Media Inquiries

 05/20/22 – In the National Post today, the Founding Chair and CEO of The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) Avi Abraham Benlolo warned that its not “replacement theory” that is mainstreaming, but the white supremacist movement itself.   

AGPI’s head was reacting to commentary about the horrific mass shooting attack in Buffalo where a white gunman specifically targeted the Black community — unleashing 50 rounds of bullets in the Tops Supermarket. Shockingly, he murdered 10 Black people in cold blood — six females and four males ranging from the age of 32 to 86. 

  “It’s not the theory itself that is mainstreaming from the fringe, as many commentators have contended in recent days. It's that white supremacism itself is mainstreaming, growing in numbers and accelerating the threat to such minority groups as Black and Jewish people and to America itself. A racist screed reportedly posted online by the Tops supermarket suspect outlined the so-called “great replacement" theory — a white-nationalist belief in a conspiracy to diminish the power and influence of white people and in effect, replace them in America” Benlolo said.  

White-nationalists take their inspiration from Nazism — the original ideology pursuing racial supremacy for a white, so-called “Aryan race.” The Nazis’ plan was to ethnically cleanse all minority and racial groups including the Jewish and Black communities — whom they described as inferior races. The Old Testament of America’s white-nationalist movement might be Hitler’s racist screed Mein Kampf, but the movement’s New Testament is “The Turner Diaries.” Published in 1978, it’s a fictional novel written by William Luther Pierce about a violent race-motivated revolution in America in which whites exterminate non-whites.  

AGPI monitors the rising tide of Antisemitism including white supremacism and Nationalist movements.  For more information please contact us at media@agpi.ca  

05/18/22 - Dr. Siddika Mithani, President & CEO Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Dear Dr. Mithani;  I hope you are having a peaceful day.   We have become aware about a new determination from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency that “two wines produced in the West Bank and sold in Ontario have been falsely branded Product of Israel”.    

As a noted human rights organization based in Canada, we wish to register our vehement objection and disappointment in your agency’s assertion.  As you are aware, your agency had previously accepted the “Product of Israel” label, under the Canada-Israel Free-Trade Agreement.   

It’s clear to us that this new-found determination may be the result of vigorous campaigning by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement targeting the State of Israel.  This movement has been called Antisemitic by our own government and the international community of democratic nations.

  Indeed, one of the determinations of Antisemitism by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) is the following: “Denying the Jewish people their right to self-determination.”  This of course is exactly what is being done by targeting Jewish-produced wines in a contested area still under dispute.  

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s role must be non-political.  Certainly, it’s likely not in the Agency’s mandate to define borders or become entangled in political disputes around the world. If this assumption is incorrect, I would appreciate further clarification.  We would encourage you to reconsider your determination and allow the natural process of the territorial dispute to be resolved between the parties on the ground – rather than by Canada’s Food Inspection Agency – which might accidentally be drawn into a racist campaign against the Jewish people.

  Respectfully, Avi Abraham Benlolo Founding Chairman & CEO The Abraham Global Peace Initiative  www.agpiworld.com  

05/17/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) joined the 250,000 strong Pentecostal Assembly of Canada (PAOC) to deliver a message of hope and strengthening of interfaith relations.  AGPI challenged those gathered to help counter growing Antisemitism and evil in our world.    

AGPI was invited to be the key-note speaker at the Assembly's annual conference which was held in Winnipeg at the Museum for Human Rights. The organization was further invited to present its incredible Power of One exhibit, which exemplifies international social action.

   In his address, AGPI's Founding Chairman and CEO told the 400+ audience,  "we might be people of differing faiths.  But here is what I have learned over years of interfaith work: we are not – because we came here tonight as a people who share the same Abrahamic values.  In this, we are commanded to love thy neighbour, pursue justice, repair the world, to not oppress the stranger and to not stand idly by".

    In additional remarks, AGPI's Director of Education, Dr. Neil Orlowsky said, "we are standing at the longitudinal heart of our country. Fitting because it is the heart that drives human rights work.  What makes Canada special, and a beacon for faith and multiculturalism today is that we do not shy away from our history but use it to guide our future and our work". 

  To mark this important occasion and milestone in interfaith relations, AGPI presented PAOC's General Superintendent, Dr. Rev. David Wells with a Judaica gift.  "We are further proud to have Dr. Wells on AGPI's National Advisory Board - as part of our strengthening of interfaith relations" Benlolo added. 

   AGPI continues to build interfaith bridges at home and around the world.  We invite you to join us and subscribed at www.agpiworld.com    - 30 -  

05/11/22: Following reports of an Antisemitic incident targeting a group of mainly orthodox Jewish men who were boarding a Lufthansa flight in Frankfurt, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) immediately contacted the German Consulate General in Toronto to express its outrage.   

A video had been circulating showing what appears to be a Lufthansa agent saying “Jewish people who were the mess, who made the problems."  The airline had refused some of its visibly Jewish customers from boarding a connecting flight.

    “We have an excellent relationship with the German Consulate and particularly with Consul General Thomas E. Schultze, who immediately joined our effort in an investigation into the matter,” said AGPI’s Founding Chairman and CEO, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

    “Today, Consul General Schultze informed me that he has spoken with the Federal Commissioner for Jewish Life in Germany, Dr. Felix Klein, who informed him that 'some minutes ago CEO of Lufthansa (Carsten Spohr) apologized for the incident in a video call with Rabbi (Yehuda) Teichtal.'"   In a video with Rabbi Teichtal, Spohr said, “Antisemitism has no place at Lufthansa. The actions last Wednesday should not have happened like this and must now be fully clarified .  .  . Lufthansa stands for connecting people, cultures and nations. Openness and tolerance are the cornerstones and there is no place for Antisemitism…."  Video of apology and article can be seen here: https://collive.com/lufthansa-ceo-apologizes-in-conversation-with-berlins-rabbi/ 

  Today’s more direct apology by the CEO follows what had been called by some ‘a non-apology’ in a press release by the company issued yesterday on May 10th. In that statement, the airline is being criticized for failing to acknowledge that its staff had targeted Jewish passengers.  Today, Rabbi Teichtal said: “I am pleased that the CEO of Lufthansa reacted so quickly, took a clear position, and apologized."

   "While we welcome the CEO's apology, we hope to see immediate action undertaken by Lufthansa to ensure an incident like this one never happens again.  The world Jewish community and all human rights advocates will simply not stand for it" said Benlolo. 

05/09/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is calling on the Peel Region District School Board to review a book in its libraries. Educators in the board brought the book to AGPI's attention out of concern for what appears to be Antisemitic connotations.

    The organization is asking the Director of Education to remove the book, "Palestine" from its school libraries pending a review about how it may have been accepted to its libraries in the first place.  The book is a graphic novel written and drawn by Joe Sacco and is said to be about his experiences in the West Bank and Gaza in the early 1990s.

    "In my letter to Rashmi Swarup, the Director of Education for Peel Region, I expressed shock and dismay that a book of this nature would be accepted into its school system, particularly given the rise in Antisemitism.  As an example, I specifically pointed out the picture of a Palestinian boy spitting while saying the word, "Jewish", said the organization's Founding Chairman and CEO, Avi Abraham Benlolo.    AGPI believes that given the rising tide of Antisemitism in schools, greater sensitivity must be undertaken to prevent incitement of any nature toward any group, said the organization.  We are following up on reports that other boards may have the book in their libraries as well. 

   In a follow-up letter to Director Swarup, the organization's Director of Education, Dr. Neil Orlowsky said that "while I am not a fan of book bans, I do support the removal of books that are either inflammatory in nature or misrepresent a situation" (see Dr. Orlowsky's full letter below). 

   AGPI provides tolerance training workshops for teachers and students to counter the impact of Antisemitism, hate and discrimination.  Our education programs are fully booked for the remainder of the year - as we continue to expand our advocacy and education across the country and around the world.    - 30 - 

05/04/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is marking this Yom Ha'atzmout with an act of kindness, to fulfill the Jewish belief of repair of the world -  'Tikkun Olam'.

      The organization raised thousands of dollars and is bringing over 200 pounds of supplies to assist Ukrainian refugees who have fled their homeland due to the horrific war which has decimated their country and left scores dead.

   "We are travelling to Poland to roll up our sleeves and help the refugees however we might be needed. We want to bring our message of solidarity, hope and freedom to those who have lost nearly everything" said Brahm Siegel who serves as Co-Chair of AGPI's Lawyers Division.    

"This is about Jewish and Canadian values coming together to make the world a better place.  No one came to help when the Jewish community was persecuted during the Holocaust.  But we are not going to look away" said Avi Abraham Benlolo, AGPI's Founder and Chairman.    

The organization plans to join the community of Krakow to celebrate Israel's 74th Independence Day and help advance the message of peace. "We wanted to use this occasion to send a message of hope" Benlolo added.    

To help, donors are encouraged to donate to AGPI's Ukraine Relief Fund.  Please visit our website at https://agpiworld.com/donate (Please mention "Ukraine" in the comment section.   AGPI will be reporting on our progress over the next few days. 

   - 30 - 

05/03/22: Following a public media controversy arising from statements made by Mayor Patrick Brown who is running for the leadership of the Conservative Party, Avi Abraham Benlolo, Founder and Chairman of The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) spoke with Mayor Brown to clarify his position. 

Here are some of the salient points:    

In our conversation, Mayor Brown attested that the media’s portrayal of his comments are inaccurate concerning a comparison between what is happening in Ukraine to the Palestinians.  Mayor Brown advised that he did not draw such comparisons and said he has always stood up against Antisemitism and in defence of the State of Israel.  

   With respect to his reported contrary position on moving Canada’s embassy to Jerusalem, I spent some time educating Mayor Brown about recent changes in the Middle East which warrant such a move for Canada.  For one thing, the Abraham Accords demonstrate that countries including Morocco, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Sudan have embraced Israel, despite the fact the United States and a number of nations have relocated their embassies to Jerusalem. 

    Mayor Brown listened attentively and was willing to accept further information in this regard to inform his platform.  In concluding, I respectfully expressed to the Mayor that the majority of the Jewish community and its friends would be disappointed in a platform which does not recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s Capital City. 

    “I hope that Mayor Brown will carefully assess our mutually respectful conversation.  AGPI continues to encourage Canadian political leaders to have a principled foreign policy that is supportive of allies and democracies such as Israel which respect freedom and human rights.  At the end of the day, as Canadians, we should hold true to our values,” Benlolo concluded.  

04/26/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) reacted with horror as Toronto Police released its 2021 hate crime report revealing once again that the Jewish community is the most targeted religious group in the city. 

Hate crimes increased to a reported total of 257 from 210 in the previous year (22%).  Both years are well above Toronto’s 10-year average of 163 annual occurrences.    

The most victimized groups include the Jewish community (22%), the Black community (18% and the East and Southeast Asian communities (16%).  This is consistent with national hate crime statistics, reported by AGPI last month.  Violent hate-fuelled assaults increased in 2021 to 86 from 50 in 2020 – especially against the East and South Asian and Black communities.  The majority of hate fuelled incidents still go unreported.

   “In the Jewish community, we have expressed concern over rising tide of Antisemitism emanating from pro-Palestinian protests on our city streets and the infamous Al Quds Day rally.  We have also raised concerns about Antisemitism on our university campuses that continuously impacts both Jewish students and faculty alike” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

 “We have been calling on authorities to develop new policy and legal solutions to curtail this rising tide of hate against our community and all victimized groups”.  AGPI focuses much of its objects on educating against Antisemitism, hate and intolerance through workshops in schools and communities.

  The organization recently provided a national police governance organization with a report on Antisemitism and hate crimes. Its “Power of One” exhibit has been displayed widely across the country to promote the ideas of inclusivity, pluralism and self-empowerment to improve our communities. For more information on this program, please visit - https://agpiworld.com/power-of-one   

April 25, 2022   

Mayor John Tory Premier Doug Ford 

CC: Toronto City Councillors        

Ministers of Provincial Parliament        

Toronto Police Chief   

Dear Mayor Tory and Premier Ford:   

Pro-Palestinian rioters celebrated terrorism in public spaces in Toronto over the weekend.   On April 19th, I sent you a letter concerning the upcoming Al Quds Day event scheduled for this coming Saturday April 30th, 2022.  In that letter I noted that it is time for us to take action to preserve the safety of the Jewish community and our city and province.   

Not having satisfactorily heard back, I wrote a public editorial in this past Friday’s National Post publicizing my community’s mounting concern about our safety and security.   

Unfortunately, my warning was not sufficiently heeded.  Yesterday, pro-Palestinian rioters in downtown Toronto incited hate and violence against the Jewish community and Israel. Toronto’s Police reported that Yonge and Dundas Square (a major intersection) was blocked by these rioters.  

 In my National Post article, I wrote that fighting Al Quds Day “is significant not only for the Jewish community, but for all Canadians.”  We would not tolerate hatred against any other group – but for some reason, it seems to be okay when it’s against the Jewish community and Israel.  This must stop.  

 If yesterday was a precursor to Saturday, we can anticipate worse. As an organization that promotes peace, we are extremely concerned that our streets are becoming war zones.  As a community, we are asking both the city and the province to take immediate steps to stop the hatred.   

Sincerely, Avi Abraham Benlolo Founder & Chairman, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative

04-24-22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) today applauded Emmanuel Macron’s second term win as President of France.  President Macron has been unabashedly outspoken against Antisemitism during his first term as President, and a friend of the Jewish community.   

Recognizing the surge in violent Antisemitism in his country, in 2019 he pledged to adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of Antisemitism.  More significantly, he called Anti-Zionism one of the “modern forms of Antisemitism”.  Macron made it his mission to stand with the Jewish community, visiting desecrated cemeteries and ordering the interior ministry to dismantle neo-Nazi groups.

    In the summer of 2021, Macron ordered his country to stay away from the so-called Durban anniversary conference and even went as far as criticizing the Polish government over its hard-line approach.

   “President Macron clearly understands that violent Antisemitic attacks against the Jewish community are intolerable in a free and democratic country.  While he has not been able to obliterate Antisemitism fully from France, he has moved to change policy and public perception of this pernicious scourge,” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.  “Moreover, President Macron has demonstrated leadership internationally, most recently taking on President Putin directly over Ukraine,” Benlolo added.

   AGPI is in touch with the central Jewish community and commended the president of The Representative Council of Jewish Institutions (CRIF) of France for taking a bold position of endorsing President Macron.  In a statement in advance of the election, the CRIF said, “Our individual freedoms, our social diversity, our tradition, and the stability of our country are at stake . . . CRIF is calling for causing an electoral defeat to Marine Le Pen and to vote massively for Emmanuel Macron."

   AGPI has documented extensively the plight of the Jewish community in France, including the violent terror attacks and Antisemitic incidents that have occurred against the community, especially in the last decade.  The organization has published a number of opinion pieces (found on its website) in this area and has met with various French leaders to discuss the safety and security of French Jewry.  AGPI is proud to note that France has made the right decision in choosing its next president.   -30 -

04/22/22 – The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) issued a stern letter to Ontario’s Premier Doug Ford and Toronto’s Mayor John Tory asking them to take action against the now infamous “Al Quds Day” march of hate. 

In today’s National Post, we called for less condemnation and more action. Exposing Iran’s damaging influence, we called on Canadians to “pay closer attention to foreign-driven threats to peace upon our soil .  .  . Al Quds Day was invented by the Iranian regime as a way to incite hatred and violence – and it is time for all Canadians to recognize that this is a threat to us all. 

Hundreds of people have already signed onto our petition to condemn this annual festival of hate.   

Just last week, former Canadian Cabinet Ministers Peter MacKay, John Baird, Stockwell Day, and many other prominent Canadians and world leaders joined me in calling on U.S. President Joe Biden not to delist Iran’s IRGC from the terror-designated list. “Canadians know Iran’s terrorism well. On January 8th, 2020, the IRGC allegedly shot down Ukrainian International Airlines killing 167 people on board, including 55 Canadian citizens. In other words, Iranian-backed support on our streets should be a concern to every single Canadian. 

The Jewish community cannot carry this burden alone.

ABOUT: AGPI is the most prominent international Canadian human rights organization that focuses on advancing human rights, combating Antisemitism and discrimination, and defending Israel and Holocaust remembrance.  The organization is building bridges locally and globally to build a network of advocates who share in these values.

04/22/22 – The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is disappointed – but hardly surprised  --  by Queens University’s faculty for voting to oppose the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of Antisemitism. 

We stand with more than 1,600 Jewish students and Hillel Kingston who stood up to the Queens University Faculty Association to advocate for the adoption of the definition. We are disappointed that 60% of voting faculty rejected adopting the IHRA definition – representing a failure in recognition of the urgent crisis experienced by Jewish students on university campuses. 

  In contrast to Canadian universities that have flat-out rejected adopting the definition  -- thus making Jewish students vulnerable  -- in the UK,  216 universities, colleges, and other higher education providers have signed on to the IHRA in support of Jewish students. Given the fact that Canadian academia is rooted in a British and European framework, we ponder just what is wrong with Canadian universities? Have the twenty years of anti-Israel campaigning and propaganda events such as the infamous “Israeli Apartheid Week” and BDS radicalized its faculty to an extent whereby it has become blinded to Antisemitism?

ABOUT: AGPI is the most prominent international Canadian human rights organization that focuses on advancing human rights, combating Antisemitism and discrimination, and defending Israel and Holocaust remembrance.  The organization is building bridges locally and globally to build a network of advocates who share in these values.

04/19/22 – Today The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is marking the 79th anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.  

On April 19th, 1943, 750 Jewish fighters rose up to resist and fight the  final Nazi push to deport the remaining ghetto prisoners to death camps.  The fighters were able to resist for one month; however, in the end, they were unmatched for the well-armed Nazi soldiers, and on May 16th, 1943, the remaining Jews of the Warsaw Ghetto were deported to death camps.

     Over 460,000 Jewish men, women, and children were imprisoned in the Warsaw Ghetto from 1940 to 1943.  Of these, it is believed that 265,000 were murdered in Treblinka, 42,000 in Majdanek, while another 90,000 died inside the Ghetto itself, either by resisting, starving, or illness.  Today, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising is remembered for the bravery and courage exhibited by Jewish fighters who tried to resist the Nazis.  It is one of the few instances of mass uprisings against the Nazis. 

     “As we look at the world around us today and in particular the tragic situation unfolding now in Ukraine, we are reminded once again that we must never be silent. Despite the odds, we must fight evil in order to preserve freedom, democracy, and human rights,” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo. “Today, as we are once again seeing a surge of Antisemitism, we must remember that the Holocaust began with words.  We must never be silent."     

ABOUT: AGPI is the most prominent international Canadian human rights organization that focuses on advancing human rights, combating Antisemitism and discrimination, and defending Israel and Holocaust remembrance.  The organization is building bridges locally and globally to build a network of advocates who share in these values.

 04/09/22: Concerning complaints about a class taught at the University of Western Ontario, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative released the following letter:

Dr. Alan Shepard President and Vice Chancellor University of Western Ontario  

We are in receipt of a shocking recording from Sociology class tutorial 2271B: Survey of Contemporary Theory.    In the recording, the tutorial leader apparently says: “You have Canadian and American politicians who sell weapons to Israeli government to then shoot up poor Palestinian children who are now in an apartheid system…and they are basically committing what I think is a form of genocide”. We are outraged and condemn this baseless, contemptuous, and defamatory accusation of the Jewish State.

  In fact, it is the spreading of this falsehood that has given rise to Antisemitism on university campuses and beyond.   Moreover, such obvious hurtful sentiments leave Jewish students feeling threatened, victimized, and uncomfortable to attend class. 

  We are calling on an immediate apology from the university and what steps that will be undertaken to correct this misinformation provided to the class.  Should you require assistance, our foundation can sponsor a workshop about “Myths and Facts” concerning the Middle East conflict and specifically, false assertions that Israel is committing “apartheid” and “genocide”.

   President Sheppard, our organization represents many students who plan on attending Western University next fall. As such, it has received inquiries from parents concerning this matter. We look forward to hearing back from you at your earliest convenience.

  04/07/22 – “Antisemitism is often hiding in plain sight”.  Over 100 leaders from the Canadian Association of Police Governance participated in a workshop on hate crimes and Antisemitism today.

   The Abraham Global Peace Initiative’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo provided officials in law enforcement with a comprehensive analysis why hate crimes and antisemitism are an existential threat to civilization.      The Presentation covered a wide array of topics including a discussion about prosecuting hate crime while standing for free speech; a case study about a successful hate crime conviction in Toronto; understanding the many faces of Antisemitism as the oldest form of hatred and the lessons of the Holocaust, as a consequence of violent Antisemitism. The presentation also brought the current situation in Ukraine to the foreground,  touching upon Russia’s effort to dehumanize Ukrainians on one hand, while denying atrocities committed.

   At the conclusion of the presentation, AGPI provided six recommendations to confront hate crime.  They Are:    Canada needs to establish a task force to re-evaluate its criminal code’s legislation regarding hate crime and hate speech.   Hate is not in plain sight. Police and authorities need to understand the political nuances.  Maintaining free speech is important.

  But at what cost to victimized groups? Hate crime data collection is critical now more than ever. We need to establish a national consistent framework for how we collect data. Hate Crime units need more resources. Smaller police forces could also be bolstered with more training and resources.  More sensitivity training for police is available to police through our foundation at AGPI.

    AGPI continues to work closely with police services in Canada and around the world.  Its objective is to foster best-practices in countering hate crime and discrimination. “Our approach is universal in scope in that we are advancing education to inform and put best-practices in place in law enforcement.  We believe that in partnership with law-enforcement, our organization is making a difference through our workshops, our Power of One exhibit and our leadership missions”.  

 April 4, 2022 – In a statement released widely, the Founder and Chairman of The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) strongly condemned atrocities reportedly committed in Bucha, Ukraine.

  The organization called for an immediate international investigation, calling the appearance of the facts on the ground, ‘a war-crime’.

  “AGPI is joining the United States, France, Germany, Italy and NATO in our expression of horror over the discovery of mass graves and allegedly executed civilians in Bucha” noted Mr. Benlolo. Reporters have been attesting to seeing bodies strewn throughout the village with their hands tied behind their backs. “We are calling for all those responsible to be investigated by the international community and brought to justice”. 

  AGPI has set up a funding arm to support Ukrainian refugees fleeing from the devastation.

  “As an organization that advances peace and democracy, we call for an immediate cessation to Russian hostility” Benlolo added.  

