin Kruchinski, McGill; Ava Assaraf, McGill; Noah Margolese, University of Sherbrooke; Kayla, McGill; Benjamin Feldman, McGill; Amanda Heitner, Concordia; Oliver Karasin, McGill; Samuel Amsellem, McGill; Aaron Azoulau, University of Montreal; Olga Babina, Concordia; Arielle Bouhadana, Concordia; Lucas Teitelbaum, McGill; Adam Azoulay, Concordia; Jacqueline Lisbona, Concordia; Steven Abadi, Concordia; Abu Obeida, McGill; Matthew Zisu, McGill; Steph Bitton, University of Montreal; Yuval Keremov, Lasalle College; Natalie, McGill; David Israel, McGill; Bassel Cohen, School of Higher Technology; Eva, Concordia; Jack McDonald, McGill; Jenna Roberts, McGill; Ruthie Poizner, Concordia; Elias Manevich, McGill; Joshua Jegher, Vanier College; Simantov Bohbot, McGill; Haya Bright, McGill; Ilana Singer, UQAM; Naomi Salama, Concordia; Georgia Witten, McGill; Keren Amiga, Concordia; Hilla Abehsera, McGill; Jory Szirt, Dawson; Benjamin Green, Laval University; Juan Leon, University of Montreal; Cindy Hershon, McGill; Mika, McGill; Maya Cohen, Concordia; Bruno Benzaquen, McGill; Paula Logan, McGill; Dana Harell, McGill; Janie Lober, McGill, Eden Harell, Concordia; Solenn Douieb, University of Montreal; Eric Grover, Concordia; Lior Elkaim, McGill; Noia Chalom, Concordia; Noam Mssellati, Polytechnique Montreal; Elfassy Caroline, McGill; Jasmine Puterman-Salzman, McGill; Mikaella Hofmann-Azerad, University of Montreal; Mikayla, Concordia; Jack Alarie, Concordia; Eleane Hamburger, McGill; Megan, McGill; Ronen Plechnin, GMU; Shirel Hadid, Concordia; Eli Polterovich, McGill; David, Concordia; Jeremy Schachter, Concordia; Alyssa, McGill; Tali Bouzaglo, McGill; Drew Sylver, Concordia; Nadine Cohen, HEC; Nathalie Reiter, McGill; Jason Lipstein, McGill; Lilly Stern, Concordia; Kalfon, McGill; Sharon, Concordia; Edy Henich, McGill; Leo Benedek, McGill; Rita Tenenbaum, McGill; Joshua Hirschfeld, McGill; Raihaana Adira, McGill; Lior Elkaim, McGill; Bruce Mazer, McGill; Bella Cobrin, Concordia; JY, McGill; Elijah Amar, University of Sherbrooke; Talia Martz-Oberlander, McGill; David Zukor, McGill; Stephen Lipper, McGill; Harold, University of Montreal; Brooklyn Tory, McGill; Ariella Pardo, Concordia; Shelley Cohen; Ishayek, McGill; Shari Abramovich, McGill