News – Page 75

Honouring human spirit

Lorne Segal, chair of the Courage to Come Back Awards. (photo from kingswoodproperties.com)

This year marked the 25th anniversary of the Courage to Come Back Awards – and 18 years since Lorne Segal has been chair of the event.

“The first year I attended Courage as my father’s guest, I thought it was just another event – until I saw the box of tissues on the table. That’s when I knew Courage was different,” Segal told the Independent.

“Courage is so important because of the stories,” he said. “They give us hope. The stories that are shared every year move me and the whole room to tears, they put our own lives into perspective, and remind us of what the human spirit is capable of.

“And, of course, there’s the fact that Courage raises funds for such important programs at Coast Mental Health, which simply wouldn’t happen if it weren’t for the generosity of those in the room, who are inspired to give thanks to the stories our recipients graciously share with us. Programs like peer-support training, brain training, meals, art therapy, therapeutic gardening and much more are only possible thanks to donations – and they truly make such a difference for those who are able to access them.”

This year, the awards dinner took place at the Vancouver Convention Centre on June 9, and the honourees were Jodi Gray (mental health category), Rachel Goldman (medical), John Oakley (addiction), Patricia Henman (physical rehabilitation) and Danielle Laviolette (youth). The event included a special tribute to Segal’s father, Joe Segal.

“Joe always said, ‘Give until it hurts.’ His commitment to giving back to his community was such an inspiration to me and to so many around him,” said Segal. “After he passed away last year at the age of 97, I wanted to create an opportunity to share his message one last time, and to honour his incredible work over his long life. It was really moving for me and my family to hear so many people talk about how my father had touched their lives – I continue to be inspired by him every day.”

Calling it “truly a family event,” Segal said his children Matthew and Chanelle have been coming with him since they were little, and “there’s no doubt the recipients’ stories have shaped their lives and inspired them in their own pursuits. My wonderful wife Melita’s unwavering support for Courage and Coast amazes me every day,” he continued. “She may not be officially chair but she has certainly played a big part in the success of the event – she is always talking about the event to anyone she meets and many who attend do so because of her word of mouth.”

Many other members of the family also attended on June 9, said Segal, including his brother Gary and wife Nanci. “My sisters Tracy and Sandra could not be there but were part of our family donation in Joe’s honour,” he said.

Reflecting on his 18 years as chair, Segal said, “Honestly, I didn’t realize it was going to be this long when I signed up for the job, but, every year, I am moved by the recipient’s stories and just know they need to be shared.

“Twenty-five years ago, people were not talking about mental health,” he added. “It wasn’t a ‘sexy’ cause, as my father would have said, and the Courage to Come Back Awards have helped to create a lot of awareness and conversation. It’s my hope that these awards continue to help make us all more understanding…. It’s hard to believe we had 1,700 in the ballroom this year after four years without an in-person event, when it wasn’t that long ago we were barely allowed 10 people in one room! But we have continued to innovate and find ways to share our recipient’s stories and raise funds for Coast Mental Health Foundation.”

For more information, visit coastmentalhealth.com.

Days pass quickly at Paul’s

Nita and Michael Levy run Vancouver’s Paul’s Club. (photo from Paul’s Club)

It’s a Thursday morning in downtown Vancouver and a group of spirited, educated and friendly individuals gather for a morning coffee and pastry. They discuss world events, their likes, dislikes, and more. Lost in conversation, they find connection in the face of a shared obstacle: early-onset dementia. Welcome to Paul’s Club, a Vancouver-based adult day program for individuals living with this condition.

Founded in 2012 by Nita and Michael Levy, Paul’s Club is a grassroots social and recreational program where “everyone’s diagnosis is left at the door,” said Nita Levy, who is a retired registered nurse. She and her husband were inspired by the experience of her brother-in-law, Paul, who battled early-onset Alzheimer’s disease at the age of 62. Fortunately, his family discovered a program in England that catered to the needs of someone like Paul, who was physically capable and full of life. That program also made an enormous difference for Paul’s wife, Ann. “We saw Paul’s experience through the eyes of my sister,” said Levy, noting that freedom and normalcy were welcomed back into her life thanks to the relief provided by the program.

Upon retirement, the Levys were aware that, although quality adult-day programs exist in Vancouver, there were no options for people like Paul. The couple appreciated that people living with early-onset dementia often share Paul’s liveliness and would benefit from human connection in a social environment free from their regular obstacles. From its early days, Paul’s Club has aimed to “help us all stay socially and physically engaged, but, most of all, to have fun,” said Levy.

Paul’s Club is in the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton, on Robson Street, a location free from any associations of ill health. Inviting features such as large windows, comfortable couches and palm trees create a welcoming physical space for members. The club operates three days a week, from Tuesday to Thursday, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Members can choose to attend one, two or all three days. The program remains open for 50 weeks a year. “You can’t close a program like ours,” said Levy. “Our members are young, and so a lot of their partners have had to become breadwinners.” Thanks to Paul’s Club, many of these individuals can continue working during the week, she said.

The Levys are joined by program director Chelsea Grills, who brings expertise in managing the disease with a degree in therapeutic recreation. Paul’s Club hosts 15 to 18 members each day, supported by as many volunteers as they can welcome – to the members, volunteers are known as friends, who just want to spend the day with them. No one wears a name tag, and everyone participates in the daily activities. This is one of many efforts to ensure that everyone is treated with the utmost respect. “This is a disease that can rob people of their dignity,” said Levy.

A typical day at Paul’s Club begins with the team greeting members in the hotel lobby. They are welcomed upstairs for tea, coffee and breakfast. Members can be engrossed in conversation for up to an hour, but, by 11 a.m., “we’re moving,” said Levy. Physical activity is an integral part of the program. The Levys love to try different forms of exercise to engage members. Currently, the crowd favourite is dance, based on the group’s shared love for music.

Understanding the significant benefits that music can have on those with cognitive impairments, music is played throughout the day, songs spanning various decades and styles. If dancing is not on the agenda, there will be a walk, yoga session or exercise class. Following this is lunch at the Italian restaurant located below the hotel. Grill gathers members’ orders in advance to alleviate the potential stress of decision-making at the restaurant. After the meal, everyone reconvenes upstairs to discuss current events, play trivia games and, most of all, laugh together – the group laughs all day long, no matter the activity, said Nita Levy.

The final activity is a walk on the Seawall, ending at a nearby gelato parlour. Members have the option of traveling home via HandyDART, eliminating the need for their families to coordinate their transportation.

Paul’s Club’s programming is designed to provide members with a sense of belonging and respect. “We can’t change the diagnosis of our members, but we can ensure that they experience a great day,” Levy emphasized.

The days unfold quickly “because we’re engaged, and this is fun,” she said.

Paul’s Club aims to see who their members are beyond their diagnoses. The Levys and Grill try to empower members by focusing on what they can do, rather than what they cannot. “One can always have a quality of life,” said Nita Levy.

Paul’s Club can carry out its mission largely through support from Vancouver Coastal Health Authority and whatever contributions families are able to make, Levy said. “We have never declined anyone on financial grounds, and we never will.”

On July 30 at Nat Bailey Stadium, Paul’s Club will host their annual fundraiser. The event will include an all-you-can-eat barbeque and bar, and a baseball game. Their goal is to raise $30,000, with $10 of each ticket sold going directly to Paul’s Club. Tickets – $60 for adults and $45 (inclusive of tax) for children 4-12 – can be purchased at paulsclub2023bbqandbaseball.eventbrite.ca.

To learn more about Paul’s Club, visit paulsclub.weebly.com.

Alisa Bressler is a fourth-year student at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont. She is an avid reader and writer, and the online director of the arts and culture publication MUSE Magazine. Bressler is a member of the Vancouver Jewish community, and the inaugural Baila Lazarus Jewish Journalism Intern.

Ageism in medicine

“Studies show that one-third of Canadians admit to having been treated differently due to their age,” said Dr. Samir Sinha, director of geriatrics at Mount Sinai and the University Health Network Hospitals in Toronto.

Sinha, who is also a professor of medicine at the University of Toronto and the director of health policy research at the National Institute on Ageing, spoke on ageism in medicine and strategies for patients to combat this form of discrimination in a webinar presented by the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada (NCJWC) on June 6. He noted that the date of the webinar coincided with the start of Seniors Month in Canada, and shared that he was drawn to collaborate with NCJWC because Mount Sinai Hospital was founded 100 years ago “by a dedicated group of Jewish women.”

Sinha defined ageism, also known as age discrimination, as the act of imposing stereotypes, prejudice and discrimination on others or oneself based on age. He said the term was coined relatively recently, in the 1960s, even though it had existed in Canadian society long before then. He emphasized that “51% of Canadians agree that ageism is the most tolerated social prejudice, and 80% of Canadians agree that older adults (age 65+) are seen as less important than younger generations.”

This sense of diminished importance is commonly manifested in three forms: feeling ignored or invisible, being treated as devoid of value or contribution, and facing assumptions that seniors are always incompetent. Such experiences can have adverse psychological and emotional impacts, including social isolation, diminished trust in healthcare providers and negative self-perception. Sinha highlighted that although ageism may present itself universally, its impacts differ, and it “does not affect all older adults equally,” he said. Intersectionality, defined as the interconnected nature of social categories such as race, gender, age and more, can enhance the degree of ageism that a person faces, he said. In Canada, certain segments of the population are especially vulnerable, including immigrants or those born outside the country.

Narrowing in on Canada’s healthcare system, Sinha shared that healthcare professionals often hold ageist attitudes, perpetuating stereotypes that seniors lack agency and are frail, depressed or irritable. “This can ultimately manifest in undertreatment or overtreatment,” he said.

Undertreatment involves withholding resources or treatment options that would not be withheld from younger patients, while overtreatment refers to an exaggerated approach to patient care. Sinha said these issues were amplified during the COVID-19 pandemic, citing examples where older adults were denied access to ventilators due to assumptions about their life expectancies. This demonstrated the arbitrary use of age to determine life expectancy, he said, while other important health factors should also be considered.

Undertreatment is a key issue among patients with dementia – “many people in society consider dementia a normal part of ageing, but it is not,” said Sinha. He described the stigmatization faced by individuals living with dementia, which often leads to ageism in healthcare settings and subsequent undertreatment due to their condition. In cases like these, “labels can kill,” he said.

Referring to himself and his fellow geriatricians as a “rare and endangered species of physician,” as described by the New York Times, Sinha stressed the scarcity of geriatricians in Canada – only a few hundred among the country’s approximately 100,000 doctors. Nevertheless, he affirmed that “the few hundred of us have long advocated for older persons to be properly cared for in a health system that often does not adequately address their needs.” Further, he emphasized that “everyone has a role to play” in combatting ageism. This sentiment was echoed by Rochelle Garfinkel, manager of donor relations at NCJWC, who reminded the audience that “the tree planted today provides shade for future generations.”

“Eighty-five percent of the boomer generation wants their ageing experience to be different than their parent or grandparents,” added Sinha. He suggested strategies such as more comprehensive training for healthcare professionals and acknowledging the disproportionate impacts faced by marginalized groups.

In her introduction to the webinar, Linda Steinberg, NCJWC president, noted that defining the impacts of ageism will be central to NCJWC in the coming years. NCJWC is the oldest Jewish women’s organization in Canada, she said, and is currently comprised of five sections across the country’s major cities, including Vancouver.

JCC campaign underway

Hanging out at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver – a tradition for more than 90 years. (photo from JCCGV)

For more than 90 years, the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver (JCC) has been a centre of communal life, working to foster positive identification with Jewish culture, embracing diversity with the evolving demographics of the neighbourhood and beyond, and providing programs and services for individuals and families of all ages. The JCC welcomes more than 300,000 visitors a year.

As you step into the JCC’s lobby, you enter a microcosm of the Jewish community itself. From infants to seniors, secular to ultra-Orthodox, and everyone in between, the centre embodies the essence of community. However, the JCC’s commitment to accessibility, excellence and inclusivity requires support beyond membership fees and program registrations. Fortunately, community members, through initiatives like the JCC annual campaign, fill this gap by supporting the JCC’s mission and the work it does.

At the core of the JCC’s mission lies the commitment to provide high-quality programs and services that empower individuals, children and families. Yet, it is often described as a best kept secret. Perhaps the way to learn about the JCC is to learn about what happens during a typical weekday or weekend there.

The JCC comes to life in the morning with group fitness classes or friendly matches of racquetball. Meanwhile, parents drop off their little ones at the licensed daycare. As the day progresses, the JCC transforms into a bubbling mix of families, children and individuals seeking connection, knowledge, fun and exercise. Seniors gather to engage in games of mahjong, bridge or poker, sharing stories. At the same time, people with diverse needs participate in art and cooking programs specially designed to promote inclusivity and empowerment. The sound of snapping flip-flops follows children and adults on their way to the aquatics centre to take swim classes or do laps. Lunchtime brings students from King David High School streaming into Nava Kosher Café.

On special occasions and some Fridays for Shabbat, the JCC atrium echoes with songs and dances, as toddlers from the daycare and preschool come together to celebrate. Families with children of all ages come in to visit the Isaac Waldman Jewish Public Library, to swim, to attend kids programs or to head to the gym for playtime. Holidays such as Hanukkah, Purim and Family Day are filled with activities and laughter.

The JCC’s Sidney and Gertrude Zack Gallery and Norman & Annette Rothstein Theatre serve as cultural havens, showcasing music, theatre and art from both Jewish and non-Jewish artists. These spaces promote dialogue, understanding and appreciation of diverse artistic expressions, enriching the community as a whole.

From early childhood education and day camps to diverse needs and seniors programs to fitness initiatives, the JCC tries to meet the needs and interests of every generation. While membership and program fees partially cover operational costs, inflationary pressures, compounded by the challenges of the past three years of the pandemic, necessitate additional financial resources. These funds are crucial for maintaining a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment at the JCC. They support staffing, security, maintenance, and allow for the provision of scholarships and subsidies to ensure that no one is left behind due to financial constraints.

The JCC’s annual campaign serves as a lifeline for the organization. It aims to raise $100,000 to meet the growing financial demands and maintain the JCC’s programming standards. Donations from community members, along with a $20,000 matching funds program generously donated by Barry and Lauri Glotman, bring the centre closer to that goal.

Donations can be made online at jccgv.com/donate, at the JCC (950 West 41st Ave.) or by calling 604-257-5111. For further information, email Betty Hum, director of development, at betty@jccgv.bc.ca.

– Courtesy Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver

Seeking diverse voices

Jimmy Chow, Burnaby resident and prop master since 1973. Burnaby Village Museum’s Many Voices Project is focusing on stories from people and communities who haven’t had the opportunity to add to the historical record. (photo from Burnaby Village Museum, BV022.21.25)

With its Many Voices Project, Burnaby Village Museum is focusing on stories from people and communities who haven’t had the opportunity to add to the historical record, including members of the Jewish community who have a Burnaby connection.

The museum is documenting the diverse lives of people connected to Burnaby, capturing stories of all areas of life in the city, including school, work, recreational activities, social events, family activities, and more. Anyone who has a meaningful and personal connection to Burnaby has an important story. However, to date, the museum has more personal accounts and historical information about people with British or European backgrounds, and is seeking to continue diversifying its collections by interviewing a wider range of people. This may include cultural minorities, people of colour, and sexually and gender diverse people.

How will interviews be used?

The Burnaby Village Museum is the primary historical resource for the City of Burnaby. It encourages understanding, appreciation and enjoyment of and participation in Burnaby’s unique history, and fosters a shared sense of community and identity for the citizens of Burnaby and visitors.

A big organization, the museum offers many ways to connect and learn. It has a heritage village and carousel, but also runs school programs, summer camps and public programs for people of all ages and backgrounds. In addition, it manages a collection of 50,000 historical artifacts, as well as archival materials, many of which are on display in the village. However, about 60% of the collection is stored in a secure vault and made accessible online via the website heritageburnaby.ca. The museum is always collecting and refining its holdings, and taking new donations that help tell the story of Burnaby’s history. The oral histories conducted will become a part of this growing archival collection.

The information contained in such interviews is invaluable. Museum researchers who work on new exhibition content and educational programs draw heavily on these historical records to help tell stories. They use the information to write text and shape how stories are told.

Why interviews?

Oral history interviews are a rich and textured way to capture history. Voice recordings capture more personality, details and subtleties than can the written word. Many people don’t have more than an hour or two to devote to the museum, and that is completely understood. An interview captures a tremendous amount of information in a relatively short period of time.

Why online?

Heritage Burnaby is the city’s searchable database for all things history. It holds community assets, heritage services and historic collections and adds new holdings daily. Many researchers – genealogists, reporters, university professors and museum professionals – access records regularly. Through Heritage Burnaby, this work benefits many more people than those who work at the museum.

Alternatives to interviews?

Sometimes sitting down for an interview can be intimidating, especially if you haven’t done something like this before. The museum is always collecting artifacts, original photographs, documents and ephemera related to life in Burnaby. Consider looking at your collections and family items, and making a donation to the museum, which aims to preserve its collections in perpetuity so that people many generations from now can see what life was like in Burnaby.

The museum also has options for those who would like to be interviewed but would prefer to use a pseudonym, or have their recording released at a later time.

Want to know more?

Burnaby Village Museum has a few open house events coming up that people are welcome to join. These events will be held on the afternoons of June 24, July 22 and Aug. 19. Come meet the team conducting the interviews. These sessions also will provide a private tour of the museum’s collections vault, where the archives are held. This will be followed by a short tour of the village, highlighting the ways that oral histories have been used in exhibitions.

For more details and times, register with Kate Petrusa, assistant curator. Petrusa is also the person to contact if you or anyone you know would like to share stories with the museum, or have questions about the Many Voices Project. She can be reached at 604-297-4559 or kate.petrusa@burnaby.ca.

– Courtesy Burnaby Village Museum

Community milestones … Federation annual campaign, Janusz Korczak Statuette

The 2022 Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver annual campaign raised $13.17 million: $10.24 million through the campaign and $2.91 million in additional support (this includes additional special project funding, community relief and emergency relief). Federation chief executive officer Ezra Shanken noted in one of his weekly emails last month that 2,500-plus donors made “Amazing Happen,” the campaign’s theme. There were more than 900 donors “who gave for the first time or increased their gifts, 21 partner agency boards achieved 100% campaign participation, meaning that every one of their directors supported the annual campaign,” and there were more than 200 volunteer canvassers.

“The campaign is led by volunteer leaders from across our community,” wrote Shanken, “and I want to thank the entire annual campaign cabinet who did a remarkable job guided by the leadership of Lana Marks Pulver in her second year as chair: Shay Keil, Megan Laskin, Alvin Wasserman, Al Szajman, Chana Charach, Lindsay Isserow, David Linde, Catherine Epstein, Andrew Altow, David Porte, Michael Nemirow, Todd Thal, Sue Hector, Lucy Adirim and Justin Ergas.

“On behalf of the thousands of people, here and around the world, whose lives are made better by collective giving,” he continued, “I want to thank everyone who participated in the annual campaign and took our results to new heights for our community.”

* * *

Last month, Jerry Nussbaum and Lillian Boraks-Nemetz of the Janusz Korczak Association of Canada awarded the 2023 Janusz Korczak Statuette to David Morley, who has supported and advanced children’s rights and well-being in Canada and around the world in his 30-plus year career. He only recently retired from his position as president and chief executive officer of UNICEF Canada.

Prior to joining UNICEF Canada, Morley served as executive director of Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors without Borders Canada (during his tenure, Médecins Sans Frontières was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize); as president and CEO of Save the Children Canada; and was the founding executive director of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship. Morley was invested into the Order of Canada “for his leadership in international development and for his humanitarian commitment to improving the lives of children and families around the world.”

The 2023 Janusz Korczak Statuette recognizes lifetime achievement in child advocacy, and vision and leadership in promoting a holistic approach to the well-being of children in the spirit of Korczak. It is awarded under the auspices of B.C. Lieutenant Governor Janet Austin (honorary patron of the association), who participates in the annual event. The ceremony this year took place at Government House in Victoria on May 3.

Helping Jews globally

Candace Kwinter (photo from Jewish Federation)

“Tikkun olam,” said Candace Kwinter, Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver board chair and Jewish Agency for Israel board member, about what drives her to donate so much of her time and energy both locally and globally.

“I feel it in my heart and soul to assist every Jew in the world who needs help in whatever way necessary,” said Kwinter, who is concluding her two-year term as chair. She will continue with the board as immediate past chair.

As board chair, Kwinter works alongside fellow volunteers and Federation staff.

“We provide our more than 30 partner agencies, including the day schools, supplementary Hebrew schools, Jewish Family Services, the Jewish Community Centre and more, with support, not only through funding but by bringing our partners together to collaborate and innovate to meet our community’s evolving needs today and in the future,” she said.

With the Jewish Agency, Kwinter attends the board of governors meetings twice a year; additionally, she sits on the agency’s aliyah, unity of the Jewish people, and antisemitism committees.

“With antisemitism on the rise and aliyah doubling because of Ukraine and Russia, the Jewish Agency has been extremely busy. We are working hard to connect Israelis to world Jewry and, from a local perspective, more Jews in British Columbia specifically,” she said.

According to Kwinter, the partnership between Federation and the Jewish Agency is vital because each can achieve much more by joining forces. She noted that it is the federation system across North America – not only the local federation – that partners with the Jewish Agency by financially supporting the agency’s work on the ground.

“The impact our community can make at an international level is so much greater when we work together,” she said. “Locally, Federation supports the Jewish Agency and the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) with funding to assist world Jewry in aliyah, humanitarian needs and security concerns, as well as bridging the gaps between Israelis and world Jewry.”

Largely due to the global pandemic, needs have shifted during Kwinter’s time on both boards. “COVID changed everything. We all had to pivot when the pandemic hit and it created a lot of uncertainty,” she said.

Among the social consequences resulting from COVID-19 – locally, in Israel and around the world – have been increased food insecurity, a surge in mental health issues, inflation and isolation. In 2022, humanitarian needs were exacerbated by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, thereby increasing the demand for aliyah.

“I am incredibly proud of the way our community responded and, because of the partnerships already in place with organizations like the JDC and the Jewish Agency, we were able to get people the help they needed quickly and effectively,” said Kwinter.

Concurrent with the European conflict, the Jewish Agency established Tzur Israel at the beginning of 2022 to unite the remaining Ethiopian Jews with their families in Israel, she said. “Once again, world Jewry came together to fund the aliyah segment – the Israeli government funds the entire absorption costs. I had the privilege of being on the first plane of Operation Tzur Israel last June, where we brought 179 Ethiopians to Israel. It was incredible.” (See jewishindependent.ca/israels-new-ethiopian-airlift.)

Kwinter’s love of Israel derives from a concern about antisemitism and the history of the Holocaust and a commitment to “Never Again.”

“To me, Israel represents ‘Never Again’ and gives me a sense of security as the homeland for every Jew in the world,” Kwinter said. “It is with great pride I speak of Israel and all it has achieved in the past 75 years. It is truly a beacon of tikkun olam and innovation, for all the world to benefit. It is a light among the nations.”

Kwinter holds 40-plus years of experience in financial services, including owning and operating her own financial services agency for 29 years, before selling it in 2017. She has been involved with Federation in various capacities and volunteers with the Jewish Community Foundation of Greater Vancouver, the Canadian Jewish Political Affairs Committee, and the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Pacific Region. She is president of the North Shore Jewish Community Centre / Congregation Har El, having also served as synagogue president from 2005 to 2007. From 2008 to 2011, she served on the Pacific Northwest Region of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.

Yukon Jewish history online

The rich and rugged history of Jews in the Yukon has found an internet home on the website of the Jewish Cultural Society of Yukon, jcsy.org. The lure of the Klondike Gold Rush and the stories of its enterprising and colourful Jewish personalities, some respectable and others salacious, comprise a large portion of the newly created virtual real estate.

The quest to get to the gold, a journey undertaken by 100,000 prospectors between 1896 to 1899, was treacherous, the site explains. There were several routes, but one of the more popular ones was boarding a ship to Skagway, Alaska, then trekking over the Chilkoot Trail to Yukon. Once there, prospectors and retailers set out along Yukon River for another 550 kilometres to Dawson City – a trip that could take months – traveling during the winter so they would be ready for the summer prospecting season.

Prior to venturing on their northbound journey, however, fortune seekers needed supplies, dubbed a “Yukon Outfit,” the equivalent of one ton of provisions, which were essential to live and work in the north. The website shows photos of people bearing heavy loads headed to Dawson City, climbing ice-carved stairs to get to the Chilkoot Trail.

On the same page, there is a newspaper ad by Cooper & Levy, a Seattle company equipping gold hunters for their excursions. “Are you going to the Alaska gold fields? If so, send for our Supply List for ‘One Man for One Year’…. The list will be sent free of charge to any part of the world,” the ad reads.

“The idea of getting to Dawson City was an unbelievably difficult task. People needed to get there on a raft with all their things. The strength of the people was incredible,” said Rick Karp, president of the Jewish Cultural Society of Yukon (JCSY). “It was not a party. It was unbelievably difficult and many didn’t survive. As well, the First Nations communities suffered life-changing events.”

Albert and Marcus Meyer, whose histories are told on the website, were but two of the many industrious Jews to land in Dawson City. They opened a jewelry business in 1897, were buyers of Indigenous gold and produced Indigenous-style gold jewelry. Expert silversmiths, they also crafted silver trade bracelets with carved Tlingit designs.

Other families with connections to the Klondike would rise to prominence elsewhere, such as the Barrons in Calgary and the Oppenheimers in Vancouver. And there is Sid Grauman, whose father wanted to build a theatre in the north, and who would later establish the famed Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles.

Diamond Tooth Lil, on the other hand, was one of the notorious characters to arrive north of the 60th parallel. Born Honora Ornstein, she started out as a star “entertainer,” popular among spendthrift gold seekers and purportedly owned a luxury home in Skagway that “catered” to wealthy clients.

Another page of the website includes photos and video footage of the discovery, restoration and rededication ceremony of the Jewish cemetery in Dawson City in 1998. Herb Gray, deputy prime minister of Canada at the time, made a speech at the ceremony.

The JCSY has plans to expand the website in the coming months. “We will be keeping the site up to date and will be posting more information and photos,” Karp said.

Originally formed as the Jewish Historical Society of Yukon in 1997 after the discovery of the Jewish cemetery in Dawson City – a century after the Gold Rush – its mandate was to clean, restore and rededicate the cemetery, as well as research those buried there. The identification of those interred inevitably led to questions about the others who participated in the Gold Rush, what they did during their stay, and the impact they had when moving on to other communities or returning to the families they’d left behind in search of fortune.

Upon completion of the cemetery project, the historical society believed its work was complete. However, by 2012, with the growth of the Jewish community in Whitehorse, interest in their work flourished and the JCSY was formed. Its mandate expanded to include forming a community to share Jewish culture, celebrate the High Holidays and Passover together and hold social gatherings.

The stories the society uncovered in its goal to learn more about the Jews of the Gold Rush resulted in the creation of a traveling historical display to share them. The display was exhibited both in Vancouver and on Vancouver Island, last making a stop at the Jewish Community Centre of Victoria in 2020. (See jewishindependent.ca/victoria-hosts-klondike.)

One can become a member of the JCSY through the website. The cost is $25 for a single membership and $40 for a family. Should a person make a donation of any size to the JCSY, they will be sent an email with a link to a new booklet (upon its completion), which outlines many of the notable stories of the Jewish presence in Yukon during and after the Gold Rush.

A section of the booklet’s introduction states, “While the north may not seem like an obvious choice for a nice Jewish boy from Milwaukee, Edmonton, Vancouver or Seattle, when you think about it, it is not such a stretch. Harsh times foster resilience and for every dreamer there is also a pragmatist. With a history of harsh times, Jewish people have been nothing if not resilient.”

Sam Margolis has written for the Globe and Mail, the National Post, UPI and MSNBC.

Beit HaRav Kook at 100 years

Rabbi Itzhak Marmorstein – a former spiritual leader of Vancouver’s Congregation Or Shalom – stands beside the ark in Beit HaRav Kook, where he is the gabbai (sexton). (photo by Gil Zohar)

Scores of congregants packed Beit HaRav in downtown Jerusalem June 2-3 to celebrate the centenary of the historic synagogue, yeshiva and home of Rabbi Abraham Isaac Kook (1865-1935), a seminal Zionist religious leader during the British Mandate who founded the Chief Rabbinate of Israel.

Born in Griva – then part of the Czarist Empire but today Daugavpils, Latvia – Kook arrived in Jaffa, Ottoman Palestine, on Iyar 28, 5665 (1904), where he became the city’s leading Jewish spiritual figure. The family’s private celebration became a national holiday during the 1967 Six Day War when Israel conquered the Old City of Jerusalem on the same date.

Exiled in Switzerland and then in Britain during the First World War, Kook – also known by the Hebrew acronym HaRaAYaH – played a key role in London in securing the 1917 Balfour Declaration by which Britain announced its support for the establishment of a “national home for the Jewish people” in Palestine.

Returning to the country then under British military occupation following the war, Kook served as the Ashkenazi chief rabbi of Jerusalem. Both the city’s Jewish religious leaders and Whitehall were anxious to replace the Ottoman office of hakham bashi, chief rabbi of the former Turkish empire. Thus, in 1921, Kook was appointed to the newly created position of Ashkenazi chief rabbi of the Land of Israel.

But where was a scholar of such stature to live, especially since the representatives of other religions in the holy city all had an appropriate residence?

The issue was brought up in a July 24, 1921, meeting at Government House on the Mount of Olives – today the Augusta Victoria Hospital – between Britain’s newly arrived high commissioner, Sir Herbert Samuel (1870-1963), and New York businessman Harry Fischel (1865-1948). Asked by Samuel to raise money for the project among his American peers, the philanthropist and his wife Shayna volunteered to fund the building themselves.

They identified Beit David, a one-storey kollel almshouse erected in 1873 by philanthropist David Reis. Owned by the Ashkenazi community’s Central Committee of Knesset Israel, the site was eminently suitable. The courtyard – opposite Rothschild Hospital (today Hadassah College) and near the residence of pioneering ophthalmologist Dr. Alfred Ticho and his wife, artist Anna – was located on Hadassah Street, which was renamed after Rabbi Kook following his death.

photo - The yeshiva hall and beit midrash of Beit HaRav Kook — The yeshiva hall and beit midrash of Beit HaRav Kook. *(photo by Gil Zohar)*

A cornerstone for the second-floor addition was laid on Aug. 15 before the Fischels departed. Work began immediately. Fischel, an architect and real estate developer in Manhattan, ensured the structure included all the latest modern conveniences. The double-height ceilings were decorated with colourful stencil patterns. Built surrounding a central courtyard, one wing included a reception area, kitchen, bathroom and three bedrooms for the Kook family. The other side included the Central Universal Yeshiva, a synagogue and the scholar’s bureau – now restored to its appearance a century ago. At Kook’s insistence, the synagogue incorporated a moveable roof to permit a sizeable sukkah.

The Kooks moved in at Hanukkah 1922, though the synagogue and yeshiva were still under construction. That spring, the Fischels again crossed the Atlantic. Docking in Alexandria, they caught the train from Egypt across the Sinai Desert to Palestine. Arriving at Lydda (Lod) on May 9, they were greeted by a delegation of rabbis. The couple insisted on being immediately escorted to Beit HaRav.

The dedication began at 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sivan 12, 5683 (May 27, 1923). The program – which included 33 events and speakers with a tea break – augured well for cooperation between the country’s growing Jewish community and the new imperial regime.

The many dignitaries in attendance included leading rabbis and Zionist figures. The event was a quasi-national holiday. Jerusalem was decorated with bunting in the Zionist, British and American colours. Flags flew everywhere across the city.

The orchestra of the nearby Institute for the Blind played the Star-Spangled Banner, God Save the King and Hatikvah, while the Etz Chaim Talmud Torah’s choir performed for the guests.

Among the dozens of speakers was Fischel, who addressed the assembly in Hebrew and then English: “Words fail me at this moment to express my gratitude to the Almighty for granting me this privilege of building this Beth HaRav and synagogue…. While my heart always beats for Palestine, yet my home is in America. I have, therefore, had to travel nearly 6,000 miles to participate in this holy celebration….

“The building committee has just presented me with the key of this house certifying thereby that the building is now completed. In view of the fact that this residence and synagogue are to be used for the benefit of the people of Palestine, and that Your Excellency [Samuel], is the chief executive of the land, I therefore deem it fitting and proper to present you with the key, and designate you as custodian of this combined edifice. May I ask you, please, to accept this golden key and keep it as a souvenir and memento of this occasion? I want to take this means also of publicly thanking you for the honour you have bestowed upon us. May God grant you, your administration and the people of Palestine continued security and peace.”

Turning to Kook, sitting next to him on the dais, resplendent in his Sabbath and festival fur spodek (tall, black hat), Samuel declared:

“I congratulate the Chief Rabbinate, Mr. and Mrs. Fischel and the Jewish community at large on this auspicious day. Among the many problems with which the civil administration had to deal on its establishment was the adoption of measures to place the Jewish community both on its secular and on its ecclesiastical side, upon a permanent and regular basis. The question of the organization of the secular side was not yet fully settled. But the government has been able to establish, on an electoral basis, the Chief Rabbinate and, for the first time after an interval of many centuries, a Jewish ecclesiastical authority has been founded on a permanent footing, based upon the decisions of the community itself.”

The ornately carved chair that Samuel presented to Kook on behalf of King George V remains in its place of honour on the synagogue’s eastern wall next to the aron kodesh (Torah ark).

photo - The Beit HaRav dedication ceremony a century ago. Rabbi Isaac Kook, fourth from the right in the photo, is wearing the fur spodek. To his left is Harry Fischel. Herbert Samuel and Sefardi Chief Rabbi Yaakov Meir — The Beit HaRav dedication ceremony a century ago. Rabbi Isaac Kook, fourth from the right in the photo, is wearing the fur spodek. To his left is Harry Fischel. Herbert Samuel and Sefardi Chief Rabbi Yaakov Meir. (photo from Rabbi Aaron I. Reichel, esq., administrator of the Harry and Jane Fischel Foundation)

Asked about the importance of Beit HaRav, the institution’s gabbai (sexton) Rabbi Itzhak Marmorstein – also known by his nom de plume rabbanique Evan-Shayish – cited Kook’s dedication address a century ago:

“We are engaged here in declaring an elevated ideal that must proceed higher and higher. This ideal must develop and grow its activity through the gathering together of our scattered powers so that together we can proceed in the rebuilding of the ruins of Jerusalem together. This involves strengthening the physical building of the land and the nation in the material realm as the basis for the higher, holy and spiritual building of the Torah and holiness. This will illuminate the living light for the entire national renewal in all its branches.”

Kook’s funeral in 1935 was attended by an estimated 20,000 mourners. Beit HaRav continued to function as the flagship for the dati leumi (national religious) community, but a larger yeshiva was erected in Kiryat Moshe in 1964, and the old building fell into disuse.

Since 2008, Marmorstein – a Canadian-Israeli who formerly served at Congregation Or Shalom in Vancouver – has been engaged in reviving the original building. The building today operates as a neighbourhood synagogue with Sabbath services, as well as a museum.

The centre offers a class every Thursday at 9 p.m. taught by noted kabbalist Rabbi Yohai Yemini on Kook’s commentary on Rabbi Isaac Luria’s teachings. Those insights, recorded and edited in Safed between 1570 and 1572 by his disciple Haim Vital, form the basis for Lurianic kabbalah (mysticism), a system of thought Kook helped spread under which the arrival the Messiah and the ingathering of the Jews to Israel is imminent.

Gil Zohar is a writer and tour guide in Jerusalem.

Quick look at Canadian Jews

As of last Friday, June 16, the population of Canada surpassed 40 million people. According to data from the 2021 Canadian census released last year, 335,295 Canadians consider themselves to be Jewish by religion, up from 329,500 in 2011.

The 2021 census also asked about ethnic or cultural origin. In this instance, the number of people choosing Jewish as their ethnic or cultural origin (or one of several) decreased from 2011 to 2021, from 309,650 to 282,015, though the number increased in British Columbia, from 31,865 in 2011 to 34,395 a decade later. This article focuses on Jews by religion.

