A Coat of Many Colours: Two Centuries of Jewish Life in Canada

Esther Fisher is a professor of English at the University of Toronto and
a former food critic for The Globe & Mail.

This book is essential for a full appreciation of the Coat of Many
Colours exhibit, which has been shown across Canada on its way to the
United States and Israel. The book is also an important contribution to
understanding the plight and place of Jews in Canadian history.

Abella, a noted Canadian historian, conveys the hardships and the
accomplishments of Jews in this country, and examines the growth of
Jewish communities, beginning with the 1738 arrival in Quebec of a young
Jewish woman disguised as a French sailor (she was deported because Jews
were not allowed in French Canada). As more immigrants arrived and new
settlements developed, a rift opened up between older established Jewish
communities and new immigrants from Eastern Europe. In this context, the
author discusses the establishment of organizations that helped the
newcomers adapt to the country and its customs while also understanding
their old traditions, values, and religion. Most important of these
organizations was the Canadian Jewish Congress, which united the
community and provided a voice for their concerns.

Abella’s lively style and his choice of material make this book easy
to read and enjoyable. It abounds in tales of colourful characters and
fascinating events. For example, among the pioneers was an emigré from
Lithuania. In 1860 he tried his luck in the gold rush. He failed,
travelled to the U.S., Central America and back to the U.S., where he
joined the Union army. Finally, he gave up adventuring and set up
business in Mattawa, where he made his fortune. He then moved to Ottawa,
where he became a generous benefactor to new immigrants and a bulwark of
support for the Jewish community.

In contrast to such success stories are grim tales of what Jews faced
in Canada: poverty, unfamiliarity with the country and, above all,
religious intolerance—from the very beginning to the 1940s (when, as
Abella states, “Of all the western democracies, Canada had by far the
worst record in providing sanctuary to Jewish refugees fleeing the
scourge of Nazism”). Ours is not a record of which to be proud.

Yet, despite the difficulties, the Jewish contribution to Canada has
been considerable. Jews have played an important role in almost all
walks of life—in business, the professions, theatre, literature,
music, art, education, politics, and the development of trade unions.
B’nai Brith and other Jewish organizations have been particularly
important in combating discrimination and in advancing antidefamation
and human rights activities. They laid the groundwork for the more
tolerant climate we now enjoy.

This book would be of interest to all who are concerned about our
nation’s past and its future. One final note: A Coat of Many Colours
is beautifully printed, illustrated, and bound. It is a pleasure to read
in more ways than one.