A one-day conference aimed at raising public awareness about Israeli Jews from Arab lands was held on Sunday in Montreal. International Affairs Correspondent Michael Freund reports that the gathering, entitled “Jews from Arab Lands: A Forgotten Exodus”, was convened by the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and included presentations from internationally renowned experts on the subject of Jewish refugees from Arab countries.
Human rights activist Irwin Cotler, a member of the Canadian Parliament, was one of those who took part in the event. "The appreciation that there were Jewish refugees," he said, "as well as Arab refugees, and indeed that the Jewish refugees were a result of state-sanctioned discrimination against Jews in Arab lands, is important ... for justice and for peace and for reconciliation."
According to CJC President Keith Landy, the conference’s goal was to educate people and make them aware that Israel is home to 620,000 Jews who fled Arab lands. "The average Canadian may not have heard of this story before - the fact that Jews have taken care of their own and have not let them suffer in refugee camps," Landy said. Other organizations taking part in the conference included the American Sephardi Federation and the World Organization of Jews from Arab Countries.
Human rights activist Irwin Cotler, a member of the Canadian Parliament, was one of those who took part in the event. "The appreciation that there were Jewish refugees," he said, "as well as Arab refugees, and indeed that the Jewish refugees were a result of state-sanctioned discrimination against Jews in Arab lands, is important ... for justice and for peace and for reconciliation."
According to CJC President Keith Landy, the conference’s goal was to educate people and make them aware that Israel is home to 620,000 Jews who fled Arab lands. "The average Canadian may not have heard of this story before - the fact that Jews have taken care of their own and have not let them suffer in refugee camps," Landy said. Other organizations taking part in the conference included the American Sephardi Federation and the World Organization of Jews from Arab Countries.