Hillel UofT

This week, faculty & librarian members of the University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) began voting for president. Hillel cannot endorse any particular candidate, but we are encouraging all UTFA members to visit the UTFA website and to learn about the candidates, Professors Renan Levine and Terezia Zoric, and check their inbox for an email with a link to vote. Voting runs through April 5th.

We are proud to have supported and worked with Chaim to achieve this victory. Read the CJN's article about Chaim's battle here: https://thecjn.ca/news/bds-u-of-t-chaim-katz/

Chaim Katz’s six-year battle culminates in the University of Toronto withholding $10,918 earmarked for the BDS caucus in a graduate student union The University of Toronto will begin withholding a portion of student fees from the Graduate Students Union that were earmarked for promoting sanctions

Please read this open letter on antisemitism from Jewish faculty members at the University of Toronto to the Dean of the Temerty Faculty of Medicine: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScv4I_pS298LZeFpdjb6Zs3UF7zsIeqU2eBiZsWWhudTih-wQ/viewform

OPEN LETTER ON ANTISEMITISM TO THE DEAN OF THE TEMERTY FACULTY OF MEDICINE Each of us who has signed this document is a Jewish Faculty member at the University of Toronto. We wish to draw attention to the falsehoods, twisted logic and antisemitic rhetoric that are contained in the letter sent by other Faculty members to the Temerty Faculty of Medicine in which they condemn...

Please read Rabbi Ariella's statement on the University of Toronto's choice to uphold the Complaint and Resolution Council for Student Societies ruling concerning the University of Toronto's Graduate Student Union

For too long, the University of Toronto Graduate Students' Union (UTGSU) has held the dubious record of being the only student union in the country to use mandatory student fees to fund a discriminatory committee promoting the Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israelis.

For many years, Jewish students, with the support of Hillel and other Jewish groups, have sought redress – first with the union itself, and then with the university administration. Following a lengthy series of student complaints, university rulings, and refusals to comply on the part of the union, the time has finally come for the UTGSU to be held accountable. No longer can mandatory student fees be used to fund BDS.

Last week, the University of Toronto upheld the Complaint and Resolution Council for Student Societies (CRCSS) ruling, and stripped the UTGSU of funding being used to support BDS. This decision illustrates what we have long argued – that the UTGSU’s obsessive and discriminatory focus on Israel and Jewish students has overstepped the bounds of what is acceptable.

We are deeply appreciative of the University of Toronto administration for this decision, and are equally committed to working collaboratively with all willing parties to foster a more inclusive, welcoming campus for all in the weeks ahead.

For additional information:

Rabbi Ariella Rosen
Senior Director, Hillel UofT
[email protected]

Hillel UofT, Alpha Epsilon Pi Tau Omega, Alpha Epsilon Pi International, Hasbara Fellowships Canada, Jewish Student Alliance at UofT, StandWithUs Canada, and Students Supporting Israel at UofT all remain deeply concerned with the discriminatory motion adopted by the University of Toronto Student Union (UTSU) on February 16, 2022 which calls for divestment from Israel. Divesting from Israel is discriminatory because it targets the only Jewish state. It also leads to increased harassment of Jewish and pro-Israel students on campus. This is just the latest in a string of incidents that target Jews on campus.

As Jewish campus groups, we are proud to stand united in support of Jewish students at the University of Toronto. We believe all students have a right to study on a campus free from harassment and discrimination, and support the ability for everyone to safely express their identity.

We are calling on the university to:
1. Publicly condemn the passing of the UTSU divestment resolution;
2. Hold UofT student unions accountable for antisemitism and discrimination;
3. Meet with us to discuss antisemitism on campus; and
4. Employ the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition in considering and adjudicating incidents of antisemitism.

Please sign the following petition to show your support for the statement: https://hillelontario.org/uoft/calling-for-action/

StandWithUs Canada, Hillel UofT and Students Supporting Israel (SSI) at the University of Toronto Condemn the Endorsement of a Discriminatory Motion Calling for Divestment Against Israel

(Toronto, ON – February 16, 2022) – Today the University of Toronto Student Union (UTSU) held a Special General Meeting and voted in support of a motion calling on “the UTSU (to) wholly divest funds & further on forbid investment to firms complicit in the occupation of Palestinian Territory” (sic).

