About the Jewish Academic Alliance of BC
The Jewish Academic Alliance of BC is a community of Jewish faculty, staff, students, and allies in British Columbia’s higher education institutions. Our mission is to create respectful, inclusive, and antisemitism-free workplaces and learning environments. We believe in the power of dialogue and humility to bridge differences and pursue truth. We assert the right to define our identities, experiences, and beliefs for ourselves. We celebrate the diversity of Jewish people and define Zionism as the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in their ancestral homeland. We believe this right is compatible with the aspirations of other peoples in the region. We promote nuanced understandings of Judaism, Jewish peoplehood, and Israel. We advocate for the inclusion of Jewish voices in campus conversations and decisions affecting our community.
What We Do
- We empower and support Jewish individuals and allies in BC’s higher education institutions.
- We ensure that Jewish voices are heard, respected, and included in campus discussions and decision-making.
- We connect with members across the province to build a strong community of support and identify strategic priorities.
- We host events and provide resources to promote education about Israel, antisemitism, and the Jewish people.
- Our efforts foster understanding of Israel as an expression of Jewish self-determination and a refuge from persecution.
- We allow space for critique and debate about Israel.
- We support learning and dialogue about paths to peaceful coexistence for all peoples in Israel-Palestine.
- We aim to create informed and respectful discourse on these complex issues.
Our Values
- We believe in the importance of dialogue, humility, and respectful engagement in the pursuit of truth.
- We value the right of all peoples to self-determination and reject stigmatization based on beliefs or identities.
- We insist on being included in campus conversations and decisions related to our community.
- We endorse academic freedom and oppose academic boycotts.
- We believe the pursuit of knowledge should be unhindered by external constraints.
- We acknowledge Israel’s legitimate security concerns but oppose actions that undermine democracy and Palestinian rights.
- We stand with those who seek genuine peace and reject extremism.
- We believe fighting antisemitism and expressing Zionist views, as we define them, are compatible with equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation principles.
- We invite others to join us in this important work.