Much like in real life, dogs often serve an important purpose in video games. They help fight enemies, recover items, provide companionship, and add a small amount of levity that benefits even the most grimdark games out there.

They span genres, appearing in everything from first-person shooters to pixelated adventure games. And, while all dogs in games are very good boys and girls, these ten are the ones who went above and beyond to be the very best.

Koromaru (Persona 3, Persona Q: Dancing All Night)

Koromaru is a good Shiba Inu boy based on the real-life dog Hachiko, who was so loyal to his owner that he returned to greet his owner after his commute home from work long after the owner’s premature death. Koromaru is a faithful, devoted companion who wears a specially-made evoker and does his best to help his friends and the Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad.

Shiba Inu (Silent Hill 2)

One of the endings in Silent Hill 2 takes protagonist James into a room where he encounters a very good Shiba Inu pulling levers and wearing a headset. It’s then that James realizes this devious little pup was the one pulling the strings all along. The best part? We’re treated to this jaunty tune over the end credits.

 PaRappa (PaRappa the Rapper)

PaRappa was the positive rapping force for good Will Smith aspired to be during the mid-’90s. He’s polite, wholesome, and has a pretty sick sense of rhythm. We love you, PaRappa.

Sif, the Great Gray Wolf (Dark Souls)

Sif is a good, sword-wielding pup with a tragic backstory and a deadly set of moves. The companion Artorias the Abysswalker, Sif is a good puppy who guards Artorias’ grave after he was consumed by the Abyss itself. We wish we didn’t have to fight such a good, protective pup…but Dark Souls is a bleak game full of hard decisions.

Barbas (The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)

There’s more to meets the eye with Barbas, as he’s the companion to the Daedric Prince Clavicus Vile and recruits the main player’s help in locating his “master.” He’s the only dog in Skyrim that can talk, and a big choice at the end of his side quest can even make him a potentially invincible companion to take with you across the Northlands of Tamriel.

Dog (Fable II)

The dog is easily one of the very best parts in Fable II. They’re your constant, most loyal companion, always following behind you, warning you of trouble, helping you in a fight, and alerting you to buried treasure scattered around the world. What’s more, they sacrifice themselves at the end to protect the player. A good, good pup indeed.

Boomer (Far Cry 5)

Boomer is the perfect companion to help you combat a zealous cult in the Montana wilderness. He’ll alert you to enemies, can slip past their detection with ease, and offers a lot of adorable idle animations to enjoy. He’s a good, all-American pup who, in the game’s own words, will “watch your back better than any man could.”

D-Dog (Metal Gear Solid V)

D-Dog is one of the few dogs in games whose progression from puppy to grizzled combatant is seen on-screen. He’s a good boy with easily the most swagger of any pup on this list, thanks to the distinguished eye patch he wears and the high-action stunts he’s able to pull off with ease. If ever there was a worthy companion to Snake, it’s D-Dog.

Caesar (Wargroove)

Caesar is a brilliant war strategist, snazzy dresser, and majestic good boy in the Cherrystone army. He’s the companion and best friend of Queen Mercia, and one of the only playable dogs included on this list. Aside from being regal and smart, Caesar’s best attribute is his ability to inspire his troops and give them the fortitude they need to succeed on the battlefield.

Dogmeat (Fallout 4)

The wasteland is a terrifying, stressful place. Everything is potentially fatal, and there are very few friends to be made in its expanse. That’s why Dogmeat’s presence in Fallout 4 is so special. Sure, there could be several Super Mutants and a Deathclaw hunting you in a bombed-out ghost town, but at any moment, you can look down and see a German shepard wearing a bandana and doggles at your side, ready to help. The best part? He’s immortal, meaning you’ll never have to stress about making sure your dog friend makes it out alive.

Cassidee is IGN’s social editor and the biggest of dog people. You can chat with her about puppies and geek stuff on Twitter. 

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – As conference tournament play ramps up, Angelo State remains the unanimous No. program in this week’s NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll. The top four rankings stood pat and were joined by new No. 5 West Texas A&M this week.

The Rambelles (51-4) and Lady Buffs (40-9) are the top two seeds in this week’s single-elimination Lone Star Conference (LSC) Tournament with possibility of a top-five clash in the championship game. LSC regular season champion Angelo State, which has won 16 straight, capped off its regular season with two LSC road wins at Cameron (6-5, 10-3), while WT also won on the road, sweeping a three-game LSC set from Eastern New Mexico (15-1, 7-2, 9-1).

