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JHSBC Oral History Collection Israel
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Dan Sonnenschein

Oral history interview with Dan Sonnenschein on his mother Bronia Sonnenschein, who was born in Vienna in 1915. Dan talks about his mother’s experience during the war. She was smuggled into Poland after the annexation but ended up living most of the war in the Lodz Ghetto before being sent to camps in 1944. After the war she moved to Prague, where she worked for the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. She got married in Prague and they moved first to Haifa Israel then Vancouver in 1950. Dan’s Father died in 1952. She got a job and raised her children as a single mother. After she retired, she volunteered with many organizations, including JCC and congress. She did a lot of work for holocaust education in BC by going on tours and giving talks to school groups and other organizations.

David Kaplan

Oral interview with David Kaplan. Interviewed by Bill Gruenthal. David talks about his family's involvement with the steel industry and the Jewish Botanical Gardens. Eventually settling in Vancouver, David opened a very successful R&D tax consultation firm and later on became heavily involved with the Jewish Family Services Agency. He also discusses Jewish education in South Africa.

David Rubin

Oral history interview with David Rubin who was born in Transylvania, 1923. He was drafted into a working / bomb clearing battalion of the Hungarian Army in 1944. David chose to come to Canada in 1957 because he had heard it was the country of the future. The Canadian consulate chose Vancouver as his destination. Taught in Ottawa and was recommended to be the reader at Beth Israel Synagogue.

Debbie Tabenkin

Oral history interview with Debbie Tabenkin who was born in Jamaica in 1954. The family moved to Panama in 1970 because of rioting in Jamaica and a lack of Jewish life.

Dvori Balshine

Oral history interview with Dvori Balshine, who emmirgated to Canada in 1969 when her husband, Michael Balshine, was accepted to do his Ph.D at the University of British Columbia. She grew up in Rehovot surrounded by a large family. She was part of Tzofim (similar to scouts) while growing up. Her family was originally from Russia. When in Vancouver Dvori taught Hebrew at Talmud Torah and the community college. She was the cultural art director at JCC. She was the executive director of the Canadian Friends of the Hebrew University. Talks about being welcomed by the community in Vancouver and becoming involved with the community.

Elan Mastai

Interview with Elan Mastai about his mother Judith Mastai, interviewed by Michael Schwartz. Elan speaks about his maternal family’s origins in Chicago and Vienna, Austria and how the family immigrated to Vancouver, Canada because of Judith’s father’s pharmaceutical career. Elan discusses Judith’s upbringing and education in Oakridge and her enthusiasm for theatre, inspiring her education and early career as a theatre actress and director. Elan talks about Judith’s time as a theatre actress in London, England and English teacher in Jerusalem, where she met her husband, Moshe Mastai. Judith then immigrated back to Vancouver to obtain her PhD in education and raise her children. Elan talks about how his mother raised him in an untraditionally intelligent and artistic environment, prompting his career as a writer. He talks about Judith’s career in education at Simon Fraser University and her entrance into visual arts as the director of public programming at the Vancouver Art Gallery. Elan speaks about her time as a travelling art curator and critic, head of education at the Art Gallery of Ontario, and executive director of the Canadian Museum of Craft and Design.

Elena Banfield

Oral history interview with Elena Melody Banfield who was born in Prince George, British Columbia in 1984. Elena wants to do work in International conflict management as a way to deal with environmental concerns, conflicts involving Israel and the effects of globalization.

Tessler, Ronnie

Harry Ferman

Oral history interview with Harry Ferman who was born 1898 in Russia. He and his brothers emigrated to Canada in 1912. Joined the Jewish Legion in Winnipeg and went to basic training in Windsor, N.S. and England. He arrived on the front in the Middle East when Turkey surrendered; Harry's unit responsible for German and Turkish prisoners. Later he would spend his life farming in Kamsack, B.C.

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