Over 50,000 Canadian Jews and friends were joined by elected officials, October 7 Massacre survivors, hostages and their families in a massive march supporting Israel in Toronto on Sunday, according to event organizers.
The United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto’s annual Walk With Israel event on Sunday was the biggest in its history, said the organizer, with fundraising for Israeli evacuees and terrorism victims netting CAN $1,245,604 – exceeding the original goal of $400,000 by 321%.
Marchers, dressed in blue and white and carrying Israeli and Canadian flags walked, danced, played instruments, and sang “Am Yisrael Chai” for five km. along Bathurst Street to the UJA Sherman campus for a solidarity festival which saw performances from artists such as Montana Tucker and Nissim Black.
Pervasive antisemitism
Jewish Federations of Canada-United Israel Appeal in Israel General-Director Sarah Mali said that the event was particularly remarkable considering its impressive attendance because “since October 7th, the Canadian Jewish community has been subject to rampant and pervasive antisemitism on campuses and in Jewish communal spaces and at the same time has raised the most significant amount of funds per capita of all the communities around the world. So this year’s Walk, is not only the largest, it represents the commitment of the Toronto Jewish community to Israel against all odds and is therefore of unparalleled symbolic significance.”
The continued plight of the hostages and victims of the October 7 Massacre was at the forefront of the 2024 Walk, with hostage family members and members of the ravaged Kibbutz Be’eri raising the banner for those still suffering in captivity. Walk participants held placards bearing the names and faces of the 120 people held in Gaza since the Hamas-led pogrom. Tucker shared a picture on Instagram with the “heroes” from Be’eri, and a video of her dancing with former captive Ofri Brodutch who Tucker said was “the sweetest girl with the most contagious laugh.”
Conservative Thornhill Parliament Member Melissa Lantsman on Instagram thanked all those who joined across the greater Toronto area, saying that they had walked “against terror” and to “bring them home. Every single one of them.”
Lantsman was far from the only Canadian politician to attend the event, with Toronto City Councilor James Pasternak remarking on X that “politicians from all levels of government” and people from “all faiths, all political stripes” were in attendance.
Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca, Liberal Elington-Lawrence MP Marco-Lawrence, Liberal York Centre MP Ya’ara Saks, York-Simcoe Ontario Provincial Parliament Member Caroline Mulroney, York Centre MPP Michael Kerzner, and Vaughan City Councilor Gila Martow were just some of the Canadian politicians that joined the Walk.
CANADIAN SPECIAL Envoy for Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combating Antisemitism Deborah Lyons said that her deputy Rachel Chertkoff had represented her office, as “this year more than ever a unifying show of solidarity was needed and it was peacefully and powerfully expressed.”
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow was criticized by Conservative Spadina-Fort York MP Kevin Vuong for not attending the Walk, remarking on social media that he wished she had “walked her talk about supporting Toronto’s Jewish community” following a spate of shooting, arson, and vandalism attacks on Toronto Jewish institutions.
Anti-Israel protesters reportedly appear on march route
Anti-Israel elements appeared at intersections and along the streets, according to participants shouting obscenities and pro-terrorism statements.
Writer and lawyer Warren Kinsella published on social media a video of a man raising his fist in the air, chanting “Hamas” repeatedly.
This kind of settles the debate about whether these scumbags favor Hamas or not. Anyone know who these two are? pic.twitter.com/ycFjAs37tW
— Warren Kinsella (@kinsellawarren) June 9, 2024
Vuong said on X that at one intersection anti-Israel counter-protesters played the red alert rocket siren on loudspeakers.
“I couldn’t believe it. How does that advance the cause for peace?” said Vuong. “Let’s be honest: It’s always been about Jew hatred and the elimination of Israel.”
Writer Dahlia Kurtz posted on social media a video of masked activists performing the inverted triangle gesture, a symbol used in terrorist propaganda to denote the targeting of personnel or vehicles with munitions.
See the brave masked man giving the double salute? He also made some sort of disgusting motion to us — then directly to me — that insinuated v*olent r*pe. Watch. Meanwhile, his courageous comrade must have threatened me with her inverted triangle d3ath target a solid 20 times… pic.twitter.com/zCtl7jhRPv
— dahlia kurtz ✡︎ דליה קורץ (@DahliaKurtz) June 9, 2024
Journalist Beth Baisch posted a photograph of one counter-protester who had an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps [of Iran] logo on his hat.
The UJA and participants thanked law enforcement, who stood between the anti-Israel activists and the pro-Israel marchers, for the security they had provided for the event.
Toronto Police Service Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue said on Friday that officers from Hamilton, Niagara, York, Durham, and provincial units would be brought to maintain public order and control anticipated crowds.
“Toronto has been experiencing almost daily protests, and tensions remain high in our city. We have received information suggesting that some protesters are intent on disrupting this event,” said Pogue. “The right to protest ends where criminal behavior begins, which includes intimidation, harassment, or hateful behavior.”
Pro-Israel activists outnumbered the contingent of anti-Israel protesters, according to participants, with non-Jewish supporters of Israel representing large blocs.
Progressive Conservative Carleton MPP Goldie Ghamari said on social media that she was proud of her Iranian-Canadian community for marching in solidarity with Jewish Canadians.
“Now, more than ever, it’s critical we unite as Canadians and show that love will always be stronger than hate,” said Ghamari.
Iranian dissident Salman Sima wrote on social media that the event was not just a Walk with Israel, but also a “walk with Canada.” Sima shared video of participants waving the Canadian flag, and Kurtz published footage of marchers singing the Canadian anthem.
The Indigenous Coalition for Israel also had representatives at the walk, stating on social media that they were standing with the Jewish community.
Israel’s representatives were not limited to the hostage families and terrorism victims, with Miss Israel 2021 Noa Cochva and Israeli Consul General in Toronto Idit Shamir joining the walk. The consulate said that spirits were high as participants celebrated the relationship between Canada and Israel, as well as the IDF rescue of four hostages from Gazan captivity on Saturday.
The consulate said on social media, “Together, we share the hope for better days ahead.”