About the Gala


About the Gala

Time: Tuesday, October 5 at 6:00 pm
Place: The Allstream Centre, 105 Princes’ Boulevard, Toronto, Canada

About the Canadian Society for Yad Vashem

Through the Society’s educational and commemorative activities on the national, provincial, and municipal levels, the Society carries out Yad Vashem’s mission of ensuring that the Holocaust and its universal lessons are forever engraved in the hearts and minds of Canadians.

About the True Heroes Tribute Gala

In 1953, the Israeli Parliament (the Kenneset) passed a law which established Yad Vashem, The Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Authority as the sole entity to bestow the Righteous Among the Nations title on behalf of the State of Israel. Since that time, Righteous Among the Nations has become not only a symbol of the gratitude to those individuals who aided Jews, but also a synonym for the highest act of civilian heroism and human solidarity.

This prestigious title has been earned by an exclusive set of individuals by dint of their incomparable bravery, integrity, and moral fortitude at a time when human decency became the exception rather than the rule. A Righteous Among the Nation is a gentile who risked his or her life, freedom, and safety, in order to rescue one or several Jews from the threat of death or deportation without exacting monetary compensation or other rewards.

The Righteous are represented by a myriad of peoples: the religious and agnostic, men and women, people from all walks of life and of all ages, educated professionals and illiterate peasants, rich and poor.   The only common denominator is the humanity and the courage they displayed by standing up for their moral principles.

Since its inception, Yad Vashem has recognized, on behalf of the State of Israel, over 23,700 “Righteous Among the Nations” from 44 countries around the world. Unlike others, the Righteous Among the Nations did not fall into a pattern of acquiescing to the escalating measures against the Jews. Rather, they stood in stark contrast to the mainstream of indifference and hostility that prevailed during the Holocaust.

Those who chose to shelter Jews had to sacrifice their normal lives and live a clandestine existence. The price that rescuers had to pay, if caught, was extermination. In Eastern Europe, Germans executed not only the people who sheltered Jews, but their entire families as well.

The Righteous Among the Nations has bequeathed to us an example, par excellence, for us all to emulate. However difficult and frightening, the fact that some found the courage to become rescuers demonstrates that the freedom to choose does exist, that doing the right thing is not beyond the capacity of ordinary people, and that it is possible to transcend whatever the prevailing ethos may be.

People the world over owe the highest debt of gratitude to these brave souls, the Righteous Among the Nations. The True Heroes Gala was an occasion to express our deeply felt gratitude.

National Chair: Fran Sonshine Executive Director: Yaron Ashkenazi
Event Co-Chairs: Ed Sonshine and John Tory
Dinner Chair: Fred Waks
Steering Committee: Felicia Posluns, Jeff Ross, Irit Shay, Beth Singer, Liora Yakubowicz, Nelly Zagdanski
and Sara Zagdanski

Quotes from the True Heroes Tribute Gala

“I was inspired, challenged and truly touched throughout the night at the True Heroes Tribute Gala. Thank you, Canadian Society for Yad Vashem, for all you have done and are doing.”
- Rachelle Mainse

“It was such a privilege to hear the extraordinary stories and to witness the ceremonies honouring those whose exemplary actions earned them the title Righteous Among the Nations. It really showed how one act of courage echoes through the generations.”
- Alicia DesMarteau

“The True Heroes Tribute Gala challenged us to look inward, to see if we had the courage to do the same and, finding ourselves lacking, to strive to walk in such exceptional character, truth and love.”
- Sam and Linda Dumcum

“Jolene and I would like to wish you both a really sincere congratulations for organizing and pulling off such an outstanding event.”
- Jason Sonshine, Gowlings

“I wanted to congratulate you on a spectacular event all around.”
- John Ulmer, Davies Ward Phillips and Vineberg

“Thank you again for inviting us to last night’s gala dinner in support of Yad Vashem. The event was really quite remarkable. The stories of last night’s honourees were extremely powerful and brought the scale and gravity of the Holocaust down to a very meaningful, personal level for all those in attendance, perhaps especially for those who did not grow up hearing such accounts first-hands."
- Laura and Aaron Sonshine

“It was obvious that many in attendance were clearly moved by the stories of the “Righteous Among the Nations.” Congratulations on a monumental achievement.”
- Dora and Harry Kichler

“You were able to accomplish “intimate” with almost 1000 people in attendance and it was a remarkable achievement.”
- Ellen Smoskowitz

“My wife and I felt the evening was very inspirational and heart moving. Honouring the True Heroes certainly demonstrated man’s ability to rise above a very horrific period in history.”
- Dan Giaquinto, Managing Director, RBC Capital Markets

“I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the invitation to the BESA exhibition and the Gala on Oct. 5, 2010. My father, Mesut Salillari, who helped the Hajon family in Tirana, Albania, to escape the Nazi persecution, if alive, would have been so honoured and proud that his son was attending this wonderful event and his name was being mentioned as an honoured guest.”
- Admir Salillari, son of Albanian Righteous Among the Nations