#NoMoreAntisemitism: Inaugural Three-Day Conference

Margaret's Legacy
Oct 26, 2022
4 min read

From November 19–21, 2022, Hamilton, Ontario became the center of a global and deeply urgent conversation as the Hamilton Jewish Federation, supported by Margaret’s Legacy, hosted the inaugural #NoMoreAntisemitism International Conference.

Held across key venues including the Art Gallery of Hamilton and the David Braley Health Sciences Centre, the 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.

The conference ensured accessibility and inclusivity, with every session offering ASL interpretation and programming designed to engage participants across backgrounds, ages, and levels of familiarity.

Opening Dinner: Setting the Tone

The conference began with an intimate opening dinner at the Art Gallery of Hamilton for donors and supporters who helped make this initiative possible, to welcome the keynote speakers to our community. Approximately 80 guests attended, creating an opportunity to connect, reflect, and set the tone ahead of the formal programming.

The evening was catered by Hamilton Kosher, and we are grateful to AGH's CEO Shelley Falconer and all those who attended and supported the launch of this important initiative.

A Dual Focus: Advocacy and Education

Aside from the keynote addresses, the conference was intentionally structured around two core streams:

Advocates Track – focused on public discourse, policy, media, and community response
Educators Track – focused on tools, curriculum, and approaches for teaching Holocaust history and antisemitism effectively

This structure allowed participants to engage with the topic from different entry points, while still contributing to a shared conversation.

Key Voices and Perspectives

The conference featured a number of internationally recognized speakers and thought leaders.

Hon. Irwin Cotler, a global authority on human rights and former Minister of Justice, brought a legal and policy lens to the fight against antisemitism. His longstanding work in international law and advocacy has shaped how governments and institutions respond to hate and discrimination.

Dara Horn, award winning author of People Love Dead Jews, delivered a keynote that challenged audiences to reconsider how Jewish stories are understood and represented in contemporary culture. A scholar of Yiddish and Hebrew literature, her work examines the gap between historical memory and present-day attitudes.

Dr. Robert Rozett, Senior Historian at Yad Vashem, brought decades of experience in Holocaust research and education, offering historical grounding alongside insights into how these narratives are taught globally.

Elisha Wiesel, son of Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel, spoke about continuity, responsibility, and the role of the next generation in carrying forward the moral lessons of the Holocaust.

Alana Newhouse, founder and editor-in-chief of Tablet Magazine, contributed a media and cultural perspective, exploring how narratives around Jewish identity and antisemitism are shaped in public discourse.

Michael Mostyn, CEO of B'nai Brith Canada one of Canada’s leading voices in human rights advocacy, addressed the growing challenges of antisemitism in Canada and the importance of sustained, coordinated responses across institutions and communities.

Other notable speakers included:

Edward Serotta, founder and director emeritus of Centropa. Ed has spent decades documenting Jewish life in Central and Eastern Europe through photography and storytelling
Michael Levitt, President and CEO of Friends of Simon Wiesenthal, focused on contemporary antisemitism and human rights advocacy
Shimon Koffler Fogel, CEO of CIJA, addressed policy and public response and led the "Politicians Panel" with Lisa Hepfner, MP, Dan Muys, MP and Sandy Shaw, on the current state of antisemitism in Canada.
Yoni Berrous, provided tools for educators teaching Holocaust history
Lila Strub, Margaret's Legacy's lead educator, represented local leadership, sharing a sample lesson with educators on how to teach the history of the Holocaust in today's world
Jess Burke, CIJA's director of equity, diversity, and inclusion, contributed to conversations around inclusion and antisemitism within broader equity work
Jody Spiegel, of the Azrieli Foundation, focused on the importance of preserving survivor testimony and making it accessible for future generations
Marc-Olivier Cloutier, of the Azrieli Foundation, focused on the importance of sharing survivor testimony and helping educators feel more comfortable teaching about sensitive and critical topics like the Holocaust
Michelle Sadowski, of the Azrieli Foundation, addressed how to bring survivor memoirs into classrooms in ways that are engaging and relevant for students

The diversity of speakers ensured that the conversation extended beyond history into law, media, education, and lived experience.

Experiential Learning and Special Features

In addition to lectures and panels, the conference included several experiential and educational components.

At the Art Gallery of Hamilton, visitors engaged with special exhibitions such as Yad Vashem's Stars Without a Heaven: Children in the Holocaust exhibit, which featured drawings, letters, and creative works by Jewish children during the Holocaust, offering insight into their inner lives during unimaginable circumstances. Attendees were also privileged to visit Edward Burtynsky's portfolio entitled Chai (to life), as well as a series of prints hung in the Jean & Ross Fischer Gallery.

Also on site was the Tour for Humanity, a mobile education centre developed by the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies. This interactive space provided educators with an opportunity to envision possibilities for bringing Holocaust education to their classrooms in a hands-on environment.

A Community Response to a Growing Challenge

The conference was developed in response to rising antisemitism, both locally and globally. Data showing disproportionately high levels of hate crimes against Jewish communities, combined with increasing incidents in Hamilton, highlighted the need for a coordinated and thoughtful response.

By bringing together educators, advocates, and community members, Gustavo Rymberg, Hamilton Jewish Federation's CEO, created a conference aimed to move participants beyond awareness toward action.

Looking Forward

The #NoMoreAntisemitism Inaugural International Conference was not designed as a one-time event, but as part of a broader effort to rethink how we approach Holocaust education and respond to antisemitism today.

It created space for difficult conversations, introduced new tools and perspectives, and reinforced the importance of continued engagement across communities.

As Federation's partner, the team at Margaret’s Legacy felt that it was a meaningful opportunity to be part of a larger conversation, one that continues to evolve, and one that remains essential.

Thank you to our main event sponsors, the Azrieli Foundation, McMaster University, the Weisz Family Foundation, Maspik! and JNF Canada.