Portraits of the Community - Jewish Canadians
David Oppenheimer
“The Best Friend Vancouver Ever Had”
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David Oppenheimer was a Jewish Canadian Businessman, as well as the second mayor of the city of Vancouver. Oppenheimer was born in what was then the Kingdom of Bavaria. After bad harvests though, he packed up for the Unites States, in search of money to be made. After living in the United States for some time, Oppenheimer headed west along with many others during the gold rush.
Oppenheimer and his brothers opened up stores to sell mining supplies and other provisions to the prospectors hunting for gold. Oppenheimer and his brothers did well in this business. However, gold soon dried up in California, forcing many up North to British Columbia, where a new gold rush had begun. Oppenheimer and his brothers followed the businesses and headed to Canada as well in order to continue operating mining supply stores for the many miners and communities that had moved to BC.
Oppenheimer owned land in many parts of BC, including in what would become Vancouver. He was able to help convince the CPR to move their railroad terminal station to Vancouver, as opposed to Port Moody, earning himself a lot of money through the increase in land value in the process. Oppenheimer was influential in the railroad in other ways too, helping to build certain sections that ran through towns he held influence in such as Yale.
Oppenheimer was involved in many ventures in the young Vancouver, opening up the city’s first wholesale grocers. This company still exists and operated for many years as Oppenheimer group, rebranding to “Oppy” in 2012, they deal in fruits and produce imports and exports.
In 1888, Oppenheimer became the second ever mayor of Vancouver. During his time as Mayor, Oppenheimer worked to instate many things in Vancouver that its residents still take for granted today. He lobbied for more parks, such as the well-known Stanley Park. Oppenheimer also formed the streetcar system originally in Vancouver, long since gone, the SkyTrain serves a similar function as it once did. Oppenheimer was involved with BC Electric, being one of the owners, this company eventually becoming BCHydro.
Oppenheimer was involved in many other charitable deeds such as opening the Vancouver branch of the YMCA, and donating fire engines to communities in Northern BC that needed them during wildfires. He also helped to create one of the first Synagogues in Vancouver, donating the land for it to be built on.
Upon ending his terms as mayor due to poor health, even his greatest critics at the Vancouver Sun offered him praise, regarding him as “the best friend Vancouver ever had.” Oppenheimer would die shortly after leaving office on December 31st, 1897. He was 63 years old.
A monument to him was built by the Jewish Heritage Society in 1911, standing at the entrance to Stanley Park, perhaps his most well-known legacy. Oppenheimer’s name also lives on in Oppenheimer Park, and a Vancouver School, both named for him. He was declared a National Historic Person on April 11, 2008. Later that year, on July 12th, the then mayor of Vancouver declared it to be “David Oppenheimer Day.” His legacy still lives on in other ways too, such as the infrastructure developments across the city that he is often remembered for.
Ezekiel Hart
The Man Who Fought for the Equal Rights of Jewish Canadians
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Ezekiel Hart was the son of Aaron Hart, a notable Canadian who is often considered the founder of the Canadian Jewry, given that he was one of the first to immigrate to Canada, helping to establish the Jewish community in Canada. Aaron Hart is notable for many things, among them is participating in the building of the first Synagogue in Canada, the Shearith Israel.
Ezekiel Hart, like his father before him became prominent in the community of Trois-Rivieres, in what was then called Lower-Canada, later to become a part of the modern province of Quebec. He was involved in a variety of different business ventures during the years his father was alive. He participated in the import and export business, as well as running a brewery and general store. Hart showed that he was a successful and effective businessman, taking after his father.
Hart was closely involved with the local militia throughout his life. Fighting both in the American Revolutionary War, as well as the later War of 1812. He was promoted several times throughout his life, ultimately rising to the rank of Colonel.
Hart became interested in political manners as he began to acquire more businesses and positions. Him and his brothers sought representation to aid their own business ventures. On the 11th of April 1807, Hart was elected to the Legislative Assembly by the people of Trois-Rivieres. This event is often regarded as the first ever election of a Jewish person to public office in the British Empire. Hart however did not immediately swear an oath to take office, given that the 11th of April was the Sabbath, forbidding him from working that day. He would have to wait sometime until the next opening of the Legislative Assembly in January.
When January came around, Hart swore his oath in a modified manner, while sources vary on the exact nature, one record indicates he swore on a Tanakh, as opposed to a Bible. He also spoke the words “on the faith of a Christian,” with “of a Jew.” These practices had precedent in Law courts, when Jews were asked to swear an oath before giving testimony, this however did not stop many from opposing Hart’s joining of the Assembly.
After much debate, with the attorney general of the region getting involved. It was ultimately determined that Hart could not serve because he could not give the required oaths, and on the fact that he was Jewish. At the time, Jewish people were not afforded the same rights and privileges that Anglican and Catholic people were, with Judaism not being recognized as a religion in Canada.
Hart was elected again later in 1808 to the Legislative Assembly, where he swore the Christian oaths. However, he was eventually removed on similar grounds as prior, with the government citing the fact that a Jewish person should not be able to hold office.
Hart did not run for office again, although he did continue to campaign for the rights of Jews in Canada. One of his ten sons, Samuel, also fought for the equal rights of Jewish Canadians. Eventually, in 1832, an act was granted to give Jewish people the same rights and privileges as the other religions in Canada. It should be noted that this was passed through the influence of Louis-Joseph Papineau. A man who had voted years prior to remove Hart from the Legislative Assembly. This came almost 25 years before similar legislation would be passed across the rest of the British Empire.
Because of Hart’s prominent case as well as the activism of him and his family, Jewish Canadians were afforded the same rights as others. Not only were they able to serve in public office, but they could register births, marriages, as well as many other vital things that previously were not recognized by the government.
After his death at age 76 on September 15th, 1843, a large funeral was held for him. He was honoured by the local militia, as well as local businesses, as they closed their doors for the day, to attend the funeral of a beloved local figure.