JAHSENA publishes new book that features notable Jewish Edmontonians: May 27

By Debby Shoctor

(Edmonton) – The Jewish Archives and Historical Society of Edmonton and Northern Alberta (JAHSENA) is pleased to announce the publication of a new book, entitled, “Leadership & Legacy: Notable Jewish Edmontonians,” that profiles members of our community who have made outstanding contributions to both Jewish and non-Jewish life in Edmonton, helping to make it the vibrant city it is today. Thanks to generous grant funding for its publication from the Jewish Federation of Edmonton, JAHSENA was able to engage Debby Shoctor to conduct extensive research and to complete the manuscript for this project, as well as to publish it. This publication will help to demonstrate to our own community, as well as to the outside world, the important contributions our members have made to life in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and the world.

We want to ensure that we reach as broad an audience as possible with these inspiring stories, of some of the community’s best and brightest stars. The articles include portraits of businesspeople, politicians, doctors, lawyers, educators, scientists, volunteers and others who have made contributions to the community through tzedakah (philanthropy), tikun olam (healing the world) and in building kehila (community). Profiles include Irving and Dr. Dianne Kipnes, Mayor Stephen & Lynn Mandel, Senator Paula Simons, Oilers owner Daryl Katz, the Ghermezian family and more. We are excited to be able to tell the stories of our community and highlight the leadership and legacy which our community members have shown and given to our city. This book will be launched in May 2026 during Jewish Heritage Month. We hope to use the stories in online, and in-person exhibits and in other publications.

In these pages, you will find stories of leaders in our community who have left lasting legacies in this city, for both the Jewish and non-Jewish people who live here. These are stories of men and women, religious and not, born Jewish and not, whose Jewish identity, either inherited or gained by lived experience, has informed their lives, and therefore their legacy to us.

Their stories reflect the history of Edmonton’s Jewish community, and other Jewish communities in Canada. They reflect the broader trajectory of Jewish settlement in Alberta and Western Canada.

The journeys detailed here — from Yiddish, Hebrew or foreign-language-speaking homes to leadership in Canadian municipal life; and from Jewish community leadership to becoming namesakes of organizations, buildings, schools, and parks — show us that values and compassion, or gemilut hasadim, are keys to building a city that honours heritage and hope. Together, the people profiled in these pages represent a model of public engagement rooted in responsibility, lifetimes of service, community building, and bridge-building across cultures, faiths, and landscapes.

Yet perhaps their greatest legacy is less tangible: an ethic of avodah — service rooted in Jewish tradition; a belief in the power of dialogue over division; a persistent optimism that even the most intractable social problems — whether environmental neglect, religious bigotry, or institutional inertia — can be addressed through cooperation, respect, and hard work. They embody a model of volunteerism that bridges cultural and social boundaries, reinforcing the notion that community service enriches both giver and recipient. They have lived lives that bridge older traditions — ritual, language, community, and shared identity — within the sensibilities of a contemporary, pluralistic Jewish community in Edmonton.

Although some of these individuals have never made their Jewish identity the most visible part of their public personas, their heritage quietly informs their worldview, especially their sense of community, belonging, and ethical purpose. Their Jewish roots, while not always the headline of their biography, are woven into their identity: the immigrant narrative, and the emphasis on community, philanthropy, and the responsibility to leave the world better than they found it. I hope

Previous publications by JAHSENA include: “The First 100 Years: Edmonton’s Jewish Community from 1893 to 1993”, (1999); “From Generation to Generation: Jewish Edmontonians as Heritage Builders,” (2015;) and the documentary films: “From Pedlars to Patriarchs: A Legacy Remembered,” (2004) and “Bittersweet Memories: The War Years,” (2010).

Author Debby Shoctor is the current President and former Archivist of JAHSENA. She has been preserving and telling the stories of Jewish Edmonton for over 35 years.

The book launch will take place on May 27^th at Audrey’s Books at 7:30 pm. Books will be available for sale at that time, or afterwards from the JAHSENA office. Please RSVP to the JAHSENA office if you plan to attend (780) 489-2809 or jahsena@shaw.ca.