PART 1: APPLICANT INFORMATION

Name of Organization: Blacks & Jews in Dialogue, The League for Human Rights of B’nai Brith Canada

Official translation of name of organization (French): La Ligue des droits de la personne, B’naii Brith au Canada

Name of President or Board Chair:

Rochelle Wilner, President of B’nai Brith

Name of Executive Director or Chief Executive Officer:

Frank Dimant, Executive Vice-President

Name of Contact Person for this project:

Dr. Lorne Foster

Address: 15 Hove Street

City: Toronto

Province: Ontario

Postal Code: M3H 4Y8

Telephone: (416) 633-6224 ext. 114

Fax Number: (416) 630-2159

E-mail Address: bjd@bnaibrith.ca

Website Address: www.bnaibrith.ca

Charitable registration number: 0374009 C

Year organization founded: 1875

What is your organization’s total budget: $780,000

How many employees does your organization have? 5 (League)

How are racial minorities and Aboriginal people involved in your organization and in the design and implementation of this project?

The Black/Jewish Dialogue’s has a current membership of approximately 280 people of all ages, and is comprised of individuals from a diverse cross-section of communities and cultural backgrounds within the Black and Jewish populations in Toronto. We have, for instance, attracted Conservative and Reform Jews with European and Canadian backgrounds. Several of our members are Black and Jewish. Canadian Blacks and those from the West Indies and Africa also attend regularly. Large delegations from the Rwandan Women's Association, Somali Service Agencies, and the Southern Sudanese Community Organization of Greater Toronto regularly attend the BJD meetings. Various languages are represented, including numerable African and European and Middle Eastern tongues. Several of the Black members from Somalia and the Sudan are Muslims and Arabic speakers. We will continue our efforts to broaden our constituency and to facilitate youth leadership development by organizing a broad-based multicultural youth forum. The forum will incorporate youth from diverse cultural backgrounds with a focus toward Event Participation, Internships in Intercultural Dialogue, Community Involvement Experience, and Public Education and Awareness.

Describe your organization's past and current programs and activities in the areas of race relations/anti-racism (please attach a brochure, annual report or summary of activities):

The League for Human Rights is a national volunteer association dedicated to combating racism, bigotry and antisemitism. The objectives of the League include human rights for all Canadians, building inter-community relation, and the elimination of racial discrimination. The League accomplishes these goals through educational programs, community action and the provision of legal/legislative initiatives. The League’s activities include an Anti-Hate Hotline (1-800-892-2624), Holocaust Education, Women's Interfaith Dialogue, Taking Action Against Hate Seminar, and the Black/Jewish Dialogue (BJD) which is a League program and a finalist for the 2001 Canadian Race Relations Foundation Award of Excellence. Blacks & Jews in Dialogue (BJD) is committed to the further development of strategic alliances and coalition building for promoting diversity in Canada. To this end, it conducts seminars, workshops, public forums and resource materials, as well as other social action initiatives and coordinated community projects, for the furtherance of intercultural relations in Canada.

Please provide three references (names, positions, telephone numbers). These should be individuals who can comment on your organization’s work. These should be individuals who are not officers or employees of your organization.

Mr. Hashised A. Abdullahi, Executive Director, Somali Canadian Club #(416) 249-6747;

Mr. Fred Poku Bonsu, President, Sankofa Heritage Foundation #(416) 798-4242

Ms. Norma Telfer, President, TelCam Training & Consulting #(416) 712-9000

PART 2: PROJECT INFORMATION

What is the title of the initiative?

Black/Jewish Dialogue – Multicultural Youth Outreach

The Foundation will only consider funding projects that meet at least two of the following criteria. Please check off all that apply and describe how the project will work to achieve these objectives:

___X__ to increase critical understanding of racism and racial discrimination in Canada;

___X__ to expose the causes and manifestations of racism;

___X__ to inform the general public of the facts, contrary to popular misconceptions, about groups affected by racism and racial discrimination;

_____ to highlight the contributions of groups affected by racism and racial discrimination, notably Aboriginal Peoples and racial minorities.

