Ellin Bessner

B’nai Brith Canada is continuing to support the Ontario Camps Association (OCA) in its response to a coordinated hate-fueled smear campaign targeting Jewish-affiliated camps and OCA leadership. We are doing so in our capacity as a leading national human rights organization with 150 years of expertise in combatting antisemitism and supporting institutions facing hate-related incidents. Our role is to provide guidance and practical advice to help the OCA and its members, where and when needed, to defend themselves and to ensure Ontario’s camps remain safe, welcoming, and inclusive spaces. Accreditation bodies such as OCA exist to uphold standards related to safety, governance, and program quality. They do not adjudicate geopolitical conflicts, nor should they be subjected to pressure campaigns that seek to target institutions or individuals because of their Jewish identity or anyone’s recognition of Israel’s right to exist as the indigenous and ancestral homeland of the Jewish People. Jewish camps, like all community institutions in Canada, must be able to operate free from harassment, intimidation, or discrimination. Attempts to single out Jewish camps are unacceptable, and B’nai Brith Canada will ensure they are confronted with clarity and resolve.