A Jewish community leader in Vancouver is observing Holocaust Remembrance Day by asking British Columbians to stand up against hate crimes.
April 14 marks Yom HaShoah, a Jewish holiday that commemorates the six million Jews who died during the Holocaust and pays tribute to the Jews in Warsaw who fought against Nazi Germany.
Ezra Shanken, the CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, says this cultural holiday that honours the fallen Jews is “more poignant and important” to understanding how antisemitism affects society.
“Yom HaShoa, which really marks the Warsaw ghetto uprising, tells us that a few people can stand up,” Shanken said. “People can stand up in these moments, and they can say enough is enough.”
A day ahead of Yom HaShoah, the University of Tel Aviv released a report documenting the rise of antisemitism in 2025, with the research suggesting that the number of incidents is at a three-decade high.
Canada and Australia had the highest numbers, a statistic the report called “alarming.”
“In Canada, the total number of incidents grew from 6,219 in 2024 to 6,800 in 2025, a number more than three times higher than in 2022,” the University of Tel-Aviv said.
In the report, Irwin Cotler, former justice minister of Canada, said society is “witnessing not only an unprecedented global explosion in incidents of antisemitism since audits began in the 1970s, but most disturbingly, an unprecedented explosion of hate crimes targeting Jews.”
Last year, the federal government introduced Bill C-9, also called the Combating Hate Act, intended to criminalize intimidating and preventing people from accessing places of worship, such as schools, synagogues, and community centres.
The federal bill also suggested criminalizing the use of hate symbols in public.
“[Bill C-9] proposes to make it a criminal offence to intentionally and wilfully obstruct access to places of worship, schools, and religious or cultural community centres,” said Prime Minister Carney.
In March this year, the B.C. government submitted new bills intended to ban people from hindering access to school grounds while offering similar protections to places of worship.
The new policy will protect students, educators, and attendants of faith services to ensure safety, while establishing safety zones near schools and places of worship.
Bill 13, the Safe Access to Places of Public Worship Act (SAPPWA), will protect people accessing places such as synagogues, gurdwaras, mosques, and temples.
Shanken says he is asking the federal and provincial governments to “get the resources necessary to protect our community and for other vulnerable communities.”
He says Bill C-9 is a step toward shutting down the negative behaviour to make a safer society for the Jewish community while highlighting the provincial government’s efforts.
As well, he says, establishing protected zones is a great starting point for creating a safe space near houses of worship.
“These are places that people go to in their most challenged times and the times when they’re celebrating, in the times when they’re mourning,” Shanken said. “This is not a place for people to harass other people.”
“I challenge every person across our province in this moment to figure out how you can be a force for good in this moment and how you can stand up against antisemitism.”
