November 13, 2018
Dear Mina, Deidre and Everyone involved with CHES,
I want to express both my thanks and congratulations for the beautiful, memorable and heartfelt evening you organized for the launch of Holocaust Education Month last Wednesday.
Clearly, a tremendous amount of thought and effort went into the event. There were so many inspiring and moving moments that even one of them on their own…dayenu. To have them all at the same event was extraordinary.
It was a rare pleasure to be able to hear Michael Berenbaum in person. He is a brilliant scholar and compelling speaker and you could see everyone in attendance was hanging on his every word. Niv Ashkenazi’s recital with a “Violin of Hope” was so deeply moving, a powerful symbol of not only remembrance but the endurance and triumph of the Jewish people; a violin that for all we know may have been played in a concentration camp was now being enjoyed by an audience of Jews, free and thriving, in a synagogue. Powerful.
It was an honour to witness Arie van Mansum’s daughters present the award in his name and to once again, see there are teachers who are working hard to pass along the lessons of the Holocaust to new generations of Canadians.
Then, at the conclusion of an evening that was already so powerful, Irwin Cotler provided a passionate call to arms, reminding us that in these perilous times we must all do our part to fight hate and exclusion.
It was just an extraordinary evening, especially given the added significance of the moment: the 80th anniversary of Kristallnacht, the Canadian government’s official apology for its handling of the Jewish refugees on board the St. Louis, and the massacre at Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Thank you to everyone involved for providing such a dignified and beautiful opportunity to reflect and remember. We are fortunate to have people such as yourselves in our community.
All the best,
Danny Globerman
Former CBC News Reporter
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