Memoir of Robbie Waisman #8 Excerpt of the memoir of Robbie Waisman, who was admitted to Canada as a war orphan after the Holocaust, that was included Jewish immigration in the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre exhibition “Open hearts, closed doors.” during WW II Comments in brackets are not part of the original document. They have been added to assist the reader with difficult words. Memoir of Robbie Waisman I remember being told that no country in the world, except Pales- tine, wanted us. Nearly all of the orphans put their names on the list for Palestine, but getting into Palestine was made nearly im- possible at the time by the British blockade. The two other options open to us were Canada or Australia. Australia was attractive to many of us because it was so far from Europe. Getting into Canada was tough. The process was a very lengthy one and you had to be absolutely healthy. Wearing glasses was enough to disqualify you. I had trouble getting approval because of my very low blood pressure. I had repeated blood tests and had all but given up hope when I finally got a letter accepting me into Canada. I thought of Canada as a young country full of wheat fields. It seemed to be a place where I would never run out of bread. Canada represented a new life and a new beginning. Although I was anxious about the unknown, I remember feeling a tremendous amount of an- ticipation and excitement. Biography – Robbie Waisman, “Open hearts, closed doors”, Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, http://www.virtualmuseum.ca/Exhibitions/ orphans/english/biographies/waisman/chapter1.html (Accessed 29 June 2011). the critical thinking consortium.