As Jewish students return to classrooms, families are facing the reality of rising antisemitism in schools. To prepare parents, youth, and community members, a national online town hall, hosted this week by the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) in partnership with the Jewish Federation of Ottawa and other Canadian Federations, focused on giving families the tools, strategies, and resources they need to navigate the year ahead.
Moderated by journalist Naomi Parness, the initiative was designed to connect families with key contacts and resources they can rely on throughout the school year.
In addition to national supports, families can also turn to the Jewish Federation of Ottawa’s own advocacy hub for local resources and updates or contact our antisemitism specialist, David Sachs at [email protected].
During the webinar, sociologist Robert Brym presented data collected from his recent study which documented 781 reports of antisemitic incidents submitted by parents across Ontario. Most occurred in areas with large Jewish populations, particularly Toronto and Ottawa, though smaller communities were not immune.
In one alarming example, a student asked a Jewish classmate to “show her number,” pulling up her sleeve in a reference to Holocaust tattooing. More than 40 percent of incidents were Nazi-inspired, including drawing swastikas, “sieg heil” salutes, and comments such as “Hitler should’ve finished the job.” Despite the frequency of such reports, many schools failed to act.
While fewer than 60 percent of the incidents were related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Jewish students were still often accused of committing genocidal acts or made to feel responsible for the conflict.
The impact on children was profound: fear, anger, and anxiety were common, with some students unable to return to school for months. Sixteen percent of parents reported plans to transfer their children to safer schools, with 39 percent of those considering Jewish day schools, though access remains limited for many families.
Brym emphasized that Ontario’s reporting systems are woefully inadequate, noting that only a handful of incidents were officially documented by boards with high Jewish populations like the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB).
The situation reflects broader national trends. In 2024, Jews in Canada experienced hate crimes at a rate of 273 incidents per 100,000, five times higher than Black Canadians and 20 times higher than Muslim Canadians.
Panelists then turned to strategies for action. Ginaya Peters, a Vancouver teacher, highlighted a community toolkit available through the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, and encouraged parents to use their voices, engage with administrators, and participate in unions to push for change.
“Parents often have more influence than they think,” she said, adding that union members can vote, run for positions, and rally allies.
Kelly Hiebert, a non-Jewish history teacher from Winnipeg specializing in Holocaust history and genocide studies, stressed that allyship means “stepping up and speaking out.” He urged better professional development for teachers, accountability measures for creating inclusive environments, and anonymous reporting tools for students.
He also highlighted a troubling gap in Holocaust awareness, with 54 percent of Canadian adults not knowing that six million Jews were killed, and 18 percent of young adults believing that the Holocaust was exaggerated.
Other speakers, including Montreal English school board member Julie Kristof and Ottawa school psychologist Jess Shulman, underscored the importance of early and ongoing conversations between parents and schools, Jewish pride, and joyful engagement with community life even in challenging times.
“Many school boards already have mechanisms in place to deal with antisemitism,” said Shulman. “It is our duty as parents to be our children’s [advocate] before anyone else.”
Richard Marceau from CIJA concluded by urging families to seek support from their local federations, participate in governance, and model resilience for their children.
As Brym’s research and the webinar discussion made clear, the issue is not just Ontario’s but one of national importance. The town hall was an important step in ensuring that families feel supported and prepared with practical tools, reliable resources, and a network of allies for the year ahead.
If you missed the webinar, a recording can be found on CIJA's website here.