As the University of Alberta celebrated its 100th Anniversary in 2008, it is relevant to record information on the Jewish com-munity’s involvement with the University over those many years. Apologies are due at the onset for missing important names and achievements and JAHSENA would appreciate input on former students, graduates, academic or other staff and other information. Due to space limitations and the extent of the topic the focus of this article will be mainly on the earlier years at the University.

Jewish students came to the U. of A. from a wide area other than Edmonton, as Calgary did not have a major University until the late 1960s and many students from Saskatchewan and elsewhere also attended.

Frequent familiar Edmonton family names encountered in the archives and yearbooks include: Wershof, Miller, Hardin (and extended relatives), Bercov-Wyman, Weinlos, Samuels, Margolis(us) and Dlin. Calgary names commonly noted include: Barron, Hanson, Busheikin, Smith and Maerov. The Moscovich brothers of Lethbridge, comprised of two doctors, two lawyers and two dentists (a Jewish parents’ dream?) had four graduates of the University of Alberta. Medicine Hat families included Lewis and Lesk.

The President’s Report of 1912 lists one student “of the Hebrew faith”. The number had “exploded” to five by 1915 although their names were not listed.

In these early years traditional fields such as law and medicine were not complete degree-granting faculties until 1924 and 1925 respectively. The Faculty of Law was initially established in 1912 as the first in Western Canada and its first class of eight, in 1915, included Jacob Bell Barron of Calgary. His brother, A. Barron and Sam Helman also of Calgary, received their law diplomas in 1919 (followed by L.M. Fradkin in 1921 and Israel Kronick in 1923). The Barron brother’s sons, Robert (LLB 1938) and Walter (LLB 1950) were later law graduates and Robert won the Gold medal and top academic prizes in 1938. The Faculty of Medicine was established in 1913 but was initially comprised of only one or two years, gradually increasing to add more years after WWI until the first complete program in 1925. Dr. Eli Wershof, who had already attended Manitoba Medical College, registered in 1915 when his family moved to Edmonton and his picture, in the medical class of 1915/16 currently hangs in the Medical Sciences Building next to the University Hospital. Others registered in Medicine between 1915 and 1917 included Dr. D.M. Baltzan (who had a subsequent long career in Medicine in Saskatoon) and Dr. L.A. (Lou) Miller, who with Dr. Eli Wershof was one of the earliest Jewish doctors in Edmonton. Dr. Stanley Wershof, Eli’s brother, was in the class of 1919-20 and was likely the first Jewish student to receive a BA in 1919. He had a subsequent career as a pediatrician in the U.S. A further medical student was Louis Rudin in 1921. These early medical students were required to complete their training at other Universities such as Manitoba, McGill, or in the United States and Dr. Miller even pursued training in Austria.

The Wershof family continued its close connection with the U of A as Minnie Wershof (Phillipson) was the first Jewish female graduate receiving her BA in 1922 and her M.A. in English literature in 1924. The youngest member of the family, Max, was extremely active on many campus activities and graduated (LLB) with the gold medal and top academic prizes in Law in 1930. His subsequent distinguished career with Canadian Foreign Affairs and the United Nations, to which he was legal advisor, also included terms as Canadian Ambassador to

Czechoslovakia, Denmark, and Hungary. He also received an Honorary Doctorate (LLD) from the U of A. Dr. Eli Wershof ’s daughters, Naomi and Queena were later graduates, as were Minnie (Wershof ) Phillipson’s two children Judy and Eliot. Eliot was a classmate of mine and won a gold medal in Medicine in 1963. Currently he will be awarded the second Honorary Doctorate in his family, at the June 2009 U of A Convocation.

The Bercov-Wyman families have had a particularly close association with the U of A. An older cousin, Abraham Berkov of Calgary was the first Jewish student to receive a full degree (Bsc), in Applied Sciences (engineering) in 1915) and was likely the first registered Jewish student at the University. He was the brother of Mrs. John (Mary) Dower of Edmonton, whose husband was awarded the first Honorary Doctorate to a member of the Jewish community in 1954. The brothers Abe and Harry Bercov were in the first full graduating classes in Law and Medicine in 1924 and 1925. Abe’s brother-in-law, Sam Wyman, received the gold medal in Law in 1927 and Sam’s younger brother Max was the recipient of the gold medal in mathematics in 1937. He had a subsequent distinguished career at the U of A becoming chairman of the Department of Mathematics in 1961, the first Dean of Science in 1963, Academic Vice President in 1964, and became the first graduate to become President. He was also the first member of the Jewish faith to become a University President in Canada, serving between 1969 and 1974. Abe Bercov’s sons also followed family tradition as Syd, graduated in law (1956) and Ron in honors mathematics in 1959. Ron was awarded the gold medal in Arts and Science for highest academic standing and on campus in those years he was simply referred to as “the genius”. After receiving his Ph.D at Caltech, he later served as chairman of the Math department and as an associate Vice President of the University (in addition to refereeing basket-ball games, while his brother was refereeing CFL football). Susan Bercov, daughter of Syd and Eleanor Bercov, later followed family law tradition graduating in 1984.

Dr. Lou Miller’s brother, A.W. (Abe) was in the first law (LLB) graduating class in 1924-5. His son Tevie (LLB 1950) had a prominent relationship with the U of A. He was the president of the Student’s Union in 1949-50 and later as an alumnus was President of the Alumni Society and became the first Jewish Chancellor of the University. He held the position of Associate Chief Justice of the Alberta Supreme Court (Queen’s Bench) and was also awarded an honorary doctorate from his alma mater. To complete the family tradition in law, his daughter Catherine Miller (Dolgoy) received her LLB in 1977 and has been a member of the faculty for many years.

The Hanson family, initially from the Calgary area, also had a close connection with the University. Samuel Hanson was the first and only Jewish member of the first year medical class in 1914-15. He was an older cousin of the four Hanson brothers, Sam (MD 1938), Hy (Bsc Pharmacy 1942), Albert (Bsc Mining Engineering 1941) and Morris (Bsc Agriculture 1942). Albert’s four sons, Sam, Bernie, Sid and Norman were all later U of A graduates. Their uncle Bernard Torchinsky, originally of Calgary (Bsc Engineering 1947, Msc 1949) became a prominent environmental engineer and was awarded an honorary doctorate (Dsc) by the U of A in 2003.

