Edmonton Negev Gala welcomes a wonderful evening with Stephen Harper

By Regan Lipes, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

(AJNews) – The main ballroom of the Fantasyland Hotel was packed for a history-making evening for the Edmonton Jewish community. History-making, because this year’s Negev Gala featured the Right Honourable Stephen J. Harper, 22nd Prime Minister of Canada. The former Prime Minister  expressed warm sentiments about returning to Edmonton for the event, explaining that when he first moved to Alberta, he lived in Edmonton for three years. He also elaborated that he has a soft spot in his heart for the City of Champions because early in his tenure as Prime Minister, it was in Edmonton during the 2006 Stanley Cup Championships that he seized the opportunity, quite literally, to hold and raise the Stanley Cup above his head.

In a pre-gala interview with the Alberta Jewish News, Alberta’s Executive Director of Friends of JNF Canada, Jay Cairns, emphasized how excited he and his team of organizers were to be able to host such a high-profile guest to speak to the local Jewish community and its allies. “When I was growing up I had a general awareness of politics. As I have gotten older, I’m more conscious of how political exchanges and decisions affect my day-to-day life. Even for people who aren’t politically minded, it’s important to realize that these are big-picture issues that directly impact our community,” he emphasized. “Since October 7^th our communities in Canada have had some incredible speakers come to talk about their experiences on that day and what the aftermath looked like, but almost three-years past, now it feels like we need to navigate and position ourselves within a changing landscape,” Cairns added thoughtfully. “We are looking around and asking where we are and a big part of this is the allyship of larger communities. Stephen Harper is more than an ally for the Jewish people and Israel; he is a friend. Allies are great but friends are unconditional. Being pro-Israel in this political climate,” he paused. “I can’t imagine it’s easy for him.”

The evening of the Negev Gala brought out support from every branch of the Edmonton Jewish community. With Cairn’s twins manning the registration desk, there was a lovely sense of the closeness of Edmonton’s Jewish world – a place where everybody truly does know your name. This close-knit atmosphere with familiar faces all around was profoundly welcoming, which made Stephen Harper’s attendance really feel like having a good friend joining in the festivities – albeit a friend who is celebrated as one of the most significant leaders in Canadian history.

Stephen Harper points to his Christian faith as the foundation for his values, both as a civilian, and as a public servant. At the heart of all his decisions while in office was his desire to support the Canadian people. In a fire side conversation with Calgary Member of Parliament Shuvaloy Majumdar, Harper explained with conviction and sincerity that supporting Israel has always been a priority for him because Canada and Israel have shared values. These values unite the countries in friendship, and Harper noted that Israel’s enemies are also the enemies of Canada, but that the hostile nations are a lot closer in proximity to Israel. This observation seemed to resonate deeply with the audience and resulted in an eruption of applause.

Harper’s friendship to Israel was showcased when Majumdar (Shuv) asked the former Prime Minister about his history-making experience as the first Canadian Head of State to speak in the Knesset. Harper expressed that he was honoured to be the first Canadian leader to address the Knesset, but that he was also surprised that none of his predecessors, who supported Israel, had taken the opportunity to do so. He emphasized that speaking in a foreign country’s parliament is always a humbling and profound experience, because for any Democratic nation, this is the symbolic home of their most sacredly held values. The 2014 speech emphasized anti-Zionism as the modern incarnation of antisemitism, and unequivocally positioned Canada as a supporter of Israel. At the time, the substance of the speech ruffled feathers for the far left, and far right, with two Arab-Israeli Cabinet Members jeering the former Prime Minister openly. Despite this, Harper recounted this experience as a proud moment in his career.

Shuv was a charismatic and insightful moderator for the fire side discussion, respectfully yet jovially probing the former Prime Minister for juicy stories and personal insights. When asked by Shuv what he believes makes a good leader, Harper was quick to answer that the role of Prime Minister is a service position. He mused that during his time in office he met every kind of leader one could possibly imagine, but the good leaders were the ones guided by core value systems to help them uphold the strength and dignity of those who entrusted them with power.  He continued by saying that he envies the expanse of seemingly limitless opportunities open to today’s young people, and encouraged them to all go out, find what they enjoy doing, and work hard to do it better than anybody else – simple, but solid advice to be sure.

During the Negev Gala, Harper made several references to the deplorable state of affairs on many Canadian campuses of higher education. He was unapologetic in criticizing postsecondary administrations for allowing antisemitism to flourish and fester. Certainly not all Canadian campuses find themselves at the receiving end of Harper’s accusations, but it is a disgrace when Jewish students feel they must conceal their identities for safety, and Jewish faculty hide fearfully in their offices during pro-Palestine demonstrations.

As tensions with Iran continue to escalate, Harper was categorical in stating that there is no greater threat to Israel and the Jewish people than the Islamic Republic of Iran. He theorized, that President Trump’s efforts in Iran came on the back of the successful dismantling of corruption in Venezuela, but Harper quite astutely observed that there is a fundamental difference between a leadership that enables drug lords and criminals, and one that has a fanatical leadership of religious extremists at the helm. He diplomatically encouraged the audience to see that although President Trump is treating Canada like an enemy, he may be the only Head of State who currently and actively supports Israel as a friend.

Harper recently became a grandfather, continues to go on speaking tours around the world, and invests heavily in the Israeli economy. On behalf of the Friends of JNF Canada, local young leaders Solly Singer and Carmi Reboh presented the former Prime Minister, and Member of Parliament Shuvaloy Majumdar with the inaugural L’Dor V’Dor Award. This was followed by a lively and engaging masterful performance of “Am Yisrael Chai” as the evening’s dignitaries bid the crowd farewell.

Cairns, who knocked it out of the park yet again with an incredible Negev Gala evening shared by the Edmonton community, graciously thanked the speakers as well as the many generous donors, sponsors, attendees and dedicated volunteers who contributed to the success of the event. He took a humble moment to remind everyone that their donations go to a rehabilitation center in Tzfat, and much needed bomb shelters. He delicately reminded guests that even as a smaller Jewish community, it is important to remember that Edmonton is part of the global Jewish community and investing in the strength and vitality of Israel is an investment in a collective home. With this, Cantor Bertrand Malo filled the room with the powerful reverberations of his operatic voice singing the most powerful melody shared by Jews from every corner of the globe, Hatikvah.