Oral history interview with Leyla Sacks who was born in 1931. Leyla primarily discusses her sister Shirley's involvement in the Jewish community as well as Leyla's own family and the connection between Leyla and Shirley.
Oral history interview with Max A. Jacobson who was born in Winnipeg, 1928. Graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1950 in General Science with focuses in geology and chemistry. Moved to Calgary in 1951, finding working in the Seismic field. He married Tannis Bass, of Winnipeg, their children were born in Calgary. Max's paternal in-laws came from Russia 1908-09, while the maternal side from the New England region. Max helped to found the Burquest Jewish Association.
Oral history interview with Goldie Miedzygorski who was born in Poland in 1929. The family moved to Russia during the Second World War, eventually they emigrated to Canada in 1948 with the assistance of the Canadian Jewish Congress.
Oral history interview with Sam Rothstein who was born in Russia, 1921. His family left Russia due to anti-semitism and post-revolution fallout, despite his father’s success in the lumber business. His father was Yisrael Leib and his mother was Elka Raisel. They settled in Vancouver because that’s where the rest of his family had chosen to live when they had arrived years before. He attended UBC for undergraduate studies and did a joined honours program in French and English and completed his masters there in French and English. He did his PhD at Berkeley and then got a teaching fellowship at the University of Washington in 1942 as a French teacher. He was drafted into the Canadian military during WWII. He served in counterintelligence. He was shipped to England in June, 1944 and then to Italy, Belgium and then stopped in Holland. While finishing his service, he came across a Librarianship pamphlet. He had money for the first time in his life and felt it was time for a change as he felt distance from the idea of being a French professor. He was invited to the faculty of the University of Manitoba as a French Professor but decided to go to Berkeley instead to become a Librarian, doing his PhD in Illinois. UBC offered him a job while he was briefly on return to Vancouver. He met his wife Miriam in 1948/49 through youth group activities at the JCC, they wed and then moved to Illinois to do his PhD, which he received in 1954 while Miriam worked as the dietician for the men’s residence. In 1961, he became the acting director of the UBC libraries. He also started the library school at UBC that same fall. Their daughter Linda was born in 1955 and Sharon was born in 1957. They were members of Beth Israel and Miriam was active in Hadassah. Sam served as an advisor to Hillel and joined the board at the JCC and eventually became president from 1970-1972. He served as one of the vice presidents of Jewish Congress.
Oral history interview with Michael Ratner, who was born in England, 1912. His father was born in Minsk, Russia; mother was born near Leningrad. Michael studied and worked as a Pharmacist in Vancouver until the 1970's. Michael was involved in the West Coast Historical Medical Society.
Oral history interview with Gallia Chud. Gallia Chud was born in Staraya Russa, Russia in the year 1923. She briefly describes her childhood in the town prior to her immigration to Canada in December, 1929 at the age of six. Her family settled in Winnipeg where she completed her studies and met her husband, Ben. They married in 1943 and were reunited in 1945 as Ben had been serving in the Canadian military during World War II. Ben was invited to teach at the Peretz School in Vancouver during its establishment and they moved to the city in October, 1945. Both Gallia and Ben were involved with the school for most of their lives while residing in Vancouver, with Ben serving as principal for fifteen years and Gallia serving as president for five while maintaining involvement with the PTA the whole time. They had two daughters. Ben passed away in 1986.
Oral history interview with Saul Wyne who was born 1910 in Russia. The prevalence of antisemitism , worsening economic and political conditions led family to emigrate; One brother left in 1926 and settled in Edmonton. Saul's Father saw no future for his daughters in Poland so he settled them in the United States. Saul was active in Calgary's Peretz School as a board member until he and his wife Ruby moved in 1943 to Vancouver and helped start up the Vancouver Peretz School.