Two Oklahoma Jewish organizations have come together to launch a program to assist Canadian Jews in relocating to Tulsa.
Lech L’Tulsa (“Go to Tulsa”) is the brainchild of Tulsa Tomorrow and the Jewish Federation of Tulsa (JFT). Tulsa Tomorrow was established in 2017 with the aim of revitalizing Tulsa’s Jewish community. Its Jewish Federation represents the existing Jewish community of around 2,000 people.
As part of the Lech L’Tulsa program, the JFT will match Tulsa Tomorrow’s $2,000 relocation reimbursement, meaning Canadian households are eligible for $4,000 to cover relocation expenses.
The program also provides immigration lawyer support, including a free consultation and discounted services, to assist prospective individuals and families throughout the relocation process.
In order to assist potential movers in their decision, Tulsa Tomorrow has created curated weekend trips to help people get in touch with the city. The trip includes a Shabbat dinner with the Jewish community and an introduction to the various congregations, as well as real estate tours and other activities.
The first Cohort trip is to take place from February 26 to March 1, 2026, with an option to extend it for a longer stay.Former Canadian Michael Sachs was instrumental in the development of Lech L’Tulsa, after making the move to Tulsa himself. He wrote on Instagram that following his relocation, he was inundated with messages from fellow Canadian Jews wanting help to leave their country.
“The creation of this pathway is just another example of the innovation and creativity Tulsa (and our Jewish community) is known for,” he added.
Sachs told the Toronto Sun that the aim is not the “recruitment” of people from Canada but the provision of an alternative for Jewish-Canadians who are “concerned with the direction Canada is going.”
Rebekah Kantor-Wunsch, Tulsa Tomorrow’s executive director, told the Toronto Sun that the program does not sponsor work visas or offer shortcuts through bureaucracy – but it provides a pathway.
“(Candidates) must have at least Canadian citizenship; if they have American citizenship, it’s even easier,” Sachs said.
Moving to Tulsa the 'best decision ever made'
Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Tulsa Joe Roberts also made the move from Canada to the Oklahoma hub.He wrote on X/Twitter that, while standing in an Ontario Walmart 18 months ago, he watched his son try on backpacks for his first day of kindergarten and thought, “How will this little boy form a Jewish identity in this country? Will he be safe? Not just physically, but in who he is?”
After that, Roberts said he made the move from the GTA to Tulsa, something he called “the best decision our family has ever made.”
Rising antisemitism in Canada
The birth of Lech L’Tulsa comes amid surging antisemitism and incidents of antisemitic hate across Canada.In April 2025, B’nai Brith Canada revealed that antisemitism in Canada has reached “perilous, record-setting heights.”The organization recorded 6,219 antisemitic incidents in 2024, the highest number B’nai Brith Canada has ever documented since the inception of its Audit in 1982. On average, about 17 such incidents occurred daily in 2024.
A notable theater for these incidents is the education system. A report by the Canadian government in July found that nearly one in six antisemitic incidents in Toronto schools were initiated or approved by a teacher – or occurred during a school-sanctioned activity.
The Jerusalem Post contacted Tulsa Tomorrow for comment, but had not received a response by press time.