Abstract:
In this article, Michael Brown discusses the history of Jewish women in Canada. The story begins in 1738 (before the British conquest), when a Jewish woman, disguised as a male sailor, arrived in Quebec City. At that time, Jews, like other non-Catholics, were legally prohibited from settling in Canada. The article is an interesting and nuanced discussion encompassing how the Canadian Jewish community in general evolved in Canadian society, although it focuses mainly on Canadian Jewish women. The author notes that, for a variety of reasons, Jewish women were largely hidden from history, until the 20th century. He describes a flowering of Jewish women's participation in all levels of Canadian society as prejudice decreased and Canadian society became more open and permissive. The article concludes on an optimistic but cautious note for the future of Canadian Jewish women. Observing that, while the first Jewish woman who arrived in Canada did so with both her womanhood and her Jewishness concealed, Jewish women now assume prominent roles in all aspects of Canadian society, including that of Supreme Court Justice. At the same time, he refers to the age and gender discrimination suffered by author, Adele Wiseman in Canadian literary and academic circles, notwithstanding her notable achievements Click on the link to read the article. To see the entry on Adele Wiseman in the Miriam Catalog click on the link below.