More than 240 Jewish students and their supporters voted against the motion. We are deeply disappointed by the adoption of this motion and call on the UTSU to reverse this shameful decision.

Naena Drazman, East Coast Assistant Campus Coordinator for StandWithUs Canada and the President of Students Supporting Israel at the University of Toronto said:

“While I am outraged at the passing of this motion, I am extremely proud of the students who rallied together to speak against the motion. The voices of Jewish students at UofT were heard loudly and proudly today. Discriminatory motions of this nature are unacceptable. Boycotting the Jewish state does nothing to foster peace between Israeli and Palestinians and ultimately denies Jews rights to self-determination. ”

Evan Kanter, Hillel Student Leader, said:

“I am disappointed that once again, the UTSU has decided to stoke the flames of antisemitism, rather than working to improve the student experience. It saddens me that prospective students considering UofT will have to wonder ‘Am I welcome here as a Jew? Will I have a student union who cares to represent me, though I’m Jewish?’

Dozens and dozens of Jewish students attended the meeting today to voice opposition against this antisemitic motion. Today’s events highlight the inadequacy of the University’s choice not to adopt the IHRA definition of antisemitism. It’s hard to fight antisemitism if we have to keep convincing people how it’s defined.”

StandWithUs Canada, Hillel UofT and SSI will continue to work together to support Jewish students counter antisemitism at the University of Toronto.

Today at 5pm, the UTSU is holding a Special General Meeting on Zoom. In the meeting, a member-submitted motion will be debated.

The motion states: "BE IT RESOLVED THAT The UTSU wholly divest funds & further on forbid investment to firms complicit in the occupation of Palestinian Territory."

If you are an undergraduate student at St. George campus, or have taken courses at St. George, you can attend this meeting to vote. If you are unable to attend, you can give another student your proxy vote, which will allow them to vote at the meeting on your behalf. If you have any questions or want to give another student your proxy vote, please email [email protected].

Please read our response to UofT's Antisemitism Working Group Report:

Toronto (December 8, 2021) - Jewish Canadians are the most frequently targeted religious minority in the country, and Jewish students on campus are often at the epicentre of such hatred and discrimination. This is increasingly the case at the University of Toronto (UofT), which is why Hillel UofT works hard every day to empower Jewish students to combat antisemitism. Jew hatred has no place on campus, and every Jewish student has a right to express their identity publicly, proudly, and without fear of being targeted for who they are.

For the past year, the University of Toronto’s Anti-Semitism Working Group has been engaging with stakeholders to identify strategies and examine best practices to foster a more inclusive environment for Jewish students, faculty and staff.

Throughout their deliberations, Hillel UofT provided testimony to the Working Group on two separate occasions, and submitted a written brief clearly outlining both our concerns and expectations.

In its final report, the Working Group echoed several key recommendations raised by Hillel, including:

- the entrenchment of antisemitism education within the broader framework of its equity, anti-racism, and cultural diversity initiatives;
- the appointment of a university advisor focussed on countering antisemitism;
- the commitment to make kosher food accessible on each of the university’s campuses; and
- a commitment to ensure that student organizations cannot make participation in their activities or access to their resources conditional on one’s willingness to take a particular position on a controversial matter.

Hillel’s position is clear: our experience with antisemitism must be included in anti-racism efforts, not erased. There must be a dedicated approach to fighting antisemitism. Limiting access to kosher food is discrimination; and no Jewish student group should be forced to denounce its own values to be accepted on campus. We are pleased that the university is recognizing these truths as well.

At the same time, Hillel UofT is disappointed that the Working Group did not recommend the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism. The IHRA definition is the most widely accepted definition for identifying the world's oldest form of hatred in all its contemporary forms. Mainstream Jewish organizations overwhelmingly support the IHRA definition of antisemitism, and it has been adopted by both the federal and provincial governments, and by more than 30 nations around the world.

In response to the report, Rabbi Ariella Rosen, Senior Director, Hillel UofT said:

"The time has come for the University of Toronto to take meaningful action to root out antisemitism and to ensure campus remains a safe and welcoming place for all students.

