For the 61st week since Oct. 7, Jewish Canadians—and, increasingly, their non-Jewish allies—came out to stand for two hours in the cold on Dec. 1 at the intersection of Bathurst St. and Sheppard Ave. in Toronto. Just as they’ve done for the last 61 Sundays, they waved Israeli flags, called for the release of the 101 remaining hostages held in Gaza, and prayed for soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces.
Meanwhile, across Canada, a similar ritual has played place every Sunday in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg and Montreal: hundreds of people turn out, rain or shine, for solidarity rallies and marches. But while those events have been mostly peaceful, Toronto’s rally has evolved into a spectacle of masked pro-Palestinian protesters disrupting and provoking their counterparts across the street, which has resulted in a significant police presence and even private security companies keeping things safe.
Despite all that, and the return of cold weather, organizers from coast to coast believe their rallies have kept the hostages front and centre—and have created a badly needed sense of community for the national Jewish community. On today’s The CJN Daily, we speak with the founders of four rallies: Daphna Kedem in Vancouver, Michel Aziza in Winnipeg and Michal Bental in Montreal, with Guidy Mamann of the Toronto Rally for Israel, who also joins.
Related links
- Learn more about the Toronto rallies, including the Aug. 2024 assault against an 88-year-old Jewish man at Bathurst and Sheppard, in The CJN and on The CJN Daily.
- Follow the Montreal Bring them Home Now rally on Instagram or on Threads,
- Follow the Vancouver Bring Them Home Now rally on Instagram or X/Twitter.
- Follow the Winnipeg Bring Them Home Now rally on Facebook.
Credits
- Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner)
- Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer)
- Music: Dov Beck-Levine
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