Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture

49°13′45.18″N 123°07′4.45″W / 49.2292167°N 123.1179028°W / 49.2292167; -123.1179028

The Peretz Centre

The Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture is a centre for secular Jewish culture and humanistic Judaism in Vancouver, British Columbia.

They provide education, community, and cultural programming with a particular focus on inclusion and a broad understanding of Jewish identity. This includes valuing the 2SLGBTQI+ community as well as welcoming interfaith and intercultural members.[1]

With roots including the Jewish Bund, the Peretz remains committed to social justice and diversity. Though as a cultural organization it doesn't take a position on Israeli, Canadian or world politics, it is associated with Vancouver's Jewish left community.[2]

History

Gathering at Peretz School in 1945

The Vancouver Peretz Institute, also known as the Vancouver Peretz Shule, was incorporated in 1945 with the intention of opening that September in a converted house at 1190 West 15th Ave.[3][4] Initially operating within the basement of the Jewish Community Centre, by 1947 they had purchased a building of their own on West Broadway between Alder St and Birch St.[5][6] Its creation was motivated by a post-Holocaust, desire to expand Jewish education to members of the secular community with a particular focus on Yiddish and traditional culture.[6] The Centre was named after Isaac Leib Peretz, due to his significance to Yiddish culture and for his progressive writings.[7]

Beginning in 1952, the leftist views of the school led to conflict with the more conservative mainstream Jewish culture in Vancouver. The school was accused of communist affiliations with many believing that its secular model of teaching promoted anti-religiousness, which was thought to be an important component of communism. As a result, the school was denied the ability to participate in the communities United Jewish Appeal and therefore denied funding.[6] They were also accused of being anti-Zionist, again due to individuals associating secularism with being anti-religion.[7] In response to the increased scrutiny, the school sought to satisfy all sides. They would celebrate the birthday of the state of Israel, support peace movements that criticized Israeli policy, all while maintaining a strictly apolitical curriculum.[8]

Construction began in 1961 on a new site for the school on Ash St between 45th Ave and 46th Ave. Costing $175,000 the one story building would include classrooms, an auditorium, and kitchen.[9] The building opened the following year.[10] At its peak in the 1959–1960 term, the school taught 118 children, but by 1971 its enrolment had dropped to below 50.[2]

In 2001, a new building was constructed at the same location, and the name was changed to the "Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture".[11]

In 2021, the Vancouver Public Library Oakridge Branch temporarily moved into the first floor of the Peretz Centre for the duration of the Oakridge Mall redevelopment.[12]

Programs

Since 1990, the Peretz Centre has run a two-year bnei mitzvah program which is a secular coming-of-age ceremony for youth. This is done through learning about the importance of volunteering in your wider community, researching Jewish culture and understanding it's issues, as well as developing an appreciation for Jewish knowledge and humour.[13]

The Centre also hosts the Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir, which performs Jewish songs in Yiddish, Hebrew, Ladino, and English.[14]

In addition, the Peretz Centre has Yiddish classes, Sholem Aleichem Speakers Series (SASS), Exploring Jewish Writers (EJW), and regularly hosts secular humanist versions of Jewish holidays.[15]

It is also home to the Jewish Museum & Archives of British Columbia and the Vancouver Jewish Film Festival.[16][17]

The Paulina and Shaya Kirman Library

The Peretz Centre houses the largest Yiddish language library in Western Canada, consisting of nearly 4000 volumes of books and journals.[18][19] The library grew out of the existing collection of the Peretz School and expanded through donations of material from community members as well as institutions such as the University of British Columbia.[20][21] They also received the collections of the Calgary Peretz school upon its closure and material from the United Jewish People's Order Toronto Branch.[7] The library is a member of the Yiddish Book Center and has been a member of YIVO.[7] In 2001, following the construction of the new Peretz Centre, the library was given its own designated space on the main floor and renamed for it's founding librarians Paulina and Shaya Kirman.[18]

References

  1. ^ Margolis, Sam (25 April 2025). "Reinvigorating Peretz". The Jewish Independent. Archived from the original on 22 May 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  2. ^ a b Elazar, Daniel J.; Waller, Harold M. (1990). Maintaining Consensus: The Canadian Jewish Polity in the Postwar World. University Press of America. pp. 399, 401.
  3. ^ "91 New Companies Formed This Month". The Victoria Daily Times. November 29, 1945. p. 18. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "New Peretz School for Vancouver". The Jewish Western Bulletin. Vancouver Jewish Administrative Council. 29 June 1945. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  5. ^ Headrick, Paul (20 July 2018). "Peretz Centre alumni reunite". The Jewish Independent. Archived from the original on 19 January 2022. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Jones, Faith (1998). "Between Suspicion and Censure: Attitudes towards the Jewish Left in Postwar Vancouver". Canadian Jewish Studies. 6. doi:10.25071/1916-0925.19832. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  7. ^ a b c d Jones, Faith (1999). The Vancouver Peretz Institute Yiddish Library : the social history of a jewish community library (Master's Thesis thesis). Vancouver: University of British Columbia.
  8. ^ Ben Zvi, Reuven (26 September 1973). "Can a progressive Jewish school survive?". Western Voice. Marxist-Leninist Western Voice Collective. p. 17.
  9. ^ "Building set for school". The Province. May 27, 1961. p. 15. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Jury Impressed By Local Pottery". The Vancouver Sun. May 30, 1962. p. 8. Retrieved August 7, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture". terrahousing.ca. Terra Housing Consultants Ltd. Archived from the original on 26 February 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2025.
  12. ^ Johnson, Pat (24 March 2024). "Time of change at the Peretz". The Jewish Independent. Archived from the original on 25 May 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  13. ^ Todd, Douglas (June 18, 1994). "Into Adulthood". The Vancouver Sun. Retrieved August 8, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. ^ "Vancouver Jewish Folk Choir". Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Rituals and Ceremonies". Peretz Centre for Secular Jewish Culture. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  16. ^ Kramer, Lauren (23 March 2011). "B.C. Jewish museum moves to new location". The Canadian Jewish News. Archived from the original on 8 August 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  17. ^ Margolis, Sam (22 November 2019). "Jewish film festival moves". The Jewish Independent. Archived from the original on 15 June 2025. Retrieved 8 August 2025.
  18. ^ a b "Kirman Library spans the arts". The Jewish Independent. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 17 May 2025. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  19. ^ Gaster, Tova (22 November 2023). "'An act of great care and great love': The path toward Yiddish at UBC". The Ubyssey. Archived from the original on 21 March 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Peretz Plans Yiddish Library". The Jewish Western Bulletin. Vancouver Jewish Administrative Council. 15 November 1974. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
  21. ^ "180 Books Added to Peretz Yiddish Library". The Jewish Western Bulletin. Vancouver Jewish Administrative Council. 13 March 1980. Retrieved 13 August 2025.
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