In recognition of Jewish Heritage Month, the Jewish Heritage committee of the TDSB, in collaboration with the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC), is pleased to make available for our grades 5 and 6 students the riveting multi-media presentation - Simon’s Story – Heroes Among Us. Aimed at junior audiences, the goal of this 90-minute workshop is to introduce elementary school students to historical episodes of hate and injustice, including the Holocaust, slavery in Canada, and residential schools, in an age-appropriate manner. Students will learn techniques to deal with injustice and ideas for creating positive change through models like Malala Yousafzai and Martin Luther King Jr. and the everyday hero. Students will be encouraged to identify characteristics of a hero and suggest ways in which they can be a hero each and every day. Stereotypes, Anti-Semitism, racism and prejudice are defined and discussed. Students will begin to develop an understanding of anti-oppression, treatment of marginalized groups, and human rights issues. These workshops will be held at Northern Secondary School on May 22 and 23. Approximately 1600 students from 50 schools right across the GTA will participate.

The FSWC has prepared a Jewish Heritage Month Resource Guidebook - a wealth of information and resources to support #JHM in our schools. According to B'Nai Brith Canada, last year was "record-breaking for anti-Semitism in Canada, according to a recent audit by the League for Human Rights. The audit found that incidents of vandalism more than doubled across the country." Sadly our schools are not immune and we must redouble efforts to educate - there is no room for hate of any kind in the TDSB.

For more information please contact Shari Schwartz-Maltz, Chair, Jewish Heritage Committee – shari.schwartz-maltz@tdsb.on.ca.