Holocaust Centre of Toronto

The Holocaust Centre of Toronto

Our Mission
The Holocaust Centre of Toronto must preserve the memory of those who perished and to educate the larger community so that the Holocaust will serve as a warning of the dangers of ongoing racism and intolerance. As custodians of memory, we must dedicate ourselves to preserving the past and educating future generations. Only through education and remembrance can we safeguard the lessons of the Holocaust.

Our Purpose
To preserve the memory of those who perished and to educate the larger community so that the Holocaust will serve as a warning of the dangers of ongoing racism and intolerance. With the new millennium comes the realization that the terrible events we are commemorating took place in a previous century. With the passing of eyewitnesses, it becomes all the more important to keep their voices strong, to preserve their stories and pay tribute to their courage, as well as to continue to find compelling ways to teach the Holocaust. Such positive acts of recollection are an act of faith, an affirmation of life and a testament to the human spirit. It is in the ways in which we pay tribute to memory that we truly define ourselves, for it is in forgetfulness and indifference that hate and destruction triumph.

As custodians of memory, we must dedicate ourselves to preserving the past and educating future generations. Only through education and remembrance can we safeguard the lessons of the Holocaust, for it is clear that they have not yet been learned.

"Holocaust" is a Greek translation of the Hebrew word "Olla" meaning "a sacrifice which is wholly consumed by fire". Another expression frequently used for the Holocaust is the Hebrew word "Shoah," and in Yiddish "Khurbn,"which was the term applied to the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem 2000 years ago.