The York Region District School Board (YRDSB) will use the Star of David to denote Jewish holidays on its calendar of religious events, after it came under fire for allegedly avoiding the symbol over concerns it would be associated with the state of Israel.
The move comes after an email presumably from a board official — YRDSB did not confirm who it was from — was shared on social media, explaining the board’s reasoning for using the menorah rather than the Star of David. The latter carries “political connotations with the state of Israel” while the menorah was chosen for its “purely religious significance,” the email says.
In a post on its website on Thursday, the board’s director of education Bill Cober said the board would make changes to its calendar after it received “concerns” regarding the post and email, along with feedback on its existing symbolism.
“This symbol has been used by the Multifaith Action Society in the multifaith calendar for several years and no change was made this year,” Cober said.
“We regret any hurt or harm caused by this matter and the content of an email being circulated online; we are taking immediate action to make the correction.”
The board did not specify what post it was referring to, but a post on X, formerly Twitter, showed an email addressed to trustee Estelle Cohen and superintendent Michael Grieve, which goes into greater detail about why the menorah was allegedly used.
The York Regional District School Board has decided that the Star of David will no longer be used as a symbol of Judaism because it is part of the flag of Israel and it is offensive to the anti Israel Muslim Community. In other words, Jews are no longer welcome in York Region.… <a href=”https://t.co/BLz0Ly0d0k”>pic.twitter.com/BLz0Ly0d0k</a>
—@neveragainlive1
“The multifath calendar committee consulted with various faith leaders to determine appropriate symbols for different religions. For Judaism, the menorah was chosen over the Star of David due to its purely religious significance, while the Star of David carries political connotations with the state of Israel,” the email reads.
“This decision aligns with our commitment to interfaith dialogue and avoids political associations in the Multifaith Calendar.”
The social media post was viewed more than 200,000 times, with many sharply criticizing the statement.
Critics applaud move to change symbol
Education Minister Stephen Lecce said Thursday he spoke with the board on the matter and was “pleased to see” it had been “rectified.”
“It’s a serious issue, and it impacts communities, their sense of belonging,” he told reporters at Queen’s Park.
“We want people of all faiths to be able to be proud of who they are, and I really want our energy and time to be focused on academics in our schools.”
Deborah Lyons, the country’s special envoy on Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism, as well as a former Canadian ambassador to Israel, called the decision to use the menorah over the Star of David “inconceivable” in her own post to X.
“Glad to see this speedy clarification from the director of the YRDSB about the longstanding use of the menorah and the decision to use the Star of David to indicate Jewish holidays and observances from now on,” she wrote after learning of the board’s decision to change the symbol.
In a statement Thursday, non-profit Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center said it “commends” the board for its decision to change its symbol, adding the Star of David has been the most “widely recognized symbol of Judaism and Jewish identity” for centuries. The organization focuses on Holocaust education and antisemitism programs.
“Amid the current surge in antisemitism in this country, we are seeing aspects of Jewish identity, including the Star of David, attacked and demonized and increasing attempts to misconstrue it as political or even illegitimate,” said Jaime Kirzner-Roberts, the centre’s senior director of policy and advocacy.
“We are grateful to the YRDSB for acting quickly on our concerns and recognizing the harm caused to the Jewish community.”