Uniting Against Hate: Jewish-Hindu Coalition Confronts University Extremism

The Canadian chapter of CoHNA and CIJA hosted an insightful session at the University of Toronto addressing the rising challenges of antisemitism and Hinduphobia in academic settings. Experts emphasized the necessity of Jewish-Hindu alliances and community collaboration to counter extremism, misinformation, and preserve human dignity.

The Canadian chapter of the Coalition of Hindus of North America (CoHNA) and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) jointly organized an impactful session at the University of Toronto on Sunday. The discussion centered around the rising challenges of antisemitism and Hinduphobia within academic environments, featuring insightful contributions from U.S.-based researchers.

One of the prominent speakers, Joel Finkelstein, highlighted the crucial nature of Jewish-Hindu partnerships. He argued that societies valuing reasoned discourse and human dignity benefit from such collaborations, providing a foundation for mutual protection. Finkelstein noted that concerted efforts are often necessary to combat forces that threaten vulnerable communities, urging active defense of human rights.

Another speaker, Prasiddha Sudhakar, stressed the importance of Hindu alliances with diverse communities to tackle extremism. She emphasized that, in the digital age, misinformation and cyber threats are heightened, necessitating cooperative educational efforts to understand shared challenges. Sudhakar called for unified action to counter extremism and safeguard communities, particularly minorities.

(With inputs from agencies.)