Name

Bertha Allen

Number

OH 7

Subject

Business

Motion picture theaters

Interview Date

Jan. 1975

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Lillian Bernstein

Total Running Time

Side 1: 36 minutes

Conservation

Copied August 2003

Use Restrictions

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Biography

Bertha Allen (née Herbert) was married to Herbert Allen. Herbert, his brothers Jule and J. J., and his brother-in-law Louis Rosenfeld were pioneers in the motion picture industry in Canada. They opened a chain of theatres across Canada in the 1910s and 1920s. In Toronto, they built several theatres including the Tivoli Theatre, Bloor Theatre, College Theatre, Parkdale Theatre, Beach Theatre, St. Clair Theatre, Danforth Theatre, and Hollywood Theatre.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

Allen, Bertha

Allen, Jule

Allen, J. J.

Rosenfeld, Louis

Geographic Access

Brantford (Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 7 - Allen\OH7_Log.docx

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Paul Abeles

Number

OH 87

Subject

Farmers

Immigrants--Canada

Interview Date

14 Jun. 1976

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Larry Troster

Total Running Time

45.05 minutes

Use Restrictions

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Biography

Paul Abeles was born on 15 November 1906 in Czechoslovakia. He was a successful businessman and part of a group of four local businesspeople, with Leon Rotberg, Jack Rotberg, and Jack Brown, who bought and rented business properties in the city. The group were also referred to as the “Brantford Companies,” set up to own and manage warehouse properties in the City of Brantford.

Paul was active in the Brantford Jewish community and represented Brantford at the Second Regional Leadership Conference in London, Ontario on 27 March 1960, where over seventy-five representatives of regional Jewish communities gathered. At this conference, Paul was presented with an award of recognition for his volunteer endeavours.

Paul was one of thirty-nine families who immigrated to Canada in 1939 from Czechoslovakia and placed on farms. He was married to Rita Abeles (née (Glaser). He passed away in March 1989.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Geographic Access

Brantford (Ont.)

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 87 - Abeles\OH87_Transcript.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Sadie Stren

Number

OH 91

Subject

Communities

Education

Interview Date

14 Jun. 1976

Quantity

2 cassettes (1 copy) 2 WAV files

Interviewer

Larry Troster

Total Running Time

OH91_001:44.37 minutes OH91_002:37.34 minutes

Conservation

Copied November 2006

Digitized 2010

Sound distorted on side 1 and side 2

Notes

Significant sound distortion.

Use Restrictions

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Conditional access. Researchers must receive permission from the interviewee or their heir prior to accessing the interview. Please contact the OJA for more information.

Biography

Sadie Stren was born 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. Stren graduated from Wayne State University and worked as a social studies teacher. Following her marriage to Maurice Strenkovsky in 1947, she moved to Brantford, Ontario. In Brantford, Sadie was actively involved in both Jewish and non-Jewish community organizations including Haddassah, the Family Service Bureau, and the University Women’s Club. She was also a board member of the YM-YWCA. In Toronto, Sadie was a member of the Baycrest Women's Auxillary and also authored the History of the Brantford community.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Hadassah-WIZO Organization of Canada

B’nai Brith Youth Organization. Lake Ontario Region

Hadassah

Geographic Access

Brantford (Ont.)

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 91 - Stren\OH91_001_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 91 - Stren\OH91_002_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Pauline Burns

Number

OH 92

Subject

Kosher food

Jewish youth--Religious life

Jewelry stores

Fasts and feasts--Judaism

Berit milah

Jewish day schools

Interview Date

6 Jun. 1976

Quantity

1 audio cassette (1 copy) 1 WAV file

Interviewer

Larry Troster

Total Running Time

31.54 minute

Conservation

Copied August 2003

Digitized 2014

Use Restrictions

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Biography

Pauline Burns was born in Oshawa, Ontario on 3 July 1935. She attended North Simcoe Public School and O’Neill High School (formerly OCVI) in Oshawa and studied dental nursing at the University of Toronto. Pauline married Sidney Burns in 1956 and had two children. She worked in the family business, Burns Jewellers. In her youth, Pauline was involved in Young Judaeans and BBYO. Once married, she became a member of Hadassah.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

BBYO

University of Toronto

Hadassah-WIZO Organization of Canada

Geographic Access

Oshawa (Ont.)

