Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

History of the Jews in Ottawa

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The Jewish community in Ottawa has grown tremendously since the first Jewish settlers arrived in the mid-to-late 1800s. The community and its organizations helped the many immigrants achieve a better life in Canada.

Contents

Immigration and Ottawa’s Jewish Pioneers

Jewish immigration to Canada heavily increased between 1850-1939 with the rise of anti-Semitism and pogroms in Eastern Europe. The first Jewish immigrants who settled in Ottawa arrived between 1857-1889. "The Jewish population of Ottawa doubled its size approximately five times between 1901 and 1911". Although it is difficult to determine the first Jewish immigrant to Ottawa, there are numerous pioneers of the Jewish community in Ottawa, some of the earliest include:

Moses Bilsky

Bilsky was originally from Lithuania. He established his home in Lowertown in 1867 and opened a jewellery and pawn shop on Rideau Street. Bilsky was also a philanthropist and founder of Ottawa’s first synagogue, Adath Jeshuran.

Aaron Rosenthal

Rosenthal was an immigrant from Germany first to Australia where he met his wife, Bertha. Rosenthal began a retail jewellery business in Ottawa on Sparks Street called A. Rosenthal & Sons. And was also a philanthropist.

Bertha Rosenthal (née Lehman)

Rosenthal, like her husband, was born in Germany and became a philanthropist. She was a volunteer for many women’s organizations as well as a founder and president of the Ottawa Ladies Hebrew Benevolent.

Franklin Burkholder

Franklin Dean Burkholder was the great-great-grandson of a Mennonite immigrant from Pennsylvania; his Great-Great-Grandfather having come from Germany to Pennsylvania about 1754. Franklin worked as a furrier and tailor in Ottawa. He was president of F.D. Burkholder Ltd., Furriers and Ladies’ Tailors, located at 119 Bank Street”.

The Flourishing Jewish Community

Along with many other Jewish pioneers who emigrated to Ottawa, the community worked tirelessly to help the Jewish community flourish; many organizations were started to help the new Jewish immigrants to Ottawa, making sure they had jobs and places to live. Lending organizations greatly aided immigrants to open up businesses and help out community members in times of need.

The Jewish Neighbourhood

The Jewish community may have only been approximately 1.92% of Ottawa’s population in the 1920s-1940s, but Lowertown consisted of 70% Jews.

The Market: Jewish Shops and Peddlers

Ottawa’s cheap peddling licence and the advantage to observe Shabbat meant peddling became a common occupation for the new immigrants and community. If successful at this demanding career, a peddler would buy a horse and cart or set up a store - likely in the By Ward Market.

The By Ward Market was dominated by Jewish merchants between WWI and WWII. The By Ward Market Street had many Jewish produce businesses. Day merchants rented sidewalk space in the market also on By Ward Market Street. Clothing was located on William Street, the Kosher butchers were located on the west and east sides of the market, dairy on the west side, and The Rideau Bakery – still in existence today – was located on the corner of Rideau and Nelson Streets.

The Community Today

Today, there are approximately 11,325 Jews living in Ottawa.

Jewish Life in Ottawa

  • Jewish Federation of Ottawa
  • Soloway Jewish Community Centre
  • Ottawa Jewish Community School
  • Ottawa Jewish Bulletin
  • References

    History of the Jews in Ottawa Wikipedia