Showing 13 results

Oral history interview with Carole Abramson in preparation for the 2015 Scribe on Jewish clothiers.

Oral history interview with Cyril Edel Leonoff who was born in Winnipeg, 1925. First job was building the Royal Alexandra Hotel in Winnipeg. Cyril went into the armed services, specifically the Signal Corps, afterwards taking engineering and marrying Faye in 1949. He started as a engineering assistant at Rivers & Harbours Branch, Public Works in New Westminster. After two years of civil service he took Geo-technical engineering. While focusing on his engineering career, Cyril met the 'Barish' brothers during the nineteen sixties which brought his attention onto Jewish History.

Oral history interview with David Skulski, interviewed by Alysa Routtenberg. David, born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, speaks about his family’s history in Ukraine [Beresteczko] and Russia and immigration to Canada. David discusses his early life and adolescence in Moose Jaw and North Battleford and relocation to New Westminster, British Columbia. David talks about both his secular and religious education and relationship to the Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture, both in his youth and later in his leadership. David also speaks of his experience as a professional oboist, which influenced his founding and direction of Early Music Vancouver, residency at SFU, and role in Vancouver’s symphony.

Oral history interview with Earl Lesk on the subject of New Westminster; in preparation for 2010 exhibit on the New Westminster Jewish community. Earl was born in New Westminster in 1945 and felt disconnected from both the Vancouver Jewish community by living in New Westminster; and he felt disconnected from from non-Jewish children as he and other Jewish children had to go to Hebrew school on Thursdays, missing out on Hockey and Lacrosse, leaving him to feel ostracized.

Oral history interview with Earl Lesk, who was born 1945 in New Westminster. He took Sciences, Microbiology and later teaching at the University of British Columbia Earl, becoming a High School biology teacher for the city of Coquitlam. Growing up in New Westminster Earl belonged Young Judea and went to Camp Hatikvah.

Oral history interview with Earl Lesk.

Oral history interview with Ernest ("Smoky") Smith who was born in British Columbia in 1914. Ernest fought in Italy during the Second World War under the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, earning a Victoria Cross for his actions on the Po river. Noteworthy for how he received his cross.

Oral history interview with Eva Prentice who was born in Hungary in 1911. The family emigrated to Canada because of the annexation of Austria by Germany in 1938 while they had been in Palestine for a chess tournament. Therefore they spent time in Zurich waiting to emigrate rather than return to Vienna. Eva's husband John owned a veneer plant in New Westminster but was converted to plywood to build Mosquito bombers after 1939. This became Canadian Forest Products, now known as CanFor

Oral history interview with Harvey Dales & Bill McCaskill.

Oral history interview with Meta Zalkowitz. Her husband and later her sons were partners in a glucose plant in New Westminster. Meta was active in New Westminster's Hadassah chapter and continued involvement by joining Vancouver's chapter after moving.