The Foundation provides support for the following eligible activities. Please indicate which of the following descriptions are applicable to your initiative:

___X__ co-sponsorship of anti-racism conferences, panels, symposia and commemorative events with the potential to achieve broad public awareness;

_____ co-sponsorship of anti-racism materials and campaigns (print, video, audio, electronic) with the potential to achieve broad public awareness; and,

_____ seed money for the development of large scale anti-racism activities with the potential to achieve broad public awareness.

Please provide a brief summary of the purpose and activities of this initiative. (You may attach additional pages, if necessary.)

The current proposal is for a youth forum: Black/Jewish Dialogue -- Multicultural Youth Outreach. It will be under the auspice of the overall Black/Jewish Dialogue program of the League for Human Rights of B’nai Brith Canada, Ontario Region. The program will be planned by a youth sub-committee, and will be designed to bring together youth from both communities to develop a greater appreciation for their history in Canada and how the two communities worked together in the past to achieve significant strides in human rights legislation, access to employment, and fair accommodations practices. In the context of strained ethnic and race relations in Canada and around the world today, and the avalanche of deepening crises and open conflicts, Blacks & Jews in Dialogue believes in education as the best form of prevention, and the basis of proactive strategies to combat discrimination and hate and bias crime, as well as to discuss what kinds of proactive projects they can work on together in the future. The planning group will meet for several months, and the skills that they develop will empower them for future initiatives. It will be up to them to design the forum (i.e., depending on the budget, it could be a weekend, a few evenings , or a large public event), and the results of the forum will go a long way to promoting better race relations in Toronto.

The primary purpose of the forum is to further youth leadership development and increase public awareness by passing on our message and legacy in the battle against prejudice, racism and hate to the next generation, and we challenge them to take up this necessary cause. This is also a project that promotes multicultural relationship building (i.e., finding common ground and identifying the mutual interests among diverse groups) as a positive means of pursuing social equality, inclusion and progressive social change in a multiracial and multiethnic urban environment.

In a pluralistic society, community mobilization in the form of strategic alliances and coalition building is the most salient agent of societal change. In this respect, the wider goal of this program will be to build stronger and enduring intercultural relationships and support structures among diverse Canadian communities, in order to increase the level of potential organizational response to social problems and diversity issues.

The Canadian Race Relations Foundation has as its objective:

"... To help bring about a more harmonious Canada, which acknowledges its racist past, recognizes the pervasiveness of racism today, and is committed to a future in which all Canadians are treated equitably and fairly."

How will your project further this objective of the Foundation?

The Black/Jewish Dialogue – Youth Outreach Project is designed to increase public awareness and understanding (particularly among youth) of the historic relationship between Blacks and Jews in Toronto and Canada, and to increase informed public dialogue about the future of multiculturalism, anti-racism and cultural diversity in Canada. The forum will be designed to create closer relationships between young people of various racial and ethnocultural backgrounds, so that they can and will comfortably live and work together in the future. The youth leadership focus will allow young people to talk openly about their feelings and experiences and to develop effective skills to respond in a positive way, and impart information about the history of both communities to overcome stereotypes and prejudices that are rampant in the post-September 11^th social environment. The overall project is a commitment to an equitable future that enlists the aid and resurgent energies of youth leadership in a mission to develop decisive strategies to eliminate all forms of social oppression and racial disadvantage.

Please indicate the geographic scope of your project (please be specific, e.g. national , provincial, regional or local):

Local and regional.

What is the target audience of this project? (please be specific, e.g. children, youth, teachers, general public, etc.):

Children, youth and general public.

What is the total budget for this project? (Please provide a detailed budget, identifying all costs related to the project, including publicity, materials, administration, personnel costs, printing, travel, etc.) Additional pages may be attached if necessary.

See Attached: BUDGET SHEET

What timelines have you set for this project? (Please specify the dates of the activities, meetings leading towards the activity, the project completion date, etc.)

See Attached: PROJECT TASKS AND KEY DATES

The Foundation only sponsors projects with the potential of achieving broad public awareness. What is your outreach and/or dissemination plan for this project?

