Interview with Jeff Kushner for On The Record: The BC Jewish Queer & Trans Oral History Project in collaboration with JQT Vancouver. Interviewed by Carmel Tanaka via remote Zoom video call. Jeff (he/him) is a gay Jewish man, born in Winnipeg and residing in Victoria, B.C. with his partner, Randall. Jeff talks about his parents’ lives as children of immigrants in Winnipeg, telling poignant stories of his family members and their influences on his life growing up. Jeff talks about coming out at the age of 30 and how Jewish culture of family and achievement makes a lot of queer Jews come out later as to not disappoint expectations. Jeff talks about the accepting nature of the Jewish community and Victoria of LGBTQ people, which was different from growing up in Winnipeg. Jeff talks about his education, including becoming an engineer out of the University of Manitoba which led him to a career in Alberta’s oil industry. He tells stories of working for different Canadian oil corporations and the experiences he had being a gay Jewish man throughout, which included experiences of antisemitism and homophobia. He closes by talking about finding the dream home in Victoria, where him and his partner both retired early, and he continues to participate in Jewish organizations as a way to build a legacy based on tikkun olam. This includes how he wishes to work on projects for gay and/or Jewish seniors to have old folks’ homes free of prejudice or having to return to ‘the closet’ in old age.

Oral history interview with Betty Nitkin, who was born in Montreal, 1941. He parents studied and met at the University of Lwow. Working in between Montreal and England during the 1960's but due to a combination of Montreal's winters and the political situation in Quebec convinced the family to move to Vancouver in 1968. Mrs. Nitkin was involved in the National Council of Jewish Woman for many years chairing the Committee for Soviet Jewry during the 1970's. Mrs. Nitkin volunteered the Vancouver Jewish Centre helping settle Bosnian refugee families during the 1990's.

Oral history interview with Carla (nee Malgena) Nemiroff who was born in Montreal in 1957, her parents had been born in Quebec in the 1930's. Carla's grandparents came from Austria and the Ukraine and left Europe for Canada due to the wars and pogroms in Europe.

Oral history interview with Hilda Everall who was born in Germany in 1923. Her interview discusses her experiences growing up in Germany, the rise of Nazism, wartime in England and her time in Vancouver where she engaged with the Jewish community such as through joining the National Council of Jewish Women and the Holocaust Education Centre.

Oral history interview with Abe Jampolsky who was born in Lipton like his two brothers. Abe's grandparents were Ukrainians who emigrated to Canada in 1906. Met his wife Ldyia, in Montreal and after having children moved to Vancouver in 1955. Besides running a successful clothing business, Abe participated throughout the Jewish community in Vancouver. He was involved in the B. I. men’s club, the Jewish Community Centre, the Israel Bonds Committee, the Jewish National Fund, Vancouver's Talmud Torah and the Sharey Tefillah congregation. Abe speaks of the changing nature of the business dealing with Chinese clientele in the 80's and 90's when he'd started serving Caucasians as the Asian community had not expanded until the last quarter of the century.

Oral history interview with Morey (Maurice) Veno who was born in Vancouver. His parents, father’s name originally Jacob Venogrotsky, and mother’s name was Sara Posten, they were from Eastern Europe. Discusses involvement with a number of organizations; Achdut (free loan society), B’Nai Brith, Zionist organizations and Young Judea

Oral history interview with Fannie Samuels who was born on the along the Prussian border of Poland in 1896 and emigrated to Winnipeg in 1905. Fannie was involved in the Council of Jewish Women, Hadassah and Golden Agers. She moved to Vancouver in 1971, two years after her husband died.

Oral history interview with Dr. Victor Drache, who was born 1903 in Kiev.

Oral history interview with Fred & Fannie Horodezky. Fred was born Belarus,1887 and Fannie (nee , Applebaum) was born in Kiev, 1890. The Horodezky's speak of growing up in Eastern Europe and farming in the early twentieth century. Fred took Boy Scouts to meet Lieutenant General Baden Powell, founder of the Scouting movement.

Oral history interview with Jessie Anne Allman. Jessie worked for 'Children's Aid Society' and the Hadassah, helping to establish over 20 new chapters in Vancouver and Saskatchewan. Worked with the Jewish Family Service Agency.

Jessie's mother started the 'Quick Help Society' and was a member of the Hadassah.