Women in Black Toronto

07/31/2026

Hello Women in Black & friends. If you haven't already signed this important letter, plse do - and share it forward. Thanks.

The Canadian Museum for Human Rights recently opened Palestine Uprooted: Nakba Past and Present, an exhibition examining Palestinian history, culture, displacement and lived experience. The exhibition offers Canadians an important opportunity to learn about the Nakba and its continuing impact on Pal...

07/21/2026

HIATUS!!!!

Hello, Women in Black! Alas, we've hit that notorious time of the summer when people take vacations!😅 We couldn't manage to organize the sign haulage in the absence of our faithful crew, so we are now taking a break till mid-September. I hope all our stalwart protesters have a healthy, safe, wonderful summer, always keeping an eye on the news. And watch this page in later August for a different protest, one to which I'm committed. Can't wait to tell all you activists about it once plans are developed, so stay tuned! All the best to all of you.
Your loyal presence has heartened each one of us.See you in September!

Michele

07/21/2026

THIS FRIDAY: Join us for an opportunity to learn about protective presence in the West Bank and hear from Israeli military refuser Amit Orfali.

📅 Friday, July 24
🕖 7 PM
📍 Friends House - 60 Lowther Ave, Toronto, Ontario

Reserve your spot here: https://tinyurl.com/3ksktsvu

This is an opportunity to hear directly from and discuss with someone who grew up in Israel's pervasive militarism and indoctrination and was able to overcome it — as everyone should.

Amit is a 19-year-old Jewish Israeli who is one of the very few to defy the compulsory military conscription law and refuse to enlist. He is also directly involved in actively supporting Palestinian farmers and shepherds in the West Bank in resisting the brutal, violent settler and military attacks that they are constantly subjected to. He will talk about that and about how people from Canada can go to Palestine with a variety of organizations in various frameworks to engage in "protective presence" to help Palestinians defend their communities' existence.

07/14/2026

VIGIL POSTPONED TO NEXT WK (NEXT THURS, JULY 23) DUE TO HEAT! From Michele: "I so regret that we can’t have the vigil this Thursday July 16. Too many of the sisters are ill, away or rightly worried about the Heat (30degrees). If we can make the necessary arrangements, we’ll gather again on Thurs July 23. Stay tuned!"

07/13/2026

From Michele Landsberg:

Sisters!
Women in Black!
The forecast is 30 degrees for Thursday.
Can/should we do it?
I need your quick response, by Tuesday afternoon latest.
Love to all,
Michele

p.s. I'll add up the yays and nays and let you know at once.

07/09/2026

VIGIL POSTPONED To JULY 16: Heat and rain today, so the Women in Black vigil is delayed till Thursday July 16.
Hope to see you all next Thursday! Please pass the word to any other vigil women you kniw who may not be on Facebook.
Thanks, steadfast protesters!
Michele

07/01/2026

From Michele Landsberg to WomeninBlackTO:

Hello Women in Black!
[Important question at the end of this message]

We had a pretty good turnout last week and are hoping for an even better one next week ---July 9 ---weather permitting. I'm pretty sure if it's above 27 degrees, we won't want to be out there!

But last week, to be sure, we had the fun of shouting, by video call, "Solidarity! Peace! Justice!" en masse, to Kathy Wazana who was screening her film in Barcelona to the Catalan Association of Jews and Palestinians. (Don't you love it?!)

Important question: Cathy and Collen, who faithfully bring their wagon loaded with the signs every time we hold the vigil, will be away from July 23 to Sept.3 inclusive.

Is there any one (or two) of you who can attend the next vigil on July 9 and take the signs and wagon home with you, and then bring them back for July 23? If yes, hurray! We'll continue on July 23.

If not, we'll then be on hiatus for all of August. If there's anyone who can attend on July 23 and take the signs home, we'll reconvene on Sept.3

From my reading of the Israeli media, I know all too well that the savagery in Gaza continues...children murdered, homes and cars hit by missiles. The agony of a genocide carried out under the full sight of the world. (Just like before).

I look forward to seeing all of your lovely faces soon!

Michele

06/30/2026

Thank you, Avi Lewis for posting in support of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights' Palestinian Nakba exhibit and speaking the truth in regards to Marc Miller, Heritage Minister, Government of Canada..

This is completely out of line.

Minister Miller says, "It isn't up to me to speak to, or insert myself in, the curation of any particular exhibit.” And then he does exactly that.

His comments are a direct attack on the independence of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights - exactly what the Museums Act is meant to prevent.

The story of the Nakba needs to be told. It’s a hard history to confront: Israel’s independence was achieved with massacres, ethnic cleansing, and the forcible displacement of over 750,000 Palestinians.

And it’s a story that’s not over: all of those assaults on human dignity and fundamental human rights continue to this day.

This is the very purpose of museums like the CMHR: to shine a light into the corners of history and connect historical events to the present. Public education informed by the principles of justice and human rights.

The “error that needs to be rectified” is not the exhibit, it’s the Heritage Minister’s unacceptable political interference. He should retract his comments, apologize, and leave curating to the curators.