Israeli official Michal Cotler-Wunsh tells Canadians to show courage, leadership for its Jewish students

The CJN Daily with Ellin Bessner

Shortly after attending last week’s funerals for some of the six hostages executed by Hamas, Israel’s antisemitism special envoy, Michal Cotler-Wunsh, flew to Canada for a speaking engagement. And while she was here, she made a point to attend the pro-Palestinian protesters’ return to the University of Toronto campus for their first fall rally and march. Cotler-Wunsh was appalled by what she saw on Sept. 6—both because the university once again allowed protesters to intimidate Jewish students, and because there were only a handful of people from the local Jewish community to stand up and support the students. Cotler-Wunsh sat down with The CJN Daily‘s host Ellin Bessner to reflect on her tumultuous year since being appointed to the post right before Oct. 7, and why she feels Canadians need to show more courage and leadership—especially to support their students on the front lines.

What we talked about

• Learn what the judge ruled about antisemitism and hate speech when he granted U of T’s injunction to dismantle the encampment by July 2, in The CJN
• Read the U of T policy on protests, including what is and what is not permitted, dated from Aug. 29, 2024
• See the new Canary Mission report on more than 100 U of T professors who participated in the encampment and protests
• Listen to our first interview with Michal Cotler-Wunsh after her appointment, in November 2023, during a Hamas rocket attack over her home, on The CJN Daily

Credits

• Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner) [e-mail]
• Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer)
• Music: Dov Beck-Levine

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