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| Great White North |
| CEOs' new target: anti-Semitism |
| 2005-05-24 |
| Note to the editors: this article is a little old (May 16, 2005) but I don't remember reading about it here. It adds to the feeling I am getting that -- in the West at least -- we may be turning a corner. Suddenly things appear to be changing for the better -- the British professors to vote against boycotting Israeli academics, Schroeder going down in flames, that horrible travesty of the proposed European Constitution going down in flames, the large number of fish being caught in the Senate Oil for Food investigations net... EFL A little over a year ago, while watching the late-night news, Elizabeth Comper decided she must do something. A rash of anti-Semitic incidents had shaken Toronto, and the former elementary school teacher watched as members of the city's Jewish community rallied to decry the violence and vandalism. The group was offering a $10,000 reward for information about the perpetrators, but Ms. Comper, who is married to Bank of Montreal chief executive officer Tony Comper, felt it wasn't enough. So she did what anyone in her position would do: She cornered her husband while he was shaving and asked him how they could get involved. Fourteen months after that bathroom chat, the couple are preparing to launch FAST, or Fighting Anti-Semitism Together. FAST is a coalition of influential corporate leaders who are donating money and time to educate young people on the issue. Dominic D'Alessandro, CEO of Manulife Financial Corp., Michael Sabia, CEO of BCE Inc., and Peter Godsoe, former chairman of Bank of Nova Scotia, are among the 21 executives who have signed on to the program, and they all have one thing in common: None are Jews. "It's not something that's going away, and it needs to be addressed. We thought it was very important for . . . members of the non-Jewish community to stand together and speak out against this manifestation," Mr. Comper said. "If any country can get this right, Canada should be the one to get this right." With acts of intolerance on a steady rise, it is crucial that others beyond the Jewish community step forward and speak out against anti-Semitism, said Hershell Ezrin, CEO of the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy, or CJIA. Mr. Ezrin and his organization helped the Compers focus on specific educational initiatives for FAST that will be introduced in Toronto schools this fall. So far, the Compers have raised more than $200,000, with about $10,000 coming from each individual and corporation participating. The money is being used to pay for the creation of a four-part DVD series that will be used to help teachers educate students between the ages of 10 and 14. Canadian Idol host Ben Mulroney has agreed to do the introduction. The intention is to expand the initiative in other parts of the country, and target executive support in different cities. There are also plans to do a French version of the educational material. |
| Posted by:trailing wife |
| #3 anyone who takes the slings and arrows is welcomed and applauded. The task has spread |
| Posted by: Frank G 2005-05-24 20:03 |
| #2 I commend anyone who puts some of their own skin in the game in fighting anti-semitism. Now we could get started in addressing the issue at the UN, where anti-semitism is institutionalized. |
| Posted by: Captain America 2005-05-24 19:37 |
| #1 Hrmf! |
| Posted by: Gabby 2005-05-24 13:21 |