- Ottawa Jewish Archives
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Interview with David Rabin
Interview with David Rabin
Description only — contact the archiveO0045
- Held by
- Ottawa Jewish Archives via Canadian Jewish Heritage Network (incl. Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives)
- Dates
- January 28, 2001 (indexed as 2001)
- Level
- item
- Scope & content
- Subject: David Rabin Interviewer: Millie Mirksy Date: January 28, 2001 Location: Ottawa Number of tapes: 2 Time: tape 1 32:03 tape 2 53:47 David is Millie’s maternal uncle. Her mother is his sister Esther The family came to Canada from Lithuania because David’s father had gotten a position at the Adath Jeshurun in Ottawa. His father came in 1927, and worked in Kirkland lake with the Jewish community. His mother, his sister Esther and David arrived in November 1929, in Montreal. From there, they moved to Ottawa. The name of the boat was the mon calm? It was later scrapped during the war Lived on Daly Ave. then moved to Rideau St. closest neighbour was Mr. Abelson, and they used to go there Friday nights for shabbos dinner. His dad played the violin and his mother played the piano and they used to play duets together when they lived on Daly Ave. Recalls the conditions on the boat on the way to Canada, and how he was an outgoing child. Arrived during the depression but they never lacked for anything. Recalls childhood stories, and anti-semitism growing up. Recalls looking at the window displays at I.L Cohen’s drug store at Cumberland and Rideau St. and Freiman’s Department Store. Recalls during the depression when his father’s salary was reduced by $300, and his mother never forgave the secretary of the synagogue for that. Recalls his father going to the Byward Market to slaughter the chickens. In those days people would bring their chickens and would get them slaughtered for 10 cents. At cantor’s and Weinstiens butcher shops. Got his first bike at his bar mitzvah. He used to bike to and from the Byward market for the chickens and other grocery shopping. Canned goods were bought at Edelsons, across the street from York St. Shul, on Clarence st. Mr. Edelson used to come and take people's grocery orders and deliver them to houses. Recalls looking forward to shabbos dinner. Loved the food and the people who used to come for shabbos dinner and the songs they would sing David went to shul every saturday. Recalls running to shul at Adath Jeshurun on King Edward because there was free ginger ale and cream soda from pure spring. David had younger brothers; Eli and Lionel. Lionel ended up in New York, and is the most religious person in the family. When David was in high school friday night services were brought back by Rabbi Fasman. David was 6 years older than Lionel and 13 years older than Eli, so they had little in common. Tape 1 ends. Tape 2 *content advisory* contains mention of illicit substances. Recalls a rabbi who had legal problems, and his family’s reactions. Recalls teachers and administrators from both York St Public School, and Osgoode Public School. Went to high school at Lisgar Collegiate, and recalls teachers and administrators there. One of the physics teachers was a veteran of the First World War, and used to tell them war stories Recalls rivalry between Lisgar and Glebe Collegiate. Recalls teenage friends and their fates during the war. Went to cheder on George St. in an old salvation army building that had been condemned. His teacher was Mr. Lief and there was also a Mr. Krantzberg. Went from age 6-13. Recalls that you were only allowed to miss cheder if you were very sick Talmud Torah alumni club. It started off a sporting club, and grew as more guys who went to Tamund Torah together joined. Anti-semitism was rampant from St. Anne’s church because of an anti-semitic priest, so Talmud Torah and community was very important. It’s where you learned prayers, songs, and Jewish values Recalls his dad charged a tax when he was slaughtering chickens, where a portion of the cost went towards the Talmud Torah, to pay the teachers salary. Tuition was $2 a month, so rather than raise the price of tuition fees during the depression, David’s dad gave money The Litwacks family, the Commercial Tire family, was poor and lived in the basement of the Talmud Torah building. Recalls his friends who went to cheder with him, including the Loeb family and others. Living on Wurtemburg St, David learned to skate on the Rideau River, after getting skates from his dad. He also played baseball and softball in the summer. Played softball in the Jewish Men’s league, and in the senior league. Also played tennis. In University he used to play bridge. Sons of Israel were the group of Jewish boys who lived in Lower Town. The Talmud Torah Alumni club lived on Rideau St. and surrounding area. The SOI were tougher because their area faced more severe and physical antisemitism. The SOI and the TTA used to play sports together. Would rent the gym at York St School once a week to play basketball. Would go to Brittania by streetcar with his family. Recalls going to Brittania with Talmud Torah and playing with other students. Audio cuts Recalls different bakeries; Rideau Bakery, Bodnoff’s, Mocian? A lot of the Jewish community, including David, shopped at Freimans. If Freimans didn’t have it, there were other smaller stores on Sparks St. Recalls going to the Regent theater, Rideau theater, and the capitol theater. David and others would try to get out of Shul fast, eat lunch and then for a dime spend the afternoon in the theater. I.L Cohen at Cumberland and Rideau was the drug store David’s family went to. Cantor’s bakery and butcher shop and Weinstein Butcher shop, run by Percy Weinstein’s family who was a friend of David’s brother Barney Weiss supported the Jewish softball teams, and he used to come to all the games at York St School Team players included; Burt Loeb, Sammy Hanzer, Steinburg boys. David recalls a certain game where he hit a home run and was offered free food from Barney Weiss, who’s daughter Pauline went on to marry Hy Hochberg. David recalls education and schooling was his parents priority, so he didn’t get to play a lot. Recalls listening to and being fans of jazz and swing music, and going to the shows when they came to central Ottawa. David saw Louis Armstrong when he was in high school, c. 1939/40 Recalls how times were different in regards to substance use or abuse. Recalls how David and his friends used to sell newspapers to the butcher shops to make money. David recalls how he misses Ottawa, and how much the community in Ottawa meant to him He was in Ottawa until he married his wife Elenor. Discusses friends who enlisted in the war. Audio ends
- Location
- rue Rideau · street · confidence 50% · street · found as “Rideau St.”
- rue York · street · confidence 50% · street · found as “York St.”
Where
More details
- Extent
- 2 tapes
- Genre / form
- sound recording
- Format
- Audio
- Harvested
- 2026-10-17T20:12:50Z · source datestamp n/a · cjhn