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June 6, 2003
Still much on CJC's plate
Chair Nisson Goldman reflects at term's halfway point.
PAT JOHNSON SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH BULLETIN
Halfway through his term as chair of Canadian Jewish Congress,
Pacific Region, Nisson Goldman says he has accomplished much, but
sees areas for improvement in the remaining 18 months of his term.
Goldman said Congress has diligently reached out to other ethnocultural
groups in the province and has succeeded in expressing the community's
views to elected leaders at the municipal, provincial and federal
levels. But it needs to work harder at promoting support for Israel,
encouraging Jews to run for public office and drawing in Jewish
British Columbians who do not now actively take part in communal
activities.
Goldman, who is a Vancouver-based lawyer, addressed a broad range
of issues at a midterm meeting of CJC leaders last week, and spoke
with the Bulletin the following day about areas of achievement
and room for improvement.
Goldman surveyed a wide range of events sponsored by Congress under
his leadership, including a clear emphasis on reaching out to other
religious and ethnic groups. Under the aegis of the CJC, rabbis
have engaged in ongoing meetings with Protestant religious leaders
and soon hope to bring Catholic clergy into the mix. The meetings
are an effort to keep connections between the clergy fresh at a
time when world events sometimes seem to be pitting faiths against
one another.
Goldman's administration has also taken on a series of public forums,
including one dealing explicitly with Muslim-Jewish relations.
"We're a very small community," said Goldman, adding that
the only realistic chance the organized Jewish community has of
influencing public attitudes and policies is to find commonalities
and build networks with like-minded groups.
Congress has been deeply involved in issues of aboriginal rights,
an effort that bore fruit, in a sense, when the anti-Semitic comments
of a Saskatchewan First Nations leader led to immediate and universal
reproach by other native leaders. Members of CJC have also taken
part in memorials for Rwandan genocide victims, anti-racism umbrella
operations and have continued a fight to revive the flagging Hate
Crimes Team, which has suffered from a removal of provincial government
support.
Representatives have also met with political leaders from all levels
of government. Other meetings included business people, labor union
leaders and the Vancouver police.
Goldman lamented the lack of Jewish individuals offering themselves
for election to public office, saying that the days when the Jewish
community could have behind-the-scenes influence are over and electoral
politics remains one of the best ways to influence policy. Congress
has made explicit efforts to encourage Jewish candidates, to little
avail.
"I don't see [Jewish candidates coming forward]," said
Goldman. "I wish I did."
Involvement may be particularly relevant right now, Goldman added.
"I think there's enormous change coming in federal politics,"
he said. A change in prime minister is expected before the next
election and all opposition parties, except the Bloc Quebecois,
will go into the next election with new leaders.
Of particular concern to Goldman has been the appearance of strong
anti-Israel sentiment among political activists on the left of spectrum.
"The left has, in the last 10 years, made it almost a point
to alienate Jewish people," said Goldman. Expanding support
for Israel is an area where CJC has to work harder, said the chair.
"I'd very much like to have a more effective Israel campaign
within the general population," he said. "We've tried,
but I don't think we have the necessary resources."
Pro-Palestinian activism is well organized and well funded, he said,
and that has had a very effective impact on the discussion here
in Canada.
Goldman also plans to reach out more to unaffiliated Jews –
those who have been called the "hidden yiddin" who do
not engage in much organized Jewish activity.
"Without them, we're losing an awful lot," he said.
Although the recent census figures released suggest the Muslim population
in Canada has grown significantly, Goldman said the raw numbers
for both the Muslim and Jewish populations underline the reality
that both communities are very small. Congress has done a good job
of meeting with the leadership of the Palestinian and Muslim communities
in British Columbia, he said, though he regrets that more members
of those communities have not attended some of the events organized
to bring them together with Jewish British Columbians.
Congress has also been central to providing advice and support for
Jewish agencies as they beef up their security procedures, an issue
that was driven home the day of Goldman's midterm address to his
CJC colleagues. The Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver
was evacuated for a time after an apparent hoax in which someone
issued a threat against the building.
"There's always a fine balance between security and paranoia,"
said Goldman. "We don't live on a separate planet in Vancouver
and we are going to be, sooner or later, tested."
Pat Johnson is a native Vancouverite, a journalist and
commentator.
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