Max tells us about growing up in a mixed family, Jewish and Italian, in Montreal.
Stories
Deena and Max discuss their early lives and families, educations, and careers as educators. They also discuss how they met and began collaborating on films like “Nobody was interested, Nobody asked,” as well as the film they are working on currently.
Discover Monica Shapiro’s immensely interesting story of growing up in Trinidad, after her parents escaped Europe in the late-1930s, as well as her stories from her life in Montréal. Please note, there is an error at 1:37: rather than “Israel,” Monica’s comment should say “Europe.”
Lecturer and short story writer Ben Sperer talks about his life growing up in Turkey, what he did during World War Two, and his move to Canada in the 1960s. When Mr. Sperer mentions his uncle Simon Brod representing the Jewish Agency in Turkey, it should be noted that he…
Écoutez Rachel, née au Maroc, parler de la vie au Maroc, trouver une communauté Juive à Montréal, voir pour la première fois la neige, gagner son diplôme de comptabilité, et quitter son travail de 20 ans pour prendre soin de son petit-fils né aveugle. / Listen to Rachel, born in…
Listen to Montreal-based artist Shushana Caplan discuss the role of memory and legacy in her family and her art. Born in Brest, Belarus, in 1940, just at the beginning of World War ll, Shushana’s family was sent to Siberia for most of the war period, and emigrated to Canada in…
Listen to Bagg Street Klezmer Band clarinetist Rick Goldman recount the roots and evolution of the band and what drew him to klezmer music as an oral music tradition continuing and celebrating his Yiddish heritage. Founded in 1992, the Bagg Street Klezmer Band was the first klezmer band to perform…
Listen to mother and daughter, Noonie and Janie Reisler, share their stories of work, community and family within Montreal’s garment industry. Spanning three generations, their narratives take us back to the early days when St. Catherine Street and St. Laurent Boulevard were at the centre of Montreal’s garment district, the…
Listen to Perla Muyal discuss the experiences that shaped her “mishmash” identity, including being the only Jewish student (along with her two sisters) at a Catholic boarding school, her parents’ experiences immigrating to Montreal from Egypt and Morocco, and her experience finding a sense of belonging within Judaism. This oral…
Listen to the Chiara family share their stories of growing up together, including a discussion of Warren’s conversion process, Teddy and Sarah-Ann’s memories of their bar and bat mitzvah, and the family’s experience of Jewish identity and community in Montreal and in Philadelphia. This oral history was conducted and edited…