The Jewish Star (Alberta)
Encyclopedia
The Jewish Star was an independent fortnightly newspaper based in Calgary, Alberta, which began in 1980 to publish separate editions first in Calgary (ISSN 0228-2283) and then in the provincial capital of Edmonton
(ISSN 0228-6017). The tabloid-sized newspapers (ranging from 8 to 28 pages per issue) were mailed on a controlled circulation basis to virtually all Jewish households in each city.
The Jewish Star was founded by Douglas Wertheimer, who served as Editor and President of The Jewish Star Newspaper, Ltd., and Gila Wertheimer, Associate Editor, with start-up funding from family members, supporters and bank loans. The founding of the newspaper coincided with an explosion of economic growth in Alberta related to the oil industry. Calgary, known since 1945 as one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities, had undergone a population increase of 47 percent from 1971 to 1981. Meanwhile, the Calgary Jewish community had increased by 50 percent from 1975-79 to about 6,000 Jews.
In A Century of the Canadian Jewish Press: 1880s-1980s, author Lewis Levendel wrote of The Jewish Star editions, “The most exciting event in Canadian Jewish journalism in the 1980s has been the brave attempt by an Alberta couple to launch an independent newspaper... The Stars – by far the most attractive of Canadian Jewish papers – have been showered with praise for their appearance, editorials and news coverage... Outside Alberta, Jewish journalists and communal officials familiar with the Star expressed admiration for the paper”.
noted that the paper had "avoided some of the more obvious first-issue pitfalls by using good layout, attractive printing free of typographical errors, professional writing by three international Jewish wire services and plenty of local content... there was [also] a heavy advertising content." After the launch of the Calgary Edition (published from August 22, 1980 through June 1, 1990), the Jewish Community Council in Edmonton invited the publishers to produce a separate Edmonton Edition. It ran as a monthly from December 1980 through June 1990, utilizing some of the same content. While also independent, it received a guaranteed annual purchase of subscriptions (an arrangement voluntarily terminated by The Jewish Star in 1987).
During the 1980s, the company was the sole independent publisher in Canada of more than one Jewish newspaper. In the late 1980s, it made an unsuccessful attempt to purchase the Jewish Western Bulletin of Vancouver
.
of the American Jewish Press Association
in 1982 (editorial writing) and 1984 (editorial), an honorable mention in 1985 (design), and a second place award in 1987 (editorial).
Gila Wertheimer, among the most prolific literary critics in the Jewish media (having reviewed 206 books in the Calgary Jewish Star), also had pieces published in Judaica Book News (New York) and Canadian Jewish newspapers.
and for its treatment of visiting Israeli officials, and provided a forum for others who sought change. Community officials characterized The Star as “a divisive force”. The newspaper also faulted the Canadian Jewish establishment for its dismissive attitude towards Western Canadian Jews and in particular for its stance on the rescue of Ethiopian Jews.
about the end of the Edmonton Jewish community).
of Eckville
soon grabbed headlines, and reverberated, across Canada. One of the results was the testing, in court, of the hate promotion section of the Criminal Code of Canada. Beginning in April 1983 and for years afterwards, The Jewish Star covered the story, which included criticism of the handling of the case by the provincial government of Peter Lougheed
, the Canadian Jewish Congress
, and the Calgary Herald
. Utilizing that knowledge, research materials, and interviews, D. Wertheimer collaborated with University of Calgary
historian David J. Bercuson
on a book-length study, A Trust Betrayed: The Keegstra Affair (published by Doubleday in Canada and the US, 1985, ISBN 0-385-25003-7; Bantam Seal paperback, 1987, ISBN 0-7704-2155-5). The book was called “a first rate account” in a Toronto Star
review.
Even before the Keegstra controversy forced the Calgary and Edmonton Jewish communities to coordinate activities, The Star endorsed a unifying Jewish council for the province, which was eventually created.
, that city’s first new English-language Jewish newspaper in half a century.
in Calgary holds six meters of textual material contributed to it by The Jewish Star http://ww2.glenbow.org/search/archivesMainResults.aspx, as well as a complete print and microfilm run of the newspaper’s two editions, and a digital version of the Calgary edition, and the Fraenkel index.
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
(ISSN 0228-6017). The tabloid-sized newspapers (ranging from 8 to 28 pages per issue) were mailed on a controlled circulation basis to virtually all Jewish households in each city.
