Holland Bloorview’s senior management team is dedicated to fostering belonging amongst staff, clients, and families, and confronting and addressing racism, discrimination and ableism. Aligned with our commitment to building an inclusive, diverse, equitable, accessible and anti-racist environment, Holland Bloorview embraces the opportunity to stand firm against antisemitism, Islamophobia and all forms of hate.

Details:

• In recognition of the International Day of Commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, a live, virtual 90-minute session featuring Holocaust survivor, Elly Gotz, will be made available to all Holland Bloorview staff including volunteers and students, on Thursday January 25. This is an educational opportunity to deepen our understanding of the historical significance of the Holocaust, to promote awareness, and to encourage open dialogue. The event is facilitated by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.
• In recognition of the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia, on January 29, Holland Bloorview is participating in the Green Square Campaign by lighting the outside of the hospital green as a symbol of hope and solidarity with victims and survivors of the attack.

Reflections from Holland Bloorview staff

“Education and awareness are among the ways we can unite against hate in all of its forms. I look forward to joining my colleagues in attending the Holocaust Remembrance Day event on January 25 and participating in the Green Square Campaign on January 29 for the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia. These small steps, taken together can help unify us in promoting peace, understanding and unity.” - Julia Hanigsberg, president and CEO 

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"As the descendant of Holocaust survivors, my connection to International Holocaust Remembrance Day is deeply personal. My grandfather, Avraham, endured the unspeakable horrors of concentration camps, starvation, and bone-breaking labor during World War II. Alongside his brother Shaya, they were the sole survivors of a family of seven, enduring atrocities in different camps after being forcibly separated by the Nazis. The legacy of my grandfather and great uncle underscores the importance of bearing witness and remembering.” - Adva Budin-Mercer, client and family funding coordinator, and co-chair Tree of Hope Jewish Employee Resource Group

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“The National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia means acknowledgement, agreement and an opportunity to bring light on a horrific, mindless attack. A mosque is a place of worship in which we should feel safe and find a sense of peace. It is open to all. Places of worship are sanctuaries for all faiths. I encourage others to visit a mosque, they will see it is not a place of aggression.” - Tima Nakhuda, executive assistant, medicine and academic affairs

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“To me, Holocaust Remembrance Day is as much a day of mourning for the catastrophic losses as it is a day of celebration of the continued triumph of the human spirit. As a proud Jewish Canadian woman and the grandchild of four Holocaust survivors, I attribute my passion for inclusion, resiliency, and equity to my heritage. On Holocaust Remembrance Day, I hope to look to the horrors of the past so that we can chart a course towards a more understanding, inclusive, and progressive future.” - Laura Bowman (Hartman), project manager, research & evaluation, employment pathways.

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“January 29 serves as a painful reminder that we have much to do as a society to ensure everyone is safe. For me personally it’s been very scary time seeing the rise in Islamophobia across the globe and fearing for my own children has never been more real. This is a day where we can reflect on the past and present in hopes that we can come together, identify the mistakes made and do better! On a day like this, we have to put our differences aside, reject the normalization of hate and make humanity our priority.” - Halla Fahmi, psychometrist, brain injury rehab team

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“These remembrance days demonstrate the importance of ensuring that all generations learn how easily hatred can move from thought to action with tragic consequences. It’s a reminder that some groups are subject to both faith-based and racialized discrimination. They also remind us that as individuals, even the smallest of actions taken against discrimination, will matter and can make a difference. We all have a right to feel safe, regardless of our lived identities. As members of the human race and as Canadians, we must do better.” - Lorraine Thomas, manager, inclusion, diversity, equity accessibility and anti-racism (IDEAA)

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For more information, please contact Lorraine Thomas, manager, IDEAA. For more information on Holocaust Remembrance Day go to: Toronto Holocaust Museum. For more information about the National Day of Remembrance of the Quebec City Mosque Attack and Action Against Islamophobia, go to: Green Square Campaign.