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| PHOTO: HOWARD KAY More than 5,000 turned out last week in Montreal to celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut, sending a very strong message of support. “We are here... to remind the world what Israel is all about,” said Consul General Marc Attali. |
Edmond Silber at Montreal’s Yom Haatzmaut rally is involved with B’nai Brith in Montreal. He runs a weekly pro-Israel rally organized by B’nai Brith in front of the Israeli Consulate. | PHOTO: MIKE COHEN A group of anti-Zionists, who have been repudiated by virtually all Jewish groups, held a counter-demonstration, denouncing the existence of the State of Israel, which they claim is strictly forbidden according to Jewish Law (the Torah). |
MONTREAL - It was a far cry from the 20,000 people who marched through the streets of Montreal three years ago to celebrate Israel Independence Day, but the estimated 5,000 men, women and children who turned out last Thursday nonetheless signaled a very strong message of support.
“We are here today to remind the world what Israel is all about,” Israel’s Consul General Marc Attali shouted to an adoring audience at Montreal’s Place du Canada. “Israel continues to be a source of pride for everyone.”
Moments earlier, the marchers had made their way to this downtown Montreal meeting spot via Phillips Square. It is the same route that gained notice in this city during the days of the Soviet Jewry movement when Phillips Square became Red Square.
“Israel, is the land of the bible and the cradle of Judaism,” Attali said.
Sylvain Abitbol, the president of the Federation of Jewish Community Services (Federation CJA), served as emcee. During each interval he provided some pertinent points about Israel’s history and accomplishments. The keynote speaker was supposed to be Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Pierre Pettigrew. But he had to remain in Ottawa due to the precarious position of his party’s hold on power. Quebec Minister of Immigration Lise Theriault was on hand to bring greetings on behalf of Premier Jean Charest, while Mayor Gérald Tremblay was represented by one of his Jewish city councillors, West End borough Mayor Michael Applebaum.
Jewish day schools were closed early and students bussed to the rally. Weather conditions were a bit cool, a far cry from a day earlier when the thermometer hit a high of 25 degrees Celsius. However, as the rally proceeded the clouds gave way to a clear sun and people began to remove their overcoats and dance the hora.
Participants were treated to an afternoon of music and entertainment, featuring very special guest gospel/soul singer Joshua Nelson who recently appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. As well, there was a singing group called Stotland Yard, clowns, stilt walkers, painters, and direct from Israel, the Kiryat Ata Choir.
“This year festivities provided members of the community with an exciting opportunity to show their pride in the state of Israel and to express the hope that, following years of violence, the prospects for peace will continue to brighten,” said Abitbol.
B’nai Brith Canada’s Quebec office distributed 1,500 large Israeli flags, in addition to smallers ones that could be affixed to automobiles.
“They went very fast,” said Executive Director Bill Surkis, who was assisted by National Vice President Amos Sochaczevski and a team of students.
As has become customary at these rallies, a group of anti-Zionists, who have been repudiated by virtually all Jewish groups, held a counter-demonstration. They denounced the existence of the State of Israel, which they claim is strictly forbidden according to Jewish Law (the Torah). This condemnation also encompasses all acts committed by Zionists under the guise of Judaism whether against people of the Jewish faith or the Palestinian people.
Montreal Police and staff from Federation CJA agencies erected a barricade around the protesters to prevent any incidents from occurring. Many of the pro-Israel supporters, notably students, tried to reason with these men who refused to even admit where they came from. Some reportedly drove in from Muncie, NY, while most of them came from a Chassidic sect that resides in Boisbriand just outside of the city near Mirabel Airport. “That one is my client,” a Montreal immigration lawyer told the Jewish Tribune, pointing to a man holding a sign. “But no more. For him to come here and try to disrupt this rally disturbs me greatly. I will no longer work for him.”
One of the protesters handed the Jewish Tribune a flyer. It stated, “While Zionists celebrate the anniversary of the founding of the so-called ‘state’ of Israel, the worldwide Jewish community faithful to the teachings of God and the Torah gather to commemorate the anniversary as a day of sorrow and tragedy. Our sorrow is demonstrated by the wearing of ‘sackcloth’ and flying of black flags of mourning. The founding of the Zionist state is in direct contradiction to the teachings of the Torah, which forbids the establishment of a Jewish state and commands Jews to remain in exile until released from that exile by God himself, without any human intervention, at which time all nations of the world will live together in peace.”
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