Early medical graduates after the first full class of 1925 (with Harry Bercov who practiced in Calgary for 50 years) included Matt Matas (1926), (whose son Dick was in my own medical class), a long- time Medical Director of the Charles Camsell Hospital and Northern Health Services. The Weinlos brothers, Morris and Chaim (Harry), were gold medalists in their graduating classes in 1928 and 1931. Chaim also seemed to have a literary flair, as his yearbook caption prints the following quote; “Tis better to loved the short one, than to have loved a tall”. Despite the sentiment, he remained a bachelor all his life! Both brothers became prominent Edmonton surgeons. Morris was active in the Jewish and general communities and served as a city Alderman. Harry was named Edmonton’s citizen of the year. Other early graduates were Claude Greenberg (1930) who had a long career with the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Mewburn hospital, and Ben Lyons, Louis Lesk, Samuel Leavin, (who had acquired an Msc in 1928) and Meyer Halpern (1931). Morris Carnat, of Calgary, was the gold medalist in medicine in 1934 and Bernard Moscovich of Lethbridge won the surgery gold medal in that year. A 1934 classmate was Sara Yampolsky of Edmonton who was the first female Jewish graduate in medicine at the U of A. Drs. Max Dolgoy and David Lander graduated in 1936. (Dr. Dolgoy practiced in Edmonton for over 65 years) The 1937 class included Ben Margolus, Sid Spaner, Abe Hurtig, and the second female Jewish graduate, Ella Cristall who had previously acquired her Bsc in Household Economics. Others in the class were Joseph Blumes and Sidney Korman of Winnipeg who had already received their degrees in Dentistry. Later Jewish women to obtain medical degrees included Katie Lewis of Medicine Hat in 1942 (her brother Jack graduated in 1943) and Ethel Lieberman (Fried) in 1943. In 1938, in addition to Sam Hanson, classmate William Joseph Goldman won the gold medal in medicine and a further classmate was David Bruser. To complete the decade in 1939, Milton Share, Nathan Shiff and Michael Bruser graduated in that year. During the years of WWII many students had their studies interrupted by military service and classes in Medicine were accelerated. The graduates of 1942 and 1943 were particularly productive in having their sons follow tradition and obtain their MDs later from the U of A. These “dynamic duos” (or trios) included Ted Aaron (Stephen), Joe Bugis (Sam), Penni Shragge (David), Joe Dvorkin (Gary), and Izzy Hardin (Barry and Phillip).

Some of the gold medalists in medicine in subsequent years included Hershel Samuels (1953), Eliot Phillipson (1963), Errol Marliss (1964), and Rick Comisarow (1968). Morris Davidman and Joe Shuster (both MD 1962) were also academic award recipients. A further gold medalist was Maureen Shandling, in 1981.

For a very small community, Jewish students were highly over- represented in the top academic lists and prizes through most of the earlier years in the University. The Jewish Community was also active from the early years in providing support to the University in the form of scholarships and prizes. The B’nai Brith and the National Council of Jewish Woman provided scholarships and bursaries from at least the early 1930s and numerous individuals have increasingly provided scholarships and awards over the many years.

Early Jewish law students garnered most of the gold medals and top academic prizes beginning with Sam Wyman in 1927, followed by Saul Moscovich (Lethbridge) in 1931 (his classmates included David Sigler and Leo Pekarsky, who also graduated with first class honors). Max Wershof (1930), Mel Friedman (1933), Baruch (Bert) Ramelson (1934), William Epstein (Calgary) 1935, and Robert Barron (Calgary) 1938 continued the gold medal list. Morris Shumiatcher (Calgary) gained the silver medal in law in 1941. The first female law graduate (in 1934) was Mary Joffe (Moscovich) originally of Calgary. Later gold medalists in law included Norman Witten (1953), as well as Bernard Adell (1961) and Sheldon Chumir (Calgary, 1963) who both received the prestigious Rhodes Scholarship. More recently Laryssa Katz was the gold medal recipient in 2000 and Sarah Weingarten, daughter of University of Calgary president, Harvey Weingarten, earned the bronze medal in 2006.

The U of A had the only Dental School in western Canada for many years (until Manitoba’s in 1957). It originated in 1912 within the Faculty of Medicine but the complete program was not established until 1924 and the first graduating class in 1927 included Joseph Burstein. Many Jewish students from western provinces (particularly Winnipeg) plus eastern Canadian and some U.S. students attended over the years. Dr. Sam Riskin, a long-time Edmonton dentist was an early graduate in 1932 and a classmate was Isadore Wolch of Winnipeg, who became an early specialist endodontist. In 1938, 11 of the 20 graduates in Dentistry were Jewish including Edward Sklar (Calgary) and Joseph Moscovich (Lethbridge), the rest being all from Winnipeg. The 1943 class comprised nine graduates of which five were Jewish including Murray Krasnoff and Samuel Veiner and Maxwell Lipkind of Calgary. A 1942 graduate, Clifford Ames, who had served as the first President (Prior) of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity in 1941, was awarded the top academic prize in his graduation year. Dr. Harold Samuels graduated in 1945 and likely set a University record holding a teaching a position in the faculty for almost the next 60 years. Robert, (“Dr. Bob”) Margolis (1954) received a high academic award and was also voted the most popular member of his class. A later gold medalist in Dentistry was Louis Melosky of Winnipeg in 1959.

Pharmacy started in the Medical Faculty in 1914 and initially offered only a one-year licentiate diploma of which Hyman Astrof was a recipient in 1916. The Pharmacy School was established in 1917 and the first three graduates were in 1921. The first Jewish Bsc Pharmacy graduate was Nahum Moses Hardin in 1923. He spent his career in Winnipeg, and according to his relative, Dr. Tom Hardin (MD 1951), specialized in aspirin! Harry Hardin of Edmonton graduated in 1925 and in family tradition his sons Sam and Byron were also later graduates in Pharmacy from the U of A. The first Jewish female graduate in Pharmacy was Evelyn Shlain, a sister to Edmonton long-time dentist Dr. Ben Shlain. Ms. Shlain received the gold medal in 1928. Other early graduates included William (Bill) Goldberg (1927, Msc 1935) and Louis Rudolph, who received the gold medal in 1934 and acquired an Msc in 1936. A further gold medalist in Pharmacy was David Guttman of Calgary, in 1952.

The Faculty of Arts is the oldest faculty, established in 1908 at the inception of the University. After Stanley Wershof in 1919, other recipients of a BA included Moses Jampolsky in 1920 and the youngest member of the 1921 graduating class, David Berman. His yearbook caption stated that he wished to be a future professor of the University of Jerusalem, and this was at least 4 or 5 years before the actual establishment of the Hebrew University. If anyone knows where he did spend his career, please advise.

Following Minnie (Wershof ) Phillipson, Harry Baltzan, brother of Dr. D.M. Baltzan, received his BA in 1924. Both the Weinlos brothers received their BA before graduating in Medicine and Harry received the top prize in Latin in 1925. BA graduates in 1927 were Lottie Newhouse (Lyons), Eva Newhouse and Goldie Simenstin and those in 1928 included Ruth Diamond, Esther Waterman, and David Sigler, who graduated a few years later as a lawyer. Leo Pekarsky received his BA in 1929 with first class honors in classics before graduating in Law. Academic prize winners and gold medalists over the years have included Simon Pasternack, who won the gold medal in mathematics in 1935, followed by Max Wyman with the same honor in 1937. Maurice Pechet was a high honor student achieving his Bsc in 1939 and Msc in 1940. Awards for high academic achievement during the 1930s also accrued to Alma Bercov (Bsc 1938), who won top prizes in both Latin and French, and Julia Gogek (BA 1936). Her sister Sophia was awarded the gold medal in political economy in 1943 and later gold med-alists in political economy and political science included Joseph Loomer in 1949 and Morton Brown in 1959, who was the recipient of the first Rhodes Scholarship awarded to a Jewish student at U of A. Harry Rubin (Bsc 1946) was a first-class honour student achieving the highest marks at University. Other first class honour students and those graduating with distinction in arts and sciences included Bernard Bercov (Bsc 1947), Gerald Fasman (Bsc 1948), Alfred Rudin (Bsc 1949), A. Lawrence Levine (BA 1949), and Rebecca Sheinin (Bsc 1952).

