An “anti-Zionist teach-in” held last week at the downtown Barrie library was aimed at “discussing the history of Jewish movements that have protested Zionist ideology” and creating a “cross-cultural community understanding,” according to the Jewish Alliance of Simcoe (JAS), which hosted the event.
“This is not a new phenomenon at all and we really wanted to share this history with people as well as taking the time to share general information on Jewish history,” spokesperson Nicholai Melamed told BarrieToday, following an article published Monday after concerns were raised by the local Jewish community about the local event.
“Many people are simply not aware that there are different Jewish languages throughout the world, different liturgical traditions (and) different ethnic groups who ascribe to the Jewish faith," Melamed added.
JAS is a volunteer group that came together this year and is comprised of about five main members who make up the formal organizing committee, Melamed explained. It includes a “diverse group” of individuals who have been organizing within the Jewish community for a number of years.
“We came together quite recently because we all had our own perspectives to share, but we were not really being heard," Melamed said. "We came together in direct response to what we have seen as a promotion of the idea that pro-Palestinian organizing is antisemitic. We wanted to specifically counter this notion because all of us are Jewish members in this group have been involved in organizing for Palestinian liberation for a very long time.
“We know very well there is nothing antisemitic in expressing the need for Palestinians to live in safety and peace, and protesting what we believe to be an active genocide," Melamed added.
Melamed said the majority of those who were at the June 14 event — which saw about 20 people attend — were not aware of the diversity among the Jewish community, adding they were also “enthusiastic” to learn about what being Jewish means, as well as the history of the different groups.
Thursday’s event was the first event JAS has hosted in Barrie, Melamed confirmed, however similar events have been held in other municipalities by other similar organizations.
Melamed said despite what the board at Am Shalom synagogue's board of directors believes, the goal was to build — and not burn — bridges.
The Am Shalom board has spoken out against the event, which they called “deeply offensive and racially charged.”
In a statement to BarrieToday, Barrie-Innisfil MPP Andrea Khanjin, whose online biography describes her as the “first female Progressive Conservative Jewish cabinet minister in Ontario’s history,” also expressed dismay.
“I was disappointed, as I know many members of the Barrie and Innisfil communities were disappointed, to learn of events, which divided our community," she said. "Incidents of hatred and intolerance, directed at members of the Jewish community, have been growing. Many residents have even felt unsafe displaying mezuzahs on their front doors."
Khanjin added she believes community leaders and organizations should be focused on “bringing us together, not on tearing us apart,” noting the way to do that is to encourage cultural programming that unites people, and not events and film screenings that divide them.
“Of course, the Barrie Public Library is responsible for, and accountable for, its own policies, programming and room rental decisions, as well as are the other organizations mentioned," said the MPP. "It will be for them to explain their decisions.
"My position is clear: we should be focusing on bringing members of the community together, not exploiting divisive issues that tear us apart," Khanjin added.
Melamed said based on the response to Thursday's event, the group believes it is building bridges among a wide group of people in the community.
“Many of the people who attended the event were not Jewish. They were learning about the Jewish community," Melamed said. "They came through an expression of peace and harmony and curiosity. They maintained a very respectful dialogue throughout.
“We saw people making very beautiful connections with their own cultural heritage and Jewish heritage they may not have made if they’d not learned about this range of diversity of Jewish cultures throughout the world," Melamed added. "It seems very clear to me that anybody attending this teach-in — and any future teach-in — is that we are building bridges across cultures and encouraging people to learn more about Judaism and … for there to be a cross-cultural community understanding as a result.”
Being Jewish and wanting peace in Palestine do not need to be mutually exclusive of one another, said Melamed.
“We believe, based on all facts … is that what Israel is doing right now is a form of collective punishment," Melamed said. "This is not consistent with Jewish traditional values and, as Jews, regardless of whether Israel presents itself as a Jewish state or not, it is well within our rights to say this does not represent our faith or our culture or any of our traditional practices. There may be some Jews who disagree with that.”
Melamed continued by noting simply because a person is of a particular religious faith does not mean they need to always agree with what others of the same religion are doing around the world.
“There are many Christian countries in the world. Simply because someone is a Christian does not mean they have to agree with what a Christian state is doing," Melamed said. "Simply because someone is from a Muslim community does not mean they have to agree with everything that is done in a religious Islamic state.
"It is the same for Jews. Just because Israel represents itself as a Jewish state does not mean that Jews across the world have to agree with it. We are well within our rights to disagree."
