Dear Editor,
I, like many in our Jewish community, was encouraged earlier this month when Richmond City Council indicated it would bring forward a motion to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. However, I was disheartened when the motion was inexplicably removed from council’s agenda.
The issue is timely, important and relevant.
Richmond has the second largest Jewish population in B.C., with multiple synagogues, a Jewish school and many Jewish-owned businesses.
Unfortunately, antisemitism is once again on the rise and gaining a worrisome amount of mainstream acceptance.
In just the past few months, we’ve seen public figures like musician Kanye West repeatedly push antisemitic vitriol, a former U.S. president and current presidential candidate break bread with a known Holocaust denier, and an NBA player promote then refuse to condemn a film that glorified Hitler and contained anti-Semitic tropes.
Even closer to home, a recent academic report identified ongoing antisemitism in one of Canada’s most prestigious medical schools.
These findings follow a disturbing trend. According to Statistics Canada, in 2021, Canada’s Jewish community was the most frequently targeted minority group when it came to police-reported hate crimes — including assault, harassment, intimidation and vandalism.
The result is that Jewish communities around the world are now on edge, and looking to allies for support and reassurance they don’t tolerate this form of hatred and are ready to take a stand.
The IHRA definition of antisemitism has been adopted by governments around the world, including the Government of Canada, the Province of B.C., and the City of Vancouver.
Any claim this definition is intended to prevent criticism of Israel is a red-herring argument; the IHRA definition explicitly states it’s not intended to silence any legitimate debate of the Jewish state’s policies. Arguing otherwise is just antisemitism in yet another guise.
Let me be clear, no one has the right to define antisemitism for us… and our definition is IHRA.
This is why council’s decision to avoid this unambiguous demonstration of solidarity with the Richmond Jewish community is extremely disappointing, deeply troubling and raises serious questions.
Antisemitism is a non-partisan, apolitical issue. It’s about standing up to hatred and protecting our society’s values.
This issue is particularly true for the City of Richmond, which is one of the most diverse cities in Canada and claims to be committed to promoting a shared sense of community.
Fundamentally, combatting antisemitism is about equity, inclusivity and anti-hate.
During these challenging times, I’d like to remind council this is when true allies and real character are revealed. I’m also reminded of the adage that the only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing.
I sincerely hope Richmond councillors are true allies to the Jewish community, take a stand and will not be silent on this universal issue.
Michael Sachs
RICHMOND