After Ron Bercov who won the Governor General’s Award for Arts and Science (mathematics) in 1959, awarded for highest academic standing at the University, the next recipient of this high honor was Gerald Leon Mayer (Hons. BA 1962) who proceeded to acquire his Ph.D from the University of Pennsylvania and taught Slavic languages for many years at Fordham University in New York. He had a particular interest in the Bulgarian language. Later gold medalists in English Literature included Lynn Weinlos (1969), and Paula Simons (1986). In my own family, of all the ten male cousins, 9 had graduated either as doctors or lawyers (and 7 from the University of Alberta). My youngest cousin, Sheldon Schloss, was the only exception to this family “rule”. However, to be philosophical about it, and to compensate for this “indiscretion”, he won the gold medal in 1969 in… Honors Philosophy! Subsequent winners of Lieutenant Governor’s Gold medals included Matthew Yedlin in Physics in 1971, and Lewis Kay in Biochemistry in 1983. More recently the highest University academic honor was achieved by Benjamin Berger who acquired his Honors BA in Religious studies in 1999.

The Faculty of Education was not established until 1942, and early teachers who graduated from U of A received Arts or Science degrees and eventually teaching certificates. Jewish teachers were for many years (until the 1950s) required to teach only in rural areas. Moses Jampolsky, who was an earlier BA recipient in 1920, had a career in Northern Alberta rural schools and was an early advocate in the establishment of the Alberta Teachers’ Association (ATA). His son Murray (B. Ed 1956), who received his Ph.D in Education at the U of A in 1972, served as a President of the ATA. Early Edmonton and area teachers included Alexander Cotsman, receiving a Bsc in 1930, followed by an MA and High School teaching certificate. Susky Hardin graduated with a BA in 1931 and was also awarded his teaching certificate a few years later. Bessie Sidorsky, of Calgary, who won several gold medals during her undergraduate career received the gold medal in Education in 1942. Dr. Carl Safran (M. Ed 1949), was the Chief Superintendant of the Calgary Public Schools and a Calgary school and education centre was named in his honour. Esther (Estrin) Starkman (BA 1960, B. Ed 1967) served as an Edmonton Public School Board Trustee and for her efforts in public education has been honoured with the naming of the Esther Starkman School in Terwillegar. Originally from Montreal, Myer Horowitz acquired his Masters of Education at the U of A in 1959 before becoming the first Jewish Dean of the Education faculty and ultimately the President of the University (1979-1989). His popularity and contributions are recognized by the Myer Horowitz Theatre in the Student’s Union Building. Both Ed Mickelson and Honey Weinlos Isaacs, who received their B. Ed and M. Ed. from U of A, plus Becky Shandling (M. Ed 1970), became Principals of Edmonton Talmud Torah School.

Early graduates in Commerce were Louis Shulman in 1926, and Jack Smolensky (son of Rabbi Smolensky of Calgary) in 1932. My cousin Norman Samuels received his B.Comm in 1940 before graduating in law in 1942. If I may be permitted a personal anecdote, which has been frequently repeated in our family lore, it took place on December 2, 1938, Norman was driving to his classes at the University in the family car when he spotted his mother, my aunt Fanny, frantically waving her arms hitchhiking south on 109 street towards the High Level Bridge. They both arrived at the University Hospital maternity ward in time to greet the new arrival…. Yours truly. I frequently apologized to Norman over the years for disrupting his classes.

Commerce seemed particularly popular for Jewish students in the 1940s. Leo Mickelson (1946), Sam (Coymie) Belzberg, Mitch Klimove, Reuben Bricker, and Harry Fefferman (all 1948) and Hymie Klein (1949) were all B.Comm graduates. Although some, such as Leo and Mitch, wanted to pursue chartered accountancy, Jewish students generally were largely restricted by accounting firms until at least the 1950s.

Graduates in Home Economics included Lily Waterman in 1936 and Helen Riskin, who won the gold medal in 1946. The Heifetz sisters, Eva (Margolus) (1944), and Sophie (1957) were also graduates and Sophie won the top academic prize in her graduating year. Dorothy (Dubby) Zolf McDonald may have obtained the most degrees at the University, starting with her Bsc in Home Economics in 1953, and followed by a BA (1971), MA (1973) and a Ph.D in Education in 1984.

Engineering, which was known for many years as Applied Sciences, has had many graduates over the years. However, following the first graduate, Abraham Berkov in 1915, it did not seem to be a popular field until years later. Isaac Albert Abramson graduated in electrical engineering in 1929 and David Dolgoy (1935) and David Friefeld (1936) received their Bsc in Chemical Engineering.

In the 1940s, graduates such as Alex Rubin (1945), Samuel Loshaek, Ralph Allman and Benjamin Torchinsky were all first class honor students and the overall University Academic Award and gold medal in 1948 was bestowed on Israel Arnold Lesk of Medicine Hat. He was one of the first graduates in Engineering Physics. David Panar started University at the U of A but acquired his degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Michigan as it was not offered in Edmonton at that time. He later instituted the Department of Mechanical Engineering at U of A and remained as a highly popular lecturer for many years. Chemical Engineering seemed to be a particularly Jewish (and Calgary) specialty during my own time in University as six of my colleagues in the Sigma Alpha Mu Jewish fraternity graduated (1957-60) in this field, including Irv Kipnes, Dave Chetner and George Barenholtz (son of Rabbi Barenholtz). Only a few of these gentlemen persisted in the chemical engineering field, particularly George Barenholtz who became chairman of Unifoil Corporation in New Jersey, which is a leading international innovator in the coating, laminating and metalizing industry. Dr. Marvin Bercovich received the gold medal in Engineering in 1973 before changing careers and subsequently graduating in Medicine. His mother Sara (Lutsky) had graduated with a Bsc in Pharmacy in 1947.

Apologies are extended to graduates in nursing, physio and occupational therapy, fine arts, music etc. who may be missing from this article due to time and space constraints.

Information on these students will have to await an updated revision or supplement. P.S. – all Jewish anthropologists, please identify yourselves!

