Israel Glassman was born in Montreal, Quebec on April 22nd, 1924, six months after his mother landed in Canada. He was not born in a very good period: the Great Depression hit Canada in 1929 and 1930. During that time, Mr. Glassman played street hockey and baseball with his friends for fun. He also did many other things for entertainment, for example watching movies. The problem of unemployment was very serious in those years, but Mr Glassman was a lucky boy as he could find job like selling newspapers, which enabled him to give some of his earnings to his mother. When the war came, he went to join the Navy. His uncle and mother were very respectful of his choice. They said: “Canada needs you, you go.” Mr. Glassman and his comrades did a lot for Canada during the war years, escorting trans-Atlantic convoys and helping with D-Day operations. His story is full of emotion, especially as he recalled good friends and the tough visions that remain with him, and the details helped the students to visualize life in early 20th century Canada.
Israel Glassman was interviewed for this project in February 2016, when he visited with students from the Grade 10 history classes.
Videos
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- 1. Israel Glassman - Prewar Memories; Family and School.mp4
- 2. 1938; Canada and the British Empire.mp4
- 3. School and Entertainment.mp4
- 4. The Movies and the Cost of Living.mp4
- 5. Family's Feelings when he went overseas.mp4
- 6. The Food.mp4
- 7. In Londonderry.mp4
- 8. Before Crossing the Atlantic.mp4
- 9. The Things that Stand Out.mp4
- 10. A Life Changed.mp4
- 11. Life during Wartime; The Letter from the Officer.mp4
- 12. Ship's Duties; Spare Time.mp4
- 13. Letters from Home.mp4
- 14. Attacked by a U-Boat.mp4
- 15. Before D-Day.mp4
- 16. In Ireland.mp4
- 17. Stories and Friends.mp4
- 18. Food.mp4
- 19. Powerful Memories of Loss; Wartime Service.mp4
- 20. Finding a Job after the War.mp4
- 21. Rumours.mp4
- 22. Photographs.mp4
