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City Leaders Must Take a Stand Against Hateful Anti-Israel Rallies in Toronto
FSWC is calling on the Toronto deputy mayor, city councillors and mayoral candidates to publicly speak out against recent anti-Israel rallies that featured hateful rhetoric and stoked antisemitism and violence, including Saturday's Nakba Day rally where chants included “Free Palestine, from the river to the sea, from every single Zionist” and “Glory to our united armed resistance.”
“These inflammatory statements go far beyond advocating for Palestinian rights – they constitute open incitement to violence and hate,” said FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt in letters to Toronto Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie, city councillors and Toronto mayoral candidates. “What is so concerning about these toxic calls is that they can easily lead to violence, not just in the Middle East but also against Jews here in Toronto.”
Sault Student Takes First Place in National Speech Contest
CTV News Northern Ontario recently spoke with Nevaeh Pine, who placed first in the secondary school category in FSWC's Speaker's Idol competition that was held virtually last week. She was one of 12 students from Ontario, Quebec and BC who shared their powerful speeches on human rights issues and how they envision creating positive change, with Nevaeh speaking about missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls in Canada.
Congratulations to the winners and runner's up of this year's Speaker's Idol! If you missed the event, watch it here.
FSWC Calls on Mount Royal University to Publicly Repudiate Peace Prize Awarded to Activist with History of Antisemitism
FSWC has called on Mount Royal University to publicly repudiate this year’s Calgary Peace Prize and its recipient, an activist with a history of antisemitism, and clarify its past association with the award after attempting to distance itself from it.
Former Senator Linda Frum Wins Defamation Case After Tweeting About Journal Supporting Hezbollah
This week, former senator Linda Frum won the case brought by a Montreal-based Arab-language journal after she tweeted about it supporting the terror group Hezbollah. The Ontario Superior Court dismissed the claim, declaring Frum was remarking on "important political issues" and that the journal “already has a reputation for having views aligned with those of Hezbollah."
New Toronto Museum Preserves Voices, Stories of the Holocaust for a Post-Survivor Era
Toronto's new Holocaust Museum, created by the UJA Federation's Neuberger Holocaust Centre with assistance from a $12 million donation by the Azrieli Foundation, is opening to the public on June 9. At the museum, visitors will have access to more than 220 minutes of Holocaust survivor testimony, across 11 stations.
Auschwitz Museum Begins Emotional Work of Conserving 8,000 Shoes of Murdered Children
The Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum has launched a two-year effort to preserve 8,000 children’s shoes at the former Nazi concentration and extermination camp where 1.1 million people, mostly Jews, were murdered. The aim is to render the shoes as close to how they were found at war’s end as possible, with 400 shoes already processed since the project began last month.
Anne Frank’s Childhood Friend Recalls Their Years Before the Holocaust
In her memoir My Friend Anne Frank, which will be released in June, Holocaust survivor Hannah Pick-Goslar sheds light on her relationship with Anne Frank, including the story of when the two girls encountered each other for the last time at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp.
Two Charged After Hitler Speeches Played on Austrian Train Intercom
Police have charged two people in Austria after speeches by Adolf Hitler were blasted via the loudspeaker system of a train heading to Vienna on Sunday. Spreading Nazi propaganda is a criminal offence in Austria.
Biden Calls Antisemitism 'A Stain on the Soul of America'
President Joe Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff called for both celebrating Jewish American history, and tackling antisemitism head on, during an event marking Jewish American Heritage Month at the White House Tuesday afternoon.
Israel’s Noa Kirel Gets Third Place in Eurovision 2023
Israel’s pop star Noa Kirel finished third with her song “Unicorn” in the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday, finishing with 362 points overall, Israel's best finish since 2018. Sweden placed first in the competition, followed by Finland in second place.
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 advocacy@fswc.ca.
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