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Montreal Residents Display Shocking Yellow Badges During Council Meeting
Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) was shocked by the display of yellow badges by a group of Montreal residents during a recent council meeting in the borough of Outremont. The residents came to protest the use of school buses by the Hasidic community. "The badges worn by the residents evoked the collective memory of the oppression of the Jewish people who were forced to wear yellow badges pinned to their clothing under Nazi rule," said FSWC President and CEO Avi Benlolo.
FSWC Expresses Gratitude as Guatemala Plans Embassy Move
In a letter to the ambassador of Guatemala in Canada, FSWC's Avi Benlolo expressed gratitude following Guatemala's recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and its recent decision to move the country's embassy back to Jerusalem. An announcement regarding the country's embassy was made on Sunday during the annual AIPAC Policy Conference.
University of Winnipeg Undertaking Review Following Allegations of Antisemitism
In a statement released yesterday, the University of Winnipeg said it is undertaking a review of a recent on-campus event following allegations of antisemitism. Concerns were brought to the university's attention that panel members allegedly repeated antisemitic canards during the event.
Racist Graffiti Found on School Property in Nova Scotia
FSWC has expressed its disappointment to learn of racist graffiti discovered on school property in a small community in Nova Scotia. According to police, graffiti targeting the Indigenous and Black communities was spray painted on a school bus and nearby road sign on Monday night.
At Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center, we stand up for tolerance, justice and human rights. Join us by supporting the organization's numerous programs and initiatives that inspire others to raise their voices against hate and make a difference in communities across Canada.
SWC Commends Announcement that 12 Former Officials Will Stand Trial for AMIA Bombing Cover-Up
The Simon Wiesenthal Center has commended Argentina's Judiciary for its announced intention to bring to court 12 officials - including former President Cristina Kirchner and former Foreign Minister Hector Timerman - all of whom are charged with a cover-up of Iranian complicity in the 1994 bombing of the Buenos Aires AMIA Jewish Centre. The bombing had left 85 dead and over 300 wounded.
Polish Lawmakers Condemn 1968 Purge of Jews and Antisemitism
Yesterday, Polish lawmakers approved a resolution that condemns antisemitism as well as honours the anti-communist protests that took place in 1968 while Poland was under communist rule. Communist authorities had forced some 13,000 Jewish people to leave Poland and have their Polish citizenship stripped that year. The resolution condemns the "communist organizers of antisemitic persecution" and mentions respect for those who "fought for freedom and democracy."
Historic First: Air India Israel Flights Set to Fly Over Saudi Airspace
Air India announced today that direct flights between Tel Aviv and Delhi will start to take place on March 22, with reported permission given for the planes to fly over Saudi airspace, shortening the journey by two hours. This is a historic first, as Saudi Arabia, like many other Middle Eastern countries, has not previously allowed flights to or from Israel over its airspace.
From the Arab World
On Monday, the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee chairman stated that the Palestinian Authority has increased its payments to terrorists and their families to $403 million - an increase of nearly $56 million from 2017. The 2018 PA budget was authorized on Sunday, and there's a law that says 7 per cent of each budget must go towards paying terrorists and their families.
Palestinian officials announced today that the chief Palestinian legislative body will hold its first meeting in nearly a decade on April 30. The nearly 700-member Palestine National Council will be meeting to discuss political issues and fill positions on their executive committee - a step that could pave the way for a future successor to President Mahmoud Abbas.
Support FSWC's Vital Work at Spirit of Hope 2018
"It all began with words." During his most recent participation in Compassion to Action - a remarkable educational journey to Poland and Israel that FSWC takes influential Canadians on to learn about the Holocaust, racism and intolerance - this is one of the phrases that stuck with FSWC member Stephen Clark. It's words that existed then and many of which exist now that he believes make FSWC's work vital, including its messages of remembrance, compassion and tolerance.
Join Stephen at this year's Spirit of Hope Benefit. To register or for more information, contact Tracey at tsteyn@fswc.ca or 416-864-9735 ext. 21.
Register for Spirit of Hope 2018
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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