CAMPUS UPDATE:
Hasbara Fellowships Canada Files Human Rights Complaint Against University Groups
(Please share widely!)
Dear friends and supporters of Hasbara Fellowships Canada,
You may recall in March, Hasbara Fellowships Canada was banned from participating in 'Social Justice Week' by the Student Association & Faculty Association of the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) because Hasbara Fellowships "seems closely tied to the state of Israel."
In the days which followed, the leadership of their Student Association even compared us to the KKK and made other outrageous claims about Hasbara Fellowships Canada.
Well today, we are fighting back against this open discrimination. In a first for Jewish students on campus, our organization has filed an official complaint with the Ontario Human Rights Tribunal against both the Student Association and the Faculty Association of UOIT, and their affiliated college, Durham College, to fight for Jewish students on campus.
We are demanding that the Student and Faculty Association publicly apologize to Hasbara Fellowships Canada, disseminate their apology to campus, local & national media and their respective websites, invite us to campus for a public presentation, and repeal any discriminatory policies in place.
We are enormously grateful to our experienced legal counsel for their advice and for representing Hasbara Fellowships Canada.
At Hasbara Fellowships Canada, our mandate is empowering pro-Israel and Jewish student leaders, and we are enormously proud that at UOIT, we are doing exactly that. Right now, Shanel Jacobs, a Jewish student leader, is participating in our Hasbara Fellowships advocacy training program in Israel, and we are planning some incredible things at UOIT! Stay tuned!
Help Support our Legal & Campus Initiatives at UOIT
As you can imagine, taking on a multi-million dollar student government is no small task for us. Please consider making a meaningful contribution to aid us in our associated legal and campus initiatives at UOIT. To donate securely online and receive a full tax receipt, click HERE.
Tell the President of UOIT to say NO to discrimination!
Please (and ask your friends also) to write Dr. Tim McTiernan, the president of UOIT, at president@uoit.ca, and tell him to take action against the discrimination from the university-funded student government at UOIT.
Hasbara Fellowships Canada Legal Task Force
After facing this open discrimination at UOIT, it became clear to us and our student leaders that a new legal task force was needed to help students in need. After extensive consultation with Hasbara Fellows, we are excited to announce the formation of the Hasbara Fellowships Canada Legal Task Force, a dynamic project which will train student leaders, respond to issues in real time and even (in partnership with Aish Toronto's Jewish Legal Network), provide mentorship to students wishing to pursue a legal career. We are seeking more lawyers & law students to join, so please contact me if you are interested!
Thank you (and we will keep you updated on any developments!)
Robert Walker
National Director
Hasbara Fellowships Canada
647-460-4248
rwalker@hasbarafellowships.org
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