Video — Jewish Communities in Canada
Transcript – Jewish Communities in Canada
Video length: 00:01:30
[Text on screen:
Deborah Lyons
Canada’s Special Envoy on Preserving Holocaust Remembrance and Combatting Antisemitism]
Deborah Lyons: Antisemitism is at record levels in Canada.
It's all over the media, and sometimes, it's the only perception people have of Jews.
The community is so small—less than 1.5% of the Canadian population—that not everyone has had the chance to know and experience our Jewish community.
[Text on screen:
Rabbi
David Rotenberg]
David Rotenberg: While most people are born into the nation, others convert to Judaism as well. Judaism is centered around the belief in one God and the teachings of the Torah.
But Jewish people come from all different backgrounds.
Deborah Lyons: There are Ashkenazi Jews, who are of Eastern European descent;
Mizrahi Jews, who hail from the Middle East and North Africa—from countries such as Syria, Iraq, Morocco, and Egypt; Sephardic Jews from Spain and Portugal; and Jews from countries such as Ethiopia and India.
David Rotenberg: Jewish identity can be complex.
It can encompass religious practice, cultural traditions, a sense of peoplehood, and a connection to the land of Israel.
Some people may identify purely as secular Jews, focusing on cultural or ethnic aspects rather than religious beliefs.
Being Jewish is not one-size-fits-all.
Deborah Lyons: So, understanding and appreciating the diversity of the Jewish people can only lead to a more empathetic and respectful Canada.
[The Canadian Heritage Wordmark appears.]
[The Canada Wordmark appears.]
[Music]
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