Why did Israeli real estate shows become such a flashpoint for protests in Canada?

For decades, Israeli entrepreneurs have been mounting traveling real estate trade shows here in Canada, to encourage Diaspora Jews to buy property in Israel. But in the wake of Oct. 7, there has been renewed attention paid to anything having to do with Israel and Palestinians, meaning several of these annual real estate events in Montreal and Toronto last week touched off large, aggressive anti-Israel street protests. Critics accuse the promoters (and buyers) of stealing Palestinian land, especially because some of the apartments for sale are located in disputed areas of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. The UN and Canada consider these illegal settlements because they are still under Israeli military rule since being captured during the 1967 Six Day War. So are the protests hurting business, or are they having the opposite effect, as Diaspora Jews worried about the rising antisemitism at home look for a safer place to live or invest in Israel as a show of support? On today’s The CJN Daily, we go inside one of the real estate events in Toronto to see what they are all about. We also speak with Israeli promoter Gidon Katz of the Great Israeli Real Estate Event, and with Ben Murane, head of the New Israel Fund of Canada, who explains why the event is problematic for many.

[Ed. note: Organizers of this past week’s Israeli Real Estate Event have been a client of The CJN for many years, buying ad space in our magazines and other news products. ]

What we talked about:

• Read more about the protests at two Israel real estate sales events in Toronto, and also at the tour’s stop in Montreal, in The CJN.
• Israeli real estate events have been visiting Canada since at least 2009, in The CJN.
• Watch and learn more about the made-in-Canada Oscars’ antisemitism ad that was originally supposed to air during the Super Bowl in The CJN.

Credits:

The CJN Daily is written and hosted by Ellin Bessner (@ebessner on Twitter). Zachary Kauffman is the producer. Michael Fraiman is the executive producer. Our theme music is by Dov Beck-Levine. Our title sponsor is Metropia. We’re a member of The CJN Podcast Network. To subscribe to this podcast, please watch this video. Donate to The CJN and receive a charitable tax receipt by clicking here. Hear why The CJN is important to me.