Brantford (Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 92 - Burns\OH92_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Denise Rootenberg

Number

OH 418

Subject

Canada--Emigration and immigration

Jews--Zimbabwe

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Interview Date

25 Jun. 2015

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Lisa Newman

Total Running Time

OH 418 part 1: 16 min.

OH 418 part 2: 16 min.

OH 418 part 3: 16 min.

OH 418 part 4: 4 min.

Biography

Denise Rootenberg (née Abrahamson) was born in Harare, Zimbabwe (then Salisbury, Rhodesia). One of four sisters, she grew up in a warm Jewish community that was able to sustain an Ashkenazi synagogue, a Sephardic synagogue, and a small Reform synagogue. One of her aunts ran the local chapter of the Women’s International Zionist Organization with her sister. The aunt’s sister, meanwhile, made costumes for the repertory theatre company. Denise’s aunts also did kosher catering for simchas.

Because the Jewish community in Zimbabwe was so small, Jewish parents encouraged their children to attend university in South Africa, where they were less likely to marry outside the faith. Consequently, Denise attended university in Cape Town, living in residence for three years with one of her sisters. Ultimately, the sisters decided Cape Town was not for them and moved to Johannesburg. It was in Johannesburg that Denise met her husband, with whom she had a son. In 1989, they left South Africa to come to Canada.

The couple’s first few years in Canada were difficult ones as Denise and her husband struggled to find work and adjust to Canadian society. Eventually, however, things began to fall into place. Denise found work as an editorial assistant and then became a research analyst. Her husband, meanwhile, secured a job that enabled the couple to send their son to Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto and the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto (CHAT).

Denise belonged to Aish Toronto with her husband. Their son married his wife at the synagogue. Denise passed away on Monday, February 21, 2022.

Material Format

moving images

Language

English

Name Access

Rootenberg, Denise

Geographic Access

Cape Town (South Africa)

Harare (Zimbabwe)

Toronto (Ont.)

Original Format

Digital file

Copy Format

Digital file

Transcript

Part 1:

00:00 Denise was born in Zimbabwe. At age eighteen, she moved to Cape Town to attend University. At the age of thirty-one, she immigrated to Toronto.

00:23 Denise’s maiden name was Abramson. She tells the history of the family name.

00:55 Denise's grandparents came to Zimbabwe from Poland via Sweden before the First World War.

01:16 Denise describes the jobs of her maternal and paternal grandfathers.

02:09 Describes immediate family.

02:46 Denise discusses the Jewish community of her youth in Salisbury, Rhodesia (today Harare, Zimbabwe) comprised of three synagogues. Denise's father was president of the Ashkenazi synagogue several times.

04:24 Denise shares memories about celebrating the Jewish holidays and the involvement of her aunts in the Jewish community.

06:06 Denise attended a small Jewish day school until grade seven. She attended a public high school. She recalls the bar mitzvah party from her youth.

07:26 Denise explains why she left Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia). She attended university in Cape Town, South Africa following her older sister. Other Jewish students attended university in Johannesburg.

08:40 After university, Denise and her sister moved to Johannesburg. Her sister later moved to Israel, where she married, and they later moved to the United States.

09:00 Denise discusses her husband's family. Her father-in-law grew up in Lithuania and came to South Africa, where he lived with his aunt and later married his younger cousin. Denise recounts a colourful story about her father-in-law's journey to South Africa. Denise describes her faith-in-law's various business ventures and his dealing with white and Black businesses that were segregated at the time.

12:15 There were three sons in her husband's family: David, Allan, and Lennie (Denise's husband). David, the eldest, was adopted. Denise relates stories involving David and his involvement with a racist, right-wing Afrikaans movement.

15:11 Denise and her family immigrated to Toronto in 1989.

Part 2:

01:00 Denise discusses her relationships with Black people while growing up. She attributes her more liberal views to her mother's kindness. She recalls (with shame) the poor living conditions of Black people.

02:30 Denise discusses mandatory military service in South Africa and Zimbabwe.

