The PEIJC Story
The Prince Edward Island Jewish Community was formally established in 1993. Dr. Joseph Naylor was elected the first president. Dr. Naylor, a Toronto-born doctorate educated in Munich, was a source of inspiration, education and leadership for the Jewish community.
The Naylor family is multigenerational: Joseph and Jane’s daughter Miriam lives on the island with her husband and is a flautist in the PEI Symphony Orchestra. Another PEIJC founding family are Albie and Miriam Goldman, who arrived in PEI in the late 1960's and purchased land in Mermaid. Their daughter Michal continues to maintain the family farm. Joseph and Ann Sherman are also among the founders of the PEIJC. Joseph, a noted poet, came from New Brunswick to start a quarterly Arts magazine for the newly opened Conferation Center for the Arts. Their children both still live on the Island.
The first newsletter of the PEIJC was HA-EE, Hebrew for “The Island.” It was first published in 1982, and was published 6-8 times a year. The annual subscription cost was $3.00, to cover the duplicating and postage costs (this was before the Internet!).
Long-standing events held annually include a memorial service for Yom HaShoa (Holocaust Remembrance Day) and a Community Seder. The first public menorah lighting took place in 2021.
Notable Jewish Islanders include former PEI Poet Laureate Dierdre Kessler and published author JJ Steinfeld, among others.
Additional articles on the early history of PEIJC are below: