The Mennonites and the Jews in Canada

How is it that two religious minorities from the same side of Europe who fled to Canada in large part due to fear of persecution had radically different experiences in our ‘Home and Native Land’? This essay seeks to explore the difference between the reception and settlement of a group of 7000 Mennonites who fled Russia to Manitoba in the 1870s and the Jews who came to Canada in the 20th century. It is a story of Mennonites whose way of life aligned with the Anglo-Canadian expectation that new immigrants were expected to serve Canada rurally and out of the public eye, and Jews who gravitated to the cities of Canada and were despised and abused by their new government and fellow citizens. The prejudices that shaped how this disparity came to be are a central theme of the Canadian saga.
The Mennonites and the Jews in Canada

Nathan Dueck

Grade 11

Westgate Mennonite Collegiate
Winnipeg, Manitoba

As a Canadian descendant of both Mennonite and Jewish immigrants, I thought it would be fascinating to learn more about their experiences.

Related Essays

  • Evolution of Immigration

    Evolution of Immigration

    Ruth Chen

    Calgary, Alberta

    I was interested in researching the immigration of Chinese people in the past to gain an appreciation of the privileges I have today.

  • From East and West: Scots and Sikhs in Canada

    From East and West: Scots and Sikhs in Canada

    Jonathan Eby

    Victoria, British Columbia

    I chose this question because I was interested in comparing the immigration experience of two very different groups of people.

 
View all essays