Dear Colleagues, I have previously written about the collective disgust the Baycrest community felt at the heinous acts Hamas inflicted on innocent Israeli citizens and our concern that more innocents in this conflict will continue to greatly suffer. We have all witnessed here at home, and around the world, an intolerable spike in acts of antisemitism as well as Islamophobia. Last week, several Baycrest staff members anonymously informed our leadership by letter that they will refuse to teach students placed here by the University of Toronto. The rationale for this unprecedented action was rooted in their perception that the University of Toronto administration has not taken a strong enough stand against antisemitism on their campuses, mainly regarding the actions of their student unions. Their letter has become quite visible outside of our organization and has gained attention in social media. Baycrest vehemently abhors any and all kinds of antisemitism, particularly with our Jewish history being rooted in creating a welcoming and safe space for all. However, I want to be clear. Our organization is not supportive of the personal decision to refuse to teach students and therefore deprive them of a valuable educational experience at Baycrest, especially during such an important phase in their personal and professional development. Our colleagues who are not at this time willing to teach University of Toronto students are doing so as individuals. They are not speaking for, or acting on behalf of Baycrest. We are committed to providing a safe and supportive educational experience for all of our students. At no time will Baycrest tolerate any hateful sentiments, speech or behaviours in our organization. Let us do our best to be empathetic, respectful, considerate and supportive of our colleagues, students and the broader community throughout this incredibly challenging period. I know this is a very stressful time for all of us. I want to ensure we continue to speak to and hear from each other. William E. Reichman, MD President and Chief Executive Officer Baycrest Seniors Care