By Cantor Cheryl Wunch
It’s been a difficult year to be Jewish in Canada.
It’s been difficult for observant Jews, secular Jews, Jewish students, and those of us who consider ourselves to be “professional Jews.”
Jewish clergy like me – rabbis, cantors, and other spiritual leaders with progressive values in Canada – have been struggling with how to best respond to the horrors that we’re seeing. It has been a challenge to determine how to support our communities, while also protecting our own spiritual and emotional resilience.
Like you, I’ve been heartbroken watching the news, fearful for my Israeli friends and family, and horrified by the ongoing destruction of this war. I’ve felt squeezed between zero-sum thinking that pits supporters of Israel and supporters of the Palestinians against each other. I have felt pained and demoralized each time I felt like I had to choose a side in this brutal situation that will certainly have no winners.
In Israel, I see brave, determined voices of Israeli civil society funded by NIFC – both Jewish and Palestinian – who are fighting for the hostages, against extremism, for Jewish-Arab partnership, against human rights violations, and for a better future for everyone.
That’s why I have joined a new Rabbinical & Cantorial Cabinet in support of the New Israel Fund of Canada – along with a total of 18 Jewish clergy spanning Quebec to British Columbia and including ordination by every denomination.
We join NIFC at this time because we believe Canadian Jewry is hungry for a nuanced, thoughtful relationship to Israel grounded in real Israelis fighting for democracy, equality, and peace.
- Cantor Heather Batchelor, Montreal
- Rabbi Elizabeth Bolton, Ottawa
- Rabbi Harry Brechner, Victoria
- Rabbah Gila Caine, Edmonton
- Rabbi Ed Elkin, Toronto
- Rabbi Larry Englander, Toronto
- Rabbi Steven Garten, Ottawa
- Rabbi Ilyse Glickman, Toronto
- Rabbi Yoni Gordis, Vancouver
- Rabbi Lisa Grushcow, Montreal
- Rabbi Aaron Levy, Toronto
- Rabbi Ryan Leszner, Toronto
- Rabbi Dara Lithwick, Ottawa
- Rabbi Miriam Margles, Toronto
- Rabbi Audrey Pollack, Mississauga
- Rabbi Shalom Schachter, Toronto
- Rabbi Micah Streiffer, Thornhill
- Cantor Cheryl Wunch, Toronto
We serve diverse communities, but we all share the values of the New Israel Fund of Canada and are proud to support its funded partners in Israel.
Together, we’re standing up with a united voice to demonstrate that Canadian Jewry has a proudly progressive wing that supports Israelis without supporting this extremist Israeli government – as well as supporting safety and human rights for Israelis and Palestinians alike. We stand in solidarity with the citizens of Israel challenging their government, calling for an end to this war, and forging a better future of democracy, equality, and peace.
Click here to learn more about us.
I’m proud to support them through the New Israel Fund of Canada. I hope you are too.
Sincerely,
Cantor Cheryl Wunch
Spiritual Leader of Congregation Shir Libeynu
P.S. I hope you’ll join me for either of these October 7th commemorations: Sept 29th in Toronto or Oct 6th at this virtual event.