Sans titre | Musée du Montréal juif

The 1920s through the 1940s were the peak years for Montreal’s Zionist youth movements. The non-partisan stance of Young Judaea and its emphasis on Jewish culture had broad appeal for young Jews from established families, while the more left-leaning Habonim and Hashomer Hatzair were popular among East European “downtowner” families.

Young Judaea (YJ) or Yehuda Hatzair, Canada’s largest Zionist youth movement, was founded in 1909 in the United States. Canadian Young Judaea was officially founded in 1917 by Bernard (Dov) Joseph, who later served in the Israeli government, but the precursor to the group may have actually been active in Montreal as early as 1910. By the mid-1920s, YJ had expanded across Canada, and one of its most active chapters was in Montreal. As the youth division of Hadassah (the Zionist women’s organization) and the Zionist Organization of Canada (ZOC), YJ became the main vehicle for building Jewish identity among youth in smaller Canadian towns and among the children of “cheque-book Zionists” in cities. Members were initially attracted to its politically centrist stance, its emphasis on social action and Jewish identity, and its social gatherings. The group held fundraisers for the Jewish National Fund (JNF) and worked to combat indifference among youth through discussion groups on Jewish history, culture and Zionism.

Young Judaea’s national headquarters was located in Montreal from the 1920s through the 1960s. Before becoming a celebrated poet, A. M. Klein served as YJ’s educational director and national president in 1934; he also edited their publication, The Judaean. The national office later published The Leader newsletter and the Dugma leadership training aid for Judaean leaders. It hosted the YJ Correspondence Club, connecting Jewish youth in Canada’s small towns. In 1942, Young Judaea opened Camp Hagshama in Mont-Tremblant, creating an intensive summer environment for its members.

But Young Judaea’s mainstream appeal and restrained Zionism also began to frustrate some members. Factions within the Winnipeg chapter, influenced by the more left-wing Habonim, wanted to demonstrate deeper Zionist commitment through commitment to aliyah (moving to Israel). By 1944, the zeal for aliyah spread across Canada, leading to a confrontation with the ZOC, which wanted to maintain the purely educational role of its youth wing. A youth commission, under Montreal president Sam Chait sought to remove these “radical” elements.

While YJ regained its non-ideological stance, members pushing for more activist opportunities benefited from the opening of Camp Biluim, in 1951. Located in Perth, Ontario, until it moved to the site of Camp Hagshama in 1972, it offered older teenagers an intensive leadership-training experience. Young Judaea also established a one-year machon (institute) program in Israel in the 1950s.

Young Judaea’s commitment to Zionism and Jewish culture continued after Israel achieved statehood in 1948. Following the Montreal Jewish community’s move to the western parts of the city and to the island suburbs in the 1950s and 1960s, YJ competed for membership with synagogue youth groups such as United Synagogue Youth (USY), North American Federation of Temple Youth (NFTY) and the National Conference of Synagogue Youth (NCSY), as well as the non-denominational B’nai Brith Youth Organization (BBYO). The YJ clubhouse in Snowdon, run by Israeli schlichim (messengers), featured well-attended Friday meetings and folk dancing. By the late 1990s, Judaeans were meeting at the Dorshei Emet Reconstructionist Synagogue. While the organization no longer has an official city presence, Young Judaea’s camps continue to attract Montrealers.

Compiled by Marian Pinsky