Remaining at No. 2, Harding heads into Great American Conference (GAC) tournament as the top seed and regular season champs. Following a 5-1 week, the Bison (50-6) became just the second GAC program to reach the 50-win plateau, the first to do it during the regular season.

No. 3 North Georgia was idle last week after winning its fourth straight Peach Belt Conference tournament title. Cal State Monterey Bay wrapped its regular season, splitting with then-No. 9 Humboldt State in California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) action. The Otters (42-9) claimed the CCAA regular season title and will be the top-seed at the 2017 CCAA tournament in Stockton, Calif.

Southern Indiana dropped a spot to No. 6 after splitting a Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) twinbill with Quincy. The Eagles (40-10) earned a share of the GLVC regular season title and will be the top seed at this week’s tournament in East Peoria, Ill.

West Virginia Wesleyan is riding a 15 game-winning streak and moved up one position to No. 7. The Bobcats (40-6) are the Mount East Conference (MEC) regular season champs and will be the top seed at the MEC Tournament in Salem, Va. WVWC capped off its regular season with a pair of doubleheader sweeps of Glenville State and Concord.

Pfeiffer dipped two spots to No. 8 after putting in a runner-up performance at the Conference Carolinas Tournament. The Falcons (44-6) battled back from the loser’s bracket to reach the title game, but fell to North Greenville, 4-0.

Minnesota State owns the longest active winning streak in Division II at 20 games after they reeled off six more wins to close out the regular season. The Mavericks (50-6) clinched the regular season Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) regular season title on the final day of the season with a twinbill sweep of Minot State (10-0, 11-5). It marks the first 50-win season for Minnesota State since 2011.

New to the top-10 this week is No. 10 West Florida. The Argos (39-12) swept Lee in their final Gulf South Conference (GSC) series and locked up the No. 2 seed for the GSC tournament in Huntsville, Ala.

Regular season Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAA) champions Central Oklahoma made the biggest climb this week, moving up five spots to No. 16 after sweeping through the MIAA tournament to claim their first title since joining the league in 2013.

NE-10 Southwest Division champion Adelphi jumped into the No. 25 spot, while previous-No. 23 New Haven fell out of the top-25.

The NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the eight NCAA regions. Records reflect games played through Sunday, April 30.

2017 NFCA Division II Softball Coaches Poll
Week 12 | May 3, 2017

Rank Team (First place votes) Points 2017 Record Last Week 1 Angelo State (16) 400 51-4 1 2 Harding 384 50-6 2 3 North Georgia 367 44-10 3 4 Cal State Monterey Bay 346 42-9 4 5 West Texas A&M 320 40-9 7 6 Southern Indiana 311 40-10 5 7 West Virginia Wesleyan 299 40-6 8 8 Pfeiffer 289 44-6 6 9 Minnesota State 283 50-6 10 10 West Florida 244 39-12 12 11 Humboldt State 237 34-12 9 12 Colorado Mesa 233 42-6 11 13 Lenoir-Rhyne 187 46-11 13 14 Saint Leo 182 37-13 14 15 Caldwell 169 40-13 16 16 Central Oklahoma 150 47-9 21 17 California Baptist 139 36-11 17 18 UAH 132 39-14 18 19 St. Mary’s 118 40-12 19 20 West Chester 102 40-10 20 21 Southern Arkansas 88 42-14 14 22 Wayne State (Mich.) 77 36-12 25 23 Dixie State 50 39-12 24 24 Saginaw Valley State 27 31-14 22 25 Adelphi 23 33-13-1 RV

Dropped Out:  No. 23 New Haven

New to Poll: No. 25 Adelphi

Receiving Votes:  Valdosta State (13), Armstrong State (10), Carson-Newman (9), Winona State (4), North Alabama (3), New Haven (2), Mississippi College (1), Kutztown (1).

The NFCA Division II Top 25 Poll is voted on by 16 NCAA Division II head coaches with two representing each of the eight NCAA regions. Records reflect games played through Sunday, April 30. 

Despite being discredited by major mental health organizations, conversion therapy — the practice of trying to “cure” LGBTQ people of their sexual orientation or gender identity — is still offered in Canada.

Now, LGBTQ activists in Lethbridge, Alta., are trying to get the federal government to make conversion therapy for minors a criminal offence.

Devon Hargreaves, of YQueerL Society for Change, and Jennifer Takahashi, with Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group, have started an online petition urging the government to ban the practice of counselling minors to change their sexual orientation, and to make it illegal to take minors outside of the country for conversion therapy.

