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Or sign-in if you have an account.A poster for Esther, taken on Bayview Avenue in Toronto on Wednesday, May 20. Photo by PostmediaRipping down posters of a missing 14-year-old Jewish girl is an ugly, vicious stain on Canada, but the cruelty is compounded when our national news media — the CBC and The Canadian Press — feel unable to report the fact that she is Jewish. Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorDid none of the reporters or editors at those institutions think to wonder why so many of these particular posters were being torn down? The family of the missing girl, Esther, also known as Esti (who was reported to have been found safe Thursday), certainly think that antisemitism might be a root cause but, again, the CBC and the Canadian Press didn’t report that. This newsletter from NP Comment tackles the topics you care about. (Subscriber-exclusive edition on Fridays)By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againOther news media thought it important. CP24 quoted Maureen Leshem, a spokesperson for the family, as saying that there was a “growing fear” that the vandalism may be motivated by antisemitism. The New York Post reported Lesham describing the same fear and quoted her as saying, “Whether or not that is the intent, the impact is the same: It interferes with efforts to spread awareness and could ultimately hinder the search for Esti.” The Globe and Mail published an opinion piece that asked the question: “are these posters being torn down because this girl is Jewish?” And, of course, that is the question that has to be asked. This case has all the hallmarks of the antisemites who thought that tearing down posters of the kidnapped Jewish victims after October 7 was a fun thing to do. But the CBC and The Canadian Press refuse to raise the spectre of antisemitism playing a part, even though the family did. The CBC headline stated: Community reports missing posters torn down as search for 14-year-old Esther continues: Toronto police. Which community would that be then? The answer, according to one line in the CBC story is: “The Jewish and wider community in Toronto are concerned about these actions and the motivations behind them.” Forgetting for a moment the nonsense of the “wider community,” why would the Jewish community be so concerned and what are these strange “motivations”? The answer is that she’s Jewish and the mysterious motivation is that antisemitism may be the spark for these evil actions. The Canadian Press quoted Leshem as saying that the posters had been “repeatedly torn down” and describing it as “deeply disturbing and cruel.” Reporters are often told to follow the advice of poet Rudyard Kipling in making sure that they always ask six pertinent questions. “I keep six honest serving-men/(They taught me all I knew);/Their names are What and Why and When/And How and Where and Who,” wrote Kipling. Why’s a great question. Why are these posters being torn down is a basic question to ask, but apparently it is beyond the capabilities of the CBC and The Canadian Press — even when a possible answer is presented to them by the family. Earlier this year, B’nai Brith Canada issued its Annual Audit of Antisemitic Incidents in 2025. In the forward to the report, Richard Robertson, director of research and advocacy, wrote that October 7 had opened “the Pandora’s box of anti-Jewish hate in Canada” and that antisemitism had become “normalized” in our society. That normalization is what allows people to tear down posters of missing Jewish girls. But the normalization becomes worse when our national media refuses to even confront the hatred and, in the case of the CBC, when the possibility of antisemitism is expunged in favour of mysterious “motivations.” If we can’t call out the hate, if we can’t confront it, it will forever grow, and Canada will be the worse for it. “Antisemitism is not only a Jewish problem. It is a Canadian problem,” wrote Simon Wolle, the chief executive officer of B’nai Brith, in the audit report. “It strikes at the very foundation of a pluralistic, democratic society. When Jewish communities are targeted, the social fabric of this country is weakened for everyone.” And in a line that could be aimed directly at the CBC and CP, he added, “And we call on every Canadian to reject indifference, because silence in the face of hate is not neutrality; it is complicity.” The only way to properly report the tearing down of Esther’s posters is to remark on her being a Jew and raise the possibility of antisemitism. Not to do so, is not to tell the story. Whether through indifference or reluctance, these two national media outlets failed to do their job. One has to wonder at their motivation. National Post Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. 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