The Warsaw Ghetto Uprising was the largest act of Jewish armed resistance during the Holocaust. A group of young, under-equipped Jews chose to fight back against the Nazis. They were outmatched, but not without agency. This part of history challenges a simplified narrative of victimhood and highlights something more complex: individuals making values-driven decisions under impossible circumstances, demonstrating courage, responsibility, and moral clarity.

We were honoured to present the second annual Tom Weisz Memorial Award for Holocaust Education and Jewish Advocacy to Michael Levitt. As we reflect on Yom HaShoah, we are reminded that remembrance cannot remain solely about the past. It is about recognizing how we have been shaped as a people because of our history and how that has impacted who we have become and how we choose to show up in the world moving forward.

Holocaust Education Week is ultimately about more than remembrance. It is about ensuring that the lessons of the past continue to inform how individuals and communities respond to hatred, discrimination, and injustice today. We are grateful to the educators, speakers, partners, and participants who made this week possible, and to everyone who took the time to engage with this important work.

Students from Hillel McMaster shared personal reflections on what Kristallnacht means for their generation. Their words highlighted the importance of Jewish identity, pride, and presence on campus today. Historian Pamela Swett shared insights into the events of 1938 and helping frame the evening’s featured presentation: the Canadian avant-premiere of Among Neighbours.

The room was full of people who have chosen helping professions as their careers. Care providers. Staff members who make a difference in the lives of Hamilton's aging population. Individuals who are on the frontlines of community life. Those who interact daily with senior citizens who are not immune to the growing pandemic of antisemitism. In fact, in some ways they can be more susceptible to online bullying and vulnerable to overt and more subtle kinds of racially motivated

Marking Kristallnacht in this way, through images, stories, and shared reflections on how different perspectives can greatly impact perception of facts, reminds us that the warning signs of hatred are not always loud. They aren’t always bold signs or loud rallies with angry participants screaming in your face. Often they are subtle. Sometimes they appear gradually. Quietly. Incrementally. Manipulated in imperceptible ways until the damage has been done.

Our first official event following the opening was the community’s annual Yom HaShoah Community Commemoration. Victoria Mancinelli and Yoni Berrous were the keynote speakers followed by the exclusive Hamilton premiere of Irena’s Vows, a powerful film based on the true story of Irena Gut.

On May 2, 2024, Margaret’s Legacy marked a profound milestone as the Margaret’s Legacy Holocaust Learning & Jewish Advocacy Centre officially opened its doors to the community. This unveiling of a new space at the newly renovated Hamilton Jewish Federation building was the realization of a vision years in the making.

Standing among a sea of people, many wrapped in Israeli flags, some holding signs, others just being present, it was evident that our community shows up when it matters most. In recent years, and especially in the months leading up to this gathering, the Jewish community has been navigating a renewed wave of uncertainty. Antisemitism has felt closer, more visible, and at times, more normalized than any other time in recent memory.

Set to open in May 2024 at the Hamilton Jewish Federation, the Margaret’s Legacy Holocaust Learning & Jewish Advocacy Centre will be opening its new Museum: a dynamic, evolving hub for education, dialogue, and engagement featuring the story of Margaret and Arthur Weisz, many of Hamilton’s Holocaust survivors and rotating exhibits of interest.

The Museum of Hope began in 2013 through the initiative of award winning educator Rob Flossman, who reimagined what it could mean to teach history. Rather than keeping the past confined to textbooks, he created a learning environment where students actively engage with artifacts, testimonies, and the lived experiences of those in their own community.

Our community had the privilege of gathering at Churchill Park to mark the installation of Be:longings, a powerful public art installation inspired by the legacy of Raoul Wallenberg and the enduring strength of Holocaust survivors in our own Hamilton community.

A special tribute was dedicated to Benjamin Ferencz, who passed away just days earlier on April 9, 2023. As the last surviving prosecutor from the Nuremberg trials and a key figure in postwar justice, his legacy serves as a reminder of the importance of accountability and the pursuit of justice following unimaginable atrocities.

Margaret's Legacy, represented by Dana and David Horwood, had the honour of being invited to the United Nations by the Abraham Global Peace Initiative and Canada’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Bob Rae, to mark the 74th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The event recognized the contribution of Canadian legal scholar John Humphrey, who played a central role in drafting the Declaration following the Second World War.

This three-day gathering brought together an extraordinary cross-section of voices: educators, students, policymakers, scholars, and community members, united by a shared recognition: antisemitism is not a relic of the past. It is unfortunately a present and evolving reality that demands us to respond.

As organizations grow, evolve, and expand their reach, it can be easy to focus on outcomes, programs, and impact. But moments like this remind us that behind every initiative, every resource, and every step forward, there is a community holding it all together.

Peace Medal recipients: the Global Connect class from Dundas Valley Secondary School planned and executed a full-day conference for more than 700 participants, managing everything from logistics to programming. Their work demonstrated not only initiative, but a deep commitment to learning, collaboration, and impact. Margaret's Legacy participated in and presented at the conference and supported the students leading up to it.

An important message to educators: If you genuinely invest your heart and soul into each child as an individual, you may never know the full extent of the return on your investment, but you can be sure it will be profound. The National Policy Conference for Holocaust Education was such a wonderful experience. Presenting to a room full of educators and human rights professionals from across Ontario was a humbling experience, and we would thank Avi Benlolo for this incredible o

On January 10th, 2019, Margaret’s Legacy had the honour of participating as a Conference Delegate at the C.H.A.N.G.E the Way Human Rights Conference, held at Carmen’s Banquet Centre in Hamilton, Ontario. This remarkable event was a fully student-led initiative organized by the Global Connect class at Dundas Valley Secondary School (DVSS) in Dundas, Ontario. Under the leadership of inspirational educator Mr. Toth and with the help of Ms. Dupuis, students designed a conference

Danna spent 2 consecutive days in Toronto, Ontario presenting to grade 5 students and their grandparents. It’s been a busy couple of days for Margaret’s Legacy, as Danna was fortunate to visit both Bialik campuses to present at the grade 5 grandparent breakfasts. After screening “Margaret & Arthur’s Story” feature film, and sharing inspirational words with the grade 5s and their grandparents, there wasn’t a dry eye in the crowd. Danna felt privileged to share such meaningfu