On February 12, 2025, the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) released Affirming Jewish Identities & Addressing Antisemitism, a strategy outlining proactive actions to address rising Jew-hatred in TDSB schools.
This strategy follows months of consultations with various Jewish community groups – including with CIJA, with the Office of the Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism, and with faith leaders, students, and the TDSB Jewish Heritage committee members. Those consultations revealed the troubling realities faced by many Jewish students, faculty, and staff who have faced exclusion, bias, and harassment, both in classrooms and on social media. The findings reinforce the urgent need for the TDSB to implement changes to ensure that our schools foster a culture of empathy, understanding, and mutual respect.
The key highlights in the strategy include:
Strengthening education about Jewish history, contributions, and identity
Providing professional learning for staff and Trustees to deepen understanding of antisemitism, including modern manifestations such as anti-Zionism, intersectionality, and Jewish identity diversity
Developing spaces where Jewish students can express their identities without fear of judgment, discrimination, or repercussion
Improving reporting mechanisms for antisemitic incidents
Engaging unions and professional organizations to support Jewish staff, including those who believe they are unsupported due to their Jewish identities and/or Zionist ideologies
The strategy also acknowledges that antisemitism can be disguised as political discourse, particularly related to Israel and the Middle East conflict. It underscores the need for a nuanced approach to ensure that discussions about geopolitics do not perpetuate harmful stereotypes or target individuals based on their Jewish identity.
Importantly, the TDSB strategy affirms that the vast majority of Canadian Jews believe in the right of the Jewish state to exist, confirming this as a core value of Jewish identity, which acknowledges the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism. It is essential that we continue advocating for the full application of the IHRA definition beyond its current adoption, since 2018, in the Board’s equity policy.
We commend the TDSB for bringing forward this strategy; it is a positive and crucial first step toward combatting hate and ensuring that every student, teacher, and staff member – regardless of background – feels safe and valued. It is vital that the board receives and adopts the Affirming Jewish Identities & Addressing Antisemitism strategy without amendments that could weaken its impact.
Reach out to your local TDSB trustee to let them know that you support this strategy and urge them to adopt it without changes and without delay. The approval of the Board of Trustees is essential to turning these commitments into lasting change. Your voice matters.
Together, we can create schools that are places of respect and safety for all students, regardless of their identity or beliefs.
Click here to read "Update: Affirming Jewish Identities and Addressing Antisemitism and the Combatting Hate and Racism Strategy":