History was my favourite subject in high school and university. Like many others, I learned that understanding and knowing history would prevent it from repeating itself. But unfortunately, as Jews, we are seeing the past mirroring itself. 

Bari Weiss reminded me and 2,000 other Jewish leaders at the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly in Washington D.C. last week that history is back and the old world as we knew it is not returning. Bari is a former New York Times journalist and the author of How to Fight Anti-Semitism. As she listed all the numerous Jewish hate incidents over the past two decades, including a Parisien woman thrown out of a window, I couldn’t help thinking, “How did I ignore what was happening?” 

A mix of discomfort and unity were feelings I had throughout the two-day conference. I’m assuming that a good deal of you feel the same way. For me, sometimes I desire my Judaism to be in the background while there are other moments that I want to shout out my pride. I remember when I belonged to the choir in Slave Lake, and we had the Christmas concert. I insisted the singers learn a Chanukah song. Then there was the time when I had a non-Jewish boyfriend, and I quietly went along to a prayer revival with his family.  

It’s essential that we push through our discomfort and embrace our identity. 

At the General Assembly, Sheryl Sandberg questioned which identity comes first. I’ll put it in Canadian terms since most of the attendees were American. Are we Jewish Canadian or are we Canadian Jews? 

Yet October 7 has reminded us we are one people—mishpacha—as the assembly’s Torah scholar, Mijal Biton said. She retold the story of Elchanan Kalmanson, who drove to Kibbutz Be’eri and saved hundreds of lives. To convince families to leave their safe rooms and that he was not a Hamas terrorist, he chanted the Shema, the prayer that grounds us as Jews. 

Bari, Sheryl, and Mijal all had similar messages. It’s essential to educate others about Zionism, Israel, and antisemitism. We cannot ignore what is happening around us. Facing the truth requires us to be uncomfortable. “We will not be the people that Jewish history is written. We will write it,” says Mijal. 

Remember that we are resilient, and we are one people, one community, no matter how diverse we are in our beliefs. One rabbi at the assembly told a story of how a man talked to the ghost of his grandfather, complaining that antisemitism was raging at a law school. His grandfather replied, “There are Jewish students at Yale?” Then he complained about how Israel is under attack. His grandfather said in shock, “There is an Israel?” 

Although we have been witnessing shocking antisemitism as of late, I’ve also experienced how the Jewish Federation system works strongly together, supporting Israel and our local communities. All the Jewish Federations are here to mobilize, develop resources, and cultivate philanthropy. That’s why our United Jewish Appeal campaign is so important, and your gift to Jewish Edmonton is essential now. We can’t let support for our community or Israel erode. As one, locally and around the world, we truly can face this new world and build our own Jewish history and legacy. 

Shabbat shalom,

Tammy