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Join Jewish communities, Holocaust institutions and Federations across Canada virtually, on Thursday, April 8 at 7 PM EDT, to commemorate Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day 2021. As a nation, we will come together to honour the victims of the Shoah and pay tribute to Canada’s diverse community of Holocaust survivors. Featuring special guests from the east to the west, poignant readings and survivor testimony, providing us with continued strength as Canadians during these unprecedented times.
Holocaust Survivors Express Support for IHRA Definition of Antisemitism in Letter to NDP Members
Holocaust survivors affiliated with Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) have signed an open letter to NDP members expressing support for the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism ahead of a vote on a motion calling for the rejection of the definition at the federal party's upcoming convention.
Court Refuses to Stop Government from Trying to Kick Oberlander Out of Canada for His Nazi Past During the Holocaust
Yesterday, Canada's Federal Court rejected former Nazi death squad member Helmut Oberlander's request to permanently end his deportation proceedings. FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt was relieved to hear the news, stating “Oberlander must now face justice once and for all without delay.”
Concordia Student Union Apologizes to Jewish Community on Eve of Yom HaShoah
The Concordia Student Union has issued a letter of apology to the Jewish community at large. The letter, posted on the CSU’s Facebook page Tuesday, appears to apologize for years of turning a blind eye to antisemitic incidents that have contributed to creating an unwelcoming environment, and one of hostility toward Jewish students on campus.
FSWC welcomes CSU's apology and recognition of its failure to address and tackle issues of antisemitism on campus. We will be reaching out to the CSU in the coming days to commend them for this unprecedented apology and to offer support, including educational programs on antisemitism for their members of council.
Toronto Student Communist Group Tweets “Death to Zionism” Graffiti
Canadian Jewish groups have condemned a Marxist student group over multiple instances of graffiti, including graffiti stating “Death to Zionism!”
“We know that acts of hate can escalate and spread when left unchecked. These acts of vandalism are troubling and ominous and clearly an effort to intimidate members of the Jewish community in areas where they live, work and play," said FSWC's Michael Levitt in a statement.
Hitler's 1936 Olympics Antics Are a Lesson for Helping China's Uyghurs
"On the 85th anniversary of Hitler’s triumph, on Yom Hashoah, the U.S. Olympic Committee should demand that the IOC move the 2022 Olympics from China to a democratic Asian country," Rabbi Marvin Hier, founder and dean of Simon Wiesenthal Center, and Rabbi Abraham Cooper, the Center's associate dean and global social action director, write. "Don’t China’s suffering Uyghur Muslims deserve that much? Such a gesture would yield a gold medal befitting our athletes and our values."
Report Antisemitism and News of Concern to FSWC
If you would like to report antisemitism or news of concern to Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, please email jaime@fswc.ca.
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