SURJ Toronto

As our movement grows, efforts to silence us will increase too. We may start seeing more counter-protesters attending demonstrations, including those affiliated with groups like ‘’Israel Now’’

Here is some important info and tips to keep each other safe!

We must not be afraid to be present, to be seen, to be loud. Our cause is true and righteous. Stop the genocide in Gaza ; End the siege ; End Canadian complicity ; Arms embargo now ; Free all political prisoners ; End the occupation ; Free Palestine

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Spreading the word about Saturday’s demo! 1PM at Yonge-Dundas Square! See you there!

Answering the call for a Global Solidarity Vigil with Gaza, join Jews Say No to Genocide on December 22 at Grange Park in Toronto.

From the global organizers:
We are in a state of emergency. Since the start of the military campaign in Gaza, almost 20,000 Palestinians have been killed. We are grieved, and our hearts are with the families and communities in all of Israel/Palestine contending with irrevocable loss.  

We are a coalition of solidarity activists based in Israel/Palestine, from groups including Free Jerusalem, All That’s Left: Anti-Occupation Collective, and Return Solidarity. We are personally grieving Gazan friends killed in recent airstrikes and are organizing a vigil in Jerusalem on Dec 22 and invite you to join in as part of a coordinated global action. Vigils can take place any time that weekend.

We are heartbroken and determined to insist particularly in this moment that occupation can only bring despair. The only way to end this collective anguish is to build a future of mutual prosperity beyond airstrikes, ground invasions, occupation, and massacre. This must mean a ceasefire now. Only an end to the siege on Gaza can bring freedom, equality, and dignity for all.

In a moment in which grieving Gazan lives is almost completely outside mainstream Jewish discourse, we demand the right to mourn and that the U.S., Israel, and the international community immediately put an end to this lethal campaign. In solidarity with our Palestinian partners, we call on our communities to join a global action demanding a permanent ceasefire, an end to occupation and siege, and a just future for all.
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Toronto Citizens Collective — a city to win Torontonians deserve to live in a safe, affordable, beautiful city. After over a decade of austerity and of visible decline, we finally have an opportunity to push for better. We believe that we can have housing for all, good transit and great public spaces if we want them.

LAL playing A benefit show in support of the Community Defense Fund for Palestinian Organizing

LAL (with Ian de Souza, Jonathan Adjemian Vee Kei and Jose Garcia ) w/ Holofernes Head, Oxalis, Scooter Jay

A benefit show in support of the Community Defense Fund for Palestinian Organizing

Donation link:
https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/community-defence-fund-for-palestinian-activists/

Band URLS:
https://lalforest.com/
https://holoferneshead.bandcamp.com/album/demo
https://oxalis666.bandcamp.com/album/oxalis-ep
https://scooterjay.bandcamp.com/album/jaywalkin

TODAY!! Chanukah Against Genocide: Ceasefire Now! End the Occupation! End Canadian Complicity in Israeli war crimes!

Join Jews Say No to Genocide today, Dec 15, from 4:30-5:30pm as we mark the final day of Chanukah and join millions globally calling for an immediate ceasefire.

As Jews our Chanukah story hinges on miracles. This year, in the face of our government’s silence and the ongoing genocide by Israel, the miracle we hope for is the overcoming of great odds: overcoming colonial violence, overcoming occupation, siege, and war and witnessing Palestinian liberation. We dig deep into our Jewish traditions to say: not one more day of violence in our names.

But miracles don’t happen with just hope; we must fight for them. Overcoming these odds means taking a principled position against the genocide in Gaza, the violence and displacement in the West Bank, and the Israeli occupation of Palestine. This action will invite you to take immediate action through learning about Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions that you can participate in right now!

Join us to declare: We won’t sit by as a genocide occurs!

Communities across the GTA and the country are rallying on Monday Dec 18 as part of a national day of action. We are welcoming our MPs home to their constituencies with a clear set of demands from : an actual, immediate, permanent ceasefire, the lifting of the siege on Gaza, an end to Canadian complicity in genocide and occupation, and a Free Palestine!

Swipe to see actions planned across the city, and show up with your friends, family, and neighbours! No peace for MPs until Palestine is free!

Donate to the Toronto Community Defence Fund for community members who are being arrested & criminalized for their Palestinian Solidarity! We keep us safe!

Link in bio: https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/community-defence-fund

Drop the charges! Ceasefire now! Free Palestine!

Donate to the Toronto Community Defence Fund - this fund is created by community, for our pals who are being arrested & criminalized for their Palestinian Solidarity! We keep us safe!

Link in bio: https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/community-defence-fund

Beautiful moments from the Jews Say No to Genocide Coalition’s action at Union Station yesterday. We won’t stop until Palestine is free!

