Two Official Jews Manifest That Old Time "Sha Shtil" Mentality

In Europe, pre-Holocaust, I bet there were more than a few Official Jews who were pretty sure that that chap Hitler would never gain traction. Today, when Zionhass has not only gained traction but is spreading like an deadly virus across the planet, there are Official Jews in Canada who should know better but who, sadly, are stuck in the same old "sha shtil" rut (h/t Sassy):

VANCOUVER — An advertising campaign countering anti-Israel ads on Canadian buses is testing an American advocacy group as it extends its reach into Canada.

 

StandWithUs, a 12-year-old group based in southern California with branches across the United States and in Israel, opened its first Canadian office last December. But it was only recently that its presence was felt there. In mid-October the organization put up a series of pro-Israel advertisements on Vancouver transit after ads critical of Israel began running in September.  

The full-throttle campaign ran counter the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), the Canadian standard-bearer of Israel advocacy, which initially called for a muted communal response, arguing acknowledgment would only draw more publicity. 

“These kind of anti-Israel initiatives mostly don’t gain a whole lot of traction with the public and what we’re trying to avoid is giving it oxygen that it wouldn’t otherwise benefit from,” said Shimon Fogel, CIJA’s CEO. 

While the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center in Toronto (FSWC) and the local Jewish federation in Vancouver both ignored CIJA’s plea and spoke out forcefully in the media against the ads, when it came to the counter ads StandWithUs found scant support among the organized community. 

“I honestly don’t think it’s a sufficient method,” said Avi Benlolo, CEO of FSWC. “It’s kind of a knee-jerk reaction, to get their name out there and to say, ‘Look what we’re doing,’”

Benlolo, BTW, was one of those Official Jews who gave a big thumbs up to draconian state censorship in the guise of (the now thankfully deceased) Section 13. In addition, he runs an outfit that's decided that the best way to deal with rabid Jew-hate is via the touchy-feely but entirely vapid concept of "tolerance." Neither of those efforts ("human rights" censorship; the "tolerance" mush) could be called "knee-jerk." But neither are they terribly effective at keeping Jewry safe and sound.