(JTA) — Nearly all Jewish students surveyed on Canadian university campuses said they have experienced or witnessed antisemitism, according to a new government-commissioned report.

The survey from the Department of Canadian Heritage found that 95.7% of Jewish students said they were exposed to antisemitism, with 70% saying their university did not take antisemitism seriously and 22% reporting physical violence against Jews.

“Antisemitism on Canadian campuses is neither isolated nor episodic,” said Jack Jedwab, the report’s main author, at a press conference in Ottawa on Wednesday. “It can reasonably be described as systemic.”

The surveyed students anonymously detailed rhetoric, discriminatory treatment, vandalism, intimidation and physical attacks from their classmates as well as professors and administrators. Some 45% said they experienced Holocaust denial or distortion often or sometimes, and 65% said they encountered it “at least rarely.”

One respondent said they had witnessed a friend who wears a kippah being chased out of a school building by a group of students who shouted, “There is a Jew … let’s get him.”

Another student described a professor writing that “we need to kill all Zionists, that she had worked with them and saw how evil they were.” Students also said they were pressured by peers and professors to give their opinions on Israel because they were openly Jewish.

Some 36% of respondents complained about course content or classroom discussions that “they experienced as antisemitic or biased,” while 34% said “a professor introduced Jews, Judaism, Israel, or Zionism when unrelated to the course subject.”

The survey, out Wednesday as part of a report titled Campus Antisemitism and Student Experiences, included about 900 Jewish students from schools across Canada. It was originally conducted for the government’s special envoy on antisemitism, a role that Prime Minister Mark Carney’s administration dissolved alongside an Islamophobia envoy earlier this year.

Carney replaced those offices with a new Ministerial Advisory Council on Rights, Equality, and Inclusion, which he announced in June after saying that the country was “failing Jewish Canadians.” The new council was introduced as a push to unify the government’s approach toward combating systemic prejudice, but some Jewish groups decried the elimination of distinct envoys.

Pressure has mounted on Carney’s administration to stem the tide of antisemitic attacks in Canada since 2023, including gunfire at Jewish schools and synagogues and attacks on Jewish businesses and community centers.

On the same day the report was released, an Oklahoma-based organization called Jewish Tulsa made news for urging President Donald Trump’s administration to offer refugee status to Jewish Canadians.

“With the urgency around the challenges and the inaction we see in Canada, an asylum pathway makes sense,” Joe Roberts, who leads the conservative think tank, told The Canadian Press. He said that his family moved from Ontario to Tulsa after witnessing antisemitic graffiti in his neighborhood.

Martha Piper, former president of the University of British Columbia, said the campus antisemitism report revealed “a shocking presence of campus antisemitism throughout this country along with a troubling institutional failure to respond.”

“The results suggest a university culture that is not welcoming to Jewish students and systemically tries to exclude and vilify them,” said Piper.

This article originally appeared on JTA.org.

The post Over 95% of Canadian Jewish university students report exposure to antisemitism appeared first on The Forward.

(JTA) — LONDON — Britain’s Conservative Party has defended its decision to endorse a former neo-Nazi activist as a candidate in next year’s local elections despite his imprisonment for crimes including racially aggravated harassment of Jewish former Labour MP Luciana Berger. 

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said the candidate, Joshua Bonehill-Paine, had demonstrated rehabilitation through his work in countering extremism. Berger, who was prominent in the last decade for her many battles against antisemitism on the right and in her own party, said in a statement that Badendoch “got this very, very wrong.”

“This case still haunts me,” Berger, who is now a peer in the House of Lords, posted on X on Tuesday afternoon. “I feel a bit sick reading well known commentators debate his selection today and say that ‘these are precisely the people we need in public office’.”

Bonehill-Paine, 33, was imprisoned for more than two years after being convicted of multiple crimes.  Bonehill-Paine had called himself “a proud antisemite” while planning a 2015 rally that aimed to undo the “Jewification of Great Britain.”

Bonehill-Paine will run for the Crewkerne South seat on Somerset Council in southwest England in May 2027, less than a decade after his release from prison in 2018. His incarceration came after he was prosecuted for sharing what a judge described as “vile” antisemitic material ahead of a planned neo-Nazi demonstration, as well as for racially aggravated harassment after publishing a series of antisemitic blog posts targeting Berger. 

Among other slurs, he referred to Berger as an “evil money-grabber,” depicted her as a rodent and said the number of Jewish Labour MPs was “a problem.”

According to the Guardian, Bonehill-Paine said the Conservative Party and his local branch were aware of his past before selecting him. He told the Guardian that since his release from prison he has spoken publicly against antisemitism and extremism and has completed government-backed radicalization and counter-extremism programs. 