Coming up on THURSDAY at 7 PM.

Join us and Atreyu Lewis to learn about how to de-escalate and practise harm-reductive care with fellow community members in times of crisis, struggle and grief.

Part of our ongoing Alternatives to 9/11 series - stay tuned for more sessions upcoming!

The Toronto Community Defence Fund is ready to receive your generous donations! Support all our friends and loved ones who are being targeted by the police. We won't be intimidated! We'll collectively pool our resources to support this fight!



https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/community-defence-fund

CALLING ALL PARKDALE-HIGH PARK FOLKS!!!

On December 11th at 5PM, Parkdale High Park community members are gathering at MP Arif Virani’s office (1596 Bloor St W) for a family friendly rally to demand a permanent ceasefire!

More and more residents in Toronto are organizing to pressure their MPs to support Palestinian liberation, and neighbours in the west end felt inspired to mobilize for the same purpose.

So bring your kids, friends, noise-makers, and energy to demand a permanent ceasefire now!

Today’s update re the Toronto peace activists being targeted by TPS.

In response to the recent arrests of 11 peace activists in Toronto, Jews Say No To Genocide held a press conference to clearly say that calling out companies that support Israeli war crimes is a legitamate form of protest; targeting Indigo is not antisemitic!

We are calling for the Toronto Police to drop all charges immediately!

Speakers included:
Sarena Sarain, Executive Director of United Jewish People’s Order (UJPO) and member of Jews Say No To Genocide

Statement from Lesley Wood, Associate Professor of Sociology at York University and one of the 11 peace activists arrested last week during the police raid.

Natalie Rothman, Professor, Department of History at the University of Toronto. Natalie is an Israeli with family in Israel that was taken hostage.

Audrey Macklin, Professor of Law and Rebecca Cook Chair in Human Rights at the University of Toronto

Naomi Klein, Acclaimed author, journalist, filmmaker and social activist

Jews Say No to Genocide is a coalition of Independent Jewish Voices, United Jewish Peoples Order, IfNotNow Toronto, Jewish Members of Showing Up for Racial Justice Toronto and World Beyond War, and other members of the Jewish community.

A couple weeks ago, we launched a fund to support organizers with legal defence and other organizing costs. Thank you all for your generous support! We are passing these donations to PYM Toronto.

Now, as state repression ramps up and the number of arrests keeps growing, there is a need for larger infrastructure. This Community Defence Fund, which has been endorsed by PYM, is being launched to fundraise and distribute resources to support costs stemming from the criminalization of protest, civil disobedience, and direct action activities in solidarity with Palestine. The fund is concentrated on supporting those in Toronto, Ontario.

Please contribute and share so we can keep one another safe and cared for. 🍉💸

actionnetwork.org/fundraising/community-defence-fund

Take Action: Write a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to ensure Status for All Send a hand-written letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to demand permanent resident status for all undocumented people (called regularization) and migrant students and workers.

Jews Say: Postering Indigo is Not Antisemitism!

In response to the recent arrests of 11 peace activists in Toronto, Jews Say No to Genocide is holding a press conference to say loud and clear: calling out companies that support Israeli war crimes is a legitimate form of protest; targeting Indigo is not antisemitic. We are calling on the Toronto Police to drop all charges immediately!

Thursday, Nov 30th 2023, 9:30-10:30am
Indigo Books, 55 Bloor Street, Toronto

We join millions worldwide in calling for an immediate ceasefire, an end to Israeli occupation, and the end to Canadian complicity in Israeli state violence. 🇵🇸 🇵🇸

From Davenport to Danforth! 🤩 Another group of Toronto residents has been organizing to pressure their MP to call for a permanent ceasefire! WE LOVE TO SEE IT ✊

East-enders! Join on Tuesday at 4PM at Julie Dabrusin’s office, 1028 Queen St E! Bring your kids and your neighbours!

Ottawa!!! So beautiful to see so many folks out in the streets for a 🇵🇸🍉 Jews from all over joined the Jewish contingent to say loudly NO GENOCIDE IN OUR NAMES! Permanent ceasefire now! Lift the siege on Gaza! End Canada’s complicity in Israeli war crimes!

National Day of Action at Parliament Hill - many thousands demanding a permanent ceasefire now! End the siege! Stop Canada’s complicity! Free Palestine!

Jews Say No to Genocide is heading to Ottawa for the National March for Palestine. Are you joining us?! If so, find us here on Saturday at 1pm! We will be gathering to send a clear message that Israeli state violence cannot be commited in our names. Jews support a 🇵🇸 We will have t-shirts for sale ($15) lots of music and some sweet Jewish vibes ✨If you want to March with our contingent - all Jewish folks and allies are welcome!

