Questions of identity, inclusion and rising antisemitism took centre stage on March 19 at the U of M during the Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility (EDIA) Community of Practice Session 5. Titled Jewish Identity, Antisemitism and EDIA, the event aimed at strengthening how institutions approach equity work.
The session was hosted in person and included a panel and breakout discussions. The featured speakers were Melanie Soderstrom, department head of psychology, Emily Kalo, a second-year student at the faculty of law and Lindsay Kerr, director of Hillel Winnipeg.
Soderstrom shared that while antisemitism may look different today, its core meaning remains unchanged.
She noted that modern antisemitism appears in multiple forms, across the political spectrum and in relation to global issues but stressed that these patterns are not new.
“They did not arise suddenly in the last few years,” she said.
Addressing why antisemitism continues, Soderstrom pointed to both history and present-day conditions, and explained that the “hatred of Jews goes back centuries, not years or decades.”
Education was identified as one of the most important tools in addressing antisemitism, particularly as its modern forms can be less visible.
“I think it is extremely important to educate the general public about what modern antisemitism looks like,” she said.
She explained that while many people recognize overt symbols of hate, newer expressions often require more context to understand. This includes awareness of global events, political language and historical narratives.
Rather than shutting down conversations, she encouraged open dialogue and engagement across differences.
“Hate is driven by dehumanization, and we counter that with building bridges,” Soderstrom stated. “It takes time but deeply hurting communities need support to reconnect with each other.”
A key focus of the session was examining how EDIA frameworks include or fail to include Jewish identity.
“Coming into today’s discussion, the topic that I really wanted to discuss was antisemitism and established EDIA frameworks,” Kalo said. “How do we ensure that antisemitism is included?”
Kalo emphasized that inclusion must go beyond symbolic recognition. “Jewish students shouldn’t just be included in those frameworks but should feel like they’re included.”
She explained that meaningful inclusion requires more than statements or policies
“It’s not just about the Office of Equity transformation or a professor or a dean saying they acknowledge that antisemitism is real,” she stated, “but also building relationships.”
According to Kalo, equity work is rooted in ongoing connection. “[To get toward true equity, it’s] really about having that dynamic relationship so that we can continue to meet up-and-coming needs of these communities.”
She also highlighted the importance of relationships across different groups on campus.
“How do we create that relationship between Jewish faculty and students and other marginalized communities so that we can really build equity at large?” she asked.
Kalo also spoke about lived experiences at U of M. “I think antisemitism is, unfortunately, a real reality,” she said.
She noted that these experiences are not isolated. “As a Jewish student, I’ve definitely had experiences with antisemitism on campus, and I know, unfortunately, I’m not alone in that.”
For Kerr, supporting Jewish students means creating both community and consistent presence across campuses.
“We tend to run usually one or two social or holiday programs a month,” she said. “I do visit our campuses on a weekly basis and bring snacks or lunch twice a month to our campuses.”
Kerr stressed that while Hillel is centred on Jewish students, it also welcomes others.
“Hillel exists for Jewish students but is also open to allied students who want to learn about our community,” she said.
When addressing antisemitism directly, Kerr encouraged students to take note of the action and share the concerns that they have with someone.
She stressed, “Students should never be made to feel that they have to do something on campus if they feel like it would put them in a position that will make them uncomfortable.”