 - 30 -   

STATEMENT     March 29, 2022 AGPI Calls on International Community to Condemn and ACT on Terror Attacks in Israel

Canada's top international NGO - The Abraham Global Peace Initiative called the world community to strongly condemn and act against terrorism in Israel.

  This follows a vicious attack in B'nai Brack tonight in which 5 innocent Israelis were gunned down reportedly by a Palestinian gunman from the West Bank.  In the last number of days, 11 Israelis have been violently murdered by Palestinians.

   For months AGPI has been calling for a decrease in incitement against Israel, including Antisemitism.

   The organization believes these attacks are motivated by false narratives perpetuated against the Jewish State by many in civil-society organizations. 

  "The false notions that Israel is practicing "apartheid" and that Jews are "colonizers" in their own land can push people to extremism and hostility.  We are encouraging organizations including the UN community to pull back and focus immediately on resolving the conflict, not exacerbate it" said Avi Abraham Benlolo, the organization's Founder and Chairman.

  "Its shameful that while we are here in Morocco speaking about peace and of bringing the sides together, others beat the drums of war and conflict, Benlolo added.    

- 30 - 

STATEMENT     March 28, 2022  Casablanca, Morocco     

Statement by Avi Abraham Benlolo, Founder and Chairman of The Abraham Global Peace Initiative

 (AGPI) on the first day of meetings in Casablanca, Morocco:    "Today, it came with great honour for AGPI to be recognized by Casablanca's Mayor and President, Ms. Nabila Rmili.  Mayor Rmili, who is the first female mayor of Casablanca, presented the organization with a beautiful silver plate marking the city's foundation."

     The presentation followed a comprehensive discussion with the Mayor and her team about The Abraham Accords, the advancement of women's rights, and the historical heritage of the Jewish community in Casablanca.  AGPI presented the mayor with a beautiful Mezuza. 

     Earlier in the day, AGPI also met with Mr. Serge Berdugo, President of the Jewish Community and Ambassador to His Majesty, King Mohammed VI.  During that meeting, Mr. Benlolo reinforced the importance of Morocco's peace with Israel.  He also encouraged Mr. Berdugo for Morocco to mediate a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. 

     Following an exclusive tour by the Executive Director of Morocco's only Jewish Museum, the leaders spoke about the importance of preserving Jewish heritage in Morocco, including cemeteries and synagogues. 

     AGPI concluded a final round of meetings with Ms. Najwa Koukouss, an elected parliamentarian who is a staunch defender of women's rights and human rights.  "We had far-reaching discussions about the region, its development, and the significance of peace with Israel and Morocco" Benlolo said. 

     On December 10th 2020, His Majesty King Mohammed VI announcing the resumption of cooperation of peace with Israel.  Since then, both countries have been strengthening ties.

- 30 - 

03/27/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) issued a rebuke of Canadian media for burying a new report By Statistics Canada showing the Jewish community is the most impacted religious group for Antisemitism. 

   The organization wrote, "Last week, Statistics Canada released a damning report about hate crime in Canada, but despite the fact the Jewish community was the most targeted religious group, and antisemitic attacks were the second most common overall, Canadian media seemed to have brushed aside this significant piece of information. Its been just under one year since the vicious assaults on Jews by pro-Palestinian demonstrators took place over Gaza's war with Israel. Hamas attacked Israel by shooting rockets at Israeli cities indiscriminately — a war-crime by any measure".

   AGPI stated, "For failing to adequately report about Antisemitism, the media is hiding the truth from Canadians. How then can we improve public policy and legislation to combat Jew-hate, if the story is buried? Why then are we surprised when students perform the "Heil Hitler" salute against a Jewish teacher? Recent Antisemitic incidents have shaken our community to the core. Burying critical statistics at the bottom of stories is not the correct path to countering hate and discrimination".

- 30 - 

03/25/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) condemns the UN for once again targeting Israel with the false notion that it is practicing "apartheid". 

    We call upon the UN to immediately condemn the heinous murder of Doris Yahbas, Menachem Yechezkel, Moshe Kravitzky and Laura Yitzhak.  They were murdered by a Palestinian terrorist who stabbed them to death in Be'ersheva, Israel. At least three other incidents of Palestinian terrorism were reported in Israel this week. 

    Today, instead of being focused on helping Ukraine (as Israel is), the UN’s “Special Rapporteur” said:  “Apartheid is being practised by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory." Despite the fact that most Palestinian territories are not occupied, and are completely run by the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and by Hamas in Gaza, once again the UN is joining the Antisemitic campaign against Israel.

   Yes, Natan Sharansky’s 3D qualifier for Antisemitism is fully applicable here as the UN continues to demonize, delegitimize, and commit double standards against the Jewish State.     We ask the Rapporteur, where are you in the case of Afghanistan? This week we spoke up against the Taliban's banning of girls and women from going to school, visiting a doctor, catching a taxi, or entering government buildings - did you?

     And here is another important fact for anti-Israel campaigners: In its Global Democracy Index, The Economist recently  ranked Israel 23rd out of 165 countries! In other words, Israel is more democratic and free than 142 other countries! So, Mr. UN Rapporteur, what will you be accusing Israel of next?

The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) issued the following statement marking International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination:   

Today, AGPI joined the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) to reject all forms of racism, discrimination and hatred. Both organizations proudly marked International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination by launching the Power of One exhibit at OPP Headquarters in Orillia, Ontario. OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique provided opening remarks about the importance of taking action to promote diversity, equity and inclusivity.

   AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo commended the OPP for its diversity and inclusivity action plan.  He pointed out that given Canada’s tremendous advancement in anti-racism policy and legislation, “it’s shocking that national hate crime increased 37% according to the just released Statistics Canada report.  It’s disturbing to learn that the  Jewish community is still the most targeted religious community, and is the only community for which hate crime increased, whereas it decreased for all other communities”.

    Statistics Canada reported 2,669 hate crimes nationally, the highest since 2009.  Hate crimes motivated by race or ethnicity impacted the Black community the most, with nearly 700 incidents and a 92% increase above the previous year.  Other impacted communities included East or South West Asian people +301% and the Indigenous community +152% among others. Ontario and British Colombia had the highest number of hate crimes.   In a statement, AGPI’s Director of Education, Neil Orlowsky said: “As an educator, I was honoured to meet with the OPP on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination and learn about their commitment to cultural awareness; a commitment to better communicate within the communities they serve, and a commitment to be guided by respectful interactions with our racialized and marginalized communities. These have been tough times, and by sitting with provincial bodies and members of the affected community, we work to better understand how the world is witnessed and experienced through different eyes, and work to co-create a reflective road map that ensures diversity, equity, and inclusivity for all”. 

    AGPI’s leaders in Canada and around the world come together to reject all forms of racism, discrimination and hatred.  Having just returned from Argentina, where AGPI met with human rights activists and leaders, the organization is proud to promote Canadian values of pluralism, equity and diversity at home and around the world.

 BUENOS AIRES: 03/18/22 -  As part of a special delegation of the Latin Jewish Congress, the Founder and Chairman of the Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI),  Avi Abraham Benlolo,  met with Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez.     At the meeting, President Fernandez spoke of the importance of the Argentinian Jewish community and denounced the terror attack perpetrated thirty years ago on the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires.

   In 2020, President Fernandez made Israel his first foreign trip as President of Argentina. He is only the second president to visit the Jewish state.  While there, Fernandez reaffirmed Argentina’s role in the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), the only Latin American country having done so.

   “In my conversation with President Fernandez, I thanked him for advocating against Antisemitism and advancing human rights,” Benlolo said.

   AGPI was in Argentina to stand with Argentina’s Jewish community to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the bombing of the Israeli embassy.  A moving tribute was held for the 29 victims of the terror attack perpetrated by Iran and its proxies.

  Just two years later in 1994, the Jewish community agency AMIA was also bombed, killing 85 people and injuring hundreds more.   Earlier in the day, Benlolo also met with Argentina’s Secretary of Worship, Ambassador Guillermo Oliveri.  They discussed interfaith dialogue and relationships with religious communities, human rights, and freedom of religion – areas that are of critical importance to AGPI’s mission and mandate. Benlolo also briefed Canada’s Ambassador Reid Sirrs on AGPI’s human rights activities including its support of Ukrainian refugees.   - 30 -

03/13/22: Crystal Ball Co-Chairs, Frank A. Wilson and Jerry Werger are delighted to announce that Ellie Cohanim will be joining joining our magical evening at Casa Loma on May 26th, 2022 to officially launch The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI).         

   Ellie Cohanim is a Senior Fellow at Independent Women’s Forum (IWF); host of the weekly show, “Global Perspectives with Ellie Cohanim” for Jewish News Syndicate (JNS) and a Politics & National Security Contributor to Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). She recently launched a new Muslim-Jewish relations NGO, “The Mukhayriq Initiative” as the Managing Director.

   Ms. Cohanim previously served as U.S. Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism at the U.S. Department of State by appointment of the President of the United States and the US Secretary of State. Ms. Cohanim was the State Department’s first Iranian-born Envoy, and led diplomatic initiatives which resulted in forging groundbreaking partnerships in the Arab world to combat anti-Semitism, anti-Zionism and Islamophobia.

  As Deputy Envoy, Ms. Cohanim was the lead official for the State Department in creating and implementing policy on countering anti-Semitism in the Near East and Western Hemisphere regions.   Ms. Cohanim can often be seen on Fox News, Newsmax, JBS & CBN networks as well as internationally on El Akhbariya, Iran International and Al Ghad TV; and is a contributor to The Hill, National Review, Newsweek, Washington Examiner and New York Jewish Week.   Ellie Cohanim arrived as a child refugee to the US, after she and her family fled the escalating anti-Semitism in Iran during the 1979 Islamic Revolution.    

   ABOUT: AGPI's Inaugural Crystal Ball Benefit brings together national and international business leaders, corporations, philanthropists and leaders in government and civil society. It is a major gifts fundraiser to support the global efforts of the organization.    For information, about sponsorship, please visit us at www.crystalballbenefit.com.     - 30 -

  03/10/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is supporting and partnering with the Jewish Community Centre (JCC) in Krakow, Poland to provide assistance to Ukrainian refugees who are fleeing from the war.

    As a global Canadian NGO charged with advancing human rights, AGPI is providing an immediate grant to support the urgent need of refugees. It is calling on the public to join its effort by donating to its Ukraine Emergency Relief Fund.

    Statement by AGPI’s President Mark Teitelbaum: “In providing financial resources to assist refugees, our executive leadership feels confident in the direct relief work that is being provided by the JCC in Krakow.   Our leadership has visited the JCC previously and is proud to note that the facility has been turned into a collection and distribution point for food, clothing, medicine, sanitary supplies, and more.  Our plan is to look at additional avenues to help."

   Statement by AGPI’s Vice Presidents, Leora Shemesh and Justin Linden: “We cannot ignore the significance of Krakow, Poland, and why this location especially matters to us.  Situated just a few miles from the infamous Auschwitz death camp and given the horrific history of the Jewish community in Krakow, its incumbent on all of us to help the refugees".

   Statement by Jonathan Ornstein, Executive Director of JCC Krakow: “Our JCC team of staff and volunteers is fully focused on helping more than 120 refugees affected by the war, Jews and non-Jews, in Poland as well as Ukraine. Thanks to the incredible generosity of friends and supporters around the world, we have been able to quickly and effectively take action and help people."   

Direct Assistance: We are wiring the funds directly to JCC Krakow, an organization that is delivering relief on the ground in Poland. AGPI is matching all gifts initially up to $5,000. To make a gift now, please go to www.agpiworld.com and enter in your gift.  In the comment section, write the word “Ukraine”. Please add in the bank fees so that 100% of your donation can be transmitted to assist the effort of Krakow’s JCC.

03/08/22: As part of its celebration of International Women's Day and its advancement of human rights, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) presented its new Power of One exhibit at the Ontario Headquarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).         

   RCMP Assistant Commissioner and Commander Jodie Boudreau said: "I had the pleasure of looking at this display, and I must say it is extraordinary.  The Power of One is a reminder of how it takes only one person to have the courage to stand up for our rights and freedoms and the importance of those rights in the daily lives of Canadians and people around the world.  The exhibit is a reminder to all of us to be the best version of ourselves that we can be".

   In his remarks, AGPI's Founder and Chairman Avi Abraham Benlolo spoke about the importance of advancing women's rights, as a foundational principle of human rights. He further discussed the critical importance of policing in upholding our democracy and preserving our freedoms, especially now as we witness the heart-wrenching assault on the Ukraine.

    In presenting a Menorah to the RCMP on behalf of AGPI, Mr. Benlolo spoke emphatically about its symbolism, reflecting on the recent bombing near the Menorah at Babyn Yar. "As we light each candle, the world around us gets brighter.  So too, all people of goodwill must stand together against evil."

     In a statement following the event, AGPI's Director of Education Dr. Neil Orlowsky said: "The RCMP has been an icon of Canada. At home, they are a symbol of protection, and internationally they represent Canadian values of freedom, democracy, and a mosaic of diversity, equity, and inclusivity. Today the RCMP put themselves front and centre by hosting the Power of One. As an educator, I was proud to stand with them as they renewed their commitment to dismantling all forms of racism and discrimination in Canada and abroad."   - 30 -

Dubai - 03/06/22: In preparation for International Women’s Day, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) hosted Jerusalem’s Deputy Mayor, Fleur Hassan-Nahoum.  AGPI’s Women’s Global Initiative Co-Chairs, Genevieve Korman and Candice Solomon, formally welcomed and introduced Deputy Mayor Hassan-Nahoum, commending her on exceptional leadership.

     Speaking to AGPI from Dubai, Deputy Mayor Hassan-Nahoum has been paving the way for women in the Gulf Region, creating an inclusive women’s forum and engaging women in countries such as the U.A.E., Bahrain, Morocco, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.  The Abraham Accords, said the Deputy Mayor, is a paradigm shift.  Whereas previous peace agreements between Israel and Egypt and Jordan was a top-down approach due to miltary conflict, the Abraham Accords are about a direct people-to-people approach. Interestingly, trade between Israel and Jordan and Egypt has increased three-fold since the Abraham Accords, indicating closer ties. 

     Deputy Mayor Hassan-Nahoum also believes the Abraham Accords are particularly good for Jerusalem. She says that 40% of Jerusalem’s residents are Muslim Arabs – making Jerusalem the most diverse city in the country. Jerusalem can be strengthened by diversity and this will result in better innovation, said the Deputy Mayor. Moreover, the peace agreements will increase tourism as Jerusalem will be a destination for Muslim pilgrims.   We have now moved beyond the traditional “Arab-Israeli conflict” into more optimism and hope in the region. 

    Responding to an audience question about the Iranian threat, Deputy Mayor Hassan-Nahoum said that Israel’s conflict is with the Ayatollahs, not with the Iranian people.  There is hope in building a relationship with the Iranian peoples, but not as long as the Iranian regime is threatening Israel.  

03/05/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) continues to monitor, respond and educate about the growth of Antisemitic incidents across the Greater Toronto area and beyond.   

 According to York Regional Police, Antisemitic graffiti was found scrawled on a school building which used to serve as a synagogue. The building was subsequently closed and sold to a private school.   In addition to the multiple incidents in York Region, this past week saw Antisemitic graffiti at three schools in Toronto.   

  AGPI has voiced concern and encouraged police authorities to investigate these incidents and apprehend the offenders. Toronto police have since released video images of a perpetrator who spray painted numerous Antisemitic messages  at Central Technical School.

    “While AGPI continues to press the Toronto District School Board to adopt its recommendations in order to combat Antisemitism, much of what we are seeing is a result of proliferation of Nazi-related imagery online” said Avi Abraham Benlolo, the organization’s Founder and Chairman.

    “Wherever you look today, the echoes of Nazism and the Holocaust are abound – particularly now since Russia’s assault on Ukraine.  Inevitably, young children may misunderstand the significance of these events, their meanings and the proliferation of Nazi imagery”

.   AGPI is further monitoring the conclusion of an alleged hate-crime trial taking place in Montreal whereby the defendant admitted to writing between 800 and 1000 articles for a well-know far-right online publication.  The number of readers and followers of hate sites in general have dramatically increased. AGPI continues to call upon the federal government to re-legislate online hate speech.  This may hold ISP providers to account, forcing them to enforce their own policy against hate.   

03/03/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is taking action against Antisemitism in schools through advocacy and exceptional educational programs.  In response to growing incidents of Antisemitism in school districts, the organization re-doubled its efforts.

  This week, through its education platform, it will educate some 850 students.   AGPI is extremely concerned with the growing trend of antisemitism within the Toronto District School Board. Toronto Police Services said it was notified of three separate incidents of antisemitic graffiti discovered on the exterior of Central Technical High School, Rosedale Heights School of the Arts, and, Malvern Collegiate Institute.

   Toronto's police Chief James Ramer said he received three reports of Antisemitic graffiti outside of schools: "We are investigating and our specialized hate crimes unit is engaged" said the Chief. "Hate crimes are a top priority for the Toronto Police".   AGPI is in touch with numerous educators across the city and notes their frustration particularly with the Toronto District School Board's handling of Antisemitic incidents.  "We continue to extend a hand to TDSB offering expertise and resources to combat Antisemitism" said AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

    AGPI has reached out to Toronto Police Services and thanked them for treating these latest acts as hate-motivated crimes, and we are pleased to hear that their Hate Crime Unit will be engaged. So too, AGPI’s Director of Education, Dr Neil Orlowsky has again reached out to the TDSB Director of Education, Colleen Russel-Rawlins, to offer our support, but followed this offer by voicing our dismay that while the board calls for greater Holocaust education in all their schools, more, actionable solutions to combat anti-Jewish hate needs to be done.

   These latest incidents come on the heels of last month's reports that students performed the “Hitler salute” at Pleasant Public School (targeting a Jewish teacher), Valley Park Middle School (targeting a Jewish teacher), and Charles H. Best Junior Middle School. Less so reported was that these February “salutes” book-ended an incident at Ledbury Park Elementary and Middle School where a teacher allegedly likened the forced wearing of the Yellow Star of David during the Holocaust to current COVID-19 restrictions. 

  AGPI is calling on educators to contact the organization to book our education programs (for free) and to report Antisemitic incidents as they arise.  Please contact norlowsky@agpi.ca    -30 -

AGPI Condemns Russia’s Bombing of Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Site   03/01/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is outraged by Russia’s unprecedented bombing near the Holocaust memorial site at Babyn Yaar, a sacred location at the outskirts of Kyiv where over 34,000 Ukrainian Jewish children, women and men were murdered by the Nazis in cold blood.       

   According to initial reports, several buildings were possibly hit in the area along with the media tower located near Babyn Yar.   In a statement: AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo said: “Having visited the site of Babyn Yar many years ago and standing with the Jewish community while there to remember the unimaginable atrocities committed, today we are horrified by what feels like an assault on their memory.  We further reject Russia’s attempt to invoke Nazism to legitimize its attack on Ukraine”.

   In a statement released earlier, the Babyn Yar’s Holocaust Memorial  Chairman, Natan Sharansky said: “We, at the Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center, built on Europe’s largest mass grave of the Holocaust, work to preserve historical memory following decades of Soviet suppression of historical truth, so that the evils of the past can never be repeated. We must not allow the truth to - once again - become the victim of war.”

   Responding to the attack on Twitter, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said: “To the world: what is the point of saying ‘never again’ for 80 years, if the world stays silent when a bomb drops on the same site of Babyn Yar?”    Similarly, Andriy Yermak, Chairman of the Ukrainian Presidential Office said: “Just now, a powerful barrage is underway. A missile hit the place where Babyn Yar memorial complex is located! Once again, these barbarians are murdering the victims of Holocaust!”

   Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs, Nachman Shai said, “we are saddened by this unnecessary war, by injury to innocent civilians, and damage to civilian installations, including Jewish sites such as the important Babyn Yar Holocaust Memorial Center”.

   Alongside its boards and international community, AGPI has expressed its condemnation of Russia’s attack on Ukraine.  The organization called upon Russia to immediately withdraw its forces from Ukrainian territory.   -30 -

 02/25/22: As Russia presses into Kyiv, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is calling for expanded international sanctions and boycotts, beyond what has been moved by the Nato alliance. 

   These must include an immediate cessation of flights in and out of Russia; an immediate stoppage of the flow of goods and services between the west and Russia, and the issuance of Red Notices for every member of the State Duma. 

  Make no mistake about it.  Russia’s invasion is directly connected to its perceived weakness of the West. As Melanie Phillips puts it, America is sending mixed signals to its foes: “America’s strategy to deter Russian president Vladimir Putin’s aggression against Ukraine is to impose sanctions. But its strategy to deter aggression by the Iranian regime is to lift sanctions."  In the coming days, we will learn that the United States has reached a nightmarish agreement with the Ayatollahs – worse than the 2015 deal – which will allow the lifting of all constraints on Iran’s manufacture of nuclear weapons within two and a half years.

   Russia has been carefully watching all this.  America’s perceived weakness with Iran is a green light for any violation to world order. Phillips is right when she observed that “the paradox of peace is that its maintenance depends on the credible threat of war."  It is a horrible thought to consider -- particularly in 2022.  Humanity should be further ahead.

  - 30 -  

 02/24/22: Avi Abraham Benlolo, the Chairman and Founder of the Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) issued the following statement condemning Russia’s attack on Ukraine:

     “AGPI-worldwide supports the unanimous condemnation of the UN Security Council regarding Russia’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine.  We stand with Canada, the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ukraine in holding Russia accountable for the pain and suffering of innocents.  We recognize that Russia’s actions violate Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.  Russia is in violation of the United Nations Charter and international law”. 

    As an organization that promotes human rights, AGPI further commented, “it’s a dark day for humanity.  Violence should never be an option. The Abraham Global Peace Initiative and its boards including its international Board of Advisors condemns Russia’s attack on Ukraine.  We call upon Russia to immediately withdraw its forces from all Ukrainian territory”. 

    AGPI will continue monitoring the situation on the ground and advocating for an immediate cease and desist from Russia. As a Canadian NGO, we will continue standing for universal human rights, peace and freedom for all peoples.  We abhor violence and encourage immediate deescalation for the preservation of life. From the lessons of the Holocaust, we reject all acts of aggression that impact peace and security. 

    AGPI promotes human rights universally through its Power of One platform that encourages individuals to contribute peacefully to their communities. The organization presses the United Nations to adhere to its Universal Declaration of Human Rights.  Through our briefings and articles, we educate and advocate against hate and intolerance.

