New online platform launched in Quebec to help combat antisemitism in schools

In response to a rise in antisemitic incidents, Quebecers now have access to an educational resource called Unlearn It, helping parents and educators teach youth how to identify, unlearn, and stand against antisemitism.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs unveiled the program adapted for Quebec on Thursday.

“To serve as a tool not just to say, ‘antisemitism is bad’ but to address it, to understand it and also understand it,” said Eta Yudin, Vice-President – Québec, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.

“We’re hearing a lot of stories from doctors, students, nurses in the medical field,” she added. “It just seems to be from the small to the severe incidents happening at a rate and a frequency that is really unacceptable and the solution starts with education.”

Montreal police data shows that as of July 10, there have been 191 reports of hate crimes and incidents against the Jewish community in the city since Oct. 7 – the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

One of those incidents was the May shooting of a building housing the Belz school and synagogue on Hillsdale Road in Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.

Last year, In the overnight hours of Nov. 9, an individual fired gunshots at another Jewish school — the United Talmud Torahs of Montreal — prompting police to open hate crime investigations.

Days later, on Nov. 12, 2023, a suspect was reportedly seen firing towards Jewish school Yeshiva Gedola,

“What we’ve been living as a Jewish community for the last Seven months is is very intense Well before Oct. 7. We had been raising alarm bells,” Yudin added.

As a result, CIJA brought the program that was initially launched in Ontario over to Quebec. It features short educational videos and discussion guides online.

The stories are based on real-life experiences: like Sara’s, a young Jewish girl that faced antisemitism in the schoolyard.

“When I see these videos, it just becomes very emotional because I I know people that have experienced, maybe not exactly these stories, but similar incidents,” Yudin said. “It’s very hard to accept that we reached a point where we need to make these videos.”

Unlearn It’s launch in Quebec means the videos are now offered in French, an initiative funded by the province’s Education Ministry.

“It’s an important conversation that we need to have in Quebec,” said Christopher Skeete, Quebec Minister for the Economy and Minister Responsible for the Fight Against Racism. “We thought it was an extra tool to help us disseminate information and and foster those ice-breaking initiatives that allow us to talk about this very serious issue.”

“If we can get them young enough talking about this, these ice-breakers are there to stimulate conversations with the teachers,” Skeete added.

Yudin says she hopes all Quebec schools use this resource.

“To really decode what’s happening and make people understand the seriousness of the incidents that are happening and the implications on our society,” she said.

#WATCH: Quebecers now have access to an educational resource called Unlearn It, helping parents and educators teach youth how to identify, unlearn, and stand against antisemitism.

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— CityNews Montreal (@CityNewsMTL) July 11, 2024