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Natan Sharansky – a former Soviet Union refusenik and dissident who has fought for human rights, freedom and the right of Jewish people to live in Israel – was honoured last night with the Human Rights Award presented by Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center. Nearly 500 members of the local Jewish community were in attendance at the annual State of the Union dinner, which welcomed Sharansky and Alan Dershowitz to discuss current issues concerning the Jewish world, including antisemitism on university campuses, changes in Jewish identity, the two-state solution and the current conflict between Iran and Israel.

We would like to thank Beth Tikvah Synagogue for joining us in hosting this incredibly successful event, Limore Twena for her beautiful performance and everyone who graced the stage last night to stand for human rights – including our co-chairs Drs. Susan and Eddie Glick, Vancouver Councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung, Rabbi Jarrod Grover, Rabbi Meyer May, FSWC incoming chairman Fred Waks and member Leora Shemesh, Irwin Cotler, Max Eisen and featured speakers Natan Sharansky and Alan Dershowitz.

Thank you to everyone who sponsored and attended this year's State of the Union. We look forward to welcoming you at our next event, Spirit of Hope, on May 25, 2020!

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