This story is featured in Episode 45
Peter Jassem is a renowned Toronto-based architect, born in Poland. After coming to Canada, he got interested in geneaology and became involved in the Jewish Genealogical Society of Canada. This is how he discovered that his father was Jewish. This discovery changed his life.
For over a decade Peter Jassem has been the chair of the Toronto chapter of the Polish-Jewish Heritage Foundation of Canada, a dynamic organization educating the public on the Polish-Jewish relations – their past and present. He is also the director of the Canadian Committee for Support of POLIN Museum and a board member of the Jewish Records Indexing – Poland (online database of 5 million + Jewish records).
In 2009 Peter Jassem received the Knight’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland (article in the Canadian Jewish News).
The Polish-Jewish Heritage Foundation of Canada was formed in 1988. The Foundation has chapters in Toronto and in Montréal.
The objectives of the Foundation are to:
• promote better understanding between Polish Christians and Polish Jews;
• preserve the unique heritage of Polish Jewry;
• encourage greater knowledge of the history and culture of Polish Jewry; and
• foster research.
The Foundation, a non-profit organization run by volunteers, presents programmes on Jewish life in Poland, Polish-Jewish relations, and the impact of Polish-Jewish thought and creativity. Programmes include lectures, films, publications, concerts, exhibitions, commemorative events and book launches.
English language media about the PJHF and related issues
Polish language news about the PJHF and related issues