Dr. M.M. (Max) Cantor was the first Jewish Faculty Member of the University joining the Biochemistry Department in 1930. He had graduated with an MD from the University of Manitoba but could not obtain an academic position there attributed to his Jewish faith. As Chief Provincial Coroner for over 30 years he lectured medical students on medical/legal issues and was a frequent attending medical staff member of the Student Health Services on campus. I once saw him as a young student with severe headaches. He advised me to drop the course giving me tzores, and I was cured!

Dr. Henry Kreisel, who was previously profiled in this Journal, once told me that he was the first Jewish faculty member in Canada to chair a major department when he was appointed head of English in 1959. Dr. Max Wyman soon followed as Chairman of the Math Department in 1961. Since that time, of course, Jewish faculty members have been prominent in almost all of fields of study with numerous appointments as heads of university departments and divisions. Deans of faculties have included Dr. Max Wyman as the first Dean of Science, appointed in 1963; Gerald Fridman (1970-76) and Lewis Klar (1997-2002), as Deans of the Law Faculty; Myer Horowitz, Dean of the Faculty of Education (1972-75) and Daniel Woolf, Dean of Arts (2002-2009). Dr. Woolf has now been appointed as Principal (President) of Queens University in Kingston, Ontario and is the first non-Presbyterian, aside from being the first Jewish appointment, to hold this position. Max Wyman, Henry Kreisel and Myer Horowitz all served as academic Vice Presidents and Drs. Wyman and Horowitz became respectively, the 7th and 9th Presidents of the University. Dr. Ron Bercov served as an associate Vice President and Dr. J. Gordin Kaplan (1981-87) was the first Vice President of research at the University. Drs. Wyman, Horowitz, and Kaplan were all awarded honorary degrees by the U of A.

In the Faculty of Medicine, it took many years before Jewish staff could practice at the University Hospital. Dr. Mark Levey, who was likely the first appointment in 1931, changed his last name to Marshall and did not identify with his Jewish heritage. He entered the U of A in the early 1920s after serving in WWI and was extremely active in student affairs (not that kind) serving as President of the Students Union and editor of the Gateway Campus Newspaper in 1924-25. He became a long-term Professor of Ophthalmology. Our medical class remembers him as a stickler for detail as he told us that applications for resident training in his specialty would be automatically rejected if they did not correctly spell…ophthalmology! The Jewish community was also familiar with many other faculty members who for variable reasons did not identify or admit their faith and the term “South-side or University Jews” was common.

Although Ethel Fried (Lieberman) (MD 1943) did serve some time in the later war years in the Anaesthesia Department, it was not until well after WWII that medical staff such as Joe Dvorkin (cardiology) and Sid Spaner (psychiatry) were admitted to the University of Alberta staff and Faculty of Medicine. However, over the years since then most major departments and divisions in the medical faculty have been frequently chaired by Jewish physicians. Dr. Bernard Snell, originally from Glasgow,Scotland, also became the first Jewish Chief Administrator (President) of the University Hospital and was eventually recognized with an honorary doctorate (LLD) from the U of A. He frequently related an apparent antisemitic anecdote regarding his predecessor, who did not realize that Dr. Snell was Jewish and told him, “I thought you were Scottish”!

Many students were prominently involved in campus activities over the years. Max Wershof, in 1927-28, was editor of the Gateway Campus Newspaper and a Western Canadian Intervarsity Champion Debator. Other similar champion debators were William Epstein in the early 1930s, Joe Shoctor (LLB 1946) (naturally) in the early 1940s and Morton Brown (honours BA 1959) in the later 1950s. Joe Shoctor was also prominent in the campus literary and theatre life and introduced, and annually produced, the Varsity theatrical review. Tevie Miller was the first Jewish President of the Student’s Union in 1949-50. Gerry Riskin later held this post in 1972-3 and currently Kory Mathewson has been elected to the position. During my own years at the University (1956-1963) several students were members of the prestigious Gold Key Society, awarded for major student activities. These included Ron Ghitter and Barry Vogel (both LLB 1959), Aaron Shtabsky (LLB 1961) and Sheldon Chumir (LLB 1963). Barry Vogel served a term as President of the society. I was the campaign manager in 1959 for Aaron Shtabsky who was running for election to a major position on Student’s Council. Our campaign slogan was very pointed and succinct: “Get off the Potsky, vote Aaron Shtabsky”, no wonder we lost the election!

Sheldon Chumir, later MLA for Calgary Buffalo, was also active in campus politics and became Liberal Prime Minister in the campus model parliament. Ross Rudolph, who was also active on campus, was the speaker for the parliament. Several students were involved with the Green and Gold University Yearbook. Directors and editors between 1962 and 1964 included Barry Schloss (Bsc 1962), Murray Greenberg (Bsc 1962), and David Singer (Dentistry 1964). Ron Goldberg (honors Bsc 1965, Msc 1966, Ph.D 1972) and David Shugarman (honors BA 1965) also had major editing positions on the yearbook. Murray Sigler, originally of Calgary, (LLB 1970) was the director of one of the last yearbooks in the later 1960s. The yearbook ceased publication in 1970 making it much more difficult to identify subsequent students.

Sports may not be a Jewish specialty but many were active in campus athletics. The earliest recorded member of the University (Golden Bears) football team was M.I. (Moe) Lieberman in 1915. However, according to his son Sam, he did not actually attend the U of A. As a graduate engineer he came west to article in law with Mr. Harry Friedman, but wanted to play football and the University team was the only one in town! He was later prominently associated with the Edmonton Eskimos football team. Joe Shoctor also played for the Golden Bears football team. Ben Lyons (MD 1931) was on the intervarsity Track team and Sid Spaner (MD 1937) played intervarsity basketball. Max Wyman was the Alberta Junior Golf champ while attending the U of A in the 1930s. Stars of the Golden Bears basketball teams included Sam Moscovich (BA 1942) and Sam Sheckter (Dentistry 1952). As the Golden Bears foot-ball team was disbanded for a decade, between 1949 and 1959, football players such as Syd Bercov (LLB 1956) and Jack Switzer (BA 1959) played on the Edmonton Wildcats city junior team. Syd Bercov quarterbacked the team to the national finals in 1951. Ron Ghitter, an Alberta Junior tennis champion, was a star tennis player at the U of A and coach of the team for many years. Sheldon Chumir was a member of both the foot-ball and hockey Golden Bears and served as President of Men’s Athletics on the Student’s Union. The only Jewish athlete to acquire three Block A Athletic awards (soccer, foot-ball and basketball) was Jack Schwartzberg (Bachelor of Physical Ed. 1973). He played on national champion Golden Bear football teams and one year was the leading collegiate scorer with his kicking prowess. In the 1990s Ava Stochinsky was a star member of the Panda’s champion volleyball teams and was selected to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame.

Jewish organizations on campus included the men’s fraternities, Zeta Alpha Epsilon (1935-40) and the longer-running Sigma Alpha Mu (1941-1972) which was previously featured in this journal. The Hillel Jewish Cultural Organization was initiated at the U of A in 1948 with Hershel Samuels as the first president and the organization has now completed over 60 years on campus. For many years its main champion and stalwart organizer was Eugene Brody, who persevered, despite the severe handicap of cerebral palsy, and eventually received his BA in 1963 after 23 years at University.

