Norm Hanson has been on NIFC’s Board since 2012. He writes this letter before leaving the Board at the end of 2019.

I write you this letter following a week in Israel–probably my 30th trip here–visiting my daughter and her family in Tel Aviv. A lot has happened in Israel since my first joyful experience here as an 18-year-old from Edmonton, Alberta. I’m worried about what is happening to this place. Continue reading →

In this new series for the monthly NIFC newsletter, we profile our prominent members, examining their commitment to NIFC and to Israel, and exploring their thoughts for the future.  

We begin with Joseph (Joey) Steiner, who joined our finance committee in 2018, becoming chair of that committee shortly after. Then in 2019, as his illustrious career as a litigator was winding down, he joined the NIFC Board of Directors.  Continue reading →

Our Executive Director Ben Murane reflects on the relentless news and what it could mean for the weeks and months ahead.

The past few weeks have been incredibly fast-moving. Where are we at?

Well, nobody really knows.

What do we know?

Neither interim Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor Blue and White leader Benny Gantz succeeded in assembling a governing coalition. This has never happened before and now Israel’s Knesset enters a 21-day period where any MK can attempt to clinch a governing coalition. This seems highly unlikely. Continue reading →

For over 30 years, NIFC has supported Israel by fostering the country’s vibrant civil society and by standing up for equality and democracy for all.

Earlier this week, the announcement that the US will no longer consider Israeli settlements to be “inconsistent with international law” is a significant deviation from previous US policy, a slap in the face to human rights defenders in Israel and the West Bank, and a devastating blow for all of those who seek justice and democracy.

We are joined in our concern by the 25% of Canadian Jews who also view Israel’s settlements as illegal and 39% of Canadian Jews who view those settlements as detrimental to Israel’s security, according to findings in a recent major study.

We have watched with alarm over the past months and days as some Israeli politicians have made campaign promises to annex the occupied territories. Any unilateral annexation in the occupied territories would gravely damage Israel’s democracy.

The Canadian government’s vote at the UN should be viewed in that context and is in keeping with Canada’s long-standing principles of support for Israel’s security as well as a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace settlement.

We believe it is important for Israel’s allies around the world to send a strong message against annexation and other threats to Israel’s democracy.