Watch more about the history of gay conversion therapy in psychiatry:

“It’s a matter of preventing individuals from pushing their ideological or religious views on someone else’s identity, which has psychological, emotional and sometimes even physical repercussions for the child,” Hargreaves told CBC News.

E-Petition 1833, launched late last month, has garnered enough signatures to be presented in the House of Commons.

A separate Change.org petition calling for a similar ban, has also garnered more than 52,000 signatures.

Psychologists condemn the practice

The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) has condemned the practice of conversion therapy, as have most psychiatrists and psychologists across the country.

“Conversion or reparative therapy can result in negative outcomes such as distress, anxiety, depression, negative self-image, a feeling of personal failure, difficulty sustaining relationships, and sexual dysfunction,” reads the CPA’s 2015 statement.

“There is no evidence that the negative effects of conversion or reparative therapy counterbalance any distress caused by the social stigma and prejudice these individuals may experience.”

The reality, however, is that conversion therapy is still being offered across Canada, mostly by religious groups.

So, how did we get here as a nation?

It’s important to remember that homosexuality was a part of Canada’s Criminal Code until 1967.

Up until that point there were many efforts made to out gay people, including a so-called Cold War “fruit machine” used by the Canadian government.

Until 1973, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) also had homosexuality classified as a mental illness. That year, however, the APA changed their tune and it was declassified.

From there, the “ex-gay movement” was formed and conversion therapy began to get some mainstream attention.

Watch: The dark history of gay conversion therapy

Exodus International, largely considered to be the religious face of the movement, was formed in 1976 and ministered to gay and lesbian people who were looking to limit their homosexual desires. With its help, small church ministries in the U.S. and Canada were paired up with mental health practitioners who were willing to “treat” LGBT patients.

The AIDS crisis in the 1980s fuelled the fire of anti-gay rhetoric, and in 1992 a more “secular” face of the ex-gay movement, the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH), joined forces with Exodus International to promote what it called “reparative therapy” — a form of confessional talk-therapy with roots in psychoanalysis and behaviourism.

Conservative Christian groups took a big step in 1998, launching a print and television ad campaign in the U.S., lending a human face to conversion treatments by featuring testimonials from ex-gay participants claiming the methods “cured” them of their homosexuality.

Canadian organizations emerge

Meanwhile, in Canada, programs following the ex-gay movement began to pop up, including Exodus Global Alliance (a sister organization to Exodus International), New Directions Ministries, and Living Waters Canada (now Journey Canada).

It was the 2000s that brought some significant blows to the ex-gay movement in Canada.

In 1998, the APA said there was no scientific evidence that conversion therapy is effective, and said it could be downright harmful.

New Direction Ministries left Exodus in 2002, and stopped offering conversion therapy. They have since rebranded as Generous Space Ministries, and executive director Wendy Gritter has spoken on numerous occasions about the damaging effects of the outdated practice.

In 2008, a series of ex-gay television ads produced by Life Productions Ministries were pulled from CTV in Northern Ontario after widespread backlash from the public.

In 2012, then-president of Exodus International, Alan Chambers, publicly admitted that 99.9 per cent of people who undergo ex-gay therapy do not change.

A year later Exodus International shut down, and Chambers issued an apology to conversion therapy survivors.

More recently, ex-gay therapy in Canada has been increasingly pushed to the fringes, if not outlawed altogether.

Ontario has banned conversion therapy for anyone under 18, and prohibits practitioners from billing public health insurance for the treatment.

Manitoba and Nova Scotia have also recently imposed bans, while the City of Vancouver has banned licensed groups from offering the therapy to people of all ages.

Alberta’s NDP government also recently announced its first steps toward a ban.

Some Canadian organizations that were once big players in the business of conversion therapy have now closed shop, or are distancing themselves from the movement.

“Journey Canada is a discipleship ministry and therefore does not seek to change same-sex sexual orientation/attraction,” says a special note on the Journey Canada website.

Netflix has finally revealed when Neon Genesis Evangelion will premiere on the streaming service: the launch date is June 21, 2019.

This is great news for fans of the beloved anime, which until now has never been available for streaming legally on a global scale.