Academic staff both past and present are far too numerous to list in this article but several had unique interests outside of their profession. In Mathematics at U of A (1951 until his early death in 1970), Dr. Leo Moser, a former chairman of the department, was known to many for his remarkable abilities in chess and he became the Alberta Chess Champion and one of Canada’s greatest chess players. He was noted to frequently play against multiple opponents at the same time. Another professor in the math department, Lee Lorch, had a noted reputation as a civil rights activist in the United States and was unfairly black listed for his activities. Dr. Max Wyman brought him to Canada initially at the U of A (1959-1968) and he later moved to York University for the remainder of his career.

In the annual Med show on campus various medical staff members would be parodied by the students and for many years the focus was always on Sid Spaner (MD 1937) and Theodor Shnitka (MD 1953). Dr. Spaner, a pioneer Edmonton psychiatrist, was par-ticularly identified with his love of horse racing and “Spaner at the track” was a constant theme in the show. Dr. Shnitka was usually referred to as “the walking encyclopedia”, both for his wide knowledge in Medicine and Pathology but also because he did not drive, and year after year would be seen on the High Level bridge, walking back and forth from the University to his family home, north of the High Level bridge, at the earliest hour of the morning and the latest hour of night, usually with numerous books under his coat. He subsequently became chair of the Department of Pathology in the Faculty of Medicine.

Many of the University academic staff have won awards for teaching excellence and numerous honors in their fields. Recently, Dr. Tova Yedlin (B.Ed 1956, MA 1959, and Ph.D 1969), who received her doctorate in Russian history and taught in Slavic and Eastern European Studies, was voted by her former students as one of the most popular professors on campus. Other than the teaching staff, the University Libraries have also had major Jewish involvement. Dr. Shnitka’s cousin Norma Friefeld was the main circulation librarian for many years, Jim Heilik was director of systems for the library, and Sylvia Chetner was the chief librarian in the John Scott Medical Library in the University Hospital.

There have been numerous prominent graduates over the years in many assorted fields and accomplishments. After winning the top academic prize in history in 1940, Morris Zaslow (BA 1940, B.Ed 1942) went on to become a noted Canadian historian. In the Arts, Joe Shoctor, the founder of Edmonton’s Citadel Theatre, was awarded many local and national honors including an honorary doctorate from his Alma mater. Alan Bleviss (BA Drama 1967) is well known in Canada and the U.S. for his familiar voice in media programs and advertisements. An internationally recognized and award- winning theatre designer, Phillip Silver (BA 1964), also served as Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts at York University. Howard Pechet (BA 1969) was noted in the Guinness Book of World Records in December 2008 for producing the greatest number of theatrical plays.

After graduating from the U of A with a BA in European history and French Literature in 1969, Jeffrey Dvorkin earned master degrees from the University of Toronto and the London School of Economics. He had a successful career with CBC television and radio as a leading broadcast journalist and editor and later became a Vice President and Ombudsman for National Public Radio in the U.S. Currently he is associated with the Missouri School of Journalism and serves as executive director of the Committee of Concerned Journalists. Award-winning Edmonton Journal columnist Paula Simons (honors BA 1986) received her MA from Stanford University and has won many local and national honors for her writings. A noted business columnist for the Calgary Herald, Deborah Yedlin (BA 1984) later acquired her MBA from Queens University.

An early graduate in law (1930) Ted (Cohen) Corday, a brother of Hazel Cristall, became interested in drama while an under-graduate at the U of A. He moved to the U.S. in 1934 and became involved in producing popular radio and later television dramas. In the 1950s he produced “The Guiding Light” and directed “As the World Turns” from its premiere in 1956 until 1965. He co-created the long running soap opera series “Days of Our Lives”.

Ted (Cohen) Corday’s brother Eliot, who graduated in Medicine from the U of A in the class of 1940, became an internationally prominent cardiologist based at Cedar-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles and as a clinical professor at U.C.L.A School of Medicine. He was a pioneer in cardiac stress testing and the management of acute coronary syndromes. At his death in 1999 (at age 85) his medical colleagues saluted his achievements and referred to him as the “leading force in initiating federal support for cardiovascular research and conveying cardiology expertise to other countries”. Dr. Corday also served as the President of the American College of Cardiology and attended to many famous patients including President Eisenhower. The U of A awarded him an Honourary Doctorate (DSc.) in 1991. His younger brother Hymie, who operated a dress shop near my father’s store in Camrose, honored him in a different way. The store was called “Eliot’s”! (Obviously a proud brother.)

Dr. Joe Miller (Msc 1954, MD 1955), son of Dr. L.A. Miller and cousin of Tevie, had a distinguished career in medicine, serving as the chairman of the Department of Orthopedics at McGill University Faculty of Medicine. He was a pioneer in Biomechanics and was directly involved in the first artificial knee replacement device. Dr. Maurice Pechet (brother of Eugene) (Bsc 1939, Msc 1940), obtained his MD and PhD at Harvard University and pursued a lifelong career there in important biochemical and biomedical research. The Maurice Pechet Foundation supports the Royal Society of Chemistry which is the largest organization in Europe for advancing the chemical sciences. Dr. Eliot Phillipson (MD 1963, Msc 1965) was Chair of Medicine at the University of Toronto from 1993 to 2004 and a leading investigator in pulmonary and sleep disorders. Eliot has been the recipient of many academic honors and a member and president of important international and national medical organizations, more recently as the President of the Canadian Institute of Academic Medicine. He was bestowed the Presidential Award of the European Respiratory Society in 2004. Since 2004 he has been President and CEO of the Canadian Foundation for Innovation, an important funding agency for research infrastructure across Canada. The U of A is awarding him an Honorary Doctorate in June 2009.

Other U of A graduates have also played leading roles in American medical organizations including Garry Brody (MD 1956) as President of the American Society of Reconstructive and Plastic Surgery, and Harold Eist (MD 1961), son of Bessie Goldstick, who served as President of the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Brody’s cousin, Elliot Gelfand (MD 1965), was only the second Canadian to be President of the Western Thoracic Surgical Association and also had a term as President of the Canadian Society of Cardiac Surgeons. He was honored by the dedication of an operating room in his name in the new Mazankowski Alberta Heart Institute (see the Winter 2009 Heritage/Yerusha). Other local physicians honored with dedicated lounges and rooms in the University Hospital include Joe Dvorkin, who played an important role as a cardiologist in the earlier years of open heart surgery pioneered by Dr. John Callaghan, and Dr. Bernard Snell with the large amphitheatre, Bernard Snell Hall. Dr. David Schiff, who came to the University from McGill in 1971, is also honored in the hospital as the founder of the Neonatology Unit, the first in Alberta and he was a Professor of Pediatrics for many years in the Faculty. The Dr. David Schiff Neonatal Intensive Care Unit recognizes his contributions. Dr. George Goldsand (MD 1959) instituted the Division of Infectious Diseases in the Faculty and the University Hospital in 1967 and also served as an Associate Dean in the Faculty. He has been recognized by the U of A with an Alumni Honor Award. Peter Owen (LLB 1948) served as chairman of the board of the University Hospital for many years.

