Minister of Education, Bolduc promises to close illegal religious schools.

UPDATED

Six écoles illégales connues de Québec.

By Philippe Teisceira-Lessard | La Presse | 11 juin 2014 à 05h00.

Alors que le nouveau ministre de l'Éducation lance des appels à la dénonciation contre les écoles religieuses illégales afin de les fermer, le gouvernement dispose déjà d'une liste d'une demi-douzaine d'établissements qui agissent complètement en marge de la loi, a appris La Presse.

Dans plusieurs cas, Québec est informé de leur existence depuis des années sans toutefois que des poursuites aient été lancées.

La liste est essentiellement composée d'écoles illégales destinées aux enfants de confession juive orthodoxe. Elles se trouvent à Outremont, à Boisbriand et ailleurs dans la province.

Des visites du ministère semblent avoir eu lieu dans tous ces établissements, mais des procédures judiciaires n'ont été entamées qu'à l'encontre de l'une d'entre elles: l'Académie Yeshiva Toras Moshe de Montréal. Si l'on exclut de cette liste l'école de la secte Lev Tahor - en exil - quatre écoles fonctionnent toujours sans être inquiétées par des procédures judiciaires de Québec.

Revers judiciaire.

Selon nos informations, un premier échec devant la Cour supérieure dans le dossier de l'Académie Yeshiva Toras Moshe aurait rendu les fonctionnaires extrêmement réticents à retourner devant les tribunaux pour faire fermer d'autres écoles.

En 2011, le juge Gérard Dugré a refusé de fermer l'école d'urgence, en expliquant que la tolérance de Québec avait duré si longtemps - l'école existe depuis 1952 - qu'il n'y avait plus d'urgence à agir. «L'importance du délai écoulé entre 1952 et octobre 2006 constitue un obstacle incontournable dans les circonstances», a écrit le juge Dugré.

Au bureau du ministre de l'Éducation, on assure qu'Yves Bolduc entend être ferme envers les écoles clandestines.

Un comité interministériel d'action sera d'ailleurs annoncé aujourd'hui: le ministre de l'Éducation ainsi que ses collègues de la Justice et des Services sociaux y évalueront de nouveaux outils, «notamment législatifs», à adopter pour lutter contre ces écoles.

«On veut régler le problème une fois pour toutes, d'où le comité interministériel. Toutes les solutions sont sur la table et on veut procéder rapidement», a fait valoir Yasmine Abdelfadel, attachée de presse du ministre Bolduc.

La semaine dernière, le ministre appelait les députés d'opposition à dénoncer toute école clandestine dont ils avaient connaissance plutôt que de critiquer l'inaction du gouvernement dans ce dossier.

M. Bolduc n'est pas le premier ministre de l'Éducation à dire vouloir agir rapidement pour trouver une solution à ce problème. Mais quatre écoles seraient toujours en fonction, sans avoir à se défendre devant les tribunaux.

Deux d'entre elles sont à Boisbriand: l'École juive pour garçons et l'Académie de jeunes filles Beth Tziril.

Dans le premier cas, l'école aurait fait des représentations auprès du gouvernement pour faire valoir qu'elle n'était pas un établissement d'enseignement en bonne et due forme, mais plutôt un lieu où des cours de religion sont donnés. Toutefois, selon l'analyse du MELS, environ 300 garçons fréquentent exclusivement cette école. Le gouvernement connaît son existence depuis au moins cinq ans.

Preuve insuffisante.

Selon nos informations, les avocats du gouvernement ont estimé que la preuve amassée contre l'établissement n'était pas suffisante pour la traîner devant les tribunaux.

Les soeurs et les amies des élèves de l'École juive pour garçons fréquentent plutôt l'Académie Beth Tziril. Ce dossier serait en cours au niveau du ministère de l'Éducation, selon nos informations.

À Outremont, l'Académie Beth Esther avait un permis de fonctionnement il y a encore quelques années, mais l'a perdu depuis. L'établissement continue à opérer de façon illégale depuis. Une visite avec mandat a eu lieu en octobre 2013 et une mise en demeure aurait été rédigée, sans toutefois être envoyée.

La seule école figurant sur la liste du ministère et qui n'est pas de confession juive est l'Église-école mennonite de Roxton Falls, un petit établissement qui accueillerait à peine une quinzaine d'enfants. Une visite avec mandat a eu lieu l'automne dernier.

Trois types d'écoles confessionnelles.

Écoles légales et conformes.

Ces écoles, qui représentent la majorité des écoles confessionnelles, se plient aux exigences gouvernementales. En conséquence, elles ont reçu un permis de fonctionnement à long ou à moyen terme.

Écoles légales mais non conformes

Ces établissements possèdent un permis du ministère de l'Éducation même si elles ne se conforment pas à toutes les exigences gouvernementales. Québec leur remet des permis de fonctionnement à court terme afin de les surveiller.

Écoles illégales

Ces écoles n'ont pas de permis de fonctionnement et fonctionnent conséquemment en marge de la loi. Québec les considère comme «clandestines». Elles sont au nombre de six.

LES ÉTABLISSEMENTS CLANDESTINS

Église-école mennonite

401, rue Notre-Dame, Roxton Falls

Quand nous nous sommes rendus dans cet établissement, en début d'après-midi un jour de semaine, une dizaine d'enfants jouaient au baseball à l'arrière de l'école. Les jeunes filles portaient toutes une jupe longue, et avaient les cheveux relevés en chignon et retenus par une résille noire à la façon traditionnelle des mennonites. Ignorant notre métier journaliste, l'un des enseignants nous a informés que 22 élèves fréquentaient l'école et qu'auprès du Ministère, ils étaient en fait enregistré comme faisant l'école à la maison. L'enseignant nous a fait entrer dans l'école, qui a été emménagée dans l'église. Il y avait là des pupitres et un paravent séparant ce qui tenait lieu de classes, à savoir deux classes multiniveaux. On nous a donné le numéro de téléphone de celui que l'enseignant désignait comme le responsable de l'école. Au téléphone, cet homme a dit ne pas vouloir émettre de commentaires à La Presse. Selon nos informations, l'école privilégierait l'enseignement des travaux ménagers.

Alors que le nouveau ministre de l'Éducation... (Photo David Boily, La Presse) - image 4.0

Académie Beth Esther

1239, avenue Van Horne, Outremont

Selon le rapport annuel 2011-2012 de la Commission consultative de l'enseignement privé, cet établissement offre des services éducatifs depuis 1956, mais ce n'est qu'en 2003 que le Ministère a été mis au fait de son existence. L'école a obtenu son premier permis en 2007, permis qui a été renouvelé à quelques reprises contre la promesse de corriger diverses irrégularités relatives notamment au peu d'enseignants qualifiés et au manque suivi du programme du Ministère. L'école a finalement perdu son permis en 2012. À l'époque, 244 élèves y étaient inscrits. Aujourd'hui, 200 enfants la fréquenteraient encore. La commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys a envoyé ce printemps une lettre à leurs parents, leur rappelant leur obligation d'envoyer leurs enfants dans un établissement reconnu. Le cas échéant, prévenait la commission scolaire, l'absence d'inscription serait signalée à la Direction de la protection de la jeunesse. Au moment de notre passage, on n'a vu aucun enfant et l'édifice semblait déserté.

Alors que le nouveau ministre de... (Photo Olivier Pontbriand, La Presse) - image 5.0

Académie Yeshiva Toras Moshe

5669, avenue Casgrain, Montréal

Aujourd'hui située dans un édifice de briques rouges très bien tenu, avenue Casgrain à Montréal, l'Académie Yeshiva Toras Moshe donne une éducation religieuse pour jeunes garçons hassidiques de la communauté Satmar depuis un quart de siècle. Depuis 2006, le ministère de l'Éducation demande sans succès à cette école de se conformer au curriculum national, les responsables de l'école tenant à une instruction religieuse intensive. L'établissement n'aurait jamais demandé ni reçu de fonds publics pour assurer son financement. Au moment de notre visite, un matin de semaine, les portes de l'école étaient fermées, mais plusieurs jouets traînaient dans la cour. Les gens du voisinage nous ont indiqué que l'école recevait toujours des élèves. Il n'a pas été possible de joindre Alex Werzberger, qui agit comme porte-parole de la communauté hassidique en général et dans ce dossier en particulier.

École Talmud Torah de Tosh

16, avenue Beth-Halevy, Boisbriand

Construite au début des années 90, l'école Talmud Torah accueille, six jours par semaine, quelques centaines de garçons de 3 à 13 ans. Pourtant, elle n'a jamais demandé ni obtenu de permis d'enseignement du ministère de l'Éducation. «Ça n'a rien à voir avec une école: c'est seulement de la religion», déplore Shifra, une femme qui a quitté la communauté juive hassidique Kiryas Tosh il y a près de cinq ans, avec son conjoint et ses enfants. Son garçon a déjà fréquenté l'école Talmud Torah, où l'on ne fait que réciter des textes religieux. «Après l'école, en option, les garçons peuvent prendre des cours de mathématiques et d'anglais, mais c'est vraiment la base, niveau 1re année», explique Shifra. À partir de 13 ans, les garçons fréquentent l'école voisine. Là aussi, on n'y enseigne que la religion. Lors du passage de La Presse, c'était jour de fête religieuse, et les enfants n'étaient pas à l'école. À l'intérieur, un vieil homme lisait un épais manuscrit dans une classe. Il n'a pas voulu répondre à nos questions. L'école accueille aussi un centre de la petite enfance de 80 places reconnu depuis 2005 par le ministère de la Famille.

Alors que le nouveau ministre de... (Photo Marco Campanozzi, La Presse) - image 7.0

L'Académie des jeunes filles Beth Tziril

251, avenue Beth-Halevy, Boisbriand

De 1995 à 2013, le ministère de l'Éducation a non seulement délivré un permis d'enseignement à l'Académie des jeunes filles Beth Tziril, mais il lui a aussi versé des subventions. Lorsqu'il renouvelait le permis, le Ministère le faisait pour de courtes durées, et à diverses conditions. En 2012, seulement 3 professeurs sur 24 détenaient une autorisation d'enseigner, peut-on lire dans le rapport de la Commission consultative de l'enseignement privé. L'école accueillait alors 380 jeunes filles de niveau préscolaire à secondaire. Selon Shifra, une membre défroquée, les filles récitent des textes religieux le matin et étudient d'autres matières, comme le français ou l'anglais, en après-midi. «Contrairement aux garçons, qui sont coupés du monde pour se concentrer sur la religion, les filles doivent apprendre à se débrouiller, parce que ce sont elles qui vont faire les courses», explique-t-elle. En juin 2013, le Ministère a refusé de renouveler le permis de l'école. Rencontré devant chez lui, un administrateur de l'établissement, Shimshon Huss, a défendu l'enseignement qu'on offre dans les écoles de sa communauté. «Ça fait plus de 100 ans qu'elles existent, a-t-il dit. J'ai moi-même été élevé dans une école comme celle-là, à Montréal.» L'Académie Beth Tziril accueille aussi un centre de la petite enfance de 80 places depuis 1997.

Alors que le nouveau ministre de... (Photo Marco Campanozzi, La Presse) - image 8.0

L'école de la communauté Lev Tahor

580, rue des Bouleaux, Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts

La communauté hassidique Lev Tahor a fui Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts il y a plus de six mois, mais il est encore possible de visiter son école, qui a peu changé depuis l'exil du groupe à Chatham, en Ontario. Le bâtiment blanc de deux niveaux ne paie pas de mine. Il est aujourd'hui en vente, comme 16 autres bâtiments appartenant à la communauté. «Les transactions se font à 40% du prix demandé», souligne le courtier immobilier Henri Primeau. À l'étage, cinq minuscules pièces accueillent chacune de cinq à huit vieux pupitres en bois. Lorsqu'elle a fui, la communauté achevait la construction d'une toute nouvelle école de quatre étages, construite, comme la première, en zone résidentielle. Au troisième étage du nouveau bâtiment, des centaines de livres de prières pour enfants encore emballés sont empilés. La communauté Lev Tahor a admis que ses enfants recevaient une éducation religieuse; son école n'a jamais détenu de permis d'enseignement. La communauté Lev Tahor compte environ 200 membres, dont plus de la moitié sont des enfants. Quatorze d'entre eux sont au coeur de procédures judiciaires entreprises par les services sociaux du Québec et de l'Ontario.

- Catherine Handfield

New Quebec gov’t may crack down on ‘illegal’ chassidic schools.

Janice Arnold | The Canadian Jewish News | Friday, May 2, 2014

MONTREAL — Quebec’s new education minister appears to be ready to take a tough stance against chassidic schools that continue to not comply with the law.

In response to questions, Yves Bolduc told reporters on April 30 that the government will cut subsidies to any such schools and take legal action to close them if that doesn’t work.

“What is important is that the students have to have a very good education, and they must acquire the knowledge that is necessary,” he said before entering a cabinet meeting at the National Assembly.

“The bottom line is that a Quebec schoolchild must receive the courses prescribed in the law.”

The issue of “illegal” Jewish schools has been raised again in the Quebec media after a couple that left the Tash chassidic community in Boisbriand told Radio-Canada that one of the main reasons was the inadequate secular schooling their children received.

The Lev Tahor sect’s flight from Ste. Agathe to Chatham, Ont., last November has also put chassidic schools under renewed scrutiny. Its leaders cited an inability to conform to Quebec’s mandatory school curriculum because it conflicts with their religious beliefs as the prime factor for the departure.

About a half-dozen chassidic schools have been under scrutiny by the education department since at least 2006. Bolduc’s Liberal predecessor Michelle Courchesne spent years in negotiation with the schools to try to find a way they could abide by the law. She issued an ultimatum that they would be taken to court if they did not.

In 2010, the government obtained a court injunction to shut down the 60-year-old Toras Moshe Academy, a boys’ elementary school under Satmar auspices. That case is still under appeal.

The schools say they don’t fully teach the mandatory curriculum because it either is at odds with their religious beliefs or, especially in the case of boys, so much time must be devoted to Jewish studies.

Some schools have also been found to employ uncertified teachers or to even have no permit to operate. Not all receive public funding. Nevertheless, every school must abide by the law.

Alex Werzberger, president of the Coalition of Chassidic Organizations of Outremont, is outraged, but more by certain media than by Bolduc.

Werzberger said most schools have done what they can to abide by the law, but some things are not negotiable. These include teaching the theory of evolution, certain works of literature and the prescribed “Ethics and Religious Culture” course, which teaches about other faiths and is mandatory for both elementary and high school students.

Nevertheless, he bristles at the description of any school as “illegal.”

“There are no crooks here. No one is clandestinely holding classes in a basement,” he said.

He said the chassidic communities have not received any new directive from the Liberal government, which took office last month.

Werzberger believes some reporters were trying to corner Bolduc into saying what they wanted to hear.

“He also said to them that he’s only six days on the job, that he doesn’t know the file that well, and to get back to him in three or four weeks.”

COMMENT

Passepartoute

I believe Ms Arnold is mistaken. The government failed in its attempt to shut down the Satmar's Toras Moshe Yeshiva which, incidentally, neither seeks nor receives any government funding. See Superior Court Justice Gérard Dugré's 2011 judgment which categorically demolishes the government's case. 

I am not aware of any other ruling in this matter. The "organized" Jewish community can learn a thing or two from Justice Dugré's decision - about faith and commitment and the exercise of religious freedom.

Minister of Education, Bolduc promises to close illegal religious schools.

By Régys Caron | TVA News | First published April 30, 2014 at 2:21 p.m.

The new Education Minister Yves Bolduc pledges crackdown against illegal religious schools.

"Illegal schools cannot remain open," said Mr. Bolduc Wednesday morning on arrival at the Council of Ministers. The Minister of Education responded to a report indicating the existence of schools Lev Tahor sect that do not provide their students the primary and secondary curriculum prescribed by the Ministry of Education.

"The baseline is a Quebec student must receive courses under the law," said Yves Bolduc. Schools covered by the minister are divided into two categories. There are those that are subsidized by the Ministry of Education and which depart from the Act on Public Education. The ministry then proceeds through warnings and renews permits for limited periods (one year) as long as they comply with the Act. Then there are the downright illegal schools whose existence is ignored by the ministry.

According to the figures provided by the Ministry of Education , the State subsidizes this year 16 private Jewish  schools, four Muslim schools, three Armenian schools and a Greek school. There are also five Muslim unsubsidized private schools.

"La Presse" reported last summer [Ultimatum à quatre écoles hassidiques] that the Department of Education threatened to close four private schools that hosted 2,000 Hasidic Jewish children. It reported the presence of untrained teachers and the lack of required science and computer labs. The Education Minister Marie Malavoy had agreed to give them another chance.

Previously, the Liberal Ministers of Education Jean-Marc Fournier and Michelle Courchesne promised to close illegal schools.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Ministre de l'Éducation Bolduc promet de fermer les écoles religieuses illégales.

By Régys Caron | TVA Nouvelles | Première publication 30 avril 2014 à 14h21

Le nouveau ministre de l'Éducation Yves Bolduc promet de sévir contre les écoles religieuses illégales.

«Les écoles illégales ne peuvent rester ouvertes», a déclaré M. Bolduc mercredi matin à son arrivée au conseil des ministres. Le ministre de l'Éducation réagissait à un reportage signalant l'existence d'écoles de la secte Lev Tahor qui ne dispensent pas à leurs élèves les programmes d'enseignement primaire et secondaire prescrits par le ministère de l'Éducation.

«La ligne de base, c'est qu'un élève québécois doit recevoir les cours prévus par la Loi», a précisé Yves Bolduc. Les écoles visées par le ministre se divisent en deux catégories. Il y a celles qui sont subventionnées par le ministère de l'Éducation et qui dérogent à la Loi sur l'instruction publique. Le ministère procède alors par des avertissements et renouvelle les permis pour des périodes limitées (un an) sous condition qu'elles se conforment à la Loi. Puis il y a les écoles carrément illégales dont le ministère ignore l'existence.

Suivant les chiffres transmis par le ministère de l'Éducation, l'État subventionne cette année 16 écoles privées juives, quatre écoles musulmanes, trois écoles arméniennes et une école grecque. Il existe aussi cinq écoles privées musulmanes non subventionnées.

«La Presse» rapportait l'été dernier que le ministère de l'Éducation menaçait de fermer quatre écoles privées qui accueillaient 2000 enfants juifs hassidiques. On y rapportait la présence de professeurs sans formation et l'absence de laboratoires scientifiques et informatiques requis. La ministre de l'Éducation Marie Malavoy avait accepté de leur donner une nouvelle chance.

Auparavant, les ministres libéraux de l'Éducation Jean-Marc Fournier et Michelle Courchesne avaient promis de fermer les écoles illégales sans passer aux actes.

Quebec to stop subsidizing illegal Hasidic Jewish schools.

Caroline Plante By Caroline Plante | Global Montreal | April 30, 2014 4:09 pm

QUEBEC CITY – Quebec’s newly elected Education Minister, Yves Bolduc, announced that he will stop government subsidies of illegal Hasidic Jewish schools.

“We have to close them, they are illegal, it’s as simple as that,” he said.

“What is important is that the students have to have a very good education, and they must acquire the knowledge that is necessary.”

Bolduc also indicated that he likely won’t force school boards to pay back $100 million to property owners. Last year, school boards hiked school taxes by as much as 30 per cent in some areas.

The Parti Quebecois asked the boards to reiumburse taxpayers, putting the request into a bill.

However, the bill died on the order paper when the election was called last March.

Not such a smooth transition

As the recently elected MNAs settle into their new jobs, Health Minister Gaétan Barrette has discovered that the transition isn’t going as smoothly as he had hoped.

“For someone who is always about ethics and all that, it’s quite surprising to see that she’s done that,” he told reporters.

The MNA he defeated in La Pinière, Fatima Houda-Pepin, left his riding office completely barren.

She destroyed all the local files, stating confidentiality reasons. Former Parti Quebecois leader Pauline Marois did the same in Charlevoix....

See also:

Ces hassidiques qui fuient les écoles illégales.

Radio-Canada, Édition Montréal | Mise à jour le mardi 29 avril 2014 à 18 h 44 HAE

Review: "Targeting Lev Tahor, from Israel to Canada."

It took a while but finally, one courageous writer has accepted the challenge of catching this elusive moonbeam in his hand. While Maximilian Forte admits that "The case of Lev Tahor is a complicated one, that fragments and disperses so that an array of many different debates and conflicts, and many different realities of Canada, Israel and the international system, are simultaneously thrown up," he has at least erected for us some points from which to view the circumstances surrounding their story and an optional framework of analysis that may make the approach to this intellectual/political cluster munition less daunting for those of us who are inclined to deeper exploration. The entire post "Targeting Lev Tahor, from Israel to Canada." can be read at his blog, Zero Anthropology, as I will only provide a review here.

The author begins with "We will hunt you down." which sets the scene in Quebec where a nascent policy of cultural synchronization provided the ideal terrain upon which to pursue that stubborn anachronism, whether dangerous or not, of Lev Tahor. While the jury is still out on why exactly the hounds were first released, and at whose instigation, the energetic participants in the hunt are identified as Israel, the Montreal Jewish community and Quebec's child protection services.

In "Canada: Israel’s “North Bank”?" the author examines the Israelification of Canadian policy culminating most recently in the Canadian Prime Minister's statement to Israel's Knesset earlier this year, that anti-Zionism is anti-Semitism. He notes that this statement was a double edged sword. On the one hand, it attempted to erase an entire dissenting portion of Jewry by presenting all Jews as predisposed to the unquestioning support of Zionism, while at the same time implying a threat that all Jews must be Zionists... or else. Lev Tahor, with its True Torah, anti-Zionist stance had therefore found itself in the cross hairs of the slayers of the newest iteration of Anti-Semitism.

"The Many Instances of Lev Tahor." provides a brief overview of the community, their origins, their beliefs and why they came to be located in Canada. The author outlines the publicly stated reasons for their having been targeted by authorities in Quebec, the fear of eventually losing their children to Child Protective Services that drove them to leave Quebec and then some of them to eventually leave the country. Acknowledging the complexity of the nature of Lev Tahor’s journey and struggle, the author suggests a series of nested conflicts along different axes which their story foregrounds:

"Zionism and racism.

“Religion” or “cult”, and the homogenization of Jewry.

International relations: Israel, the US, Canada, Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala.

Humanitarianism, Liberalism.

Multiculturalism.

The right to be different.

Child welfare, children’s aid services.

Parental rights versus state control.

Education, Residential Schooling, Genocide.

Media propaganda: “Jewish Taliban”.

The Quebec Charter of “secular values”.

What “freedom” does not mean in Canada."

He concludes that although "the dominant narrative pushed by governments and the media in Canada is that Lev Tahor is an extremist group, one that threatens the safety and welfare of its children, and that the conflict with Lev Tahor is really only about its children. It’s not so simple however."

"Wards of the State: Seizing Lev Tahor’s Children to “Save” Them", begins by quoting Supreme Court Justice Lynda Templeton:

“The circumstances in this case fundamentally beg the question whether the community to which the appellants belong is entitled to foster self-perpetuation by the suppression or limitation of critical thought in its children”~ Ontario Supreme Court Judge Lynda Templeton (2014/4/14).

The author explores this statement to reveal some potentially subversive interpretations. He comments that "all parenting, and all forms of socialization are about inculcating certain ideas, beliefs, norms, and practices that are deemed acceptable and appropriate, which means creating a system for an unconscious, nearly automatic rejection of alternatives," and further, that the articulation of a focus on "the perpetuation of the group through its children" raises the disturbing spectre of "removal of children, forcibly and involuntarily" which as the author reminds us, "constitutes one of the established defining principles of genocide."

The author continues the exploration of the forced removal of children in, "Humanitarian Genocide? No Apologies." by revisiting Canada's Residential Schools System and its counterparts in the Unites States and Australia. He postulates that it "was at the foundation of the “humanitarianism” that has in fact emerged as a clearly articulated policy of international intervention from these very same white settler states. The template has been preserved, and is now being globalized in its application. The template essentially consists of:

(a) racially differentiated tutors and wards;

(b) abduction; and,

(c) civilization via re-training."

He concludes by questioning what Canada's official policy of “multiculturalism” really means, if there is apparently no room for real “cultural differences”.

We've seen myth creation accomplished time after time on the international stage but "Constructing Emergency: The Production of Lev Tahor as a Danger." shows how the strategy manifests domestically. 

“It’s very saddening to see the circle of reports. The Israeli parliament sets aside time to dictate what is to be done with Lev Tahor, (as if it’s their business) they quote allegations by unverified sources (could be me…could be you…as long as someone says….) then the media quotes the allegations from the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) and the DYP [Dept. of Youth Protection] quotes them, and the Knesset ‘confirms’ those reports, the media confirms the knesset’s reports…you get the point. So now we are a ‘dangerous cult,’ because the Knesset ‘confirmed’ claims, reports, and allegations… how can it not be true, it’s the Knesset, no?…even Google agrees with them!” SOURCE

What the author argues is that until the authorities have proven their case, have provided the evidence to support the allegations, what exactly is the abuse? He provides excerpts from professionals who have conducted their own investigations and have found no evidence to prove that there is child abuse. So how exactly can the actions taken against this group be justified?

"Terror" briefly explores three sources of terror: the acute distress being experienced by the community under the constant threat of the removal of  their children and even more terrifying, the thought of losing them to a foster care system that has itself been guilty of abuse/neglect; the deliberate association of Lev Tahor with the Taliban by the Israeli press and bloggers, meant to add that incendiary, anti-extremist sentiment to the persecution of the community; and finally, the actual ongoing imprisonment of Lev Tahor in Canada, where by secretly obtained court order, the children of the community are now prevented from acquiring passports, thus effectively removing their parents' right to freedom of movement.

In "The Neocolonial Dimension" the author highlights the neocolonial relationship between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago. This could be inferred not just from the alacrity with which the latter facilitated the detention and handing over of some of the Lev Tahor members to Canadian authorities but from the Attorney General's own words where he admits that "international image" and maintaining good relations with Canada were the main impulses behind his country's unquestioning cooperation. Apparently Guatemala's jurists are not as susceptible to Canadian pheromones and preferred to be guided by the law. They did not hand over the Lev Tahor members to Canadian authorities but instead allowed those persons who had arrived on their territory, the right to remain for the three months allowable stay period.  In addition, "a local court judged that Canada’s desire to take away Lev Tahor’s children would harm their emotional stability, health and integrity, and cause them significant harm." The author speculates that perhaps Guatemala's more measured approach was a result of lessons it had learned from its own painful experience with genocide.

