University of Toronto Seal This past year has been a busy one in the educational, political, and legal BDS realms. Just this past week, the Board of Directors of the University of Toronto Student Union (UTSU) voted, as first reported by Shalom Life, to reject creating and funding a side committee to explore the possibilities to develop the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. The motion failed seventeen no’s to seven yes’s, with two abstentions. After the vote, Marc Newburgh, Executive Director of Hillel of Greater Toronto, lauded the UTSU Board of Directors saying, “This decision is an important step toward building a campus community where all students, regardless of their background and identity, feel safe, welcome, and secure,” BDS is by its very nature an anti-Semitic movement. It demonizes and applies a double standard to Israel, with criteria not held to other countries. This movement checks off every box for anti-Semitism found in the State Department’s Definition. Last month, the Illinois State Senate, incorporating the State Department’s Definition of Anti-Semitism, passed an anti-BDS bill that also passed the House and was signed into law by the Governor this month. Next, the Tennessee State Assembly overwhelmingly approved an anti-BDS resolution, stating that BDS is “one of the main vehicles for spreading anti-Semitism and advocating the elimination of the Jewish State.” The Indiana General Assembly followed suit two days later, unanimously condemning BDS, stating BDS promotes “a climate of hatred, intimidation, intolerance and violence against Jews.” Just this month, the New York State Assembly rejected BDS through a resolution that opposes attempts to delegitimize and apply double standards to, the Jewish State.