OTTAWA – Alexa Barett-Taller says she experienced a number of antisemitic incidents during her time at Ottawa’s Carleton University, but one stands out in particular – as it involved her professor.
“The professor actually decided to explicitly say that the Jewish people were to blame for Oct. 7,” Barett-Taller said in an interview with CTV News.
This was in the aftermath of the 2023 massacre of Jews by Hamas, and Barett-Taller says she had specifically approached her professor ahead of the class to ask that the topic be discussed with “care and nuance.” She felt her concerns were never heard.
According to a new government-commissioned report, Barett-Taller’s alleged experience is not unique.
The Campus Antisemitism and Student Experiences (CASE) report found 96 per cent of Jewish students experienced or witnessed antisemitism on Canadian campuses in the past 12 months. Nearly one of five of those incidents – 18 per cent – involved faculty members.
“Professors are essentially teaching people what to think and not how to think,” said Cary Kogan of the Network of Engaged Canadian Academics (NECA) at a press conference on Parliament Hill this week.
The report captured responses from around 900 students across the country, and is littered with troubling, anonymous anecdotes of personal experiences.
“I was told to go die when I said I was a Jew from Israel,” reads one.
“A professor wrote that we need to kill all Zionists, that she had worked with them and saw how evil they were,” says another.
“A group of students shouted, ‘there’s a Jew…let’s get him.’ They then chased him out of the building,” reads a third.
“The central finding here is very clear: antisemitism on Canadian campuses is neither isolated nor episodic,” said the study’s co-author, Jack Jedwab at the press conference. “It can reasonably be described as systemic.”
The report itself notes the “alarming prevalence” comes with “a troubling institutional failure to respond to serious concerns about campus climate and student safety.”
Seventy per cent of respondents don’t think their university takes antisemitism seriously, and 68 per cent feel their campus is not a safe and inclusive place for Jewish students.
“I personally absolutely dread going to campus,” Concordia University student Anastasia Zorchinsky told CTV News.
Zorchinsky has an ongoing lawsuit against Concordia University and its president for, in part, neglecting to prevent, investigate and address hate and harm.
“I was screamed at. I was harassed by people. I saw someone say that they support Hamas in front of my eyes,” she said.
As the report notes, statistics show there has been a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents in the wake of Oct. 7. Zorchinsky says Jewish students feel that surge, often on a daily basis.
“The Jewish students on campus are blamed for the political decisions by the Israeli government. We’re blamed for the military decisions of the Israeli government. We’re not any of that. We’re Jewish students on university campuses in Canada, and we’re being targeted,” she told CTV News.
A spokesperson for Concordia University, Vannina Maestracci, said the school won’t comment on ongoing legal proceedings, but added that it is “committed to combating antisemitism and has put in place several measures in the last few years” to ensure the safety of the community.
Examples provided by Maestracci include a new task force, speaker series, and more workshops on anti-discrimination. The school will “continue to take disciplinary actions against people who violate our Code of Rights and Responsibilities,” she added.
In the wake of the report, a number of Jewish advocacy groups are calling for “concrete actions” to protect Canadian students.
“As organizations representing Jewish communities across the country, we call on university leaders and governments at every level to carefully consider this report and the recommendations by the Network of Engaged Canadian Academics. The drivers of this hatred—including antizionism—are well known, and the time to act is now,” reads a joint statement from the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, B’nai Brith Canada, and the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center.
While the report found 72 per cent of students limit what they say in class about being Jewish, and 57 per cent avoid wearing or displaying Jewish symbols like a kippah or star of David due to safety concerns, Barett-Taller proudly wears her star on a necklace.
“Sure, I’m scared. We’re all scared. But at the end of the day, if I hide it, I’m feeding into the negative,” she said.
Carleton did not say anything specific in response to CTV News’ questions about Barett-Taller’s experience or the findings of the new report but sent a vague statement.
“Carleton University condemns all forms of racism and discrimination, including antisemitism, and is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive and respectful campus for all. The university prioritizes the safety and well-being of its community and does not tolerate discrimination, harassment or violence,” wrote spokesperson Steven Reid.
Since graduating from Carleton last year, Barett-Taller now works with the Jewish student organization Hillel, supporting students at campuses across Ottawa.
“I’m here to be a proud Jewish student. I’m here to represent all of the students across Canada and make sure that they all are truly feeding into their identity the best way that they feel comfortable in.”