We will not be distracted by an inadequate 4 day pause! We will not be silenced by outrageous state repression! Davenport residents know that we need a PERMANENT CEASEFIRE NOW!

Come out on Sunday at 6 PM to remind our representative that SHE WORKS FOR US!

We will be joined by our kids and neighbours, powerful local speakers and organizers, and Davenport for Ceasefire's Most Disruptive Big Band! We encourage everyone to join in for some fun and some noise! Bring your instruments, pots and pans, or noise makers; all skill levels, genres, and ages welcome.

The Jews Say No To Genocide Coalition condemns recent arrests in relation to posters that were allegedly put up at an Indigo bookstore, and calls for all charges against Toronto peace activists to be immediately dropped. Read the full statement here.

Davenport residents know that a pause is not enough! We demand a PERMANENT CEASEFIRE NOW!

15,000 people have been killed in Gaza over the last six weeks. This four day pause shows us that pressure is working and that a ceasefire is possible – but Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu has already said that he plans on recommencing bombardment immediately.

We are gathering on Sunday Nov. 26 to tell our representative, MP Julie Dzerowicz, that a pause is not enough. Davenport residents demand a PERMANENT ceasefire, and an end to Canada’s complicity with Israel’s military aggression. Our MP works for us – come tell Julie that it’s not too late to do the right thing.

Join us at 1621 Dupont St, just east of Dundas St W, at 6 PM on Sunday – bring your kids, your neighbours, your banners, your chants, your noisemakers. No business as usual while the Liberals co-sign genocide.

Family friendly event. Please mask.

All folks have now been released!

Folks are gathering now outside 52 division at Dundas and Simcoe to show support for those being criminalized for solidarity with Palestine! Show up!

GET IN COMRADES! 🚌💅

Get your bus tickets at the link in our bio TODAY! Join the historic national march on Ottawa to fight for a Free Palestine! You don’t want to miss this.

We at SURJ Toronto are endorsing the National March on Ottawa to FREE PALESTINE! Many of our members are heading to Ottawa to march on the Hill on Saturday! Join us! Link in bio to secure a bus seat from Toronto 🚌✊

This is TOMORROW! Perfect for people in your life who are increasingly horrified by our government's complicity in the bombardment of Gaza and looking for a quick and easy way to turn up the pressure on our federal representatives! Let us fill their inboxes and voicemails before they return to work on Monday! We cannot stop until they listen: CEASEFIRE NOW!

Join us TOMORROW (Sunday Nov 19) at 3pm eastern / noon pacific for a 30 minute phone and email zap targeting the Prime Minister, the Foreign Affairs Minister, and MPs nationally! Invite your friends, family, coworkers, neighbours, organizations! Until Palestine is free!

Register at tinyurl.com/nov19zap (link in bio)

Keep showing up Toronto! Until Palestine is free!

Don't miss out! Harsha Walia speaking in Toronto this Saturday at 6pm. Pre-tickets almost gone, please register now. Limited amounts available day off.

https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/work-borders-and-beyond-a-conversation-with-harsha-walia-tickets-749386925467

In collaboration with the Toronto chapter of Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM)- حركة الشباب الفلسطيني, a Community Defence Fund for Palestinian Organizing is launching today! Join us in supporting organizers to keep fighting and winning!

We are witnessing the incredible organizing happening across the country and while this occurs, we are also seeing the criminalizing of this organizing both internationally, but also locally in very significant ways. This is why we know it is necessary to be in a position to support needs that arise from doing this vital organizing, so we are launching a community defense fund. While this includes supporting with legal fees, we know that community defense is also broader than legal defense. This fund will also support any and all expenses needed to keep our community safe.

Please donate and share widely:
https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/community-defence-fund-for-palestinian-activists/

Thank you to everyone who attended the postering event yesterday evening. Through overwhelming community support, we have raised over $5000 split between and the ! And distributed thousands of posters to help spread solidarity across the city!

For updates on the next poster pick up, follow !

And check out the link in our bio if you’d like to download and print these posters to distribute on your own!

SURJ kiddo getting ready for today’s march with !!

Kids, parents, aunties, etc - meet up at the pillars of justice statue at 12:45 with signs, bubbles, chalk, snacks, drums, enthusiasm!

ALL OUT FOR GAZA
NOV 18 | 12:30PM
Q***R + TRANS CONTINGENT
361 UNIVERSITY AVE. COURTYARD

This is not a SURJ action. We are amplifying the call for this contingent which has been put out by a small group of anti racist q***r and trans people. There are no organizations holding this down. Palestinian q***r and trans folks to the front!

Please share this post widely and bring your organizations, friends, family, and community members!