As “Nakba” exhibit opens at CMHR concerns grow over plans to bring one-sided narrative into classrooms

by Deborah Shatz and Jennifer Kovacs, LJI Reporter

(Winnipeg) – Ahead of the June 27 opening of the Canadian Museum for Human Rights’ controversial ‘Nakba’ exhibit, concerns are growing over the museum’s lack of transparency regarding the role played by political activists in developing the exhibit and its failure to meaningfully consult communities directly impacted by its content. Those concerns have intensified as the museum now prepares to distribute educational materials and resources connected to the controversial exhibit.

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) is calling on the Minister of Canadian Heritage to hold the museum’s leadership accountable for failing its own standards of curation, for a lack of consultation, and even engaging extreme political activists in developing the exhibit – one of whom called a core of Jewish identity a disease to be destroyed.

CIJA is also concerned by reports the museum plans to develop and distribute educational materials related to the controversial exhibit, which can have serious real-world consequences. Materials that are one-sided and driven by a political agenda can contribute to discrimination, bullying and even assault targeting Jewish students. During discussions with museum officials, it became apparent that exhibits of this nature are not typically accompanied by dedicated educational resources for use in schools, raising important questions about why an exception is being made in this case and what review processes have been applied.

“Earlier this month, Prime Minister Carney warned against importing foreign conflicts into Canada and cautioned that when our social compact fails one community, it ultimately fails all Canadians,” said Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA). “The federal government must hold the CMHR’s leadership accountable for its egregious mishandling of this exhibit.”

Lisa Lewis, an Indigenous community advocate, said the controversy demonstrates why meaningful consultation matters. “Communities are best served when consultation and dialogue occurs early, openly, and with a willingness to listen, not as a box-checking exercise. Institutions that engage constructively with concerns raised by impacted groups help foster the trust they depend on to fulfill their public mandate.”

Sean Shore, former president of the Jewish day school, expressed concern that the exhibit fails to provide students with the full context necessary to understand a complex and contested history.

“The issue is not that students are being exposed to difficult or controversial subjects. The issue is whether they are being given the full context necessary to understand them. There is a real risk that the materials in this exhibit will only serve to further exacerbate the already toxic environment for Jewish students in Canadian schools and that Jews presently face in society at large.”

Meanwhile on June 22, the only Jewish Board Member of the CMHR, Mark Berlin, resigned from his position.

In his resignation letter (published by Canadian Jewish News) Berlin, a lawyer and professor with a human rights background stated, “Presenting the Palestinian displacement of 1948 without its proper historical and political context offers a narrow one-sided argument of history that can only deepen the distrust and animosity that currently exists between Jews and Muslims in this country.

“The undeniable historical facts are that the 1947 United Nations partition plan proposed the creation of separate Jewish and Arab states in Mandatory Palestine: the Jewish leadership accepted the plan while the surrounding Arab states and local leadership rejected it. Five Arab states immediately launched a war against the newly established state of Israel. As a result, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were displaced as were hundreds of thousands of Jews from Arab lands.

“The broader context must be part of the story. Ignoring these central historical realities undermines the Museum’s mandate to promote respect for others and to enhance the public’s understanding of this complex history.”

Berlin concluded his letter stating, “Because the museum chooses to proceed with this exhibit in its present form despite repeated concerns raised by myself and members of the mainstream Jewish community and others seeking a more balanced and historically complete presentation, I can no longer, in good conscience continue to serve as a Trustee.”

Following Berlin’s resignation, CIJA CEO Noah Shack stated, “The resignation of the museum’s only Jewish board member is a clear indictment against the Museum’s handling of the controversial ‘Nakba’ exhibit.

“We call on the Minister of Canadian Heritage to hold the museum’s leadership accountable and ensure that national institutions are not weaponized against Canadians to serve a one-sided political agenda.”