Jewish Students Left Out-Again
Jewish parents across Toronto are expressing outrage and heartbreak after the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) released a new student census survey that excludes “Jewish” as a cultural or ethnic identity option. Sent to families from kindergarten through Grade 12, the survey was supposed to foster belonging and address bullying, harassment, and safety under the province’s PPM 145 directive. Instead, it has left Jewish students and families feeling erased and ignored.
The survey’s omission forces Jewish students to write in their identity, reinforcing a sense of invisibility. Even more painful, the only example of faith-based bullying provided in the survey is anti-Muslim harassment; there is no mention of the antisemitic abuse Jewish students regularly face, such as being targeted for wearing a kippah or expressing their Jewish heritage.
As one anonymous letter campaign to trustees put it:
“Jewish students deserve to be acknowledged, protected, and heard, not erased. This survey was meant to foster belonging. Instead, it sends a devastating message: that Jewish identity and Jewish pain do not count.”
The Reality: Antisemitism Is Rising, But TDSB Looks Away
The numbers are alarming. According to the TDSB’s own Human Rights Annual Report, antisemitic incidents have surged from 211 in 2022-2023 to 312 in 2023-2024, a 48% increase. Jewish students, who make up just 3.5% of the TDSB’s population, are now the targets of 14.5% of all hate incidents in the board, up from 10.4% the year before. That’s roughly one antisemitic incident for every 27 Jewish students.
“Kids spend 14 years in the TDSB. In those 14 years, it’s more likely than not they’ll be victims of antisemitism under the TDSB’s care,” said Jewish parent advocate Kucharczuk. “And what has the TDSB done about it? I haven’t seen anything.”
Despite these statistics and years of consultation with Jewish organizations, the TDSB has repeatedly diluted its response, folding a promised antisemitism strategy into a generic anti-hate initiative, and failing to capture the unique, ethno-religious nature of Jewish identity.
“We Are Not Invisible”: The Jewish and Zionist Response
Jewish and Zionist students refuse to be erased. Jewish identity is not just a religion; it is a peoplehood, a culture, and for many, a proud connection to the land and people of Israel. By forcing students to “write in” their identity and ignoring the reality of antisemitic bullying, the TDSB sends a dangerous message: that Jewish pain is less important, and that Zionist identity is something to be hidden or ashamed of.
Community leaders and organizations, including the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), UJA Federation, and the Toronto Holocaust Museum, have demanded that the board immediately recognize Jewish identity in all its forms and take concrete steps to protect Jewish students from hate.
“Denying or diminishing the reality of antisemitism is ultimately complicity in the bullying and marginalization of Jewish students, and this cannot continue,” said CIJA’s Michelle Stock.
A Call for True Inclusion and Action
It is not enough for the TDSB to offer a “write your own word” option or vague assurances. Jewish students deserve to be seen, counted, and protected, just like every other community. The board must:
- Explicitly include “Jewish” as a cultural, ethnic, and religious identity in all surveys and DEI initiatives.
- Provide clear examples of antisemitic bullying in all anti-bullying education.
- Advance a robust, standalone antisemitism strategy, not just a generic anti-hate policy.
- Recognize anti-Zionism as a form of antisemitism and ensure Jewish students are not targeted for their support of Israel.