Amid the disturbing surge in antisemitic and other hate-motivated incidents in Canada, FSWC plays a pivotal role in collaborating with law enforcement agencies nationwide. Through our education and professional development programs, we provide police forces with the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding to better combat hate against the Jewish community. Our training is customizable, with each workshop and program tailored to the unique needs and challenges faced by individual departments. By fostering close partnerships and offering specialized support, FSWC equips law enforcement personnel with the tools they need to confront and mitigate the impact of hate crimes and antisemitism in their communities.
Web-Based Modular Training
FSWC offers support in creating customized modular web-based antisemitism training for police agencies across Canada. Tailored to the specific requirements of each service, the training modules cover such topics as what police need to know about Jewish customs, symbols, and holidays; historical and contemporary issues of antisemitism, discrimination, and intolerance affecting the Jewish community; local trends in antisemitic hate crimes; investigating such crimes; and ways to support Jewish colleagues and community members as an ally. Modular antisemitism training equips participants with essential tools to effectively recognize and respond to instances of antisemitism and hate in our communities and workspaces. Simultaneously, it enhances support networks for individuals within the Jewish community, and for your Jewish officers.
Workshops
ANTISEMITISM: THEN AND NOW
Our flagship workshop Antisemitism: Then & Now covers historical and contemporary antisemitism; how to address it; and ways to build allyship. The workshop provides the ability to name and identify multiple forms of antisemitism, old and new; knowledge of the origins of antisemitism, often referred to as “history’s oldest hatred;” a recognition that antisemitism is an integral part of discussions on hate and intolerance; and how to be an ally in fighting antisemitism, as part of an overall commitment to tolerance and anti-racism.
LESSONS IN HUMANITY
Antisemitism did not begin with the Holocaust, nor did it die with the defeat of Nazism in 1945. Today, less than 80 years later, the trajectory of hate crimes targeting Jewish people in Toronto, across Canada, and around the world is sadly increasing at an alarming rate. Conspiracy theories, misinformation and disinformation rooted in antisemitic ideology abound, fueling incidents occurring in our own backyards. This program looks at patterns of antisemitism from antiquity to the present day, discusses how to identify this form of hate, how it relates to law enforcement, and suggests ways in which to address it in our contemporary world.
POLICING WITH UNDERSTANDING
This is a specialized program that supports law enforcement to better understand Jewish culture and the Jewish community’s unique vulnerabilities. Key components of the program include an analysis of the moments when the Jewish community is most vulnerable, enabling officers to deploy resources strategically and enhance community safety during critical periods. By delving into local hate crime statistics and examining the specific types of hate crimes targeting the Jewish community, officers gain insight into the unique challenges faced by Jewish individuals and institutions. Through targeted training and education, the program fosters empathy and awareness, facilitating stronger relationships between law enforcement and the Jewish community.
VOICES OF SURVIVORS
Hearing testimony from a first-hand witness of the Holocaust offers the listener an intimate understanding of the human cost of hatred and intolerance left unchecked. Participants have the opportunity to meet a Holocaust survivor, hear his/her testimony, ask questions, and gain a better understanding of the Nazi extermination of European Jews on a personal level.
Annual Conference for Police
BUILDING A CASE AGAINST HATE
Every year, FSWC organizes a national conference for all levels of law enforcement professionals, including those from the RCMP and military, as well as provincial and municipal services from across the country. Devoted to addressing and combatting hate-motivated crimes, this full-day event is comprised of panel discussions, networking opportunities, and presentations led by experts. All the content is aimed at equipping law enforcement personnel with new tools, approaches, and knowledge to enhance their capabilities in investigating and prosecuting hate crimes.
The conference features contributions from international law enforcement agencies, with a primary focus on addressing crucial issues relating to hate crime policing. These include, but are not limited to, mass casualty attacks and the spread of hate propaganda, both online and offline.
Building a Case Against Hate 2025 is open to all levels of law enforcement. For more information, or to inquire about speaking opportunities, please connect with us.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
FSWC has developed unique, one-on-one programming in restorative practices for youth and adults involved in incidents of antisemitism and/or Holocaust denial or distortion. We have worked with court systems and law enforcement agencies to provide a robust program that educates the participant and provides opportunities to rectify the harm caused, while working within the legal framework that has been established. These programs are developed on a case-by-case base, reflecting the unique needs of each individual.
Leadership Programs
COMPASSION TO ACTION
Each year, as part of both its education and advocacy work, FSWC invites 30influential Canadians, including Chiefs and Deputy Chiefs from police services across the country, on an eye-opening, educational journey to Europe (and sometimes also Israel)to learn about the Holocaust, racism and intolerance.
The objective behind Compassion to Action is to educate leaders about the history of antisemitism and to inspire and empower them to better address related issues of our times. Over the years, more than 150 police chiefs, educators, mayors, provincial and federal parliamentarians, school board superintendents, philanthropists and thought leaders have taken part in our Holocaust educational journey.
In previous trips, participants visited the hallowed grounds of Auschwitz and Majdanek concentration camps (Poland); explored the ancient Jewish town of Krakow(Poland); viewed original documents from the Nazi period (Germany, Austria, Czech Republic); visited Nazi sites in Nuremberg (Germany); learned about the trials of Nazi war criminals (Germany);walked the path of the ancients in Jerusalem and experienced modern Israel in the always bustling Tel Aviv.
TOOLS FOR TOLERANCE
Ranging in length from one to four days, our Tools for Tolerance programs utilize the evocative, state-of-the art exhibits of the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. These include social laboratories designed to challenge visitors to confront personal biases and prejudice, and to promote awareness about tolerance issues. Participants engage in discussions around diversity, personal values, and responsibility as they apply to the workplace and beyond.
For more information about our programs, please email ebonnell@fswc.ca
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