"In Conclusion? Losing My Values" addresses the subject of Canada's and Quebec's "values" and how Lev Tahor's experience has caused him to question again what constitutes these values. Do we really have "values" or are they just "a negation of the values of others"? Drawing on the ideas of Jean Baudrillard, the author describes this negation as "a revenge motivated by the resentment that the other has maintained some cultural particularity and sense of integrity rooted in actual substance and practice." This section is dense and thought-provoking and my summary does not do it  justice but the author concludes with his thoughts about Quebec "culture" and superimposed upon that, Lev Tahor's goal of wanting "to go backwards".  "Going backwards", the author concludes, "is probably one of the most progressive lines of thinking one can find in this place."

Do read the entire article by Maximilian Forte on his blog, Zero Anthropology - "Targeting Lev Tahor, from Israel to Canada."

Gloria in Excelsis Deo [Hymn]

Via FreeMusicArchive

GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO

By Giovanni Animuccia - Missa Victimae Paschali Laudes

Performed by The Tudor Consort

Glória in excélsis Deo

Glory to God in the highest,

et in terra pax homínibus bonae voluntátis.

and on earth peace to people of good will.

Laudámus te,

We praise You,

benedícimus te,

we bless You,

adorámus te,

we adore You,

glorificámus te,

we glorify You,

grátias ágimus tibi propter magnam glóriam tuam,

we give You thanks for Your great glory,

Dómine Deus, Rex cæléstis,

Lord God, heavenly King,

Deus Pater omnípotens.

O God, almighty Father.

Dómine Fili Unigénite, Iesu Christe,

Lord Jesus Christ, Only Begotten Son,

Dómine Deus, Agnus Dei, Fílius Patris,

Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father,

qui tollis peccáta mundi, miserére nobis;

You take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us;

qui tollis peccáta mundi, súscipe deprecatiónem nostram.

You take away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.

Qui sedes ad déxteram Patris, miserére nobis.

You are seated at the right hand of the Father, have mercy on us.

Quóniam tu solus Sanctus, tu solus Dóminus, tu solus Altíssimus,

For You alone are the Holy One, You alone are the Lord, You alone are the Most High,

Iesu Christe, cum Sancto Spíritu: in glória Dei Patris. Amen.

Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

Good Friday Meditation: It is finished...

You were always the watcher. 

You wanted nothing. 

Apart from Your calling to witness and to counsel,

 You owned nothing.

When others could be persuaded by bribes or threats to look away, You were beyond corruption's reach.

You craved nothing that could be promised to You,

You valued nothing that they could try to take from You,

ultimately, not even Your own life.

You saw exactly what they were and yet You did not raise a hand against them.

You were unlike anything in their playbook,

You were Jesus of Nazareth.

And when you left this world,

You detonated a chain of infinite explosions of Peace,

and Your Love remains the eternal wounding
that promises to heal all wounds.
"Tetelestai..."

Agnus Dei [Hymn]

J.S. Bach: Mass in B minor "Agnus Dei" | Sung by Andreas Scholl [Contratenor] |Uploaded by civileso

AGNUS DEI - LAMB OF GOD

Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, dona nobis pacem.
Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace.

Justice tempered with Mercy: A Mitzvah for Passover.

“We’re very happy. We thank the Lord for the good news … I think it’s very obvious that children should be with their parents, with their family, with their friends — in a natural place”..."Hopefully, the whole thing about the community with the whole persecution and allegations, everything will calm down and we will be able to practise our religion quietly and peacefully.” ---Uriel Goldman, Lev Tahor community. SOURCE

Today, Superior Court Justice Lynda Templeton found a way to take us all to a better place. Justice Templeton ruled not only that Justice Fuerth had erred, but also that returning the children to Quebec would not be in their best interest.

“Even if I were wrong with respect to any or all of the above, I am entirely satisfied that it would be contrary to the best interests of these children to be returned to Quebec. I decline to visit upon the children the consequences of the conduct of their parents.”  SOURCE

"To create further upheaval and instability in their lives would most surely have disastrous emotional and psychological ramification for them.”

“I am satisfied that the rehabilitation that may be necessary for the parents in order to achieve reunification of their families… can be commenced and continued in the current locale,” Templeton stated. SOURCE

"Ontario does not have jurisdiction under common law to enforce the Quebec ruling, as a non-monetary and temporary judgment."

"There is currently no provision in the Child and Family Services Act for the enforcement of an order rendered outside Ontario, she ruled. Chatham-Kent Children’s Services had turned to the Children’s Law Reform Act, but Justice Templeton found that enforcement provisions in that law are not available in this case either."

"When a family in such a situation moves to another province, the supervising agency can give evidence in support of their concerns to the agency where the family has relocated “to allow that agency to assess the situation under its own mandate and to apply the provisions of the [Child and Family Services Act] as it sees fit,”..."But “for reasons known only to the agency” in this case, they have not done that." SOURCE

See entire ruling at Chatham-Kent Children’s Services v. J.S., 2014 ONSC 2352 (CanLII)

I cannot speak for the members of the Lev Tahor community because in this matter, they are the ones who have suffered the most over the past few years and in the end it is their assessment/appreciation of today's ruling that carries the most weight. I speak only for myself, as an outsider who has felt compelled to stand with them in spirit, when I say that I am finally allowing myself a sigh of relief. With full awareness that their journey is not over, and that even if it were, there would still be a long period of healing ahead of them, I am still venturing to thank every heart and mind that has hoped for the arrival of this moment. Yes, I do believe that all this pain and destruction could and should have all been avoided but it has happened and there is no turning back. There is a greater scheme of things and I have to trust that, like the song says, there is some redemption to be found:  

Gham ko aapne saath mein lele dard bhi tere kaam aayega
Take the sorrow with you. This pain will be of use to you.
Bhikre tukdon mein Allah ki marzi ka manzar paayega.
On these scattered pieces, you will find God's wishes.
--- Allah ke bande

How Can I Keep From Singing? [Hymn]

Composed by American Baptist minister, Robert Wadsworth Lowry | Sung by Enya | Uploaded by Arushitaotao

HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING?

My life goes on in endless song

Above earth's lamentation,

I hear the real, though far-off hymn

That hails a new creation.

Through all the tumult and the strife

I hear its music ringing,

It sounds an echo in my soul

How can I keep from singing?

What though the tempest loudly roars,

I hear the Truth, it liveth.

And though the darkness 'round me close,

Songs in the night it giveth.

No storm can shake my inmost calm,

While to that rock I'm clinging.

Since love is Lord of heaven and earth

How can I keep from singing?

When tyrants tremble in their fear

And hear their death knell ringing,

When friends rejoice both far and near

How can I keep from singing?

In prison cell and dungeon vile

Our thoughts to them are winging,

When friends by shame are undefiled

How can I keep from singing?

"The Lev Tahor Spokeman: Ariel Yosef Goldman."

The Lev Tahor Spokeman: Ariel Yosef Goldman. | AMI Magazine | April 9, 2104 9 NISSAN 5774. pp. 180-186.

