MONTREAL - What is all the fuss about? Last week, Montreal’s Jewish community dramatically changed the format for its Israeli Independence Day celebration. Following many years of high-profile marches and demonstrations in the heart of downtown on the occasion of Yom Ha’atzmaut, the event was moved to the suburbs. More precisely the predominantly Jewish municipality of Côte Saint-Luc. There were some members of the Jewish community who whispered that this event was being ghettoized. “We should be downtown to show everyone in this large city of ours how we feel about Israel!” I overheard someone say last week. “What are we proving by being here!”

That is when I stepped in. What exactly do we have to prove? What is the purpose of marking Yom Ha’atzmaut? Is this meant to be a political event or a community celebration? The man stood there before me without much to say. “Both,” he muttered to which I responded, “Well you just proved my point. We have all of the media here, so the message is getting out to the community at large. And we are standing as one to support our Jewish homeland.”

So what was the real reason why the Federation of Jewish Community Services pulled the plug on the high-profile downtown affair and switched to the ‘burbs?’

According to Natalie Batshaw, who coordinated the event, there is no need to look for a conspiracy because there isn’t one. It is true that previous programs have been very political. Two years ago 20,000 people were in attendance, although a good portion of those were people already in the downtown corps and not necessarily members of the Jewish community. Last year, with good weather conditions, the numbers shrunk to 5,000. Then we come to last week, with estimates of 3,000 people. Not bad considering the fact there was a constant rain.

By moving the event to the suburbs, more of the local Jewish day schools took part. Said one mom: “To be honest I was never comfortable sending my daughter to a political rally downtown where Palestinian supporters were organizing counter protests and the Jewish community hired security guards to watch overhead from the tops of buildings. I just did not feel safe. But by moving it to a park in Côte Saint-Luc, I felt better. I am sending my daughter to Jewish day school to learn about her culture and appreciate Israel. Not to be a political activist.”

Last week’s event was not political in the least. There were very few speeches. Côte Saint-Luc

Mayor Anthony Housefather and the Jewish Federation’s Jack Hasen gave brief opening remarks

while Israel Consul General Marc Attali read a message from Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. Then the event was turned over completely to the students. One by one representatives from schools stepped to the stage. As part of their Jewish studies curriculum, individual classes chose a city in Israel to study and then presented their findings to the rally attendees. There was also a virtual Kotel created by Hebrew Academy. Participants were encouraged to write messages for the virtual Wailing Wall, which the school will now arrange to have sent to Israel and placed in the actual Kotel in Jerusalem.

When this part of the day was completed it was time to listen to music. Oh yes, the event did begin with a march from the parking lot of a nearby mall. Even though the event seemed perfectly self contained, police took no chances and sent 100 officers to the site. There were no incidents. A small group of orthodox Jews and pro-Palestinian demonstrators who traditionally show up to try to rain on Israel’s parade were there. But police created a barricaded area far from the action. The protesters were ignored by everyone.

As a recently elected city councillor in Côte Saint-Luc, I was thrilled with the choice of venue. This was not our idea. The Jewish Federation asked to use our facility and we agreed. As the community with the largest per capita Jewish population in the world outside Israel, we felt this was an appropriate choice. Yom Hashoah is commemorated here every year. The annual indoor Israel Day celebration takes place annually at the mall a block away from the park. And whenever a high-profile Israeli speaker comes to Montreal, he or she generally winds up at the podium of the Beth Israel Beth Aaron Congregation in Côte Saint-Luc.

Kids I spoke to were happy with the choice. “The best part about helping out with the celebration is seeing everyone come together,” said Chelsea Smith, an 11-year-old student from Akiva School. “Yom Ha’atzmaut is a celebration of Israel, but also of our place in Quebec and Canada.”

Hasen said: “This year is special because of the leading role our Jewish day schools have played.

Their enthusiasm is infectious and energizing for all of us. For some of them, participating here is their first personal connection to our Jewish homeland.”

But will the Jewish Federation make this type of program an annual affair? I asked Consul General Attali what he thought. “This is not for me to interfere,” he said, looking somewhat uncomfortable being put on the spot. If I had to read his mind I would say that he wants the downtown event back.

“Hey,” said my colleague on council, Glenn J. Nashen, “maybe they can alternate formats every two years and please everyone.”

© 2008 Jewish Tribune