For Immediate Release
Toronto, Monday, February 25, 2002 — B’nai Brith Canada was shocked and dismayed to learn of the recent act of vandalism that took place at the Gayatri Mandir Hindu Temple in Toronto where six Hindu deities were desecrated. As the Jewish community’s senior human rights organization, B’nai Brith Canada sent a letter to the Temple’s spiritual leader to reaffirm that B’nai Brith Canada does not condone the singling out of groups and individuals based on religion, and condemned these violent acts. As B’nai Brith Canada has expertise in dealing with bigotry and racism, the organization offered its assistance to promote intercultural and interfaith understanding and, most of all, tolerance.
“Acts of vandalism like this one are a growing concern not only to the Hindu community but to all racial and ethnic minorities in Canada. This is a wakeup call to us all,” said Frank Dimant, Executive Vice-President of B’nai Brith Canada.
“Considering Canada’s strong commitment to the principles and realities of multicultural diversity, one would hope that its citizens would be tolerant and accepting of other people’s right to uphold tenets of their religion and religious practices,” added Toni Silberman, Ontario Regional Chair of the League for Human Rights of B’nai Brith Canada.
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For further comment contact Frank Dimant at (416) 802-1057 or Toni Silberman at (416) 505-1584.
B’nai Brith has been active in Canada since 1875 as the community’s foremost advocacy and volunteer organization.
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