Showing 27 results

Oral history interview with Harry Toban who was born in Lithuania in 1895, but family emigrated to Canada in 1911 because his uncle had gone to Montreal in 1895 and his aunts had come to Vancouver from Montreal in 1905. Mr. Toban primarily discusses being a business owner and helping the development of Schara Tzedeck Synagogue on Oak Street.

Oral History of Howard and Josephine Mallek. Howard grew up in Victoria. His parents owned a ladieswear shop and were a big part of the community. Howard and Josephine met during medical school at McGill. Josephine was the first Female staff doctor at St. Paul’s. Howard was the first Jewish department head at St. Paul’s. They both helped form the Jewish Medical Journal Club in Vancouver. Howard talks about his brother, Lawrence, a conductor, pianist, and organ player.

Oral history interview with businessman and philanthropist Joseph Segal who was born in Alberta, 1925. During the Second World War he spent two years in the infantry and a year as part of the postwar occupational army in Germany. He made his wealth buying and selling companies: Zellers, Hudson's Bay Company, Gamble Canada and dozens more. He was named Entrepreneur of the Year in 1989. He joined Simon Fraser University's Board in 1981, spearheading the SFU Downtown Campus and has been its Chancellor.

Interview with Marsha Ablowitz regarding her uncle Max Dexall 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. Marsha recalls what she knows of Max (he/him) and his family who originated as farmers in and around Antopol, Belarus. He immigrated from Belarus to Vancouver with siblings in attempt to avoid Russian pogroms. Marsha describes how Max was well connected in the gay and Jewish communities, including stories of meeting gay men at gender-segregated synagogue meetings and how the community had hoped to make a Jewish gay synagogue in Vancouver similar to San Francisco. Marsha also discusses how Max continued in the family shoe store business where he was very successful and offered a safe space for the queer community including gay men and drag queens. Marsha shares the story of how Max would meet his life-long partner George at the store and discusses their relationship dynamic, including caring for the queer community in Vancouver. Marsha goes on to relish stories Max had shared about his time as a drag queen, different men he encountered and how he would get recognized wherever they went based on his reputation from his shoe store.

Oral history interview with Larry Krangle who was born in Toronto, 1926. He helped develop Shaar Harim, the North Shore Jewish Congregation.

Oral history interview with Murray & David Goldman, Murray's family came from Poland and Murray was born in 1920 in Montreal. He owned and worked a number of clothing stores in Vancouver and New Westminster. Known for his innovation in advertising.

David was born in 1950 in Vancouver. He became a partner in his father's Goldman & Bus Stop Jeans businesses and David's son is also a partner. The business is now called Goldman & Son.

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 Leslie and Nicky Raphael.

Oral history interview with Esther Nobleman. Esther Nobleman believes in the importance of serving the community however one can. Since her arrival in Vancouver from Medicine Hat in the fall of 1969, Esther has contributed much to the Jewish community here. Among other volunteer activities, in the early 1980s she threw herself into the campaign to safeguard the rights of Jews in the former Soviet Union as chair of the Soviet Jewry Committee. Even when time has been all that she's had to give, Esther has given it freely and generously.

Esther was born in the prairies and her husband, Abe Nobleman, was born in Montreal. Esther's parents came to Canada from Russia; Esther' father was in the Russian army but they escaped Russia because of the pogroms. Esther was in the air force in Canada. Her brother was a prisoner of war. Esther worked extensively with the Soviet Jewry campaign in Vancouver as well as being actively involved in a number of organizations and volunteer work.

Oral history interview with Michael James in preparation for the 2015 Scribe with a focus on Jewish clothing stores and tailors.