Hillel UofT is committed to working with university leadership to ensure the recommendations are fully adopted in a timely fashion. We are grateful to the members of the ASWG for engaging in such a thorough process and report.

As the largest Jewish student group at UofT, with a professional team on campus throughout the year, Hillel will continue to work with our partners on campus to counter antisemitism, and prioritize the safety and well-being of Jewish students."

Hillel Ontario

A joint statement from Hillel U of T and Hasbara Fellowships Canada

Hasbara Fellowships Canada & Hillel Ontario are aware of the Scarborough Campus Student Union (SCSU) Board of Directors meeting that took place yesterday. In the meeting, the Board of Directors voted to strike the language about kosher food from its BDS policy, stating that the policy would no longer apply to access to kosher food.

Hillel Ontario and Hasbara Canada call upon the union to produce a written statement that guarantees the statements made by the SCSU president last night. The removal of the kosher food clause from the policy is a positive first step; however, it does not address the majority of our concerns with the motion.

The policy is still entirely unacceptable and discriminatory. The policy states that the SCSU will “refrain from engaging with organizations, services, or participating in events that further normalize Israeli apartheid.” Any club, speaker, or organization that supports Israel may be denied SCSU funding or access to SCSU spaces on campus. That is unacceptable. Jewish students deserve the same campus experience as other students, one that is not subject to discriminatory measures or policies.

UTSC Jewish Student Life (JSL) has added to the cultural fabric at UTSC for nearly a decade. This motion runs counter to Jewish students' rights to collaborate with other student groups, engage in educational events and discussions, or publicly express their Judaism. Events that JSL has hosted in the past, such as Jewish Education Week or movie screenings with other campus groups, may not be allowed as a result of the current BDS policy.

According to SCSU’s 2013 anti-racism policy, the student union recognizes that discrimination is a structural form for racialized students. Jews would fall under that category as we remain a targeted racialized minority. The motion passed by SCSU creates structural discrimination for Jewish students at UTSC.

We call on SCSU to fulfill its obligations as a body that represents all students at UTSC. As U of T President Meric Gertler made clear in his statement, the SCSU can not single out a community, ethnic group, or a nation. By continuing to turn a blind eye to the concerns of Jewish students at UTSC, Canadian Jewish organizations, and even the Rabbinical Council of America, SCSU is ignoring the rights of the Jewish community.

SCSU policies and beliefs put the experiences of minority groups first; it is now time to do that with the Jewish students at UTSC too.

Statement from President Meric Gertler on the Recent SCSU (Scarborough Campus Students' Union) Motions made at their AGM on November 24 - Office of the President Office of the President » Speeches and Publications » Statement from President Meric Gertler on the Recent SCSU (Scarborough Campus Students’ Union) Motions made at their AGM on November 24 Statement from President Meric Gertler on the Recent SCSU (Scarborough Campus Students’ Union) Motions m...

📢 A statement from Hillel UofT 📢
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Last night the Scarborough Campus Students' Union (SCSU) passed a motion to reaffirm their commitment to the discriminatory Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions campaign against Israelis.

For weeks now, Hillel UofT has been working to support a group of courageous Jewish students in an attempt to steer the union in a more principled direction.

We are deeply disappointed by the union's position, and call on the executive to take immediate steps to reverse this shameful resolution.

As part of the largest Jewish student group in the world, Hillel continues to work with senior members of the university administration to ensure students are protected from the kind of antisemitism that has been on the rise in recent months, and we are anxiously awaiting the upcoming report from the university's Antisemitism Working Group.

We commend the advocacy efforts of Jewish students to pass a separate resolution titled a Re-Affirmation of Rights of Jewish Students.

📢 Kosher meals are back at Allen's Table every Tues and Thurs from 5-7!

Our first two weeks will be operating "take-out style" at the side of the Wolfond Centre. After that, we're planning to resume in-person dining!

Student meals are $5, ($15 for non-students), and are to be paid for at the door. Meal plans will also be available for purchase.

Guarantee your meal by pre-ordering! Pre-order closes Monday at noon.

