McGill Students Stand Against the Singling Out of Israel

Montreal – February 11, 2010 – Last night, student activists from Hillel McGill, with the support of the Canadian Federation of Jewish Students (CFJS) rallied hundreds to attend the General Assembly meeting of the Student Society of McGill University (SSMU) and defeat an anti-Israel resolution that could have been used to promote the radical agenda of “Boycotts, Divestment & Sanctions” (BDS).

Instead of supporting a resolution that was aimed solely at delegitimizing the State of Israel, McGill students voted overwhelmingly to re-focus the resolution in support of human rights and equity around the world.

“Students at McGill have spoken, and it’s clear that they do not support this negative obsession with Israel,” said Mookie Kideckel, President of Hillel McGill.  “Last night reaffirmed my pride in being a member of the McGill community.”

“This is a big win for students all across the country,” said Noah Kochman, Chair of Political Affairs for CFJS.  “Proponents of the BDS movement are trying to convince people of all their successes, yet it’s clear time and time again that their messages and tactics do not resonate with a majority of students in this country.”

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For more information:

Mookie Kideckel
President, Hillel McGill
514-850-9616
mookie.kideckel@gmail.com

Noah Kochman
Political Affairs Chair, CFJS
514-909-8378
noahk@cfjs.ca

Hillel McGill  hosted a “Noodle Night” partnered with the McGill Chinese Student Association. The night included a screening of the Israeli movie “Noodle” and Chinese food. The event was well attended by both Chinese and Jewish students.

In light of the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, a student run environmental group called Climate Action Montreal organized a fascinating panel discussion on Thursday called “Canada & Climate Change: Epic Fail.” The event was put on to enlighten fellow students on the pressing environmental issues. It outlined the basics of the science and policy of Climate Change, Canada’s Response, and illuminated the issues of the Tar Sands. In conjunction with various environmental student groups, Hillel was one of the key sponsors for the events. Environmentalism is at the forefront of Hillel’s agenda this year. The environment is something that defies any cultural, religious or political borders. As citizens of the earth, we all have a responsibility to sustain it for the betterment of humanity, and for future generations. The Tar Sands are a pressing issue which has been pushed under the rug, and Hillel students have refused to let it go unnoticed. The tar sands remain a stain on Canadian society and have social, environmental, and human rights costs. In line with Tikkun Olam, the ethic of Bal Tashchit and V’ahavta L’reechah Kmochah, Hillel students have stood up against environmental degradation to create an incredible panel to enlighten fellow students and provide an outlet for the students to take action and stand up for their values.

The event was put on by:
Powershift Climate Action Montreal in collaboration with the Dawson Student Union, SSMU Environment Committee, Sustainable Concordia, Concordia Student Union, Hillel McGill, and Challenge Your World.

Panelists included:
Shannon Walsh, Director of H2Oil
Nathan Cullen, NDP Deputy Environment Critic
Dr. Catherine Potvin, Global Change Biology, McGill University
Andrew Cuddy, Canadian Youth Delegation to Copenhagen
Moderated by: Cameron Stiff