On June 26, Governor General of Canada Louise Arbour announced the latest appointments to the Order of Canada, which recognizes people across all sectors of society who have made extraordinary and sustained contributions to the country. Among the recipients were two members of the Vancouver Jewish community: Dr. Trevor Hurwitz and Lorne Segal.
Hurwitz, a University of British Columbia faculty of medicine clinical professor, was appointed for his contributions to complex brain disorder treatments. Considered the founder of neuropsychiatry in British Columbia, he created the province’s first programs in the discipline, which remain at the forefront nationwide. He is also a patient advocate and advisor on medico-legal and ethical issues in psychiatry.
Segal, president of Kingswood Properties Ltd., was recognized for his decades of leadership in real estate development, as well as his enduring commitment to philanthropy, mental health advocacy, youth empowerment and community service.
As chair of the Coast Mental Health Courage to Come Back Awards for 21 years, Segal has been instrumental in shaping the event into British Columbia’s premier mental health campaign, increasing awareness of the need for more mental health support and raising millions for the cause. Through his involvement, the inspiring recipient stories have reached thousands of people, reminding us all that setbacks do not define us and that courage can transform lives.
For years, Segal has championed the belief that mental health deserves the same attention, understanding and care as physical health. His leadership has helped reduce stigma, open important conversations and create opportunities for people to seek support when they need it most.
* * *
Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre executive director Hannah Marazzi has been appointed to the international steering board of the newly established Hilda Dajč International Digital Holocaust Memory Award.
Launched through a partnership between Terraforming, a Serbian organization dedicated to Holocaust education and remembrance, and the Landecker Digital Memory Lab at the University of Sussex in the United Kingdom, the award recognizes excellence, ethical integrity and innovation in the digital memorialization of the Holocaust.
The award honours Hilda Dajč, a Jewish architecture student and volunteer nurse who was murdered in 1942 at the Judenlager Semlin (Staro Sajmište) camp in Belgrade, Serbia. Her four letters from the camp are among the most moving and important testimonies of the Holocaust.
The Hilda Dajč International Digital Holocaust Memory Award was created in response to growing concerns about Holocaust distortion and misinformation in digital spaces, as well as the need to strengthen democratic values through education and remembrance. The award seeks to elevate the relevance of Holocaust memory for younger generations, drive innovation in digital remembrance, establish international standards for digital Holocaust education and foster shared responsibility in countering antisemitism and Holocaust denial.
Projects will be evaluated on criteria including technological sophistication and creativity, pedagogical impact and youth engagement, collaborative digital ecosystems and the amplification of marginalized and overlooked Holocaust histories.
Marazzi joins a board composed of experts from institutions including Arolsen Archives (Germany), the Ghetto Fighters’ House Museum (Israel), the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Jewish Heritage Network and European Memory Data Space (Netherlands), iRights.Lab (Germany), the Memorial Centre Staro Sajmište (Serbia) and the Fortunoff Video Archive for Holocaust Testimonies at Yale University.
* * *
This month, Jewish Federation of British Columbia received the 2026 Tel-Hai Dignitary Award, recognizing the longstanding partnership between our community and the Galilee.
Rachel Sachs, executive director of the Israel office, accepted the award on behalf of the BC community. Alongside Federation, the award was also presented to Prof. Mooli Lahad for his lifelong contributions to trauma and resilience, and Prof. Ran Ziv, whose leadership has helped bring technology companies and employment opportunities to northern Israel.
The award reflects the deep relationship our community has built with Tel-Hai and the Galilee over many years. Federation is grateful to Sachs and Adi Kaye of the Israel office for their leadership, the relationships they have built and their on-the-ground presence.
* * *
In June, the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre’s new research and program assistant, Katrina Hermann, presented on the centre’s symposium on the Holocaust – now in its 50th year – at the Association of Canadian Jewish Studies annual conference at York University, Toronto. Through analyzing the early years of the symposium, Hermann demonstrated the important pedagogical innovations of Vancouver’s survivor and educator communities, contributions rarely discussed in academia. She was awarded the Marcia Koven Award for best student paper for her presentation.
* * *
Each year, the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre presents the Meyer & Gita Kron & Ruth Kron Sigal Award for Excellence in Holocaust Education to teachers in British Columbia who have demonstrated excellence and sustained commitment to teaching students about the Holocaust. The award was established in memory of the Kron family, Lithuanian Jewish survivors of the Holocaust who reestablished their lives in Vancouver. Through their lifelong involvement in education and community, the family touched the lives of thousands of students.
The VHEC received a record number of applications and nominations for this year’s award, reflecting both a renewed commitment to Holocaust education in the province and a recognition of the important role it plays in helping students understand the challenges facing democratic societies today. The applications were of exceptional quality, and the centre commends the dedication and skill of all those who applied.
This year’s award recipients are Ryan Holly and Hofit Sabi.
Holly, an educator at Kelowna Secondary School, enables students to understand the Holocaust not only as history, but as an event with contemporary resonances. He confronts a dearth of education about antisemitism in public school with lesson plans inviting students to analyze the continuity and change of historical antisemitism, as well as an in-depth case study of antisemitic propaganda during the Holocaust. His emphasis on evidence-based learning encourages student engagement with primary sources, particularly survivor testimony. Holly has been involved in professional development activities, attending annual conferences and seeking out self-directed opportunities globally. Students and colleagues alike commend his compassion, care and dedication as he handles this difficult subject with nuance and engagement.
Sabi, a Grade 6 educator at Vancouver Talmud Torah, is recognized for her ability to translate the complexities of Holocaust history into age-appropriate, inquiry-based learning for younger students. Her pedagogical approach is distinguished by its global scope, particularly her development of a pioneering mini-unit on the often-overlooked experiences of Jewish communities in North Africa to challenge single stories of Jewish identity and show how international political dynamics like colonialism and fascism intersected during the war. Sabi’s curriculum prioritizes evidence-based experiential learning, and she empowers students to become informed, compassionate civic stewards.
An honourable mention goes to Diana Weld of Quw’utsun Secondary School in North Cowichan for her leadership in modernizing Holocaust education within her department and her commitment to school-wide professional development. Weld developed a comprehensive Humanities 10 unit from the ground up. Her curriculum bridges historical context with modern media, using survivor memoir, film and literature to help students navigate complex ethical issues like indoctrination, blind loyalty, complicity and indifference.