03:29 Denise's husband joined the police force as a way of avoiding military service. She relates a frightening incident during the Soweto riots in 1976 involving her husband while he served in the police force.

05:52 Denise recounts her husband's constant fear that he would be required to arrest someone he knew.

06:05 Denise explains why she did not get directly involved with anti-apartheid groups and politics. Her first strong awareness of apartheid rose when she entered university.

06:57 Denise moved to Johannesburg after earning degrees in English and French at university. She describes her jobs in psychometric testing and as a proofreader for manuals for military equipment.

07:41 Denise recounts a story about the father of a boyfriend who was arrested for entering the townships without a permit and was represented by Nelson Mandela.

08:33 Denise describes how she met and eventually married her husband. Their son Mark was born in South Africa.

08:56 Denise's brother Allan and his family had already moved to Toronto.

09:37 Denise reports taht her husband's family in South Africa had the tradition similar to her own of having large holiday meals and seders.

10:00 A large contigent of her husband's family immigrated to Australia and a small segment immigrated to Canada.

10:07 Denise explains her reasons for coming to Canada. She considered Australia. She discusses early regrets for having chosen Canada rather than Australia. She discusses how in hindsight, and for a variety of reasons, she made the best choice.

13:19 Denise discusses her worries stemming from being a much pampered child growing up.

14:30 Denise describes how unsettled they felt when they first moved to Canada. She recounts a story about returning to South Africa to visit family after they had been in Canada for eighteen months. Her relatives' home was vandalized.

Part 3:

00:00 As a result of this traumatic incident, Denise and her sisters made a decision not to return to South Africa.

01:28 Denise describes some of the struggles she encountered when she initially moved to Toronto and she discusses some of the factors that contributed to feeling more settled and welcomed. Specifically, she shares a story about the efforts made by a Canadian family whose son was in her child's daycare.

04:40 Denise identifies some of the differences in religious observance between South Africa and Toronto.

06:50 Denise explains her choice of education for her son.

07:35 Denise discusses her husband's educational training and lists his work history in Toronto.

08:49 Denise explains that other than education subsidies she was unaware of other services offered by Jewish agencies to assist new immigrants and those struggling financially.

09:28 Denise outlines her work experience in Toronto and some of her work experience in South Africa.

11:19 Denise expresses appreciation for the benefits and treatment she received at her workplace. Specifically, she notes how she was accomodated after returning to work following cancer treatments.

12:18 Denise discusses the evolution of her religious observance.

15:00 Denise discusses her husband's mental health. She addresses associated issues and impact of his mental health on work and family. She identifies his experience with the police in Soweto as a factory contributing to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Part 4:

02:25 Denise identifies some of the factors that have enabled her to deal with the many life challenges she has encountered.

Source

Oral Histories

We Thought we were Orthodox

Name

Lorraine and Alan Sandler

Number

OH 420

Subject

Canada--Emigration and immigration

Jews--South Africa

Jews--Zimbabwe

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Interview Date

12 May 2015

Interviewer

Lisa Newman

Total Running Time

1 hr. 30 min.

Use Restrictions

Partially closed.

Biography

Lorraine, the daughter of European immigrants to Africa, was born in Bulawayo, Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe) where she grew up with her three siblings. For his part, Alan was born in Cape Town, South Africa where he grew up a single child, his only brother passing away at a young age.

Alan first met Lorraine while on vacation in Bulawayo with some friends. The two dated while Alan was doing his accounting exams and Lorraine was attending teacher’s college. They married in Bulawayo after dating several years.

After their honeymoon, Alan and Lorraine began their new life in Cape Town, where they started their family. One incident in particular prompted the couple to seriously consider leaving South Africa: Their eldest son requested to attend a movie with his nanny, which would have been illegal under apartheid.

Not seeing a future in South Africa, the family looked to immigrate. Initially, Lorraine wanted to make aliyah, but Alan felt the language-barrier would be an obstacle to finding work. Eventually, they made their way to Toronto where they attended a Shabbat dinner that persuaded them that Jewish life could flourish in Canada.