Pre-order: https://hillelontario.org/uoft/order-allens-table/
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THIS WEEK'S MENU:

TUES: Sushi!*

THURS: Calzone, Tuna Melt, Sabich*

*Vegan options available each night

Do you like apples? Do you like cake?

Are you trying to figure out what to do with your Sunday evenings?

Are you trying to impress people at your Rosh Hashanah dinner?

If this sounds like you, you're at the right place!

Join Hillel UofT on Sunday, September 5th, for a fun night of baking! We will be baking apple cakes, led by some of our amazing Hillel Student Leaders.

Loaf Hashanah: Online Cake Bake | Online Jewish Community | Hillel Ontario Join Hillel UofT on Sunday, September 5th, for a fun night of baking! We will be baking apple cakes, led by some of our amazing Hillel Student Leaders.

Please read this note from the Vice-Provost, Students regarding accommodation for religious observances at U of T.

https://memos.provost.utoronto.ca/accommodation-for-religious-observances-pdadc-8/?fbclid=IwAR2ETn4YSh9EN3LPO8K5rLmrkTVE7qq_RDHuSDMUGBQOV2O89x8gNpbQKhI

Accommodation for Religious Observances (PDAD&C #8) – Communications for Academic Administrators From: Sandy Welsh, Vice-Provost, Students Date: July 29, 2021 Re: Accommodation for Religious Observances (PDAD&C #8) I am writing to remind you of the University’s commitment and policy concerning accommodation for religious observances and ask that you forward this information to instructors in ...

Congratulations to Hillel Student Leader and Governing Council Member, Evan Kanter, on his thoughtful and important Letter to the Editor.

Letter to the Editor: We need to be able to talk about Palestine — without stoking hatred Re: “We need to be able to talk about Palestine”

A space for self-identifying Jewish students to be in solidarity with one another amid challenging times in Israel-Palestine and rising antisemitism.

RSVP: hillelontario.org/jewish-students-support-circle

The well-being of Jewish students at UofT is our top priority. The past few weeks have been intense and some of the rhetoric heard throughout campus has been deeply hurtful to Jewish students. We have much to do, and we will do it together, as we always have. Next week, we will be meeting with senior university officials, including the Dean of the Medical School to discuss a path forward. Shabbat shalom.

The Hillel leadership team has been made aware of social media posts and statements made by campus groups that contain language hostile to many Jewish and pro-Israel students. We’ve also heard from students who feel targeted as a result of their ethno-religious identity.

In addition to reaching out to those groups individually, we have a meeting set with
Administration for later this week to report and address these issues specifically.

We know this is a challenging time to be on campus and there is a palpable sense of anxiety and fear among many Jewish students. Please know that Hillel is here to support you. If you are seeing anything disturbing or unsettling, or you just want to talk, please reach out to our Senior Director, Rob, at [email protected]. Additionally, students can also access UofT MySSP 24 hours a day from anywhere in the world through telephone or online chat. If you are feeling individually targeted, you can file a formal complaint through the Office of Vice Provost, Students.

Student Complaints - Office of the Vice-Provost, Students Information pertaining to issues and student complaints that involve the Office of the Vice-Provost, Students

Today, Hillel UofT – the largest Jewish student club at the University of Toronto – met with the university’s Antisemitism Working Group.

We were unequivocal in our support for Jewish students, and their right to study in an environment free from discrimination and harassment.

While we are committed to supporting the efforts of the Working Group and acknowledge the strong partnership the university has built with Hillel, our message to the Working Group today was clear: the time has come for the university to take concrete steps to improve the situation for Jewish students at the University of Toronto. Status quo is not an option.

If you are a Jewish student at UofT, our team is here to support you. Please reach out to Rob Nagus, Senior Director, Hillel UofT - [email protected].

We are closely monitoring the very troubling developments in Israel, and thinking about our friends and loved ones in the region.
Our team is committed to supporting students throughout this challenging time. If you have questions, want to learn more, or just want to talk, please reach out to your local campus professional.

