Yoni Goldstein: Lessons from Canada’s embattled Jewish community on how to fight the trade war

The trade war with the United States has many worried about Canada’s future. Can we truly survive against an opponent so much bigger, richer and stronger than us? How do we defend against an unpredictable adversary with leaders who do not play by conventional rules? What can we do to fight back on a modern battlefield where it is not easy to decipher what is real, fake or half-true?

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There are no easy answers, but there are strong clues. And there is one group of people — here in Canada and around the world — that might very well be able to help Canada find its path forward. They, too, have been defending themselves against a multi-front onslaught in recent years, forced to reinvent their community for today’s realities. From defence to social media, institution-building to national engagement, their lessons about what has worked — and what hasn’t — are applicable to Canada as a whole.

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I am talking about the Jewish people.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Jews around the world have been forced to fight against a co-ordinated attack built on lies, hate and media manipulation. They have had to reorient themselves, change their habits, assess their future and invest in things they never thought they would have to. Jewish successes, and failures, offer useful lessons as Canada navigates this trade war. They can be boiled down to six key areas.

1. Defending ourselves: Canadian Jewish communities now spend about $40 million annually on security. The bill for some larger synagogues and institutions exceeds $500,000 a year. These funds could be helping families in need, or go towards education and other cultural institutions, but the Jewish community has correctly understood that it first needs to be secure. Canada has increased its defence spending as of late but more needs to be done. Canada should use this moment as an opportunity to rebuild its shabby Forces, invest in natural resources and project real influence on the global stage.

2. Build culture: Ten years ago, Canadians rallied around the Tragically Hip’s final concert, which drew a national audience of 11.7-million people across TV, radio and digital. If we were to broadcast something now and tell every Canadian, “This is what we are all going to watch tonight, together,” what would it be? It’s hard to see any answer, aside from maybe an Olympic hockey final, and that is a problem. By contrast, since October 7, Jews have been bolstering their cultural connections, with art that speaks to the current condition, but that also laughs at it. And where artistic communities have refused to make space for Jews, they are building their own. A rebuilt national culture that engages all Canadians, not just artistic and political in-groups, would do wonders for the heart and soul of Canada.

3. Social media: For almost three years, Jews have been fighting a war on modern media platforms. The reality is that the community is simply not big enough to beat manipulative algorithms and the spreading of blatant lies by malicious, often nameless trolls. Efforts to combat misinformation may be laudable but they are ultimately useless on a playing field rigged in favour of the other side. Canada, too, is facing a social media war that we cannot win — and we shouldn’t try to. If Jews spent 50 per cent less time fighting with idiots online, they’d have much more energy and resources for more useful causes. Similarly, there’s no point in trying to out-meme the Americans. Save those resources for the real world.

4. Turn inward: Jews know that they can’t count on anyone else to save them. Sure, the community has friends and allies — people who are genuinely angered by the state of antisemitism in Canada and around the world — but there are not enough of them, at least not yet. Instead, Jews have empowered themselves and built a much more cohesive community as a result. Canada needs to do the same, because no one is coming to save us. Not our allies, not even the Democrats.

5. Drawing lines: There will inevitably be some Canadians who, for occasionally valid reasons but more often just to gain attention, will take our opponent’s side in this fight. It is important to emphasize that they are small in number and do not represent what Canada is about. The Jewish community has had to deal with a similar phenomena — the “as-a-Jew” crowd that bolsters antisemitism under the guise of its assumed “truths.” Fighting with what’s supposed to be one’s own team may feel icky, but when people are doing more harm than good, that is what needs to be done.

6. Harness the grassroots: Since October 7, countless new Jewish groups have emerged — volunteer security services, small advocacy organizations that punch above their weight and new digital mavericks building large communities that know how to organize. Established Jewish organizations have a mixed record when it comes to making space for these nascent groups, but it’s truly a no-brainer to enable grassroots groups to help build the community. Similarly, Canadian governments and institutions at all levels should embrace and support grassroots organizations that are in it for the right reasons. These are our future leaders, and they know how to manoeuvre and reach people in ways that bigger institutions simply can’t.

Canada’s imperative amid this new reality should be clear. More than anything, the trade war is a tremendous opportunity to think deeply about the nation we want to be and to build it in our own image. If we don’t make significant changes, and quickly, we could lose everything — just ask the Jews. Or better yet, learn from them about how to deal with bullies, and make this country stronger in the process.

National Post

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