Anti-Semitism on the Rise

March 16, 2004

Source: Jerusalem Post

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull&cid=1079263941704

On March 16, 2004 the Jerusalem Post reported, "The number of anti-Semitic incidents in Canada has more than doubled in the past two years, according to a new report issued by the League for Human Rights of B'nai B'rith Canada. In its 2003 Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents, the league noted that there had been 584 recorded episodes targeting Jews last year, the highest number in the 21 years of the audit's existence. The figure for 2003 marked a 27.2% increase over 2002, and a rise of more than 104% since 2001. Incidents included harassment, vandalism, and physical attacks, with most of them having occurred in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec, where the bulk of Canadian Jewry lives...According to the report, there were 23 incidents targeting synagogues, 22 involving Jewish communal buildings, and 46 against Jewish students on campus. Dozens more involved threats and hate mail, in the workplace as well as via the Internet. The report noted that nearly half of the incidents recorded in 2003 took place in the first four months of the year, during the build-up to the Iraq war. 'During this time frame,' said the audit, 'there were numerous attempts during street and campus anti-war rallies to blame Israel and the Jews for the war. This trend was also evident in online and print propaganda.'"