In 2005, the Alberta Medical Association named the “100 Physician’s of the Century” and included Dr. Bernard Snell, Dr. Ted Aaron (MD 1942) Dr. James Shapiro, leading member of the Edmonton Protocol for Islet Cell Transplantation, and Dr. David Lander (MD 1936). Dr. Anne Fanning (MD 1963 Western), wife of Mr. Justice Mel Binder and an international authority on Tuberculosis, was also on the list. Dr. Aaron pioneered in antihistamine research and also established the first pulmonary lab at the University Hospital. He was Alberta’s first fully-qualified allergist. Dr. Lander, a classmate of Dr. Max Dolgoy, spent his career in Turner Valley and Black Diamond and was noted for his interest in care of patients with psychosomatic disorders and alcoholism. Dr. Julius Guild (MD 1946) became the first qualified psychoanalyst in Edmonton.

Another psychiatrist, Dr. Ben Dlin, (MD 1949) wrote in his book, “Country Doctor – A Memoir” (2000) of a perceived antisemitism by the Dean during his medical student years at the University. Other anecdotal stories of possible prejudice have surfaced but there is no documented evidence of overt antisemitism or quotas at the U of A. The first President, Henry Marshall Tory, had specifically stated that the University was to be a completely open and non-restricted institution. Other universities in Canada did have quotas for many years, such as McGill, and some Jewish students from Montreal did attend medical school in Edmonton including Joe Shuster (MD 1962) who has become an internationally accomplished researcher in immunology at McGill and the Montreal General Hospital. In our own medical class of 1963, we had eight Jewish students out of a total class of 40. One of our classmates was Sheila Dorfman (Rothstein) who came from McGill (MSc 1959) and whose husband Marshall is now a Justice on the Canadian Supreme Court.

Dr. Elly Margolis (Bsc 1932, Msc 1934) was likely the first Jewish graduate to obtain a Ph.D, which he received at the University of Chicago in 1936. He had a long career in chemistry, mainly in industry, including years with the 7-Up company of which his family produced the product at their bottling plant in Edmonton. According to his nephew, Dr. Bob Margolis, he is currently still enjoying life in the U.S. in his late 90s.

A leading environmental and industrial engineer, Benjamin Torchinsky (Bsc 1947 Msc 1949), was awarded an honorary doctorate from the U of A in 2003. He was the founder of AGRA Industries, eventually expanding internationally with 160 offices and 6500 staff. They developed the first rape seed (Canola) crushing plant producing canola vegetable oil, margarine and high protein feed stock and also developed many other important projects worldwide. Dr. Torchinsky was also a pioneer in developing cable TV systems in Western Canada.

Israel (Sruki) Switzer (Bsc 1949), another native of Calgary, was also a pioneer in the cable television field in Canada and formed City TV in Toronto. Israel Arnold Lesk (BSc Engineering Physics 1948), received his PhD from the University of Illinois in 1951 and spent his impressive career in industry first with General Electric and then for 35 years with the Motorola Corporation in Phoenix, Arizona. He received more than 60 patents and was a pioneer in the semi-conductor industry and integrated circuit technology (those interested can peruse his papers in many scientific and industrial journals). Dr. Lesk also made important contributions in the develop-ment of computer chips. Henry Hurtig (Bsc Agriculture 1941) became an international entomology authority on pesticides with his work through the Research Branch, Canada Department of Agriculture.

Gerald Fasman (Bsc 1948) who received his PhD from Caltech in 1952 pursued an accomplished academic career in Biochemistry at Brandeis University and was elected to the prestigious National Academy of Sciences.

Another graduate, Alfred Rudin (Bsc 1949) had a long career in industry and academia after receiving his PhD at Northwestern University. He became a chemistry and engineering professor at University of Waterloo and was active in research and development producing 295 research papers and 25 pat-ents. He also was a member of the Royal Society of Canada and is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Waterloo University. His major book was on polymers in science and engineering, which has undergone at least two editions. Dr. Jozef Straus, who received his PhD in physics from the University of Alberta in 1974 was awarded an honorary degree from his Alma Mater in 2000. He was the founder of JDS Uniphase Corporation, a worldwide leader in optical technology and fibre optic communications which employed 70,000 people worldwide. Dr. Strauss has won international awards and currently resides in Ottawa.

Others pursuing successful careers, both academically and in industry, in chemistry, physics, and mathematics, (are there no Jewish botanists?) who were all high academic achievers in their U of A undergraduate years have included; Sidney Maerov (BSc. 1949) who was at the University of North Carolina and Dupont, Manuel Panar (honors BSc Chemistry 1957) mainly at the University of Delaware, Cary Davids (honors Physics 1961, Msc Nuclear physics 1962) at the University of Chicago and Mel Comisarow who received his Ph.D at Case Western Reserve University and was a post doctoral fellow at Stanford University. He has been a long standing professor of chemistry at the University of British Columbia and has pursued research interests in physical and analytical chemistry particularly utilizing mass spectroscopy techniques.

Dr. Morris Aizenman (honors BSc 1963) was a senior science associate with the National Science Foundation primarily involved in mathematical evaluations. He had received his PhD at the University of Chicago in 1968. Matthew Yedlin (Honors Theoretical Physics 1971) received his MSc in Neurophysiology from the University of Toronto in 1973 and a PhD in Geophysics from the University of British Columbia in 1978. He is currently an associate professor and researcher in the Faculty of Applied Science and Faculty of Science at the University of British Columbia. Graduating with an Honors BSc in Applied Mathematics in 1980 followed by an MSc in 1982, Brian Berkowitz has become an international expert in fluid flow and chemical transport as a leading hydrologist. He received his PhD in 1986 at the Technion in Haifa and is now head of Chemical Research Support and Professor of Environmental Sciences and Energy Research at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. More recently he has been conducting practical research in the Alberta oil sands to improve the flow of oil, based on original work done by his father Norbert. Lewis Kay (honors BSc Biochemistry 1983) son of Dr. Cyril and Faye Kay, who received his PhD at Yale University, has led a major biochemical research group at the University of Toronto. They are mainly using NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) techniques to study protein and macro molecules and their work has had major potential biologic and clinical importance including studies of cystic fibrosis.

Besides Max Wershof, another law graduate, William Epstein (LLB 1935), originally from Calgary, was also importantly involved in foreign affairs. He had a long, distinguished career (54 years) with the United Nations and was a leading world expert on disarmament. The U of A awarded him, as it also did Max Wershof, an honorary doctorate and his papers have been donated to the University Library. Morris Shumiatcher (LLB 1941), from the well-known Calgary family, received his Master of Laws (1942) and his Doctorate of Jurisprudence (1946) from the University of Toronto. He spent his successful career in Regina serving as a major advisor to Tommy Douglas and the CCF (later NDP) government. “Shumy”, as he was known to friends, also became a leading human rights and civil liberties expert and drafted the Saskatchewan Bill of Rights in 1947, the prototype for the Canadian Bill of Rights, preceding the U.N. Declaration of Human Rights.

