Celebrate Vaughan 2016 | Page 98

[ BUSINESS ] our Mayor. I travelled with him to pay homage at the infamous Auschwitz Concentration Camp where over one million Jews were murdered. He was extraordinarily sympathetic. We also have in Vaughan a wonderful police service led by Chief Jolliffe and a team that has addressed hate crime in the city professionally. Additionally, the York Region Board of Education has given excellent attention to our educational programming in order to build a more compassionate city. Q. What accomplishment are you most proud of – helping raise over $75 million over your career, the overall success you have brought to FSWC, or being awarded the Queens Diamond Jubilee Medal for Service to Canada? Or does something else stick out to you above these things? A . I feel fortunate to have been given this incredible opportunity to help make a difference. What really sticks in my mind are the countless people who have helped me and believed in me every step of the way. I have a team of mentors and friends whom I trust as advisors and as partners in our shared mission to make the world a better place. So, if I had to choose an accomplishment it would be that I have been able to create a large base of friends and supporters – both near and far – who surround me and the organization with love and compassion. I owe them a great deal of thanks. Q. Simon Wiesenthal famously said that “Freedom is not a gift” – this quote has become a rallying cry for FSWC – what does it mean to you? A. We take our freedom for granted. Freedom, like all social movements, is a social construct. Therefore, it can be changed or altered in an instant if we are not its protectors. For example, Adolph Hitler came to power while Germany was democratic. His Nazi party eventually murdered six million Jews and launched World War Two, which cost some 50 million lives. It is so important to understand that our freedoms must be cherished and protected; history has shown us how easily they can be taken away. 98 Celebrate Vaughan / 2016 Q. This past July, Elie Wiesel passed away. What does his loss mean to the ongoing battle for human rights? A . Every generation requires virtuous people who champion morality. They set parameters for the sacred and the profane. They speak out and take risks when others remain silent or oblivious – or even complicit in violence and abuse. Elie Wiesel was a moral compass for the world – very much like Mother Teresa or Martin Luther King Jr. Q. What is the biggest threat to hu- man rights moving forward? What role does the digital landscape we live in play in this threat? A. One of the most significant threats to humanity today is terrorism. Our police services have managed to reduce the danger in Canada significantly – despite the fact there have been very serious incidents and threats. With respect to the digital revolution, we have found over 15 years of unparalleled growth of hate websites on line. This includes social networking where bullying and recruitment to terror organizations is pervasive. In fact, we attribute a growth of antisemitism globally to the pervasive nature of social networking. This is particularly true in university campuses where extreme groups and faculty are posting material that forments violence and hate. So while the Internet is advanci ng humanity, we have found throughout time that new technologies can also be used for evil. Q. FSWC offers a course on Heroes – According to you, who is someone alive today that qualifies for this hero status and why? A. Unfortunately, there is no one that tops my list. However, I know of many individuals who are contributing to their communities and to society. I always say that I get to work with the nicest people in the world – those giving to and participating in the promotion of a positive world. Therefore, we can all be Elie Wiesel, Martin Luther King Jr. or Mother Teresa. As Anne Frank noted while hiding in an attic from the Nazis, “How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Q. The Holocaust is not a Jewish Story, it is a Human Story – do you think most people understand this? Why is it so important for people to understand this? A. I think most people still see the Holocaust as a Jewish story. It is indeed a Jewish story – because mostly Jews were murdered. But they were murdered by non Jews. So, whose story should it be? Indeed, it is humanity’s story to come to terms with how this incomprehensible tragedy could have happened, and it is the responsibility of each and every individual to ensure that hateful ideologies are countered with tolerance, compassion and a respect for diversity and human rights.