Independent Jewish Voices Canada: Ottawa's The Soloway Jewish Community Centre should not endorse militarism

The Foreign Enlistment Act forbids the recruitment of Canadians into armed forces of a foreign state, whether their roles be combat or otherwise.

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) play a central role in the ongoing occupation, genocide, and systematic oppression of Palestinians, resulting in grave human rights abuses and contributing to the cycle of violence in Southwest Asia.

By hosting this event, the JCC not only provides a platform for an organization that is complicit in these violations but also risks associating the broader Jewish community with the actions of the Israeli military.

This conflation is dangerous.

It undermines the safety and well-being of Jewish people, both locally and globally, by fostering the harmful perception that all Jews are aligned with the actions of a military engaged in violence and dispossession. Such messaging endangers Jewish communities by linking them with a genocidal regime, which exacerbates tensions and fuels antisemitism.

We unequivocally oppose the use of Jewish communal spaces to promote militaristic programs, particularly those tied to an occupying force. We call on the JCC to immediately cancel this event.

At a time when far-right extremism and antisemitism is rising and threatens the safety of Jews around the world, we must be especially vigilant in ensuring that our community centres do not promote or endorse institutions that perpetuate violence and division.

We urge the JCC to reconsider its platform and align itself with the values of peace and justice that many within the Jewish community uphold.