  - 30 -  

 02/23/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) announced today that its prestigious International Award for Human Rights will be conferred on Mr. Max Eisen, O.C., for his work to advance Holocaust education and promote human rights. 

   A recent recipient of the Order of Canada, Mr. Eisen survived Auschwitz and is the sole survivor of his family. Since then, he has committed his life to Holocaust education and awareness. His memoir, By Chance Alone, won the prestigious Canada Reads Award.  For his contribution to Canada, he has won many awards and three Honourary Doctorate Degrees. 

  AGPI's Vice-Presidents, Leora Shemesh and Justin Linden, said: "We cannot think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.  Mr. Eisen is a leading Canadian voice who has spent his entire life promoting pluralism, inclusivity and respect." 

  The Co-Chairs of AGPI's Board of Governors, Dr. Mark Korman and Dr. Philip Solomon, stated:"We had the honour and privilege of travelling with Max Eisen to the death camps and, in particular, to Auschwitz.  Mr. Eisen was tireless in his pursuit to educate everyone and carry forward his promise to his father:  never to forget."

   The Abraham Global Peace Initiative will be honouring Mr. Eisen on May 26th, 2022 at its Crystal Ball fundraising Benefit.  Joining the evening in support will be an array of Canada's top corporate, philanthropic and civil society leaders.   AGPI's first International Award for Human Rights was conferred in 2021 on Canada's Permanent Ambassador to the United Nations, Mr. Bob Rae. 

   AGPI is working to recognize Mr. Eisen by establishing the "Max Eisen Holocaust Education Fund" to counter Holocaust denial and distortion. To support this fund, please click on the donation button below (make sure to write "Max Eisen" in the comments section of your donation.    For further information, please visit www.crystalballbenefit.com and www.agpiworld.com

  - 30 -  

 02/20/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) welcomes the Philippines adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of Antisemitism. 

    Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said “ever since the Philippines opened its doors to Jewish refugees in the 1930s, our country has consistently stood for humanity, compassion and solidarity against bigotry, racism and hate. These are the same principles that guide us in co-sponsoring several resolutions relevant to Israel at the United Nations General Assembly”.

  In a statement, AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo said: “The Jewish people have a long and wonderful relationship with the Philippines.  As Antisemitism continues to reach unprecedented levels, we applaud President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. for adopting the IHRA working definition of Antisemitism.  We were delighted most recently to host The Honorable Consul General Orontes V. Castro of the Philippine Consulate General recently attended AGPI’s National Commemoration of International Holocaust Remembrance Day”.

  In a letter to Israel’s Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, the Philippines Foreign Minister further said, “the Philippines takes this opportunity to affirm our deep responsibility to take concrete actions in combating all forms of racial intolerance as a further expression of the high value we accord to our relations with Israel and the Jewish people”.   The Philippines was among the first countries to support the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 and established full diplomatic relations with Israel in 1957.  The two nations have a long history of cooperation in trade, economy, culture and various scientific exchanges. 

  - 30 -  

02/16/22: Following the University of Toronto (U of T)'s release of a video to “mark the entrustment of the Antisemitism Working Group’s final report”, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) issued the following statement urging the adoption of the IHRA working definition of Antisemitism:   

   “AGPI notes with caution that U of T’s leadership is demonstrating 'commitment to tackling Antisemitism in all its forms.'  The organization also notes President Meric Gertler’s statement that the university is 'profoundly opposed to Antisemitism, which remains an unwelcome source of discrimination, harassment, and violence in our society, and a threat to free societies everywhere.'       

   “While the administration has been trying to confront Antisemitism at U of T for two decades, it has not succeeded because it repeatedly does not confront the issue head-on.  We strongly recommend the adoption of the  International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of Antisemitism,” said Avi Benlolo, AGPI’s Founder and Chairman. “We further reject any notion that freedom of speech is impacted in any way by vigorously standing up to Antisemitism.  In fact, the adoption of the IHRA definition has become an international litmus test to combating Antisemitism."

   According to U of T Professor Aurel Braun: “The fact that U of T continues to reject the adoption of the IHRA working definition of Antisemitism, when so many governments and hundreds of universities have adopted it worldwide, is deeply disappointing."  Professor Braun also sits on AGPI’s National Advisory Board.

   As noted in AGPI’s statement in December, U of T’s refusal to adopt any of the definitions of Antisemitism  that have recently been proposed,  including the non-legally-binding working definition proposed by the IHRA, reduces the ability of the university to adequately combat Antisemitism.   To date, 35 countries have signed onto the IHRA definition with an additional nine observer nations also committed to the definition. Partner organizations to the convention include highly reputable international organizations such as the United Nations, UNESCO, OSCE/ODIHR, European Agency for Fundamental Rights, the European Union, and the Council of Europe. In the United States, hundreds of universities have adopted the IHRA.

   In fact, the Office for Students in the United Kingdom further reports that 200 universities, colleges, and providers of higher education have adopted the IHRA definition (95 are universities; among them some of the most prestigious). Contrary to the University of Toronto perspective, this number has climbed from just 28 in 2020 whereby universities recognize the definition is indeed designed for use in the university context. 

  AGPI’s campus report can be found here: https://agpiworld.com/campus

 02/15/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) continues to make tremendous inroads as more Canadian leaders and corporations join in its effort to promote a better world by countering discrimination and advocating for universal freedom and democracy.    Canadian corporate and philanthropic leaders will come together for the first annual Crystal Ball Benefit to be held at Casa Loma on May 26th, 2022.  

   Among its leading sponsors, AGPI is honoured to include four major national banks, including  Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, Toronto-Dominion Bank, and National Bank. Additional banks are expected to join as supporters shortly.   "As Campaign Co-Chairs, we are proud of our central banks for stepping up early in our campaign to join the fight against hate and intolerance.  All of us recognize that the promotion of pluralism, equity, and co-existence are central pillars which we all espouse," said Frank A. Wilson and Jerry Werger.   

   AGPI's Honourary Chairman, Paul Godfrey, and its President, Mark Teitelbaum said, "In the coming days we will be announcing additional prominent sponsors who recognize the importance of our work now more than ever.Given the uniqueness of our organization, we are not surprised that, in a short period of time, the number of our national and international partners is continuing to grow daily."   

   Excitement is Building: In the coming days, AGPI will be announcing our 2022 selection of our International Award for Human Rights.   Leading up to this international event, AGPI will be releasing the names of our Title Sponsors and additional corporate and private sponsors who are joining our Campaign for Humanity.    To learn more about the Crystal Ball Benefit, please visit the event page at www.crystalballbenefit.com To learn more about the organization, visit www.agpiworld.com

 02/14/22: While incidents of Antisemitism skyrocket around the planet, a magical moment is taking place in the Middle East.      

   The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is delighted to note peace is continuing to take hold though the Abraham Peace Accords.  Israel’s Prime Minister, Naftali Bennett was warmly greeted as he landed in Bahrain today to meet with the Kingdom’s rulers.   

   Bennet aims to reinforce the normalization agreement and discuss regional economic and diplomatic issues, including technological advancement and cooperation. Israeli leaders have been visiting Bahrain over the last number of months to strengthen cooperation and expand regional peace.     

   “From our point of view, we welcome the strengthening of the Abraham Accords between Israel, Bahrain, the U.A.E., Morocco and Sudan.  The Middle East seeks hope and optimism and has changed its position favourably with respect to Israel” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.   

AGPI continues to advocate positively for peace and the advancement of the Abraham Accords.   

 02/13/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) resolutely condemns the sharp rise in antisemitism reported in the United Kingdom and France.   

   A report by a Jewish organization in the United Kingdom states that the number of antisemitic incidences that occurred in the country in 2021 rose an astonishing 34% compared to the previous year. 

  The number of violent antisemitic incidences in 2021 also rose sharply, by 76% compared to the year before.   At the same time, a survey conducted by the European affiliate of an American-based Jewish organization found that the incidence of antisemitism in France is also skyrocketing. The organization noted a “75% increase in antisemitism” in France in 2021. It also found that 73% of French Jews have been victims of antisemitism.      

   Furthermore, 41% of Jews in France avoided displaying religious symbols in public for fear of being victims of antisemitism; 32% of Jewish parents said that their children were victims of antisemitic insults, and 18% said that their children have been the victims of physical assaults in 2021.   In light of these findings,    

   AGPI calls on British and French authorities to take more action to combat the rising scourge of antisemitism in their countries.   On a more positive note, AGPI commends the parliament of Latvia for passing the Law on the Compensation of Goodwill to the Latvian Jewish Community. This law provides funding to revitalize Latvia's Jewish community, provide social and material assistance to Holocaust survivors, and fund Jewish schools, building restoration, and cultural projects. An estimated 90% of Latvia’s Jewish community was wiped out during the Holocaust. 

 02/09/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) extended an invitation to Whoopi Goldberg to join its founder and chairman at Auschwitz this coming Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.    

  In a letter to ABC News President, Ms. Kimberly Godwin, AGPI’s Chairman and Founder, Avi Abraham Benlolo wrote: “As a Holocaust educator, I have led some ten delegations to Auschwitz and the concentration camps in Europe. On occasion, I have also invited individuals who have gotten themselves into controversy about the Holocaust.  

   I believe that its best to give people the opportunity to become further educated and to fully understand the Holocaust at ground-zero, so to speak. In my experience, this has led to a greater healing process for all sides and humanity becomes better for it”. 

   “While Ms. Goldberg’s acceptance of this invitation may be a long-shot given her busy schedule, together we could use this occasion to educate your viewers about the Holocaust.  Given the rising tide of Antisemitism, hate and intolerance, this is a great opportunity for Ms. Goldberg and ABC News to come together to turn this situation into something positive".

    As a global organization that advances peace and human rights, AGPI’s central mandate is to extend a hand to everyone to make the world a better place.  The organization’s focus is to build an international movement that advances humanity – and we look to everyone as a partner in this important effort.   

 02/08/22: Over the last number of months, AGPI has responded to antisemitic incidents in local schools by providing workshops and resources to combat Antisemitism. In the face of mounting incidents at the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), AGPI is once again calling on its Director of Education to implement its recommendations and advance the fight against Antisemitism at the institutional level.   

    In the first incident, two students at Charles H. Best Middle School had depicted swastika’s followed by performing the ‘Hitler’s salute’ in front of classmates. At Ledbury, a teacher is now under investigation after they likened the forced implementation of the Yellow Star of David (an identifying badge to mark Jews) during the Holocaust to current COVID-19 vaccine passports mandates.       As more incidents surface, these latest incidents follow a growing normalization of antisemitism in Ontario schools, and more so for Ontario’s largest school board, TDSB, which has been plagued by countless events over the last year. While AGPI continues to reach out to the TDSB, and we commend both schools for quickly acting, we are concerned that while the public is being told that work is being done, this work does not seem to adequately be addressing the cause of such hate.    

   As Dr Neil Orlowsky, Director of Education for AGPI stated, “The TDSB continues to reiterate that these incidents do not reflect who they are as a board, one cannot help but question what measures are actually being implemented? This is not the first time we have seen hate and antisemitism manifest in Toronto schools, and it is not the first time we heard that the board is committed to dismantling it. How many more incidents needs to occur before actions replace words?”    AGPI will continue to speak with TDSB on these two newest incidents as well will continue to press them on incidents still being investigated. Following the most recent, Dr Orlowsky looks forward to meeting with TDSB to remind them of, and reshare AGPIs strategies and tools to help them address antisemitism.     

02/08/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) continues to criss cross the country bringing Canadians together as it launches a global campaign to promote human rights and inspire and empower leaders to take action.   

   As part of its global campaign, AGPI presented Edmonton's Chief of Police, Dale McFee with a beautiful Menorah to symbolize the promotion of peace and unity.   

   "In Judaism, the Menorah symbolizes the fight against evil and darkness," AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo told a gathering of police and community leaders.  "Just as one single candle can illuminate a dark room, the Menorah symbolizes how the many can come together to stand up and speak out against hate and intolerance.  The Menorah gets brighter with each passing day as more and more candles are lit - symbolizing unity" Benlolo said.    

   AGPI was in Edmonton to launch its Power of One exhibit at the beautiful Edmonton Police Service training facility.  The exhibit is on display for the new police recruits and senior officers to exemplify how each one of us has the "power" to make the world a better place and stamp out hate and intolerance.   

   In his meaningful remarks, Chief McFee said, "as a police service we’ve made a commitment to action … to lead meaningful changes that will improve community safety and well-being for all the communities we serve … especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized".        

    AGPI's Director of Education, Dr. Neil Orlowsky said, "as educators, we want our students to see people that look like them, representing them in spaces that often shut them out. In policing, representation and reflection is imperative to building stronger community relationships. Last year, Edmonton was on track to record more than 100-hate motivated crimes. Today the EPS has been working with racialized and marginalized communities to better understand how different bodies experience the world differently. Because if a city is not safe for some, its safe for none".    

    Through its meetings with people in various communities, AGPI is listening to vulnerable groups that wish for their voice to be heard.  The organization is helping empower them and bring attention to their concerns.  

02/05/22: Conservative leaders are joining The Abraham Global Peace Initiatives (AGPI) in denouncing an inflammatory report produced by Amnesty International, calling it “an assault on Israel." Ministers of Parliament Melissa Lantsman and Marty Morantz issued a statement calling on the Canadian government to join their denunciation.      

    Earlier in the week, AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo, and one of the organization’s National Board members, The Honourable Senator Jerry S. Grafstein, issued a letter to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and then-Opposition Leader Erin O’Toole asking both parties to denounce the report. AGPI is expecting the Prime Minister to weigh in on the matter imminently.     

    In a statement, Lantsman and Morantz said: “Last week, Amnesty International, an organization with a longstanding history of singling out Israel, released a report accusing the Jewish state of 'apartheid.'  The Amnesty International report is openly Antisemitic and recycles already debunked propaganda singling out Israel with provably false and dangerous narratives."    

   “We believe that protecting and defending Israel is an issue on which all Canadians can come together.  We want to be clear that there are no politics in defending Israel, an ally that shares Canada’s values of freedom, democracy, and human rights,” Benlolo said.  AGPI has put together an information web-page about the issue and a petition.  It is asking the community at large to sign its petition by visiting Shalom peace salam

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom, and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca 

02/04/22: It's been another acutely distressing week in human rights.  

    Given the fact that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East, it came as a shock that Amnesty International would release a report accusing the Jewish State of apartheid, among other fallacies.         AGPI's Front Page editorial in the National Post today called the Amnesty report a "shameful assault" on Israel. Together with retired Senator Jerry S. Grafstein, we pointed out that "Israel's detractors never seem to worry about the safety and security of Jewish lives in Israel. They never run to Israel's defence when Israel is attacked".    

   This week, we issued a letter calling on world leaders and our own prime minister to condemn Amnesty's report. We are pleased that Germany, the UK and the US have issued statements distancing themselves from the document.    As soon as news broke, AGPI issued an immediate statement and report calling on Amnesty to disavow the allegations and pointing out inaccuracies. One of our esteemed board members, retired Department of Justice prosecutor, Hank Kopel authored compelling arguments (which we released) that are now being utilized widely.    

    A copy of our brief alongside our petition can be found at https://agpiworld.com/tell-amnesty-never-again.  We are thrilled the Jewish Federation of New Haven has republished our statement on Amnesty and report.    But the more we thought about the issue, the more we realized that the Amnesty report is meaningless. It is a regurgitation of the 2001 Durban conference, highlighting the same double-standard assaults on Israel and the Jewish people that we have seen for decades. This harms the cause of human rights advocacy, which is supposed to equitable, fair and balanced.    

    This is why we believe that a Canadian global NGO that advocates for human rights, as we continue to grow, we will become a counterweight to this kind of behaviour. Our Think-Tank is publishing dozens of articles to ensure the truth is continuously told. 

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom, and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca 

02/01/22: February marks Black History Month and AGPI would like to honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities as we commemorate the great contributions they have made. As a Human Rights organization, AGPI recognizes the giants that came before us and the great community leaders that inspired a generation. As we mark the first day of Black History Month we ask that you take some time and recognize the work of two such giants, Justice Jean Augustine, PC CM OOnt CBE and Rosemary Sadlier OOnt, and how they have forged a path so that we might all follow.   

     But so too, AGPI would like to acknowledge that the work on inclusivity is not done and Canada must continue dismantling the institutionalized and structural racism that continues to marginalize Canada’s Black community. With the theme for Black History Month being “February and Forever: Celebrating Black History today and everyday” this year, we must all remain committed to the fight and plight this community faces, every month, of every year.   

    Black History is Canada’s History and AGPI is proud to highlight some of the great achievements of the Black community through our Power of One exhibit as part of our travelling Human Rights museum. As we continue to create shared spaces for all Canadians, AGPI is working with educators from across the country to create meaningful learning opportunities that honour the legacy of Black Canadians, their communities, and their history. To book the Power of One exhibit to learn more about our Black History Resources for the classroom, please contact our Director of Education, Dr Neil Orlowsky at norlowsky@agpi.ca.  

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom, and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca 

 January 31, 2022: The Abraham Global Peace (AGPI) Initiative joins European and American Jewish organizations and  Israel in raising alarm over another report that aims to delegitimize and falsely brand Israel an apartheid state.

   The European Jewish Council is  calling an Amnesty International report “part of a coordinated diplomatic lynch against Israel" while the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations says the "libelous document resorts to baseless ‘apartheid’ accusations against Israel, among other distortions".

   The Jewish world and pro-Israel advocates are bracing for tomorrow’s reported release of an Amnesty report entitled “Israel’s apartheid against Palestinians: Cruel system of domination and crime against humanity." According to NGO Monitor, “like many previous NGO publications, Amnesty’s report manipulates and distorts international law, Israeli policy, and events on the ground, as well as denies the Jewish people their right to sovereign equality and self-determination."

   In reaction today, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, said that “Israel isn’t perfect, but we are a democracy committed to international law, open criticism, with a free press and a strong and independent judicial system. Amnesty doesn’t call Syria, where the regime has murdered half a million of its own citizens, an apartheid state, norIran nor other murderous regimes around the world – only Israel."  

   Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lior Haiat said, “Israel rejects all the false accusations that are made by Amnesty International UK, stating that the report is a “collection of lies," “is biased,” and “copies from other reports from anti-Israel organizations."

   “To those of us who have been treated by Israeli-Arab doctors in Israeli hospitals; who have met with Israeli-Arab Knesset members (Israel’s parliament); who have lived with Israeli-Arab neighbours; and who have met many Israeli Arabs and Druze who served in Israel’s Defence Forces, the assertion that Israel is an apartheid state is nothing more than a repetition of the big-lie" said Avi Abraham Benlolo, AGPI’s Founder and Chairman. “Those of us who know that Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East that allows for people of every religious faith to live freely and equally – we see right through baseless accusations,” added Benlolo.

    As a global human rights organization comprised of leaders representing all faiths and cultures, AGPI is uniquely positioned to say on behalf of most Canadians that we reject all claims to single out Israel and to slander it with accusations.  We believe the international pile-on Israel strengthens Antisemitism, creates incitement, and disrupts attempts to make peace in the region. We call on international human rights organizations to stop inflicting a double-standard on Israel by focusing unrelenting attention on the only Jewish state in the world.

AGPI calls on NGOs to join its efforts by finding positive and productive means to help foster peace in the region and advance The Abraham Accords.  

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom, and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca 

 01/30/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) resolutely condemns the display of hateful symbols at Ottawa protest over COVID-19 mandates.

   This weekend, demonstrators congregated in Ottawa to protest restrictions designed to reduce the spread of COVID-19. During the demonstrations that took place, it was reported that while the majority of protestors were peaceful, some displayed hateful symbols including Nazi swastikas and Confederate flags. 

   Throughout the ongoing pandemic, Jews have been a frequent target of hateful acts by some extremists protesting COVID-19 restrictions. These hateful acts include the promotion of conspiracy theories claiming that Jews are responsible for COVID-19 and comparing the events of the Holocaust to COVID-19 restrictions and vaccine mandates. The presence of hateful symbols at the recent demonstrations in Ottawa is yet another example of far-right extremists trying to take advantage of the frustrating situation that the COVID-19 pandemic has created to promote their hateful agenda. 

   AGPI believes all Canadians have a right to freely protest. However it condemns the use of hateful symbols such as swastikas and Confederate flags, and furthermore condemns antisemitic acts associated with COVID-19, including the promotion of conspiracy theories and comparisons to the Holocaust. 

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom, and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca 

January 30, 2022 - Even as Russia and Ukraine lurch closer to war and North Korea tests more ballistic missiles, there is hope and optimism in the Middle East as Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) continue to advance The Abraham Accords and strengthen their relationship.           

   The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) proudly congratulates Israel’s President Isaac Herzog and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on their meeting today in Abu Dhabi. 

   President Herzog arrived in the UAE on his first presidential state visit to the country and was warmly received by an honour guard. In his remarks, President Herzog said, “we are sending a message to the entire region that there is an alternative of peace and living together, and that the sons and daughters of Abraham can reside and dwell together in peaceful coexistence for the benefit of humanity”. For his part, Prince Bin Zayed thanked Israel for its stance on recent terrorist attacks against the UAE. He said, “it is a stance that demonstrates our common view of the threats to regional stability and peace”. 

    “From our point of view as a global Canadian organization, we have to do everything we can to reinforce the Abraham Accords and call for more nations to join this historic opportunity of making peace in the Middle East, said Avi Abraham Benlolo, AGPI’s Founder and Chairman. For my part, “I am honoured to be on the Advisory Committee of the International Council of Imams where together we are paving the path to peace and understanding, reinforcing the message of the Abraham Accords through joint projects and dialogue” Benlolo added. 

    Recently, AGPI met with officials at the United Nations in New York and in Jerusalem to accentuate the message of peace. In its meeting with the UN’s Deputy Head of the Middle East Peace Process, AGPI reinforced the importance of expanding The Abraham Accords to Israel’s neighbours and offered assistance in this effort however possible. 

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom, and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca 

AGPI- January 29, 2022: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is calling on authorities in Toronto to put an end to calls of genocide.  

   A pro-Palestinian rally was held today in Toronto which called for the ethnic cleansing of Israel. The infamous chant, "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free" is calling for the destruction of the state of Israel.  "Sadly, on this day which calls for an end to all forms of hatred, this chant does the exact opposite. It saddens me that as Canadians we are supposed to work toward peace.  This chant calls for the exact opposite" said AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo

    The demonstrators also called for violence by calling for an "intifada" - which was a violent uprising in the West Bank in particular.  

For background information read AGPI's extensive research on its website. 

