Two Ottawa mothers express fear for their children’s safety amid rising antisemitism

Two mothers say they fear for their children after being targets of antisemitic remarks, as hate stemming from the Oct. 7 Hamas attack continues to surge.

Two Ottawa mothers recently sat their young children down for a difficult conversation about antisemitism — much earlier than they had planned.

The mothers say they now fear for their Jewish children who were recently targets of hateful remarks, as reports of antisemitism across Canada continue to prevail.

Anna, who grew up Jewish in the Soviet Union, says she advised her 11-year-old daughter to no longer leave the house with her Star of David visible after a schoolmate told her a few months ago she has to end her life because of her heritage.

“She said… ‘one boy told me a lot of Jews have to die and I have to (commit) suicide because I’m a Jew,’” Anna said on the Roy Green Show Saturday.

“I can’t even describe how I felt at that moment. She’s like ‘mom, I’m so confused. I’m Canadian… how come I have to hide my identity?’”

Global News agreed not to use Anna’s last name as she fears for her family’s safety. After moving to Canada and starting a family, she says she never imagined her children would experience the adversity that she did in Russia for being Jewish.

“We came to Canada because we believed it’s a beautiful, safe country that embraces diversity and inclusion, and we can raise our children here. And here I am again. I’m afraid, I’m scared,” Anna said. “I’m very concerned about her safety.”

Tejaswinhi Srinivas is Indian-American married to a Canadian who is Jewish. She says she “wasn’t prepared” for her son to be singled out for his identity at the young age of five-years-old.