ARZA Canada (the Association of Reform Zionists of America – Canada) is affiliated with the Reform Jewish Community of Canada and the Union for Reform Judaism North America.
ARZA 2024 • Now More Than Ever
With over 4,400 members, our mandate is to connect with Reform communities throughout Canada, foster connections with and strengthen our ties to the Reform Movement in Israel, and work to realize the vision of Reform Zionism.
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Judith Wiley and Jeff Denaburg
Co-Chairs, ARZA Canada
Federal Election – Questions for Your Candidates
In less than a month we’ll elect the next Government of Canada. The candidates in your riding are already starting to elicit your support. You’ll have an opportunity to ask their opinion on important issues.
Don’t forget to ask them what they would do to support the State of Israel and combat anti-Zionism in Canada.
ARZA Canada is happy to provide a selection of specific questions that will help you to assess the principles and moral clarity of your election candidates. Select the ones most meaningful to you, and let’s see what they say!
- Do you support the right of Israel to exist as a Jewish state, a place where Jews can exercise their right of self-determination in their ancestral homeland?
- Will you commit to the enforcement of laws against hate speech, whether on-line, in demonstrations or in public gatherings?
- Do you accept the IHRA (International Holocaust Remembrance Association) definition of antisemitism?
- Would you commit to government defunding or other consequences for educational institutions, unions, and professional associations that:· Demonstrate an unwillingness or incapacity to protect Jewish and Zionist members, students and faculty from harassment and discrimination?· Implement anti-Israel (BDS) policies or practices?· Provide platforms for the dissemination of hate speech, antisemitism, and persons advocating the destruction of Israel?
- Do you support the lifting of Canada’s arms embargo against Israel?
- Do you commit to supporting the growth of the Canada-Israel trade relationship for the substantial benefit of both Canadians and Israelis?
- Do you commit to the strengthening of relationships of our universities with Israeli academic institutions, including student/faculty exchanges and R&D collaboration?
- Will you commit to the expeditious application of Canada’s laws regarding the listing of terrorist individuals and organizations, criminal prosecution, freezing financial resources, as well as the application of anti-money laundering laws and regulations?
- Will you support the deportation of any temporary resident of Canada or person on a Canadian visa convicted for acts of violence or hate crimes?
- Will you support a principled Canadian position at the United Nations that takes a stand against the discriminatory treatment of Israel and that discontinues Canadian funding of UNRWA so long as it is complicit with terrorist organizations?
- Will you commit that the concept of “anti-Palestinian racism” will not be used to justify the suppression of pro-Zionist and pro-Israel speech?
- Would you commit to government defunding of organizations that fail to apply policies and practices based on inclusive meritocracy, including those that discriminate based on race, religion, ethnicity, beliefs, perceived class and historic grievances?
We hope you consider the position of your candidates on these important questions when you vote on April 28.
Also, stay tuned for info on another election for Canadian Jews. A vote for the World Zionist Congress is coming. More news next week.
We wish you a happy month of Nissan.
Judith Wiley and Jeff Denaburg
Co-Chairs, ARZA Canada
Mazel Tov to our Senior Rabbis
This year three Canadian Reform Rabbis are celebrating 50 years in the Rabbinate.
They are: Rabbi Philip Bregman of Vancouver, Rabbi Larry Englander of Mississauga and Rabbi Steven Garten of Ottawa.
You can watch a tribute video to the three Rabbis hosted by Rabbi Daniel Mikelberg, Chair of the Reform Rabbis of Canada.
You can attend a celebration of Rabbi Englander’s special anniversary online tomorrow evening – Kabbalat Shabbat service on Fri. Apr. 4. Click here to register.
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Upcoming Events
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Digital Leaders for Progressive Judaism
The World Union For Progressive Judaism is offering a program to develop “Digital Leaders”, who will learn about the values of progressive Judaism and how to share them on social media. The program includes leadership training with time in Israel.
Click here for more information.
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Israel Dialogues
Holy Blossom Temple – all sessions 12 PM ET
Friday, April 11 – Dr. Asher Susser, Professor Emeritus of Tel Aviv University
Topic: Trump, the Arabs and the New Middle Eastern Balance of Power
Friday, May 2 – Ambassador (ret’d) Scott Proudfoot, former Canadian representative to the Palestinian Authority and UNRWA Advisory Commission
Topic: The Israeli-Palestinian conflict: a Canadian diplomatic perspective
Thursday, May 8 – Dr. Michal Hautel-Radoshitzky, Senior Advisor and Program Director, MIND Israel - Advanced Strategic Thinking
Topic: Beyond the Headlines: Understanding Israel’s Legitimacy Challenges on the Global Stage
To register, click here
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Yom HaAtzma’ut – Israel at 77
Thursday, May 1 – 6 PM MT
Temple Beth Ora, Edmonton
Shuk, Dessert, Photobooth, Face Painting, Prizes, Danving, Games, DJ, Crafts
The event will take place at Beth Israel Synagogue in Edmonton
For tickets: https://jewishedmonton.regfox.com/2025-yom-haatzmaut
Podcasts
Miriam Pearlman, immediate past president of ARZA Canada, discusses the impact of Israel’s new government with fellow leaders in a Canadian Jewish News Daily podcast:
About ARZA Canada
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Arza Canada Privacy Policy
The Privacy Commission of Canada states the following:
Non-profit organizations are not subject to the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) when they do not engage in commercial activities.
The following activities are not considered commercial and are not subject to PIPEDA:
- collecting membership fees
- compiling a list of members’ names and addresses/email addresses
- mailing out newsletters
As you know, ARZA Canada represents Canadian Reform Zionists with members in all of Canada’s Reform congregations. Though independent of the sister organization, ARZA, in the United States, it is an affiliate of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and Reform Jewish Community of Canada (RJCC). We are writing to address how ARZA Canada maintains its membership records, and in particular its commitment to the privacy of our members.
Accurate membership records are important to the entire Reform Jewish Community of Canada given that the size of our membership determines our influence on Zionist policies in Canada and in Israel. ARZA Canada members come through congregational solicitation and activism, and so annually it is provided lists of its members from Canadian Reform congregations such as yours in order to confirm individual memberships. This is deeply appreciated.
ARZA Canada has strong privacy practices to ensure the confidentiality of this membership information. It is used by ARZA Canada to communicate with our members and engage them in the activities of ARZA Canada, including joint programs with RJCC and our congregations.
For more please click here.
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