Jess Eli Burke (she/they)

Progressive. Jewish. Lesbian. Activist. Educator. 🏳️‍🌈🇨🇦🇮🇱 Director, @CIJAinfo, former Equity teammate @TDSB, former Interreligious @UCalgary

[Jess Eli Burke (she/they) @jesseliburke]

Failure to acknowledge that the swastika is rooted in anti-Jewish racism, neglecting to recognizing Jewish oppression when commenting on this symbol and the harm of the “Freedom” convoy is erasive antisemitism. Pin that.

[Hen Mazzig @HenMazzig]

BREAKING: Former hostages Romi, Emily, and Doron were held in UN SHELTERS meant for civilians.

The UN refuses to condemn Hamas for hiding hostages in civilian spaces. Why?

Because it would mean admitting they’ve been deceived by Hamas—or worse, complicit.

This is a betrayal of every principle the UN claims to stand for.

[Jess Eli Burke (she/they) @jesseliburke]

Not a single mention of the event that propelled this all, 10.7, not a mention of the hostages kept in Jihadist homes and underground tunnels, not a mention of extremism or genocidal terrorism against Israelis. Despicable as it is disappointing, @MarciIen

[Marci Ien @MarciIen]

An agreement on a ceasefire is a start, but it’s not the end. Gaza has been decimated. Families are broken apart. Children’s lives taken.

True and lasting peace means justice, rebuilding, and healing. It means a future filled with safety, hope, and dignity for all.

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

Today CIJA joined a panel for International Human Rights Day hosted by Jewish Family & Child Services, sponsored by the @CRRF . @jesseliburke , Karen Restoule, Nadine Spencer, Greg Frankson and moderator Dyanoosh Youssefi explored anti-Jewish, anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism in the human and social services sector. We can create a better Canada together in partnership with those advocating for human rights for all.

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

UNRWA supplied only 6.3% of Nov. aid.

Not only is UNRWA compromised by Hamas, but UNRWA isn't even pretending to do much of anything, aside from PR.

Anyone concerned with Gazan welfare should not pay for this.
#DefundUNRWA

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

The findings from the Auditor General's report indicate that the @tdsb has failed to provide a safe learning environment for students and staff. Unfortunately, while the findings are deeply alarming, they are not surprising. CIJA constantly receives reports from community members expressing their concern regarding the unwelcoming environment for Jewish and Israeli-Canadian students in TDSB schools.

We are also aware that incidents of hate, including those toward Jewish students and staff, are underreported. With respect to financial and capital resources, we have also heard repeated concerns from community members regarding the need to maximize resources to support educators and students in the classroom. Our schools need to be safe places for the next generations to learn and grow. We hope this report serves as a catalyst for positive change that will benefit TDSB's students and staff.

https://t.co/WHfT0siPEu

[Avi Mayer אבי מאיר @AviMayer]

.@UNRWA personnel helped carry out the October 7 massacre, others cheered it on, others still held hostages captive in their homes, the agency's leadership has expressed solidarity with actual terrorists, and it's ISRAEL that's causing it "reputational damage"?

Shut it down now.

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

Today, we consider the immeasurable debt we owe to Canada’s veterans for their extraordinary sacrifices in service to our great nation and honour the memory of the men and women who lost their lives in defence of our freedom and the values and liberties we cherish. Among the veterans were 5,000 Jews who served in WWI and 17,000 in WWII, 10% of Canada's total Jewish population at the time. #LestWeForget

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

➡️ We are alarmed by a recent post from Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia suggesting the Government of Canada is considering a definition of anti-Palestinian racism. Current definitions classify basic expressions of Jewish identity and support for Israel—such as wearing an Israeli pin, opposing BDS, or disagreeing with the Nakba narrative—as racist. This concept has no basis in human rights law and risks undermining existing Canadian policy and the IHRA definition of antisemitism. We have already engaged with the Government of Canada on an urgent basis on this issue and will keep our community updated as we continue those interventions.

[Michael Kerzner @TeamKerzner]

As we observe Holocaust Education Week I toured the Toronto Holocaust Museum @thethmuseum in #yorkcentre with @JillDunlop1 and @LoganKanapathi.
Our Ontario government is continuing to show leadership in furthering our investments in new resources to enhance Holocaust education in our schools so that we understand that history is hard and history need not be repeated.

[Jill Dunlop @JillDunlop1]

It was an honour and a privilege to tour the @thethmuseum Toronto Holocaust Museum this morning, as we mark Holocaust Education Week.

To help combat antisemitism, our government is building on previous initiatives by investing $551,000 in additional supports to expand Holocaust learning resources in schools and help students gain a deeper understanding of its significance and impact.

