Apparently, 600 Jewish families have moved to Winnipeg over the past two years. Enrolment in Jewish day schools is up 15%.

Winnipeg. Brrrrrrrr.

Okay, this brought up the question of Canadian Jewish demographics. The numbers are inexact but there seem to be approximately 370,000 Jews in Canada out of a population of around 32,000,000.

The census numbers seem a bit low. For example, the Manitoba Jewish community believes there are 14,000 Jews in Winnipeg with an influx of 600 new families since 2002. The census counts a total of 13,040 Jews in all of Manitoba.

Anyway, here is a very rough and inexact breakdown of Canada’s Jewish population:

Ontario – 200,000 (probably 180,000 in Toronto; 13,000 in Ottawa)

Quebec – 90,000

British Columbia – 21,250 (Victoria has a synagogue built in 1863)

Manitoba- 15,000

Alberta – 11,100

Nova Scotia – 2,120

Saskatchewan – 865

New Brunswick – 670

Newfoundland Labrador- 140

Prince Edward Island – 55

Yukon – 35 (out of total pop of 28,500)

North West Territories – 30

Nonavut – 10

In every province, including Nonavut, Muslims outnumber Jews.

Obviously, the odds of finding a Jewish partner in life are highest in Ontario and Quebec. And Israel.

About the author

themiddle

15 Comments

  • And I thought Montreal was cold… Winterpeg? Brrr indeed. It definitely brings new meaning to the term “Frozen Chosen.”

  • Perhaps this will beget an influx of Jews to the National Hockey League? Either way, I thought we Jews didn’t do cold weather. We turn into Jewcicles at 58 degrees.

  • You should see some of the girls in Winnipeg. They were the main attraction on the March of the Living and the IRK convention that North West Canada Region and Red River Region (BBYO) hold every two years.

    Beyond the girls… Winnipeg has one of the nicest JCCs I’ve ever seen. The Asper Centre is huge. It houses the gym, various courts, weight training facility, two schools (or was it one?), the Hillel and BBYO offices, and a wikkid deli. Winterpeg is really a nice city, but only if you are indoors or in your car.

    If you go, make sure you get to “The Toad in the Hole”. Best. Bar. Ever.

  • … wish I could edit… or proof reading….

    main attraction on the March of the Living and the IRK convention that North West Canada Region and Red River Region (BBYO) hold every two years.

  • If you think there are good looking girls in Winnipeg, you have not been to Los Angeles. Some of the most beautiful women Jewish) in the world live there. And, as for deli’s try Nate N’Als on Beverly Drive in Beverly Hills. It is Larry Kings home away from home when he broadcasts from L.A. And, while on the subject of Deli’s, if you are in las Vegas Cantor’s Deli housed in T.I. (Treassure Island) on the strip makes the best Pastrami sandwich. Burp! Pardon me.

  • Hmmm. Hottest Jewesses in North America? Montreal by far. In the world? Israel of course. And the only pastrami that counts is KOSHER pastrami, and the winner is…. Reuben’s Deli in Brookline Mass. Have an oversuffed Rumanian Pastrami sandwich and pickle and leave your heart condition at home.

  • Dude, the word “Jewess” leaves me feeling queasy. Can we try using other descriptive terms, like “Jewish woman?”

  • Oy. Don’t be such a little wuss. How on earth can the term “Jewess” make you queasy?

  • We’ve all grown up under the thumbs of Jewish women–you’d think the word “Jewess” would make any nice Jewish boy queasy…

  • Maybe I’ve spent too much time debating Neo-Nazis and white supremacists. They tend to use “Jewess” as part of their vernacular.

    Now excuse me while I mull whether I am indeed a wuss or not.

  • Well, you have the heat and the sunshine. You gotta give me something! Besides, no one told you to go and dig up the Web site …

  • I’m looking for names or links that relate to Jeff or Jeffe or Jaffe or Zieff. If you know of any could you forward them to me on the above. Many thanks