--- title: "A Record of Hebrew and Yiddish Printing in — Harris 2012" description: "Harris compiles a chronological checklist of items printed in Canada between 1844 and 1915 that contain Hebrew or Yiddish type." authors: ["Eiran Harris"] year: 2012 venue: "Canadian Jewish Studies 19" source: "https://cjs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/cjs/article/view/36146" doi: "10.25071/1916-0925.36146" licence: "CC BY-NC-ND (journal licence per DOAJ; Canadian Jewish Studies)" licence_url: "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/" summary_licence: "Elamur Cosmic License" canonical: "https://research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/harris-2012-record-hebrew-yiddish-printing-canada/" --- [Elamur Research](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/harris-2012-record-hebrew-yiddish-printing-canada/) [home](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [papers](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/) / [2012](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/2012/page/2/) / A Record of Hebrew and Yiddish Printing in Canada, 1844-1915 # A Record of Hebrew and Yiddish Printing in Canada, 1844-1915 **Authors:** Eiran Harris · **Year:** 2012 · **Venue:** Canadian Jewish Studies 19 · **Licence:** [CC BY-NC-ND (journal licence per DOAJ; Canadian Jewish Studies)](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) **Links:** [Publisher's page](https://doi.org/10.25071/1916-0925.36146) · [PDF](https://cjs.journals.yorku.ca/index.php/cjs/article/download/36146/32786) · [DOI 10.25071/1916-0925.36146](https://doi.org/10.25071/1916-0925.36146) · [OpenAlex](https://openalex.org/W367782326) **Citations:** 0 citations (openalex-snapshot · 2026-10-14) ## Summary Harris compiles a chronological checklist of items printed in Canada between 1844 and 1915 that contain Hebrew or Yiddish type. Newspapers and periodicals are excluded. The goal is to document the early, scattered history of Jewish-script printing in the country. The record starts with English books that include only a few Hebrew words. One example is an 1844 Toronto pamphlet by "An Israelite" with seven words in Hebrew type. It ends with a rich 1915 Yiddish ephemera scene: strike broadsides, relief posters, letterheads, school programmes and conference reports. Each entry gives: - the title, often in both scripts; - the place, printer and date; - the page count or physical size; - a note on how much Hebrew or Yiddish appears and in what role. Some items are known only from secondary sources or have never been located, and these are flagged. The list shows three shifts over the period: - from Christian and scholarly works with token Hebrew to community-produced Yiddish material; - from Toronto and Montreal mainstream printers to Jewish printers; - outward to Winnipeg and Calgary. This makes the list a base resource for historians of Canadian Jewish print culture. ## Key points - The scope is 1844–1915, Hebrew and Yiddish type, excluding newspapers and periodicals. Any item with at least some Hebrew script qualifies, even a single title-page quotation. - Early items come from the Montreal press of John Lovell, mostly works by Abraham de Sola. Toronto items include Jacob M. Hirschfelder's lectures and treatises on Hebrew texts. - From 1894, A.L. Kaplansky prints Hebrew almanacs for 5655, synagogue service orders and Baron de Hirsch Institute annual reports. The almanac calendar pages were stereotyped from U.S. originals, but Kaplansky set the Yiddish advertisements himself. Later Montreal printers include S.P. Persky and the Union Printing Co. - Some items are recorded without a surviving copy. These include McGill Hebrew examinations from 1860 and Zolotarefsky's 1897 book of theatre songs, which is known only from Zylbercweig's Leksikon fun Yidishn teater. - By 1915 the record reaches Winnipeg (HIAS letterhead, Jewish Radical School programme) and Calgary (Franklin Press flyers). It also covers Reuben Brainin's planned Hebrew weekly "Haderech," which was renamed "Der Veg" and switched to Yiddish for lack of support. ## Interesting ideas - **Low inclusion threshold for script presence:** an item counts even if its non-Latin content is only a handful of words, and each entry notes how much there is and what it does (title, quotation, prayer, ad). — For Mova (tokens): the tokenizer could detect embedded non-Latin spans in English