In 1948, the State of Israel was established as a national homeland for the Jewish people. Almost immediately, it came under attack from neighbouring Arab states. The Federation of Jewish Philanthropies joined the United Palestine Appeal in raising funds to help the fledgling state to develop its infrastructure. At the same time, the Federation was expanding the range of services it offered in Montreal, as the Jewish population grew to 85,000 in 1952. Jewish Vocational Services created a sheltered workshop to help train the European refugees who spurred this growth. In 1956, more than 1,500 Hungarian Jews fleeing revolution arrived in Montreal. This period also saw the end of an era in the Federation’s history, as Samuel Bronfman stepped down as President in 1950, ending his 17-year term at the helm of the Jewish community.
A journey through 100 years
