Anti-Semitism
Members of the community often sent their children to schools where in many instances they were the only Jews in their classes. Some of the children played well with their non-Jewish peers and made many friends. Others experienced teasing, and in some cases, fights broke out. Jack Feldman was the object of some teasing as a child when he was growing up in Port Dalhousie. In turn, Sidney Slepkov witnessed fights that were spurred on by anti-Semitism. Many of the arguments were verbal rather than physical and involved hurtful epithets such as “dirty Jews.”
Within the city, there were clubs that were restricted to Jews. The one that was most visible was the golf club. Sidney Slepkov recalls having to drive to Fonthill, situated between St. Catharines and Welland, in order to play golf when he was a youth. On one occasion, the mayor of the town invited him and three other Jewish boys to take part in an event at the local golf club. They all refused, stating that they would not join a club that would not accept them as members. Even Danny Monson, a prominent local lawyer and the brother of Rabbi Monson, was blackballed from the club when he applied for membership. The club finally succumbed to community pressure and offered admission to Archie Katzman, a local businessman and community leader. He refused their gesture, stating that he didn’t want to be their token Jew. They eventually changed their policy and accepted Jewish members after that time. Ironically, in 1996 Katzman became the General Manager of the St. Catharines Club, which had been in existence for close to a century and had also adhered to a gentiles-only policy.
The major anti-Semitic incidents that have occurred recently within the community have involved vandalism and desecration of the synagogue and cemetery. On 30 October 1983, swastikas were spray painted onto the synagogue doors and windows. Eggs were also thrown at the building. Some may have viewed it as a Halloween prank due to the timing, but the intent based on the symbols used was clear. In May 1990, an individual set a fire in the community centre beside the synagogue. There was substantial damage to the mezzanine and smoke damage to the social hall and kitchen. Then in April of 1998, the cemetery was desecrated by vandals, who toppled over 43 tombstones, smashed windows and trampled the flower beds. The damage was estimated at around $8,000. Police viewed it as a hate crime. The whole city was alarmed and upset about the incident and called for a quick arrest. Fortunately the police were able to locate the culprit, who was a neo-Nazi member, and charge him with the crime. In June of that year, the community gathered at the cemetery for an unveiling of the new gravestones. The mayor, members of the provincial government, police officers and approximately 250 people from different faiths attended the ceremony.
