Oral history interview with Jeanette Nuttall who arrived in Victoria in June 1890 from Nottingham, England with her husband, Harry, who served in the Canadian army during the First World War. She was a member of Hadassah and B'nai B'rith in Victoria.
Oral history interview with Norman Brown who arrived in Vancouver in 1907 and Bernice immigrated to Vancouver after marrying Norman in San Fransico in 1930. Norman attended Talmud Torah school when he was a child. Both were involved in a variety of Jewish community organizations. Bernice was president of both Federated Jewish Women and National Council of Jewish Women. Norman was president of the Canadian Jewish Council. He discusses memories of early life in Strathcona and Mount Pleasant. Interview ends with a discussion of photographs.
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 Phyllis Serota. Interviewed by Jean Gerber. Phyllis is a painter living and working in Victoria, BC. She graduated with a BFA from the University of Victoria and has shown extensively throughout Western Canada and the United States since 1977.
Oral history interview with Rabbi Victor Reinstein who discusses rabbinical studies and the importance of adjusting to contemporary shifts in attitudes, views and societal understanding. Rabbi Reinstein is supportive of and has tried a number of times to increase interfaith connections, not just at the public level, but administrative or religious officials.
Oral History interview with Adele Vernon. Born in London, England. During the war her mother told her and her siblings “don’t let anyone know we’re Jewish” and leaving the Jewish faith for years. Talks about being sponsored to come to Canada by his father's aunt, arriving at Pier 41, arriving during the Calgary stampede. Went back to school as a mature student in 1973 for performing arts. Started the Shalom Dancers in 1978/79. Took Wednesday night classes with Rabbi Victor Reinstein and returned to the Jewish faith later in life.
Oral History interview with Rita Sitwell. Her family is from Vilna Poland. Her grandmother was a baker and would make all the traditional baked goods for the holidays. Rita talks about growing up in Vilna under communism and antisemitism in the USSR. They move to Israel in 1970, when Rita was 25. She talks about finding freedom in Israel and later Canada. Her family moved to Montreal. Rita worked as a hairdresser, she tried to work with Jewish people so she could switch to Yiddish when she didn’t know the English words. Her mother loved Montreal because it was better for her health than Israel. They all moved to Vancouver in 1974. Her and John got married in 2000 and she moved to Victoria with him.