On January 27, Niagara College will lower flags at both campuses to honour the memory of the six million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and millions of other non-Jewish people who were victims of Nazism.
Over 80 years has passed since the end of the second world war and the liberation of Nazi concentration and extermination camps. Today, our collective duty endures to remember and reaffirm our commitment to ‘never again.’
Despite making up about one per cent of Canada’s population, Statistics Canada reveals that hate crimes targeting Canadian Jews are startlingly high, with Jewish people being the most targeted religious group in the country.
NC students and employees are encouraged to learn more about the history of antisemitism – the hatred of or prejudice against Jewish people.
Jewish identity is complex, commonly thought of as an ethno-religious group. Jewish people are a people connected by shared ancestry, history, and traditions. In Canada, Jewish people have had a presence since the 1700’s, with waves of immigration over the centuries. Today, Canada is home to the fourth largest Jewish community globally.
Training: Unpacking and Addressing Antisemitism
The NC community has access to a series of anti-racism modules, including Unpacking and Addressing Antisemitism. The four modules will be available until April 25, 2026.
In the fall of 2025, an interdisciplinary group of students in a class on Equity, Diversity and Inclusion completed modules in the series, examining antisemitism and other forms of racism.
Looking back: Canadian author and Holocaust survivor, Max Eisen, visits NC in 2017
In 2017, Niagara College was honoured to host Canadian author and Holocaust survivor Max Eisen, author of By Chance Alone: A Remarkable True Story of Courage and Survival at Auschwitz. Eisen shared his powerful story of human resiliency and hope. Eisen passed away in 2022 at the age of 93 having dedicated his life to Holocaust education.
The Library archives includes coverage of the visit.
Library resources
NC’s Libraries and Learning Commons have a selection of books, e-books and videos on antisemitism in their EDI Sources, including:
Hiding Edith by Kathy Kacer – A story about Edith Schwalb, one of many Jewish
children who were hidden from the Nazi’s by the townspeople in rural France. The story has a special NC connection, as Edith Schwalb is the great aunt of Ali Weir, Manager of Student Engagement.
None is too Many by Irving M. Abella and Harold Martin Troper – Documents Canada’s restrictive immigration policy towards Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi persecution between 1933 and 1948, and the reveals the extent of antisemitism of the time. The title refers to a quote from a Canadian immigration official when asked how many Jews to admit.
Night by Elie Wiesel – A chilling memoir of Wiesel’s experience as a Jewish teen at Auschwitz and Buchenwald, the largest Nazi concentration camp. Wiesel shares a harrowing first-hand account of dehumanization and struggle, a testament to humanity’s capacity for evil, and a hope for ‘never again.’
For more titles and videos, visit the Libraries and Learning Commons website.
80 years later, ‘Never Again’ is now
In 2025, survivors of Auschwitz visited the camp in Poland to mark the 80-year anniversary of liberation:
Continue learning about Days of Significance
NC employees and students are encouraged to continue learning and reflecting on the histories and experiences of marginalized communities. To explore other important Days and Months of Significance throughout the year and additional learning resources, visit EDI’s new Days of Significance calendar.