To be quite honest I have delayed reviewing this interview, preferring to give the outsiders the exposure for a change. I am sick on behalf of members of this community at how they have been forced to expose themselves to the world. I remember watching a video of some of the female members showing how they were "improving" by sewing sleeping sacks. "What? Is this National Geographic?" I remember thinking. "How other people sleep at night is absolutely none of our business."

So I am just going to make some general observations. In Ariel Yosef Goldman's interview with AMI, one of the feelings conveyed is incredulity. How can this be happening to us? There is something else and I don't want to use the word stoicism because it would not capture the trusting faith that I believe is the source of his calm. From what source, if not the otherworldly, could such composure emanate? Many of us in the same situation would be roaring, climbing tall buildings and ripping aircraft out of the sky but Ariel Yosef Goldman opens the door to his community's situation and quietly and patiently takes us once more through the details that brought them to the present painful impasse.

This interview is worth reading because it covers a wide range of subjects and is therefore difficult to summarise. There is frequent use of Yiddish or Hebrew words and phrases and although you can get a sense of what is being said, many readers will feel that they are being excluded. Still, I welcomed this exclusion because it conveyed two positive messages. The first is that this community will retain its heritage despite the society's intention to bleach it down to dreary sameness, and the second is that the exclusion brought about by his use of a language that is not familiar to most Gentiles, might be one of the few ways left to them of ensuring a modicum of privacy as they continue to endure the humiliation and invasion of years of continuous surveillance by investigators, media personnel and the general public.

Do read Ariel Yosef Goldman's interview here.

"The Immigration Attorney: Guidy Mamann."

The Immigration Attorney: Guidy Mamann. | AMI Magazine | April 9, 2104 9 NISSAN 5774. pp. 188-195.

What's your specialty?

I'm a certified immigration specialist.

You're located in Ontario?

Yes, in Downtown Toronto.

Are the issues between Quebec and Ontario an immigration one?

No. The immigration issue is a matter of federal jurisdiction. The immigration issue arises from the fact that most of the parents are either American or Israeli citizens. However, because these families have been in Canada for so long now, the vast majority of their children are Canadian citizens because they were born on Canadian soil. The parents enjoy only temporary status which has been extended from time to time, The question now arises, given all the difficulties that community has faced, is where is the best place for these families moving forward, Canada or some other place?

Every country has its own immigration laws and requirements and any country that the group might consider as a future home must take into account those laws and abide by those laws.

The issue between Quebec and

---pg. 188

Ontario arises only in connection with the alleged child protection issues. Each province has its own family laws. Since the group moved from Quebec to Ontario there is a question as to which province's laws apply. The parents of the children prefer to have Ontario law apply.

Lev Tahor told me the Canadian government sent people to pick them up in Trinidad and return them to Canada. Is that true?

Yes. That's true.

Is that unusual?

I would call that highly unusual. I don't know that it's unprecedented. But I don't recall in my 28 years of practice something similar to that.

Why did the government feel that it was so important to do that?

It's hard to say, but I think the government didn't want the public to get the idea that a court order could be ignored without any consequences. It wanted the court order to be enforced and dedicated the resources that it needed. The more usual procedure would be for our government to contact the authorities abroad and inform them of our concerns and have them return the traveller(s) to Canada. But in this case the Canadian government just sent people to apprehend the children.

Is that a violation of international law?

It depends. If Trinidad was in agreement with them to let them on their soil - which I assume they were - then it's not a problem. Of course, if they did it against the will of the Trinidadian government then it would constitute an invasion of their sovereignty. But I suspect they were working together and Trinidad was willing to do anything to make Canada happy. We have a large population of immigrants from Trinidad in Canada and the countries enjoy good relations. Trinidad probably didn't want to spoil those relations and so allowed our officials to do as they saw fit.

Did they come in by Air Force plane?

I was there after the plane arrived. I didn't see the actual plane. And even if I did, I don't know if I'd be able to tell if it was a commercial aircraft or one belonging to our government or military. I understand from media sources, that it was a plane chartered by the Canadian government.

I was wondering what your feelings are about the case itself. It seems to me that the government doesn't have anything and they're trying to build up a case against these people?

I think you're on the right track. The evidence is very difficult to recognize. There are mountains of allegations, but there doesn't appear to be any evidence there that would justify these very extreme measures. What we understand is that there were two members who left the group. One of them was trying to obtain custody of his children. His wife decided to remain in the group, but he didn't want to stay. We understand that he is the source of the initial allegations of child neglect or abuse. We understand that he went to the authorities and said this is a cult and there's abuse going on. And he did that to assist his efforts to seize custody of his children from his wife. And I understand he was successful and did get custody.

When one makes such serious allegations, obviously the authorities will be summoned and will come investigate. I think the child authorities immediately ruled out the more sinister allegations, but continued to investigate. One of the major issues that arose, mind you many years after the group's initial arrival in Canada, is that these children were not being taught the Quebec school curriculum and the Quebec government was not going to tolerate that.

The child welfare authorities alleged that the children were thus receiving an inadequate education.

Quebec also alleged claims that the children were being systematically harmed. Such behaviour would be virtually unheard of in a chareidi community of which I have visited many in my life. For example, I've never known any such community, as a group, to be starving their children. It makes no sense. Children's authorities came to the Lev Tahor village many times and photographed the cupboards, fridges, and freezers and found the cupboards full. That's what I saw when I went to visit them.

One of the other concerns was about marrying the children at a very early age. There was an allegation that one girl was married at 15, when the minimum legal age is 16. This allegation has not been proven and from what I have been told can be easily disproved. Nonetheless, it

---pg. 189

was widely reported that Lev Tahor systematically married girls off at that age.

The real problem here is that the Quebec government is insisting that these families return to Quebec and do something that is impossible - that is to teach their children things that are against their deeply-held religious beliefs and conscience. The Quebec curriculum teaches that man is the product of evolution and they don't want to teach their children that. They believe that Hashem created man in his image. They don't want them taught immodest subjects required by Quebec standards. Also their language of instruction is usually Yiddish or Hebrew and not French. There certainly are some issues to be discussed here. But, in retrospect, these children should never have been taken to Quebec. They should have been taken to Ontairo, which has a much more flexible approach to eduation. In Ontario, parents are free to home school thier children and are not bound to a strict curriculum like in Quebec. Obviously, this is a much better environment for these children to be educated in. The problem is that when Quebec authorities started enforcing their education laws a year or two ago, the Lev Tahor parents took it upon themselves to remove the children to Ontario where they could choose their own curriculum for their children.

This is when the trouble really began. Quebec chased them to Ontario. The group leaders believed they should have a right to live in Ontario. Unfortunately, Quebec pursued them to Ontario and felt committed to stand strong and prove its point that these children are subjects of the Quebec government and should be educated and "protected" in Quebec. That's a matter of politics which should never be a part of a child protection analysis.