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom, and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca 

AGPI- January 27, 2022: To mark International Holocaust Remembrance Day, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) held an international commemoration event featuring four Holocaust survivors, two of which are recent recipients of the Order of Canada. January 27th is the international date as designated by the United Nations for the Liberation of Auschwitz. More than 1.2 people were murdered at Auschwitz including nearly 1 million Jewish children, women and meant. It is the largest cemetery in the world. 

   Some 200 people attended the AGPI commemoration including numerous diplomats, Ambassadors, political leaders, Chiefs of Police and community activists.      In addition to Holocaust Survivors, Max Eisen, Suzanne Agassi, Gershon Willinger and Rose Lipszyc, the program included MPP Robin Martin, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health

and the Hon. Michael Tibollo, Associate Minister of Mental Health and Addictions. Representing the organization’s Board of Directors, Bruce Etherington spoke about his concern for the rising tide of Antisemitism and the impact of hate on society.  AGPI’s Director of Education, Dr. Neil Orlowsky spoke about his concern as an educator about the rising tide of Antisemitism. 

    Quote: AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo said, “we all know, the Holocaust did not start at Auschwitz. Even before Adolph Hitler rose to power and published Mein Kampf in 1925, in 1919 he had already called for “the uncompromising removal of the Jews altogether”. What started as a letter, turned into a book, turned into a political movement, turned into national policy and turned into the murder of six million Jews and many others.  This is why we cannot take words at face value”.  

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom, and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca 

AGPI – 01/25/22: As part of its international diplomacy, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) met with senior officials of the German consulate including its Consul General, Thomas Schultze.

   AGPI's leaders including its Co-Founder, Avi Abraham Benlolo and its Director of Education, Neil Orlowsky briefed Mr. Schultze about the organization and its mission and goals. 

   Issues discussed included the rising tide of Antisemitism and nationalism, safety and security for Israel and concern with respect to the decline in democracy.

   AGPI noted Germany's recent conviction of a Syrian war criminal and impressed upon the room to push forward ICC persecution of the Assad regime. 

    AGPI looks forward to continuing its international dialogue with various nations in its effort to promote peace, democracy and human rights. 

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom, and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca 

AGPI – 01/24/22: From students carving swastikas into desks or drawing them on classroom whiteboards to shouting “Heil Hitler” in their classes; from downloading and sharing Mein Kampf with classmates to goosestepping across school fields while listening to Nazi propaganda being played over the speakers, the last six months have many questioning how safe schools are for Jewish students. 

   Following last weeks United Nations adoption of a resolution condemning Holocaust denial, AGPI commends the investigation and decision by the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT) to revoke the teaching license of a Timmins teacher who pleaded no contest to promoting anti-Semitism, Holocaust denial, and 9/11 conspiracy theories in their classroom.        

  AGPI was happy to also learn that following a Northeastern Catholic District School Board investigation prompted by a parent complaint, the teacher was removed.. 

   The OCT investigation considered, amongst other allegations, events where reportedly, the teacher had students question the accuracy of the Holocaust; provided students with disreputable sources that contradicted board approved resources; remained dismissive with students who questioned his material; created and displayed a “Zionist slideshow” that contained censured and questionable facts and, when the board approved an extended field trip that visited a number of Holocaust memorials and concentration camps, the teacher disparaged attendance, labelling the event as propaganda.  

    AGPI Director of Education and Chair of Global Education, Dr Neil Orlowsky was quick to review the OCT decision and reached out to the College about needing stronger regulations to govern antisemitism in education. “The College recently released the ‘Professional Advisory on Anti-Black Racism’, but given the events over the last twelve months in the Middle East, and how that has fuelled an increase in antisemitism and anti-Jewish hate in Ontario schools, teachers, students, and the larger Jewish community across this province are questioning how safe these ‘inclusive environments’ are? While we welcome this decision, the OCT now needs to consider and investigate how teachers might abuse their power as a form of political and ideological ‘grooming’.” 

      Dr Orlowsky reached out to the Ontario College of Teachers and will be meeting with them this week to discuss ways the OCT can provide guidance for teachers using positions for grooming students for political advancements. AGPI remains committed to dismantling all forms of hate and in doing so, advancing human rights and fundamental freedoms for all.  

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom, and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca 

Jerusalem – 01/24/22 – The Abraham Global Peace Initiative’s (AGPI) Jerusalem based correspondent, Gil Hoffman is calling a new report on Antisemitism, “very serious”. The report released by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs Antisemitism Cyber Monitoring System (ACMS) found an unprecedented rise in global Antisemitism particularly on social media. 

     Hoffman said that “the findings are being taken with great alarm here” (in Israel).  Similarly, Israel based Colonel (ret) Kobi Marom who sits on AGPI’s Global Advisory Board said that the findings present a “challenge for the Israeli government about the need to take immediate action”.  In fact, the study found that 77% of Israelis think that the State of Israel should allocate resources to the struggle against antisemitism.

   Data from ACMS shows that there was a 1,200% increase in the number of antisemitic posts which included a call for violence against Jews, Zionists, and Israel on all five platforms tracked by ACMS in May 2021 over May 2020’s figures, the overwhelming majority of which were on Twitter.  According to the report, “the data demonstrated a general outpouring of antisemitic content on social media during Operation Guardian of the Walls against Hamas, with the number of antisemitic posts on Twitter increasing by 230% during the war over the previous month’s figures”.

   “A total increase of 31.3% in Antisemitic posts on Twitter in 2021 over 2020 is unacceptable.  In fact, no amount of Antisemitism on Twitter or any other social media platform should be acceptable anywhere and anytime” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.  “This proves yet again why the fight against Antisemitism is a global fight. With new media, hate easily crosses all borders and impacts all communities.  This is no longer just a local fight – which is why we are analyzing and responding to issues globally”, Benlolo added. 

     “Israel has a moral obligation to take steps to assist Diaspora communities in coping with the antisemitism that erupts in the wake of Israel’s military operations,” said Minister of Diaspora Affairs Dr. Nachman Shai.  In October, Mr. Benlolo met with Mr. Shai in the Knesset to brief him on the rising tide of Antisemitism in the diaspora and the increasing need of assistance by communities particularly in vulnerable places like South America. 

ABOUT: AGPI is a global human rights organization based in Canada that promotes respect, justice and human rights. Its international scope brings together a wide array of Canadian and international leaders who work to advance its values of peace and democracy. 

  Jan 20th, 2022- New York- AGPI Applauds the UN General Assembly for its resolution to condemn and reject any denial of the Holocaust.

   As we just celebrated Raoul Wallenberg Day Wallenberg who was a Swedish diplomat who issued special protective passports (Schutz-Passes) to save some 100,000 Hungarian Jews from the Nazis.The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) applauds the UN general Assembly. Today the UN General Assembly adopted a non-binding resolution proposed by Israel calling on all states to fight against Holocaust denial and Antisemitism, especially on social media. In addition, the text “urges all Member States to reject without reservation any denial and/or distortion of the Holocaust as a historical event" and "commends" those countries that preserve "the sites that served as death camps, concentration camps, forced labor camps, execution sites, and prisons for the Nazis during the Holocaust."

The resolution demonstrates a strong political impact (even though it is not legally binding).         

   It was developed with the help of Germany and was co-sponsored by 114 of the 193 countries that make up the UN. Iran stated that it "dissociates itself" from the resolution marking its formal opposition.

    The resolution "rejects and condemns without reservation any denial of the historicity of the Holocaust, in whole or in part," which saw the genocide of six million European Jews between 1939 and 1945 by the Nazis and their supporters. 

   AGPI's Founder and Chairman said: "This is in alignment with the definition of Antisemitism described by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) which includes the denial of the Holocaust as an Antisemitic criminal act". 

    This resolution comes at a time of high Antisemitism all over the world. Jewish leaders in Swedish community have warned that their community is under threat both from the far right and from Muslim extremists. Sweden, a nation of a population of 10 million people, has about 14,900 people who self-identify as Jewish, according to a 2020 demographic study of European Jewry. Antisemitic incidents accounted for 27% of all religious hate crimes in 2020 in Sweden, where Jews make up only 0.1% of the population. This resolution is a step towards answering the call to protect Jewish individuals. 

    To counter Antisemitism and other violent hate crimes AGPI host various speaker series that grapple with concepts on how education can be a force of good. Join us for a conversation on “War on Hate: How to Stop Genocide, Fight Terrorism and Defend Freedom” on February 8, 2022 - 8.00 pm on Zoom. Former U.S. Federal Prosecutor with the Department of Justice, Henry Kopel shares his incredible analysis on fighting hate and what it takes to win. As a member of AGPI's Advisory Board, he is one of the top experts in this arena. Consider supporting our educational initiatives. 

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca

AGPI – 01/19/22: Holocaust denial and distortion is becoming ever more prevalent on social media. That’s why The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is backing Israel’s proposed resolution at the United Nations that will see the body combat Holocaust-hate on social media. 

   Israeli Ambassador Gilad Erdan will submit the resolution to a vote on the 80-year anniversary of the infamous Wannsee Conference. The so-called Conference was the meeting where senior Nazi leaders planned the murder of the Jewish people – also known as the Final    Solution. 

   According to Erdan, “This will be the first time that the UN General Assembly will    explicitly require internet giants to take responsibility for the hatred and incitement spread on their platforms.” The resolution is said to place direct responsibility on social media giants and forcing them to be accountable to the hate on their sites.

    “Our organization strongly supports this resolution as we do the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s working definition against Antisemitism. We need more international legislation against Antisemitism – and clear and concise markers and definitions that can identify this pernicious hatred” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo. 

   AGPI is strongly encouraging the UN General Assembly and the Secretary General to adopt the resolution and put it into action. 

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca

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   AGPI- 01/18/22: “The attack on the Beth Israel Synagogue in Colleyville, Texas was another wakeup call about the threat of terrorism and violent antisemitism and the critical role of law enforcement in protecting our communities.  That's why The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is actively engaged with the police community at home and around the world.

    In honour of Raoul Wallenberg Day in Canada and Martin Luther King Jr. Day in America, AGPI was delighted to launch its new Power of One exhibit at the Vancouver Police Department headquarters.  The exhibit inspires people into positive action by profiling role models like Terry Fox, Chiune Sugihara and Mahatma Gahdhi, among others. 

    In his remarks to the upper echelons of the police services in Vancouver, Chief Adam Palmer said he is "very honoured to support AGPI and to have this beautiful Power of One display to remember the difference that we can all make in changing the world and never underestimating the importance of the impact we can have on other people". 

Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung, a recognized defender of human rights, spoke eloquently about the importance of combating all forms of hatred and intolerance.  She called for greater attention to the need to combat the increasing trend of racism and reminded the audience about the importance of Holocaust education.

   "Each one of us alone is a power of one" said AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo. "But together we become the power of many and that can multiply our effort to make the world a better place for everyone".   Mr. Benlolo further took a few moments to thank the police leaders gathered for being the community's unsung heroes, often risking their own lives to protect ours. 

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca

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   01/17/21 – Vancouver – The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) Issued the Following Statement on Raoul Wallenberg Day:

   “In the spirit of Raoul Wallenberg Day, AGPI will be launching its new Power of One exhibit today at the Vancouver Police headquarters.  Mr. Wallenberg was a Swedish diplomat who issued special protective passports (Schutz-Passes) to save some 100,000 Hungarian Jews from the Nazis.  Recognizing his true heroic effort, in 1985 Canada named Mr. Wallenberg as its first honourary citizen.  In 2001, Canada designated January 17th as Raoul Wallenberg Day”.

   “AGPI’s Power of One exhibit forces its audience to ponder what they would do if they were in the same situation as many of the individuals it profiles.  Heroes like civil rights leaders, Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi rose up from the ordinary to do the extraordinary.  Like Mr. Wallenberg, their cry against discrimination still resonates with us today as we continue to advance these important ideals”. 

   “The Power of One exhibit also speaks to voices who have been silenced, yet had the courage to make a difference.  It profiles the incredible life of Thomas Longboat, an indigenous first nations runner who became a world champion and later joined the Canadian military in the First World War”. 

   “AGPI’s day to commemorate Raoul Wallenberg will also feature a community wide event and briefing about the life and legacy of Raoul Wallenberg.  We invite the public to participate in this zoom event by registering in our “Speakers Series” tab on the www.agpiworld.com website. 

For more information about the Power of One exhibit, please visit: https://agpiworld.com/power-of-one

ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian charitable organization that advances peace, freedom and human rights at home and around the world.  Information can be found at www.agpiworld.com For media interviews, please contact us at media@agpi.ca

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   01/1/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is commending the FBI and local law enforcement for freeing hostages at the Beth Israel Synagogue. All four hostages were freed, while the terrorist is deceased. 

   The terrorist reportedly demanded the release of convicted terrorist Aafia Siddiqui.  The terror attack began during Shabbat at the Colleyville services lasting 11 hours. 

   Siddiqui is currently serving an 86 year sentence for two counts of attempted murder, armed assault, using and carrying a firearm and assault of U.S. officers and employees. 

   While Siddiqui is known for her Antisemitism, it is unclear why the terrorist himself specifically targeted this synagogue.   

   "Once again the Jewish community has been targeted by what appears to be a violent Antisemitic terrorist. Through this incident and those that occurred in Synagogues in  Poway and Pittsburgh, we have entered into a new realm of hate and intolerance" said AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

   In Toronto, AGPI has been in touch with local police who informed the organization that local law enforcement is on heightened alert around Jewish institutions. 

    AGPI will continue monitoring this incident and will be interested in understanding motivating factors in the coming days. 

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   01/14/22: In an editorial, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) welcomed the sentencing a former high-ranking Syrian security service officer to life in prison. 

    Anwar Raslan was found guilty of 27 murders as well as sexual assaults, and the torture of at least 4,000 people held at the infamous Al-Khatib prison, also known as Branch 251, in Damascus. With some 50 survivors coming forward, German authorities arrested Raslan in 2019 after he had the audacity to escape the Assad regime and seek asylum in that country.

   International justice for war crimes is often too little and too late for its victims. In the case of Bashar al-Assad, the UN’s Security Council has repeatedly failed to refer the Syrian president and his collaborators to prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC). The council excuses its selective attention to human rights by saying Syria is not a party to the Rome Statute, which created the court, and therefore it cannot be referred there.

   AGPI said, German lawyers wisely used the principle of universal jurisdiction to bring Raslan to justice, signalling to perpetrators worldwide that there can be no escape from justice. The UN’s High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, hailed the “ historic conviction ” saying that “this trial cast a much-needed, renewed spotlight on the kinds of 

sickening torture, cruel and truly inhuman treatment — including abject sexual violence — that countless Syrians were subjected to in detention facilities.”

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   01/11/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is shocked by an upsetting display of hate and intolerance in Rome today. A funeral procession included a coffin draped with the Swastika, the Nazi era emblem most commonly used today by Neo-Nazi and White Supremacist hate groups. 

   The Catholic Church in Rome has unequivocally condemned this vile display calling it “offensive and unacceptable” and a “horrendous symbol irreconcilable with Christianity”. The funeral procession was held outside a local church reportedly for a member of the extreme right wing group Forza Nuova. According to reports, the dozens of people who gathered around outside the church and around the swastika-draped coffin shouted “Presente!” with their right arm extended in the form of a Nazi salute.

   According to reports, Forza Nuova is an ultra-right neo-fascist party created in 1997, whose manifesto also includes banning abortion, halting immigration, and repealing laws punishing incitement to hatred.

   “The Nazi Swastika is not only an affront to the victims of the Holocaust, but to all western allied nations who fought against Nazism to liberate Europe. We are completely shocked by this outrageous display of hatred and intolerance. While we applaud the Catholic Church for immediately issuing a condemnation, we are calling for an immediate investigation by authorities for this outward veneration of Nazism” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.  

   In a statement, Rome’s Jewish community reportedly said: “It is unacceptable that a flag with a swastika can still be shown in public in this day and age, especially in a city that saw the deportation of its Jews by the Nazis and their fascist collaborators”.  

   A global human rights organization, AGPI will continue monitoring this incident and the rising tide of extreme right-wing nationalist groups in Europe and around the world. 

Picture Credit: Italian News Portal Open

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 01/09/22: On the 7th anniversary of the murder of four Jewish men at the HyperKacher Market in Paris, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) calls on democracies to maintain vigilance against terrorism. 

   On this day, an Islamic terrorist intentionally went into a Jewish market to murder Jews.  However since 9/11 terrorism has impacted thousands of civilians of all faiths.

   On this solemn day as we remember the four innocent victims of the Kosher Market attack, AGPI is appealing to democracies to not let their guard down against terrorism. 

    "The world is not a s. fe place. while we are occupied with the Coronavirus, we cannot lose sight of the dangers that lurk in the shadows. We need to maintain our vigilance against all forms of terrorism" said AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

AGPI monitors hate and intolerance and works closely with law enforcement to protect our communities. 

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01/04/22: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) condemns the heinous, antisemitic assault on an elderly Jewish woman in France. 

   On December 13, 2021, an elderly woman living in Paris, France was beaten up and robbed in her own apartment. The attackers were two teenagers, who allegedly targeted the 74 year old woman because of the mezuzah on her doorpost. It has been reported that the attackers beat her, tied her up, and forced her to reveal where she kept her jewellery. After stealing her jewellery, they fled, leaving the woman, identified as “Mrs. Lu”, badly bruised and in a state of shock. The assault lasted about a half hour.

   This was not an isolated incident. In the month prior, an elderly Jewish man, also living in Paris, was tied up, beaten, and robbed in his apartment. In fact, there have been a series of home invasions and robberies targeting vulnerable Jewish individuals in France in recent years, resulting in at least two deaths. In 2018, 85-year old Holocaust survivor Mireille Knoll was stabbed 11 times in her apartment before being set on fire during a robbery motivated by antisemitism. One year earlier, another antisemitism-related robbery took place in which a 65 year old Jewish woman named Sarah Halimi was beaten and thrown from a third-floor window. 

   The AGPI resolutely condemns this latest incident in a string of home invasions and robberies motivated by antisemitism, and furthermore, calls on French authorities to immediately take whatever actions are necessary to bring the perpetrators to justice and prevent similar antisemitic attacks in the future. 

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  January 3, 2022: Hate Crimes impact entire communities. The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is alarmed by a Calgary police report that says hate-motivated crimes surged a whopping 44%. In 2020 there were 240 reported hate crimes in Calgary as opposed to 346 in 2021. Reported incidents include property damage, physical assaults and verbal abuse. 

   “We are concerned that hate crime in general is surging not only in Calgary but also across the country and the rest of the world. While Covid has minimized contact among people, we have seen online hate spiral out of control as people feel more at liberty to profess their intolerance”, said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman who is also an expert in this area. 

    Hate crime affects all groups – particularly those that are visible. But it also affects religious groups particularly the Jewish community that is often the most targeted in North America and particularly in Europe. Just this week, an elderly Jewish woman was robbed and beaten in her own apartment, targeted because she is Jewish. Thus, the scourge of hate crime is increasing universally. 

   In Calgary, police also report that a Sikh temple was targeted by graffiti; that a South Asian woman was subject to verbal abuse and that a Muslim woman was verbally attacked with her children.                       Police hate crime reports are useful tools in assessing the rising tide of intolerance in communities and in planning counter action and education for groups like AGPI, who provide education and advocacy platforms to counter this form of hate and intolerance. 

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Toronto – December 29, 2021: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) issued the following statement on the awarding of the Order of Canada to its Honourary Board Member, Mr. Max Eisen:

“On behalf of AGPI’s National and Global Boards, we offer Mr. Max Eisen congratulations on becoming a Member of the Order of Canada for his contributions to Holocaust education, and for his promotion of human rights, tolerance and respect” said Avi Abraham Benlolo, AGPI’s Founder and Chairman.

   “On a personal note, Max has been my hero for nearly three decades and I have had the honour and pleasure of working with him since my university days.  Along with many Canadians in policing, education and civil society, we travelled back to Auschwitz with Max nearly 10 times in the last decade to educate a new generation of Canadian leaders.  When it comes to Holocaust education, there is no one more deserving of this recognition than our dear friend and hero, Max Eisen”, Benlolo added.

   Comment from Max Eisen: “It is a very humbling experience to receive the Order of Canada. This country has given me a new life and I am thankful for this recognition at this ripe age…it strengthens and motivates me to continue this important work.  I am looking forward to next year to continuing on from strength to strength”.

The announcement was made this morning by Her Excellency, the Right Honourable Mary Simon, Governor General of Canada. The Order of Canada is one of our country’s highest civilian honours.  It recognizes outstanding achievement, dedication to the community and service to the nation. Max Eisen won the 2019 Canada Reads Competition for his best-selling book, “By Chance Alone”.  He has been recognized widely, receiving Honorary Doctorates from three universities and by The Law Society of Ontario.  In 2019, York Region Police also named one of their halls after Max Eisen.

   Mr. Eisen will be a feature speaker at AGPI’s National Policy Conference on the Holocaust marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27th, 2022.  To register for that event, please visit https://agpiworld.com/speaker-series

For Media Inquiries: media@agpi.ca

   The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is Canada’s top human rights organization focusing on global affairs, countering Antisemitism and discrimination; promoting Holocaust studies; defending Israel and advocating for universal human rights. For more information visit us at www.agpiworld.com

12/26/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) this week condemned yet another attack on the Jewish State of Israel by the United General Assembly (UNGA). UNGA has once again voted against Israel by approving an open-ended international investigation into Israel’s conduct following its conflict with Hamas this past May, despite the fact Hamas initiated the attack, ultimately launching over 4,600 rockets into Israel’s civilian population centers. 

   UNGA’s approval of the investigation’s budget heaped insult to injury whereas in May, the UN’s Human Rights Council (UNHRC) launched a probe into supposed “human rights violations by Israel, but not by Hamas – a recognized terrorist group. The UNHRC is notoriously biased against Israel. The Jewish State as the only country on its permanent agenda. The organization has been criticized by most democratic nations for its relentless pursuit of Israel and its disregard of nations that are truly committing crimes against humanity. 

   In October, an AGPI delegation challenged UNHRC officials in New York by holding them to account for its double standard against Israel. 

   AGPI is commending Israel, the United States and Hungary for opposing the UNGA resolution. The preposterous resolution was ultimately adopted by 125 nations, thereby accepting the UNHRC investigation. “We are disappointed that Canada abstained along with Germany, Brazil, Austria and Australia. No other nation would allow rockets to land on its civilian population, without self-defence and this is what makes UNGA’s continued bias against Israel Antisemitic” said AGPI’s Founder and Chair, Avi Abraham Benlolo. 

