- Ottawa Jewish Archives
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Interview with Dr. Shalom Pearlman
Interview with Dr. Shalom Pearlman
Description only — contact the archiveO0045
- Held by
- Ottawa Jewish Archives via Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (incl. Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives)
- Dates
- May 17, 2000 (indexed as 2000)
- Level
- item
- Scope & content
- Number of tapes: 2 Duration: Tape 1: 1:01:25 Tape 2: 5:37 Tape 1: Interview is for the Oral history project. His father was Mendel Pearlman, his mother was Rose Mirksy Pearlman. Mendel was born in Sislovich[?] Russia, as was his mother. They were from small villages near Minsk. Mendel went to school in Odessa to become a watchmaker and jewelry, and he kept his graduation certificate in the window of his shop on Rideau St. Mendel was born in 1882, and came to Canada in 1899. He came over on a boat called the L[?], which can be translated into Lake Ontario. His brothers were already in Canada, but his sister remained in Russia. Shalom explains the origin of the name Pearlman: His father’s grandfather was a Cinderrobich[?], and it was common practice to take young men and place them in the army, and place them with childless couples whose family name they would assume. His father’s grandfather went with a family named Margolian[?], and it translates to Pearlman. His mother Rose was a homemaker. His parents were married in 1909 and had 4 children: his brother Lyon was born in 1910, Shalom was born in July 1919, Shirley was born in 1921, and Alan was born 1923. Shalom and his wife Judith have 7 children. Millie refers to a letter she read in the Ottawa Jewish Archives. The letter is written by Shalom to his brother Lyon and sister Shirley, and refers to a book titled “Youth & Turmoil” and how it relates to his father’s lived experiences. Shalom doesn’t know exactly how his father got from Toronto to Ottawa, nor does he know how his parents met. His mother had other suitors, and she asked her father which one he approved of. He said Mendel Pearlman was a good man and observant Jew and therefore the right choice. After they got married, Mendel set up a shop in Port Arthur, and he was there for a while. When Rose got pregnant with Lyon in Port Arthur, she decided to come back to Ottawa to give birth so she could be near a good hospital, and Mendel followed. Mendel was successful while he was in Port Arthur. There were a number of Jews, and he took leadership positions in the Zionist movement. Shalom discusses a photo of Mendel in a Sukkah he built. Mendel was also an interpreter, as he spoke Russian and Polish. There were a lot of Eastern Europeans there so his skills were useful. Rose was the daughter of Reverend Mirksy. They came up from New York when Rose was about 7. She went to school in Ottawa, although Shalom is unsure of which school. She was an avid reader all her life. Rose’s mother died when she was very little, and her father remarried Mrs. Nathanson had a few children of her own. Mrs. Nathanson was German, and came from a higher level of society, and brought with her aspects of culture and awareness. Shalom recalls the story of Reverend Mirsky holding the Torah in his arms the entire train ride to Ottawa, because he did not want to lay it down. Rose grew up as a Canadian girl, and had both Jewish and non-Jewish friends. Rose fostered Shalom’s love of reading and literature, and Rose was well known and social. Shalom recalls how his grandfather has an organ in his living room, and that’s where Shalom learned music and harmony. Shalom loved his grandfather dearly, and recalls spending time with him. Shalom recalls being in the synagogue, and watching his grandfather, and how people would travel from far and wide to come see him on the high holidays. Shalom learned Yiddish from his uncle Hershel, Laz’s father. Shalom recalls how Hershel always dressed up a bit. He was a scholar, and he helped Shalom with some of the Torah learnings. Shalom grew up at 166 Rideau St, and he could see all the way down Dalhousie St from his house. He lived on the third floor, which was cold. There were several stoves in the house but not on the 3rd floor. Shalom recalls they always had a maid, normally a French-Canadian girl who would live at the house as well. Shalom went to York St school and then Lisgar Collegiate. He then went to Toronto to get into Dental School, and graduated in 1945. He missed 2 years because he had tuberculosis. After that he went to Cleveland to Western Reserve University and got a master’s degree in biochemistry, doing research and teaching. From there he was one of very few dentists who had a background in pharmacology, and the American Dental Association wanted to get someone to work on Dental therapeutics, and Shalom was selected because of his educational background. He spent 17 years there in Dental therapeutics, and then directed the council of Dental Research. His coworker then moved to Denver to help design the Denver Dental school, becoming its first dean, and then asked Shalom to come out to Denver to work there. Shalom worked there from 1968-1984. Shalom recalls fights between Jewish kids and non-Jewish kids growing up, but in highschool Shalom didn’t recall any overt antisemitism, apart from select