Dear Trustees of the Waterloo Regional District School Board,
On behalf of the Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation, I extend applause and appreciation to the Waterloo Region District School Board for the words and deeds you shared on Holocaust Remembrance Day as noted in the link below.
At a time when Jew hatred is rising, almost daily across the globe, and has been evidenced in schools in Ontario, as well as in college classrooms, in mass media, within some faith communities, it is heartwarming to see that a community stands with us and for us. Antisemitism is never just about the Jews and hatred never stops with the Jews, so it is imperative that everyone stop Jew hatred!
Antisemitism is the oldest, most persistent hatred which has had many incarnations and most recently is masquerading as anti-Israel/anti-Zionist criticism, but at its heart, it is a genocidal call to eradicate the only Jewish state in the world. No other country--a legal, democratic and rules-based country--is subject to the vilification, lies and bigotry that is directed at Israel.
The Holocaust began with words, lies about individual Jews, Judaism and the Jewish collectivity; generating fallacious and evil campaigns of hatred by both leaders and ordinary people. We thank the WRDSB for taking a stand to recognize the evil that was perpetrated against the Jewish people, to memorialize those murdered, and to stand for the end of Jew hatred.
Sincerely,
Andria Spindel, Executive Director, CAEF & Co-Chair, End Jew Hatred Canada
Response from Scott Piatowski, the Chair of the Board
Thank you for your e-mail. I have made sure that staff are aware of the positive feedback that their work has received.
In addition, my opening remarks at tonight's meeting of the Board of Trustees were as follows:
"I wanted to recognize that January 27 was International Holocaust Remembrance Day, while January 29 was National Day of Remembrance of the Québec City Mosque Attack and Action against Islamophobia. We join our community in mourning the losses that these days of remembrance represent."
Scott
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