‍

At just 17 years old, Dalia Baldor is taking a bold stand against antisemitism by educating her peers at a Toronto high school about the horrors of hate through a Holocaust education program. It’s in response to the antisemitism she has experienced firsthand.

From classmates minimizing the atrocities of the Holocaust, to being singled out as “the Jew,” and even being told to “go to a gas chamber,” Dalia saw such disturbing incidents increase and intensify in the wake of the October 7, 2023 Hamas massacre in Israel.

“When people are ignorant about the Holocaust, it can make them blind to antisemitism,” Dalia said during a recent interview with FSWC.

Though she had previously considered starting an education project, it was the violent November 7, 2024 riot in Amsterdam – where Israeli soccer fans were attacked in what some described as an antisemitic “pogrom” – that compelled her to act. With the support of a Toronto District School Board (TDSB) trustee, Dalia persuaded her school to implement a Holocaust education program.

As part of the current Jewish Heritage Month, Dalia has been leading weekly interactive Holocaust education sessions, with two classrooms participating in each. The granddaughter of a Holocaust survivor – her grandfather was among the more than 1,600 Jews rescued by the Kasztner train from Hungary to Switzerland in 1944 – Dalia combines historical context with survivor testimonies, including her grandfather’s story.

“I carry the stories of the Holocaust, especially my grandfather’s story, very close to my heart, particularly now when so many people have already forgotten or never even knew what the Nazis did to the Jews,” Dalia said at this year's Yom HaShoah commemoration hosted by FSWC at Vaughan City Hall. “It’s scary to see what can happen when people forget or, worse of all, when they fail to remember.”

Dalia hopes her initiative will inspire other students to launch similar programs in the future.

We applaud Dalia for her courage, resilience and leadership in the face of rising antisemitism – including at her own school. At a time when hate and misinformation are spreading at an alarming rate, her commitment to education and remembrance is a powerful reminder of how young voices can create meaningful change.

Kol Hakavod, Dalia!

‍

‍

‍