By Nadia Stuewer
This article is based on a presentation by John Diener, Vice-President of the Ottawa Jewish Historical Society, entitled “The ByWard Market: The History of Jewish Life and Business”
When people think of the history of the people of Lowertown, they usually think of the French and the Irish settlers. But did you know that there was a significant Jewish population in our neighbourhood as well, much of it centred in the ByWard Market? Arriving with virtually nothing in the early 20th century as refugees from Eastern Europe, fifty years later they owned or operated numerous stores in the ByWard Market and had created a thriving cultural life.
In 1891, the Jewish population of Ottawa was only 400, but this number grew to about 1800 by the turn of the century and to 3500 by the 1930s. Most of these new immigrants settled in Lowertown where there were three orthodox synagogues – those on Murray and Rideau Streets have been demolished. The one on King Edward Avenue is occupied by another faith group. Many initially worked as peddlers, selling goods from horse-drawn wagons. A license to peddle in Ottawa cost only nine dollars, compared with $40 in Montreal. Over time, the peddlers saved enough money to buy stores in the ByWard Market, often living above or behind them.
Jacob Freedman arrived in Ottawa from Lithuania in 1893. Between 1903 and 1929 he acquired most of the business properties in ByWard Market Square and ran the most successful wholesale grocery in Eastern Ontario. He helped many of his extended family to establish their own businesses. The only Jew on the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, he was also a philanthropist.
In its heyday of the 1920s to 1970s, the Market was the place to shop, and its many stores drew thousands of customers every week. What a difference from today’s scene of bars and restaurants. By the 1960s, out of the 15 stores on the west side of ByWard Market Square between York and George Streets, 13 were Jewish-owned or operated. These included Irving Rivers, the ByWard Fruit Market, and Saslove’s Meats. There were more Jewish-owned or operated stores elsewhere in the ByWard Market, including a barbershop, pawnshops, and stores that sold hardware, furniture, and shoes.
Jacob Saslove, who arrived from Ukraine after the First World War opened a meat store on St. Patrick Street. All five of his children ran businesses in the ByWard Market. At one point, there were two Saslove’s meat stores, until one of them changed its name. The Rivers family also had a large presence, with several daughters of Jacob Rivers marrying merchants in the Market. In 1950, Irving Rivers took over his father’s business, renamed it, and gave it the slogan, “We Corner The Market.” The store is now run by Jacob’s grandson.
In the typical family business of the 1960s and 1970s, children as young as 12 were expected to work in the family shops on weekends and during summer holidays, although they wouldn’t be trusted with the cash register until they were a few years older. There was enough business to go around, and while every store had its loyal customers, competition was friendly and stores would help each other out by supplying goods to each other. The stores served people from all walks of life, from politicians and chefs to people on welfare. They usually offered credit to those less fortunate. A grocery store owner recalls driving to Montreal at 3:00 a.m. to buy the best produce and rushing back to Ottawa for the morning opening.
Over time the Jewish-owned or operated businesses moved to other parts of Ottawa or were transferred or sold to non-Jews. The Jewish community is now spread throughout Ottawa and is thriving and vibrant. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for our ByWard Market, as most of the stores have been transformed into bars and restaurants and the area is home to several shelters.