Celebrating 80 years ...

On May 15, 1948, thousands of Vancouverites marked the establishment of the state of Israel. Leading up to that moment, various campaign efforts were promoted in the Jewish Western Bulletin, including one to recruit Canadian men to defend Israel. Led by Harold Freeman, co-chair of the local United Jewish Appeal, the initiative resulted in almost 50 youth from British Columbia and Alberta heading to the newly re-established Jewish homeland.

There is a plaque at the Jewish Community Centre of Greater Vancouver dedicated to “the young sons of the Jewish community of Vancouver who, as inspired volunteers, heroically fought for the independence of Israel.” From what the Jewish Independent could determine by press time, most of these volunteers have since passed away, however, Harold Lenett and Sonny Wosk are still living in Vancouver, while Al Gelmon lives in Calgary.

The May 20, 1948, JWB covered the Vancouver rally marking the establishment of the state of Israel, and lobbying the Canadian government “for permission to send arms to Palestine and for security from Arab aggression against Israel’s Jews.” Freeman addressed the 1,400-strong audience at the Vogue Theatre May 16.

“Anyone who class[es] himself as a Jew must do more than just cheer,” he told the crowd. The article continued, “He said the Yishuv is in the front line fighting. We must form a rear guard with our money, our resources, our general sacrifice for them.”

In his address, Freeman gave a brief history of Jewish oppression, focusing on, of course, the Holocaust, noting that refugees to Israel “may die, but not defencelessly in sealed chambers, crematoriums, mass graves, but firing their way to Jewish freedom.”

According to the JWB, he said, “We have fled throughout the ages. And in our flight and fear we have taken on the character of the hunted and pursued.

“But today we have a new Jew in Palestine – Jews positive with youth, vigorous, courageous, determined and filled with energetic creativeness.

“Our republic is being born in fight and flame....”

Under the heading “Date with destiny,” Freeman added, “And even as I talk to you, our boys from Vancouver are there on baracades protecting Israel.

“They have a date with destiny. No one had to call them. They are rising everywhere without prompting, without urging.”

He concluded his remarks with a call to give more to UJA, to help the Haganah buy arms and munitions, then gave the stage to other “leading Vancouver Zionists.”

In 1973, in honor of Israel’s 25 anniversary of independence, the JWB published an extensive feature on “Vancouver’s Valiant Volunteers” and “20th-Century Maccabees.” Publishers Sam and Mona Kaplan extensively researched the community’s contributions to and celebrations of Israel’s statehood. They also interviewed many of the men who had fought in the War of Independence, accompanied by an impressive photo spread.

As the Jewish Independent/JWB approaches its special 80th birthday issue (May 14), we ask anyone who has stories about people in the community who volunteered in the 1948 war effort, or whose parents did, to [email protected]. If we can collect enough accounts (and photographs) by the end of April, we would like to publish a story on this important time in our community’s history.

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