Around a year ago at this time, I was still debating whether or not to come to Carleton.
Having been accepted to the university’s highly regarded journalism program, which I’d already been considering for quite some time, there was no question that Carleton was a very intriguing option for me.
To be honest, what troubled me as I tried to make my decision had little to do with academics. Specifically, my biggest fear about Carleton was Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW).
My love for the State of Israel has always been closely intertwined with my dedication to Judaism. Israel is the biblical homeland of the Jewish people.
Today, it is the only Jewish state in the world. I have personally visited the country three times in my life, and each time, I am constantly amazed by the unique blend of history and modernity that the country holds.
So as a grade 12 student, I asked myself: Why would I go to a university where my homeland, as a proud Jew, was under attack?
I was warned that Carleton’s IAW was notorious for carrying an anti-Semitic vibe and had gotten out of hand in past years. As a supporter of Israel, I was initially unsure of whether I would be strong enough to handle this intimidating atmosphere.
Make no mistake: I understand that Israel, like every other single country in the world, is not perfect. I also fully believe that dialogue is necessary to gain a better understanding of certain tensions that currently exist in Israel and the rest of the Middle East.
Unfortunately, the tactics of propaganda and rhetoric I witnessed during this year’s IAW, used by those whose goal appears to be the de-legitimization of Israel, serve neither the goal of dialogue, nor peace.
Whether or not you agree with the policies of current or past Israeli governments, the Israeli Defense Forces or even the actions of Israeli civilians, using the term “apartheid” to describe the only liberal democracy in the Middle East can only be classified as slander.
Just two years ago, Ontario MPPs of all parties unanimously condemned IAW in the Ontario legislature, calling it “hateful,” “inflammatory,” and offensive to the millions of black South Africans who suffered from oppression during the apartheid era.
At the federal level, interim Liberal leader Bob Rae said this year that IAW “continues to defy logic and the cause of social justice.” Meanwhile, Conservative MP Mark Adler said the views of IAW activists “are a disgrace . . . [that] must be condemned by all who believe in freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law.”
Nevertheless, IAW continues to be tolerated on Carleton’s campus, which caused my concern in the first place.
Prior to the start of my first semester, an older student advised me that I had three choices regarding how I could handle the toxic and often overwhelming atmosphere of IAW: I could either let it upset me, ignore it to the best of my abilities, or get involved by advocating for what I felt was right.
I decided to take this advice and get involved with the Israel Awareness Committee during IAW. For three days of the week, the IAC tabled right beside Students Against Israeli Apartheid in the Unicentre atrium, but promoted a much different message.
Just as Israel is made up of approximately 25 per cent minorities, the IAC booth consisted of both Jews and non-Jews alike. We informed all the booth’s visitors of the IAC’s desire for peace for Israelis and Palestinians alike through the means of a two-state solution.
We emphasized that Canada and Israel share very similar values. Israel, like Canada, is a democratic state that provides freedom of speech and equality for all citizens, regardless of religion, gender, or sexual orientation.
Today, there are 14 Arab members of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and one Supreme Court judge is a Palestinian Arab. Israel is also one of the only countries in the Middle East to hold annual Pride Parade ceremonies, which take place in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Eilat.
While I support Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people, it’s ultimately due to these facts that I can truly call myself a proud Zionist.
What transpired on our campus in the past couple of weeks failed to make me regret my decision to come to Carleton.
Not because the information I received in high school about IAW was inaccurate, but because the feeling I got as I promoted the truth about Israel, transcended any fears I initially had.
Hopefully in the near future, Carleton and other universities throughout North America will recognize the need to stop tolerating IAW.
After all, as I discovered this year through my experience with the IAC, there is a far more peaceful message out there. That is, if you want to hear it.