These parents are just like all of us. They love their children. They feed their children. They educate their children. The contention that their children are not being educated properly is so ridiculous that it's hard to listen to. When I was there, I had a meal with one of the families. I bentched after the meal from my iPhone. One of the children was intrigued to see me bentching from my iPhone. He must have been six years old or so and so cute. A big smile, long peiyos and very friendly. He asked me if I had the Torah on my iPhone. I showed him that I did. He got so excited. His father said, "He knows the whole thing by heart." I said, "There's no way that's possible." The father insisted. So I randomly picked a posuk to start, and the child continued reading by heart. I was shocked. I repeated this twice. All three times the little boy continued reading from memory from the random passage, from different parshios, that I randomly selected on my iPhone. The boy's father told me that all of his boys are capable of doing that. Which Jewish father wouldn't beam with pride? Their level of education is extraordinarily intense. These are children who devote all of their time to study. Their parents choose to teach them certain things and not other things. I think that's what all parents do, concentrate on the good and avoid the bad.

The kids have never suffered from this type of Torah-intense education. They're self-sufficient. They're not on welfare, They're not on the street begging for money. Their parents know how to teach their children within their own community and that education serves them very well. This is a peace-loving community that isn't involved in criminal activities or immoral conduct. They're very social people. They're

--pg. 190

people who believe in a pure lifestyle, unhindered by some terrible influences that many of our children are subjected to today. They choose to live in a small community "on the farm" and teach their children that which we've been taught for thousands of years.

There's no question that they have made many, many more efforts to cooperate with the Quebec government. It looks like the Quebec government is determined to have its way with these children, at any cost. I have no doubt if these children would stay in Ontario they'd have no problems at all. They could continue to be taught in the way of Torah and mitzvos and it would be just great. A lot of their neighbours in Chatham are very supportive. They make absolutely no trouble in the wider community.

For some bizarre reason, Quebec wants them back, even though these families have found a wonderful community to settle in Ontario. It would be hard to fathom that somehow these children would be in peril if they'd be allowed to remain in Ontario. It's just impossible to believe that Ontario cannot ensure the well-being of these children as well as Quebec can. We have as good as set of child laws in Ontario as they have in Quebec. And whether they learn evolution or not is not in any way a justification to say that these children are in need of protection and separation from their parents.

--pg. 191

Is Quebec crossing a legal line?

That's for the courts to decide. But I will say that we understand that child welfare organisations need to be able to enforce child protection laws. We understand that Quebec doesn't want to appear emasculated publicly. They were dealing with this whole community and now they disappear to Ontario. I understand their nose might be out of joint for that. However, this is not a community where they found children tied up in basements. I'm not sure if Quebec crosses a line. I'm an immigration specialist, not a child law specialist. But Quebec could easily have said to Ontario that if for whatever reason Ontario is more compatible for them, that's fine. Here's the summary of what we have found, these are things you should be looking at, deal with it. I'm sure Ontario would have gladly done that. Quebec is trying to make a point that they must be returned to Quebec when it is not in the best interest of the children to do so. The law in Canada is very clear that the best interest of the children must always be a primary consideration in any ruling that affects children. It does not appear that this is what Quebec is doing here.

The members of this community have found a beautiful, picturesque, and friendly place in Chatham where they are allowed to have more say in the way they want to educate their children. And, at the end of the day, that's what we're really talking about. None of these other sensationalized allegations have borne any kind of credibility.

When I first saw this story about the Lev Tahor in the media, it broke my heart. Our Jewish DNA is 99.9% the same. We keep the Torah, we want to teach our children our heritage of thousands of years, we don't want them to be influenced by negative sources, and we want them married off to the right person. The only thing that distinguished us is a political one. It has nothing to do with the welfare of our children. The Lev Tahor believe that we Jews should wait for the Mashiach to arrive before returning to Israel, The vast majority of Jews, including myself, strenuously disagree and believe that Israel is ours and needed to be reclaimed immediately, especially after seeing six million perish in the Shoah. The group's opposition to Zionism is the only difference between them and mainstream Judaism. Yet our Jewish DNA remains 99.9% the same.

Someone told me an allegation that if someone is out of line with their rules they take a kid from one home and put him in another or lock him up in a basement. Do you think there's any truth to that?

Was that allegation made in Quebec or Ontario?

I think in Quebec.

When I was in Chatham all I saw were small above ground cottages. I can't say, but I'd be surprised if any buildings in Quebec had a basement. I'm a lawyer. By training I don't believe anything until I see proof because I have

--pg. 192

seen so many trials where parties allege something that is later proven to be manifestly untrue. Do I have any proof that this did not occur? Absolutely not. Do I have any proof it didn't? Absolutely not. However, would it be consistent with what I've seen in the community? Not at all.

If we're talking about a single child who was seen to have been punished inappropriately once or twice by his parents, that  child and his parents need to be addressed according to the law. They should be brought to court and the allegations proven so that we can deal with it. But I don't believe that allegation is one that is systemic, that all of Lev Tahor do this kind of thing. The parents can be counseled and could receive culturally appropriate training. We don't have to take their kids away. I categorically do not believe that this is a widespread problem because it's inconsistent with their values. The children I saw were all friendly and seemed very well-adjusted. And if there is such an allegation, let it be brought be brought to court and dealt with on an individual basis and not on a wholesale basis.

I said the irony is that they say these people don't have normal feelings towards their children, yet they abandoned their home for their children.

I find it shocking how quickly one Jew can believe that a whole group of other Jews - religious Jews - is behaving in a manner completely contrary to our core values. So many have refused to give their fellow Jew the benefit of the doubt. Some have already passed judgement when the allegations have not even been brought to court. It is a very sad state of affairs. We must learn not to be so quick to judge.

I have four daughters of my own. I would never ever try to help parents whom I believe are harming their children. Why would I defend them if I believed that story? When I was in the village, many children interacted lovingly with their moms and dads. They behaved completely normal. When I pulled up they ran to my car very inquisitively. These are normal, everyday children. It bothers me when people who aren't familiar with frum communities are quick to judge based on their appearance and "odd" lifestyle. I can't blame them so much but it's hard for me to believe that Jews, who know these types of communities, can jump to such conclusions so quickly with the rest of the world. I'm wondering if such Jews, including some of our Jewish leaders are not doing a great disservice to our community. Unless they've been to the community themselves, I don't see how they can reach such conclusions.

Why is this community facing hostility?

There are other orthodox sects which are anti-Zionist. However, they do not pose a serious existential threat to Israel since they are so insular. They don't really seek to recruit from outside their ranks. However, Lev Tahor's Rebbe is a chozer b'teshuvah and welcomes all Jews. So theoretically speaking, he would

--pg. 192

constitute a much greater threat to Israel since the pool of recruits is huge.

