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John,

As we prepare to celebrate Shavuot, I cannot help but look back to last week and think: What a week. 

In Israel, our hearts and minds are with the hostages and their families. This nightmare has lasted for more than 600 days and our hope is that the future will bring liberation. Healing can only begin when every single one of our 58 hostages are home.  

Here in Canada, all eyes were on the Nation’s capital, with His Majesty King Charles III delivering a historic Speech from the Throne.  

In it, the King touched on an important truth: To meet the immense challenges facing Canada, we must first draw strength from our shared values. 

As I was standing on the floor of the Senate alongside leaders from across Canada, my mind turned to the unprecedented dangers we’re confronting. I thought of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky, z”l, murdered just steps from Washington’s Jewish Museum.  

This antisemitic attack did not occur in a vacuum. The killer, who told police “I did it for Gaza”, frequented anti-Israel protests and was radicalized to violence.  

As I noted in an op-ed yesterday in the National Post, what happened in Washington should be a wake-up call for Canadian authorities.  

We are facing a ticking time bomb—an anti-Israel movement that openly incites violence and glorifies terrorism. Just this week in Montreal, Ottawa and Toronto, there were multiple arrests of pro-terror extremists found with weapons, displaying Nazi symbols, and assaulting Canadians.  

The start of a new Parliament is an opportunity for our leaders to step up and fight antisemitism relentlessly. Because everyone in Canada should be safe and secure in their own country. 

From CIJA, you can expect that we’ll be advocating for you and urging our new government to: 

• Increase funding and direct partnership with our community security agencies 

• Pass a law banning protestors from targeting places of worship, schools, and community centres
  
  
• Close loopholes in anti-terror laws and ban the glorification of terrorism 

• Back robust police enforcement and clear consequences for lawbreakers 

• Hold Iran and its terror proxies accountable for sponsoring global terrorism 

We will work with Parliamentarians to take decisive action to protect our community. But we can’t do it alone—we need more people like you to be part of it.  

Our community is strong, united, and resilient. And we have dedicated allies, many of whom I was proud to meet at UJA’s 56,000-strong Walk With Israel. This is a critical moment to harness our collective energy and determination.  

Thank you for continuing to stand up for what’s right. Share this message with your network and invite them to join the cause. 

The safety of our children and future generations is not negotiable. And Canada’s core values shouldn’t be either. Together, we will hold our leaders accountable for bringing to life the King’s vision for a better Canada. 

Chag Sameach,

Noah Shack 
Interim President  
Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs