Jews in Canada, it's time to talk about Aliyah
Rising antisemitism in Canada, including 788 reported hate crimes against Jews in 2025, has prompted a call for Jewish community leaders to openly discuss Aliyah as a practical option. The author, chairman of Ofek Israeli, argues that community leadership must balance strengthening local institutions with facilitating emigration to Israel.
Yitzhak Lax, chairman of Ofek Israeli, argues that rising antisemitism in Canada has fundamentally changed Jewish life and that community leaders must now place Aliyah on their agenda. He cites 788 hate crimes against Jews reported to police in 2025, accounting for 71 percent of all religion-motivated hate crimes. Recent incidents include mezuzahs torn from student doors at Wilfrid Laurier University during Rosh Hashanah and an armed man at Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville on Yom Kippur, where a police officer was seriously wounded. Lax acknowledges that federations like UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and Federation CJA have strengthened security, but argues that leadership also carries responsibility for individual Jewish families considering their future. He plans to visit Montreal and Toronto in November 2026 with Ofek Israeli CEO Aryeh Abitbol to meet with federation leaders, students, and community members. The article is an opinion piece by the chairman of an organization tasked with promoting Aliyah, framing the discussion as a practical conversation about employment, education, and community integration.