As IGN’s resident Evangelion expert, Max Scoville, points out in the video below, “this is one of the most beloved, cult classic anime series out there and up until now, it’s been incredibly hard to track down the original series and subsequent first few movies legally or affordably,” meaning that Netflix’s acquisition of the show and two of its sequel movies, Evangelion: Death True² and The End of Evangelion, will introduce a whole new generation to Shinji, Rei, Asuka and the rest of the Evangelion crew.

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The series premiered its original 26 episodes in 1995, and follows a team of teenagers who are recruited by a mysterious organization to fight an invading alien force known as Angels by piloting mecha Evangelion (EVA) machines. But beyond the seemingly generic anime premise, the series delves into much weightier psychological and metaphysical themes that are beautiful and at times completely baffling.

Evangelion is part of Netflix’s concerted push into anime – this year, the streaming service will also launch Ultraman on April 1, Rilakkuma and Kaoru on April 19, 7Seeds (April TBD), and Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac (Summer 2019). A live-action remake of Cowboy Bebop, another beloved and critically-acclaimed anime, is also in the works at Netflix, along with anime series based on Altered Carbon and Pacific Rim.

While you’re waiting for Neon Genesis Evangelion to premiere, check out our list of the best anime series on Netflix right now, and watch the Season 2 trailer for One-Punch Man, which will stream exclusively on Hulu in the US.

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Calvin College’s Anna Gernant and Suffolk University’s Delaney Sylvester scored Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Pitcher and Player of the Week recognition, respectively.

Sophomore right-hander Gernant tossed four shutouts in her five starts last week, including a no-hitter against Albion in which she fanned 11 Briton batters. The Valley High product recorded 58 strikeouts over 35 innings with no earned runs allowed. She now has 241 strikeouts for the season, well past Shauna Koolhaas’ single-season school record of 228 from 1997. Gernant needed 100 less innings to break the mark.

Junior catcher Sylvester, meanwhile, hit .715 for the week with eight runs scored, four walks, two doubles, three homers and 10 runs batted in. The Worcester, Mass., native was also perfect on defense, collecting 31 putouts and an assist behind the plate.

Other Selected Top Performances

Gallaudet junior first baseman Alyssa Barlow went 11-for-16 (.688) with four multi-hit contests. … Wisconsin-Oshkosh senior pitcher Sara Brunlieb went 4-0 for the week with a save, allowing just three runs over six games and compiling three complete games. … Saint Joseph’s (Brooklyn) senior third baseman Kristin Ferrigno hit .471 (8-for-17) with seven runs, two doubles, two walks, a homer and six RBI. … St. Catherine junior pitcher Krista Flugstad allowed four earned runs and fanned 16 over 24 innings, while tying her own school record with her 19th victory of the season. … St. Catherine junior third baseman Jenna George was 6-for-12 (.500), including 5-for-5 with a long homer in a doubleheader against St. Benedict. … Virginia Wesleyan freshman pitcher Hanna Hull earned Old Dominion Athletic Conference Tournament Most Outstanding Player honors after starting four and appearing in all five tournament games, going 3-1 with a save, allowing just 11 hits and four earned runs while striking out 40 in 28 innings. … Otterbein sophomore pitcher Gabby Johnson pitched an one-hitter with a walk and 12 strikeouts against Heidelberg. … Lycoming freshman shortstop Kayla Kline batted .619 (13-of-21) with nine runs, four doubles, two homers and eight RBI. She homered twice in a win over Elmira and hit a walkoff blast against Widener. … Wisconsin-Whitewater junior infielder Mallory Klotz was 13-for-23 (.565) with 10 runs, three doubles, a homer, four steals and six RBI. … Saint Joseph’s (Brooklyn) sophomore pitcher Victoria Mahoney set a single-game program record with 9.1 innings in a win over Old Westbury. She fanned 14 in the game and allowed her first run in 27.1 innings. … Wisconsin-Whitewater freshman pitcher Bella Matthias tossed three straight shutouts, including a no-hitter (her second of the season) with eight strikeouts in a win over Wisconsin-Stout during a 6-0 week for the Warhawks. … Washington (Mo.) junior pitcher Anna McKee went 3-0 with a 1.65 ERA in three complete games, striking out 16 and only walking one. … Washington (Mo.) senior outfielder Hannah Mehrle hit .526 (10-for-19) with six runs, six doubles, eight RBI and four multi-hit games. … Wisconsin-Oshkosh sophomore catcher Abby Menting was 14-for-28 (.500) with five runs, three doubles, two homers and 11 RBI, reaching safely in all eight games she played to extend her hit streak to 12 games. … SUNY Canton junior outfielder Stefanie Miller batted .667 (14-for-21) with 11 runs, two steals, three walks, a double, triple, two homers and 14 RBI. … SUNY Canton senior pitcher Jordan Podkladek was 4-1 in five starts, including four straight complete-game victories over a two-day span. … St. John Fisher sophomore outfielder Ashley Prince was 12-for-19 (.632) with seven runs, a double, triple, two homers and 10 RBI. She went 5-for-6 with six RBI in a win over Brockport. … Wisconsin-Eau Claire senior shortstop Evie Schaller hit .636 (7-for-11) with three homers and nine RBI. She had a grand slam against Wisconsin-Platteville. … Alma senior pitcher Morgan Stratton pitched a no-hitter against Manchester and totaled 59 strikeouts and just six walks over 52 innings, going 5-2 with three shutouts, seven complete games and a 0.81 ERA. … St. John Fisher junior pitcher Lindsey Thayer was 4-0 with a 0.33 ERA, just nine hits allowed and 49 strikeouts over 21 innings in the circle. … Castleton senior pitcher Kayla Wood was 3-0 with a 0.35 ERA over four appearances, fanning 31 in 20 innings.

The Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player and Pitcher of the Week are selected by the NFCA Division III Top 25 Committee, which has a representative for each of the eight NCAA regions.

2017 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Pitcher of the Week

May 3 — Anna Gernant, Calvin College, So., RHP, West Des Moines, Iowa

April 26 — Lindsey Thayer, St. John Fisher College, Jr., RHP, Winthrop, N.Y.

April 19 — Lindsey Thayer, St. John Fisher College, Jr., RHP, Winthrop, N.Y.

April 12 — Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan College, Fr., LHP, Chesterfield, Va.

April 5 — Maitlin Raycroft, Texas Lutheran University, Jr., RHP, Spring, Texas

March 29 — Maitlin Raycroft, Texas Lutheran University, Jr., RHP, Spring, Texas

March 22 — Danielle Ray, Trine University, Fr., RHP, Hamilton, Ohio

March 15 — Alyssa Olson, Coe College, Soph., RHP, Cedar Rapids, Iowa

March 8 — Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan College, Fr., LHP, Chesterfield, Va.

March 1 — Hanna Hull, Virginia Wesleyan College, Fr., LHP, Chesterfield, Va.

Feb. 22 — Marie Collop, Berry College, Sr. RHP, Atlanta

2017 Louisville Slugger/NFCA Division III National Player of the Week

May 3 — Delaney Sylvester, Suffolk University, Jr., C, Worcester, Mass.

April 26 — Kylie Macziewski, St. Catherine University, Jr., SS, Bloomington, Minn.

April 19 — Jenny Galavotti, Keene State College, Sr., DP, Marion, Mass.

April 12 — Kaymee Gooden, Texas Lutheran University, Sr., CF, Mart, Texas

April 5 — Kaitlyn Aherron, Averett University, Fr., P/UTIL, Alton, Va.

March 29 — Mallory Klotz, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Jr., LF, New Berlin, Wis.

March 22 — Savannah Lee, Birmingham-Southern College, So., 1B, Lascassas, Tenn.

March 15 — LeAnne Collins, Salisbury University, Jr., RF, Sparks, Md.

March 8 — Karlie Jarrett, Berry College, Sr., UTIL, Summerville, Ga.

March 1 — Ashley Royer, Wesley College, So., 3B, Lititz, Pa.

Feb. 22 — Sarah Moore, Berry College, Sr., SS, Lookout Mountain, Ga.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate director Masahiro Sakurai has revealed the physical impact of creating the latest game in Nintendo’s signature fighting franchise.

Sakurai, synonymous with the ridiculous amounts of work it can take to create video games, revealed in an interview with Nintendo Dream Web (translation via Nintendo Everything) the unhealthy work practices he undertook to create Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. At some points, he literally received IV drips and went to work.

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When asked about managing his health during the game’s creation process, he said “I made some changes from what I used to do compared to now… as a principle, I always left the office by 10 PM, no matter what.”

He went on to describe that he was still suffering from a “ton” of stomach problems, going on to compare them to food poisoning. “I’ve had that situation once or twice before during development. It was like I got food poisoning from some oysters that I didn’t eat.” When asked if he took any time off to help alleviate his symptoms, he said he did not, adding “I just get an IV drip and go to work like normal.”

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Sakurai also spoke about taking three days off last year for Christmas, and that although his work schedule is gruelling, he laughed while describing his self-imposed work ethic.

