Page 10-The Canadian Jewish News, Thursday. June 10. 1993
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[Cont'd, from page 1]
• In Montreal, the numbers on religion were hailed as good news for a community long painted as bleeding, reports The CJN's Janice Arnold.
Montreal saw a4.6 drop in its Jewish/religious population, from 101,000 in 1981 to over 96,000 ten years later. The net loss of roughly 5,000 is "fairly reasonable," commented Charles Shahar of Federation CJA, adding it's apparent the community is no longer "hemorrhaging" as it did in the late 1970s.
• British Columbia saw a dramatic 13 percent increase in its Jewish/religious population, ffom 14,500 to 16,500, with Vancouver seeing an 11 percent rise, to 14,000.
What's different about Vancouver is that it has a large ethnic Jewish population — over 2\,006. That seems to mirror a trend that the further West one goes, the more likely Jews are to identify ethnically rather ' than religiously.
The phenomenon is bom out in a demographic study by Jean Garber of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, who found that the "overwhelming majority" of Montreal and Toronto Jews have a single ethnic origin — Jewish. (In Toronto, for example, 114,000 people declared a single ethnicity — Jewish, and just 41,000 listed Jewish as part 6f a multiple ethnic background).
By contrast, the study found that half of Vancouver's ethnic Jews have more than one ethnic identity, revealing a greater degree of assimilation there. •
• Manitoba saw a 13 percent decline in its Jewish/religious population, to 13,000 from 15,000 a decade before. But Evelyn Kates, who's studying the numbers for the Winnipeg Jewish Community Council, says she is also waiting for the StatsCaii/Torczyner study before making any definitive statements.
However, Kates said the Jewish numbers reflect a general move by
Canadians away from religious practice. Indeed, the census revealed that Canadians are becoming increasingly secularized: In 1991, 13 percent of the population reported no religious affiliation, a whopping 90 percent increase over 1981.
• In Alberta, the number of Jews by religion dropped by six percent, to nearly 10,000 conipared to over 15.000 who said they were ethnically Jewish, The figure for Calgary shows 5,400 Jews by religion but Riki Hei-lik of the city's Jewish Community Council feels the number is closer to 6,000.
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• Cumulatively, the figures show that Atlantic Canada's Jewish/religious population has remained more or less steady, save for Newfoundland's.
Jon Goldberg of the Atlantic Jewish Council says the Maritimes' Jewish population has traditionally been transitory, with young people from small communities moving to cities like Halifax and Moneton but young Jews from those cities going to Toronto and Vancouver. ;
Goldberg says the census does'riot reflect the fact that there are over 100 Russian Jews in Newfoundland today because the tally was conducted before their arrival.
Indeed, immigration was a significant factor in the Jewish numbers.
According to StatsCan, 2.4 percent of immigrants to Canada are Jews, Of all people bom in Canada, just .9 percent are Jews.
Reflecting the general population. Jewish women outnumbered Jewish men. 51 to 49 percent
The average age of Jews was 38.5 in 1991. compared to 37 a decade before. Jews lied with Presbyterians for having the highest percentage ot senior citizens in Canada, confirming what's been known in the Jewish community for a long time. •
But for University of Toronto sd-ciologist Brym, the real story lies in the ethnicity question.
Brym has calculated that in the mid-decade ijiini-cehsus of 1986. 97,000 Jews listed Jewish as part ol a multiple ethnic heritage. By 1991. that figure zoomed to 111,000. a 14 percent increase.
To Brym. that reveals a rising degree of assimilation among Jews
In the 1981 census. 3.2 percent ot ethnic Jews listed no religion and 2.9 percent of Jews by ethnicity listed another religion.
Therein lies the bombshell Bryhi drops. He feels both those figures may rise to as high as five or six percent, revealing much greater secular-izafion among Jews and even rising apostasy.
If he's right, communities across the country will in effect lose people, or will have to retool their outreach to the unaffiliated and increase education about intermarriage.
StatsCan will share all the figures on ethnicity and religion with the Council of Jewish Federations, Canada, which plans to create a central data bank, on social trends inthecom-miinity.
There is "no relationship whatsoever" between the statistics and how the federal government allocates fiinds to ethno/cultural groups, said Neil Drabkin. an aide to Multicul-turalism Minister Gerry Weiner.
Programs are funded purely on their relevance and merit. Drabkin. said.
By SHELDON KIRSHNER
KIRYAT SHMONA - The panhandle of the Galilee, a relatively remote region adjacent to the Lebanese border, seems like an unlikely place where science and technology can unfold and flourish;
But after you've visited Migal, the Galilee Technological Centre, all your preconceived notions' melt in the Middle Eastern sun.
Northern Galilee, with its manicured farms, its pretty kibbutzim and its tranquil nature reserves, appears somnolent
But if you take a closer look, you'll discover that appearances can indeed be deceiving.
Minutes away by car from the heart of Kiryat Shmona, you come to a world onto itself — Migal, a centre for applied research and development in agriculture and industry. ' Migal, which has played a recognized role in the absorption of new Soviet immigrants, is affiliated with Upper Galilee Enterprises, the regional organization of 33 kibbutzim.
Upper Galilee Enterprises operates 14 companies with an annual turnover of $200 million (U.S.) a year.
Founded in 1979 with four employees, Migal today is at the cutting edge of fresh advances in such fields as biology,-l^iotechnology and en-vironmental. studies. - Currently employing 20 researchers at the PhD level, anjlbacked by a staff of 45 research associates, technicians and laboratory assistants. Mi-.
Ami Hacohen
gal is one compelhng reason why Israel is a worid leader in the advancement of science and technology.
Assisted by the United Israel Appeal,. Migal is presently engaged in the following activities, according to its director. Ami Hacohen:
•Applied industrial research;
•Industrial research and development;
•Agricultural research and development;
•Environmental studies:
•Laboratory services:
•Education in science and technology. ,
Migal undertakes requested research projects, which may lead to operative programs. . It initiates new technologies from the lab through to the pilot plant stage.
Migal has succeeded in developing an economical technology for the extraction of colors, flavor, and odor products for the health-oriented food mdustry. They are sold in Israel and exported. In 1991, exports totalled SI million.
As well. Migal has established a tropical fish breeding industry and. in partnership with Israel's largest pharmaceutical company, gone into into the field of genetic engineering.
Hacohen said that Migal is developing new crops and improving existing ones with respect to yield, quality and shelf life. It also ad-: ministers research and development projects financed by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Jewish Agency.
Migal's environmental research deals with the rhOnitoring of water quality, the identification and neutralization of pesticides and the recycling of organic waste.
Its laboratory services have attracted more than 6b clients. One of them, the Neviot Mineral Water Company, owes its success to Migal.
With an eye on the future. Migal has enriched the lives of students, teachers and educators.
In co-operation with Tel-Hai Community College and local high schools, Migal has created a facility for science education.
The goal is to develop a cadre of manpower for the Galilee's scientific and technological development.
With this in mind, Migal has designed special courses to convert Soviet immigrant doctors into biology and chemistry teachers.