By Lisa Levitan
Hundreds of Ottawa’s Jewish community came together on November 6th to participate in the first annual RISE UP Ottawa event. The immensely successful afternoon focused on education, engagement, and learning about the unprecedented rise of antisemitism in Ottawa schools. Over the past year, antisemitism has become so normalized that Jewish students and staff are living in fear. Students and staff are ignored, dismissed, gaslit, threatened, and harassed on a regular basis. Jewish children are taught by their non-Jewish educators, principals, administrators, and trustees to hide their identity and keep quiet.
Five brave students spoke about their ongoing trauma that comes from being a Jewish student in the OCDSB. While their words were difficult to hear, CHES applauds Deena Friedman, Ron Dagan, Leah Freedhoff, Talia Freedhoff, and Ronnie Frenkel for their eloquent and smart advocacy for all Jewish students and their families, and for speaking about their efforts last spring to educate against hate at the OCDSB .
Bringing the message, “Never Again is NOW”, RISE UP Ottawa’s content shocked the audience. Led by award-winning Ottawa teacher and CHES member Lisa Levitan, the prestigious speakers included Israeli Ambassador Ronen Hoffman, Professor Irwin Cotler, Israel Defence Forces Attaché Col. Amiram Jakira, CHES’ Mina Cohn, CIJA’s Shimon Fogel, Andrea Freedman of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, B’nai Brith’s Sam Goldstein, The Lawfare Projects Gerard Filitti, End Jew Hatred’s Brooke Goldstein, Michael Teper of the Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation (CAEF), Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce, Liberal MPs Anita Vandenbeld, Yasir Naqvi, and Anthony Housefather, and Melissa Lantsman, Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party of Canada.
Leading the student sessions were the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies, Stand With Us Canada, Hasbara Canada, Clean Speech, and JTeach. Shira Waldman, Aaron Smith, and David Sachs provided insight into their never-ending, yet exhausting, efforts as local Jewish parents strive to be heard. World renowned Israeli American Hip Hop artist Kosha Dillz and Lisa collaborated on a song dedicated to the students called RISE UP, now streaming on social media. The afternoon concluded with Israel’s Koolulam, a social-musical initiative centering around mass singing events, promoting inclusion and Jewish pride, as we made our own music video to Matisyahu’s* song, One Day.
*He is an American Jewish reggae singer, rapper, beatboxer, and alternative rock musician.
RISE UP Ottawa’s Next Steps
Numerous members of the Jewish community came together virtually on November 30th to meet, learn, question, and discuss where we go from here.
Artur Wilczynski spoke about IHRA, including how it was developed and how it should be used. Lisa recapped RISE UP Ottawa and noted that while the day was an enormous success, we have yet to see Ottawa school boards take antisemitism seriously by implementing consequences for Jewish hate crimes. Lawfare’s Gerard Filitti insisted on advocacy and activism while coming together to create a Civil Rights #EndJewHatred (EJH) movement and knowing your rights. Plans include delivering the RISE UP Ottawa video to senior staff at all Ottawa school boards and to Minister Lecce along with a letter describing next steps. Although Jewish students, parents, and community members have spoken to senior staff and trustees many times, CAEF, EJH, and The Lawfare Project (The Lawfare Project) will be holding the OCDSB accountable in January after giving them the winter break to review the video footage.
CHES concurs that there is a dire need for the OCDSB to hire a Jewish Equity Coach. We hope they will consider Lisa for this important position.