The Conservative Campaign Headquarters responded to a Jewish Telegraphic Agency request for comment by relaying Badendoch’s remarks to reporters in Surrey on Tuesday morning.

“I think people can look at me and know that I’m not a person who would be recruiting neo-Nazis,” said Badenoch, who was raised in Nigeria and who has become an outspoken critic of rising antisemitism in Britain. “Josh is someone who actually has been certified by the Home Office to train police officers on antisemitism and on countering extremism.”

She acknowledged Bonehill-Paine’s conviction but said he has “shown contrition for his crimes, has been rehabilitated and is spending every day working to solve the very problem which he knew he had caused previously.”

She added that he is “actively working to help communities, especially Jewish communities and this is what I want to see.”

The backlash from Jewish organizations has been swift . Board of Deputies of British Jews Vice President Karen Newman stated, “It beggars belief that any party would select as a candidate a multiply convicted felon and the founder of a far-right group called National British Resistance.”

She also noted that the board had contacted the Conservative Party “to set out our concerns and call on them to rescind his selection and review their vetting processes.”

The Board of Deputies and the Jewish Leadership Council put out a separate joint statement saying they had declined the Conservative Party’s invitation to meet with Bonehill-Paine, stating that his “crimes targeting Luciana Berger and others mean that he still faces ongoing legal restrictions.”

They added, “Whilst we do believe in the possibility of rehabilitation, this should not in this case entail selection as a candidate for a major political party, and the impact of this decision on the victims ought to be a central consideration.”

Both organizations said they had agreed to meet with members of the party “to discuss their decision-making processes and to urge them to rescind this decision.”

The Jewish Labour Movement called the decision “truly appalling,” saying that Bonehill-Paine’s record, and particularly his attacks on Berger, should have disqualified him from elected office. “This is a former Neo-Nazi who was sent to prison for racially abusing a Jewish politician,” the group said.

Berger represented Liverpool Wavertree from 2010 until 2019 and entered the House of Lords last year. During her tenure she received constant antisemitic abuse, both online and in person, and was the target of several criminal incidents involving extremist harassment.

Bonehill-Paine did not respond to JTA’s requests for comment.

This article originally appeared on JTA.org.

The post British Conservatives face backlash for nominating a former neo-Nazi for local office appeared first on The Forward.

(JTA) — A bumper crop of new kids’ books about the High Holidays is hitting shelves in 2026, surprising close observers of Jewish children’s literature.

“It is unusual for multiple Sukkot books to be published in the same year, especially of consistently high quality. It’s very exciting,” said Heidi Rabinowitz,  a Jewish librarian and host of the Book of Life podcast, which describes itself as “a podcast about Jewish kidlit (mostly).”

Rabinowitz noted with appreciation that one of the books was coming from a mainstream secular press, rather than from the smaller boutique presses that tend to release books about Jewish holidays.

She offered a possible explanation for the surging interest in the harvest holiday in particular: “Sukkot is family- and environmentally friendly, and I think that is a big part of its appeal.”

But the new books showcase a wide range of Jewish traditions and values, from apologizing for Yom Kippur to engaging with tashlich on Rosh Hashanah. They also feature communal celebrations, festive foods and, well, fake burps. Here’s what new on shelves for the season:

“Rosh Hashanah: Square-Circle-Star!: A First Shapes Book”
Joy Nelkin Wieder; pictures by Aura Lewis
Abrams Appleseed; ages birth to 3

Preschoolers will enjoy finding shapes in their favorite Rosh Hashanah traditions with this large-format board book – square bites of honey cake, a round swirl of challah, the curves of the shofar and even apple slice semicircles.

“The Sweetest Rosh Hashanah: Festivals of the World”
Mara Bergman; illustrated by Aura Lewis
Candlewick Press; ages 4-8

As Rosh Hashanah approaches, Ellie looks forward to a visit from her relatives and her favorite cousin, Lara. But last year, Lara was bossy and borrowed Ellie’s cherished paint set and didn’t return it. This year, Ellie decides to hide all of her favorite toys. When Lara arrives with a hand made Rosh Hashanah card, the cousins apologize for their misdeeds and embrace. Mara Bergman’s sweet story is accompanied by Aura Lewis’s large, bright illustrations that include a multiracial family.

“Stella’s Special Recipe: A Rosh Hashanah Story”
Melissa Stoller; illustrated by Valerya Milovanova
Kar-Ben Publishing; ages 2-8

Stella is eager to help her mother prepare her family’s special stuffed cabbage for Rosh Hashanah — a well-worn recipe that includes extra touches from both her grandmothers and her mother. She and her mom gather the fresh veggies from their garden — cabbage and tomatoes and eggs from their chickens. What can Stella add? Her creative idea is perfect for a sweet new year.

