CAEF Bulletin: Jewish Indigeneity is Supported by Indigenous People
Near the front of the 50,000 Canadian Jews and allies who participated in the Walk With Israel 5km on June 9th were representatives of the recently founded Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem, who arrived from New Zealand, Edmonton, Thunder Bay and Sault St Marie.
Coming directly from an international summit of Indigenous Leaders in Seattle, the co-founders, Dr. Sheree Trotter and Hon. Alfred Ngaro, accompanied by their spouses, and Grand Chief Harvey Yesno, and Ms. Kathy Skov made more than a strong impression. They were a statement of the truth about Jewish Indigeneity, about love for the Jewish people, about our shared values, shared historical experiences of dispossession, alienation, isolation and attempts at annihilation of our respective cultures.
Hundreds of people expressed their appreciation to the delegation for standing tall for Israel, and with pride of purpose declaring the truth.
Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem, Reception and PowWow
June 10th saw an historic meeting of Jewish and Indigenous leadership at the Israel Consulate, hosted by Consul General Idit Shamir. The evening featured the co-founders of the Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem, Dr. Sheree Trotter and Hon. Alfred Ngaro, both Maori from New Zealand, presenting a history of Maori support for Israel, culminating in the opening of the embassy in February this year. CAEF featured the entire program in an earlier bulletin. See here.
Others featured guests were Chief Claire Sault and Grand Chief Larry Sault, of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation and former Grand Chief Harvey Yesno of Nishnawbe Aski Nation, from Northern Ontario.
CAEF’s Executive Director, Andria Spindel, had the unique pleasure and honour of hosting/escorting the delegation of the Indigenous Embassy Jerusalem, that in addition to Dr. Trotter, Mr. Ngaro, and Chief Yesno, included Katherine Skov, EA First Nations of North America, from Garden River, Ontario, Melodie Greyeyes, National Director, CMJ from Edmonton, and Mary Faus, Ojibway tribe from Pennsylvania. Accompanying the IEJ reps were Perry Trotter, husband of Sheree, Moka Ngaro, wife of Alfred, Gavin Howell, husband of Melodie, and John Faus, husband of Mary.
Informative meetings were also held with UJA’s President and CEO, Adam Minsky and VP, Noah Shack and with Founder and with Allied Voices for Israel’s ED, Daniel Koren and Lea Bloom, Director of Operations. All of these meetings were historic, invigorating and productive—Jewish Indigenous Relations are high on our collective agendas. Watch for more news as we develop personal and organizational relationships around our “common cause”—Israel!
