Canadian Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center

We stand with Halifax's Jewish community and denounce these antisemitic stickers that have appeared around the city. Anyone who comes across these or other antisemitic stickers or posters should immediately notify local police.

Chag Sukkot Sameach from FSWC!

"An unfortunate common thread amid times of upheaval and crisis has historically been the increasing spread of antisemitism. The Task Force could not come at a more important time, as the pandemic continues to unfold and antisemitism continues to grow in our society." Read FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt's latest editorial:

A disturbing examination of the antisemitic smears currently being faced by Green Party leadership candidate Annamie Paul, as well as the antisemitic smears previously faced by FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt and Member of Parliament Anthony Housefather.

Join us for the launch of our new virtual webinar series, In Conversation with a Survivor! This live bi-weekly program will feature genocide survivors who will share their testimonies and participate in Q&As. We welcome Rwandan Genocide survivor and peacebuilder Emery Rutagonya as our first speaker. Contact us at [email protected] to register today!

Sweden allocates $1.1 million for the creation of the country’s first Holocaust museum, while researchers at a Holocaust memorial centre in Kyiv lift victims of the Babyn Yar massacre out of anonymity 80 years later. Read the latest news you need to know:

Between September 29th and September 30th, 1941, the Babi Yar massacre became one of the largest mass killings at a single location during the Second World War and claimed the lives of over 30,000 Jewish men, women and children. Today and every day we remember them.

According to the directive, all reported incidents of hateful conduct are now expected to be followed by an immediate and decisive response by the army’s commanding officers. FSWC welcomes this directive as a major step towards combating hate and extremism within the Canadian Army, and we look forward to seeing other branches of the Armed Forces taking similar action.

We commend York Regional Police for their quick action in identifying a suspect in connection with a series of antisemitic incidents that occurred in the City of Vaughan more than one week ago. Anyone with information on the suspect's location is urged to contact police at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7441.

As antisemitic incidents remain on the rise around the world, particularly online, the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism has laid out a list of goals as part of its campaign against hate speech on social media platforms.

Wishing everyone observing Yom Kippur an easy fast and a meaningful day of prayer and reflection. May you have a good year ahead and be sealed in the Book of Life. G'mar Chatimah Tovah!

Disgusted to see images of ovens continue to appear when searching "Jewish baby stroller" on Google. There is no room for such hateful content online. Google, apologies are not enough. Take action now to ensure these and other antisemitic images do not appear in search results.

Despite gathering restrictions due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the team here at FSWC was determined to continue our tradition of celebrating Freedom Day in honour of Simon Wiesenthal. While we would typically host some 3,000 students at Yonge-Dundas Square, this year we instead reached more than 10,000 schools across Canada with our free virtual Freedom Day program.

Freedom Day 2020 is here! Even though the world may look a little different this year, we are thrilled to present you with Freedom Day 2020 - a free virtual program delivered to thousands of schools across Canada. Freedom Day is an annual program that was created to commemorate the life and legacy of Holocaust survivor Simon Wiesenthal and to inspire Canadian youth to be change-makers and build a better future by taking a stand for freedom, justice and human rights in their communities.

Zoom cancels Leila Khaled webinar at San Francisco State University; scientists join forces to combat antisemitism with artificial intelligence; and Finnish top court bans Finland's main neo-Nazi group. Read the latest news you need to know in today's FSWC intelligence brief.

Disturbed to hear that a series of antisemitic incidents occurred in Thornhill and Ottawa over Rosh Hashanah. We join B'nai Brith Canada and the entire Jewish community in denouncing these despicable acts. We'll never be silent in the face of antisemitism.

The countdown to #FreedomDay2020 has begun! At 11:00am Thursday, September 24th, 2020, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center will be launching a free virtual prog...ram to mark the day. Available to schools across Canada, FSWC’s Freedom Day program features a diverse group of Canadians sharing their thoughts about the concept of Freedom. To learn more, email us at [email protected] or send us a DM!

We are saddened by and denounce this horrific attack outside a mosque that appears to have been motivated by hate and extremist views. People of all faiths should be able to practice their religions and attend places of worship without fear for their safety. We stand in solidarity with the Muslim community against hate and send our deepest condolences to Mohamed-Aslim Zafis's family for their tragic and sudden loss.

Great to see another city take action against antisemitism. Thank you Mayor Jeff Lehman and Barrie City Council for unanimously adopting the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance - IHRA definition of antisemitism last night and standing with The City of Barrie's Jewish community.

The Rt. Hon. John Turner was a strong advocate for human rights and democracy and dedicated more than 30 years to serving the Canadian people. We thank him for his many decades of public service and send our deepest condolences to his family.

A profound loss. Ruth Bader Ginsburg was a champion of women's rights and stood up for equality and justice for all. May her memory be a blessing.

"As we enter this new year, let us be aware of the challenges that lie ahead but also let us be hopeful that with hard work and a commitment to making a difference, we can bring about positive change and ensure that we are creating a better world for future generations." Read FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt's special message ahead of Rosh Hashanah.