Israel Now forms 'New Jewish Defense Force' to fight rising antisemitism in Canada

The Canadian-based Israel Now movement, led by Meir Weinstein, announces the formation of the 'New Jewish Defense Force' to combat rising antisemitism in Canada, following a wave of violent attacks on Jewish targets in Toronto. The group plans to document hostile groups, gather intelligence, and publish personal information of Hamas supporters.

The Canadian-based Israel Now movement, led by director Meir Weinstein, has officially announced the formation of a new initiative, the 'New Jewish Defense Force,' aimed at addressing and pushing back against rising antisemitism and threats directed at the Jewish community in Canada. The launch comes amid a wave of violent antisemitic attacks across Toronto over the past week, including gunfire that targeted two locations of the Jewish-owned Kiva's Bagel Bar chain, a separate shooting incident at the US Consulate, and gunfire that struck the North York headquarters of INKAS Armored Vehicle Manufacturing. In a video address, Weinstein stated that established Jewish organizations have fallen short and that the government of Canada is not receptive to Jewish leadership. The group intends to pursue aggressive tactics, such as identifying the names and home addresses of Hamas and other terror supporters to stage demonstrations outside their residences. Weinstein pointed to specific local establishments that he says glorify terrorists and function as gathering places for Hamas supporters. The group's immediate focus will involve documenting where hostile groups and individuals operate, conducting research, and gathering intelligence to confront security threats.