More than half of Canadian Jews live in Ontario, home to 196,100 Jews, while an additional quarter (84,530) live in Quebec. British Columbia’s 26,845 Jews are 8% of the national Jewish population. Other provinces with significant Jewish populations are Alberta, with 11,565 Jews, and Manitoba, with 11,390. Smaller Jewish communities exist in Nova Scotia, with 2,195 Jews, Saskatchewan, with 1,105 Jews, and New Brunswick, where 1,000 people listed their religion as Jewish.

In Canada, approximately 12,000 Jews (3.6%) identify as a visible minority, including 2,615 Black Jews, 1,505 Latin American Jews, 1,270 South Asian Jews and 1,155 Chinese Jews. Those numbers in British Columbia are 1,425 overall, including 235 Latin American Jews, 200 Black Jews, 170 Chinese Jews and 150 South Asian Jews.

British Columbia is home to the fastest-growing Jewish population in Canada, adding 3,715 Jewish residents since 2011, representing 16% growth. By comparison, Canada added 5,795 Jews to the national population, growing 1.8%. Ontario’s Jewish population only grew 0.3%, while Quebec’s Jewish population declined by 0.7%, making it the only province whose Jewish population decreased over the 10-year period. Western provinces recorded more robust growth: 6% in Alberta, 2.5% in Manitoba and 17.5% in Saskatchewan.

Home to a combined three-quarters of Canada’s Jews, the metropolitan areas of Toronto and Montreal both saw a decline in their Jewish population over the past decade. Meanwhile, Metro Vancouver’s Jewish population grew from 18,730 in 2011 to 20,125 in 2021, an additional 1,395 Jews. Elsewhere in Canada, Greater Ottawa’s Jewish community expanded, as did the metropolitan areas of Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton.

Even though their metropolitan Jewish populations decreased over the last decade, the municipal Jewish populations of Toronto and Montreal both grew slightly, suggesting a Jewish movement away from the suburbs and towards the city. Vancouver’s municipal Jewish population also grew during the same period, from 10,350 to 11,675, allowing it to surpass both Winnipeg and Ottawa to become the third-largest Jewish municipal population in Canada. While the City of Vancouver’s share of the B.C. Jewish population decreased slightly over the past decade, from 44.7% in 2011 to 43.5% in 2021, its percentage of Greater Vancouver’s Jewish population grew from 55% to 58%. Greater Vancouver is home to 75% of British Columbia’s Jews, down from its share of 81% in 2011.

Other B.C. cities with sizable Jewish populations include Richmond, whose 2,515 Jews make it the second-largest Jewish municipality in the province, and Surrey, where 900 people reported their religion as Jewish – although both cities’ Jewish populations declined since 2011. The District of North Vancouver had 845 people reporting Jewish as their religion in 2021 and Burnaby 620, both increases from 2011; and West Vancouver had 555, which was a decrease from 665 in 2011. Beyond the Lower Mainland, Victoria’s Jewish population grew from 550 to 960, Saanich’s Jewish community increased from 555 to 750, and the Jewish population of Kelowna more than doubled, going from 215 in 2011 to 530 in 2021.

In addition to provincial, metropolitan and municipal data, the 2021 census also provided information about electoral ridings. Vancouver Granville was the electoral riding with the largest Jewish population in Vancouver (3,275), while Vancouver Quadra was a close second (3,125), although the Jewish population of both ridings decreased since 2011.

Vancouver Granville remains home to 27.5% of Vancouver’s Jews, while Vancouver Quadra is home to 26% of the city’s Jewish population. The Jewish population of four other electoral ridings – Vancouver Centre, Vancouver East, Vancouver Kingsway and Vancouver South – all increased significantly, suggesting a population shift from Vancouver’s West Side to Downtown and East Vancouver. Using these electoral ridings as an approximate guide, 54% of Vancouver’s Jews live in the West Side, 27% live in East Vancouver and 19% live in Downtown Vancouver. By comparison, 64% of Vancouver’s Jews lived in the West Side in 2011, 20% lived in East Vancouver and 16% lived Downtown.

Along with religion, the Canadian census also gave information about language. Canadians who can speak Hebrew increased from 70,695 in 2011 to 83,205 in 2021, while Canadians who can speak Yiddish decreased from 23,750 to 20,155 over the same period. More than half of Hebrew-speaking Canadians, 47,380, live in Ontario, while more than half of Yiddish-speaking Canadians, 12,825, live in Quebec. Hebrew speakers in British Columbia increased from 4,505 in 2011 to 6,995 in 2021, while Yiddish speakers in the province declined from 540 in 2011 to 480 in 2021.

While the 2011 census only provided information about languages spoken, the 2021 census also gave information about Canadians’ mother tongues. In 2021, 19,595 Canadians spoke Hebrew as their first language. Meanwhile, 12,060 Canadians spoke Yiddish as a first language. In British Columbia, 2,260 people spoke Hebrew as a mother tongue in 2021, while 215 listed Yiddish as their first language.

To find out more of the census results, including immigration and other statistics, visit www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/index-eng.cfm and click on census datasets (1981-2021).

Michael Rom is Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council postdoctoral research fellow at the University of British Columbia. He received a PhD in history from Yale University, and has also held research fellowships at the Centre for Jewish History in New York City, the University of Cape Town and the University of São Paulo. His research examines Brazilian Jewish politics during the Cold War.