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I am a Holocaust survivor. I came from a Zionist family in
Poland – my father was a strong Zionist and my mother
founded the WIZO chapter in the shtetl where we lived. My
brother and I grew up putting our pennies into the Keren Kayemet
Blue Box each week.
I came to Canada in 1948 when I was 21 years old, sponsored
by family in Toronto. Coming here began the process of rebuilding
my life – learning a new language and adjusting to a
new lifestyle. The Jewish community of Toronto reached out
to me, giving me a helping hand and a warm welcome wherever
I went. In 1949 I brought my wife, Lily, also a survivor,
to Canada from Germany, where I had first met her.
My education had, of course, been interrupted by the war
and I had to figure out how to make a living. I apprenticed
at a relative’s printing company and then worked as a
printer for the Globe and Mail. I could have had a steady
career there, but instead I opened my own successful printing
business. I became involved in the Jewish community mostly
for business, but I also wanted to repay the community that
gave me a new home and a new start in life.
Fifteen years ago I sold my business and retired. Since then
I've had more time to devote to many Jewish community causes,
including UJA Federation, JNF, Yad Vashem and B’nai Brith
Canada, among others. I have served as the National Vice President
and National Treasurer of B’nai Brith Canada and am still
very involved with my local lodge, the Raoul Wallenberg-Yorkdale
Circle Lodge. Right now I am the President of Jewish Holocaust
Survivors of Canada, a group dedicated to seeking a measure
of justice for survivors.
I have given a gift to the UJA Federation annual Campaign
for many years, but as I began to think about the future,
I established a fund at the Jewish Foundation. Over the years
I’ve seen the fund grow. Lily and I have two daughters
and five grandchildren who share our commitment to Israel,
Jewish community and Jewish values. Now there will always
be something that my grandchildren and great-grandchildren
can point to and say “that was built by my grandparents.”
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