Jews in Canada

Canada is the fourth largest home to Jewish communities in the world. And Vancouver is the third largest in Canada with approximately 30,000 Jews - this is according to 2005 statistics.

Most of the Jewish population in Canada are composed of Ashkenazi Jews who immigrated from Europe though Montreal has a large population of French-speaking Jews from North Africa and some from France. The first Jews arrived in Canada during the second part of the 18th century and the first group settled in Montreal - this is still a major centre for the Jewish community today. Up until the mid 1800s, Jews mainly stayed in Montreal. However, an influx of the Jews from Central and Eastern Europe and later Lithuania, caused the people to disperse and form communities in other cities in Canada.

After the Holocaust - also known as Shoah - tens of thousands of Jews arrived in Canada. Then, after the failed revolution in Communist Hungary, a few thousand Hungarian Jews were admitted to Canada. When the French colonial regime ended in certain Arab countries, a wave of anti-Semitism arose and Canada admitted as sizable group of Jews from Morocco and other African countries.

Jews in Canada tend to be more traditional than those who went to the United States to live. Perhaps that is because of the multi-culturalism of Canada. The Jews here tend to be more aware of their heritage and more intent on preserving it.

Thanks to the multi-culturalism in Canada, Jews have been able to be openly proud of their culture and seek ways to celebrate it.

That doesn't mean that there hasn't been cases of anti-Semitism in Canada because there has. It was most prevalent during the 1930s when a number of groups and organizations were producing anti-Jewish rhetoric. More recently, there have been small, but active groups that are attempting to malign those of the Jewish faith. Fortunately, this hatred has never caught on especially in the political arena. Around the beginning of this century, there was a rise in anti-Jewish sentiments with attacks on Jewish synagogues, cemeteries and other property as well as attacks on Jews themselves. According to the report I read though, it seems that most Jews weren't overly concerned with this increase.

Thanks to jafi.org for the above information. There is more to tell you on Friday.

I hope you find the beauty around you.

Karen Magill, Vancouver, Judaism, Montreal, Canada, British Columbia