Baruch (Bert) Ramelson (LLB 1934), pursued a much different career. He was an admitted Communist (actually an ardent Stalinist) and after graduation served in the MacKenzie Papineau (MAC/PAP) Canadian battalion in the Spanish Civil War, where he was wounded in the fighting. After military service in WWII he emigrated to England and eventually became second in command (some say first) of the British Communist party. He was their main industrial organizer and directly in charge of all trade unions in Britain. During the 1960s and 1970s he boasted that the Labour Party “danced to his tune” and thus he may well have had a sig-nificant influence on foreign policy during this time. While a student at the U of A he was president of the Jewish Student’s Association (likely a very small group in the early ‘30s) and it is interesting to speculate whether his political views resonated on campus at that time.

Other law graduates involved later in politics included Ron Ghitter, who became a Conservative MLA and cabinet minister from Calgary and also served a term in the Canadian Senate. Sheldon Chumir, also a leading civil and human rights advocate in Calgary, was a Liberal MLA before his untimely death at a young age. Earlier Abe Miller had been elected both to Edmonton City Council and as a Liberal MLA. More controversial political activists have included two graduates at opposite ends of the political spectrum. Morton Brown (Mordecai Briemberg) – honors BA 1959, has been a university professor at Simon Fraser and is well-known on the west coast for his activist leftist views and his controversial positions on various humanitarian and social welfare concerns (including a frequent anti-Zionist stance). At the opposite extreme, Ezra Levant (LLB 1997) has been a controversial neo-Conservative political commentator, journalist, blogger and author who has recently been attacking the human rights commissions in Canada in defense of freedom of speech.

Mr. Justice Samuel Lieberman (LLB 1948) was the first Jewish appointment to the Alberta Supreme Court and eventually served on the Court of Appeal. He had a distinguished career on the bench and received many honors including an honorary doctorate from his Alma Mater. Mr. Justice Tevie Miller was the next Jewish appointment and he became Associate Chief Justice of the Queen’s Bench Trial Division. He also received numerous honours and awards including an honorary doctorate from the U of A and was the first Jewish Chancellor (and so far the only one) of the University. Subsequent appointments to the Alberta Supreme Court (Queen’s Bench) include U of A graduates Eric Macklin (BA 1976, LLB 1979), June Ross (Honors BA 1976, LLB 1979), and Rob Graesser (LLB 1973) whose mother-in-law, Dasha Goody, founder of Edmonton Musical Theatre, received an Honorary Doctorate (DLitt) from the U of A in 1994. Mr. Justice David McDonald, Dr. L.A. Miller’s son-in-law, also served many years on the Alberta Supreme Court and was a gold medalist in Law at the U of A in 1954 and a Rhodes’ Scholar.

Other law graduates of note include Bernie Adell, a gold medalist and Rhodes scholar (1961) who subsequently became Dean of Law at Queen’s University; David Estrin (LLB 1969) who is regarded as Canada’s premier environmental lawyer, and Gerry Riskin (B.comm 1970 and LLB 1973) who has a wide reputation as a management consultant and pioneer in professional firm economics and marketing. In 1983 he co-founded Edge Group which became Edge International in 2001, a leading global marketing consulting firm. He has also authored several books including “How to Become a Successful Lawyer”!

In Business and Development, many graduates have pursued successful careers. Bill Lutsky (Bsc 1944), Sam (Coymie) Belzberg (B.Comm 1948) and Irving Kipnes (Bsc Chemical Engineering 1959) were all prominent in many commercial and financial ventures. Daryl Katz (BA 1982 LLB 1985) chose to create a successful pharmacy empire (and own the Edmonton Oilers) rather than pursuing the legal profession. The Rubin brothers, Alex and Harry, were also well-known and successful Toronto land developers.

The most prolific entrepreneur and inventor par excellence among the graduates is Benny Landa who grew up in Edmonton and received his BA in general studies in 1970. An  ardent Zionist he emigrated to Israel after graduation and among his 500 patents has developed numerous designs and innovative products that have revolutionized the printing and graphics industry plus more recent advances in imaging, nanotechnology and energy research.

He founded the company Indigo in Rehovot. Israel and launched the worlds first commercially successful digital offset colour printing press in 1993. Hewlett Packard purchased Indigo from Landa in 2002 for the sum of 650 million dollars! The visionary industrialist and his wife created the Landa Centre for Equal Opportunity Through Education at the University of Haifa in 2003 providing opportunities for underprivileged youth to achieve higher education at major academic centres.

In areas of economics and banking, leading names include Paul Cantor (BA 1962), who later received his law degree from the University of Toronto. He was chairman and CEO of National Trust Company and Confederation Life Insurance, and President, Investment Bank, CIBC. Among many other subsequent positions he was the first Executive Director of the Toronto International Leadership Centre, an initiative of the World Bank, York University and the Federal Government. Mr. Cantor is currently Chair of the Public Sector Pension Investment Board. Dr. Jack Mintz (Honors BA 1973) was the former President of the C.D. Howe Institute and a Professor in the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto. He has published more than 150 books and articles in public economics and government finance. Dr. Mintz is considered a leading authority on taxation, finance and public policy. He is currently the Chair of Public Policy at the University of Calgary, which is intended to become an international center of expertise in important policy issues involving government defence, health, economics, energy and the environment.

Murray Sigler (LLB 1970), originally of Calgary, also graduated from the Harvard University Graduate School of Business. He became President and CEO of Canadian Airlines International and Canadian Regional Airlines. From 2002 to 2005 he was President and CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce and was appointed Managing Director of the Alberta Government’s U.K. office in London in November 2005. Bruce Rigal (B.Comm 1984) received his M.B.A with high honours from the University of Chicago’s Graduate School of Business in 1989. He is now the Chief Operating Officer of Global Banking for the huge Deutsche Bank, overseeing more than 8000 employees in 37 countries.

Other graduates who have established prominence in other academic centres include Ross Rudolph (Honors BA 1963) and David Shugarman (Honors BA 1965), who both have served since 1971 in the Department of Political Science at York University. Ross received his M.A. at Brandeis and PhD at Columbia University. He has been Associate and Acting Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Associate Vice President of York University. David received his M.A. and PhD at the University of Toronto and was the founding member and Director of the York Centre for Practical Ethics. Closer to home, Sharon Bookhalter (Bsc Nursing 1978, M.Ed 1999) is the Dean of the Faculty of Health and Community Studies at Grant MacEwan College in Edmonton. After his high hon-ours (BA 1999) at the U of A, Benjamin Berger subsequently obtained his LLB at the University of Victoria (2002) and Masters of Law (2004) and Doctor of Jurisprudence (2008) from Yale University where he was a Fulbright Scholar. He is already winning teaching awards and compiling an impressive resume of publications as a law professor at the University of Victoria.