   The UNHRC resolution did not condemn Hamas for launching thousands of rockets into Israel and failed to refer to Hamas at all. While concern for Israeli civilians was omitted from the resolution, it only referred to the “Palestinian civilian population”. 

   The UNHRC’s investigation is far reaching beyond the May war and apparently gives the commission an unfettered mandate to look at all “alleged violations leading up to and since April 13, 2021. 

   Given the clear bias of the UNHRC and UNGA, AGPI is encouraging free and democratic nations to press the international community for a review of this investigation. As a global Canadian organization, AGPI will continue pressing for bias-reform at the UN and its affiliate bodies. A continued anti-Israel sentiment diminishes the UN’s ability to invest resources where they truly belong – countries like Syria, Iran, Sudan, Yemen, Ethiopia, North Korea, China, Myanmar and others – that are truly committing war crimes. 

 12/25/21:  The Abraham Global Peace Initiative wishes its Christian friends a Merry Christmas.

    In honor of the happy occasion, the following positive news happened over the past week.  More than 1,500 people watched the Christmas tree lighting on the front lawn of the Jerusalem International YMCA, across the street from the King David Hotel. YMCA CEO Rana Fahoum told Israel 21C that last year, the YMCA held its tree lighting and other Christmas celebrations online, due to the pandemic and broadcast it on social media. She said she was encouraged to see a large and varied crowd of Chrisitians, Jews and Muslims after last year, when she and her staff were there alone. 
  The tree lighting was accompanied by Christmas music and a visit from Santa Claus. Fahoum who is a Muslim, made a point of wishing chag sameach to the crowd.A snow machine blanketed the YMCA grounds during itsChristmas Market, where vendors sold Christmas treats such as hot chestnuts, mulled wine and cookies; and handcrafted items such as Santa hats, reindeer statues, candles and soaps. YMCA’s traditional Christmas Eve concert, including a popular singalong and several different musical groups, was set for Christmas Eve night.
  This week, Marine archeologists diving off the coast of Caesarea discovered a number of ancient artifacts in recent months, including a gold ring with green gemstone carved with the Christian image of the ‘Good Shepherd’ – an early depiction of Jesus some dating back to the third century, the Israel Antiquities Authority revealed to the Times of Israel website on Wednesday.

 12/22/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) today alerted authorities to shocking graffiti found by one of its members visiting Surrey, British Columbia. In yet another effort to propagate conspiracy theories against the Jewish community, graffiti was spray painted on a barn and an abandoned house that said – “Indict Jews 9/11 Bombing”.

   Given its far and wide reach to police agencies from coast to coast, AGPI officials immediately alerted local police authorities. The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) responded immediately and alerted RCMP authorities responsible for that jurisdiction to rectify and follow up on the incident. AGPI commends VPD for its quick response and action. 

   9/11 conspiracy theories against Jewish people have persisted since the tragic terror attack took place in 2001. Although Islamic terrorists linked to Al Qaida have been undeniably linked to the attack under Osama Bin Laden’s banner, antisemitic conspiracists are yet again distorting the truth by spreading fictional notions that Jewish people were actually behind the attack. 

   “Much of Antisemitism is a manifestation of conspiracy theories that are falsely spread in communities” said Avi Abraham Benlolo, AGPI’s Founder and Chairman. “Throughout the ages, antisemites have accused us of everything from poisoning wells during the black-plague; to murdering Christian children to make Matzah out of their blood; and to trying to control the world. That Jewish people are blamed for 9/11 is yet another false allegation meant to incite hate and violence against them. I am pleased that very few people today buy into these notions – but they must be disallowed from manifesting” Benlolo said. 

   Yesterday, AGPI strongly condemned an anti-vaccination rally that took place in Fredericton, New Brunswick in which some participants wore and held a yellow Star of David. The yellow star has been widely used in North America and in Europe by Anti-vaxxers – those who oppose vaccination mandates. 

  ABOUT: AGPI is a Canadian NGO with Charitable Status that promotes human rights and counters Antisemitism, hate and discrimination. Its mission is to advance human knowledge and understanding through the study of and research into international human rights, fundamental freedoms, democracy, global peace and civil society in Canada, Israel and around the world. 

   Help Advance AGPI’s Social Action by Donating Now: https://agpi.ca/donate

Media Contact: media@agpi.ca 

12/21/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) today  strongly condemned an anti-vaccination rally that took place in Fredricton, New Brunswick in which some participants wore and held a yellow Star of David. The yellow star has been widely used in North America and in Europe by Anti-vaxxers – those who oppose vaccination mandates. 

   “This is not only a trivialization of the Holocaust and the six million Jewish children, women and men. It amounts to Holocaust distortion at its deepest levels and affects many living survivors and their descendants” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

   The Nazis forced Jews to wear the yellow Star of David as a way to identify them and subject them to ridicule, abuse and violence. 

   AGPI’s boards and community is shocked by this blatant and ignorant abuse of one of the most horrific periods for humanity. The Nazi intent was to murder the Jewish population. The intent of vaccination against Covid and its Omni variant is to save lives. The juxtaposition could not be any clearer. 

   AGPI calls on authorities in Fredricton to pursue all possible avenues to investigate this occurrence and hold the demonstrators to account. We further call upon authorities to provide Holocaust education to the general population. 

AGPI would be pleased to assist in this regard through our curricula and educational exhibits. 

12/21/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) expresses its disappointment with the Church of England for implying that Israel is to blame for the decline of the Christian Palestinian population in the Holy Land.

  On December 19, 2021, The head of the Church of England, Justin Welby, and Palestinian Anglican Bishop, Hosam Naoum, co-wrote an article that appeared in the Sunday Times claiming that the actions of radical groups were "diminishing the Christian presence” in the area. They do not, however, specify who these radical groups are. In addition, they claim that “the growth of settler communities and travel restrictions brought about by the West Bank separation wall have deepened the isolation of Christian villages and curtailed economic and social possibilities.”

   The article fails to hold either the Palestinian Authority or the Islamist terrorist group Hamas accountable for the persecution of Christian Palestinians under their rule. In fact, the Palestinian Authority has repeatedly failed to protect Christians in territory under their rule from persecution by Islamic extremists. 

   At the same time, Hamas has overseen the rapid decline in the Christian population in the Gaza Strip, which it has ruled over since 2007. In 2005, when Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip, there were around 5,000 Christians living in the coastal enclave. But after Hamas took over the Gaza Strip and imposed their version of Sharia law, the Christian population has been reduced to just 1,000. 

   For anyone to imply that Israel is somehow responsible for the decline of the Christian population in the Holy Land is simply ludicrous. Even by the co-authors’ own admission, “Christians in Israel enjoy democratic and religious freedoms that are a beacon in the region.” The co-authors also admit that the Christian population in Israel has grown. Indeed, the number of Christian Palestinians in Israel has grown dramatically since the state was created in 1948. In contrast, the Christian population in the Palestinian Authority, the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip, and most other Arab and Muslim countries has rapidly and significantly declined. 

12/21/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) today raised alarm over Chile’s President elect, Gabriel Boric reported anti-Israel stand. Reports contend that Boric has accused Israel of ‘genocide’ and has demanded that Israel “return the Palestinian territory it illegally occupies”. 

   Despite the fact Boric reportedly has called his own people to join him in “building bridges” the Chilean Jewish community is worried about its future, given the hard-line tone of the nation’s new President-elect. While Chile is home to tens of thousands of Jewish people, over half a million Palestinians reside in the country, potentially leading to unfair government policy positions on Israel. 

   AGPI has reached out to the Jewish community's President,  Gerardo Gorodischer, to offer solidarity and support on behalf of the organization. 

   “We are disappointed to note reports that the new President-elect has supported the BDS campaign which we believe is antisemitic by its very nature. Reported rhetoric calling Israel a “murderous state” and accusing Israel of genocide are unhelpful because they are untrue and certainly won’t contribute to the building of global peace. We sincerely hope for a more conciliatory tone” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.  

12/16/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) condemns participants at anti-vaccination protest in Poland for reference to Auschwitz death camp sign.

   The AGPI strongly condemns demonstrators in Poland, who on Tuesday of this week held up a banner saying, “vaccination makes you free,” referencing the infamous sign at the Auschwitz death camp that translates as “work makes you free”. These protestors are reportedly members of a far-right party in Poland, and some of the demonstration’s participants are members of the Polish parliament. More than 1.2 million Jews and more than 100,000 non-Jews were murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Comparing vaccination policies to the places and events of the Holocaust is extremely offensive and disrespects the memories of the victims who were murdered as part of the Nazis’ campaign of genocide.

   Also in Europe, a group of prominent figures in Austria have joined the country’s Jewish student union in calling on the country’s new Minister of Interior to resign because of his past antisemitic comments. The new minister had been quoted accusing a rival political party of working for its “American and Israeli masters”. The AGPI condemns these comments and calls on the Austrian government to exclude anyone who has been found to make such antisemitic statements. 

   In the United States this week, the Chancellor of the City University of New York (CUNY) has rejected the call of the university’s law students to cut all ties to Israeli universities as part of the profoundly antisemitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The AGPI commends the chancellor for rejecting the antisemitism promoted by some students at CUNY, and promoting an atmosphere of “dialogue, tolerance, and civil engagement”.

   Also in the United States, a letter signed by more than 200 Jewish groups, synagogues, and individuals has been sent President Joe Biden condemning China’s treatment of ethnic Uighurs, and calling on the US President “to prioritize human rights in US policy toward China.” The Uighurs are a Muslim minority group who live primarily in the northwest Chinese province of Xinjiang. They have reportedly been subject to years of persecution, including mass incarceration, forced relocation, forced labor, child separation, and “re-education” in an attempt to suppress their cultural and religious identity. In January of this year, the US State Department labelled China’s treatment of the Uighurs a genocide. The AGPI joins those calling on the Biden Administration to prioritize human rights as part of US policy towards China. 

   Press Release: 12/15/21 - The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) today condemned the Islamic Republic of Iran for directly threatening the State of Israel.  

The mouthpiece of the regime, The Tehran Times published a major article alongside a  map of Israel pinpointing targets Iran plans to hit in Israel.  The regime threatens the "Zionist regime" with "just one wrong move".

"Iran is one of the leading sponsors of terrorism in the world today. This hit-list once again demonstrates that the Ayatollahs cannot be trusted. Just imagine what could happen if they were to acquire nuclear weapons" said AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Benlolo.

According to the paper, "The Tehran Times doesn’t need to remind the illegitimate regime of Israel of Iran’s defense capabilities. Yet, they need to remember something".

The paper claims that the "Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei responded to all Israeli threats in 2013, saying, “Sometimes the leaders of the Zionist regime even threaten us; they are threatening to strike militarily, but I think they know it, and if they do not know it, they must know that if they make a mistake, the Islamic Republic will destroy Tel Aviv and Haifa.”

For more information, read our analysis on Iran at www.agpi.ca

   12/13/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) commended King Mohammed VI of Morocco today on his announced initiative to restore hundreds of historical Jewish sites. The Jewish community of Morocco is centuries old and the country is steeped with Jewish history, including 13,000 graves in the city of Fes alone. This is part of a strengthening of relations between Israel and the comprehensive peace agreement due to the Abraham Accords. AGPI is equally delighted to hear that the King will reinstate the original names of some of the country’s Jewish neighbourhoods as part of preserving Jewish heritage. 

    In further news concerning Middle East Peace, AGPI further commended both Israeli PM Naftali Bennett and Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan of their first official visit by an Israeli prime minister to the UAE. The leaders both pressed that this meeting was to “deepen” ties between Israel and the UAE particularly between economic and regional issues. Among those issues is a deepening concern and frustration about Iran that is thriving to produce nuclear weapons and threaten the stability in the region. 

    “Our organization and its leaders made up of many security officials continue to be concerned about the Iranian threat. We support continued discussions between the Bennett-Biden administrations. We recognize the sense of urgency for Israel and support the many ongoing meetings now taking place, including last week’s meeting between Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Israel’s defense Minister Benny Gantz. At the same time, we are extremely concerned about the possibility of Iran acquiring nuclear weapons” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo. 

   In other positive news, Israel played host to the first Miss Universe contest held in Eilat.  AGPI congratulates Miss India Hamaaz Sandhu for being crowned Mss Universe. For Israel, this event was a way to showcase the nation to millions of viewers around the world. While the boycott campaign tried to have the event cancelled in Israel, it failed once again to impose a cultural boycott.              For Israel, this was a cultural win in the war against BDS. 

Kudos to Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane for defying her country’s pressure to boycott the event and came in third place in the overall contest. In a statement to The Jerusalem Post, she said, “I always thought South Africa has the friendliest people on earth but it might be rivaled by Israel.”

   Still, in what many in the Jewish community are calling a “vile conspiracy-laden attack on the mainstream US Jewish community” a senior executive of a Muslim organization perportedly warned about “polite Zionists” and accused Jewish organizations of various conspiracy theories. These of course represent baseless and unfortunate attacks that fail to advance inclusivity, pluralism or human rights for that matter. 

 12/10/21: As we celebrate International Human Rights Day, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) published an opinion piece reflecting on the foundational principles of human rights. AGPI proposes basic rules for human interaction and advancement in global peace and justice. Among them is the basic “Golden Rule” that should govern our conduct every day: “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” 

   The Golden Rule is a basic principle that every child on the planet should be taught to observe. On this day for human rights, let's reinforce the UDHR's basic foundational parameters including that "everyone has the right to life, liberty and security," and that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights."

Without universal guidelines, humanity’s primal tribal traits give way to chaos and violence. Humanity requires governance, codes of conduct and rules to build a productive civilization. For centuries, our moral compass was governed by religion. Much of what we see in today’s Universal Declaration for Human Rights (UDHR) was not invented by its Canadian architect, John Peters Humphrey, or by Eleanor Roosevelt, who pressed the document forward at the UN.

   The UDHR is a secularization of basic religious precepts. Its premise is firmly grounded in the original rules handed to the Jewish people in the Torah at Mount Sinai. Eventually these ideas were transmitted to other religions that sprouted from Judaism — particularly Christianity. We all know the basic principles found in most religions today: Honour thy mother and father; do not commit murder; do not commit adultery; do not steal; do not tell lies; do not be envious of others.

   AGPI argues that as democracies decline in number and strength and as the United Nations community of assembled states continues to overlook its foundational principles of preserving human and civil rights, the future of humanity is in jeopardy. Many in Western society focus on scientific innovations, on the next start-up, on the next electric car or their next vacation. We forget how fragile and insecure we really are. All this around us is a social construct, and material things become irrelevant when chaos and violence engulfs humanity. We need to protect our rights, our freedom and democracy first if we are going to protect our children and grandchildren from the coming storm. 

  Visit our Think Tank’s Published Articles to read our full report on Human Rights Day: https://agpi.ca/human-rights 

Toronto – 12/09/21: In a statement today concerning the University of Toronto President’s “response to the report of the Antisemitism Working Group," The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) rejects the university’s refusal to “adopt any of the definitions of Antisemitism  that have recently been proposed."  Among those rejected by the working group is the non-legally-binding working definition proposed by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) – which is backed by AGPI. 

   To date, 35 countries have signed onto the IHRA definition with an additional nine observer nations also committed to the definition. Partner organizations to the convention include highly reputable international organizations such as the United Nations, UNESCO, OSCE/ODIHR, European Agency for Fundamental Rights, the European Union, and the Council of Europe. In the United States, over 30 universities have adopted the IHRA definition including City College of New York, Arizona State, Penn State, California State, Stanford, Notre Dame, and Northeastern, among others. 

In the United Kingdom, dozens of universities have adopted the IHRA definition of Antisemitism, including one of the world’s most reputable and noteworthy academic institutions, Oxford University.  On its website, Oxford states the following:

   “Oxford University aims to ensure that all students, whatever their background, have a fulfilling experience of higher education. To support us in our work, we have adopted (reflecting the position of the Office for Students) the IHRA definition of Antisemitism as a guide to interpreting and understanding Antisemitism, noting the clarifications recommended by the Home Affairs Select Committee. The IHRA definition does not affect the legal definition of racial discrimination, so does not change our approach to meeting our legal duties and responsibilities, including the University’s commitment to uphold freedom of speech." https://edu.admin.ox.ac.uk/antisemitism

   Thus, Oxford University rejects the contention that the IHRA definition impedes free speech.  While the University of Toronto claims that “the various proposed definitions [which include IHRA] were not designed for use in a university context” the fact that the definition has been adopted by numerous universities around the world proves otherwise and is contrary to this contention. 

The Office for Students in the United Kingdom further reports that 200 universities, colleges and higher education providers have adopted the IHRA definition (95 are universities among them some of the most prestigious). Contrary to the University of Toronto perspective, this number has climbed from just 28 in 2020 whereby universities recognize the definition is indeed designed for use in the university context. https://www.officeforstudents.org.uk/news-blog-and-events/press-and-media/ofs-reports-significant-increase-in-universities-signing-up-to-ihra-definition-of-antisemitism/ 

    Professor Aurel Braun, who sits on AGPI’s National Board of Advisors and is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Toronto, was disappointed in both the working group’s report and the university’s reaction to it.  In a statement to AGPI he said: “Sadly, both the report of the working group and the response of the university are greatly inadequate in light of the grave and urgent threat of Antisemitism on campuses. The adoption of the IHRA definition is a first step in seriously fighting Antisemitism and this is why most democratic governments and hundreds of universities worldwide have adopted the definition. Further, nowhere has the university outlined what consequences there would be for engaging in Antisemitic acts on campus."

   AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo, said: “Most universities have rightly commented that the adoption of the IHRA working definition is an important tool in understanding and countering Antisemitism. Given the horrendous rise of Antisemitism at the University of Toronto in recent weeks and in combination with annual events such as the infamous “Israeli Apartheid Week” – founded at this university  -- this report is yet another stain on the university’s handling of Antisemitism. There was a real opportunity here to address Antisemitism vigorously and protect and defend Jewish students and faculty members.  The Jewish community is very disappointed, yet no longer surprised by what it sees as a double standard at the university."

   Through its international network, AGPI recognizes uniformity among leading Jewish organizations in adopting the IHRA definition as the gold standard. Contrary to some of the language used in the University of Toronto report, there is insignificant divisiveness amongst the international Jewish community about its usage. Today, it is the most accepted framework in leading Jewish and non-Jewish organizations and governments. 

   ABOUT: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is comprised of leading Canadians from all faiths, as well as an international advisory group who are, together, advocating for human rights. The organization counters Antisemitism, hate and discrimination, defends Israel, freedom, and democracy,  counters Holocaust distortion, and stands for universal rights and freedoms.  

For Comment Contact media@agpi.ca 

12/08/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) announced it was supporting the decisions made by the Canadian, American, British, and Australian governments dispensing with the sending of official delegations to the Winter Olympic Games, in protest of human rights abuses by China.

As an organization which promotes human rights, freedom, and democracy, AGPI has repeatedly called attention to the plight of the Uyghur Muslim minority.  Detailed accounts which have already been widely circulated have shown more than 1 million Uyghur have been held in labour camps by China and persecuted for their religion. Canada itself has reported that China persecutes its Muslim minority through mass detention in concentration camps, forced labour, state surveillance, and population control measures.

In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said: “We have been very clear over the past many years of our deep concerns around human rights violations and this is a continuation of us expressing these deep concerns." 

AGPI will continue to speak out against universal crimes against humanity, hate, and intolerance.  “The objective of our organization  is to work toward the universality of human rights, freedom, and democracy. We cannot rest on our laurels as people of all faiths and backgrounds suffer human rights abuse and violations.  Silence is not golden,” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

12/07/21: In a letter to Amazon's Executive Chair, Jeff Bezos on behalf of its constituents, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative said it received complaints that Amazon is selling a board game called “Secret Hitler”.  

   As an organization that combats the rising tide of Antisemitism and in particular, Holocaust distortion, the organization said it is  offended by what it sees as trivialization of the rise of Adolph Hitler and with it, the genocide of six million Jewish children, women and men. 

  Developers of the game may see its message as a warning against fascism. As educators however, we know that trivialization of this dark period in human history devoid of context and proper instruction endangers the true understanding of the Holocaust.

   More importantly, the consequence of Hitler’s actions which led to a genocide should not be gamed out - out of respect for its victims and living survivors.  It would be equally shocking if a game was developed for entertainment on the topic of say, slavery or the Rwandan genocide. While it does not appear by any measure that Secret Hitler is promoting hate or Nazism, many have commented that the game itself may give rise or inspire extreme manifestations including White Supremacy. 

   The name of the game may have been  chosen clearly to attract attention to hateful manifestations and or to sell the product.  It’s important however that we disallow the normalization of Hitler’s name and by extension his ideology.  The rise of fascism, hate and intolerance which led to the Holocaust must be taught by qualified educators.  

   A board game for entertainment purposes trivializes this dark period in humanity.  AGPI called on Amazon to consider removing this product from its company’s listing or asking the sellers to change the product’s name at the very least, which brings painful memories to many people.  

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12/06/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) commends the University of British Columbia for postponing an event featuring a leader of a Palestinian terrorist group.

   The AGPI commends the administration of the University of British Columbia for postponing an event entitled "Fedayin: Georges Abdallah Film Screening," which was to include a talk by a  leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a group that has been designated as a terrorist organization in both the United States and Canada. 

   The event was also to feature the screening of a movie that glorifies a terrorist convicted of murdering Lt. Col. Charles R. Ray, a US military attaché in Paris, and Yacov Barsimantov, an Israeli diplomat in 1982. "The PFLP is responsible for terror attacks that resulted in the murder of countless civilians, including a massacre at an Israeli airport where a Canadian citizen was murdered. 

   Also in British Columbia, the billboard of a member of the provincial legislature was recently defaced with antisemitic graffiti. The incident was reported to police on December 2nd. Nathan Cullen, the MLA whose billboard was defaced, responded to this act of antisemitism in a social media post, saying, “Antisemitism, racism, and discrimination affect the entire community, not just those targeted. As a descendant of Jewish people, I can tell you of the pain and hurt these images cause with the community and many others. It simply must stop.”

    The AGPI joins all Canadians in commending the postponement of the aforementioned event at UBC and joins the call for the event to be cancelled permanently. Furthermore, the AGPI condemns the spraying of antisemitic graffiti on the billboard of MLA Nathan Cullen.  

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12/05/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI)   is extremely concerned with the findings from the investigation into complaints made against TDSB School Trustee Alexandra Lulka for alleged breach of section 6.10 of the TDSB Board Member’s Code of Conduct. 

