By Jane Apor

I take great pride in being the daughter of a Holocaust survivor. My father, Gabor Apor, survived the Holocaust in Budapest, Hungary. So did his parents, Laszlo and Szerena, and his sister, Vera. It was a miracle. My grandfather was taken to Mauthausen. My grandmother to a holding camp. My father and aunt stayed with an elderly couple until my grandmother scaled a bathroom wall, escaped, returned to her children and procured papers to live in a Raoul Wallenberg safe house until Hungary was liberated in April 1945. Miraculously, my grandfather survived the camp and came home later that year. My father and grandmother’s Holocaust recollections are archived in the USC Shoah Foundation, founded by Steven Spielberg.

My father, who passed away in January, seldom spoke of those horrific and harrowing times. This wasn’t out of denial, but rather a conscious decision to cultivate a positive outlook on life. Remarkably resilient, he embraced each day with optimism, adventure, and possibility. He maintained this mindset for all his days.

In 1956, with only $10 sewn into his coat and a rudimentary grasp of the English language, my father embarked on a new chapter in Canada. From humble beginnings, he soared to remarkable heights, directing and producing over 3000 commercials, numerous television shows, and offering communication strategies to esteemed politicians and businesspeople. In spite of his prolific career and accolades, my father remained modest, rarely divulging his achievements.

A pivotal moment occurred more than a decade ago when he attended a lecture by Hershel Ezrin (a friend and a fellow Holy Blossom congregant) on the resurgence of antisemitism. Disturbed by the findings that many harbouring antisemitic sentiments lacked personal connections with Jewish individuals, my father conceived the idea for a documentary titled “Never Again.” This poignant film aimed to debunk antisemitic stereotypes by showcasing genuine bonds and friendships between Jews and non-Jews.

Thanks to the support of a generous philanthropic organization, wishing to remain anonymous, “Never Again” became a reality. The documentary tells stories of unity and compassion, from a Canadian-Israeli ice hockey school fostering bonds between Arab and Jewish children, to the enduring friendship between a Portuguese Christian and a Polish Jew, and the remarkable gesture of an Argentine-born Italian-Canadian who donated land for a new synagogue. My father’s profound concern for the escalating tide of antisemitism fuelled his determination to share these stories with the world then – and as we discussed in recent months, they are equally as relevant today.

As I fulfil my promise to my father to share “Never Again,” again, I invite you to join me in celebrating his legacy – a testament to resilience, hope, the enduring bonds that transcend cultural and religious differences and the triumph of the human spirit. Together, let us honour his memory by spreading love, understanding and acceptance. May this be a call to action against the hatred and intolerance in today’s world.