Our Jewish Heroes

When I spoke with Donna Spencer, director of the play Vimy at the Firehall Arts Centre I was struck by an image she described from her visit to Vimy Ridge this summer. She said there are rows and rows of crosses on the graves of the German soldiers, and occasionally a headstone marking a Jewish German soldier's grave. In both World Wars Jewish Vancouverites from Germany, the Ukraine and other countries went back to Europe to fight as Canadian soldiers.


Joseph Seidelman was the first Jewish person to enter the University of British Columbia. He was one of the Jewish men who enlisted as Canadian soldiers even though they often faced suspicion and prejudice towards their German heritage. He fought valiantly and died in the battle of Paschendale. The online Jewish Museum and Archives Archives of British Columbia displays a letter from Joseph to his sister.

Somewhere in France

July 3, 1917

Dear Rachel,

I just received your letters of June 4 and June 6 and was glad to find out that the official telegram from Ottawa to the effect that I was wounded on May 5 was so long delayed, because it gave my letter of May 6 which I sent you a chance of getting to you first. I was in the hospital 5 weeks altogether and it is now almost a month since I am back with the battalion. I have not yet got a gold stripe for men who were wounded and that they should come to him for the strip. According to military rules and regulations, however, it is not easy to approach an officer, and for this reason I will not ask for the stripe, but if offered it I will take it. Perhaps you would like to know how I got hit. On the night of May 5 we attacked and captured some German trenches and it was then that I got hit in the leg. It was somewhat difficult for me to walk out to the dressing station, but finally succeeded in doing so. On my way out at first, I happened to meet one of our own officers lying wounded in front of the German barbed wire. I did not notice him in the dark as he was lying still but he saw me moving along and called to me. When I found out who he was and that he was more seriously hurt than I was, I went back again to where the fighting was going on and got a stretcher bearer for this officer and, by a very accident, I happened to meet his batman. Then after bringing them to where he was lying, I proceeded on my way to the dressing station as best I could. This officer is Lieut. Hall who, I remember was for a time an instructor in the old 196th Bat. O.T.C. that used to be at Seaford, Eng.
I did not tell you this before because I have so much in my mind to write you that I really get tired writing, so that the result is that you may get a story of my experiences by spasms in different letters. You asked me once when the war will end. Well, I think it may end this winter and perhaps next year.

Well, Rachel, so long for the present, as usual E. Joseph Seidelman.


Many Jewish Canadians also fought in the Second World War including Harry Rankin of Vancouver who joined the Seaforth Highlanders three days after war was declared. According to Tom Hawthorn from the Globe and Mail: "Mr. Rankin was hurt once in training, wounded during the bloody Battle of Ortona in Italy, and suffered a third injury on May 23, 1944, when he was hit in the back by shrapnel while fighting in Italy." Harry became a celebrated "champion of the underdog" in Vancouver and died in Vancouver on Feb. 26, 2002.