Since conditions in Eastern Europe had further deteriorated, a new group of Russian-Polish Jewish immigrants began to arrive in Windsor during the early years of the twentieth century. While their own, now better established brethren, reluctantly accepted them, they were spurned by the town’s Christian inhabitants who, already feeling uneasy about the ever-increasing presence of minorities from many different lands, were afraid they eventually might deprive them of their jobs. Anyway, knowing little about “Hebrew” habits and customs, they were partially amused by these Jewish newcomers’ strange dress and language but found their lifestyle totally bewildering.113 Since they did not know what to make of them, they, ultimately, lumped them together with the Blacks and Chinese, who earlier had settled in Windsor.114
The so-called “Jewish Colony” was located in an area bounded by Mercer, Pitt, and Assumption streets, close to the old Market Square in the eastern part of town, a few blocks from the Detroit River. Individuals familiar with that part of Windsor, remember it as a very rough neighbourhood, where everything was in constant turmoil, where life may have provided a degree of camaraderie, but was not without its tensions. Since the people were living in very crowded conditions, and everyone had to struggle hard to earn a meagre livelihood, tempers often flared and fights were the order of the day.115
It would be foolish to imply that the Jews among them were saints, even though the majority, ultimately, became good citizens. They not only argued among themselves, but also had squabbles with their Christian neighbours, who, at times, would take them to court, mostly for insignificant infractions.116 The Jews, in turn, would launch legal actions against them, frequently to claim damages, but often just to air their grievances against large firms who, they felt, had done them harm.117 As many of them spoke little or no English, they likely were glad to avail themselves of the services court interpreter William Englander had to offer.118
These court appearances were not restricted to new immigrants. Even the most established citizens would go before the judge, since the Jewish general thinking seemed to have been that legal action would redress all errors, and winning the case would further elevate his standing in the community. The court, therefore, became the battleground for all forms of retribution. Although these lawsuits mostly dealt with minor and inconsequential violations, and routinely could be resolved by a magistrate, they were taken very seriously by those who felt their honour had been scarred, if for no other reason than the blatant notoriety they seemed to evoke.119
However, because of their frequency, the local press usually made sport of these cases, considering them a form of entertainment. Yet, when reporting those involving Jews and Blacks, they would emphasize both the plaintiff’s and the defendant’s race and colour in the most derogatory terms while, at the same time, failing to mention these individuals’ names.120 The importance of a given situation was, therefore, minimized, since a charge dealing with smuggling or petty theft, generally, was described as something that had been done “both to and by Jews.”
The most unfortunate cases were those pitting Jew against Jew. Usually involving suits for damages, thefts, false claims, breaches of contract, broken promise, domestic strife, and assault charges, they also included operating without a proper license, violating an existing by-law, underselling goods, or such lesser offences as mud slinging and using insulting language. Among those who, periodically, appeared in these court battles were such prominent Jewish citizens as Max Bernstein, Aaron, Kate, and Simon Meretsky, Jacob Goldberg, Louis Brown, Maurice Rosen, Herman and Dora Benstein, Nathan Cohen, Aaron Katzman, J. Croll, Benjamin Pazner, and others.121
In addition to violent arguments and fights, there were many other misfortunes that plagued the Jewish colony. Stores burned down or were broken into, people were injured in accidents, some got caught in elaborate and somewhat dubious money-making schemes, as found-ins during raids on gambling houses,122 or smuggling goods across the border from Detroit.123 Yet, despite these recurring setbacks, many others persevered, continuing to work long hours to make an honest living.
Some measure of success regarding Jewish legal rights was attained in 1910. To assuage the Jewish custom of drinking wine at weddings, the attorney general ruled that, since it could be interpreted as an essential part of a religious ceremony, no special license was required for such feasts. And, when the minister of customs, the Right Honourable J. D. Redi, decided to lift the 25 percent duty on unleavened bread for the Passover festival, Jews felt that this respectful recognition of their religious practices would henceforth allow them to enjoy more cordial relations with other branches of government.124
For the Jewish merchants, conditions had further improved by 1920. In the junk business, many, including Benstein & Meretsky, Michael Meretsky & Son, and Meretsky & Meretsky, had formed new partnerships,125 while A. Gold, Joseph Kovinsky, and Louis Subelsky were operating individually in the same field. In men’s furnishings were H. Meretsky and M. Merson, and Cherniak & Company, who sold boots, shoes, and clothing on Sandwich Street.126 Samuel Schwartz and Isaac Weingarden had moved to the same street and, after remodelling their store in 1912, made additional improvements four years later. J. Gelber’s furniture and Meretsky & Gitlin’s furniture, housewares, and carpet business also grew.127 Others in that field were Jerry Glanz, who had become the owner of Windsor Home Furnishings; Hyman Greenberg, and Aaron Abrahamson, who had added dry goods to his stock. Joseph Orechkin, and Nathan and Max Kaplan were in dry goods,128 while Max Rosenberg had opened a store on Mercer Street selling coal and wood.129
Retail grocers were Samuel Abrahamson, Louis Brown, Peter Caplan, Abraham Center, Cheifetz & Company, Hillel Croll, Henry Greenberg, Meyer Katzman, Kaplan & Schwartz — who also carried dry goods — the Mossman Brothers (on Wyandotte Street East), Orechkin, Charles Rogin, Sam Samberg, D. and E. Schwartz, and Aaron Williams.130 Herman Benstein, having added dry goods and clothing to his inventory,, erected a new building in 1917 at the corner of Pitt Street and McDougall Avenue. In Ford City, Abraham Adler had opened a bakery, while Barney Hurwitz131 had started a men’s wear store; butcher shops were operated by Isidore Katzman, Levine, and Enkin.132
The following Jewish storeowners belonged to the Border Cities Retail Merchants Association that had been organized on April 25, 1919:
Joseph Loikrec
Charles Kaplan
Meyer Katzman
Dubensky Bros.
Hymen Shore
Solomon Samberg
B. Bernstein
Gelber Furniture*
M. Katzman
A. Katzman
Abraham Adler
N. D. Cohn
Baum & Brody
Meretsky & Gitlin
Cherniak & Co.
S. Schwartz
Chas. Rogin
A. Weingarden
Wm. Levine
Jacob Schwartz
E. Orechkin
E. Schwartz