"It's a spiritual journey for many of us," Rev. Raymond McLean, from Fairford First Nation in Manitoba, told the Toronto Star.
The nine-day tour is being led by nine aboriginal educators and is the second trip of its nature. The first trip was initiated by B'nai Brith Canada after David Ahenakew, a former head of the aboriginal ‘Assembly of First Nations,’ went on an anti-Semitic rant at a press conference in 2002.
Nine aboriginal educators participated in last year’s trip, including McLean, who, after representing Fairford First Nation on that tour, decided to lead this year’s group – which is going to Israel on its own this time.
The 29 aboriginals on the tour, mostly from Manitoba, represent the Cree, Sioux and Saultreaux tribes. "As First Nations we have a connection; our people have suffered similarly. We've had 500 years of persecution. So I can really relate," said Sharon Levasseur.
The group visited the Western Wall, the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum and part of Israel's separation fence. According to the Star report, “all the tour members feel a strong connection with Israel's Jews.”
McLean says both aboriginal peoples face threats to land and language:
"When you take a land and an identity from a people, they become suppressed. As a result of wrongs perpetrated and allowed to happen to our people by the government of Canada, we are in danger of losing forever our languages. We must preserve our heritage as Israel has."
“Many intend to return to Israel,” according to the report, “and all hope to encourage others at home to make the ‘life-changing’ journey.”
The nine-day tour is being led by nine aboriginal educators and is the second trip of its nature. The first trip was initiated by B'nai Brith Canada after David Ahenakew, a former head of the aboriginal ‘Assembly of First Nations,’ went on an anti-Semitic rant at a press conference in 2002.
Nine aboriginal educators participated in last year’s trip, including McLean, who, after representing Fairford First Nation on that tour, decided to lead this year’s group – which is going to Israel on its own this time.
The 29 aboriginals on the tour, mostly from Manitoba, represent the Cree, Sioux and Saultreaux tribes. "As First Nations we have a connection; our people have suffered similarly. We've had 500 years of persecution. So I can really relate," said Sharon Levasseur.
The group visited the Western Wall, the Yad Vashem Holocaust museum and part of Israel's separation fence. According to the Star report, “all the tour members feel a strong connection with Israel's Jews.”
McLean says both aboriginal peoples face threats to land and language:
"When you take a land and an identity from a people, they become suppressed. As a result of wrongs perpetrated and allowed to happen to our people by the government of Canada, we are in danger of losing forever our languages. We must preserve our heritage as Israel has."
“Many intend to return to Israel,” according to the report, “and all hope to encourage others at home to make the ‘life-changing’ journey.”