Spiegel: Increase in antisemitism shows Holocaust education is failing us
This week, the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa was defaced — a stark and shameful reminder that even memory itself is under attack. The monument stands not only to commemorate the past, but to warn the present. Its desecration is not an isolated act of ignorance; it's a symptom of something deeper, more dangerous — and growing.
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We are shocked, but also disoriented. For the past three generations, many Jews in Canada have experienced a remarkable period of welcome. We were invited in, embraced. We took leadership roles, shaped cultural life, became, in a sense, part of the mainstream.
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Now we've been jolted awake by a painful truth: the welcome was conditional.
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We've had an 80-year holiday from history — a brief pause in the centuries-long cycle of exclusion, scapegoating and violence. That holiday is over.
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And while this awakening is most deeply felt in Jewish communities, it cannot remain our burden alone. Antisemitism is a threat to democratic life, not just Jewish life. The integrity of our classrooms and the health of our civic discourse depend on others speaking up. Holocaust education was never meant to be a siloed, Jewish project. It is a call to conscience, and that call must be answered by everyone.
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What's even more jarring is that Holocaust education appears to be faltering.
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Blurring the lines
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A critical mistake was made. In the effort to ensure 'never again,' the Holocaust was universalized to such an extent that its specificity was stripped away. Its horrors were collapsed into broad 'lessons' about tolerance and human rights, applied to issues ranging from bullying to environmental injustice. In the process, the ideological clarity that defined the Holocaust as a distinct and targeted genocide was blurred.
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Holocaust education must be rethought, rebalanced and deepened.
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For many Canadian students, their first, and only, exposure to Jewish identity comes through Holocaust education. While that education is vital, and central to our work at the Azrieli Foundation's Holocaust Survivor Memoirs Program, it cannot be the only lens through which we see Jewish people. We must teach Jewish life, not just Jewish death.
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Jewish peoplehood spans thousands of years, across every continent, rich with joy, resilience, tradition and creativity. When students understand the full picture, they're better equipped to recognize and confront antisemitism. They're also more likely to build authentic relationships with Jewish peers and see Jewish experience as part of the broader Canadian story.
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Winnipeg Free Press
43 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Israel's attack on Iran marks moment of truth for Netanyahu
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is on the mission of his lifetime. For years, the veteran leader has made the destruction of Iran's nuclear program his top priority, raising the issue in speech after speech in apocalyptic terms. Now Netanyahu's moment of truth has arrived. After battling Iran's allies across the region following Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack, Netanyahu has turned his attention to what he describes as the 'head of the octopus,' with an unprecedented and open-ended military offensive against Iran and its nuclear program. It is an aggressive gamble made possible by a confluence of factors, including the weakening of Iranian-backed militant groups in Gaza and Lebanon, and the reelection and support of U.S. President Donald Trump. But success is not guaranteed, and the outcome of the escalating conflict could determine the fate of Netanyahu's government and shape his legacy. Here's a closer look: Netanyahu's history of warnings on Iran Netanyahu began warning about the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran in the 1990s — even before his first term as prime minister at the end of the decade. He returned to office in 2009 and has served as prime minister almost continuously since then, rarely missing an opportunity to portray the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran as a threat to Israel's existence and menace to the world. In 2012, he famously displayed a crude cartoon illustrating what he said was Iran's march toward the bomb during a speech to the U.N. assembly. Three years later, he delivered a controversial speech to the U.S. Congress arguing against then-President Barack Obama's emerging nuclear deal with Iran. The speech infuriated the White House and failed to block the deal. But it delighted Republicans and laid the groundwork for Trump to pull out of the agreement three years later. Netanyahu has frequently compared Iran's theocratic leadership to the Nazis, at times drawing the ire of Holocaust scholars and survivor groups. He turned to that familiar playbook this week as he announced the latest attacks on Iran. 'Eighty years ago, the Jewish people were the victims of a Holocaust perpetrated by the Nazi regime,' he said. 'Today, the Jewish state refuses to be a victim of a nuclear Holocaust perpetrated by the Iranian regime.' Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. But its enrichment of uranium to near-weapons grade levels and failure to cooperate with international inspectors have raised doubts about those claims. The head of the U.N. nuclear agency has warned that Iran has enough enriched uranium to make several bombs. The agency censured Iran this week for failing to comply with nonproliferation obligations, one day before the Israeli strikes began. Why attack Iran now? Netanyahu for years has threatened to strike Iran, repeatedly saying that all options were 'on the table.' But never before has he pulled the trigger due to opposition by domestic rivals and security chiefs, questions about the feasibility of such a risky operation and the opposition of a string of U.S. presidents. But things have changed over the past two years, and Netanyahu now believes he has a chance to shape the region in his own image. Since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack triggered the ongoing war in Gaza, Israel has systematically