The Jewish Star was founded by Douglas Wertheimer, who served as Editor and President of The Jewish Star Newspaper, Ltd., and Gila Wertheimer, Associate Editor, with start-up funding from family members, supporters and bank loans. The founding of the newspaper coincided with an explosion of economic growth in Alberta related to the oil industry. Calgary, known since 1945 as one of Canada’s fastest-growing cities, had undergone a population increase of 47 percent from 1971 to 1981. Meanwhile, the Calgary Jewish community had increased by 50 percent from 1975-79 to about 6,000 Jews.
In A Century of the Canadian Jewish Press: 1880s-1980s, author Lewis Levendel wrote of The Jewish Star editions, “The most exciting event in Canadian Jewish journalism in the 1980s has been the brave attempt by an Alberta couple to launch an independent newspaper... The Stars – by far the most attractive of Canadian Jewish papers – have been showered with praise for their appearance, editorials and news coverage... Outside Alberta, Jewish journalists and communal officials familiar with the Star expressed admiration for the paper”.
Expansion
While there had been a number of previous Jewish publications appearing on an irregular basis in Calgary, The Jewish Star was the first independent, commercial Jewish newspaper published there. Commenting on the start-up venture, the Calgary HeraldCalgary Herald
The Calgary Herald is a daily newspaper published in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta.- History :The paper was first published on August 31, 1883 by Andrew Armour and Thomas Braden as The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser. It started as a weekly paper with only...
noted that the paper had "avoided some of the more obvious first-issue pitfalls by using good layout, attractive printing free of typographical errors, professional writing by three international Jewish wire services and plenty of local content... there was [also] a heavy advertising content." After the launch of the Calgary Edition (published from August 22, 1980 through June 1, 1990), the Jewish Community Council in Edmonton invited the publishers to produce a separate Edmonton Edition. It ran as a monthly from December 1980 through June 1990, utilizing some of the same content. While also independent, it received a guaranteed annual purchase of subscriptions (an arrangement voluntarily terminated by The Jewish Star in 1987).
During the 1980s, the company was the sole independent publisher in Canada of more than one Jewish newspaper. In the late 1980s, it made an unsuccessful attempt to purchase the Jewish Western Bulletin of Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.
Editorial, advertising, circulation
For the Calgary Edition, local news, editorial and advertising content were generated mainly by full-time Jewish Star staff, with other material for that edition coming from freelance writers and syndicated news services. For the Edmonton Edition, over the years a freelance writer provided local news coverage, and for most of the decade advertising was handled by the Dave Moser Agencies in that city. In 1988, controlled circulation for the Calgary edition averaged 1,900 copies, for the Edmonton edition 1,500. The editorial position of the newspapers was characterized as displaying “a small ‘l’ liberal stance.”Awards and recognition
During the 1980s, The Jewish Star (Calgary Edition) won more journalistic awards than any other Jewish publication in Canada. The editors won first place Rockower AwardsSimon Rockower Award
The Simon Rockower Award is a prestigious award given for "Excellence in Jewish Journalism". The award is sponsored by the American Jewish Press Association.- List of Categories/Divisions :Category 1: The Louis Rapoport Award for Excellence in Commentary...
of the American Jewish Press Association
American Jewish Press Association
The American Jewish Press Association is an organization of Jewish newspapers, magazines, journalists, and affiliated organizations in North America...
in 1982 (editorial writing) and 1984 (editorial), an honorable mention in 1985 (design), and a second place award in 1987 (editorial).
Gila Wertheimer, among the most prolific literary critics in the Jewish media (having reviewed 206 books in the Calgary Jewish Star), also had pieces published in Judaica Book News (New York) and Canadian Jewish newspapers.
Calgary
The Calgary Jewish Community Council had published an in-house non-commercial newspaper, the Calgary Jewish News, since 1962 (Douglas Wertheimer served as editor from 1979-80). For several years after the founding of the Calgary Jewish Star, tension existed between the organized community and the independent newspaper, reflected in frank reporting on the community. Early editorials were critical of the organized community for allowing its Jewish community center to be opened on ShabbatShabbat
Shabbat is the seventh day of the Jewish week and a day of rest in Judaism. Shabbat is observed from a few minutes before sunset on Friday evening until a few minutes after when one would expect to be able to see three stars in the sky on Saturday night. The exact times, therefore, differ from...
and for its treatment of visiting Israeli officials, and provided a forum for others who sought change. Community officials characterized The Star as “a divisive force”. The newspaper also faulted the Canadian Jewish establishment for its dismissive attitude towards Western Canadian Jews and in particular for its stance on the rescue of Ethiopian Jews.
