Toronto woman punched for being Jewish with no consequences
You might have a difficult time convincing Olga Goldberg there is no anti-Semitism in 2023 Toronto.
She knows it exists — and has the bruises to prove it.
One bruise is on her face where she was punched. Another, figuratively, at least, is in her heart because she never thought her beloved hometown would become unsafe simply because she’s Jewish.
But that’s what has happened in Toronto. It’s a dangerous place for Jews now.
One day there will be a reckoning for that reality and, perhaps, justice. Right now, Jewish Torontonians are trying to endure the out-of-the-closet anti-Semitism raging in Canada right now. They know what’s going on, and so do those who are shamefully condoning it.
While she can live with the bruises, Goldberg — a mom and finance professional who has lived in Israel and Toronto — is less understanding about what Sunday’s mob of protesters on University Ave. did to her small poster featuring an image of her daughter’s friend, Mia Schem, who was kidnapped in the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas.
“They ripped the poster in half and also stomped on my Canadian flag,” said Goldberg. “That upset me more than being punched because this is about a 21-year-old girl who is still a hostage.”
Goldberg was also surprised members of the crowd carried terrorism flags and chanted anti-Jewish slogans just steps from the Cyrus the Great, Iranian Canadian unity rally at Queen’s Park, which was held in support of Jewish people and peace, with PC MPP Goldie Ghamari, Independent MP Kevin Vuong and others in attendance.
“I never thought I would see at the corner of College and University people calling for Intifada and genocide,” she said.
But there it was. And there they were: unashamed, unabashed and unafraid. They literally feel they have an open road to express anti-Jewish sentiment and are using it.