Sephardic Jews in Canada

Sadly neither Leonard Cohen nor William Shatner are Sephardic, but Canada has a rich Sephardic Jewish history, including 20th century immigration from what are now Arab countries.

Historical Timeline of Jewish Canada

1750s: First known Jewish settler in Canada, Esther Brandeau, arrives in New France disguised as a boy.

1760: First permanent Jewish settler, Aaron Hart, arrives in Trois-Rivières, Quebec.

1768: First synagogue, Shearith Israel, is established in Montreal. While primarily Sephardic in ritual, it served all Jews.

1832: Jews gain full rights as British subjects in Lower Canada (Quebec).

1850s: Jews begin settling in significant numbers in Upper Canada (Ontario).

1871: Census records 1,115 Jews in Canada.

1880s-1920s: Major wave of Jewish immigration, primarily Ashkenazi from Eastern Europe.

1901: Census records 16,401 Jews in Canada.

1930s: Small numbers of Sephardic Jews from North Africa and the Middle East begin arriving in Canada.

1956: Sephardic Kehila Centre is established in Montreal, marking a significant presence of Sephardic Jews.

1960s-1970s: Larger influx of Sephardic Jews, primarily from Morocco, arrives in Montreal and Toronto.

1970: Spanish and Portuguese Synagogue Shearith Israel in Montreal (established in 1768) moves to a new building, continuing its Sephardic traditions.

1980s-1990s: Continued immigration of Sephardic Jews from various countries, including Israel, France, and North Africa.

2001: Census records approximately 329,995 Jews in Canada, with a significant Sephardic minority, especially in Montreal.

2011: Estimated 380,000 Jews in Canada, including both Ashkenazi and Sephardic communities.

Resources for researching Sephardic Genealogy in Canada

Canadian Jewish Records and Archives

Auction of documents from the Hart family.

General records for Canadian Genealogical Research

  1. Library and Archives Canada
  2. Bibliothèque et Archives nationales du Québec
  3. FamilySearch
  4. Canadian Genealogy Centre

Canadian Immigration and Naturalization Records

  1. Library and Archives Canada – Immigration Records. Includes passenger lists (1865-1935) and border entry records (1908-1935)
  2. Library and Archives Canada – Naturalization Records. Includes naturalization records from 1915 to 1951
  3. Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
  4. Provincial Archives. Some provinces maintain their own immigration and naturalization records. For example, the Archives of Ontario has naturalization records from 1858 to 1931.
  5. Ancestry.ca – Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935. Digitized versions of passenger lists
  6. FamilySearch – Canada, Ocean Arrivals (Form 30A), 1919-1924. Individual immigrant arrival records

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