The family—Alan, Lorraine, and their two sons—arrived in Canada on August 5, 1976. Unlike many subsequent Jewish South Africans who came to Toronto, the family chose to live downtown, enrolling their children in Jewish day school. Both Alan and Lorraine took on leadership roles within Toronto’s Jewish community. Alan is a founder of the South African Jewish Association of Canada and was president of the UJA Federation of Toronto. In turn, Lorraine was chair of both the Women’s Campaign and the Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre. Today, their children are married and Alan and Lorraine are proud grandparents.

Material Format

moving images

Language

English

Name Access

Sandler, Alan

Sandler, Lorraine

Geographic Access

Bulawayo (Rhodesia)

Cape Town (South Africa)

Toronto (Ont.)

Original Format

Digital file

Copy Format

Digital file

Transcript

00:09 Lorraine's maiden name was Weinstock. Her mother came from Lithuania. Her father came from Poland.

00:38 Lorraine describes her parents' histories and their respective journeys to Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe).

04:56 Lorraine describes her parents' courtship and decision to marry. Together they saved enough money to bring Lorraine's aunt to Rhodesia. Lorraine's father was a carpenter; her mother was a seamstress.

06:48 Lorraine describes her parents' early years together. Initially, they lived outside of Bulawayo, where her father worked for a mine. Lorraine's two older siblings, Mickey and Fay, were born there.

07:47 Lorraine's parents moved to Bulawayo. Her father and a partner started a lumber business, which flourished over time. Lorraine describes the business.

08:51 Lorraine was born. Her younger sister, Sheila, was born five years later.

09:11 Lorraine explains how despite financial struggles, life was good. She cites the weather, education, sports, friends, and fruit trees.

10:08 Lorraine describes the critical role Habonim played in her life.

11:09 Lorraine describes the Jewish community in Bulawayo. She addresses the important role the synagogue played in their lives, especially the Friday-night service.

12:30 Lorraine explains that her parents spoke Yiddish at home with one another and English with the children. The children were able to understand Yiddish, but not speak very much of it.

13:10 Lorraine attended Hebrew school but learned very little Hebrew. She learned Hebrew vocabulary at Habonim.

14:00 Alan's maternal great-grandfather came to South Africa from England. His maternal grandmother and her three sisters and four brothers were born in Cape Town. His maternal grandfather came to South Africa from Germany in 1908.

14:54 Alan's paternal grandparents came from Lithuania with other members of their shtetl. His grandparents tried (unsuccessfully) to farm. Alan explains how his father's four sisters enabled the only brother to attend university. Alan's three younger sister and father were born in South Africa. His oldest aunt was born in Lithuania.

16:35 Yiddish was not spoken. The majority of Cape Town's Jewish community came from Lithuania at the turn of the century. English was spoken at home. Alan learned Afrikaans and French at school.

17:50 Alan describes the vibrant Jewish community in Cape Town. he notes that there has been a Jewish presence in Cape Town since 1652 with the arrival of the Dutch.

19:30 Alan recalls that the meeting place for Jewish children in Cape Town was Muizenberg Beach.

19:58 Alan explains the reasons he did not have a strong Jewish education. In contrast, his Zionist education was very strong.

21:05 Alan explains that his father developed Zionist leanings while in university and he grew up in a Zionist household. He recalls meeting David Ben-Gurion and fundraising events for Israel.

22:42 Alan shares memories from his bar mitzvah. He recalls that he did not have a close connection with synagogue, but was actively involved with Zionist and Jewish community needs.

25:22 Alan contrasts the Jewish community in Cape Town with Toronto.

28:05 Alan's father was an accountant. He notes that in the 1930s and 1940s the large accounting firms did not hire Jews. The situation changed after the war as Jews became more affluent.

30:35 Alan and Lorraine describe how they met and dated.

36:20 Alan and Lorraine discuss their wedding.

38:40 Alan shares an anecdote about his aufruf (calling to the Torah) before his wedding.

40:30 Lorraine discusses their early years of marriage living in Cape Town. She discusses her and Alan's active involvement in the Jewish community.

43:17 Lorraine identifies an incident that served as a trigger for their decision to leave South Africa.