Edmonton
In general the Edmonton Edition of The Star was less controversial than its Calgary counterpart, although inevitably material upset community officials (including an article by an Israeli shaliachShaliach
A shaliaḥ in Halakha is a Jewish legal emissary or agent. Accordingly, a shaliaḥ performs an act of legal significance for the benefit of the sender, as opposed to him or herself...
about the end of the Edmonton Jewish community).
Calgary and Edmonton
At the end of 1982, a high school teacher in a small town equidistant between Calgary and Edmonton (about a two-hour drive from either city) was fired for devoting classroom time to teaching the myth of the Jewish world-conspiracy. The case of Jim KeegstraJames Keegstra
James "Jim" Keegstra is a former public school teacher in Eckville, Alberta, Canada, who was charged and convicted of hate speech in 1984. The conviction was overturned by the Court of Appeal but re-instated by the Supreme Court of Canada...
of Eckville
Eckville, Alberta
Eckville is a town in central Alberta, Canada. It is located west of Red Deer on Highway 766 just north of Highway 11.- History :Eckville gets its name from the founder Arthur E.T. Eckford, the landowner of the original Eckville. Eckville relocated to its current location in 1912, after the...
soon grabbed headlines, and reverberated, across Canada. One of the results was the testing, in court, of the hate promotion section of the Criminal Code of Canada. Beginning in April 1983 and for years afterwards, The Jewish Star covered the story, which included criticism of the handling of the case by the provincial government of Peter Lougheed
Peter Lougheed
Edgar Peter Lougheed, PC, CC, AOE, QC, is a Canadian lawyer, and a former politician and Canadian Football League player. He served as the tenth Premier of Alberta from 1971 to 1985....
, the Canadian Jewish Congress
Canadian Jewish Congress
The Canadian Jewish Congress was one of the main lobby groups for the Jewish community in the country, although it often competed with the more conservative B'nai Brith Canada in that regard. At its dissolution, the president of the CJC was Mark Freiman. Its past co-presidents were Sylvain Abitbol...
, and the Calgary Herald
Calgary Herald
The Calgary Herald is a daily newspaper published in the Canadian city of Calgary, Alberta.- History :The paper was first published on August 31, 1883 by Andrew Armour and Thomas Braden as The Calgary Herald, Mining and Ranche Advocate and General Advertiser. It started as a weekly paper with only...
. Utilizing that knowledge, research materials, and interviews, D. Wertheimer collaborated with University of Calgary
University of Calgary
The University of Calgary is a public research university located in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Founded in 1966 the U of C is composed of 14 faculties and more than 85 research institutes and centres.More than 25,000 undergraduate and 5,500 graduate students are currently...
historian David J. Bercuson
David Bercuson
David Jay Bercuson, OC, FRSC is a Canadian labour, military, and political historian.Born in Montreal, he attended Sir George Williams University and graduated from there in 1965 with a BA in History and was awarded the Lieutenant-Governor's Silver Medal for the highest standing in history...
on a book-length study, A Trust Betrayed: The Keegstra Affair (published by Doubleday in Canada and the US, 1985, ISBN 0-385-25003-7; Bantam Seal paperback, 1987, ISBN 0-7704-2155-5). The book was called “a first rate account” in a Toronto Star
Toronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
review.
Even before the Keegstra controversy forced the Calgary and Edmonton Jewish communities to coordinate activities, The Star endorsed a unifying Jewish council for the province, which was eventually created.
Newspapers’ closing
Both editions of The Jewish Star published their final issues in June 1990. In the following month the Wertheimers left Canada and started the independent Chicago Jewish StarChicago Jewish Star
The Chicago Jewish Star is an independent twice-monthly general interest Jewish newspaper based in Skokie, Illinois. It provides news analysis and opinion on local, national and international events of relevance to the Jewish community, with a focus on literature and arts, politics, and the Middle...
, that city’s first new English-language Jewish newspaper in half a century.
External links
The Archives of the Glenbow MuseumGlenbow Museum
The Glenbow Museum in Calgary is one of Western Canada's largest museums, with over 93,000 square feet of exhibition space in more than 20 galleries, showcasing a selection of the Glenbow's collection of over a million objects....
in Calgary holds six meters of textual material contributed to it by The Jewish Star http://ww2.glenbow.org/search/archivesMainResults.aspx, as well as a complete print and microfilm run of the newspaper’s two editions, and a digital version of the Calgary edition, and the Fraenkel index.