It’s bad enough that Calgary mayor Jyoti Gondek has chosen to not attend the annual menorah lighting ceremony that marks the beginning of Hanukkah, but her excuse is obscene. She says the event has “been repositioned as an event to support Israel.” Let’s see if the self-described “centrist” Gondek will be attending any Muslim event and care as much about how that might possibly be perceived.
Rather than take responsibility for her own decision, she blames “leadership.” She doesn’t state to what “leadership” she is referring. Israel? Those leaders who support Israel’s right to defend itself? Who knows. But it certainly was not “impossible” for her to attend. Gondek chose not to attend. In making this choice, she shows herself as a cowardly acolyte of the pro-Palestinian lobby.
To make matters worse, she makes a reprehensible moral equivalence in Israel’s war on ISIS-like Hamas, claiming that “terrorists incite violence by murdering innocent Israelis,” leading to “the murder of innocent Palestinians.”
Gondek is appeasing Muslims and showing up her own attitude toward Jews and Israel. MP Michelle Rempel Garner “shared a joint statement from the Conservative caucus,” which stated that Gondek’s “decision to withdraw could dangerously normalize anti-Semitism at a time when across campuses and communities, Jewish-Canadians are already feeling threatened.” Yes.
“Calgary mayor won’t attend annual menorah lighting ceremony,” by Michael Franklin, CTV, December 7, 2023:
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek won’t be attending this year’s annual menorah lighting, a ceremony that marks the beginning of Hanukkah, because she says the event has deeply divided residents.
In a statement released Wednesday, Gondek said she originally accepted the invitation to speak at the event weeks ago and was looking forward to it, but says it “has been repositioned as an event to support Israel.”
“This last minute change goes against the original intention and has left me feeling let down by leadership,” she wrote in a letter posted on X.
“I am saddened that this change makes it impossible for me to attend tomorrow’s event. And I am incredibly concerned that people wishing to celebrate Hanukkah will have their good intentions compromised.”
Gondek added that while her responsibility as mayor includes supporting organizers of diverse and inclusive events, when celebrations are transformed into something “political,” it puts her into a difficult situation.
“The changed nature of (Thursday’s) event creates a divide and forces people to choose a side,” Gondek said.
“There are no sides to choose when terrorists incite violence by murdering innocent Israelis, knowing retaliation will follow and lead to the murder of innocent Palestinians.
“The killing must stop in Gaza, because it is spreading division and hatred, far and wide.”…
Calgary MP Michelle Rempel Garner shared a joint statement from the Conservative caucus, saying the situation leaves them “deeply troubled.”
“Her decision to withdraw could dangerously normalize anti-Semitism at a time when across campuses and communities, Jewish-Canadians are already feeling threatened,” said the statement, written by Calgary federal Conservative caucus chair Pat Kelly….
rick says
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek is a politician who shows absolutely no understanding of History, the plight of Jews throughout that History and allowed the pro-Hamas marches, parades and demonstrations to carry more weight than does one of the oldest religions in the world and the inspiration for Christianity. Talk about being “fashionable” in the very worse sense of the word. Her short sighted view of world events is so evident in this decision. Now, I may be wrong about her and maybe she is simply a closet anti-Semite who has always hated Jews and now is more comfortable in displaying it as anti-Semitic behavior is much more open and popular. Either way, she is tarnished as well as her city by this very poor choice.
somehistory says
And who made it “political”?
For the Jews, it is religious.
For the mozlums who oppose anything other than islam, it is something that must not be and they, along with their cohorts, are the ones making it something other than something for the Jews and those who take part because they see a reason to attend.
So, of course, she can avoid it because she wants to keep her mozlum voters…and believes she’ll keep her neck and head. The violent mozlums win another round.
Ray Jarman says
She has been watching too much news from California for it seems she is trying to one up Newsom who refused to use the word “Christmas.” Both should be removed when the election cycle for both of these fools.
Scotsman48 says
I will take notice of what she does next time ramadamadingdong comes around.
Charles Valenzuela says
Are you okay with rape kidnapping and murder? If you are then you must be muslim filth too, or another stupid white whore that wants to pull a train for Hamas. Which is it?
Patrick says
Jyoti Gondek sounds like a typical Anglo-Saxon name. To bad Canada didn’t send her or her parents back to where they came from instead of making them feel part of Canada
OLD GUY says
A typical political today. They stand for nothing but what their handlers tell them to do or say in the script. Their god is power and wealth at all cost, not right or wrong, there are no boundaries just winning and money. And most important you don’t do anything that the media dosen’t approve of.
The Istanbulian says
Now she just appears pro hamas