degraded a network of Iranian allies across the region. The war in Gaza has decimated the Palestinian militant group Hamas, but at a devastating price for the territory's civilian population. Last year, Israel also inflicted heavy damage on Hezbollah militants in Lebanon, severely weakening the group and contributing to the downfall of Syrian President Bashar Assad, another key Iranian ally. And during a brief round of fighting with Iran last year, Israel knocked out much of its enemies' air-defense systems. With Iran's 'Axis of Resistance' in tatters and Iran unable to defend itself against Israel's air force, there was little to deter Israel from taking action this week. Trump provided the final piece of the puzzle. After surprising Israel earlier this year with his resumption of nuclear talks with Iran, Trump grew frustrated with the lack of progress in those talks. Notified about the Israeli plans, the U.S. president appears to have put up little resistance, creating a rare window of opportunity for Israel. Will Netanyahu succeed? It is too early to say. The Israeli operation appears to have gotten off to a smooth start – with Israel striking dozens of targets and killing senior Iranian military figures. But it remains unclear how much damage Israel has inflicted on Iran's nuclear program. For now, the divisive and embattled Netanyahu appears to be riding a wave of support at home. Even the political opposition, which tried to topple Netanyahu in a parliamentary vote earlier in the week, has come out in support of the Iran operation. But things could change quickly. After an initial wave of support for Israel's war against Hamas, the country is now deeply divided. With the fighting now over 20 months old, many believe Netanyahu has unnecessarily dragged out the conflict in a self-serving campaign to remain in office. Likewise, public support for the Iranian operation could quickly turn if Iran's missile attacks on Israel cause heavy casualties or continue to disrupt life in Israel for an extended period. A debacle on the battlefield – such as the capture of an Israeli fighter pilot by Iran – could also reverse Netanyahu's fortunes. Netanyahu's hints that he is seeking regime change in Iran — a difficult and complicated task — could further hurt his standing. Why is success so important for Netanyahu? After a record-setting tenure in office, Netanyahu has a complicated legacy. He is the object of affection and adoration among his supporters who see him as a wily politician and distinguished statesman. But he is intensely disdained by his many detractors, who see him as a divisive and populist cynic. Few on either side would disagree that his legacy has been permanently tarnished by the Oct. 7 attacks, the deadliest day in Israel's history. Netanyahu now sees an opportunity to reshape that legacy once again and go down in history as the man who saved his country from nuclear annihilation, not the prime minister who presided over its darkest moment.
Toronto Star
an hour ago
- Toronto Star
Mark Carney is setting the tone for the G7 and he knows the cost of playing it safe is irrelevance
By Contributing Columnist Jaime Watt is the executive chairman of Navigator Ltd. and a Conservative strategist. He is a freelance contributing columnist for the Star. @jaimewatt. It would be safe — perhaps even generous — to say that Prime Minister Mark Carney is stepping into a minefield of diplomatic hazards, moral compromise, and geopolitical volatility ahead of the G7 this week in Kananaskis, Alberta. Turn right, and you might face (his attendance is unclear at the time of writing) the Prime Minister of India — whose government stands accused by Canada of orchestrating an assassination on Canadian soil. Opinion articles are based on the author's interpretations and judgments of facts, data and events. More details
Canada Standard
an hour ago
- Canada Standard
Modi-Carney talks could unlock India-Canada trade potential says Canadian strategist Lubimov
Vancouver [Canada] June 14 (ANI): Lubimov Kirk, a Canadian-based Financial Strategist, stated in an exclusive interview with ANI that the entrance of incoming Prime Minister Mark Carney presents an opportunity for Ottawa and New Delhi to begin stalled trade discussions and increase collaboration on energy, technology, and essential minerals. 'Canada's invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for next week's G7 summit might restart a relationship with 'enormous, mainly untapped economic upside,' according to Vancouver-based financial analyst Kirk Lubimov. Lubimov emphasised that, notwithstanding recent tensions, India's attendance at the G7 summit demonstrates acceptance of its growing global status. India is presently the world's fourth-largest economy. Ignoring that reality would be both stupid and counterproductive for Canada,' he said. 'Canada-India commerce potential is huge,' Lubimov said, citing Canadian liquefied natural gas, battery-grade nickel, and rare earth reserves that align with India's clean tech goals. He projected that Modi and Carney would hold a separate bilateral discussion on the G7 sidelines to restart the Early Progress Trade Agreement, which has been inactive since diplomatic ties worsened last year. Lubimov praised Carney for having a 'more level-headed approach' than his predecessor, Justin Trudeau. Trudeau's tenure was marred by claims of Indian involvement in the 2023 assassination of separatist activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and increased Khalistani activism in Canada. 'Carney doesn't appear beholden to those pressure groups, and that alone signals a reset,' he said. Lubimov called Khalistani separatism 'a national security threat that's damaged Canada's international image,' citing rallies where effigies of Indian leaders were burned and protesters openly threatened violence. Viral photos from a recent Vancouver demonstration showing Pakistani flags, he added, 'confirm what our intelligence service said a year ago that Islamabad is working hand in glove with these activists.' He urged Ottawa to move on India's pending extradition requests for 26 fugitives and to address gaps in student visa screening. 'Millions have arrived on study permits with virtually no background checks.' The analyst also condemned last month's incident in which independent journalist Mocha Bezirgan was surrounded and had his phone seized while covering a Khalistan rally, saying it underscored 'the climate of intimidation' surrounding the movement. Despite the hurdles, Lubimov remains optimistic. 'If both governments quarantine extremist politics and focus on trade, energy and innovation, ties could turn the corner faster than many expect,' he said. (ANI)
