History of the Jews in Quebec by Pierre Anctil, translated by Judith Weisz Woodsworth

Over the four centuries discussed, the Jews of Quebec realized that they belonged to a unique society in North America. Their commitment to defend their rights and their extensive contributions to numerous sectors of activity have fostered the development of a Quebec enhanced by diverse identities.

Quebec Judaism in its Montreal incarnation took a long time and successive waves of migration from various regions to take root. This work recounts these different contributions throughout the years and the cultural context that encouraged the emergence in Montreal of a Judaism like no other in North America.

This is the first overview of a historical narrative that began during the French Regime and continued, through many twists and turns, until the turn of the twenty-first century.

The fruit of over thirty years of research conducted in several seldom consulted archives, it paints a complete picture of the highly unique journey Jews undertook in Quebec, a journey that is still largely unknown today. (FromUniversity of Ottawa Press)

History of the Jews in Quebec wonthe 2022 Governor General's Literary Award for French to English translation.

• See allthe finalists for the 2022 Governor General's Literary Award for translation

Pierre Anctil is a Canadian author and history professor at the University of Ottawa. His work focuses on the history of Montreal's Jewish community and on the current debates on cultural pluralism in Canada. His work includesJacob Isaac Segal: A Montreal Yiddish Poet and His MilieuandA Reluctant Welcome for Jewish People.

Judith Weisz Woodsworth is a Canadian translator and professor at Concordia University. She has published widely on the history and theory of translation and has translated novels by Quebec authors Pierre Nepveu and Abla Farhoud.