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Canadian institutions mark Holocaust Education Month throughout November

Jerusalem Post November 4, 2026

Communities, museums, and educational institutions across Canada have officially marked the beginning of Holocaust Education Month (HEM), launching a nationwide schedule of events spanning the entirety of November to preserve historical memory, combat rising bigotry, and equip the public with the tools to counter hate. 

Spanning decades of community programming, anchored by initiatives like Toronto’s Neuberger Holocaust Education Week and the Montreal Holocaust Museum, this year’s nationwide rollout arrives against the backdrop of an unprecedented surge in antisemitism across Canada. 

Data released by Statistics Canada showed that Jewish Canadians, accounting for roughly 1% of the population, were targeted in 71% of all religion-motivated hate crimes. This upward trajectory was further underscored by B’nai Brith Canada’s annual audit for 2025, released in April, which recorded a record-breaking 6,800 antisemitic incidents. These figures were compounded by ongoing updates and threat assessments issued by Public Safety Canada, which highlighted mounting security threats and community-level harassment.

 

In response to these trends, federal progress reports under Canada’s Anti-Racism Strategy and updates from Public Safety Canada have increasingly emphasized expanded Holocaust education, mandatory hate-crime awareness, and the adoption of the Canadian Handbook on the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) Working Definition of Antisemitism as frontline tools to counter ignorance.

 

Throughout November, institutions from coast to coast are rolling out specialized public programming. Major highlights include educator training workshops hosted by the Toronto Holocaust Museum in partnership with Facing History & Ourselves Canada and the Azrieli Foundation; regional Kristallnacht commemorations led by the Montreal Holocaust Museum; public lecture series and film showcases organized by the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre and the Atlantic Canada Holocaust Education Foundation; and community forums coordinated nationally through the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA). As organizers and educational leaders emphasize, this extensive lineup is intended not only to honor the victims and survivors of the Holocaust, but to actively challenge the normalization of hate and prejudice in Canadian society today.

 
“Anti-Jewish violence, extremism, and hate-motivated crimes have become all too common in Toronto. Both prior to and after October 7, 2023, Jewish Canadians in this city have been targeted at intolerable and inexcusable rates. Behind the numbers and statistics are decent, everyday Torontonians who – like all Canadians – treasure the ability to be who they are without fear of being harassed or attacked. Sadly, for many Jewish Torontonians that treasured reality is no longer a lived experience,” The United Jewish Appeal (UJA) Federation of Greater Toronto said in a statement to the Post. 

“From November 2-9, the Toronto Holocaust Museum (THM) will host Neuberger Holocaust Education Week. Through survivor talks, book launches, film premieres and community programs, this week is an opportunity to listen, learn, and understand the Holocaust and its lessons for today. It shows where antisemitism, left unchecked, can lead, and why it must be confronted early and without hesitation. This education also teaches about Jewish identity and Peoplehood, which is indispensable in the defence against antisemitism. We encourage everyone to take part, learn, and stand against antisemitism and hatred,” The UJA Federation of Greater Toronto told the Post.
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