We will continue to take action to help keep schools safe and inclusive for all students.

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

We were pleased to be part of Minister @JillDunlop1's tour of @thethmuseum this morning. Now, more than ever, it is vital for our students to learn about the Holocaust, and how manifestations of antisemitism from over 70 years ago are taking root in contemporary Ontario. We're proud to continue our meaningful partnership with @ONeducation, and the grant announced by the Ontario government will further sector-specific approaches to unlearning antisemitism and ensure the Canadian values of pluralism and multiculturalism remain at the forefront of navigating this sensitive moment in human history. We thank the Minister for her commitment to the Jewish community and for ensuring that all Ontarians can uplift, protect and care for Jewish Canadians.
https://t.co/PYw8TJWV3t

[Aviva Klompas @AvivaKlompas]

Former hostage Mia Schem says she was locked in a cage with other women who are still held hostage.

Mia: “I was put in a cage, with no air or light. There I met five young women, each with their own horrific abduction story...my heart remains captive in Gaza with five young women who are still held there, tortured and abused, with no air, in the depths of hell.”

[Jewish Federation of British Columbia (JFBC) @JewishFedBC]

The @VancouverPD has made an arrest after a young Jewish female was attacked by an individual screaming, “F—king Jew” and sustained injuries requiring medical attention.

Read the following statement from @CIJAinfo and @CanadianFSWC : https://t.co/QiYQoErIZv

[Jess Eli Burke (she/they) @jesseliburke]

Lebanon has gone from 52% Christian to 30% Christian because of Islamist persecution of the indigenous Maronite populations and ethnic cleansing. Of course there is no mention of Hezbollah lobbing 9,000 missiles indiscriminately at Northern Israel for the last 11.5 months.

[NCCM @nccm]

As IDF soldiers cross into Lebanon - every political leader in Canada will need to make a choice.

Will you stand on the side of peace and with the international community in calling for an end to the violence?

Or will you stand for war and more violence?

To our community: we know this is a dark time.

It feels like there’s nothing we can do right now as the world seems to tear itself apart.

But we need you now more than ever to stand up and call for peace. To call for the end of any form of hate in Canada. To stand clearly and say that this is all utterly unacceptable.

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

Any Palestinian state must fully recognize Israel as a Jewish state and reject anti-Zionism, which opposes any Jewish self-determined presence in the land.
No Palestinian leadership has ever met this condition, which is why all previous two-state solution efforts have failed.
The responsibility lies with Palestinian leadership, who could invest in normalization, education, and a path forward, but instead, remain focused on rejection and refuse mutual recognition.

[Jess Eli Burke (she/they) @jesseliburke]

This is insidiously manipulative and relies on the fear mongering to the masses that their devices are at risk. If your pager was not distributed by Hezbollah, you’re good. Let me know if you need any clarification.

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

CIJA calls on sponsors and organizers to disassociate themselves from "the Real Mazal Tov Cabaret" at Little Mountain Gallery Comedy Club in #Vancouver. After co-opting the name of the original Mazal Tov Cabaret—a non-political, queer Jewish celebration of joy and intersectional identity during Pride—organizers have regressed to antisemitic tokenization and cultural and intellectual property theft. They are peddling inflammatory rhetoric and launching personal attacks against members of the queer Jewish community who performed in QJJ’s Mazal Tov Cabaret.

Furthermore, artists, performers, and organizers from QJJ’s Mazal Tov Cabaret have received violent and threatening messages. This deeply distressing reality raises serious safety concerns. We stand firmly with the queer Jewish community of Vancouver against all forms of hate and strongly condemn this act of tokenism and lateral violence. #NoPlaceForHate #StandWithQJJ #JewishPride

[CIJA @CIJAinfo]

In this piece in @TheHillTimes , @jesseliburke , Director of EDI and Liaison to 2SLGBTQIA+ Partnerships at CIJA; Rabbi Daniel Mikelberg, Senior Rabbi of @TempleIsraelOtt ; and Jesse Samuels of @IATSECANADA issue a call to #Pride organizations and the wider 2SLGBTQIA+ community to recognize, address, combat, and unlearn antisemitism, just as they’ve endeavoured to unlearn other oppressions.

📰https://t.co/fhuASU20CU

[Jess Eli Burke (she/they) @jesseliburke]

Eden Yerushalmi, was held hostage for 331 days, shot in the head at close range in a terror tunnel 48hrs before the IDF found her because Hamas suspected her rescue may be imminent. Her body weighed just 79lbs.

She was tortured and starved. We are contending with great evil.