Harassing Jewish people in Canada over the Israel-Hamas war is ‘pure anti-semitism,’ says activist

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A Jewish Columbia University researcher, banned from campus for opposing students and staff who allegedly support terrorism, spoke to a packed house at the Shaarey Zedek Synagogue in Winnipeg on Tuesday evening — calling out Jew hatred.

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Academic turned civil rights activist Shai Davidai, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Columbia Business School recently became an internationally recognized public figure after appearing in a video warning Jewish parents at American universities about an escalation of Jew hatred on campuses.

Davidai, a “pro-Palestine” Zionist who supports a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict, carried a message for Winnipeggers in the wake of anti-Israel protests that many say cross the line into abuse and harassment. His visit was facilitated by the Jewish group Tafsik.

“There is a war going on in the Middle East, and no matter what you think of that war, if you are for it, if you are against it, if you’re indifferent, it doesn’t matter what you think of that war, there is no excuse for harassing Jewish people 5,000 miles away from that war — that is pure anti-semitism,” said Davidai.

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“Unfortunately, for the past 2,000 years, people who wanted a reason to hate Jews would find a reason to hate Jews, and that is what we are observing. When a Canadian puts on a Keffiyeh and goes intentionally into a Jewish neighbourhood, not an Israeli neighbourhood, a Jewish neighbourhood, to harass other Canadians who were born or decided to be Jewish, then they are a bigot.”

The Winnipeg Sun asked Davidai about Ramsey Zeid, president of the Canadian Palestinian Association of Manitoba, who participated in the recent anti-Israel protest in the Jewish neighbourhood of Tuxedo.

During a speech, Zeid tried to separate Jews from the concept of political Zionism. He spoke well of Jews, but called out Zionism.

In online posts, Zeid has compared Israel to the terror group Isis. He said online that “millions of people around the world are starting to see Zionism for what it really is, a disease that must be destroyed.”

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It’s impossible to separate Jews from Zionism, said Davidai — 95% of Jews are Zionist and 99% of Zionists are Jews.

“It’s a fact that Judaism and Zionism go hand in hand,” he said. “Observant Jews, they pray every day towards Jerusalem, Zion. And they say the word Zion in their prayer every year on Passover.”

When asked why he visited Winnipeg, Davidai said he is interested in mobilizing Jews and allies to fight against hate, anti-semitism and terrorism.

During his Tuesday evening speech, he told the audience “no one is coming to save us.” He encouraged Jews to stand up for themselves.

“There’s a choice between democracy and those who oppose democracy,” said Davidai. “Do you always believe the victim, or do you stand with rapists?”

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