text and tag them as foreign material with their role, instead of forcing them through English morphology. - **Separating imported from locally produced content:** the almanac entries distinguish pages stereotyped from U.S. plates from text the local printer set himself. — For Mova (learn): silver data could carry provenance flags for each segment, marking what was copied from an external source and what was produced locally, so evaluation does not credit borrowed material. - **Recording errors as found, with the correction alongside:** the 1901 wedding invitation entry keeps the misprints and adds what each should be, leaving the original form intact. — For Mova (tokens): store the raw token and its normalized form side by side, so later stages can explain any correction and trace it back to the source text. - **Marking evidence status of entries:** some items are listed as reported only, with the source cited or with no surviving copy. — For Mova (world): entities and events in the text-world could carry an attestation status (directly stated vs. reported by someone vs. presumed lost), which supports explainable answers about certainty. - **Tracking identity through a rename and language change:** the Haderech/Der Veg note treats one planned publication as the same object despite its new name and language. — For Mova (world): entity tracking should let an entity keep its identity across a renaming event, recording the old and new names as states in time order. *Our summary of the paper, in our own words — not its text. The work belongs to its authors; read it at the links above.* Fields: [Linguistics & languages](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/shelves/linguistics/) Topics: [Hebrew & Aramaic](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/topics/hebrew-aramaic/) · [Semitic languages](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/topics/semitic-languages/) ## Cite The paper itself, not this page. BibTeX from the library's record of the work. ```bibtex @article{harris2012record, title = {{A Record of Hebrew and Yiddish Printing in Canada, 1844-1915}}, author = {Harris, Eiran}, journal = {Canadian Jewish Studies 19}, year = {2012}, doi = {10.25071/1916-0925.36146}, url = {https://doi.org/10.25071/1916-0925.36146} } ``` - [← previous Conversion of Procedural Morphologies to Finite-State Morphologies: A Case Study of Arabic](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/aclbulk-2012-hulden-conversion-procedural-morphologies-finite-state/) - [next → Extracting Semantic Transfer Rules from Parallel Corpora with SMT Phrase Aligners](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/haugereid-2012-extracting-semantic-transfer-rules-parallel/) - [↑ back to papers of 2012](https://md.research.elamur.ai/free/en/papers/2012/page/2/) ## References 10 references, 0 of them with a card of ours. ↗ leads to the work, «find» searches for one we have no id for yet. 1. An Israelite. Review of the Doctrines and Prophetical Chronology of Mr. William Miller by An Israelite. Printed for the Author at the Christian Guardian Office. Toronto: J. H. Lawrence, Printer, 1844. 61 p. Text contains seven words printed in Hebrew type. 1845 Hirschfelder, J. M. A Key to German Conversation; Consisting of Familiar Dialogues, etc. Calculated to Facilitate the Acquisition of That Language. Toronto: H. & W. Rowsell, 1845. viii, 96 p. Contains a page advertising a Hebrew grammar by J.M. Hirschfelder showing first eight letters of the Hebrew alphabet. (The Hebrew grammar was never published). 1851 Bible. O.T. Psalms. The Book of Psalms, Translated out of the Original Hebrew; According to the Authorized Version; Arranged in Parallelisms: With an Introductory Treatise on Hebrew Poetry. Toronto: Printed by Lovell & Gibson, 1851. xxix, 162 p. Pslam 119 contains letters of the Hebrew alphabet. 1853 De Sola, Abraham. Behemoth Hatemeoth, the Nomenclature of the Prohibited Animals of Leviticus, as Determined by the Most Eminent Authorities, both Jewish and Christian. Montreal: Printed by John Lovell, 1853. 16 p. On t.p.: quotation in Hebrew from Lev. xi, 47. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=An+Israelite%2E+Review+of+the+Doctrines+and+Prophetical+Chronology+of+Mr%2E+William+Miller+by+An+Israelite%2E+Printed+for+the+Author+at+the+Christian+Guardian+Office%2E+Toronto%3A+J%2E+H%2E+Lawrence%2C+Printer%2C+1844%2E) 2. Lyons, Jacques J. and Abraham de Sola. A Jewish Calendar for Fifty years. From A.M. 5614 till A.M. 5664. Together with an Introductory Essay on the Jewish Calendar System. Montreal: Printed by John Lovell, 5614/1854. 