A message from BGU Canada CEO, Andrea Freedman
Dear Friends,
On Yom HaShoah we remember the 6-Million Jews systematically tortured and murdered during the Holocaust and we honour the survivors who endured unimaginable horrors.
We live in a world with intolerable antisemitism.
A world in which university campuses are not safe for Jews and where many university administrators tolerate the creation of “Jew-free” zones. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) President, Professor Daniel Chamovitz, writes eloquently and passionately about the shocking parallels between academia today and what occurred in Nazi Germany. Please see his important message below.
A few weeks ago, BGU Canada was pleased to host the pre-screening of the movie Irena’s Vow, the story of how one woman’s bravery and chutzpah saved Jews. It is a reminder of the power of one, and that each of us can make a difference.
In your support of BGU, YOU are that difference maker.
Yesterday, I joined a large group of Montrealers in a gathering of solidarity and Jewish pride outside the Roddick gates of McGill University. It is difficult to measure the impact of our actions. But I know this, we will not stay silent in the face of Jew hatred. Even if the world appears not to have learned the lessons of the Shoah, the Jewish people have.
We remember. We mourn. We honour. And we take action to support the Jewish people and Israel, our beloved ancestral homeland.
Shabbat Shalom,
Andrea
A message from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev President
Dear Friends and Supporters of Ben-Gurion University,
The next two weeks, where we commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day, Memorial Day for the fallen and murdered, and Independence Day, are always fraught with contradicting emotions. This year even more so.
This coming week, as we commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day, we find ourselves reflecting on the grave challenges facing the State of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. Remarkably, just 80 years after the Holocaust—a period in which we vowed "Never Again" — we witnessed a wave of antisemitism on October 7, as Jews were again targeted simply for being Jews. It's a chilling reminder that despite what we have naively thought, antisemitism remains, often masked as anti-Israel sentiment, like a virus spreading in a global pandemic.
As we approach Holocaust Remembrance Day, I'm reminded of the Jewish academics in early 20th-century Germany. These intellectuals contributed immensely to their fields, believing in the advancement of humanity through science and thought. They thought themselves "Germans". Yet, with the rise of the Nazis, their lives were upended as colleagues turned away and their institutions betrayed them. Universities that stood as pillars of academic freedom and enlightenment—like Heidelberg, Leipzig, and the Humboldt University of Berlin—succumbed to Nazi ideology. They not only expelled Jewish academics and students but also aligned themselves with destructive doctrines that contradicted the very essence of academic integrity.
The parallel to today is stark and unsettling. The same bastions of academia that should champion reason, tolerance, and unbiased inquiry are now scenes of antisemitism and hostility toward Israeli scholars and students. The resurgence of such scenes is not just alarming; it is a betrayal of the academic mission to seek truth and foster a global community of learning and respect.
Unlike the Jewish academics of the 1930s, however, I am not a helpless observer, but president of a thriving university in a free Jewish state. Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is more committed than ever to upholding the sacred values of academia: openness, creativity, and free discourse. We are dedicated to fostering a multicultural environment that cherishes the diversity of ideas and backgrounds.
We are navigating these tumultuous times with the resilience and determination that have long defined the spirit of BGU. Despite the challenges, we continue to advance our academic mission, support our community, and contribute to society's broader needs as we strive to make a positive impact on the State of Israel and the world. Let us draw strength from our shared history and the resilience that has carried us through. This Holocaust Remembrance Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to not only standing up for Jews in academia worldwide, but to freedom, enlightenment, and the pursuit of knowledge.
Thank you for your continued support of Ben-Gurion University. Together, we will keep striving for a brighter, more just future.
Shabbat Shalom,
Danny Chamovitz
Supporting the Vision
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