Jewish students across Canada organized vigils to commemorate the six Israeli hostages who were murdered in Gaza last week.  

The Israeli Defence Forces announced Sept. 1 that the bodies of six hostages, who had been abducted on Oct. 7 during Hamas attacks on Israel, were discovered in a tunnel in Gaza.

Anastasia Zorchinsky, a third-year international business student at Concordia University, and the founder and co-president of StartUp Nation, the only Israel-advocacy organization on the Montreal campus, says it’s more important than ever for Jews to stand together during moments of mourning. 

“It’s not just Israelis who feel the pain, but all Jews abroad who feel this pain,” she told The CJN. 

Zorchinsky, who was born in Israel and moved to Canada 10 years ago, helped organize a campus vigil 48 hours after news broke about the murders of Eden Yerushalmi, Carmel Gat, Almog Sarusi, Alexander Lobanov, Ori Danino and Hersh Goldberg-Polin.

Zorchinsky said she feels the weight of each loss personally. Aside from the collective grief she feels for all Israeli victims, she specifically mourns the loss of a childhood friend, whose body was found in Gaza after Oct. 7. 

“We found it extremely important to do something for our community, not only to empower (Jewish students) but also stand strong outside one of the most antisemitic universities in North America.”

Since Oct. 7, a surge of antisemitism has kept Jewish students on high alert, Zorchinsky said. 

During a virtual town hall meeting on Aug. 28, Montreal-area MP Anthony Housefather, the special advisor to the prime minister and cabinet on Canada’s Jewish community and antisemitism, mentioned unprecedented hostility at both Concordia and McGill University, citing chants for Jews to “Go back to Poland” and calls to bring back the intifada.

During an Israel advocacy event in March, which was hosted by StartUp Nation and Hillel, protesters blocked the entrance to the Montreal Federation CJA building where it was being held. The event had been scheduled to be held at Concordia, but the university would not permit it to be held on campus.

At the beginning of September, four Jewish students from Concordia filed a lawsuit against the university’s president, claiming that the school’s administration has failed to protect Jewish students.

All this added a sense of urgency to unite and galvanize the Jewish community, Zorchinsky said. 

She reached out to numerous Jewish organizations in Montreal to attend a vigil, which was held on Sept. 3, outside Concordia’s student centre. Zorchinsky estimates that more than 1,500 people attended.  

Columbia University professor Shai Davidai, an outspoken advocate against anti-Israel hostility on university campuses, delivered a talk about being proud of Jewish identity despite rising levels of hate. 

“I think the (students) were really grateful to have this,” she said. “I think it really does empower them.” 

There were a few counter-protesters beyond the crowd, Zorchinsky mentioned, adding that the Montreal police managed to maintain order. 

“We were so impressed by the dedication of our community to come together, especially on campus. As a student, I feel so much more supported knowing my community can mobilize in 48 hours and bring that many people to support us.”

Students at Queen’s University also came together to pay tribute to the murdered hostages. 

Yos Tarshish, the campus director for Hillel Queen’s, helped organize what he called “an emergency vigil” immediately after learning the news. 

Tarshish contacted numerous Jewish organizations in Kingston, including the Kingston Jewish Council, Beth Israel Kingston, Chabad Kingston, and Alpha Epsilon Pi. 

“We had many allies from outside the community. Lots of Christian allies, Hindu allies. People from other communities,” he said. 

Tarshish estimates that the vigil, which took place at the Breakwater Park included about 250 people.

Tarshish mentioned specific connections that Kingston’s Jewish community has with some of the hostages. 

“In particular there are a number of the Queen’s Hillel community that have connections to Hersh Goldberg-Polin’s family,” he said, also mentioning that one of the students had a personal relationship with Alexander Lobanov’s wife. 

During the vigil, students read aloud about each of the hostages, prayed and held a moment of silence.

“We lit six candles,” Tarshish said. “And then after, sort of impromptu, many students stayed and we just sang. We sang Jewish songs.”

Hillel Guelph also held a remembrance ceremony for the hostages on Sept.6. 

Jake Levy, president of Hillel Guelph, said about 50 Jewish students attended. 

“We spoke about how we’re broken and how it’s important for us to stand together right now,” he told The CJN. 

The vigil took place on the main field of Guelph’s campus, he said, and was not met with any opposition.

“It was important to have a time for everyone to come together and remember them,” he said.