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Canadian Citizen Revealed as Holocaust Hero Who Saved Hundreds of Lives
Despite the extraordinary work he did during the Second World War, not many are aware of Holocaust hero Julius Kuhl. According to documents shared with The Globe and Mail, the Canadian citizen saved hundreds, possibly thousands of European Jews during the Holocaust by distributing fake passports.
Holocaust Denier Ernst Zundel Dead, Brought Grief to Holocaust Survivors and Their Families
On Sunday, news reports began announcing the death of Ernst Zundel, a notorious Holocaust denier who used Canada as a platform to spread Nazi propaganda and racial hatred for many years. After being deemed a national security threat, he was eventually extradited to his birthplace, Germany, where he was then convicted on 14 counts of racial hatred. In an opinion piece titled "Ernst Zundel: The most evil man you've never heard of," Dr. Efraim Zuroff - Director of the Simon Wiesenthal Center's Israel office and Eastern European Affairs - states that "in the Western world, the fight against Holocaust denial has been fairly successful to date" thanks to the punishment of people like David Irving and Zundel.
Hate crimes and antisemitism are at an all-time high, which meanswe need to pull together and unite to end the hatred. Through advocacy andeducation, FSWC helps make the world a better place - and we need your help! Learn more about what your donations fund. Click here to make a donation.
FSWC Thanks Canadian Military and Police for Peacekeeping Efforts
In recognition of National Peacekeepers' Day, Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) expresses its gratitude to the Canadian military and police forces for their ongoing peacekeeping efforts in Canada and around the world. According to the Government of Canada, more than 125,000 Canadian peacekeepers have been part of international peace efforts over the past six decades.
Canadian Holocaust Survivor Who Was 88th Prisoner of Auschwitz Dies
FSWC acknowledges the death of Holocaust survivor Sigmund Sobolewski, who moved to Canada after surviving four years at Auschwitz. Known as "Prisoner 88" for being the 88th person sent to Auschwitz, Sobolewski earned a reputation as an opponent of neo-Nazis and Holocaust deniers - confronting cross-burning white supremacists in 1990 and offering to fund a trip to Auschwitz for a Holocaust-denying teacher.
Winnipeg Man Challenging CFIA's Decision to Allow West Bank Wine Labelled as 'Product of Israel'
FSWC is disappointed to learn that a man in Winnipeg is challenging the CFIA's recent decision to allow two wines from the West Bank to be labelled as "Product of Israel" and sold in Canada. In July, the CFIA had originally forced the discontinuation of importation and sales of these Israeli wines, but quickly corrected the decision following backlash.
Israel Revokes Citizenship of Convicted Arab Israeli for First Time
For the first time, an Israeli court has ruled to revoke the citizenship of an Arab Israeli over terror charges. Alaa Raed Ahmad Zayoud was convicted last year following a car-ramming and stabbing attack that injured an IDF soldier and three others. Avraham Elyakim, deputy president of the Haifa Magistrate's Court, said in his ruling that any Israeli citizen who decides to impact the lives of other Israelis in acts of terror "removes himself from the general society of the country."
US Clothing Company Removes Swastika T-Shirt from Site Following Backlash
A US clothing company came under fire after deciding to sell T-shirts featuring swastikas as part of an attempt to rebrand the Nazi symbol as a symbol of "peace." Following backlash, the company removed the T-shirts from their site, replacing them with T-shirts with an "anti-swastika" print.
Suspect Arrested After Car Driven Into Soldiers, Injuring Six
A man suspected of driving into a group of soldiers in Paris was shot and arrested by police during a motorway chase earlier today. French police are now searching his home to establish whether he has any links to terrorist groups. Six soldiers were injured in the attack.
Airbnb Removes Users with Apparent Connection to Upcoming White Nationalists' Rally
Airbnb has removed users from its platform who appear to be affiliated with an upcoming white nationalists' rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Users had alerted the online hospitality service that members of a neo-Nazi site were planning to stay at several Airbnb listings during the event. FSWC applauds Airbnb for this decision.
From the Arab World
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad JavadZarif metwith senior members of Hamas on Monday, who arrived in Iran for theswearing-in ceremony of Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani. Iran has providedfinancial and military support to the terror group for many years, but cut offits funding after Hamas expressed support for Syrian protestors.
Accordingto a new study by the InternationalJournal of Public Health, 10times more people in the Middle East are dying from suicide and murder than inwar. The study looked at 22 countries - including Afghanistan, Iran,Pakistan, Somalia, Syria and Yemen - and found that of a combined population of600 million people, murder and suicide accounted for 1.4 million deaths whilewar was responsible for 144,000 deaths over the same period.
FSWC Needs Your Help!
FSWC is looking to expand our website, www.neverforgetme.ca, which features Holocaust survivor testimony. These videos have been used in classrooms across Canada and beyond, educating youth about the horrors of the Holocaust and the dangers of inaction, and it's imperative that we record these stories today. Your financial support will allow us to continue to record testimony and get these voices into classrooms.To make a contribution to this important initiative, please contact Melissa at mmikel@fswc.ca or call 416-864-9735 x40.
FSWC Wants to Hear from You
Passionate about an issue in the news or your community? Does it align with FSWC's mandate? Then we want to hear from you! FSWC is inviting you to submit reflections on issues that matter to you and the community. While we won't be publishing anything just yet, we will be taking all submissions into consideration for future projects. Submit reflections to aborisovsky@fswc.ca.
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