Federal NDP Leader Avi Lewis is trying to walk back accusations that he assigned collective responsibility to Jewish people for the war in Gaza after a Yom Kippur message sparked a fierce backlash.

Lewis posted Sunday as Yom Kippur began, describing the Jewish holy day as a time to “acknowledge and take responsibility for harms we have caused, individually and collectively.”

Tonight Yom Kippur begins, the most sombre moment of the Jewish calendar. It’s a time of atonement - a time to grieve those who have been lost, a time to acknowledge and take responsibility for harms we have caused, individually and collectively. For Jewish people, the personal…

— Avi Lewis (@avilewis) September 21, 2026

He then explicitly invoked Jewish people before writing: “This year I'm reflecting on the fact that we failed to do our part to stop an ongoing genocide committed in our name.” 

The wording prompted criticism from Jewish politicians, including Liberal MPs Anthony Housefather and Ben Carr. Housefather accused Lewis of holding Jews collectively responsible for events outside their control, while Carr called the remarks “naive,” “miscalculated,” “irresponsible” and “dangerous.” 

Liberal MP Ben Carr says NDP leader Avi Lewis used Yom Kippur as an opportunity to say that Jews have failed the world because of what is going on in Gaza. Carr suggests that this type of narrative is contributing to the types of threats being levied against the Jewish community. pic.twitter.com/rZX1numgNl

— Stephen Taylor (@stephen_taylor) September 22, 2026

Lewis subsequently insisted that wasn't what he meant.

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“I did not blame Jews for the actions of the Israeli government,” Lewis told reporters, calling that interpretation “simply untrue.”

Lewis went further, saying that holding Jews collectively responsible for Israel's actions is antisemitic and insisting, “I've never done it.” He characterized his original message as a “personal reflection” and accused critics of attempting to score partisan points.

Yesterday @avilewis collectively blamed Canadian Jews for their part in causing harm during a "genocide".

Now, after a Belleville Synagogue was shot at during Yom Kippur, he is attempting to walk that back.

Fortunately the internet never forgets. pic.twitter.com/RSExjpAdyM

— HonestReporting Canada (@HonestRepCanada) September 22, 2026

But Canadaland publisher Jesse Brown challenged that explanation on X, pointing directly to the construction of Lewis's original statement.

Brown noted that Lewis first wrote “For Jewish people,” before immediately saying “we failed to do our part,” arguing that Lewis was speaking collectively rather than merely describing his own personal responsibility.

Brown also resurfaced excerpts from a 2024 appearance by Lewis on the Jewish Heretics Podcast, alleging that Lewis had previously referred to Jews collectively as “perpetrators” and mocked concerns raised by Jews about their safety. 

source: https://t.co/ddqY9DK5Dq

— Jesse Brown (@JesseBrown) September 23, 2026

The controversy comes amid heightened concerns about antisemitism in Canada. The federal government's definition of antisemitism specifically warns against holding Jewish people collectively responsible for the actions of the state of Israel.

Lewis's post also appeared shortly before a shooting outside the Sons of Jacob Synagogue in Belleville, Ontario, where worshippers had gathered for Yom Kippur. Lewis later condemned the shooting, calling it “deeply upsetting” and saying Jewish Canadians should be able to worship and live without fear.