As antisemitism continues to rise in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, a new group has stepped up to help people take a stand against it.
Upstanders Canada, a predominantly non-Jewish organization, has taken up the cause of empowering individuals to fight antisemitism.
The organization launched its innovative toolkit, “Be an Upstander,” via webinar this week. This comprehensive resource aims to educate people on recognizing and confronting antisemitism, especially non-Jewish audiences who may lack awareness of subtle biases.
Pat Johnson, the Vancouver-based director of Upstanders Canada, emphasized the toolkit’s unique focus on helping individuals spot inherent biases and understand the nuanced forms of antisemitism that often go unnoticed.
Supported by organizations such as the Anti-Defamation League, Kolot Mayim Reform Temple, Union for Reform Judaism, and the Jewish Federation of Victoria and Vancouver Island, this toolkit has been reviewed by what Johnson called a “vast number” of leaders and experts.
“This toolkit is aimed at people of goodwill, who want to recognize and confront antisemitism, but perhaps lack the resources, the capacity,” Johnson, who is not Jewish, told True North, ahead of the webinar.
“We should contest antisemitism, because contesting antisemitism is the right thing to do. History has shown that the rise of antisemitism almost always parallels the rejection of liberal values, multiculturalism, pluralism, all of the things that we as Canadians, like to view as central to our national identity. And so if for no more altruistic reason, we should be opposing antisemitism in the interest of our individual and collective well being.”
Upstanders Canada is a nonpartisan, non denominational organization that welcomes and encourages the participation of people, regardless of their political views, religious or racial background, gender and sexual orientation, Johnson said.
The goal is to “mobilize and empower more Canadians to speak up when they see antisemitism, in one on one interactions, in their networks and in our society. So it’s a matter of giving people the confidence to contest antisemitism every time, and everywhere it emerges. And the confidence is in the form of information,” Johnson told True North.
Deborah Lyons, Canada’s special envoy on preserving Holocaust remembrance and combating cntisemitism praised the initiative.
“This comprehensive guide is a testament for education and empowerment by providing historical context, practical steps and valuable resources. This toolkit will equip Canadians to recognize and to combat anti-Jewish hate,” she said.
Rabbi Lynn Greenhough of the Kolot Mayim Reform Temple in Victoria, B.C. said that the massacre in Israel on Oct. 7 “brought an ancient hatred above ground” lamenting the problem of “doctrinaire attitudes and politics being taught at our universities, increasingly at our high schools, and our students are too often falling for their marching orders.”
Speakers noted that while antisemitism has become more brazen and pervasive since Oct. 7, it is not an overseas problem.
“We need to make this clear, antisemitism in Canada is not a consequence of overseas events,” said Toronto television personality Shai DeLuca, who emceed the event. “Antisemitism is a homegrown problem. A conflict in the Middle East is a spark that ignites existing prejudices. It is not the cause. Other conflicts around the world do not create this level of conflict in Canada.”
A student at University of British Columbia, Zara Nybo, took up the mantle of combating antisemitism and told those in the webinar that it wasn’t long ago that she knew nothing about the topic. But she, a non-Jew, began having conversations with Jews, and realized she did not have the full story.
“It was simply by being open and listening to perspectives I hadn’t heard before,” including from her Jewish boyfriend.
“When we choose to fight racism, or other forms of bias, we are advised to listen to your friends who are people of color, or members of the LGBTQ+community, or the women in your life or members of whatever group we are striving to ally with,” she said.
She discovered that the hostility on campus against Jewish students – who are “harassed, verbally and physically assaulted” – is made worse when no one listens to their concerns.
She said she has seen “fear, anguish, panic attacks and tears” and “bewilderment among my Jewish friends, wondering why there are so few non-Jewish students standing together with them since October 7.”
Nybo explained she became an activist “out of necessity” due to the absent non-Jewish support she saw.
“I hear people say we need to stand against the rise in antisemitism. But I disagree with that wording, because I think we should feel uncomfortable with any amount of antisemitism. The status quo antisemitism is not acceptable. And we need a broad movement of non-Jewish allies standing up and speaking out, standing with Jewish Canadians, whether we know any Jews or not.”
The positive side, she said, was seeing Jewish students respond to “hostility and threats,” by “redoubling down their determination to stand against bullying, hatred and intolerance.”
“I have seen bravery, courage and inspiring toughness,” she added, “But I want to get this across to you. They would feel a lot braver, a lot more courageous, and a lot tougher, if more Canadians were standing with them.”