|
|
|
|
|
III.
POLITICAL AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS
|
|
A.
ZIONISM
Starting in the late 19th century, many Jewish people believed
that the only way to normalize the situation of the Jews,
both politically and culturally, was to work to establish
a Jewish homeland in Palestine. How this would be done was
a subject of debate.
Some believed that the country should be established along
socialist lines, with the Jews defining themselves not religiously,
but as a nation with a Hebrew-speaking secular Jewish culture.
They believed that Jews should focus their energies on productive
occupations in the new land, such as agriculture. The largest
Zionist group that represented this outlook was the Labour
Zionists.
|
|
Rabbi
Judah Leib Zlotnick, Vancouver, c. 1934-1938 JHS
|
|
|
Many
religious Jews rejected Zionism. Nevertheless, accommodations
did develop. Some orthodox Jews followed the example of Rabbi
Kook of Jerusalem, who saw all Jews working towards a homeland
as engaging in holy activity. Their organization was called
the Mizrachi. Many of the orthodox Rabbis of Canada belonged
to Mizrachi, which often meant a wide consensus within the
Canadian Jewish community on matters of Zionism. Rabbi J.
L. Zlotnick, one of the most notable figures in early Mizrachi
history in Poland, and the head of the Zionist Organization
of Canada, served as Rabbi in the orthodox community of Vancouver
between 1934 and 1938.
|
B.
SOCIALIST ORGANIZATIONS
Many Jews in eastern Europe joined socialist and communist parties,
partly to throw off the shackles of the oppressive tsarist regime,
and partly due to their feeling that belief in a God of history
was misguided, that human beings needed to create their own
social freedom. In eastern Europe, the most famous of these
groups was the Bund, established in 1897. In North America,
leftist politics were articulated in the Workmen's Circle (Arbeiter
Ring). In Vancouver, there was a branch of the Arbeiter Ring
by 1910. Dr. Jacob Narod, its founder in Vancouver, recalled
in a 1972 interview:
|
|
Arbeiter
Ring, mountain climbing on Grouse Mountain, Vancouver,
1910. Standing: JH Narod (2 from lt), Saviner borthers
(3rd and 5th from lt); sitting:Joseph Snider, Joseph
Narod JHS
|
|
| We
used to come together, hired a house on Harris Avenue
(near the B'nai Yehuda synagogue on Heatley) and get
together on Sunday and do everything - lectures, discussions…They
looked at us as radicals! |
|
|
Sometime later, in 1927, a group of Jewish women, the Muter
Fareyn (Mothers' Organization), gathered to establish a school
with a leftist Jewish perspective. They also met regularly
to discuss Jewish issues. The Left, however, did not coalesce
very effectively in Vancouver until after WW II.
|
| C.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS AND RECREATION |
|
Jewish Vancouver's political and religious organizations offered
various forms of social activity. In addition, special clubs
were organized to offer specific types of social activities.
In 1910, a Young Men Hebrews Association, modeled on the Young
Men Christian's Organization, was established. In the 1920s,
we also find, a Hebrew Athletic Club, a B'nai Brith Athletic
Association, and other sports organizations, such as the Young
Judea Softball Club.
|
|
Jewish
tent camp for girls, Vancouver Council of Jewish Women,
North Shore, c. 1930 JHS
|
|
|
Hebrew
Athletic Club basketball team, Vancouver, 1926. Back
L: Sam Pelman, guard; Max Bobroff, forward, Mickey
Spaner, guard Front L: Harry Snider, guard; Sam Izen,
centre and captain; Peter Kantor, forward Missing:
Dave Berman, forward JHS
|
|
|
Independent
Order of B'nai Brith Ten Pin Bowling Champs,La Salle
Recreations, c. 1928 Back L: Sam Hyman, Max Poplack,
Max Beck Front L: Myer Brown, Harry Woolfe JHS
|
|
|
Some
groups gathered for socializing in comfortable surroundings.
These exclusive clubs attempted to recreate the atmosphere
of the Vancouver Club, from which they were excluded. In 1920,
a group of young Jewish men established the Concordia Club,
and that same decade, a Montefiore Club with similar aims
was also set up. They merged in 1929.
Not all recreation, however, was organized. Families went
to Stanley Park and took their photos at the Hollow Tree.
They also enjoyed picnicking, hiking, swimming, boating and
fishing trips.
|
|
Young
Judea Softball Team, Vancouver, 1933 Back L: Jack
Hersog, Sam Kalensky, Aser Rothstein, Abe Charkow,
Mitch Kantor, Sam Cook, Dave Fouks, leon Cook, "Pucky"
Pelman, Sam Gurevitch Front L: Norman Rothstein, Maury
Rothstein, Sam Rothstein Sr., Aser Rothstein Sr.,
Norman Pelman. Seated: Roy Kantor JHS
|
|
|
Concordia
Club stag dinner at home of President, Dr. Albert
Hirschberg, Vancouver, 1923 Back L: Jos. F. Morris,
Leo Mahrer, Lester Weinrib, Morris Soskin, unidentified,
Harry Boyaner, Jack Rosenbaum, Dr. Wm. Morris, Leon
Gold, Jules Ablowitz, unidentified, Bill Steiner Front
L: Phillip Lesser, Cliff Ullman, Ralph Beck, Dr. Albert
Hirschberg, Joe Paul, Harry Rosenbaum, HarryAblowitz
JHS
|
|
|
Toban
family at English Bay, 1914 L: Harry, Dave, Louis,
Alfie, Florence, Minnie JHS
|
|
|
Jacob
Parker with family and friends, Hollow Tree, Stanley
Park, 1910 JHS
|
|
|
Joseph
Morris, his fiancée, Hazel, her sister and brother-in-law,
Hollow Tree, Stanley Park JHS
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
Section
1
|
Section
2
|
Section
3
|
Section
4
|
|
Where
Did We Come From?
Where Did We Go?
|
Making
a Living
|
Integration/Rejection
|
Building
a Community
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
