Dec. 2025
Cara Bensimon

Hamilton Jewish Family Services is pleased to announce the launch of Café Europa — a welcoming and engaging program designed for Holocaust survivors to enjoy good company and participate in meaningful activities The concept of Café Europa dates back to a small café in Stockholm, Sweden, where Holocaust survivors gathered after the war in search of family, friends, and a renewed sense of belonging. What began as a simple meeting place soon evolved into a powerful symbol of resilience, shared history, and the unbreakable bonds formed through collective experience.
Hamilton Jewish Family Services is proud to join this global network. The program will provide survivors with opportunities to enjoy live music and singing, participate in intergenerational programming and storytelling, engage in thoughtful discussions, and connect with friends and community members in a warm, welcoming setting. These gatherings offer a deep sense of belonging that continues to enrich the lives of survivors.

Hamilton’s Café Europa is open to anyone who lived in or fled from Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Leningrad, the Czech Republic, the former Soviet Union, or other European regions between 1933 and 1945. This includes those born in utero or in a camp, ghetto, or Mellah, as well as individuals who were in forced labour, hiding, or living under a false identity during the war.

As Hamilton Jewish Family Services prepares to welcome participants in 2026, the mission is to create a space where survivors can gather, share stories and strengthen connections.

For more information, please contact Hamilton Jewish Family Services at 905-627-9922 or visit www.hamiltonjfs.ca.