For decades, Israeli entrepreneurs have mounted travelling real estate shows in Canada to encourage Diaspora Jews to buy property in the Holy Land.
But in the wake of Oct. 7, there has been newfound attention paid to any events dealing with the Holy Land—and the very concept of land, especially buying it, is touching nerves. In early March 2024, several of these annual real estate events in Montreal and Toronto became flashpoints for large, aggressively anti-Israel street protests. Critics have accused the promoters (and real estate buyers) of stealing Palestinian land, especially because some of the apartments for sale are located in disputed areas of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The UN and Canada consider these settlements illegal, because they are still under Israeli military rule ever since being captured during the Six Day War in 1967.
So are these protests hurting Israel’s real estate business—or are they having the opposite effect? Are Diaspora Jews who are worried about rising antisemitism at home seeing Israel as a safer place to live? On The CJN Daily, we go inside one of the real estate events in Toronto to learn what they’re really about. We then speak with Israeli promoter Gidon Katz of the Great Israeli Real Estate Event, and with Ben Murane, head of the New Israel Fund of Canada, who explains why the event is fundamentally problematic.
Editor’s note: The Great Israeli Real Estate Event has paid for advertising in The CJN for many years, and had no input on this story.
What we talked about:
- Read more about the protests at two Israeli real estate sales events in Toronto, and also at the tour’s stop in Montreal, in The CJN
- Israeli real estate events have been visiting Canada since at least 2009, in The CJN
- Watch and learn more about the made-in-Canada Oscars’ antisemitism ad that was originally supposed to air during the Super Bowl in The CJN
Credits:
The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here. Hear why The CJN is important to me.