44:22 Alan discusses the inception and practice of apartheid in South Africa. He describes his personal dissonance with the situation.

47:26 Both Lorraine's father and Alan's parents supported their decision to South Africa.

48:40 Alan explains that the only people who were leaving South Africa were forced to leave because of their political activism or Zionists making aliyah. Lorraine wanted to move to Israel.

50:09 Alan and Lorraine discuss their exploration of English-speaking countries in 1974. They explain the factors that facilitated their decision to choose Toronto.

54:08 Alan discusses the financial implications of leaving a "blocked-currency state."

54:38 Alan explains his reasons for not going to Israel.

55:34 Alan discusses the sequence of events that delayed their departure until August 1976.

57:07 Lorraine discusses their difficult circumstances upon arrival in Toronto. She explains why they chose to settle in the Bathurst-Eglinton area and their decision to buy a house.

1:02:07 Alan discusses his initial involvement with the Toronto Jewish community and how he attempted to promote the needs of new Jewish South African immigrants.

1:04:00 Alan explains how he was able to integrate into a new country.

1:04:22 Once Lorraine started to run Holy Blossom Temple's preschool, she felt less isolated.

1:04:38 Alan describes the shock of a Canadian winter.

1:05:14 Alan discusses the impact of the influx of Jews from Montreal during the same period.

1:11:50 Alan describes their involvement in the Toronto Jewish community.

1:13:00 Lorraine cites her reasons for reaching out and persevering despite the obstacles.

1:14:28 Alan compares his experience to other Jewish families who remained in South Africa. He contrasts himself as an immigrant to the majority of immigrants who leave their home country.

1:16:28 Alan discusses the success of the next generation, more specifically their own children.

1:17:58 Lorraine discusses her career as a Jewish educator in early childhood education in Toronto.

1:21:24 Lorraine discusses her volunteer work in the Jewish community.

1:23:04 Alan comments that the establishment of Leo Baeck Day School was a direct result of the success of Holy Blossom Temple's preschool.

1:24:39 Lorraine displays and discusses some family mementos: heirloom candlesticks and some photographs.

1:27:38 Alan describes some family photographs and shares some family anecdotes. He discusses some of the barriers to Jews at university when his father was a student and some of the successes of Jewish students.

1:30:09 Alan and Lorraine share a photograph of their children, their spouses, and grandchildren.

Source

Oral Histories

Teacher of Teachers

It

Impact of Habonim

A Reconnaissance Mission

Name

Ivor Simmons

Number

OH 425

Subject

Canada--Emigration and immigration

Jews--South Africa

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Interview Date

9 Feb. 2016

Interviewer

Naomi Raichyk

Total Running Time

OH 425 part 1: 21 min.

OH 425 part 2: 20 min.

OH 425 part 3: 21 min.

OH 425 part 4: 1 min.

OH 425 part 5: 2 min.

OH 425 part 6: 4 min.

Biography

Born in Bloemfontein, South Africa’s judicial capital, in 1937, Ivor had a pleasant childhood alongside his two brothers. Because his family lived on the “wrong side” of Naval Hill (the other side was considerably more Jewish), he counted both Jews and non-Jews among his friends. This did not mean he lacked for Jewish culture: Ivor participated in a Jewish youth movement and was sent to a nearby cheder ahead of his bar mitzvah, which he celebrated in the communal hall. Unfortunately, the cheder teacher, a European immigrant who spoke halting English, was not the best teacher and Ivor finished his education with only a partial ability to read Hebrew.

As a young man, Ivor studied chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town. He worked in South Africa for a time before leaving to go to London. At the time he left, he did not have plans to live outside South Africa, but he ended up meeting several Canadians in England who encouraged him to give Canada a try. Obtaining work without any great difficulty and finding the locals friendlier than those in England, he decided to make Canada home.

Ivor worked in marketing for a time before coming to the conclusion that he wanted to be his own boss. With a loan from his father-in-law, he purchased a small company, which he ran for twenty-seven years. He looks back on those years fondly on account of having overcome a number of obstacles along the way and treated his employees fairly. In 1997, he sold his business and decided to devote his time to travel and volunteering.

Ivor and his wife have three children, all of whom live in Canada. They also have several grandchildren.

Material Format

moving images

Language

English

Name Access

Simmons, Ivor, 1937-

Geographic Access

Bloemfontein (South Africa)

Cape Town (South Africa)

England

Sasolburg (South Africa)

Toronto (Ont.)

Original Format

Digital file

Copy Format

Digital file

Transcript

Part 1:

00:25 Ivor was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa in 1937. His maternal grandparents' birthplace was Russia. His paternal grandfather was born near the Lithuanian/Latvian border. His paternal grandfather travelled to England and in 1886 moved to South Africa. His paternal grandmother came to South Africa from Cardiff.

02:24 Ivor's maternal grandfather was a jeweller in Cape Town. He remarried after Ivor's maternal grandmother died. The grandfather and second wife died in a vehicular accident in the 1920s.

03:45 Ivor discusses his parents: how they met and married. Ivor's father ran a printing company and his mother was a music teacher with an interest in the arts. Ivor's mother was involved in Jewish communal affairs.

05:55 Ivor discusses his two younger brother, both of whom moved to Sydney, Australia.

09:20 Ivor describes his youth in Bloemfontein.

10:34 Ivor participated in a B'nai Brith youth movement and attended cheder until age thirteen.

12:05 Ivor had a bar mitzvah in the communal hall.

13:24 Ivor discusses his education and extracurricular activities while he attended Grey College, a boys' school in Bloemfontein. Although Afrikaans was taught in school, Ivor did not gain fluency in Afrikaans until he worked in an oil refinery in Sasolburg.

15:40 Ivor describes his Jewish education.

16:20 Ivor discusses his family's religious and cultural observance.

17:47 Ivor shares his perspective on the impact of politics in South Africa on the Jewish community and on him personally.

19:40 Ivor discusses his reasons for leaving South Africa and how he decided to move to Canada. He found a job with Union Carbide in Toronto and decided to stay.

Part 2:

00:20 Ivor shares his first impressions of living in Toronto and addresses the ease of transition for him.

02:57 Ivor arrived in Toronto on 2 June 1963 after having spent one month in Montreal.

03:40 Ivor discusses the small South African community in Toronto at that time.

05:40 Ivor discusses his family's reaction to his decision to move to Toronto. His parents remained in South Africa. Ivor describes his parents' lifestyle.

08:45 Ivor describes his professional education and career. He studied chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town. He discusses his work history in South Africa, England, and Canada.

13:20 Ivor discusses how he met his wife. He discusses his family: his two sons and one daughter. Ivor discusses his daughter's career.

Part 3:

01:15 Ivor discusses the adoption of his two sons. Ivor discusses the children's education.

06:15 Ivor's mother came to visit regularly. His father came for several visits. Ivor and his family visited South Africa.

07:35 Ivor discusses how his family celebrated Jewish holidays.

08:24 Ivor discusses his wife, Renee.

09:08 Ivor discusses the similarities between Renee's family and his family with regards to Jewish practice and values and their Jewish practice in their home.

11:10 Ivor discusses his limited participation with any organizations within the South African Jewish community in Canada.

12:10 Ivor offers reasons why it would have been difficult to raise his children had they been living in South Africa.

13:40 Ivor discusses some of his family visits to South Africa and the impressions of the children.

15:36 Ivor offers his impressions of current day South Africa.

18:16 Ivor comments on the ease with which he integrated into Canada.

19:06 Ivor discusses his volunteer involvement following his retirement and his personal interests.

Part 4:

00:00 Ivor continues to discuss his personal interests.

Part 5:

00:00 Ivor fondly reminisces about his extended family in Cape Town: his mother's sister and her husband, his mother's brothers, their wives and children, and his father's twin cousins.

Part 6:

00:00 Ivor continues to reminisce about extended family.

02:42 Ivor discusses his pleasure in travel since his retirement.

Source

Oral Histories

What was planned as just a short trip...

Watching What you Say in South Africa

Name

Richard Stern

Number

OH 426

Subject

Immigrants--Canada

Occupations

Interview Date

23 Feb. 2016

Interviewer

Lisa Newman

Total Running Time

OH 426 part 1: 22 min.

OH 426 part 2: 22 min.

OH 426 part 3: 21 min.

OH 426 part 4: 1 min.

OH 426 part 5: 4 min.

OH 426 part 6: 3 min.

OH 427 part 7: 10 min.

OH 428 part 8: 2 min.

Use Restrictions

Waiting for Richard to sign waiver.

Biography

The firstborn twin (he insists he and his brother are not competitive), Richard grew up in the small town of Muizenberg in an old house on the seafront with his parents and four siblings. Born in 1937, Richard’s childhood was untainted by apartheid, which came into effect eleven years later in 1948. As a child, he played with children of colour on his grandfather’s farm; by adolescence, those same childhood friends were obliged to call him "Boss" on account of his race.

After completing high school at Kingswood College, a Methodist boarding school five hundred miles from where he grew up, Richard returned to Muizenburg where he worked on a farm before going back to school to obtain a diploma in agriculture. Around this time, he had a small mishap working at a winery. He had been warned not to fall asleep while the grapes were fermenting; sure enough, he did just that and the next morning the winery found itself with ten thousand gallons of vinegar.

Richard gained more experience in different wineries after completing a tour of Europe with the National Union of South African Students. He stayed in England and worked at a winery located under the Tower of London and later at wine farms in Bordeaux and the Champagne region of France. While in Europe, his twin brother told him about agriculture in Israel, which prompted him to go there. It was in Israel that he met his first wife with whom he had three children.

Richard worked at several jobs in Israel and opened three of the first Supersol supermarkets there. He also served in the Israel Defense Forces. Eventually though, he decided to come to Canada, which he did with his family in 1963. In Ottawa, he operated a supermarket for a short time before going to work for the head office of Loeb. Through this position, he got to see a good deal of Canada and developed a sense of its geography and a feel for its people.

In the early 1970s, Richard made a living as his own boss in a brokerage business before the Department of Industry, Trade and Commerce recruited him to market Canadian grocery and alcohol products. It was while working for the department that he became a Canadian citizen.

Today, Richard is retired and married to Doris. They have four children and eight grandchildren. He considers himself a Canadian Jew, but retains a strong affection for South Africa and its natural beauty. Since leaving, he has been back to South Africa between twenty and thirty times with Doris.

Material Format

moving images

Language

English

Name Access

Stern, Richard, 1937-

Geographic Access

Cape Town (South Africa)

England

France

Israel

Muizenberg (South Africa)

Ottawa (Ont.)

Original Format

Digital file

Transcript

0Part 1:

00:00 Richard was born in Muizenberg, South Africa on 5 January 1937. He was the first of a set of twins.

00:57 Richard discusses his grandfather's business in Cape Town.

01:38 Richard reminisces about his childhood in Muizenberg. He shares memories about school, after-school activities, and his school performance.

04:06 Richard discusses his siblings: Robert, Maxwell, Peter, and Jean.

06:11 Richard studied viticulture. He describes the challenges he faced realizing his dreams after leaving his country and support system.

08:37 Richard reminisces about growing up in Muizenberg.

09:30 Richard discusses Jewish life and education in Muizenberg.

10:23 Richard discusses his bar mitzvah.

11:11 Richard describes the history of his parents' home.

12:07 Richard recalls his family celebrating Jewish holidays.

12:42 Richard discusses his affiliation with the Second Muizenberg Jewish Boy Scout group and camp.

13:15 Richard notes that his father was a leader in the Habonim youth movement, but did not want his children to participate in Habonim.

14:18 Richard discusses his father's involvement with the scouting movement in Cape Town. His father was involved in Jewish communal affairs. He describes his father's involvement with an entertainment group.

15:59 Richard discusses the make-up of the Jewish community in Muizenberg.

16:30 Richard shares stories involving his personal relationships with Black or "coloured" Africans. He relates an incident that occurred during his first work experience.

19:40 Richard discusses the changes that arose with the introduction of apartheid in 1948. He refers to the risks associated with political involvement against the government.

22:09 Richard discusses Klingswood College, the boarding school he attended.

Part 2:

00:00 Richard continues to reminisce about attending boarding school. There were about twelve Jewish students.

03:42 Richard mentions the Sharpeville massacre.

04:12 Richard describes the student mix at Kingswood College. He describes exemptions made for Jewish students as well as mandatory church services.

06:33 Richard describes his pursuits after graduating from Kingswood College. He describes working on farms and vineyards. He earned a diploma in agricultural science from the College of Agriculture at the University of Stellenbosch. He relates stories from his college years.

11:44 Richard speaks of his travels and work experience in England, France, and Israel after graduating from college.

14:19 Richard speaks of his contact with Israel's first ambassador to Canada, Michael Comay, and his first marriage to Michael's daughter, Jill. They had two children.

15:49 Richard discusses his decision to remain in Israel and his early work experience in Israel.

17:22 Richard describes suffering from jaundice while completing his army training in Israel.

18:14 Richard was in Canada for six months and then returned to Israel.

18:18 Richard describes some of the challenges he encountered as manager of some of the newly-opened chain of Supersol supermarkets in Israel.

21:26 Richard discusses his decision to apply for immigration to Canada.

Part 3:

00:00 Richard discusses the breakup between the Bronfsmans and Bert Loeb.

00:58 Richard describes his ten years of work for Loeb's in Ottawa.

02:50 Richard opens up a brokerage business in 1971.

03:11 Richard describes how and why he was approached by the government of Canada to work in industry, trade, and commerce.

03:57 Richard explains how he became a Canadian citizen.

04:45 Richard describes his involvement in marketing alcoholic beverages and grocery products on behalf of the government of Canada.

06:01 Richard discusses his post chairing Canada-Israel agreements.

06:29 Richard describes the events that led to his wife and children returning to Israel in 1967. He notes the likelihood of his moving back to South Africa had his wife not decided to return to Canada.

07:06 Richard discusses his attachment to South Africa and offers his impressions of the country.

11:37 Richard praises the liberal political position taken by Jews in South Africa.

12:30 Richard discusses his ancestry. His paternal and maternal grandfathers came from Germany to South Africa. His paternal grandmother came from New York. He tells some stories about his grandparents.

14:42 Richard muses about his lack of awareness of different Jewish groups while growing up.

16:50 Richard discusses his identity as a Canadian Jew.

18:30 Richard discusses some of his philanthropic support.

19:55 Richard recalls memories about his grandparents.

Part 4:

00:00 Richard displays and describes two photographs of himself and his siblings.

Part 5:

00:00 Richard displays a photograph of the opening of the Voortrekker monument commemorating the Afrikaner scouting movement. Richard discusses his involvement with the movement and his attendance at the opening of the monument.

01:45 Richard displays and discusses a photograph of his school cadets band.

03:03 Richard displays and discusses a photograph of his rugby team.

03:49 Richard displays a photograph of himself and his brother-in-law, Yochanan, while serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Richard discusses how Yochanan was killed in the Golan Heights in 1967.

Part 6:

00:00 Richard displays and discusses a plaque that was present to his grandfather, Max Sonnenberg, for his service in parliament for twenty years.

01:38 Richard displays and discusses a book that was written by his grandfather.

Part 7:

00:00 Richard discusses his work with Agriculture Canada as director of processed food and later director of international marketing. He took early retirement in 1990.

01:23 Richard displays and discusses a photograph from the International Dairy Congress in 1994. He shares a story about Stephen Lewis, who was a guest speaker.

03:14 Richard displays and discusses a photograph of Richard presenting a cheque to the deputy minister of agriculture repaying the grant for the Dairy Congress.

04:12 Richard displays and discusses a photograph that related to his work with the sheep council in 1997.

05:44 Richard displays and discusses a photograph that related to his work with the cervidae industry.

06:50 Richard displays and discusses a trophy honouring his father for his contributions to the Community Chest Carnival. Richard shares some stories related to the Masque Theatre in Muizenberg that was started by his father.

09:56 Richard displays and discusses a program relating to the re-opening of the Masque Theatre in 1999.

Part 8:

00:00 Richard displays and discusses a photograph from his parents' wedding.

Source

Oral Histories

Scouting

Racism?