45 crushed to death, over 150 hurt in stampede at mass Lag B’Omer event in Meron Many in critical condition as ambulances, helicopters evacuate victims from largest gathering held in Israel since COVID outbreak; kids said among dead, injured

Hillel UofT is the largest Jewish student club at the University of Toronto, supported by a professional team on campus all year round.

This week, Hillel provided testimony to the university's Antisemitism Working Group, a body established to review programming, activities, processes and practices in place at the institution and make recommendations to support the University’s response to antisemitism.

As we have done for decades, Hillel will always speak up in support of Jewish students. In that spirit, our remarks to the Working Group were direct, targeted and unequivocal. While antisemitism may not have seeped into every function of the university, antisemitism has institutionalized itself in several organs of student life. And, try as Jewish students might to reverse this troubling trend, we need - and indeed expect - the Working Group to act to hold these groups to account.

Hillel UofT remains committed to working with UofT to address antisemitism, and to identify and operationalize ways to better support Jewish students.

Please reach out to our Senior Director, Rob Nagus, [email protected] should you have any questions or concerns.

Since the start of the pandemic, there have been nearly 3,800 hate-related incidents against Asian Americans reported – the vast majority targeting women. We are outraged and disturbed by the violent murders that took place in Atlanta yesterday, as well as the mounting anti-Asian sentiment on the rise in our country. Hillel International stands with the Asian American & Pacific Islander community, including those in our Jewish communities, as we work together to fight racism, bigotry, and hateful violence in the United States and around the world.

Our tradition is clear that all human beings are created in B'tzelem Elohim - in the image of God. This means that all humans have infinite value, are infinitely equal, and should be afforded infinite dignity. Hatred against any people, is hatred against the Jewish people, is hatred of God.

During this difficult time, though the doors of many of our campus Hillels are closed, the hearts of our students, professionals and community members are open and ready to act. If you are a student seeking support in processing, please reach out to your campus or community Hillel for resources.

Join fellow Hillel alumni for tips on how to "Level Up" your resume, best practices for the MCAT, med school applications and more! Alumni are full of wisdom and they want to share it with YOU.
Join us on TONIGHT at 7:00pm to hear from a panel of alumni in the medical field!
https://hillelontario.org/level-up-alumni-panel/

Tair Haim from the Israeli band A-WA is virtually coming to Hillel UofT on March 18th @ 3:30pm! Want to get a preview of her talent? Watch A-WA's amazing performance with Tiny Desk Concerts here!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbt-fm5DcQ0

DID YOU KNOW? Tiny Desk Concerts is a video series of live concerts hosted by NPR Music and have featured famous artists such as Billie Eilish, Harry Styles, Anderson Paak, Alicia Keys, Miley Cyrus and many more! And A-WA is one of them!!! HOW COOL?!?!

You don't want to miss this! RSVP to the event here: https://hillelontario.org/global-groove/

Turning Yemenite Tradition Into a Global Groove: Live with Tair from A-WA | Hillel Ontario Guelph Hillel Queen’s Hillel McMaster Hillel Hillel Laurier Hillel Ryerson Hillel UofT Hillel Waterloo Western Hillel Hillel York

Last year, the UTGSU committed to antisemitism training in response to ongoing complaints raised by Jewish students.

As the largest Jewish organization on campus, Hillel UofT was asked to provide a list of suitable facilitators.

In yet another slap in the face to Jewish students at UofT, the union just voted to disregard those recommendations.

The time for the administration to act is now. The UTGSU must be held accountable and we will be following up directly with the university administration with whom we maintain close relations.

Hillel UofT is deeply troubled to hear that members of the UTGSU have voted to reject the CRCSS recommendations regarding the BDS Caucus. The disturbing comments made by members of the union's leadership in this article underscore the urgency and importance of the CRCSS recommendations. We call on the university to ensure the UTGSU implements the recommendations.

UTGSU members vote to reject CRCSS’ recommendations on BDS caucus UTGSU condemns university’s interference into union autonomy; union fee at risk without action by March 1

Hillel UofT is thrilled to announce that one of our Hillel Student Leaders, Evan Kanter, has been elected to the University of Toronto's Governing Council.
Mazel tov, Evan, and all the new council members!

Governing Council - Declaration of Winners - February 26 2021 ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF