Email from The Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship CHESCHES

Centre for Holocaust Education and Scholarship (CHES)

Newsletter, Vol. 3, No. 2, April 2023

Breaking News!

Federal Budget Supports Anti-Racism Strategy

CHES commends the Government of Canada for including in its federal budget, released on March 28^th, $0.6 million ongoing to support Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy to fight all forms of racism, including antisemitism, and $1.5 million over two years to create a new Anti-Racism, Equity and Inclusion Secretariat to develop federal government policies.

Words from Chair Mina Cohn

Addressing antisemitism through education is a long-term investment. Contemporary antisemitism, like all forms of intolerance and discrimination, has a profound impact on the whole of society, but especially on young students. CHES continues to address antisemitism in Ottawa schools through various channels; the first three months of 2023 were our busiest ever. Read more.

Coming Soon!

CHES is excited to announce that we are updating our website to make it more accessible for educators and the public. Watch for our new look to be released for Yom HaShoah on April 17^th.

Recent Presentations Tackle

Antisemitism in Ottawa Schools

CHES and JFO Joint Sessions

CHES has been working closely with the Jewish Federation of Ottawa (JFO) to address antisemitism in Ottawa schools. Following an incident of antisemitism at St Francis Xavier High School at the Grade 8 level, Principal Sean Power approached CHES for help. CHES board director Artur Wilczynski and David Sachs, JFO Community Relations Specialist, worked together to create a presentation for the students.

Arthur Wilczynski (left) and David Sachs at Sir Robert Borden High School

OCDSB Educators Reach Out to CHES

On Friday, February 17, CHES delivered a workshop for OCDSB Canadian and World Studies (CWS) educators’ Professional Development Day at Colonel By Secondary School. CHES Chair Mina Cohn was approached in early January by a member of the CWS subject counsel with a request for CHES to prepare a session that would help to support and prepare educators with respect to understanding and addressing antisemitism. Read More

Teachers who attended the CHES workshop at Colonel By Secondary School

A group of Ottawa 2^nd Gens

at a CHES event

“Through Their Eyes” - An Urgent Mission for Next Generation Speakers

Are you the child or grandchild of a Holocaust survivor? Would you be interested in developing an educational presentation that bridges generations? To continue the survivors’ legacy into the future, CHES plan to undertake the Through Their Eyes project (Through Their Eyes with Sandy Lessig - YouTube) to teach, enable, and encourage the next generation to continue telling the survivor stories of their parents, grandparents, aunts, and uncles, including the historical background and their personal observations. Learn more here.

To join others like you on this journey, please contact info@chesatottawa.ca.

OCDSB Unanimously Votes in Favour of Jewish Equity Coach

By Lisa Levitan

After two years of Jewish educators asking for Jewish representation on the OCDSB equity team, on January 17th, newly elected trustee Dr. Nili Kaplan-Myrth, Rise Up Ottawa, and the JFO brought forward a motion supporting the hiring of a Jewish Equity Coach. After a lengthy debate, the OCDSB trustees voted unanimously in favour of creating this educator position.

Parent David Baker spoke in support of a Jewish Equity Coach.

Professor Tibor Egervari speaking to students

from the University of Ottawa’s Faculty of Education

Future Teachers Respond to Esteemed Professor

Further to inviting teacher candidates at the University of Ottawa’s Department of Education for CHES’s November Teachers’ Workshop, Tracy Crowe, Program Specialist-Teacher Education, spoke with CHES about the lack of resources about antisemitism for future educators. She was interested in the opportunity to work with CHES and wanted to provide more of our in-person or virtual workshops for her students. Read More

INTERNATIONAL HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY

A SPECIAL REPORT

On January 27th, 1945, the Auschwitz- Birkenau concentration camp, where more than one million people died in its notorious gas chambers, was liberated. On January 27th, 2023 – International Holocaust Remembrance Day – students at Ottawa’s Sir Robert Borden High School (SRB) commemorated the liberation by viewing two of ten survivors’ testimonials produced by CHES and chosen by the classroom teachers. Read Full Report

Algonquin College Staff Remembers

For International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27th, Algonquin College invited CHES to participate in their commemoration: “Stories of Hope & Remembrance”. College Vice-President Diane McCutcheon introduced the event. CHES member Muriel Korngold Wexler, a member of the Bar of the Province of Quebec and second generation Holocaust survivor, spoke about the need for Holocaust education in the face of antisemitism. Read More

Sara-Lynne Levine and Dr. Raoul Korngold spoke

at Algonquin College on International

Holocaust Remembrance Day.

(Top L to R): Kati Morrison, Tova Clark, Judy Young Drache.

(Bottom L to R): Dr. Raoul Korngold, Professor Tibor Egervari

Thank you to our Speakers’ Bureau

During the past three months, the CHES Speakers’ Bureau, which coordinates survivors’ visits to classrooms, experienced a massive spike in demand due to the recent rise in antisemitism in Ottawa. Local teachers have stepped up to bring awareness of the Holocaust to their classrooms. Read More

Holocaust Survivor Honoured at Queen’s (University) Hillel

Four years ago, several Jewish students at Kingston Collegiate Institute (KCI) were on the receiving end of antisemitic slurs from their fellow classmates. One mother contacted CHES Chair, Mina Cohn, who prevailed upon David Moskovic to describe his experiences during the Holocaust to the KCI students. Read More

Queen's (University) Hillel students with David Moskovic

Silent Tears: The Last

Yiddish Tango

By Marion Silver

An adaptation of poems detailing the unimaginable abuses experienced by women and children during the Holocaust. The lush melodies of the tango, beloved by Jews in Poland before World War II, provided the backdrop to the poignant poems and reminiscences of these Holocaust survivors.

Second Generation Indigenous and Jewish Perspectives Shared at Temple Israel

By Kara Goodwin

Ottawa’s Indigenous and Jewish communities gathered at Temple Israel (and via Zoom) on December 10^th and 11^th for the Jewish - Indigenous Relations through the Creative Arts program. CHES was proud to contribute to the weekend event which provided for a discussion of shared experiences of intergenerational trauma and a reflection on the importance of bearing witness.

Bernie Farber at the Human Rights Learning Forum hosted by the Ottawa Police Services

7th Annual Human Rights Learning Forum 2022

A Healing Journey: Understanding the Trauma of Hate and Bias

CHES was invited to attend the 7th Annual Human Rights Learning Forum 2022, hosted by the Ottawa Police Services (OPS) on December 10^th. The main topic of discussion was the recent rise in hate crimes; there was a 72% increase in 2019, even as the reported rate of other crimes was decreasing, suggesting less crime, but more hate.

Give the Gift of a Legacy to CHES

CHES legacy donors are people like you, people who believe in the power of education and in the importance of sharing memory and lessons from the Holocaust. Your legacy gift will nurture and inspire tomorrow’s leaders and will lead to a better future for our children and grandchildren and future generations.

Options include Bequests, Life Insurance, RRSP/RIFF funds and Securities. Please consult with your tax advisor and lawyer to determine which option is best for you.

Watch for more Legacy information on our website and the launch of our Legacy Wall to honour those who are committed CHES donors.