Mayor Bevilacqua presents Max Eisen with Key to the City

June 11, 2019 11:00 p.m.
Holocaust survivor honoured for dedication to education and awareness
 
Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua presented Vaughan’s official Key to the City to Holocaust Survivor Max Eisen, at York Regional Police District #4 Headquarters, during an event held to commemorate the naming of the Max T. Eisen Community Room.
 
Mr. Eisen was liberated from Auschwitz 74 years ago and has devoted much of his life speaking to youth about the need to eliminate racism and bigotry. Today, he continues to dedicate his time and effort travelling across the country to share his experiences with thousands of Canadians, speaking at schools and universities, and with news outlets and on television. In 2016, Mr. Eisen published his memoirs entitled By Chance Alone: A Remarkable True Story of Courage and Survival at Auschwitz, which won the 2019 Canada Reads Award.
 
Vaughan is home to one of the fastest-growing Jewish populations outside of Israel. The city takes immense pride in its Jewish community. In May, Vaughan officially marked Jewish Heritage Month. During this month, Mayor Bevilacqua led a flag-raising ceremony in recognition of Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israel Independence Day and commemorated Yom Hashoah, also known as Holocaust Remembrance Day. Celebrations like the City’s annual Menorah Lighting Ceremony have become popular and much anticipated traditions.
 
This marks only the third time in Vaughan’s history that a Key to the City has been presented. This honour, founded by Mayor Bevilacqua, is reserved for distinguished individuals as a recognition for their contribution in areas of human endeavor including business, sport, arts and culture, public service, education and human rights. Mr. Max Eisen is among the select few to be a recipient.
 
QUOTE
 
"Courage, conviction and the ultimate belief in the greater good are sacred personal traits that are worthy of meaningful recognition. Max Eisen embodies these virtues. He is a strong and resilient individual who survived the Holocaust. From these personal experiences, he has become a beacon of hope and a source of inspiration. Mr. Eisen continues to share his story and educate generations of young people, so they may better understand the Holocaust. I travelled with Mr. Eisen to Poland and Israel with the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies. Together, we toured the concentration camps in Auschwitz where Mr. Eisen had been detained. Through his personal experiences and life's work, he has demonstrated an exceptional capacity to promote the importance of the noble values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law. I am blessed to call Mr. Eisen my teacher and pleased to recognize his contribution to the City of Vaughan and the world, by presenting him with a Key to the City.”
 
-Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua  
 
QUICK FACTS

 

  • The establishment of the official Key to the City protocol was presented by Mayor Bevilacqua in a Member’s Resolution dated Nov. 3, 2015 and was unanimously approved by Council.
  • The Key to the City of Vaughan is presented at the discretion of the Mayor.
  • The practice of giving a key can be traced back to medieval times when the gates to walled cities were guarded during the day and locked at night – the key was a sign of freedom as the recipient could enter and leave as a trusted friend. 
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