Toronto (July 5, 2021) - Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) is pleased to announce it has received a $327,000 grant from the Ontario Ministry of Education in support of our student and teacher training programs: Unpacking Intolerance: Equity and Diversity Training for Educators and the Tour for Humanity Virtual Summer Camp Tour.

Combatting hate in all its forms starts with education. Our organization’s namesake Simon Wiesenthal, a Holocaust survivor and Nazi hunter who dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice, believed fervently in the power of education as a means of breaking the cycle of hatred and intolerance. This is the work that we do every day -- both in-person and virtually.  Last year alone we worked with more than 26,000 Ontario students on virtual platforms, teaching lessons of inclusion, justice, and human rights.  

Our goal is to address this growth of antisemitic hate. The programs we are creating will discuss historical examples of antisemitism and will include Holocaust survivors who will courageously share their personal experiences in witnessing firsthand the consequences of hate and intolerance when left unchecked.  We will then connect these historical lessons to contemporary issues of antisemitism and hate today.  We support teachers with lesson plans and pedagogical tools to support their teaching. For students, we work to develop critical thinking skills alongside a collection of tools that they can, in turn, use to create positive change in their homes, schools, and communities.  

“We are grateful for this essential funding, enabling FSWC to extend its reach of these unique, virtual training programs across Ontario,” stated FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt.  “FSWC educators will have a huge impact addressing antisemitism and other forms of hate, building a strategy toolbox to counter hatred and discrimination in schools and communities.”