An open letter signed by senior Jewish leaders in British Columbia is calling on Premier David to address “anti-Semitism within his caucus, his government and in British Columbia as a whole.”
Ezra Shanken, chief executive officer of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, Rabbi Jonathan Infeld, Chair of the Rabbinical Association of Vancouver and Nico Slobinsky, Vice President for the Pacific Region Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, signed the letter dated March 6 after Selina Robinson had left the NDP caucus, citing concerns that the party was not doing enough to combat anti-Semitism.
The trio said they are “profoundly saddened” by Robinson’s decision to leave the caucus Wednesday (March 6) “because of the anti-Semitism that she has experienced.”
With this comment, the trio alluded to a line in Robinson’s letter that she had sent to caucus in which she lamented the lack of support from her cabinet colleagues on her efforts to speak out against anti-Semitism following Hamas’ attack on Israel on Oct. 7.
“Anti-Semitism is calling for the destruction and annihilation of Israel where half the world’s 15.8 million Jews live,” she said in her letter. “Anti-Semitism is making Jewish people afraid to show their identity. Anti-Semitism is silencing an openly identified Jewish person who is speaking out about anti-Semitism. Your collective decision to silence me is anti-Semitism and you don’t even know it.”
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The trio noted that “anti-Semitic hate incidents” have increased by 62 per cent in 2023 compared to the previous year, citing statistics from Vancouver Police Department. This figure appears in a press release that VPD had released on Jan. 16.
“This is why we have relied on strong voices at the cabinet table to advocate on our behalf, understanding the challenges and sensitivities Jews face, including those with lived experience as members of our community,” they wrote. “Now we have learned that in addition to being asked to forgive and work with members of government who offended our community or made anti-Semitic comments, a Jewish community member who was part of the government endured anti-Semitism within the government caucus.”
With that last comment, the trio referred to the double-standard which Robinson said she endured while in caucus, pointing to statements made by caucus members, she considers anti-Semitic.
“Anti-Semitism is the double standard that we have consistently shown,” she wrote. “When any of my colleagues have made anti-Semitic remarks it was expected that apologies should suffice.”
Robinson resigned from cabinet Feb. 5 following days of furor over she had called the British-ruled mandate upon which Israel was founded in 1948 a “crappy piece of land with nothing on it.”
The trio added it is the job of Eby to ensure that all British Columbians feel safe.
Eby said Thursday he will have a long-scheduled meeting with the Rabbinical Council of British Columbia Friday to engage with the Jewish community.
“So we are going to be guided by the Jewish community about how we can address rising anti-Semitism in our province, hope to make them feel safe and support them in this moment of increased hate,” he said.