FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 30, 2019
Press Release: CIJA outraged by Students’ Society of McGill University harassment of Jewish student
Montréal, QC -The legislative council of the Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) voted this week to call for the resignation of a Jewish student from her position in the student government because she is taking part in an exploratory trip to Israel and the West Bank early next year.
McGill University enjoys multiple, mutually beneficial partnerships with its Israeli counterparts.
In response, Rabbi Reuben Poupko, Co-Chair of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Québec (CIJA-Québec) issued the following:
“It is obscene that Jordyn Wright, a Jewish student at McGill University, is being subjected to relentless harassment by the SSMU because of her attachment to Israel. Clearly, the SSMU has not learned any lessons from its shameful attempts to impeach another of its councillors because of his Jewish identity in 2017.
“While students engage in campus life to improve quality of life on campus, we are once again witnessing misuse of the student government platform to exclude a Jewish student. The SSMU’s persistent abuse of power and displays of hostility toward Jewish and pro-Israel students are clearly not representative of McGill’s mainstream student population. We call on McGill students to reclaim the SSMU from the ideological fringes and rebuild an open, tolerant and inclusive campus environment.
“CIJA will never stand idle in the face of intimidation and antisemitism and will continue to ensure that our partners at Hillel and the McGill students have the support they need.”
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is the advocacy agent of the Jewish Federations of Canada-UIA.
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