As diversity, equity, and inclusion offices proliferate in academic and professional spaces, Jews, always the miner’s canary, now have to worry about whether human rights codes will be weaponized against them.
In a recent example, an Ontario-based Jewish social worker was publicly labeled “racist” and “anti-Arab” for challenging her colleague’s assertion that Zionism is a “genocidal ideology.” This incident is reminiscent of another: several years ago, a Toronto social work student was denied an internship at a mainstream Jewish organization that her fieldwork coordinator deemed “anti-Palestinian.” It would seem the bar is rather low when it comes to being labeled “anti-Arab” or ”anti-Palestinian.” Being Jewish may be the only prerequisite!
