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Closing the Circle: Two Families Bound by a Holocaust Rescue
Nataliia Mariichyn’s great-grandparents hid a Jewish family in their barn during the Second World War. Just a few months ago, after fleeing her home in Ukraine, Nataliia arrived in Montreal to start a new life – helped by the descendants of that same Jewish family, who raised $30,000 and spent countless hours helping her move to Montreal, settle into an apartment and find a job.
Obituary: Irving Abella, 82, Was a Canadian Historian Who Revealed Why Canada Kept Jews Out During the Holocaust
Irving Abella, a scholar known for his 1983 bestseller None Is Too Many which exposes Canada's dismal policy regarding Jewish refugees fleeing the Holocaust, died on July 3 at the age of 82 after a long illness.
"Saddened to learn that Irving Abella z”l has died," said FSWC President and CEO Michael Levitt in an online post. "His many contributions to Canada and in particular Canada’s Jewish community will long endure. I had the immense honour of working alongside him and Irwin Cotler on the prime minister’s St. Louis Apology in 2018, and he was so incredibly kind and generous of his time. A true mensch. Sending love and prayers to his family. May his memory forever be a blessing."
Man Arrested in Hate-Motivated Graffiti Investigation
Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center is pleased that a police investigation into hate graffiti discovered near York University in Toronto - including antisemitic graffiti found in a garage that read "shoot a Jew in the head" - has resulted in an arrest. In a news release, the Toronto Police Service stated a 35-year-old male has been charged with seven counts of hate-motivated mischief.
Anti-Israel Protesters Intimidate Shoppers at Plaza of Jewish-Owned Stores
York Region police were quick to respond after anti-Israel protesters arrived at a plaza of Jewish-owned stores to chant antisemitic slogans and intimidate patrons on Canada Day.
'An Insult to Both the Living and the Dead': Jewish Cemetery Vandalized in Winnipeg
Police are investigating after about 70 headstones were found knocked over at the cemetery of Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Winnipeg last week. The executive director of the synagogue called the desecration "an insult to both the living and the dead."
Nazi Collaborator's Name Removed from Alberta-B.C. Peak
Calgarian Duncan Taylor learned from the B.C. government that his efforts to have the name of Henri Philippe Petain, Vichy France leader who collaborated with the Nazis during the Second World War, removed from a mountain, glacier and creek had been successful.
Highland Park Shooting: Grandfather, ‘Tireless’ Synagogue Teacher Among Victims
At least seven people were killed and dozens more injured following a mass shooting in the Chicago-area suburb of Highland Park on Monday, including members of the Jewish community. FSWC mourns with the victims' families and all who were impacted by the horrific attack.
UNRWA Places 6 Staffers on Leave for Incitement in Social Media Posts
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) has suspended six employees almost a year after the pro-Israel advocacy group UN Watch published a report exposing more than 100 UNRWA teachers and other staff members who promoted antisemitism and violence on social media.
Man, 101, Appeals Conviction in Nazi Guard Case in Germany
A 101-year-old former Nazi guard who was convicted last week of more than 3,500 counts of accessory to murder has appealed, a German court said Monday.
"A slap in the face to each and every Holocaust victim and survivor as another former Nazi attempts to evade justice," FSWC said in an online post. "It's time for Josef Schutz to serve time behind bars, once and for all, for his role in the murder of thousands of innocent people."
Israel, Poland to Restore Relations Strained by Holocaust Restitution Row
Israel and Poland have agreed to improve relations that had deteriorated after Warsaw introduced a law last year limiting the ability of Jews to recover World War Two properties, saying on Monday they would mutually restore ambassadors.
Report Antisemitism and News of Concern to FSWC
If you would like to report antisemitism or news of concern to Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, please email jaime@fswc.ca.
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