Many of the academic staff had international reputations in their fields. Werner Israel first came to the U of A (recruited by Max Wyman) in 1958 and eventually transferred to Physics from the Mathematics Department and was active in research and teaching until 1996. He was a noted astrophysicist and gained an international reputation as a pioneer in the study of black holes in space. He also co-edited volumes with Steven Hawking. Norbert Morgenstern is an international expert in Geotechnical Engineering with his consulting expertise in demand around the globe. He has earned many awards including an honorary doctorate (DSc) from the U of A. A professor of chemical engineering and a recognized expert in fluid particle dynamics,

Jacob Masliyah has also won numerous local and international honours for his achievements. He has played an important role in the development of the Alberta Oil Sands. Norbert Berkowitz was a professor in mineral, metallurgy and petroleum engineering and a leading scientist in coal (and oil) research with the Alberta Research Council. Cyril Kay (now Emeritus professor in biochemistry) was a leading international expert in protein biochemistry. Eddy Isaacs (Ph.D Chemistry 1974) is now the managing director of the Alberta Energy Research Institute. Dr. J. Gordin Kaplan was a noted molecular scientist and biochemist and the J. Gordin Kaplan Award for Excellence in Research is the most prestigious U. of A. research award. Dr. Henry Kreisel (English) and Leslie Green (Law and Political Science) were both awarded the University’s highest academic honor of University Professor. These professors were distinguished authors in their respective fields and also received many other honours. Dr. Green also was awarded an honorary doctor-ate from the U of A. Dr. Kreisel established the first creative writing classes and was a leading mentor to numerous Canadian literary figures. He is presently honoured with the annual Dr. Henry Kreisel lectureship sponsored by the U of A’s Canadian Literature Centre. Dr. Eli Mandel was an English Professor at the U of A from 1957 until 1967 and became a noted Canadian poet, anthologist, and literary academic, eventually finishing his academic career at the University of Toronto. Bruce Elman, who was a member of the Law Faculty for many years, subsequently became Dean of Law at the University of Windsor. Professor Gerald Gall of the Law Faculty is the President and Chair of the Board of Directors for the John Humphrey Institute for Peace and Human Rights and has served as the Executive Director of the Canadian Institute for the Administration of Justice.

Prominent medical science researchers at the U of A (many with international reputations) have included Drs. Mark Poznansky, Alex Rabinovitch, Richard Stein, Tessa Gordon, Joel Weiner and Ingrid Catz After receiving his PhD in Physiology and Biophysics at Harvard, Dr. Poznansky came to the U of A for eighteen productive years, becoming Associate Dean of Medicine for Research. He had an international reputation in cholesterol and membrane biophysics and the development of new advances in drug delivery systems. He has been a member of numerous important medical committees and boards and for 14 years after leaving Edmonton served as President and Scientific director of the major Robarts Research Institute in London, Ontario. Dr. Stein, who received his PhD from Oxford, has received wide recognition in his work on nerve and muscle function (some in collaboration with Dr. Gordon) and in developing devices to improve motion in paralyzed and stroke patients. A leading international researcher in diabetes, Alex Rabinovitch, the co-director of the Muttart Diabetes Centre at the U. of A has won many awards for his leading work in developing treatment for Type 1 diabetes with Beta cells from the pancreatic islets. A major recent achievement in 2007 was the Excellence in Clinical Research Award presented to him by the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation international chairman Mary Tyler Moore. Recently Ingrid Catz, a research immunologist at the U. of A and her collaborator neurologist Ken Warren appear to be on the cusp of discovering a major breakthrough treatment for multiple sclerosis. The U of A. has established the Kenneth Warren and Ingrid Catz Chair in Multiple Sclerosis Research in May 2009.

Non-graduate members of the Edmonton Jewish Community who have received honor-ary degrees from the University of Alberta over the years include John Dower (1954), Mel Hurtig (1986), Ethel Marliss (1989) Dasha Goody (1994) and Jake Superstein (1995). Mel Hurtig, the well-known Canadian Nationalist and former publisher, although not graduating from a Canadian University, has likely acquired the greatest number of honorary degrees from numerous academic institutions. He is also recognized at the U of A with the Hurtig Annual Lecture on the Future of Canada, and the newly proposed Chair in Engaged Canadian Citizenship. Former Edmontonian Arthur Hiller, the well-known, award-winning Hollywood movie director, also received an honourary doctorate from the U of A in 2002.

Several members of the community have also been associated with important University committees and boards. Dr. Bernie Adler (Dentistry 1957), Mr. Justice Ron Berger, Mr. Justice Samuel Lieberman, Kayla Shoctor and Sari Schiff (Med, 1974) were appointed to the Senate and Judy (Shuler) Goldsand, BA 1959 was its Executive Coordinator for many years. Terms on the Board of Governors were served by Jake Superstein, Bob Rosen (BA 1967) and currently Sol Rolingher is an active member of the Board.

Many of the Edmonton graduates covered previously in this article have been active and received recognition in civic affairs. In Calgary, Martha Cohen (Block) (BA 1940) was honoured with the naming of the Martha Cohen Theatre and has earned many civic and national awards including the Order of Canada. The Safran brothers, Nate (Bsc 1935) and Carl (Masters of Education 1949) were pillars of the Jewish Community and the educational system in Calgary. Edmond (Bud) Lando received his LLB in Law from the U of A in 1929 and he and his wife Edith received local and national honors for their contributions to the Vancouver general community.

Recent major philanthropic gifts to the U of A include the largest gift to a Canadian pharmacy school by Daryl Katz and the Katz Group of Companies to support educational initiatives in the Faculties of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical sciences and Law. A wing of the Health Research Innovation facility is now named the Katz Group-Rexall Centre for Pharmacy and Health Research.

Dr. Dianne and Irving Kipnes, in addition to numerous other philanthropic endeavors, have created a Chair in Finance and Development in the Business Faculty. Their major contributions and community involvement are to be recognized with the awarding of honorary doctorates at the June 2009 U of A Convocation Ceremonies.

In recent years Jewish lecture series have been instituted at the University. The Toby (Taradash- BSc 1954) and Saul Reichert Holocaust Lectureship began in 2004 and has been delivered annually by leading international holocaust scholars. The annual Tova Yedlin Lecture Series endowed by her daughter and son-in-law, is slated to commence in the 2009 academic year. The lectures will be devoted to the history of Central and East European Jewry prior to the Holocaust with special emphasis on Jewish-Gentile relations. It would be a fitting commemoration of the Jewish Community’s strong relationship with the U of A through its centenary if a Chair in Jewish Studies could be established. All potential interested sponsors are urged to contact the University.

Will the next hundred years prove as productive as this first century? Stay tuned for the 2108-09 update.