Today, we're going to do something a bit different, and look back on 2025 — the biggest news, the conversations that captivated us, and where JSpaceCanada made a difference.
By next week, our weekly communications are going to look a bit different. You'll hear from us more, and across a variety of platforms so that you can access exactly what's most important to you, in the way that is most convenient.
But for this week, let's take one last look at the year that was:
January 2025:
The year began with former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing his resignation amidst months of speculation.
The political landscape also shifted south of the border, as President Donald Trump was sworn in for his second term.
Canadians got their “elbows up” and were reminded of the importance of sovereignty as Trump continued to threaten annexation of Canada.
A partial ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, initially worked on by the Biden administration and completed by the Trump administration, came into effect. Here's what we said at the time.
February 2025:
Trump spoke for the first time of his dangerous “Gaza Riviera plan,” which would amount to forced displacement and ethnic cleansing.
In response, JSpaceCanada launched a petition to Members of Parliament, asking them to condemn this dangerous plan, which many of our MPs did.
We held our first in-person event for 2025 in Vancouver, Peace and Love in a Time of War with Rabbi Shoshana Cohen, in partnership with Temple Sholom.
March 2025:
The joint Israeli-Palestinian documentary No Other Land won an Oscar for Best Documentary, opening up a crucial conversation about settler violence in the occupied West Bank, and the need for a diplomatic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Our Executive Director, Maytal Kowalski, was awarded the King Charles Medal in Toronto by MP for Toronto–Danforth, Julie Dabrusin.
We hosted our second annual Spring Conference in Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal, and encouraged attendees to bring the messages they heard directly to their MPs.
The nearly two-month-old ceasefire collapsed as Israel carried out deadly airstrikes across the Gaza Strip. This is what we said.
April 2025:
Canadians went to the polls to elect members of the House of Commons to the 45th Canadian Parliament. The Liberal Party of Canada, led by Mark Carney, formed a minority government with 170 seats.
In the lead-up to the election, we launched a petition encouraging candidates to listen to voices from a diversity of Jews within the Canadian Jewish community.
Our Policy Centre, chaired by former Canadian Ambassador to Israel Jon Allen, released a policy paper shared with candidates outlining our positions and priorities for Canada’s role in advancing peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
May 2025:
The last living hostage in Gaza, dual US-Israeli citizen Eden Alexander, was released.
The Knesset continued moving forward with the so-called NGO bill, an attempt to restrict Israeli human rights and peace NGOs through taxation on foreign funding and strict registration rules.
We petitioned the Canadian government to condemn this controversial bill, as our polling consistently shows that the majority of Canadian Jews agree that Canada should do more to advance peacebuilding efforts between Israelis and Palestinians.
The month-old Canadian government released a joint statement with the UK and France expressing concern about the worsening situation in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, as well as a statement with 22 other countries condemning Israel’s obstruction of humanitarian aid into Gaza.
What was meant to be an exciting event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, DC, ended in tragedy as a young couple, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were shot and killed while leaving the event.
The suspect, Elias Rodriguez, stated upon apprehension, “I did it for Gaza,” and chanted “Free Palestine.”
Our statement on the horrific incident is here.
June 2025:
We released a survey of Canadian Jews who voted in the 2025 federal election, shattering the myth that the majority were shifting toward the Conservative Party of Canada.
The survey received coverage in Haaretz and the Canadian Jewish News.
We sent a petition to Prime Minister Carney ahead of the G7 summit in Alberta, urging him to make peace a priority.
We held a post-election webinar with former Minister of Mental Health and Addictions and former MP Ya’ara Saks on Jewish political organizing.
A devastating 12-day war broke out between Israel and Iran. The US bombed three Iranian nuclear sites, and two days later, Israel and Iran agreed to a ceasefire under US pressure.
Our statement on the initial Israeli attacks is here and Maytal Kowalski spoke with CBC Vancouver’s Stephen Quinn on Early Edition about the war.
July 2025:
We released our 2024 Annual Report, showing yet another year of growth.
The controversial Gaza Humanitarian Fund, since shuttered without fanfare, was established in the Gaza Strip.
We petitioned MPs to take concrete action toward peace, including banning trade with settlements, continuing sanctions on violent settlers, and recognizing Palestinian statehood.
August 2025:
Prime Minister Carney announced his intention to recognize the State of Palestine at the UN General Assembly. Our statement on recognition is here.
Knesset member Bezalel Smotrich announced plans to develop 3,000 housing units in the controversial E1 area.
We petitioned Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand urging Canada to take action to stop E1 development and save the two-state solution.
Maytal Kowalski wrote an op-ed in Haaretz on Canada’s recognition of Palestinian statehood.
We coordinated an open letter from Canadian Jewish leaders on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, gathering over 30 signatures.
September 2025:
We co-hosted the first-ever Canadian Haaretz Conference in Toronto with the New Israel Fund of Canada.
The JSpaceCanada Policy Centre released a paper outlining how Canada can move from recognition to implementation of Palestinian statehood.
Maytal Kowalski returned to Ottawa to present these recommendations directly to decision-makers.
We sent a petition to Prime Minister Carney thanking him for recognizing Palestinian statehood at the UNGA.
October 2025:
We marked two years since the horrific Hamas terror attacks of 2023 and the war that followed.
Maytal Kowalski spoke with CBC Vancouver’s Stephen Quinn about the need for a lasting peace.
A ceasefire was announced through Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan. All living hostages held in Gaza were released, and all but one of the bodies have since been returned.
Maytal Kowalski attended the World Zionist Congress in Jerusalem as an alternate for Hatikvah Canada.
November 2025:
The UN Security Council approved the US-backed resolution supporting Trump’s Gaza Peace Plan.
We petitioned MPs to act on ending settler violence in the occupied West Bank, as incidents reached record highs.
December 2025:
Maytal Kowalski spoke alongside Palestinian peace activist Ali Abu Awwad at York University as part of the Bridging the Gap program.
On the first night of Channukah, tragedy struck Australia when two gunmen inspired by the Islamic State attacked a Chabad menorah lighting at Bondi Beach. Our statement is here.
Our latest survey of Canadian Jews, to be released in the coming weeks, is available for a sneak peek here.