Cooperation of a wide-range of community organizations including the Ontario Black History Society, Toronto Residents in Partnership, the Somali Community Club, the Somali Youth Group and regional affiliates, the Rwandan Women’s Association, The Concerned Kids, B’nai Brith Youth Organization, the Jamaican Canadian Association and regional affiliates, Junior Achievers of Brampton, Black Graduate Students Association (BGSA) of the University of Toronto, and youth representation affiliated with Reform Judaism [NFTY], etc. Information acquired in the youth and public education forum will also be posted on our website (www.bnaibrith.ca/league/bjd) and openly available to internet users.

Please indicate which category of the Initiatives Against Racism Program you are applying for. Please note, most organizations will only qualify for the general program. Please choose one of the following:

• I am applying for the general Initiatives Against Racism Sponsorship Program (Maximum of $5,000)

• I am applying for the rural category of the Initiatives Against Racism Sponsorship Program (Maximum of $7,500). My organization is located in a rural area with a population of 25 000 or less and no direct access to a university.

What is the total amount you are requesting from the Canadian Race Relations Foundation?

The total is $5000

What other sources of funding have you approached for this project? (All other potential sources must indicated).

As well as funding from the Canadian Race Relations Foundation, additional funding and resources for this project will be provided by B’nai Brith Canada ($7,500). The Black/Jewish Dialogue also intends to submit a youth grant proposal to the Laidlaw Foundation and will solicit private donors.

Which one(s) of these sources is (are) already confirmed? (At least one source of funding must be confirmed for the proposal to be approved).

The B’nai Brith Foundation

If your application is successful, how do you plan to acknowledge the Foundation's support?

In conjunction with established policy, a poster will be prominently displayed at the event listing the financial contribution of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation – as well as other contributions in kind. The name of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation will also appear on all written material and be acknowledged at public events throughout the year.

PART 3: DECLARATION

The Canadian Race Relations Foundation promotes the principle that "all individuals should have an equal opportunity to make for themselves the lives that they are able and wish to have, consistent with their duties and obligations as members of society, without being hindered in or prevented from doing so by discriminatory practices based on race, national or ethnic origin, colour, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, family status, disability or conviction for an offence for which a pardon has been granted" (Canadian Human Rights Act).

The Canadian Race Relations Foundation requires that sponsorship recipients prominently feature visible recognition of the Foundation's support in all materials, publications and programs of works or performances related to the sponsorship. Such recognition must be commensurate with that given to corporate, or other sponsors or donors, for similar support.

The Foundation does not sponsor initiatives by federal, provincial or municipal governments, or their agencies, boards, commissions or mandated programs. Only non-profit non-governmental organizations are eligible for this program.

The Foundation requires sponsorship recipients to provide three copies of any materials and publications produced in relation to the sponsorship, and a report detailing the outcome of the sponsored project.

As the authorized representative of my organization, I have read the statements above and promise to ensure that the above proposal will comply with them. All information given is true to the best of my knowledge, and our intent is to carry through with the proposed project should it receive funding, as outlined above. Any unused funds will be returned within a timely fashion.

Signature of authorized official (e.g. Chair, President, Executive Director):

Name (print):

Ruth Klein

Position: National Director of Advocacy

Date:

Witness:

Date:

PART 4: APPLICATION CHECKLIST

In order to facilitate the assessment process and avoid delays, please complete the following checklist, ensuring that your application is complete and eligible:

• I have attached any relevant brochures, flyers, programs, previous publications, to prove my organization's credibility and past involvement in anti-racism work;

• I have demonstrated that funding for this project will be sought and received by a variety of sources;

• I have provided a detailed budget and timelines for this project, including a list of contributions from other sources;

• I have detailed my project's objectives, philosophy, and have demonstrated its feasibility;

• I am submitting this proposal as a not-for-profit organization (please refer to program guidelines for more information);

• The proposal I am submitting has national, provincial, or regional impact;

• I have submitted a final report for a project previously sponsored by the Foundation. The completion date of that project was more than one year ago.