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 Jocy and Richard K. Lowy (Richard is the son of Jocy). In preparation for the 2015 Scribe on Jewish clothiers; Jocy and her husband Leo used to own Leo's Menswear.
Oral history interview with Boris Chenkis in preparation for the 2015 Scribe on Jewish clothiers. Boris’ parents were born in Chernovke, Ukraine. Boris was born in Belarus in 1952. His family moved to Canada in 1959, when he was 7 years old. His Father was an x-ray technician and got a job in Nanaimo. His mother was a cook. They loved in Nanaimo until 1967 when they moved to Vancouver so his mother could open a clothing store. He talks about going to camp Miriam and Habonim. He went to Israel during his gap year on a Habonim program then went to UBC. In 1984, he opened After Five, a clothing store, with his wife. He talks about running the store and fashion.
Oral history interview with Louis Eisman in preparation for the 2015 Scribe on Jewish clothiers. Louis speaks on his family history, his grandparents having moved to South Africa from both Russia and Lithuania, as well as his upbringing in Cape Town. In South Africa, Louis began working as a traveling salesman after six months of university, before going on to have an agency and manufacturing plant. In 1977 he moved to Toronto, Canada, where he was successful in his work for a few years. In 1979, he was offered a position in Vancouver, and after spending a weekend there, he and his wife prepared to move there in the following year. He also speaks about his involvement with the Jewish community, and his life and success in Vancouver since moving.