students. Shalom recalls how Jewish kids, especially Jewish kids on athletic teams, stayed together. Shalom however said he tried to mix who his friends were. After he got out of school he worked at the Department of Fisheries as an office boy. They wanted his birth certificate which he couldn’t get soon enough, and the boss replied in an antisemtic way. Shalom recalls French Canadian kids in the neighbourhood growing up, and an Italian community behind his father’s store. Shalom recalls how Sam Shaperio was a better fighter than he was. Shalom recalls how he was always pretty good in school, and he was active in the choir and enjoyed the music. He recalls some of the teachers who influenced his educational experiences. *audio skips* Shalom submitted a poem to Uncle Ray’s corner, the children’s section of the Ottawa Citizen which was accepted. His mother helped him with some of the poem. Poetry remained a hobby of Shalom’s. In highschool Shalom enjoyed the arts and sciences. Shalom discusses some of the people who influenced his career, including his Uncle Sam who was a doctor and went to McGill, and his brother Lyon who graduated in 1934 and went into pediatrics. His cousin Dave from Toronto who was a dentist came to visit, and talked to Shalom about dentistry, and Shalom stayed with them during Medical school in Toronto. Shalom did very well his first year in the theoretical stuff, but did not enjoy the practical side of dentist school as much. Shalom recalls a discussion with his Dean, and how that influenced his schooling. His parents valued education as well. He recalls members of his family helping him financially make his way through school. Shalom had a good Jewish education. His earliest recollection was being taught evening and morning prayers. He recalls observing all the holidays too. He went to Talmud Torah on George St, between Cumebrland and Dalhousie while he was at public school. Shalom recalls how non-Jewish kids would be harassing them while leaving Talmud Torah especially around Easter. Shalom did not have a regular bar mitzvah because he had tuberculosis at the time. Shalom recalls he was a devout Jew until his teen years, when he read a book that questioned God. Shalom says he is an agnostic with a heavy Jewish background. He loves the cultural and traditional aspects of Judaism, and he is proud of his Jewishness. When Shalom and Judith got married and had children, they agreed not to raise the children in a faith, but taught them rather their own morals, and then the children could decide themselves what they wanted to do with their religion. Only 1 of their 7 children married a Jewish spouse, and they practice conservative Judaism. Shalom went to the King Edward Shul. He enjoyed Shul. The services, with the exception of the sermon, were in Hebrew. Shalom was in the choir. In 1975, his Uncle Sam died, Judith had a heart attack, and things were going terribly at his job, and Shalom became a reborn Jew, going to Synagogue 3 times a day. He eventually started leading prayer. This went on for about 3 years until things started to settle down and Shalom stopped going. Shalom recalls B’nai B’rith and Zionist groups from his youth. They would learn Hebrew and learn about Israel. Shalom was also in boy scouts and cub scouts. Shalom also participated in shows put on in the Talmud Torah. Shalom had good experiences with the Jewish community growing up, but he says he was always aware that Jews were not considered full Canadians, and were different from others while he was growing up. Shalom recalls there was a convent on Rideau St, and the nuns used to teach music and other things. He remembers going past the convent and listening to the music from outside the door. He says this helped to cement his passion for and interest in classical music. Shalmon says the Jewish community in Ottawa was close knit when he was growing up. He discusses the 4 synagogues and the differences between each one. Shalmon discusses his other family members, and his relationship with them including Dave, Reeve [?], Sam, Shalom discusses the Institute of Jewish Studies, on the south side of Chapel St. Shalom recalls Rabbi Margolis came in from the United States. He had a wonderful personality and could deliver sermons. But all of a sudden he disappeared after a few years. The story goes he had come into possession of someone else’s vehicle, which he drove and stored before going to New York. They eventually traced the whole thing to him, and he was sent to jail. When he came out of jail he still worked with Jewish communities but not in Ottawa. *TAPE 1 ENDS* Tape 2: Shalom recalls being home from college with tuberculosis, and his grandfather had passed away and there was a memorial service for him. A.J Freiman got up to speak at the memorial and when he returned to his seat he slumped over and passed away. Shalom recalls how Lawrence Freiman asked for privacy, and the congregation stepped outside. Shalom mentions M[?] Applebaum, and how he struggled socially and academically but everyone was friendly to him. *audio ends* 5:37
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- 2 tapes
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- sound recording
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- 2026-10-17T20:12:50Z · source datestamp n/a · cjhn