“I guess I’m a hard worker? I’m a freelancer, so I don’t have any strict rules on my time. As long as I can complete the game, I could show up to the office once per week and I think it’d be within the realm of forgiveness. But instead I make sure I come to work every day and write proper daily reports and such. I’m always working, but there’s a lot of things that keep me in good spirits!”

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After last year’s revelations of 100-hour work weeks from some Rockstar employees, the level of personal care exhibited by game creators and the studios they work in is an ongoing conversation.

In the GDC’s State of the Game Industry 2019 report, it was revealed that nearly half of game industry professionals believe they should unionize, and the AFL-CIO has put out a call for developers to do so.

John is a freelance writer for IGN UK with a love for all things stealthy, ginny and noisy. To set up a game of Spies vs Mercs or hear his less coherent ramblings, get him on Twitter.

When I was 10 years old, I was at a bowling alley with my friends for a birthday party. I remember that a boy I didn’t know walked up to me, and made an anti-Semitic remark right to my face. I don’t recall the exact words, but they don’t matter, because the feeling has been branded in my memory and heart forever.

I remember that event from my childhood well, and so, in light of the recent mass shooting in Pittsburgh, I was struggling to put together the words to explain what happened to my six- and seven-year-old boys.

How do I tell them that last Saturday, a man walked into a synagogue similar to ours, and opened fire on the congregation gathered for weekly Shabbat prayers? They understand the concept of a “bad guy,” but a “bad guy killing Jews because they are Jewish?” I simply couldn’t cannot fathom how their little brains will absorb such information.

Part of me was stalling, ignoring the fact that I know I need to tell them, because it’s best they hear it from their parents before anyone else. But what on earth would I say?

As I grappled with trying to find the words, I couldn’t help but think about my grandfather who was from Dusseldorf, Germany. He fled to South Africa just before World War Two to escape the inevitable fate of the gas chambers.

Alone, with not one word of English in his vocabulary, he began his life from scratch, And, oh, what a life he had. One filled of success, love, wealth and family, to the ripe old age of 86, when he died of an aneurysm doing what he loved most: playing golf.

Most of us have a grandparent or distant loved one with a similar story of how resilience, strength and grit drove them to live lives of meaning, depth and substance, even in the harsh spotlight of hate. It’s these important qualities I want my kids to embody and project to the world, without having to face any of the same hatred, opposition or challenges as our ancestors.

This led me to decide to approach this conversation with my kids by talking about Anne Frank. Since the public school they attend is named after Anne Frank herself, I was curious to find out exactly how much they actually knew about her and her legacy. When asked, my boys told me she was a girl who had to hide in a house, and wrote a book, and then bad guys came and killed her. They knew no more than that.

I knew this was my moment, so I proceeded to explain who the bad guys were, and why they killed her. I finally introduced them to the concept of anti-Semitism, and it was one of my toughest parenting moments to date. I had to fight back some tears as I spoke, partly for the devastation that was the Holocaust, and partly because I knew I was shattering my boys’ view of the world.

I kept it short, and then moved on to the basics about what happened. My oldest son went noticeably quiet and slumped down in his chair. I could see an element of fear in his eyes. He started asking questions about his own safety, and if a bad guy had ever done something like that here.

My younger son was asking factual questions such as, “How did the bad guy get into the synagogue,” “What did he use to kill the people” and, “How many people were killed”. Interesting how differently they processed this information despite being only 17 months apart in age.

I shared brief details answering their questions truthfully, and told them they’re safe at school, home and in our world — at least I pray that this is, and will be, true. I ended by explaining the reason I told them all this is because of a very important lesson they can take from it: we should love and respect all human beings, no matter what religion, race, skin colour or background. I hope they understand.

What happened in Pittsburgh, and all the senseless anti-Semitic tragedies that I’ve read and heard about in my lifetime, drives a burning need to say and do something to end this extremist madness.

As helpless as I feel, I think the small part we can play as parents to young children, who mirror our actions every day, is to keep reiterating the message of love and tolerance. Being kind, inclusive and polite to the crossing guard, the Starbucks barista, the person who cuts in front of you in the school kiss and ride lane — everyone.

We need to love deeper, listen intently, talk louder, include widely and embrace our different heritages with great pride.

This post was written by Liat Horovitz, blogger and content creator from www.momjo.ca. She is an Israeli-born, South African bred, Jewish mother to three children living in Canada.

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