   In what appears to be a dangerous pattern of suppressing Jewish voices and experiences, and an increasing level of antisemitism in both schools and amongst TDSB teachers following several reports that members of TDSB’s senior team were tweeting “Free Palestine” during the May 2021 Israel-Hamas conflict from both their board and personal social media accounts, these findings provide credence to the belief that Jews are not part of the diversity, equity, or inclusivity (DEI) work upon which TDSB prides themselves on.

     AGPI wrote it believes TDSB's findings, and by extension, the silence by TDSB around the rise in antisemitism hold Jews, Jewish educators, and Jewish students to a double standard when it comes to culturally responsive pedagogies, anti-oppressive education, DEI, and antisemitism. While AGPI calls on TDSB to immediately devise, implement, and enforce a comprehensive board wide framework to combat antisemitism; to re-evaluate the inclusivity of their DEI plans to ensure that Jewish bodies are explicitly acknowledged the same way anti-Black, anti-Brown, anti-Indigenous, anti-2S-LGBTQ+ racism and Islamophobia are, and to publicly adopt the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) 2018 working definition of antisemitism as their guide in doing so, we call on your office to reverse your decision to censure Trustee Lulka for speaking out against antisemitism.

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12/02/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) applauds Canada and strongly condemns resolution by United Nations General Assembly ignoring Jewish connection to Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.  Canada voted against the resolution. 

   The AGPI condemns in the strongest of terms the resolution recently passed by the United Nations General Assembly which omits any reference to the Temple Mount’s connection to the Jewish people. The resolution refers to the Temple Mount solely by its Muslim name, al-Haram al-Sharif. Attempting to deny any Jewish connection to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem is not only an act of antisemitism, but a denial of history.    Archeological and historical evidence has always proven that what Muslims call al-Haram al-Sharif was the site of the first and second Jewish Temples, making it the holiest site in Judaism. 

   “This audacious attempt to rewrite history will not change the indisputable fact that the Jewish connection to the city of Jerusalem dates back thousands of years. They will also not change the fact that today, our connection to Jerusalem is stronger than ever,” said Israel’s ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan. 

   "Frankly, this amounts to blatant Antisemitism.  The denial and distortion of Jewish presence in Jerusalem is nothing short of that by the UN assembly" said AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

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 Toronto December 1, 2021: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) was Proud to Launch its Power of One exhibit at Toronto Police Service Headquarters.  The exhibit will be on display in the lobby from November 30th until December 1st 2021.

   AGPI is joining with police services across the country in a campaign to eliminate hate, racism and discrimination of any kind, and to promoting respect, equity and inclusivity in Toronto and beyond.  Hosting this exhibit is one of many initiatives that support the community’s commitment to raise anti-hate awareness. 

   AGPI’s mission is to assist, encourage and promote the advancement of human rights, fundamental freedoms and inclusivity in societies across Canada and the world. The Power of One exhibit features notable figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Anne Frank, Helen Keller, and Malala Yousafzai - among others - who have each contributed to making the world a better place. 

   The Power of One exhibit is meant to be thought-provoking and to inspire and empower all people to act to make the world a better place. The exhibit forces its audience to ask: 

• What would you do if you were in the same situation?  
• What choices would you make? 
• Would you risk your life to save others? 
• Would you speak out? 
• How can you help change the world for the better today?

   Quote from Toronto Police Chief James Ramer: “The Toronto Police Service is pleased to display this important exhibit at our headquarters and to stand in solidarity with Toronto’s Jewish community. It is my hope that this exhibit will inspire those who see it and act as a reminder that each of our actions have the power to make the world, and our city, a better place.”

   Quote from Avi Abraham Benlolo, Founder and Chair: “Its an honour and a pleasure to be launching The Power of One exhibit in the headquarters of the nation’s largest police services.  On behalf of our board, we wish to thank Chief James Ramer for championing human rights by hosting this important program and for carrying forward the message that we all have the power to work toward a better world”. 

   Quote from Ryan Teschner, Executive Director and Chief of Staff “as the grandson of Holocaust survivors, the work of the Abraham Global Peace Initiative is deeply personal for me. AGPI, and its Power of One exhibit serve as important calls to action: we all must work to be a source of light in times of adversity, or in the face of hatred, racism and intolerance.  The family that saved my grandfather and his own family from the Nazis, at a time when that could have cost them their own lives, is but one powerful example. So, too, are the men and women of the Toronto Police Service, who run toward danger each day so we can run away from it.  May we all find ways, in our own lives, to build a just society”. 

  12/01/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) strongly condemns the attack on a bus carrying Jewish teenagers who were celebrating the Jewish holiday of Hanukah.

   The AGPI resolutely condemns the heinous act of antisemitism perpetrated by a group of people who accosted a bus carrying Jewish teenagers celebrating the Jewish holiday of Hanukah in London, England. A video of the antisemitic incident was posted on Twitter, and shows the attackers doing Nazi salutes, making obscene gestures, shouting threats and curses, spitting, and trying to smash their way into the bus. The incident took place on Oxford Street, where Jews were celebrating Hanukah with music, dancing, and food. 

   The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, condemned this shameful incident, saying, “Antisemitism has no place whatsoever in society and I utterly condemn these disgusting acts. No one should have to experience this.” Indeed, Jews all over the world should be allowed to celebrate their holidays and practice their religion in general without fear of being attacked by Jew-haters.

   Therefore, the AGPI strongly condemns this latest incident of antisemitism in the United Kingdom, where a total of 1,668 antisemitic incidences were reported last year.

Toronto — November 30th, 2021 — No matter where we are on the planet, we carry with us the light and hope and story of resilience and survival that Chanukah brings. It’s up to each one of us to bring light into this oftentimes dark world. One candle can illuminate an entire world.

   That’s why on this Giving Tuesday, I am asking you to make every effort to support the incredible work of The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI). As an Honourary member of its board and a Holocaust survivor, please take it from me that we cannot afford to be silent. It is time for each one of us to step into the ring and fight the rising tide of Antisemitism.

   For me to see this poison, it brings back painful memories. The lies become the truth.  This is exactly what happened in Europe. Knowing today what is happening and doing nothing about it, that is a million times worse.

   Now in my 90s, I worry for the future of our children and grandchildren.  We need you now more than ever to help us carry forward the memory of the Holocaust and to fight its distortion.  We are counting on you to help us keep Israel safe and secure and to ensure that we continue speaking out for freedom. And in the spirit of Chanukah, we need you to help be the light in this often dark world. 

   AGPI has already proven itself by partnering with police agencies to stand up against Antisemitism; by standing with international Jewish communities in Europe and the Middle East to strengthen peace and resilience and by educating and advocating and speaking out each and every day. In fact, its Think-tank section on its website provides one of the most important tools and resources for the global community to learn more about the Holocaust, Antisemitism, Israel and human rights.

   Today, for instance, the organization will be launching its Power of One exhibit at Toronto Police headquarters following its launch last week at Halton Region Police Services.  Working alongside Chiefs of Police and their teams is imperative in our effort to work together to counter hate and extremism. AGPI brings a mature and authoritative voice in this regard.

   As survivors, we often ask ourselves who will continue speaking for us and being a warning beacon when the world is in disarray. AGPI is here for us with incredible expertise working day in and day out to bring light to humanity – to protect our future and defend our past.

This Giving Tuesday, please join us by making a meaningful gift to AGPI.    Together we can make a difference if we are willing and if we try.

I am counting on you.

Sincerely,

Max Eisen

Best Selling Author, By Chance Alone

Holocaust Survivor, Educator, Advocate

Toronto — November 29th, 2021 — On the eve of the commemoration of expulsion of Jewish communities from Arab lands and Iran, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is calling for the the true and rich history of Sephardic Jewish communities to be told.  

   Every year, there is a failure to depict the true history and complexity of Sephardic Jews.  Instead, the media often posts pictures of them that lead to false stereotypes and notions.  This practice comes out of ignorance and has lent itself to decades of discrimination.

   In a wide ranging article in the National Post, AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo, wrote a detailed account about the incredible history of Sephardic Jews. 

   Justice for Jews from Arab lands is more than monetary compensation for lost property, it's about inclusion of their incredibly rich and sophisticated history.

   "My own family comes from Casablanca which was a cosmopolitan city.  Their children learned how to read and write in the French Alliance school system.  If we are really going to commemorate and give justice to the 850,000 Jews who were uprooted from Arab lands and Iran, their stories must be told honestly and truthfully".  

   As one of the few Jewish leaders of Sephardic heritage, Benlolo has worked tirelessly to unify all communities and break down barriers that divide them.  Given the continued growth of Antisemitism, he told a Synagogue audience over the weekend, we need to be united now more than ever. 

Link to National Post Article: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/avi-benlolo-remembering-the-troubled-yet-rich-history-of-jews-from-arab-lands

Toronto — November 26th, 2021 — As we head into what otherwise should be a peaceful Shabbat, and celebratory holidays of Chanukah and American Thanksgiving weekend, we continue to fight against campus Antisemitism and relentless attacks against Israel. 

   Enough! Yesterday, AGPI has been in communication with University of Toronto’s President, Meric Gertler, demanding immediate action against the Scarborough Campus Student Union (SCSU)'s continued attack against Israel and, by extension, Jewish students. The SCSU motion shockingly outlines the methods in which BDS will be implemented throughout the campus. This includes refraining from engaging with organizations, services, or participating in events that further normalize relations with Israel, falsely referring to it as an “apartheid” state.    

   Shockingly, we are equally disappointed that the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) announced that they are opposing the IHRA working definition against Antisemitism, despite the fact the definition has been adopted by Canada and over 34 nations. The definition is an important tool in the international effort to combat Antisemitism. On the flip side, we commend the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) for rejecting the Antisemitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions campaign (BDS).

   On the diplomatic front, while last week we met with the Ukrainian Consul General to discuss shared interests, this week we had a long conversation with Colombia’s Ambassador to Canada about the recent Antisemitic incident in his country. In that incident, Colombian police dressed like Nazis for an event they hosted.  The Ambassador assured AGPI that this incident would not be tolerated and has been condemned. “Colombia observes human rights,” said the Ambassador. 

Toronto — November 25th, 2021 — The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is expressing outrage as the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Student Union (SCSU) at their Annual General Meeting (AGM) reaffirmed their commitment to Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) against Israel. 

   AGPI stands with pro-Israel students of UofT Scarborough Campus and calls for actions to safeguard Jewish identities.

   The SCSU motion shockingly outlines the methods in which BDS will be implemented throughout the campus. This includes refraining from engaging with organizations, services, or participating in events that further normalize relations with Israel, falsely referring to it as an “apartheid” state. 

   The resolution even goes to the extent of sourcing Kosher food from pro-Israel vendors - an outrageous form of religious and ethical discrimination. 

  Even while the union says it is against Antisemitism, its very action and language contravenes the internationally accepted definition of Antisemitism as proposed by the IHRA.

    According to AGPI, the rise in antisemitism can be largely attributed to the consequences of these kinds of motions, that aim to intimidate Jewish students while thinly vailing these attempts by stating they are"protecting Jewish students." 

  To counter this continued growth of Antisemitism, hate, and divisiveness, AGPI is offering open dialogue with our Speaker Series. In addition, AGPI is hosting its new Power of One Exhibit and curriculum that promotes strong moral and ethical values by individuals globally. While we are promoting individual action, that action needs to fit within a criterion of deep analysis and a rejection of hate and 

antisemitism. Please consider supporting our advocacy work for more information visit www.agpi.ca

Statement By AGPI on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women:

November 25, 2021

Toronto, Ontario

The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) issued the following statement on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women:

   AGPI Vice President and Criminal Defense Lawyer Leora Shemesh said: “As an organization that promotes universal human rights, we stand united in advocating for the end of all forms of violence against women and gender-based discrimination.  We note from a new report by the United Nations that since the start of the pandemic, 2 in 3 women in 13 countries reported some form of violence and are more likely to face food insecurity.  Only 1 in 10 women said that victims would go to the police for help”.  

   AGPI’s Co-Chairs of Women’s Leadership, Genevieve Korman and Candice Solomon said: “Our hope is to bring attention to the plight of women and girls around the world by calling for global action and increasing awareness while creating advocacy and opportunity for discussion.  For example, recently we released a statement about our disappointment in the international community for allowing the Taliban a return to power thus returning women to an oppressive condition in that country.  We must all speak out in support of women and girls everywhere”.

   AGPI works to advance universal rights, freedom and democracy from a Canadian perspective in an effort to free people from oppression and repression. 

 11/25/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) commends Australia and the United Kingdom for declaring Hezbollah a terrorist organization.

   In a letter to Australia's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Mitch Fifield - AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Benlolo said: "On behalf of my organization, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative, we wish to thank Australia for banning Hezbollah and declaring it a terrorist group.  This is an important and positive step in eradicating terrorism. If you would please pass this on to your government, that would be appreciated".

   The AGPI strongly commends the governments of Australia and the United Kingdom for declaring the Islamic fundamentalist group, Hezbollah, to be a terrorist organization. Hezbollah promotes the destruction of Israel and genocide against the Jewish people. It now has thousands of rockets ready to strike Israel’s civilian population, which it has done repeatedly in the past. The terrorist organization has also attacked Jewish institutions abroad. 

   Therefore, the AGPI commends Australia and the United Kingdom for joining the list of countries that have declared the organization in its entirety to be a terrorist group.

 Toronto – 11/23/21:   The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) applauds a verdict against the unite the right rally that found it liable for more than $26 million in damages. 

   The case exposed the white supremacist and Neo Nazi movements in America that participated in the 2017 rally that manifested in extreme violence and hatred and shook the nation to its core. 

   According to one report in the New York Times: “The trial brought to life the hatred and anger espoused by the far-right groups, especially on the streets of Charlottesville. A torch-lit march on the eve of the rally, with hundreds of men chanting racist slogans, evoked Ku Klux Klan and Nazi marches. The testimony as well as the many videos and social media posts introduced were awash in the iconography of hate, with Nazi symbols and stiff-armed salutes, with admiration for Hitler and claims that nonwhite races were inferior”.

   “From our perspective, the unite the right rally in Charlottesville had far reaching consequences. It emboldened Neo Nazi groups to organize and act almost with impunity across North America and including in Canada” said Avi Abraham Benlolo, AGPI’s Founder and Chairman. “We saw a sharp spike in activity preceding and following the rally – and therefore this verdict is a vindication against hate and intolerance” he added. 

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 Toronto – 11/22/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) condemned the horrific and outrageous murder of Eliyahu David Kay by Palestinian terrorists affiliated with Hamas. 

  AGPI thanked Canada's Ambassador to Israel, Lisa Stadelbauer for issuing a strong condemnation: "We condemn this act of terrorism which reminds us that antisemitism is a present and future threat.  It does not only live in the past". AGPI recently met with Ambassador Stadelbauer in Israel. 

  Nachman Shai, Israel’s minister of diaspora affairs, said Eli “represented the best of the Zionist spirit nurtured in Johannesburg and the proud new Israeli living his dream in Israel.”

   Jewish people in Israel and around the world continue to be murdered at the hands of fanatics.  "Palestinians are not innocent bystanders.  Many continue to incite and initiate terror activity.  Its high time for the world community to implement measures to counter hate and violence against the Jewish state" said AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

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 Toronto – 11/20/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) issued a letter to Colombia’s Ambassador to Canada expressing its outrage about reports of a Nazi themed police event at the Simon Bolivar Police School in the city of Tulua. In a letter sent to Ambassador Nocolas Lloreda in Ottawa, AGPI acknowledged Colombia’s denunciation of the event, however called on the government to provide further accountability “as to how Nazism could possibly be venerated by your national police” in the first place. “It is incomprehensible” AGPI wrote in the letter. 

   Images were widely circulated and reported of an event held by the Colombian police academy in which cadets dressed in Nazi-style uniforms supposedly as part of a “cultural exchange”. One image shows two Third Reich guards in Nazi paraphanilia in front of a paper mache fortress covered in present-day German flags. To the side is a man dressed as Adolph Hitler with the infamous moustache, standing at attention, flanked by a German Shephard and a vintage car. 

    Colombia’s President, Ivan Duque condemned the incident and issued the following apology: Any excuse for Nazism is unacceptable and I condemn this event and the symbols used to make us think of those who were responsible for the    Holocaust. Antisemitism has not place in this world”.

“While we applaud President Duque’s quick condemnation, we are asking for an explanation of the Colombian government    and police” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo. “The images are possibly the most shocking visuals of modern day police in our time anywhere on the planet. As it happens, this week we launched our Power of One exhibit at a local police department in Canada to showcase the importance of respect, tolerance and human rights. In our letter to Ambassador Lloreda we have offered the exhibit and our tolerance training workshops to the Colombian police”, Benlolo added. 

  The embassies of Germany and Israel reportedly also issued a joint statement condemning the incident expressing, “total rejection of any form of apology or demonstration of Nazism”

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Toronto - November 17, 2021 - In a move eerily similar to calls by a Caroll Independent School District in South Lake administrator to present “opposing narratives of the Holocaust”, the Toronto District School Board has seemingly followed suit in their latest efforts to explain away sloganeering in their attempts to create “safe spaces” for students. 

   Following last week’s student walkout in support of the Free Palestine movement at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in Toronto, and on the heels of increased calls that the board has created an atmosphere ripe for antisemitism, the TDSB says it is exploring the “multiple meanings” of slogans like “from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”.       According to Dr Neil Orlowsky, Director of Education at AGPI “While the meanings of words may evolve over time, this latest attempt to embolden the ‘Free Palestine’ movement sets the stage for another attempt to delegitimize Middle Eastern history and erase Jewish indigeneity from Israel.”  

   Empowering sloganeering under the umbrella of multiple meanings does not erase the fact that “From river to sea, Palestine will be free” is an often-chanted call-to-arms by Canadian recognized terrorist organizations, like the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and Hamas, that pre-dates the Free Palestine Movement. Allowing an environment where students explore its “multiple meanings” is a move to explain away that since 1947, this chant has called for the establishment of a State of Palestine from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, erasing the State of Israel and its people. 

    With schools at the centre of our communities, the Abraham Global Peace initiative again calls on Director Colleen Russell-Rawlins to take swift and decisive action against the systemic antisemitism within the Toronto District School Board, and for TDSB to create an equity plan that is truly inclusive. In reaching out to Director Russell-Rawlins directly, Dr Orlowsky reminded her that “Students, no matter their race or religion should never be subject to hateful and hurtful propaganda, nor should they have to endure calls for the elimination of their people by their fellow students. Schools pride themselves on being safe and brave spaces for exploration, now the steps need to be taken to fulfill that.” 

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Halton, Ontario – November 17, 2021: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) and The Halton Region Police Services jointly launched The Power of One exhibit at police headquarters today. Halton Region Police is the first law enforcement agency to host the exhibit, which is already scheduled to appear at a number of police agencies and schools across the country. 

   The Power of One exhibit features notable figures such as Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Anne Frank, Helen Keller, and Malala Yousafzai - among others - who have each contributed to making the world a better place.  The exhibit challenges people to speak out, to make the right choices and even to risk their own lives to save others.

   “We are so proud to be partnering with the Abraham Global Peace Initiative and showcasing this exhibit at our Headquarters in the coming weeks,” says HRPS Chief of Police Stephen Tanner. “We all have an individual role to play in ensuring that Halton is an inclusive and welcoming community, and this exhibit empowers us all to do just that.”

   Avi Abraham Benlolo, Founder and Chairman of Abraham Global Peace Initiative spoke at the event about Antisemitism as a universal hate that should be offensive to all Canadians.  “It’s an honour and a pleasure to be working with the Halton Regional Police Service and Chief Stephen Tanner and to meet many of Halton Region’s human rights activists in our mutual efforts”.

  This new exhibit will be on display in the lobby of the HRPS Headquarters until November 24, 2021.

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Toronto – November 16-2021: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) called the outrageous hate graffiti on a sign at the entrance of the Ottawa Courthouse and Land Registry Offices an affront to all Canadians – not only the Jewish community. 

   A Swastika and the letters “SS” were graffitied on a sign leading into the courthouse in Canada’s capital city, Ottawa. More vandalism was discovered on Ottawa’s City Hall building with apparent reference to Ottawa’s Mayor calling him a “fraud”. 

   While Canada’s media said these latest hate crime incidents are “just the latest in a string of recent incidents involving hateful messaging targeting Jewish people in Ottawa” AGPI believes the usage of Nazi symbols should be interpreted widely as an affront to all Canadians. 

   “Given the fact that more than 40,000 Canadians were killed in action fighting the Nazis during the second world war and more than 100,000 were injured, the display of the Swastika is offensive not only to the Jewish community, but to all Canadians” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo. 

With this in mind, AGPI is calling on the Federal Government to pass legislation outlawing the usage of the Swastika and criminalizing this form of hate speech.   More importantly, the organization is calling for an immediate education strategy by the federal government to educate Canadians about our own history in relation to Nazism. Nazism in other words, is not a Jewish problem exclusively. It’s a problem that must resonate with all Canadians. 

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Toronto - 11/16/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) applauds Polish authorities for acting against antisemitic demonstration in Warsaw.

   The AGPI would like to thank the Polish police for arresting suspects in the case of a virulently antisemitic demonstration which took place last week. 

   According to Poland’s Jewish community, Polish Jews “have not experienced such contempt and hatred expressed in public for years”. Poland was once home to Europe’s largest Jewish community, with an estimated Jewish population of 3.3 million on the eve of World War II. Most of them were murdered in the Holocaust. Today, Poland’s Jewish community numbers just a few thousand. 

   AGPI resolutely condemns last week’s antisemitic demonstration and applauds the continuing efforts of Polish authorities to punish those responsible.

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Toronto - 11/16/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) condemns vandalism of Toronto mosque.

   In a statement to Imam Imran Ali who notified AGPI of this terrible act of vandalism and hate, AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Mr. Avi Benlolo said: "I strongly condemn this act of hate and intolerance".

   The AGPI resolutely condemns the “ugly act of deliberate vandalism” perpetrated at the Toronto and Region Islamic Congregation. On November 9th, a surveillance camera caught video of a man throwing a rock at the front door of the mosque. This was the second time this year that this particular mosque has been targeted. 

   The AGPI condemns such hateful acts. Neither Islamophobia nor antisemitism has any place in Canada. 

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Toronto - 11/15/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) announced two major milestones as it continues to gain momentum.  In just a handful of months in operation, the organization officially launched its fourth major board - The Board of Governors - comprised of more than 50 Canadian leaders and philanthropists. 

