Indigo founder Heather Reisman denounces Netanyahu and links rising antisemitism to protests

Indigo CEO Heather Reisman told a podcast she no longer backs Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, blaming his right-wing coalition and recent protests for a surge in antisemitism.

Heather Reisman, chief executive of Indigo, appeared on the Unholy: Two Jews on The News podcast to discuss her shift away from supporting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Although she and her husband Gerald Schwartz have known Netanyahu for many years, she now aligns with opponents who criticize his partnership with far-right Knesset members Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, calling the coalition "unbelievably unacceptable" to liberal democratic principles.

Reisman identified three drivers behind rising antisemitism in Canada: a critical-race-oriented DEI movement that excludes Jews, a left-leaning union faction, and aggressive social-media campaigns portraying Israel negatively. She described several incidents in which anti-Israel activists vandalized Indigo stores and accused her of funding the IDF, emphasizing that these attacks stem from her high profile and Jewish identity.

The interview also touched on her broader philanthropic work with the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and the HESEG Foundation. Reisman declined a follow-up interview with one outlet.