In a ‘Land of Hope’: Documents on the Canadian Jewish Experience, 1627-1923

Witness to Yesterday (The Champlain Society Podcast on Canadian History)

In this podcast episode, Greg Marchildon talks to Richard Menkis and Pierre Anctil about their book, the 2023 volume of the Champlain Society, In a ‘Land of Hope’: Documents on the Canadian Jewish Experience, 1627-1923, published by University of Toronto Press in 2023. The first of two volumes, In a Land of Hope presents a uniquely complete overview of Canadian Jewish history up to 1923, from primary perspectives and over 150 significant historical sources. This collection includes documentation from diverse archives in many languages, accounting for the evolution of Canadian Jewry over three centuries, from the arrival of the first Jewish migrants to New France in the early 17th century to the period shortly after World War I. Featuring politicians and members of the working class, the volume prioritizes diverse voices and expresses the multiple realities of the Canadian Jewish experience over time. The history of the Jewish diaspora in Canada is an integral part of the broader progression of Canadian society and its multicultural identity. Richard Menkis is an associate professor of Medieval and Modern Jewish History at the University of British Columbia, where he specializes in the history of Jewish experiences in Canada. Pierre Anctil is a full professor at the University of Ottawa, where he teaches contemporary Canadian history with a particular interest in the history of immigration in Québec and in Canada, and Jewish culture in Montreal. If you like our work, please consider supporting it: bit.ly/support_WTY. Your support contributes to the Champlain Society’s mission of opening new windows to directly explore and experience Canada’s past.