  The organization also announced receiving its charitable tax status from CRA making it an official charitable organization in Canada.  It will next look at expanding by applying for charitable status in the United States. 

   The launch of the Board of Governors was held at Donalda Golf and Country Club and hosted by Dr. Mark Korman and Dr. Phil Solomon, Co-Chairs of AGPI's new Board of Governors and Genevieve Korman and Candice Solomon, Co-Chairs of AGPI's Global Women's Leadership. 

In their opening greetings and remarks, they expressed concern for increased Antisemitism and the importance of combating the pernicious hatred now more than ever.  Dr. Korman and Dr. Solomon said, "When we look around the world today, we see a resurgence of Jew Hatred and Antisemitism that most of us in this room have not witnessed in our lifetimes. It is against this backdrop that AGPI was conceived".

   In tandem with the announcement of its Board of Governors, the organization announced it has been granted charitable status by the Canada Revenue Agency.  AGPI's charitable giving portal is now live and it can accept donations and issue charitable tax receipts.  "With this official recognition, we have now achieved a substantial milestone to raise funds in support of our important mission and mandate" said Mark Teitelbaum, the organization's President.

   The feature speaker, Mr. Tony Comper who also sits on the organization's national advisory board spoke about the evolution of his organization, Fighting Antisemitism Together and the importance of trying to uncover the roots of Antisemitism.

   Holocaust survivor, Max Eisen warned about the depravation and the devastation that antisemitism could bring if it's not stopped, recalling his own experience during the Shoah.  In his remarks, Senator (ret) Jerry Grafstein recounted Eli Wiesel's sentiments articulating that you can teach a child to love or hate.  It all comes down to that basic premise.

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11/14/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is outraged and shocked by reports that students at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute in the Thorncliff Park and Flemington Park neighbourhood of TDSB.  On Friday, they staged a student walkout calling for the destruction of the State of Israel. 

  They held a sign that read "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free". "This is not a call for freedom. This is a call for the annihilation of the Jewish State of Israel" said Avi Abraham Benlolo, AGPI's Founder and Chairman.

   Over the last six months, TDSB has come under fire for their policy flip-flopping around who is included in their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity policies and practices. While the board moves to “decolonize” their curriculum, some they have failed to protect Jewish students and educators from feeling marginalized. 

   Following similar events in the Peel District School Board, and other schools across the TDSB, Neil Orlowsky, Director of Education and Chair of Global Education with AGPI pressed educators and administrators as to “whether students were being provided the opportunity to critically interrogate this movement and whether they were proving students with the truth about the Middle East conflict. 

    After reviewing various TikTok and Instagram posts that were shared with us, students can be seen sloganeering Hamas echoes of “From Rive to Sea” and followed by “Free, Free Palestine.” 

Educators need to question whether they are providing student with the tools to be critical, interrogative, and informed. We cannot use our classrooms as stages for bias and personal agendas. 

  AGPI is calling on the TDSB to take immediate action against such divisive and hateful rhetoric and condemn the calls for Israel's annihilation. 

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  11/12/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) condemns antisemitism in Canada’s capital and other antisemitic incidents around the world.

   The AGPI expresses its condemnation for the antisemitic posters that were found displayed in Ottawa’s west end this past weekend, and fully supports the investigation of this hate crime by Ottawa police.

   Elsewhere in the world, there has been very discouraging news on the fight against antisemitism in Europe. A survey in the United Kingdom found that more than half of respondents did not know that 6 million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. Also in the UK, Israel’s ambassador to the country was prevented by pro-Palestinian demonstrators from speaking at an event at the London School of Economics. Security forces were forced to escort her off the campus after she was harassed by the demonstrators. In addition, a European Union agency has found that the fight against antisemitism is being stymied by the insufficient collection of hate crimes data by EU members.

   In the United States, a Congresswoman from the state of Georgia has publicly come out as a supporter of the antisemitic Nation of Islam after one of the leaders of the organization accused Jews of causing the COVID-19 pandemic. In the state of New York, anti-Zionists have demanded that Barnard College cancel upcoming events in which an author of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism is to participate, accusing the college of “legitimizing apartheid”. 

   The AGPI also notes a positive development in the fight against antisemitism in the US as close to 80 non-profit organizations called on Virginia Tech to reject the endorsement of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement made by the college’s graduate student union. 

   The AGPI strongly condemns all incidents of antisemitism in Canada and abroad, and commends all positive steps aimed at fighting antisemitism both in Canada and around the world. 

Vienna - November 11, 2021: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) attended a conference on antisemitism held today at Vienna's soccer stadium, Fussballklub Austria Wien.

   AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo thanked Lord John Mann, Member of UK's House of Lords, for sponsoring the conference and FK Austria Wien's CEO Gerhard Krisch and its Sports Director Manuel Ortlechner for adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of Antisemitism into their club.

   In her opening remarks at the conference, Federal Minister of the EU and Constitution at the Chancellery, Karoline Edtstadler declared - "Finally, we can say that football is a no-go zone for antisemitism".  Inspired by Chelsea Football Club's "Say No To Antisemitism" campaign and adoption of the IHRA definition, FK Austria Wien's adoption of the campaign against Antisemitism is a major step in combating the pernicious hatred in the sport. 

   Earlier in the morning AGPI also participated in an official ceremony held at Vienna's Judenplatz Holocaust Memorial where the IHRA working definition was also signed and adopted by Austria's National Football Association and the National Football League.  "In combination with this week's Kristallnacht events and the inauguration of the Shoah Wall of Names, this was a defining week of Austria as it begins to reconcile with its history and complicity in the Holocaust", Benlolo added.

  In 2017, Austrian spectators were filmed chanting "Jewish pigs" after their team lost to a rival team.  While this incident was condemned by the clubs, it left a bitter feeling for all those who promote pluralism, respect and diversity.  Sadly, this has become a common theme in many soccer stadiums across Europe and for this reason, Austria's President of the Jewish Community, Oscar Deutsch and his team are to be commended for their effort in organizing this historic adoption of IHRA by the Austrian soccer clubs.

  Earlier in the week, AGPI was invited to attend the European Jewish Congress Conference on Antisemitism.  The organization was additionally invited by Austria's Chancellery to represent its constituents at the state inauguration of the Shoah Wall of Names and an award ceremony at the Chancellery.  The organization further spent the week meeting with key community leaders and government officials.

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11/09/21: Vienna, Austria - The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) participated in the state inauguration of the nation's new Holocaust memorial, The Shoah Wall of Names.  To mark the 83rd anniversary of the November Pogrom, also known as Kristallnacht - the night of broken glass - AGPI represented its Canadian and international constituency in the unveiling of 64,400 names of Jewish-Austrian victims of the Holocaust.

The monument to those who perished was first conceived by Canadian Kurt Tutter who longed for a place to say Kaddish (the mourners prayer) for his parents and family who were murdered in the Shoah. In recent years, the Austrian government had accelerated this memorial under the leadership of former Chancellor Sebastian Kurtz and now under the new Chancellor, Alexander Schallenberg and Karoline Edtstadler and Federal Minister for the EU and Constitution at the Federal Chancellor.

Over the last couple of days, AGPI has had the honour and the pleasure of meeting with senior officials in the Austrian government, including Chancellor Schallenberg and Minister Edtstadler.  The organization has been impressed thus far by their government's commitment to a national strategy in combating Antisemitism and standing up for the State of Israel.  Ms. Edtstadler is the lead in the government's fight against Antisemitism and confided that in order to build a strong future for the Jewish community and Austria itself, the nation must look to its past". 

On November 9th, 1938, The Jewish community of Austria and across Europe was viciously attacked during Kristallnacht and in the following months and years" said AGPI's Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo. "For this reason, we wanted to stand in solidarity with Vienna's Jewish community on this day.  We were pleased to be especially invited by the Chancellory to mark this special occasion".

At the inauguration, Chancellor Schallenberg said, "we have to protect Jewish life.  Our responsibility does not end at Austria's border.  We Austrians have a special responsibility to Israel. When Jews all over the world can live in freedom, only then does the meaning of never again become realized". 

On the heels of its successful Global Conference Against Antisemitism, AGPI is establishing ties to the exceptional Jewish community of Vienna, its President and to the European Jewish Congress, for which it was a special guest of at several sessions.  In the coming days, we will be releasing some additional information about this important work.

Media Contact:

For Interview requests please email office@agpi.ca or call 416-646-2196 

11/07/21 - Toronto: “I am a proud and unapologetic Zionist” declared the UK’s Special Envoy for post-Holocaust Issues, The Rt. Hon. Lord Edward Pickles. The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) concluded its one-day State of Antisemitism Conference with hundreds of attendees spread out over ten nations and speakers from around the world.
AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo kicked off the conference by highlighting many of the Antisemitic attacks that have occurred around the world in the past few days.  Among them was the desecration of the Torah scroll at the George Washington University’s Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity last weekend.
Lord Pickles recounted that this year, British Jews suffered unprecedented levels of Antisemitism with 1,308 incidents, the highest number ever recorded since 1984 when the study began. The peak of Antisemitic incidents occurred during “Hamas’ aggression” against Israel this past spring with 639 Antisemitic incidents, of which 89 were violent.
Internationally renowned lawyer, Alan Dershowitz, spoke out against the singling out of the Jewish state for boycott: “The standard for calling for the end of the Jewish state are completely different. You can say about Jews what you cannot say about other groups”.  "BDS", said Dershowitz "is not a tactic to improve Israel’s policies. The goal is to make sure in the end there is no Jewish state."
Chair of Israel’s Holocaust Survivors Association, Colette Avital, lamented on the impact modern antisemitism is having on Holocaust survivors.  Recounting the impact of social media on children, particularly TikTok, Avital spoke about the concern survivors have regarding Holocaust denial and distortion. 
Many speakers noted the state sponsored antisemitism emanating from the Iranian regime. Former Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, Ellie Cohanim, noted that the Iranians have an “obsessive” form of Antisemitism. "The Iranian government denies the Holocaust, is a state sponsor of terrorism, and calls for the elimination of Israel", said Cohanim.
On the matter of campus antisemitism, Dr. Richard Cravatts spoke about a “tsunami” of the pernicious hatred. It paints Israel as an occupier, an oppressor and a faceless military giant that kills innocent Palestinians. In the case of Israel, Cravatts said, the brand of Israel has been hi-jacked by the Palestinian movement. Calls of “Jihad” on university campuses are shameful for calling for the blatant murder of Jews on behalf of Palestinians.
Earlier in the day, Federal US prosecutor and specialist in the prevention of genocide, terrorism and mass violence, Henry Kopel, lamented that it's been 83 years since Kristallnacht. While leaders have pledged never again, in reality its ever again.  In other words, there have been over 10,000 incidents of terrorism in the last 20 years. 
Other notable speakers of the day included Rabbi Moshe Sebbag of Paris who issued a stark warning that the next few years will be critical for the future of Jews in France. Similarly, prominent Muslim speaker, Raheel Raza raised concern over the growth of antisemitism in Pakistan and elsewhere. For award winning journalist, Lara Logan, the greatest threat to Israel is the policy of pushing a policy of fear over a policy of freedom.
Additional speakers included Argentinian leaders, Jorge Knoblovits and Marisa Braylan who spoke eloquently about antisemitism in their home nation.  Following their presentation, Batya Unger-Sargon gave an eloquent presentation about antisemitism and Wokeness.
AGPI’s President, Mark Teitelbaum and Vice President Leora Shemesh said, “we are both proud and delighted about the results and impact of this conference.  We have made tremendous headway in the last few months. We are equally thankful to Sabrina Kerbel, our Director of Development and Dr. Neil Orlowsky, our Director of Education who helped make this event a tremendous success.

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11/04/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) commends leaders for taking a stand against antisemitism. 

   AGPI is pleased to report some positive news regarding the struggle against antisemitism. In New York, the governor signed a bill banning municipal institutions from displaying symbols of hate, including neo-Nazi, white supremacist, or neo-Confederate imagery.    Also in the U.S., faith leaders and politicians in Texas came together to denounce a string of recent antisemitic incidents in the state. 

   In Europe, Italy’s top soccer league, Serie A., has recently adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. The league also pledged to organize training courses on how to combat antisemitism for club officials. Professional soccer in Italy and the rest of Europe has often been plagued by antisemitism and racism.  

   AGPI strongly commends the moves of the aforementioned leaders and organizations who have taken vital steps to fight the millennia-old scourge of antisemitism.  

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 11/03/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) condemns latest incident of antisemitism in US state of Texas.

   Residents of San Antonio, the state capital of Texas, expressed their distress over the presence of a sign with the words “Heil Hitler” accompanied by a Nazi swastika at the entrance of a local automotive repair shop. The owner of the shop where the sign was displayed has legitimized displaying this hateful, antisemitic sign under the guise of free speech. This incident comes less than a week after a neo-Nazi demonstration in front of a Jewish community center in San Antonio. It also comes in the midst of other recent antisemitic incidents reported in other Texas locales. The state of Texas has a sizeable Jewish community numbering around 176,000.

  The AGPI strongly condemns the display of hate in San Antonio, as well as the other antisemitic incidents that have occurred in the state in such a short amount of time. 

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AGPI continues to monitor and respond to antisemitic incidents around the world. 

11/02/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is deeply disturbed by the following antisemitic incidents.

   The police chief in Berlin, Germany apologized after pictures were released of uniformed police officers doing push-ups on the slabs of the German capital’s memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.               Another apology came from the Archbishop of Canterbury in the UK, who apologized for comparing the failure to deal with the global climate crisis to the appeasement of the Nazis prior to World War II. Also in the UK, the owner of a costume shop has refused to stop selling Nazi uniforms despite the concerns of the local Jewish community. And in France, the leader of a far-left party has claimed that the Jewish religion was somehow an inspiration for the xenophobic, homophobic, and ultranationalist beliefs of a political opponent on the far right.

  Meanwhile, in the United States, police in Austin, Texas are looking into the possibility that a fire set outside a synagogue in the city may have been caused by arson following a spate of antisemitic incidents in recent weeks. 

   The AGPI condemns all of the above-mentioned antisemitic incidents, and will continue to monitor and respond to acts of antisemitism wherever they may occur around the world. 

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11/01/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is outraged by the level of antisemitism exhibited in an attack on a frat house at George Washington University in Washington D.C. According to reports, vandals tore apart a Torah, covered it in detergent and poured hot sauce all over the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house.

   “The level of Antisemitism on campuses across America and Canada has reached an incomprehensible level that can no longer be tolerated” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Mr. Avi Abraham Benlolo. All survey indicators in the last number of months indicate a growing trend if not alarm over campus antisemitism that is victimizing Jewish students and friends of Israel. This is an alarming situation that must be addressed immediately on a national and international level.”

   AGPI continues to monitor and respond to Antisemitic incidents around the world. It notes in the last number of days a spike in the usage of Nazi symbols as part of anti-vaccination campaigns and in general. This weekend, a Nazi flag was waved in a building above a synagogue in Brisbane Australia. At Mississippi State University, students denounced the usage of Nazi symbols at a vaccine protest. Meanwhile, a Kansas State Representative was condemned for likening Covid-19 mask mandates to the persecution of Jewish people. 

   To counteract this continued disparagement which goes against the very notion of human rights, AGPI has initiated diversity and tolerance workshops and has recently launched an exhibit entitled The Power of One to highlight individuals who have worked to make the world a better place for everyone.

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10/28/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) strongly condemns neo-Nazi demonstration in San Antonio and violent, antisemitic assault in Brooklyn.

   This past Tuesday, a group of neo-Nazis staged an antisemitic demonstration across the street from a Jewish community centre in San Antonio, Texas. They wore shirts with Nazi swastikas on them and displayed a banner that said, “Honk if you know the Holocaust is fake.” This display of hate comes just days after a similar antisemitic demonstration was held in Austin, Texas. 

   Also, in Brooklyn, NY, a police hate crimes unit is investigating an incident that occurred at a gas station on October 20th, in which a teenager was accosted by two men shouting anti-gay and antisemitic slurs at him and threatening him with a knife. 

  AGPI provides educational programs to counter Holocaust distortion and Antisemitism, including a global conference on Antisemitism. The organization monitors and advises on critical issues of the day.

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       10/27/21: Tel Aviv – The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) received unfettered access to the highest echelons of Israeli society and to the top United Nations representatives based in Jerusalem. As part of the organization’s mission and mandate to combat Antisemitism and Holocaust distortion, defend Israel and promote peace, AGPI leaders concluded a second round of high-level diplomacy and social action. AGPI conducts international advocacy around the world on behalf of its constituents.

       Leaders from the organization including Colonel (ret) Kobi Marom (Global Advisory Board) and AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo, were invited to former Prime Minister Ehud Barak’s private residence for a briefing and consultation.  Mr. Barak was deeply impressed by the unique approach of this new organization, in particular the Canadian focused international approach to strategically change the narrative. The leaders discussed critical issues including the proliferation of Antisemitism, Israel’s security, and Iran and the potential Nuclearization of the Middle East.

       AGPI also concluded a series of high-level meetings in Israel’s Knesset with a number of parliamentarians.  The organization briefed Nachman Shai, Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs, about the rising tide of Antisemitism in diaspora communities around the world. The organization encouraged the minister to insist that Israel play a leading role in combating Antisemitism and defamation of Israel. The minister demonstrated interest to partner and collaborate with AGPI on this issue.

       Additional consultations were held at the Knesset with MK Emilie Moatti  (Labor Party) who sits on the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee (among other committees).  We also met with MK Ruth Wasserman (Blue and White Party) who is advocating for immediate action, remedy and security for the city of Lod where Arab riots broke out this past May.  Finally, the organization met with Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi, an Arab MK who represents her city of Nazareth and is advocating for greater integration.

       To discuss solutions concerning the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the organization met with Ms. Lynn Hastings who serves as Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Humanitarian Coordinator. This meeting was followed by meetings with the highest- level officials for the United Nations Relief Works Agency for the West Bank, which included the main coordinator, the director of education and a representative for the protection office.

       Given that Canada allocates $90 million to UNRWA, the most sensitive issues were raised with the team including Antisemitism and incitement of terrorism in Palestinian curricula. The organization’s leadership was further taken to visit a health centre in East Jerusalem. Later in the week, the organization and its board members, including Dr. Philip Solomon, Brahm Siegel, and Brian Barish met with the Canadian Ambassador, Lisa Stadelbauer, to raise this and other concerns.

       In its effort to advance global cooperation about combating Antisemitism, AGPI met with Ruth Dar Cohen, in Israel’s Foreign Ministry office. She is responsible for combating Antisemitism and the nation’s envoy to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. Those meetings undertook an exchange of ideas and promised to collaborate in the fight against Antisemitism.

       This series of meetings was successfully concluded on behalf of the boards and constituents of The Abraham Global Peace Initiative.  The organization meets with key stakeholders around the world to advocate a Canadian perspective of advancing human rights, combating Antisemitism and defending Israel. To join and participate in our efforts, please subscribe at http://www.agpi.ca

  10/26/21: On behalf of its Board of Directors and National Board of Advisors, The Abraham Global Peace (AGPI) Initiative today welcomed the announcement of members of Canada’s new cabinet, following this fall’s election. The Cabinet forms the Government of Canada. 

   AGPI congratulates all 38 cabinet members and wishes them well and success in working to move our nation forward.  “Our organization is particularly delighted that The Hon. Bill Blair, one of AGPI’s National Advisors, will become the President of the Queens Privy Council for Canada and Ministry of Emergency and Preparedness” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

   Given the surging Antisemitism across the country AGPI is calling on the new cabinet to work harder to combat this pernicious hatred at home.  Canada can also play a pivotal role globally in advancing the fight against the defamation of Israel at the United Nations and the International Human Rights Council.  

   Given our nation’s advancement of human rights and advocacy against racism and intolerance, Canada’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs, Melanie Joly, can play a unique role on the world stage to press upon and influence the world community to adhere to these values. 

   AGPI wishes Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Chrystia Freeland and the entire cabinet success in advancing Canada’s interests and promoting freedom, peace and human rights. 

   About: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a non-partisan Canadian human rights organization that advances freedom and democracy; counters antisemitism and Holocaust distortion and speaks out in support of Canada’s allies including The State of Israel. Visit us at www.agpi.ca to learn more.  

     10/26/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) condemns antisemitic incidents that have occurred in just the past few days. 

  In the US state of Maryland, a judge has agreed to add a “terrorism enhancement” to the trial of a former member of the Canadian Armed Forces, who has been linked to a neo-Nazi plot to attack a rally in Virginia. Also in the U.S., a new survey revealed that a third of the country’s Jews changed their behavior because of antisemitism. Such changes include avoiding wearing or displaying anything that could identify them as Jews. 

  In addition, a Jewish man was assaulted in the New York City borough of Brooklyn by two men shouting antisemitic insults. Brooklyn is home to a large Jewish community of more than 500,000. Continuing with antisemitism in the U.S., the Department of Justice has filed a complaint against a Montana man for making “robocalls” which contained discriminatory remarks against Jews and other minorities. In Austin, Texas, racist and antisemitic slogans and symbols were found in several parking lots at a local high school. And in Virginia, the Graduate Student Senate at Virginia Tech has endorsed an “academic and cultural” boycott of Israel. 

  In Europe, Sweden’s National Agency for Education has reportedly recommended that teachers make students try and prove that the Holocaust did not happen as part of an effort to make them understand conspiracy theories. In the United Kingdom, the Green Party of England and Wales, while adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism, also adopted the contradictory Jerusalem Declaration that allows for the support of the antisemitic Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement. In France, a French Parliamentary Inquiry was told that police could have prevented the antisemitic murder of Sarah Halimi, which occurred in April 2017.

  Finally, in the South American country of Chile, a newspaper drew condemnation for publishing a tribute to Nazi war criminal Hermann Goring, who was part of Hitler’s inner circle. 

  The AGPI condemns all of the above-mentioned antisemitic incidents, but also notes and commends a positive development in the fight against antisemitism in the US state of Florida, which is set to stop investing in Unilever, the parent company of Ben & Jerry’s, over the ice cream maker’s decision not to sell its products in the eastern part of Jerusalem or the West Bank in an act of boycott against the Jewish state. 

   0/25/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) condemns antisemitic incidents that have occurred over the past 10 days. 

  Here in Canada, staff working for a business located in Nanaimo, British Columbia, discovered a large red swastika sprayed on the window of the establishment on the morning of October 15th. This incident took place just two days after a swastika was found drawn into cement in the area of Cameron Island, also in British Columbia. Police believe the two incidents may be connected. 

