Jewish community afraid to use Uber, says advocacy group founder. Rideshare company says it's in 'listening mode'

The Jewish community is afraid to use Uber after “disturbing reports of mistreatment and intimidation by drivers,” says the founder of Canadian Women Against Antisemitism, as the rideshare company tells National Post it’s in “listening mode.”

While scrolling on Facebook recently, Esther Mordechai said she noticed posts by Jewish Canadians concerned about using Uber. She has been an activist and advocate for the community for decades. She is also the executive director of B.A.M. Canada , an organization dedicated to supporting marginalized Jewish women and the community.

“I had seen dozens of posts of people asking for alternatives (to Uber), and this is not okay,” she said. “The government is silent, and silence normalizes hate. History shows where that leads: 1930s Germany. Intimidation, denial, indifference. Calling it out is how we protect Jewish lives, and we’re also protecting and defending democracy and ensuring Canada never repeats that shameful path.”

Mordechai decided to write a letter to Uber because she felt “compelled to demand accountability and concrete action … to ensure passenger safety.”

National Post has reported on three separate incidents involving Canadian Jews using Uber. A Canadian-Slovakian model said she was kicked out of a vehicle in Toronto in November for being Jewish. She has since received death threats on social media after speaking out. A Canadian couple said they were refused a ride while travelling in Europe in August after they told the driver they were from Israel, and another Canadian couple said that after a driver heard them speaking Hebrew in February he would not take them home from Toronto Pearson Airport.

A spokesperson for Uber apologized for the riders’ experiences and said appropriate action was being taken.

Speaking to National Post, Uber’s head of public policy and communications for the U.S. and Canada Adam Blinick said drivers receive anti-discrimination training, adding that the company “recently re-sent to drivers the community guidelines to ensure that they understand that they do have an obligation.”

“Discrimination on our platform has no place,” he said.

When asked if Uber would say, definitively, that it is against antisemitism, or hate of any kind, and that the company would root it out, Blinick responded: “I don’t think there’s an issue with us saying that.”

The company has been speaking with Jewish leaders in the community, Blinick said. “I would say at a high level that we’re there in listening mode,” he said.

The main purpose of the discussions is to “understand the sensitivities and how people are feeling about things, and if we can be better partners in order to further enhance either communication or relationships or look at our policies again,” he said. He did not disclose when the discussions took place or with which Jewish organizations, citing that Uber did not get permission to share those details publicly.

The intention “was meaningful dialogue,” Blinick said.

Mordechai shared her letter to Uber with National Post.

“In Canada today, people are afraid to speak Hebrew in public, afraid to identify as Jewish, and afraid to disclose their identity while using ride-sharing services. This is not an abstract fear. It is a lived reality for many in the Jewish community. Following the recent tragic antisemitic incident in Australia, it is painfully clear that Canada is not immune to the same dangerous trajectory if institutions fail to act decisively,” she wrote.

“Uber has a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that all passengers without exception are safe and treated with dignity.”

She demanded that Uber “take immediate and visible action,” including enforcing a zero-tolerance policy for antisemitism, permanently removing drivers who engage in discriminatory or threatening behaviour, implementing mandatory training on antisemitism, and establishing a transparent and effective reporting and accountability mechanism.

Blinick said both drivers and passengers have to adhere to the community guidelines to use the platform. “It’s a two way street, and we want to make sure everyone on the platform feels safe and respected,” he said.

While the guidelines do not include language specific to antisemitism, they say online : “Do not discriminate against someone or act in a disparaging manner toward someone based on traits such as their age, skin colour, disability, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, national origin, race, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, language, geographical location, or any other characteristic protected under relevant law.”

Blinick said the company has been told by lawmakers that it has been “too quick to deactivate or to cause drivers to lose access to the platform.”

“We think we take a very balanced approach,” he said. “There is equal pressure on the other side of things, where there are advocates, drivers themselves, and others that … want to ensure that our system is equally fair and does not side with one or the other.”

When an incident is reported, there is a team of dedicated staff who conduct a review, which can include speaking to the driver, the passenger and reviewing relevant footage or audio recordings. Blinick said Uber does not share information about the outcome of an investigation, barring an “extraordinarily definitive” incident.

“If we confirm behaviour that violates our guidelines, consequences may include permanent loss of access to the platform,” an Uber spokesperson said.

Blinick highlighted tools to help passengers feel safe, including an audio recording tool through the app that was launched in 2023. It is encrypted and only shared with the company if the passenger wants to do so.

“We do have a sizeable team that is charged with investigating all of these complaints, and are not shy about taking action,” he said.

• Toronto model says she was kicked out of Uber for being Jewish
• Jewish model who spoke out about antisemitic Uber incident in Toronto receives death threats on social media

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