At the end of April, Israel’s Ministry for Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism unveiled a new report on global antisemitism in the previous year. Overall, it painted a dire picture of Jewish life since October 7th, 2023, finding that “antisemitism has become more threatening, dangerous and violent,” and that it is “undergoing a process of normalization, marked by increased social tolerance.” While the report surveyed regions across the world, from Latin America to western Europe to Australia, and contended that antisemitism was a rising concern in all of them, it presented particularly shocking numbers for Canada, which currently has the world’s fourth-largest Jewish community. According to the report, the number of antisemitic incidents had increased by 670% between October 2023 and October 2024 as compared to the same time frame in the previous year—the highest increase of any country surveyed. As examples of antisemitism in the country, the report cited both direct attacks on Jewish institutions, like a Molotov cocktail attack on a Montreal synagogue, and demonstrations of political support for Palestine, like the president of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union pledging to protect pro-Palestine protestors. In a press release accompanying the report, the Ministry declared that Canada had been found to be the world’s “champion of antisemitism,” as the Times of Israel reported, citing the 670% figure. …..more