- Ottawa Jewish Archives
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- The History of the Jews of Manitoba and their Connection to Ottawa
The History of the Jews of Manitoba and their Connection to Ottawa
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- Held by
- Ottawa Jewish Archives via Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (incl. Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives)
- Dates
- June 23, 2010 (indexed as 2010)
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- item
- Scope & content
- Subject: Alan Rackow Date: June 23, 2010 Interview Location: Ottawa Length of Time: 43:11 - Speak about the Jews of Manitoba and their connection to Ottawa - Married Phyllis (Fried) June 22, 1954. Father to Valerie, Frank and Barbara - Born and raised in Winnipeg, studied at McGill - Moved to Ottawa in 1951. - Spent 36 years in Federal service. - Title of talk: “Jews of Manitoba and connections to Ottawa” - First known Jew in the Prairies appeared in the fur trade in the Hudson Bay Fur Trade, Ferdinand Jacobs worked there from 1732-1775. - The earliest Jewish immigrants came to the West in the 1870s, as a result of changing policy in Eastern Europe. - Alan’s father’s family came to Canada in 1913. - His paternal grandparents stayed in Winnipeg until their deaths. - His parents met in Winnipeg in 1914, and after the war his father persuaded his mother to come to Los Angeles, where they were married July 16, 1924. They returned to Winnipeg sometime before 1928 - His mother’s family, the Weidmans, came from a small village in Russia near Moscow - His great grandfather and family left Europe, and arrived in Canada around May 26, 1882. They were greeted by the tiny Jewish community led by George Frankfurt - The Weidman’s had a successful enterprise, Weidman’s Brothers Limited. - Discusses different Jewish settlements in Rupert’s land, including where his family lived; Moosomin, Saskatchewan (New Jerusalem) - Alan’s grandparents were Mordecai and Bessie (Shragge) Weidman, who married in 1885 in Winnipeg - Shragge family came from Brody in the Austro-Hungary empire, modern day Poland. - Bessie died in 1915. - The Shragge and Weidman families were in the scrap metal and junk business. - Mordecai founded the Winnipeg YMHA. - Recalls his experience growing up in and around Winnipeg, with his immediate and extended family, and getting ready for his bar mitzvah. - Alan studied Electrical Engineering at Manitoba University, and won a medal of excellence, graduating in 1950. Completed his Master’s at McGill in 1951. - Started at the National Research council in Ottawa, September 15, 1951 - Phyllis and Alan met in Ottawa, through the members of the Halter family - Started working in the Royal Navy electrical engineering department. - Left the Navy to work in the Defense Production Department - In 1962 Alan was sent to Paris to represent Canada at a NATO meeting - Became responsible for Promotion of Canadian Industrial Capabilities to the united states under the Canada-United States Defense production sharing program - Ended his government career in the department of external affairs and international trade. - Speaks about other Winnipeg Jews who came to Ottawa; David Golden, Alan Rodney, Hy Stoler, Joe Morgan, Arnold T?, Israel Feldman, Burt M? Audio ends
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- 2026-10-17T20:12:50Z · source datestamp n/a · cjhn