‍

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) is increasingly making its presence felt in Western Canada. Since launching our new Vancouver office in September, led by FSWC Director of Western Canada Michael Sachs, our work in education and advocacy has grown significantly on the West Coast.

Engaging with and educating local police

In late October, members of FSWC’s education and advocacy teams were in British Columbia to deliver antisemitism and Holocaust education and training to law enforcement personnel and educators. The team delivered full-day programs to BC RCMP and Vancouver Police Department members, who learned about the history of the Holocaust and the role of law enforcement, historical and contemporary antisemitism and ways to be an ally against it, hate crimes and other challenges faced by the Jewish community, and much more. Holocaust survivor Andy Réti also joined the FSWC team to share his powerful testimony.
‍

Advocating for Jewish university students and staff

FSWC joined other Jewish organizations - Allied Voices for Israel, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Hillel BC, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver and StandWithUs Canada - in issuing a letter to University of British Columbia (UBC) President Benoit-Antoine Bacon, calling on the administration to take five immediate actions to address the rising tide of hate, intimidation and harassment that the Jewish community has been facing at the university. A month later, FSWC's Michael Sachs met with President Bacon and other members of the administration at UBC to raise concerns over increasing antisemitism and targeting of Jewish students, staff and faculty on campus.
‍

Building allyship with diverse communities

Late last month, FSWC's Michael Sachs met with Archbishop Miller of the Archdiocese of Vancouver. They discussed the trauma the country’s Jewish community is facing and ways in which they can work together to better educate Canadians on antisemitism. Sachs personally thanked the archbishop for his steadfast commitment to fight antisemitism.
‍

Raising our voice in the media

FSWC has been cited in news stories on numerous issues in Western Canada - from our call for an imam in Victoria, BC to be investigated by police for his vile, antisemitic rhetoric to our thoughts on Samidoun being listed as a terrorist entity in Canada to the importance of allies joining the Jewish community in the fight against antisemitism.
‍

‍