  In the US state of California, posters from the neo-Nazi group Aryan Nation, containing images of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler and the words, “Hitler was right” were found plastered on a synagogue in the town of Carmichael, located in Sacramento County, on Wednesday, October 20th. The posters also contained anti-LGBTQ hate speech and antisemitic caricatures. In Alaska, a Jewish museum in the city of Anchorage has been the target of repeated acts of antisemitic vandalism, which have been condemned by other museums across the state. In Washington DC, the local chapter of the environmental group, the Sunrise Movement, pulled out of a voting rights protest because of the presence of pro-Israel organizations, referring to the State of Israel as a “colonial project”. The national organization of the Sunrise Movement has since called the actions of its Washington DC chapter “antisemitic and unacceptable”. And in Texas, an antisemitic group called the “Goyim Defense League” hung a banner over a bridge near a Jewish community center in the state capital Austin that read, “Vax the Jews”. 

  There were also two high-profile incidents of antisemitism reported in the United Kingdom. In London, bus stops around the city were vandalized with signs that read, “Normal people boycott Israel”. The British capital, which has a large Jewish community of 150,000 members, experienced a significant spike in antisemitism this year. Also in the UK, an online service given by a synagogue in Manchester was interrupted by people bearing swastikas and shouting racist language.  

  The AGPI condemns all of the above-mentioned antisemitic incidents. 

10/22/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) has concluded an intensive week of meetings in Jerusalem about critical issues such as Antisemitism, Middle East Peace and The Abraham Accords. 

   In so doing, AGPI held consultive briefings and high level discussions with United Nations officials, including the leaders of UNRWA and those responsible for the Middle East peace process.

  Additionally AGPI engaged with Israel's Foreign Ministry in dialogue concerning the rising tide of Antisemitism and defamation and delegitimization campaigns against the State of Israel. 

   As a Canadian organization, members of AGPI's Board of Governors met with Canada's Ambassador to Israel, who reaffirmed Canada's support of the State of Israel 

   AGPI has an additional round of meetings next week with Israeli leaders and senior representative. At these meetings, AGPI will reaffirm its position of standing with Israel, combating Antisemitism and paving the way forward for peace.

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   10/20/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is disturbed by reports about a senior leader in Thunder Bay Ontario having posted Nazi imagery on his social media. The report initially provided by CBC News said it “found images of swastikas, Nazi-related memorabilia from 2012 on”. The report advises that the leader held a senior position in a community hospital and has since resigned. 

   “Its always disappointing when Canadians are found to have posted Nazi imagery on social media. Nazism is not only offensive to the Jewish community, but to all Canadians. After all, Canada fought against the Nazis to liberate Europe during the Second World War. Unless condemning it or educating about its evil impact and the Holocaust, there should be no reason to post Nazi imagey, especially given the skyrocketing numbers of antisemitic attacks” stated AGPI’s Chairman and Founder, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

  AGPI proudly provides Holocaust education and recently launched a new exhibit called, “The Power of One” to showcase individuals who have fought against hate and discrimination and pushed through to make the world a better place. The organization is further hosting a major international conference to combat Antisemitism on November 7th. Please see our website for details at www.agpi.ca  

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10/19/21: Everyone can make a difference if they are willing and if they try.  The Power of One is a new exhibit being curated and launched by the Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) as part of its development of its Museum for Human Rights Collection. Thought provoking, it is meant to inspire and empower all people to take action to make the world a better place.

       AGPI board member and Chief of Police for Halton Region, Steve Tanner says his police department will be among the first to host the exhibit at his headquarters.  “We all have to be reminded about how each of us has the power to advance human dignity and to make the lives of others around us better.  In policing, we strive to make moral and ethical decisions every day and can draw on the guidance of some of the noted figures in the Power of One Exhibit.  ”It is so very important that we all do whatever is possible in order to fight against and eliminate discrimination, hatred, and racism on all levels throughout our society and around the world. Within policing we must stand for that at all times and we are here to protect all equally”

       The exhibit is scheduled to debut at Associated Hebrew Schools in the next few weeks.  Ora Shulman, the Head of School, commented, “As a values-based school, we are pleased to participate in this initiative to empower and inspire students to pursue their passions and make a difference.”  

       The pop-up travelling exhibit comprised of four 8x8 panels features notable figures like Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi, Anne Frank, Helen Keller, Mother Teresa and Malala Yousafzai - among others - who have each contributed or are contributing to making the world a better place. AGPI’s President, Mark Teitelbaum said: “Given our expertise in education and advocacy, our organization aims to circulate this incredible exhibit here at home and around the world.  It’s perfect for schools, boards of education, civic centres, city halls and police stations.  Really, it has very few limitations and is only open to our imagination”.

       Dr. Neil Orlowsky, AGPI’s Director of Education and a contributor to the exhibit is developing curricula for schools that can be integrated with the exhibit:  “The exhibit forces its audience to ask: What would you do if you were in the same situation?  What choices would you make? Would you risk your life to save others? Would you speak out? How can you help change the world for the better today?”

       As part of its mandate to advance human rights, AGPI is offering the exhibit free of charge and encourages the community to contact its office in order to book it.  Please contact us at office@agpi.ca For more information about the exhibit, please visit us at https://agpi.ca/exhibit%3A-thepowerofone

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10/18/21:  The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is delighted to welcome ROBERT LANTOS to its National Board of Advisors.

   The board is comprised of leading Canadians from the fields of academia, politics, law enforcement, education, law and business. 

   An Order of Canada recipient, Robert Lantos is a Canadian film producer of Hungarian origin was born on 3 April 1949 in Budapest. He spent much of his childhood in Montevideo, Uruguay, where his family fled after the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. 

   Mr. Lantos has produced 40 feature films. His credits include the Golden Globe Winner and Oscar nominated Barney’s Version; Golden Globe and Oscar Nominated, Eastern Promises; Golden Globe Nominated Sunshine; Cannes Grand Prix Winner and Oscar Nominated The Sweet Hereafter and Oscar Nominated and Golden Globe Winner Being Julia. 

   A staunch supporter of the fight against Antisemitism, Mr. Lantos continues to be outspoken and proudly joins AGPI in standing against hate and intolerance on the global stage.

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10/15/21:  The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) welcomes Canada's announcement that it will appoint a permanent envoy to combat Antisemitism and Holocaust distortion.  

  Given that the Jewish community is the most targeted religious group for hate crime in Canada. Special attention is required given the growing threat of antisemitism in this country. 

   In announcing the position in Malmo at an international conference on Antisemitism, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, "This is in line with Canada's commitment to promote and defend pluralism, inclusion and human rights,".

  AGPI's Founder and Chairman, a long standing expert in the area of Antisemitism and Holocaust education said that this was an important milestone for this country.  He expects that the office will represent the diversity of the Jewish community.

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October 12, 21 - The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) wrote to Toronto's City Councillors today asking them to take action against displays that endanger road safety. This picture was taken on the Gardner Expressway in Toronto.

  Following AGPI's protest, The City of Toronto says it will "immediately" remove the "illegal" banners and flags.  The CJN reported that "City staff are responding to have the items removed immediately as a matter of public safety for the drivers below"

  "While we live in a free and democratic society, provocative displays evoke a political and emotional reaction, which is dangerous to drivers.  It is particularly shameful given the Antisemitic assaults in Toronto this past spring by pro-Palestinian demonstrators.  Toronto Councillors must address this issue" said AGPI's Founder and Chairman Avi Abraham Benlolo.

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10/12/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is deeply disturbed by the decision of online retailer Amazon to share profits from a book written by a Nazi sympathizer.

   As reported by British publication, The Times, online retailer Amazon has recently agreed to share revenue from a book entitled The Fall of Western Man, written by Mark Collett. Collett is the leader of UK’s fastest growing far-right movement, who has denied that the Holocaust took place, and has made comments praising Hitler.

  The AGPI is deeply disturbed by Amazon’s decision to associate itself with the leader of a racist, antisemitic movement, and allowing him to use its online platform to sell his racist ideology. As a major global corporation, Amazon has the moral responsibility to ensure that it does not promote hatred of any kind by selling products associated with people who preach hatred and intolerance.

10/11/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is disappointed in the United Nations Human Rights Council for approving the so-called "Durban Resolution" instead of opposing Antisemitism.  

 The   Durban Conference 20th anniversary was widely condemned by the UN General Assembly member states.  because it fomented Antisemitism. 

 The UNHRC's vote in support of the resolution even while the UK called for a roll call and prevented the text's anticipated passage by consensus - is disappointing considering the accelerated rate of Antisemitism around the world. 

   The AGPI ran an international petition to stop the Durban conference and protest the Antisemitism that it brings. 

Toronto - 10/05/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is planning to present Canada’s UN Ambassador, Bob Rae with its First Annual Human Rights Award in New York on Wednesday October 6th 2021. The new Canadian organization will be presenting the award in recognition of Ambassador Rae’s exceptional championship of human rights throughout his career.

   The presentation of the award will be held in conjunction with AGPI’s Global Launch in New York alongside a number of Permanent UN representatives and dignitaries. As a new global human rights organization with a mission to advance human rights, peace and democracy and combat racism and intolerance, AGPI is launching its global footprint in New York by meeting with Permanent Representatives of a number of nations and with various UN officials including the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

   “It’s our honour and pleasure to bestow upon Ambassador Bob Rae our highest honour for his work in advancing human rights” said Paul Godfrey, AGPI’s Honourary Chairman and the Chairman of one of Canada’s leading newspapers, the National Post. Ambassador Rae served as Premier of Ontario and Leader of the Liberal Party of Canada.  His career spans a wide range of areas including recently as Special Envoy to Myanmar, as Special Envoy on Humanitarian and Refugee Issues leading to his report “A Global Pandemic Requires a Global Response”.

   “Our organization aspires to carry Canada’s message to the world, becoming a moral compass for pluralism, justice and human rights for all.  At the recent UN General Assembly, it was clear from testimony given by world leaders that the world around us is in greater turmoil more than ever.  Over the course of the next number of years, our objective will be to bring the world together under one tent” said Avi Abraham Benlolo, AGPI’s Founder and Chairman.  

   In addition to our hosts at Canada’s Mission to the United Nations, High level international representatives are anticipated to participate including Ambassador Noa Furman, Deputy Permanent Ambassador of Israe; HE Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, Deputy Permanent Representative of the UAE and including Ambassadors from Austria, Hungary, Italy, Lichtenstein and the Slovak Republic among many others. 

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September 30, 2021 - Toronto, Ontario

The Abraham Global Peace Initiative today issued the following statement on the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation:

  Today, we stand solemnly and in solidarity with our First Nations, Inuit and Metis Survivors and their families to honour the lost children and survivors of residential schools.  This is an important day for all Canadians to acknowledge, remember and reflect the harm caused by some 140 residential schools operated in this country between 1831 and 1998. 

   AGPI continues to call for recognition and accountability and supports the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  At least 150,000 children from across the country were forcibly taken from their families and their communities and placed in residential schools.  An estimated 4,100 children died in residential schools, but the true numbers are yet to be discovered. This year was especially painful as unmarked mass graves were located near residential schools highlighting the severe abuse and injustice caused to our indigenous communities.

  Quote by AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo: “Our organization has made recognition of our indigenous peoples an important area in our pursuit of anti-racism and discrimination policies.  In our mission and mandate statement of policies alongside our Bill of Rights and Charter of Rights and Freedoms, we have included the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. We are also offering a workshop on November 1st as an introductory lesson about the Indigenous history of our nation (For more information, please visit speaker series at www.agpi.ca)”.

  Today, AGPI’s Board of Directors alongside its National and Global Board of Advisors, Board of Governors and Women's Global Initiative - all comprised of leading current and former parliamentarians, mayors, law enforcement officials, clergy, lawyers and medical professionals and business and civil society leaders stand in solidarity and in recognition of our First Nations, Inuit and Metis Survivors and their families.

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09/29/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) strongly condemns the British Labour Party for voting in favour of a resolution calling Israel an “Apartheid State”.

  The British Labour Party, in their annual conference, voted in favour of a resolution that defines Israel as an “Apartheid state”. The resolution is being lauded by the BDS movement. The Labour Party claims to have taken action to root out antisemitism among its ranks, but this latest resolution indicates that antisemitism in the party is alive and well. 

   The AGPI condemns this resolution in the strongest of terms and calls on the Labour Party to stop demonizing Israel and promoting antisemitism.   

Toronto - 09/29/21: Over 33,771 Jewish children, women and men were murdered at the site of the Babi Yar ravine in Kyiv Ukraine between September 29th and 30th in 1941 in what is known as one of the largest Nazi mass murder sites of the Holocaust.  Overall some 100,00 to 150,000 people were murdered at the site in total following these dates.

   The Jewish people of Kyiv were forced to undress and enter into the ravine where they were mostly machine gunned to death.  Often referred to as the “Holocaust by bullets” – Babi Yar was one of many relatively unknown killing sites of the Holocaust.  “Having visited the site in the 1990s, aside from a small memorial, the site was overgrown and largely unrecognizable as a place of horrific mass murder” said Avi Abraham Benlolo, AGPI’s Founder and Chairman.

   Ukraine is marking the 80th anniversary of the Babi Yar massacre today. In a reckoning with its past, it aims to build a new memorial at the site and just last week its parliament passed a law banning and defining Antisemitism in the country.  Its estimated that 1.5 million of Ukraine’s pre-World War Two Jewish population was murdered in the Holocaust.

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 09/27/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) stands with Israel in its warning to the United Nations General Assembly today that “Iran’s Nuclear Program is at a Critical Point”.  AGPI believes that Iran must be impeded from acquiring nuclear weapons if global and Middle East stability including the advancement of human rights is to be maintained.

   In his speech this morning to the UN General Assembly, Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett warned the world about the “Mullah Touch”.  Every nation that Iran touches, including Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, Iraq and Gaza is failing. Iran, said Bennett, is supporting nearly or all terror groups in the region with its goal of dominating the region under a nuclear umbrella.

   Prime Minister Bennett also spoke extensively about Israel’s success over the Coronavirus and its trail blazing research.  He highlighted Israel’s growing ties in the Middle East with its neighbours and projected that these ties would be strengthened and expanded.  Bennett further thanked the 38 nations who stood with Israel against the "antisemitic Durban Conference" meeting held last week. 

    “Given Iran’s promotion of Antisemitism and action as a state sponsor of terrorism, AGPI is continually motivating state actors to take action.  In fact, just this past week, my editorial in the National Post argued that Canada can ‘reach out, both directly and multilaterally, to try and break the impasse and bring the Iranians onside’.       The natural lead on this would be America – however time is running out” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo

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 09/23/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is expressing its disappointment in Canada’s procedural deportation process. Accused Nazi war criminal, Helmut Oberlander died peacefully surrounded by his family while facing what would have been his last deportation hearing for lying about his wartime activity when entering Canada. 

Oberlander was accused of being an interpreter in a Nazi death squad, Einsatzkommando 10a – a unit responsible for killing more than two million people, most of them Jewish.  Canada’s justice system stripped him of his citizenship on four occasions and ordered his deportation.  He maintained that he was conscripted into duty on threat of death.  

“Canada’s war record on first admitting Nazi war criminals and then failing to properly investigate and then deport them is a national shame.  

While victims of the Holocaust were brutally murdered, Nazi war criminals mostly died peacefully in this country surrounded by family.  Many have literally gotten away with murder”, said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Mr. Avi Abraham Benlolo. 

“Over the years, I have led delegations of Holocaust survivors to meet with parliamentarians in Ottawa to encourage them to follow through with investigating and prosecuting alleged Nazi war criminals.  I have witnessed Holocaust survivors’ emotional pleas to parliamentarians to follow through on the Deschenes Commission and Canada’s promise to bring Nazi war criminals to justice in this country.  Sadly, most Nazis have ended up dying from natural causes more often than seeing justice” Benlolo added. 

The 1985 Deschenes Commission compiled a list of 774 potential war criminals in Canada.   Of that number, only 20 individuals were recommended to act upon while many had never landed in Canada and insufficient evidence was available against 169 cases. In 1987 the House of Commons passed legislation that allowed for the prosecution of foreign war crimes and deportation of naturalized war criminals. Of these, only a handful were ever tried. 

09/22/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) took immediate action over a sickening video that emerged from a school in North Bay Ontario.  The video depicted grade 8 students from École Secondaire Catholique Algonquin, who, in uniform, are filmed marching together across the school's athletic field, and holding up their arms in the Nazi salute and shouting “Heil Hitler”. 

In consultation with police chief Scott Tod, 

AGPI discussed its utmost concern on behalf of the Jewish community.  “Given our organization’s leadership’s nearly 30 years of expertise in Holocaust education and in combating antisemitism, we offered the North Bay community our tremendous array of tools including workshops, tolerance training sessions, curricula and resources” said the organization’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.  

Additionally, AGPI’s Director of Education, Dr. Neil Orlowsky holds two Ph.D.’s in Social Justice education and is complimented by a substantive committee of educators who are eager to address issues concerning antisemitism, hate andintolerance in schools here at home and around the world. 

While local police continue to investigate and interview school officials and parents, it’s important for the North Bay community to cement education gaps when it comes to antisemitism and Holocaust education. “Our perspective at AGPI is a character centered pedagogical approach whereby students come to understand antisemitism and hate from an emotional intelligence framework first and foremost”, Benlolo added. 

Even while the Jewish community makes up less than 4% of the Greater Toronto Area population, for example, it is targeted 34% of the time for hate crime.  In other words, it is the most targeted religious group in this country. Ontario saw a 44.3% increase in Anti-Jewish hate between 2018 and 2020 and a 70.8% increase nation-wide.  Those figures are intolerable and are being addressed by the organization.

09/21/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) is deeply concerned about a recent reported video that surfaced depicting grade 8 students from the École Secondaire Catholique Algonquin, who, in uniform, are filmed marching together across the school's athletic field, and holding up their arms in the Nazi salute. 

While the video itself is alleged to be shocking, even worse the media is reporting that some in the group can be heard yelling various epithets such as "F*ck the Jews," and "Heil Hitler" without hesitation. Witness accounts say one of the participants played the Nazi anthem from an audio. 

This normalization of antisemitism is troubling and points to a greater need to educate on how to recognize,  combat, and dismantle hate, racism, and all 'ism's manifesting within school's and society.

AGPI acknowledges and commends the school's administration who, with the North Bay Police Service investigated the incident and will be working with the student to recognize the meaning and harm of their actions.  It plans to follow up with school officials following the holiday of Sukkot which Jewish communities are now observing.

This incident follows an increase in antisemitic acts being normalized across our country and a year that has proven extremely stressful for local Jewish communities across Canada.  AGPI offers Holocaust education workshops and speakers series and works with law enforcement in an effort to combat antisemitism. 

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For further information about the incident, visit:

https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/grade-8-hate-speech-video-prompts-police-investigation-at-local-school-4345578

09/20/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) held a productive meeting today with the Jerusalem based Deputy for the Middle East Peace Process.  Canadian Lynn Hastings is also the United Nations Deputy Special Coordinator, Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for UNSCO. 

  “As part of our mission and mandate to strengthen Israel, peace and security, we are forging ties with officials around the globe to enhance understanding and promote tolerance, justice and human rights.  At the end of the day, we can solve the world’s most complex issues through dialogue and an effort to collaborate and work together” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo.

  “As Canadians, I am proud that we are finally standing strong and proud in the international arena. Aside from its already impressive work, AGPI also empowers us to stand on our own two feet and be represented globally about some of the world’s most pressing problems. We are especially looking forward to our global launch at the United Nations in a couple of weeks, where our delegation will meet with international leaders” said Mark Teitelbaum, AGPI’s President and host of this morning’s roundtable.

   Through its international work, AGPI also recently met with officials at United Nations Relief Works Agency (UNRWA) to discuss the allegations of antisemitism and incitement to terrorism in curriculum associated with the agency.   “Given the fact that Canada allocates more than $90 million to UNRWA – one of the highest contributions – as Canadians, we can have a voice in pressing the agency for accountability and change” Benlolo added.

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09/20/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) condemns the Islamic Republic of Iran for continuing to ban Iranian athletes from competing with Israeli athletes. 

  Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has recently reaffirmed his regime’s policy on banning Iranian athletes from competing with Israelis in sporting events. Iran’s Islamist regime has repeatedly resolved to commit genocide against the Jewish people by wiping Israel off the face of the Earth.   

  The AGPI condemns the continuing belligerence of Iran’s Islamist regime for preventing Iranian athletes from participating in sporting competitions based solely on the fact that they may have to compete with athletes that represent the world’s one and only Jewish state. 

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09/17/21: In the National Post today, The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI)' Founder and Chairman, Avi Abraham Benlolo charges that the Palestinian Authority's biggest mistake in recent years was the vicious rejection of the Abraham Peace Accords and the vigorous anti-normalization campaign against the Jewish state

    "It’s the same old story. In recent decades, Palestinian leaders have done everything to keep their people desperate and underdeveloped by turning down numerous peace agreements. But their biggest mistake in recent years was the vicious rejection of the Abraham Peace Accords and the vigorous anti-normalization campaign against the Jewish state".

   "It’s time for the international community, including Canada, to hold the Palestinian Authority to account. The Abraham Peace Accords provides the international community with a comprehensive peace plan for the Middle East, but any such plan must include the Palestinians"

For the full article: https://nationalpost.com/opinion/avi-benlolo-peace-in-the-middle-east-is-within-our-grasp-only-the-self-defeating-palestinian-leadership-stands-in-the-way

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09/15/21: The Abraham Global Peace Initiative (AGPI) accepts NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s condemnation of Antisemitism this morning with respect to the resignation of two NDP candidates accused of antisemitism on social media. Mr. Singh said, “I want to be very clear: their comments were completely wrong and have no place in our party”. 

    According to reports, “the party confirmed that Dan Osborne, the candidate for Cumberland-Colchester, and Sidney Coles, the candidate for Toronto-St. Paul’s, ended their campaigns and “agreed to educate themselves further about antisemitism”.

  “Given the rising tide of antisemitism and particularly Holocaust distortion and false notions about Israel and vaccine supplies, the party and the candidates have undertaken the correct approach to rectifying the situation and issued appropriate apologies.  Our organization is ready and willing to provide all political candidates with educational opportunities to learn and understand antisemitism” said AGPI’s Founder and Chairman, Mr. Avi Abraham Benlolo.  

   The Abraham Global Peace Initiative is a Canadian organization focused on promoting education and combating Antisemitism, racism and discrimination. 

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