Canada cares for Israel: Day
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Speaking at Place du Canada before a huge crowd gathered to celebrate the 59th anniversary of the founding of the State of Israel, Day warned that threats against Israel uttered by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad should not be brushed off as the rants of a madman.
“Just as there was a man, half a century ago, who wanted to exterminate all of the Jewish people in the world, there is a leader of a country who says he wants to do the same. And just as, over half a century ago, people said either he’s crazy or we don’t care, people today are saying [Ahmadinejad] is crazy or they don’t care. Canada cares for Israel,” said Day.
The event, which drew 7,500 people, kicked off with music and merrymaking in Philips Square and wound its way along René Lévesque in a procession to Place du Canada where dignitaries such as Day addressed the crowd.
Referring to Israel as “a rose in the desert”, Day praised Israel for being a model of democracy in the Middle East. “The people 59 years ago said that land shall be free and democratic; Arab, Christian or Jew could run for office, and they do and they serve. Arabs, or Christians or Jews could be in the Surpeme Court, and they are.”
Federal Liberal Party leader Stéphane Dion in his speech said anti-Semitism, often viewed as a Jewish problem, should be everyone’s concern.
“When the United Talmud Torah School in my riding of St. Laurent-Cartierville, or when the [Ben Weider] Jewish Community Centre is firebombed on the eve of Passover, it’s an attack on the value of every Canadian. By the same token, when Israel’s right to exist is threatened, it is an attack of the values of every democracy. In this way, Israel’s fight for existence, is our fight.”
The serious tone of the speeches did not detract from the overall boisterous mood of the rally, which was attended by young and old alike.
“In school we’ve been learning about Israel, our nation,” said 12-year-old Matan Kushner, a student at Jewish People's Schools and Peretz Schools in Côte des Neiges who came with his mother, Shirley. “We want to keep our nation strong and alive.”
Rabbi Mordecai Zeitz of Congregation Beth Tikva in Dollard des Ormeaux said the rally sends out a message that Israel can count on the support of Canada.
“It sets a very important public tone that we’re not closet Jews, that we’re not closet supporters of Israel, but publicly we stand up for righteousness and justice, and hopefully for peace.”
N.D.G. resident Josef Benifla, a senior, was one of the few people who wasn’t either waving an Israeli flag or decked out in one. He walked quietly among the crowd as it made its way toward Place du Canada.
“It sends a message that we exist and that we’re a people like everybody else.”
Rally spokesman David Bensoussan acknowledged the renewed rocket and missile attacks against Israel by Hamas, but said that shouldn’t detract from the day, which should be a full celebration for a country that has come a long way since being declared a country by the United Nations in 1948.
“We’re very happy about a country that was formed from refugees from Europe and from Arab countries was able to move straight ahead towards success, and hopefully towards peace because peace will come. Today it’s celebration. We’ll leave the politics for tomorrow.”
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