NDP leader Lewis criticized for saying Jews ‘failed to do our part’ to stop Gaza war

Critics are calling out NDP Leader Avi Lewis for suggesting online that he and his fellow Jews have failed to do their part to stop Israel’s carnage in the Gaza Strip.

Lewis posted Sunday that he is marking the holiest day on the Jewish calendar, Yom Kippur, by reflecting on geopolitics.

He wrote that this reflection includes his view that “we failed to do our part to stop an ongoing genocide committed in our name.”

Jewish Liberal MPs Anthony Housefather and Ben Carr are pushing back, saying it’s wrong to hold Jews responsible for the actions of Israel.

The federal government’s official definition of antisemitism cautions against holding Jews collectively accountable for Israel’s actions because it can fuel anti-Jewish hate.

Advocates have linked that notion of collective responsibility to multiple attacks on Jewish institutions, including Sunday night’s shooting near a synagogue in Belleville, Ont.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2026.

— With files from David Baxter

By Dylan Robertson | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.