Education is key, expert says
Thursday Sept. 30 marked the first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, a new federal statutory holiday to honour survivors of residential schools and their families and communities. The day was one of the 94 calls to action recommended by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in 2015.
Bob Watts is an expert on Indigenous policy and reconciliation and the former interim executive director of Canada’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Watts told the Jewish Ottawa E-Bulletin that a good way to commemorate the new holiday is to take time to educate yourself. The Jewish Federation of Ottawa, who hosted a Zoom discussion facilitated by Watts Thursday morning, compiled a list of educational resources here.
A call for action that the Reform Jewish Community of Canada released on June 2 of this year includes an extensive list of ways that the Jewish community can get involved in solidarity and support. Temple Israel Ottawa established a truth and reconciliation task force in 2018 which has a series of presentations about Jewish-Indigenous relations scheduled.
CIJA also posted a list of educational links, encouraging “reflection and discussion in the spirit of truth and reconciliation.”
Orange Shirt Day
September 30 was chosen for the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation due to the growing recognition of Orange Shirt Day, which has been held annually since 2013 and is observed in schools across Canada. The message behind wearing an orange shirt is that every child matters, a slogan which has picked up steam following the discovery of thousands of unmarked graves on residential school properties this summer.
TanenbaumCHAT of Toronto was among the schools that participated in Orange Shirt Day, and has recently established anIndigenous Peoples Committee according to assistant to the head of school, Kelly Michaelov.
“The school looks forward to running more programs that show solidarity and support for the Indigenous peoples,” said Michaelov. An “informative and moving presentation” was prepared by staff advisors on the committee and presented by students.
Inter-Community Support
Jewish groups across social media expressed support for the holiday. They too echoed the importance of ongoing education and solidarity.
“Today and every day, we remember the difficult history and ongoing impacts of residential schools and other acts that have caused immeasurable harm to Indigenous Peoples,” read a tweet from the Montreal Holocaust Museum.
“When we consider the legacy left to us by Holocaust survivors, we are reminded of the importance of standing in solidarity with other communities affected by genocide and working to build a world free of hate and fear.”
See more messages of support below:
