In This Issue: Projects in Progress East End Stories Scribe Launch Archives Report Annual General Meeting / BC Jewish History Research Prize FALL 2018 Founded in 1971 as the Jewish Historical Society of British Columbia Founding President: Cyril Leonoff, z”l The Chronicle BOARD STAFF Volume 24, Issue 2 © JMABC, 2018 President Administrator Perry Seidelman Marcy Babins Cover Image: Vice President Archivist Dave Shafran, Carol Herbert Alysa Routtenberg owner of Max’s Treasurer Delicatessen, Alisa Franken Director of Community tending the till, Engagement circa 1960. Secretary Michael Schwartz Gordon Brandt L.09267 Members-At-Large Editing and Design Alan Farber Michael Schwartz Phil Sanderson Immediate Past President Gary Averbach We gratefully acknowledge the generous support of our Directors sponsors: Oren Bick David Bogoch Betty Averbach Foundation Alex Farber City of Vancouver Daniella Givon Diamond Foundation Bill Gruenthal Adam Korbin Government of Canada Evan Orloff Jewish Community Foundation Ronnie Tessler Michael Tripp Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver Council of Governors Isabelle Diamond Phyliss and Irving Snider Marie Doduck Foundation Michael Geller Province of British Columbia Bill Gruenthal Richard Henriquez Waldman Foundation Cyril Leonoff z”l Risa Levine Josephine Margolis Nadel Richard Menkis Ronnie Tessler The Jewish Museum and Archives of BC is a registered non- profit with CRA # 10808 5259 RR0001. All contributions are tax-deductable. 1 President’s Message How many of us wish we knew more about our to see, hear, and touch the history. They grandparents’ history? How many of us wonder where should collect, maintain and exhibit, and then old photos or historical documents ended up after a bequeath, the entire family tradition. grandparent passed away? How many of us regret not To be effective curators, grandparents must asking grandparents questions when we had the chance be collectors. Grishaver says they should or even making the time to listen to them when they safeguard the items and memories that were wished to tell us about their past? I would guess this important to them and their parents and applies to many, if not most, of us. grandparents, so they do not get lost and/ Joel Lurie Grishaver, a Jewish writer, teacher, or forgotten. Grandparents should collect cartoonist, and storyteller, wrote in 1995, 10 Attitudes and preserve these items, so they will be of Highly Effective Jewish Grandparents. In this recognizable and interesting to others. booklet, he suggests how we can do better for our While acknowledging the importance of children and grandchildren by being like a museum preserving collected items, Grishaver curator. emphasizes that preservation means not Grishaver says that, as curators, grandparents should only protecting, but also providing access to pass on to the generations following them the items, the items. He recommends putting photos in memories, and stories they have collected over their albums, polishing the silver, labelling all items lives. He recommends that grandparents should and recording the stories that go with each. Above: three children swimming appreciate their mortality and prepare the family Once the items are collected and preserved, at the pier at Dundarave, collection so children and grandchildren will be able c. 1910. (L.00033). 2 A dinner party, c. 1918. (L.13363). there is more to exhibiting than just having items in As part of this process, recent issues of our annual special cases with labels. Grishaver writes that although journal, The Scribe, have told of Jewish contributions to it is important to exhibit and then bequeath these the furniture, scrap metal, and retail clothing businesses. items, it is equally important to do this in an interesting Our most recent issue focuses on the fascinating stories manner. of those interred in Mountain View Jewish Cemetery and other Jewish cemeteries in BC. The next issue, to Grishaver then talks about the importance of be launched in November, will report on members of the grandparents recording their stories, which is something community involved in the restaurant industry, both that the JMABC is exceptional at doing. historically and currently. In fact, the JMABC is outstanding at doing all the So, how important is all of this? How can we decide above. We collect, preserve and display, both physically what to do next – how to live – if we can’t remember the and online. We record stories, transcribe them, and accomplishments of others and of ourselves; who we are make them available for listening. Excerpts from these and where we have come from? interviews are frequently published in our annual journal, The Scribe. By renewing your membership, increasing your contribution, volunteering your help and your memories, Nearly 1,000 stories have been recorded, documenting and by joining us at our public programs, you show the interesting lives of people throughout our your support and encourage our staff to continue their community. Many of these interviews have been diligent work. I look forward to seeing you at our exciting transcribed and made available online, increasing their events coming up this year and know we can rely on you accessibility for family members and other community to help us reach our fundraising goals, allowing us to members. reach new heights in programming and guaranteeing the The JMABC is known within the museum and archives preservation of our community’s prized collection. world as being an organization of stature and excellence. Credit for this reputation is due to our extremely knowledgeable and hard-working staff, our numerous interns and volunteers, and our volunteer board of directors. At the JMABC, we endeavour to collect and document Perry Seidelman the complete history of Jewish people throughout BC. President 3 East End Stories On a lazy Sunday afternoon in June, guests of all ages the videos. The project is enriched by arrived at The Heatley to celebrate the launch of a free downloadable study guide, made East End Stories, the newest exhibition by the Jewish available to support teachers in educating Museum and Archives of BC. Showcasing a profile of their students on local Jewish heritage, six early Jewish immigrants—rabbis, businessmen, and sparking conversations to nurture advocates—who made their mark in the first century empathy and connection to the histories of building Vancouver’s Jewish community, East End and communities of migrants and indigenous Stories is a collection of 6 short videos, a self-guided peoples. tour, and a study guide for high school teachers and Guests enjoyed the debut screening of the students. six East End Stories videos, each between Exchanging smiles, handshakes, hugs, and chatter, 3 and 5 minutes long. Applause followed guests settled in and were welcomed by Michael each film, with one women yelling after Schwartz, the JMABC’s Director of Community the final clip, “I think what you’ve done is Engagement, who introduced the project. tremendous!” Canada’s 150th Anniversary that provided the After the screening, some lingered to opportunity to realize East End Stories. With newly chat, while others set out to explore the available funding, eager efforts by contributors, and neighbourhood, following the map for the archival material from 19 different archives, this integral self-guided tours. project to present Jewish heritage in Vancouver was All six short films are now available on the produced in just under a year. JMABC website. We invite you to view An eclectic setting, cultural objects from various eras them at: mildly decorate the restaurant, giving a vibe that The jewishmuseum.ca/exhibit/east-end-stories Heatley in its first days may have been a parlour or general store. This affect of heritage and location helped to connect guests to the Strathcona neighbourhood. We are grateful for the support of the The Heatley is only a hop, skip and a jump away from following organizations for making East End Vancouver’s first synagogue, B’nei Yehuda (built in 1911) Stories possible: which later became Schara Tzedeck (built in 1921) at the BC | Canada 150: Celebrating BC nearby corner of Heatley and East Pender streets. Communities and their Contributions to The cornerstone of East End Stories is its accessibility Canada; The Betty Averbach Foundation; through online and offline avenues to engage various The Government of Canada; The Jewish demographics with an interest in Jewish heritage in Community Foundation of Greater B.C. Along the route of the Strathcona self-guided Vancouver; Jewish Federation of Greater tour are information panels with QR codes linking to Vancouver; and the Isaac and Sophie Waldman Endowment Fund. 4 Archives Report ...but for those who have been reading the archives updates over the years, the archives being busy busy busy is no news. We’re always acquiring, processing, and arranging materials, describing, digitizing them, and working to make our collections more accessible. As you can see in the following pages, our office has been a hive of busy bees all summer long! From donations of just a couple of photographs to entire administrative records, we’re interested in it all. They all have a place in preserving our community history. If you haven’t taken a tour of our archives facility in Richmond, schedule a tour with me. You’ll see what it’s all about, from your garage to our shelves. This spring and summer we’ve been working on not only this year’s Scribe, which will hit your mailboxes soon, but next year’s issue as well, thanks to one of our Young Canada Works interns, Kate Quinn-Feehan. The archives has as always continued to process archival fonds as well, with YCW intern Eva Lau working on the National Council of Jewish Women collection. We can’t believe it’s already time for them to head back to school, but the office won’t be quiet for long! In a few short weeks we’ll be welcoming a new Archives Processing Assistant and two Archives interns who will be working with us into the Some people new year.