Toronto (September 7, 2022) – Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) congratulates the City of Toronto on the launch of its bold, new Toronto For All campaign about antisemitism and its growing prevalence in the city.

Since mid-2021, FSWC and other Jewish organizations – including CIJA, B’nai Brith Canada and Hasbara Fellowships Canada – collaborated with the City of Toronto as part of a Community Advisory Committee of community members, educators and leaders on this important initiative. The campaign is designed to educate Torontonians about antisemitism and its impact on the Jewish community and to dispel the commonly held misconception that antisemitism is more a thing of the past. This came about after FSWC and other community organizations proposed to City Council that antisemitism be the theme of its next Toronto For All campaign after it focused previously on other forms of discrimination and hate.

The campaign will appear on bus shelters throughout Toronto and on the City of Toronto website and social media channels.

Earlier today at Nathan Phillips Square next to City Hall, FSWC Director of Policy Jaime Kirzner-Roberts joined municipal leaders, including Toronto Mayor John Tory and Councillor James Pasternak, and fellow community members at the official launch of the campaign.

Kirzner-Roberts issued the following statement following the launch of the campaign:

“It was a pleasure working with City of Toronto officials and fellow Jewish community members on this incredibly important campaign to help raise awareness of and combat antisemitism. It comes at a critical time as the Jewish community remains the most targeted group for hate crimes in the city. Antisemitism didn’t start nor end with the Holocaust, and while it is the oldest hatred, it’s sadly as prevalent today as ever. Our community needs allies to raise their voices against Jew-hatred and to join us in fighting this growing scourge. We applaud the City’s decision to launch this campaign and to listen to voices from the Jewish community to ensure the campaign is as impactful as possible. Through educational efforts such as this that reach a wide audience, we can better fight antisemitism and all forms of hate.”
‍

‍

‍