Memories of Brantford's Jewish Community
On November 26th, 2019, representatives from several Brantford organizations came together downtown to create a program of events celebrating Brantford's Jewish community.
The event was inspired by a collection of vibrant stories, "Shtetl on the Grand", written by the late Gerald Tulchinsky, a retired professor and leading scholar of Canadian Jewish history at Queen’s University. “Shtetl” translates to "community" and refers to the Jewish community in Brantford. The stories in "Shtetl on the Grand" are based on Dr. Tulchinsky’s observations while growing up Jewish in Brantford in the 1940s.
The group received permission from Dr. Tulchinsky's widow to use his stories in a performance created by members of Brant Theatre Workshops.
The committee behind Shtetl on the Grand included Bill Darfler, Associate History Professor Christina Han, dramatist Peter Muir, tour organizer Brian Moore, and artist/historian Jack Jackowetz. They represented:
- Wilfrid Laurier University, Brantford
- Brant Theatre Workshops
- Canadian Industrial Heritage Centre (CIHC)
- Brant County Museum and Archives
- Brantford Public Library
Donors included:
- Brantford’s downtown BIA
- The Brant Community Foundation
- Laurier University - Brantford Campus
- CIHC
- Private donors
This event drew back many descendants of Brantford's one-time Jewish community from as far away as Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, and Port Dover. Over 150 people registered for the day’s events!
The program began mid-afternoon with a walking tour bringing Colborne St. back to life by showing locations of downtown Jewish businesses, led by veteran tour guide Brian Moore from the Brant County Museum. Popular beyond all expectations, the walking tour drew over 100 people and had to be broken into two groups. Moore went out and purchased a megaphone for the occasion when he saw the large crowd gathering. The Museum has never had so many people register for an event in one day!
The lobby in Laurier’s Research and Academic Centre featured several displays prepared by Dr. Christina Han, including an interactive map showing the locations of all the Jewish businesses in downtown Brantford and the homes of the Jewish families.
People registered and gathered together in the lobby to meet and visit together, overflowing the table spaces that were set up for the occasion. The event was publicized not only locally but in Hamilton Jewish News and Canadian Jewish News and announced on CBC radio.
At 6 p.m., the crowd moved downstairs into the Kun Theatre, where Bill Darfler served as Master of Ceremonies. The Rabbi from Hamilton Synagogue blessed the event. Speakers included University of Toronto Professor of Jewish History, Frank Bialystok, and Ruth Tulchinsky, Dr. Tulchinsky's widow.
Brantford's Town Crier, David McKie, introduced Brant Theatre Workshops' humourous and heart-rending sketches by reading Tulchinsky’s introduction to the book, which explained that the names were changed but the stories are based on actual events and real people, including himself and his father.
These stories tell us not only about the history of Brantford but about what was happening all across Canada, as people emigrated from many lands to find homes and employment and contributed to our country's growth, industry and culture. Bill Darfler commented that before World War I, Brantford had the largest proportion of foreign-born residents of any city in Canada. These families contributed in many ways to Brantford's industry, economic life and culture. It is hoped that many more events will be held in the future celebrating Brantford's diverse and multicultural history.
