All hate speech and hate crimes, no matter the target, should be denounced. Canadians of all faiths deserve to live without fear.
The Jewish custom of placing a stone on a loved one’s grave is performed as an act of remembrance. Different interpretations exist of this custom, but it communicates that those who’ve departed this world have not been forgotten. It’s an intentional act of respect.
Voicing their outrage with Israel is not antisemitism. But I also fear that rising discontent with the Israeli government has become a pretence for some espousing antisemitic beliefs to target and attack the Jewish community. In the same way many use Islamist fundamentalism to spew Islamophobia about all Muslims.
I also refuse to support calls that I’ve seen online to boycott Montreal’s Jewish-owned businesses. While major brand boycotts can certainly raise awareness in the absence of sanctions, deliberately harming small, local businesses and our fellow Montrealers running them feels wrong to me.
All hate speech and hate crimes — no matter the target — should be denounced. As horrific and untenable as what is happening in the Middle East is, Canadians of all faiths deserve to live peacefully and without fear. That includes members of Montreal’s Jewish community.