Tears fill my eyes as we hold our shabbat for ceasefire at the University of Toronto’s student encampment. A massive group of community members, students, faculty, and staff sing together inside the fence as police and campus security surveil us. When I was a student during the 2014 attack on Gaza, I never imagined such a sight would be possible on a university campus. Over 200 days into the bombing, the world’s resolve to stop this genocide has only grown stronger.
Despite condemnations of Palestine solidarity rallies by the media and politicians, Canadians have flooded the streets in record numbers as Israel’s genocidal actions and ethnic cleansing have progressed since October. Nearly 500 actions have taken place in Toronto alone. These actions have included large numbers of Jewish members, a particularly notable fact in Canada, where not a single synagogue is outwardly pro-Palestine. …..more