Churches condemn anti-Semitism.Concerned by an "alarming increase of anti-Semitism in Canada," leaders of nine Christian churches in Canada--including the Anglican Church of Canada --have urged religious communities and Canadians in general to resist violence against Jewish people, holy places and cemeteries. "We challenge all churches, parishes, congregations and people of good will to find ways and means WAYS AND MEANS. In legislative assemblies there is usually appointed a committee whose duties are to inquire into, and propose to the house, the ways and means to be adopted to raise funds for the use of the government. This body is called the committee of ways and means. to expose and eradicate anti-Semitism within and from Canadian society," the church leaders said in an open letter. Among those who signed the statement were Archbishop Michael Peers, primate of the Anglican Church of Canada The Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada (referred to in older documents as the Primate of All Canada) is elected by the General Synod of the Church from among a list of five bishops nominated by the House of Bishops. ; Archbishop Brendan O'Brien Brendan Michael O'Brien (born September 28, 1943) is a Canadian prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He currently serves as Archbishop of Kingston, having previously served as Archbishop of Saint John's and Bishop of Pembroke. , president of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops; Commissioner M. Christine MacMillan of the Salvation Army and Bishop Peter Short, moderator of the United Church of Canada The Moderator of the United Church of Canada is the presiding leader of the United Church of Canada, Canada's largest Protestant denomination. The church is highly decentralized and non-dogmatic and the moderator has only limited power. . The letter was released to coincide with the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights Universal Declaration of Human Rights Declaration adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948. Drafted by a committee chaired by Eleanor Roosevelt, it was adopted without dissent but with eight abstentions. last Dec. 10 and the beginning of Hanukkah on Dec. 20. Rabbi Reuven Bulka, Canadian Jewish Congress The Canadian Jewish Congress is an umbrella group of Jewish organizations in Canada and constitutes one of the main lobby groups for the Jewish community in the country though it often competes with the more conservative B'nai Brith Canada in that regard. chair of religious and inter-religious affairs, welcomed the release of the statement saying, "the expressed determination by church signatories to systematically combat anti-Semitism across Canada in both word and deed is especially timely and resonates positively with all Canadians." The statement called on Canadians "to exercise the greatest diligence on behalf of our Jewish friends and neighbours, that when they come under attack, and their sacred places desecrated des·e·crate tr.v. des·e·crat·ed, des·e·crat·ing, des·e·crates To violate the sacredness of; profane. [de- + (con)secrate. , that they find true solidarity in establishing security and in redressing wrong." Rabbi Bulka also noted that the statement had expressed "an appreciation of the Jewish community's significant contribution to Canada and an unequivocal affirmation of Judaism's vigor and inspirational power not only for its adherents but also for other believers." The two-page statement had noted that many Christian churches in Canada "are fully aware of and deeply grateful for the Jewish roots of our faith traditions" and expressed "unqualified gratitude for the gifts of the Jewish people to world civilization in general and Canadian society in particular." |
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