“Diving Deep on Rosh Hashanah: Reverse Tashlich for a Better World”
Rachelle Burk; illustrated by Craig Orback
Intergalactic Afikomen; ages 4-10

This children’s book illustrates a relatively new Jewish tradition that has gained wide traction in recent years: the reverse tashlich. It recounts the story of Ed Rosenthal, who — years after watching “The Underworld of Jacques Cousteau” and dreaming of one day seeing the wonders beneath the sea — snorkeled in the Red Sea after hiking in Israel. As a rabbi at a college in Florida, he created the “Scubi Jew Club” for his students to share his passion. At a service for tashlich, the Rosh Hashanah tradition in which Jews cast symbols of their sins into bodies of water, a student suggested instead clearing the water of trash to make a cleaner, better world for the start of the Jewish year. Now, synagogues across the country and world include a reverse tashlich in their High Holiday plans. The title comes from the team behind “The Space Torah,” an award-winning depiction of a Jewish astronaut’s journey with a miniature Torah.

“Awe! It’s Everywhere”
Chana Stiefel; illustrated by Susan Gal
Scholastic; ages 4-8

In Chana Stiefel’s simply worded, lavishly illustrated book, young readers can experience awe, in perfect time for the Days of Awe — another term for the period from the start of Rosh Hashanah through Yom Kippur. Awe can be small or miraculous, according to the book, which features mesmerizing illustrations including a double-page spread that unfolds to reveal the waterfalls of Yosemite National Park.

“I’m Sorry for the Bagel Burps: A Yom Kippur Apology”
Jacob Sager Weinstein; illustrated by Jason Kirschner
Rocky Pond Books; ages 5-8

In this story optimized for children with a penchant for the gross, a young boy and his older brother have a spat when the older one calls him a baby because he’s not old enough to fast on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. In turn, during synagogue services, the young boy teases back. By story’s end, they apologized for their hurtful words and are back to their playful ribbing — all involving fake burps. Jason Kirschner’s cartoon-style illustrations match the levity of the moment.

“The Sukkah Hop”
Barbara Lerman-Golomb; illustrated by Talia Drigues
Green Bean Books; birth to 4

Kids will have a hoot bopping along with a multi-generational procession of families and friends as they visit each others’ sukkahs in this book that illustrates the popular community tradition of the sukkah hop. Barbara Lerman-Golomb’s simple, rhyming verse comes alive in Talia Drigues’ colorful illustrations.

“A Purr-Fect Sukkot”
Jenna Waldman; illustrated by Erica J. Chen
Apples & Honey Press; ages 3-7

The youngest kids will have fun along with a family of kittens who gather branches for the hut’s open roof, decorate their sukkah with paper chains, shake the lulav and enjoy a festive holiday meal.

“Build a Sukkah With Me”
Katie Moss; illustrated by Orit Magia
Green Bean Books; ages 4-8

Katie Moss creates a delightful sukkah-building story around a catchy, simple rhyming verse, using only three words that are easy for kids to repeat. Orit Magia’s cartoonish illustrations bring the pages to life.

“A House With No Door: A Sukkot Story”
Amy Fellner Dominy; illustrated by Rotem Teplow
Kar-Ben Publishing; ages 2-8

Join a young boy and his kitty as he explores the simple outdoor hut his family is building for Sukkot. In a stunning pairing of Amy Fellner Dominy’s sparsely worded verse and Rotem Teplow’s beautiful illustrations, young children join in the boy’s wondrous observations of his sukkah. A lovely connection with the meaning of the holiday.

“Our Spectacular Sukkah”
Sidura Ludwig; illustrated by Sophia Vincent Guy
Candlewick Press; ages 4-8

In Sidura Ludwig’s heartwarming story, illuminated by Sophia Vincent Guy’s sparkling illustrations, a young girl and her family build a seasonally decorated sukkah. Drama builds when a storm knocks down their beloved structure. Neighbors of all backgrounds come to the rescue and return the scattered sukkah parts in parade-like fashion. They all pitch in to rebuild the sukkah, which becomes a truly welcoming space for all.

“The Art of Jewish Jewish Joy: Crafts and Activities for Celebration and Connection”
Amanda Kingloff and Suzy Ultman
Chronicle Books; ages 3 and up

Children of all ages and their grown-ups can kick off the Jewish New Year with a creative spark with this engaging collection of activities for Jewish celebrations. This 224-page, how-to compendium is chock full of brightly-colored illustrations and easy-to-follow instructions. More than 50 pages are devoted to the Jewish High Holidays, with ideas for New Year’s greetings cards, hand-held silhouettes and dipped apple slices.

This article originally appeared on JTA.org.

The post From fake burps to reverse tashlich, new children’s books bring the High Holidays to life appeared first on The Forward.