Anti‑Zionist groups across Canada have launched a letter‑writing campaign urging provincial camp‑accreditation bodies to strip at least 17 Jewish children's summer camps of their official accreditation, saying the camps support what they call a "genocidal" state.
The campaign, organized by a coalition that includes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, the Palestinian Canadian Congress, Just Peace Advocates, and other pro‑Palestinian organizations, accuses the camps of promoting Israel.
What the Campaign Is About
Activists point to activities such as celebrating Israel's Independence and Memorial Days, hosting staff who have visited or served in Israel, and employing veterans of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), according to the Times of Israel.
Organizers say they have sent more than 800 letters to camp‑accreditation bodies, including the Ontario Camps Association (OCA), the Quebec Camping Association, and the Nova Scotia Camping Association. The letters ask these groups to revoke or review the accreditation of the named Jewish camps, arguing that their ties to Israel make them politically problematic.
In some cases, the letters single out specific camps in Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, and Nova Scotia. They cite examples such as a counselor who previously worked as a social worker in the IDF or a camp director publicly identified as a Zionist supporter, framing those links as evidence of support for what the campaigners call a "settler‑colonial" or "genocidal" state.
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How Jewish Groups and Camp Associations Are Responding
Jewish organizations have sharply criticized the campaign, describing it as an attempt to intimidate and isolate Jewish children and families. The UJA Federation of Greater Toronto called the effort a "deliberate act of intimidation" aimed at bullying Jewish camps and making Jewish parents feel unsafe, the Jewish Chronicle reported.
The Ontario Camps Association, which accredits many of the camps named in the letter campaign, responded with a statement saying it finds the accusations "deeply concerning." The association said the language used in the campaign reflects rhetoric it considers discriminatory and antisemitic, and warned that singling out one minority group fits a broader pattern of targeting Jewish institutions.
The OCA has also said it is working with Jewish groups to review its policies on safety, inclusion, and how to respond to campaigns that focus on one religious community. Jewish leaders stress that the camps' main purpose is to provide safe, educational, and recreational experiences for children, and warn that turning them into political battlegrounds can discourage participation and heighten anxiety among families, as per the CJN.
