Cultural Literacy for Leaders:
Jewish Identity in Canada

These are rarely formal issues. More often, they are moments that require interpretation — what to recognize, what to address, and how to respond appropriately.

As antisemitism rises in Canada, these situations are becoming increasingly common. Many organizations are encountering them without a sufficient understanding of Jewish identity or how antisemitism appears in contemporary settings.

That gap creates real exposure — through missed signals, inconsistent responses, and concerns that surface too late.

Over time, this affects employee trust, participation, and retention, and can lead to avoidable legal and governance risk.

Jewish identity is not limited to religion. It reflects a combination of culture, history, and collective experience that shapes how situations are perceived and decisions are received.

Without that understanding, leaders are often working with incomplete information.

This 90-minute, on-demand course was developed to strengthen leadership capability in this area.

It brings together legal, historical, and institutional perspectives with insights drawn from Jewish voices and lived experience in Canada, focusing on how these perspectives apply in real workplace situations.

Leaders will be better equipped to recognize when something requires attention, interpret it more accurately, and respond in a way that is consistent and aligned with organizational expectations.

For organizations, this leads to more consistent decision-making, earlier identification of issues, and reduced legal and governance risk.

Designed for executives, board directors, general counsel, HR leaders, and others responsible for leadership and oversight, the course is intended for immediate application.

Effective leadership is defined not only by how clear situations are handled — but by how leaders respond when they are not.