How much do you think Israel is involved?

The government of Israel is under attack from everywhere - geographically, economically, from every corner. I suppose it cannot be too comforting to see Jews abroad espousing anti-Israeli sentiment.

I would suggest that the government of Israel's number one objective is to provide safe harbour to Jews all over the world, regardless of political affiliations. I don't think we get to choose as a nation which Jews we protect and which we don't. It bothers me to hear that some Jews are worth protection and others, not so much simply because of their political views, I am as strong a Zionist as you can find, but politics will not prevent me from coming to the rescue of a fellow Jew in need.

Is there a point when we can get American congressmen involved to say Canada is violating human rights?

I think we can do so immediately, since many of the Lev Tahor members are, in fact, American citizens. Right now, one couple had their four children taken away when they got back from Trinidad, There's no evidence at all those children were being abused or neglected. The parents have never been accused of harming their children. These are people who spent every waking moment caring for their children. It's hard to believe that a country like ours has now basically made these people captives in Canada because they don't want to teach their children the Quebec curriculum.

Where did they put these children?

Neither the parents nor I know. They were taken away suddenly, without even a change of clothing. I had to take some bags of clothes from Chatham and kept them in my car for a few days until local child welfare authorities authorized the change of clothing. No one in Lev Tahor knows where they are.

I understand that's what you do when the parent is highly abusive. But that's not the case here.

Are they in a Jewish home?

I have no idea. But even if they were, I don't know how comforting that would be for the children. It might not be providing them any comfort at all. Every small child would be traumatized by being separated from their parents' home and placed in a stranger's home.

Were any allegations of abuse ever proven?

I have not seen read or heard anything to that effect.

So why were they taken away?

The false allegations made against them brought the children's aid people there. They came in with a very suspicious eye and then centered more and more around the educational curriculum.

I think taking away children under these circumstances is meant more to make a statement about the authority of the Quebecois government than to help the children. This is a government that is ready to close a convenience store if the immigrant owner cannot speak French. This is a government that needs to assert its will for whatever social engineering policy it has.

But actually the Ontario government locked them up?

Quebec ran to Ontario and said they have jurisdiction over these children. The law in Canada is that when two provinces claim jurisdiction over a child, the province in which the child is "habitually resident" will prevail. But in this particular case, the judge said even though the children were physical residents of Ontario they are habitual residents of Quebec and under its jurisdiction. That's the only decision the Ontario court made and that decision is currently under appeal since the legal issues in this case are a bit more complicated and technical.

Do you think there's anti-Semitism involved?

It's hard to say if it's anti-Semitism or a fear of the unknown. To some, these are strange looking people with strange ways...

Do you think religious persecution is involved?

It's hard to say. I'd say they're trying to make everybody in Quebec buckle down to the way they see the world. And that includes members of minority religions.

Right now they're making this charter in Quebec where they won't allow people who wear symbols of religious expression to work in the government - like a cross or a kippah. This is social engineering gone crazy.

Crazy or illegal?

We have a charter of rights which guarantees everybody freedom of religion. I believe that charter allows us to teach our children our way of life as long as it's not harming the children. I do believe there is an element of religious persecution here. These are people that just want to go about their business on their own and not teach their children certain things. And I think they should have a right to do that.

Don't you find it offensive that a person is judged by the group he's in rather than the actions he's involved in? How can they say because they have evidence against one family all the other families must be treated in the same way? Where does our legal system ever allow that to happen?

Where should they go from here?

First of all, most of these people are lawful temporary residents here in Canada. If they decide they don't want to stay here, they should be allowed to go back where they came from. If there's evidence that these children were abused, that has to be brought up to a hearing. We are still a country of laws. In each and every case where there are accusations, the state is obligated to prove it. The government's burden of proof is at a very high level because we are talking about the threat of taking away a person's greatest possession - their children.

--pg. 194

If these people decide they want to go back to their country of nationality whether it's Israel or the United States, the Canadian children's welfare authorities simply need to call the children's aid society in Israel and tell them that these people are inbound and that their files will be shared since they are concerned. And that's it. Some of these people are sick and tired of the intense scrutiny and intrusion into their lives here. If they want to go leave Canada, they should be given the opportunity to do just that.

If they have some hard evidence of wrongdoing, let them use the legal process against them as individuals like they would for anyone else. The idea that this community on a wholesale level abuses and neglects children is absolute nonsense.

The other thing that bothers me is the idea that this group is describes as "Jewish Taliban." Taliban are people that don't tolerate any views other than their own and they see their obligation to make everyone out there believe as they do. They kill those "infidels" who stand in their way. This has nothing to do with the values of these people. They don't go about trying to persuade people that theirs is the only way. Besides for women's style of dress choice, there's nothing similar between them and the Taliban. Jews and non-Jews have seized on that and said because they're the Taliban they have the right to take their children.

I've never seen anything like this. For somebody to tell me a chareidi community was starving their children - I even heard an allegation they were hanging children from the trees or something. It's frightening, I'm afraid that there's a common sentiment running through this case and the rest of the Jewish community is standing by saying we won't help them because they don't support the state of Israel. That is wrong.

What happened in court on Friday?
There were actually two different court hearings. In Chatham, the appeal heard the battle of the provinces. The parents of the affected children appealed the lower-court decision that the children should be returned to Quebec.

At the same time, in Toronto, I was arguing for the release of three adults who were arrested at home on Wednesday by immigration officials. The arrests had nothing to do with child protection issues. They were related only to their immigration status which had run out and resulted in removal orders. Unfortunately we didn't have sufficient time to find bondspersons who could sign for them so none was released.

It's sad since one is the father of 10 children, 8 of whom are Canadian-born. The other is the 19-year old father of two children who is scheduled for removal to Israel on April 10th. The third is a 29-year old mother of 9 children, 8 of whom were born in Canada. She is still nursing her youngest child, We were able to arrange to have her baby taken to the detention facility to stay with her so she could continue to nurse him.

Have you run out of legal options for them?
Absolutely not. I think the one thing you can blame the community for is not being all that worldly. They don't know how our legal system works, They don't know how things are handled in this world. And they make mistakes. But they didn't make mistakes with evil intentions. They were afraid for their children and they ran like little children. An adult would hire a lawyer and go to court to prove their innocence. They just ran out of fear. But that just means they need to be taught how this system works. That's why I'm here.

Note: This interview was not published online by AMI Magazine but was transcribed from image files of their printed magazine which were uploaded by Miriam Helbrans. As the community and their supporters face the developments expected in the week ahead, I felt that this interview should be read by as wide an audience as possible. I hope that AMI Magazine will understand my intent and not have any objections. This blog is not for profit and not affiliated with any organisation. If you do have an objection, please tell me so via the website of Miriam Helbrans since this is the only way that I will know that you really do represent AMI. I will remove your content immediately. My apologies for any errors.