177, 1 p. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Lyons%2C+Jacques+J%2E+and+Abraham+de+Sola%2E+A+Jewish+Calendar+for+Fifty+years%2E+From+A%2EM%2E+5614+till+A%2EM%2E+5664%2E+Together+with+an+Introductory+Essay+on+the+Jewish+Calendar+System%2E+Montreal%3A+Printed+by+John+Lo) 3. Many words and phrases in Hebrew type. Hirschfelder, Jacob M. An Essay on the Spirit and Characteristics of Hebrew Poetry. Toronto: 1855. 37, 3 p. (Also Toronto: 1882, 40 p.) [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Many+words+and+phrases+in+Hebrew+type%2E+Hirschfelder%2C+Jacob+M%2E+An+Essay+on+the+Spirit+and+Characteristics+of+Hebrew+Poetry%2E+Toronto%3A+1855%2E+37%2C+3+p%2E+%28Also+Toronto%3A+1882%2C+40+p%2E%29) 4. Contains Hebrew type. [De Sola, Abraham]. Archaia. Review. Montreal: 1860. 18 p. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Contains+Hebrew+type%2E+%5BDe+Sola%2C+Abraham%5D%2E+Archaia%2E+Review%2E+Montreal%3A+1860%2E+18+p%2E) 5. A review of: Archaia; or, Studies of the Cosmogony and Natural History of the Hebrew Scriptures, by J.W. Dawson. Phrases in Hebrew type. Commencing in 1860, McGill University’s annual sessional examinations included examinations printed in Hebrew, created by Rabbi Abraham de Sola, lecturer in Hebrew and Oriental literature. Samples have not been located. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=A+review+of%3A+Archaia%3B+or%2C+Studies+of+the+Cosmogony+and+Natural+History+of+the+Hebrew+Scriptures%2C+by+J%2EW%2E+Dawson%2E+Phrases+in+Hebrew+type%2E+Commencing+in+1860%2C+McGill+University%E2%80%99s+annual+sessional+examin) 6. De Sola, Abraham. The Sanatory Institutions of the Hebrews, as Exhibited in the Scriptures and Rabbinical Writings, and as Bearing Upon Modern Sanatory Regulations. Part I. Montreal: Printed by John Lovell, 1861. 74 p. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=De+Sola%2C+Abraham%2E+The+Sanatory+Institutions+of+the+Hebrews%2C+as+Exhibited+in+the+Scriptures+and+Rabbinical+Writings%2C+and+as+Bearing+Upon+Modern+Sanatory+Regulations%2E+Part+I%2E+Montreal%3A+Printed+by+John+L) 7. No more issued. Many words and phrases in Hebrew type. Ascher, Isidore G. Voices from the Hearth: a Collection of Verses. Montreal: John Lovell; New York: D. Appleton & Co, 1863. 168 p. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=No+more+issued%2E+Many+words+and+phrases+in+Hebrew+type%2E+Ascher%2C+Isidore+G%2E+Voices+from+the+Hearth%3A+a+Collection+of+Verses%2E+Montreal%3A+John+Lovell%3B+New+York%3A+D%2E+Appleton+%26+Co%2C+1863%2E+168+p%2E) 8. Phrase in Hebrew type on p. 87 Freshman, Charles. The Pentateuch: Its Genuineness and Authenticity Proved and Defended by Facts and Arguments Against the Hypothetical Theories and the Conjectural Criticisms, Historical and Literary, of Bishop Colenso. Toronto: Published by Anson Green, 1864. 140 p. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Phrase+in+Hebrew+type+on+p%2E+87+Freshman%2C+Charles%2E+The+Pentateuch%3A+Its+Genuineness+and+Authenticity+Proved+and+Defended+by+Facts+and+Arguments+Against+the+Hypothetical+Theories+and+the+Conjectural+Crit) 9. Words and phrases in Hebrew type. Wiggins, Ezekiel S. The Architecture of the Heavens: Containing a New Theory of the Universe and the Extent of the Deluge, and the Testimony of the Bible and Geology in Opposition to the Views of Dr. Colenso. Montreal: Printed by John Lovell, 1864. 304 p. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Words+and+phrases+in+Hebrew+type%2E+Wiggins%2C+Ezekiel+S%2E+The+Architecture+of+the+Heavens%3A+Containing+a+New+Theory+of+the+Universe+and+the+Extent+of+the+Deluge%2C+and+the+Testimony+of+the+Bible+and+Geology+) 10. A sprinkle of words in Hebrew type. De Sola, Rev. Abraham. Digest of Mourning: Discourse Delivered on the Completion of the תולבא for the Late Mrs. Caroline, Wife of William Benjamin, Esq. Montreal: Printed by John Lovell, 5624/1864. 8 p. [find](https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=A+sprinkle+of+words+in+Hebrew+type%2E+De+Sola%2C+Rev%2E+Abraham%2E+Digest+of+Mourning%3A+Discourse+Delivered+on+the+Completion+of+the+%D7%AA%D7%95%D7%9C%D7%91%D7%90+for+the+Late+Mrs%2E+Caroline%2C+Wife+of+William+Benjamin%2C+Esq%2E+Montreal%3A+P)