Showing 118 results

Oral interview with Leah Levitt. Interviewed by Debby Freiman. Leah talks about her grandparents' history with the Peretz School and Communist Party in Calgary, her family's experiences in World War I and II, her father's operation of hotels across Vancouver such as Stratford Hotel, and their family real estate company, Abbott Realty.

Oral history interview with Anat Grebler - and her families' history - who was born in the U.S.S.R in 1945 to parents who were active in the Polish Underground during the Second World War. Her father was born in Stanislaw (now Ivano-Frankivsk), Poland and her mother was born in Gdansk, Poland. The family emigrated to Israel in 1957 to escape the Hungarian Revolution.

Oral history interview with Manfred Carsh who was born in 1922 in Europe. Interview covers the business and family lives prior to and during the outbreak of WW2; details of Kristallnacht; effects on the family, forced out of their home, forced to sell the business for pennies on the dollar to Germans, as did other Jewish businesses.

Oral history interview with Robert A. Wenner, born in 1923 in Alberta. He speaks of his Great-Grandfather, Grandfather on his father's side as well as his mother's side of the family who were from Russia and moved to France. Bob's own father served as an artillerymen and sharpshooter during the First World War. Bob planned to go into Medicine but there were no medical programs on the West Coast and so took Optometry in California.

Oral history interview with Jack Diamond who was born in Stree, Poland in 1909. He spent much of his life in the meat business, Shochet. He helped to build the Schara Tzedeck synagogue in Vancouver.

Oral history interview with Jack Rose who was born in Vancouver in 1920, just one year after his parents had moved to the city. When the Second World War broke out Jack joined the Signal Corps in April 1940. Division was brought to Hong Kong in November and was captured by the Japanese and wasn't released until 1945.

An interview with Harold Wodlinger who was born in Manitoba in 1890. He worked as a telegraph operator before joining the Canadian Army in the Artillery Corps and after he left. Harold bought a business in Leask, Saskatchewan from and Englishman and ran it for thirty years, though he also ran a farm in Leask raising cattle. Harold’s daughter Helen was in Vancouver so they decided to move to Vancouver in the 1970's. The interview is an in depth recount of the Wodlinger family history since arriving in Canada in the 1880's.

Oral history interview with Harry Woolfe who was born in England to Russian parents. Harry's recounts his career in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, in construction and working for Paramount Pictures.

Oral history interview with David Simons who was born in England in 1900 and whose parents had emigrated from Poland to England in 1895. David was able to get servicemen's passage to come to Canada, arranged through a Cdn. Soldier, and he came to Vancouver in 1921. He had a job waiting on Lulu Island helping to clear stumps. Talks about his first impressions of Vancouver and liking the night life. Talks about his years in the army. He met his wife in England and got mariied in 1924. He is a long standing member of Royal Canadian Legion.

Oral history interview with Reva Checov who was born in a small village in Russia in 1897. Later in life when she emigrated to Canada she went to McGill University and the University of British Columbia. Reva was involved in the Pioneer Women, National Council of Jewish Women, B'nai B'rith; Red Cross, Heart Foundation, Cancer Society ; Israeli Affairs and the Jewish National Fund among an assortment of other roles.