Jewish Groups Won’t Oppose Al Jazeera

TORONTO — Canadian Jewish groups have indicated that they won’t oppose the carriage of Al Jazeera English on cable and satellite services and that they’ll sit on a committee that will review the channel’s on-air content.

The news comes after an aggressive campaign to bring Al Jazeera English to Canada, which saw the satellite news network take the unusual step of consulting both Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and B’nai Brith Canada in February to work through concerns about its programming.

Congress CEO Bernie Farber said he hasn’t offered an  outright endorsement   of the service, but   said an invitation to sit   on a consulting committee helped ease concerns. “We do not oppose [the service  ]  , but remain vigilant and concerned,” he told JTA.

Similarly, B’nai Brith said in a letter to the CRTC, Canada’s broadcast regulator, that “in the spirit of co-operation,” it won’t oppose the bid, but will remain vigilant.

Tony Burman, a former CBC news executive who is now managing director of Al Jazeera English, based in Doha, Qatar, wants his consultative committee to meet every six months to ensure there are no major concerns.

Jewish groups sounded strong opposition in 2003 when the Arabic-language version of Al Jazeera applied for a broadcast licence in Canada, and fears were raised that the network would beam   messages of hate against Jews and Israel into the   country. In 20  0  4, the CRTC approved the application, but   attached conditions so stringent that   cable providers were unable to comply.

Al Jazeera English could be available here this summer.

Bialik Gets Grant

TORONTO — Bialik Hebrew Day School in Toronto has received a grant from the New York-based Avi Chai Foundation that will let students in grade 7 and 8 use digital filmmaking techniques to show how modern Jewish issues have roots in biblical times. The $10,000 (US) grant is one of 20 given by Avi Chai out of 200 applications to its educational technology grant program, which it started in 2007 to help educators use innovative technological approaches. Founded in 1984 by stockbroker Zalman Bernstein, Avi Chai supports Jewish camps and schools.