Antisemitism and Holocaust education

Education is critical to combating hate and antisemitism. In a 2021 nationwide Jewish community Town Hall, education was the top priority for Jewish Canadians in combating antisemitism. The Holocaust Knowledge and Awareness Survey conducted by the Claims Conference demonstrated that an alarming 22% of Canadian millennials have not heard, or are unsure if they have heard, of the Holocaust; and 62% of Canadian millennials were not aware that six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust.  

We know anecdotally and from data that, when young people are well informed about the Holocaust, they are less inclined to adopt antisemitic and neo-Nazi beliefs.   

By teaching about the erosion of human rights and democratic institutions, the dehumanization targeted minorities, and the implementation of the final solution – the systematic murder of the Jews of Europe – we can convey the importance of standing up against hate and protecting democracy. 

We must keep the torch of memory alive for future generations. Our advocacy has led to many provinces taking the important step to mandate Holocaust education in grade schools, including BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and New Brunswick.  

Recommendation

• Developing, based on experts’ research, a standardized national social studies curriculum focusing on antisemitism and the Holocaust that integrates into the overall IDE (Inclusion, Diversity and Equity) program and extends it beyond the current frameworks, which will benefit not only Jews but also all at-risk communities.
• Work with provincial governments, municipal governments, and school boards to ensure that education on antisemitism and the Holocaust is put into place in schools across Canada.