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Leah
by
Donald Granatstein
What happens when a family’s secret reveals a broader story of Jewish survival and loss? In Leah, a forgotten chapter of Toronto’s Jewish immigrant history comes to life. Nineteen-year-old Leah Granatstein arrived in Canada from Poland in the 1920s, seeking safety and new opportunities. But Leah’s strong independence and struggles with mental health set her apart in a community still dealing with tradition, poverty, and prejudice. When her behaviour was seen as unacceptable, she was placed in an asylum and eventually deported back to Poland. Her disappearance reflects more than a family tragedy: it sheds light on the challenges faced by Jewish immigrants in preserving their culture and faith in a city marked by both opportunity and discrimination; it foreshadows the devastation faced by European Jewry during the Holocaust; and it raises enduring questions about how families navigate differences, secrecy, and shame. Drawing on archival records, family testimony, and historically rooted storytelling, Leah explores the intersections of Jewish culture, Canadian immigration, and the misunderstood realities of mental illness in the early twentieth century.
Donald Granatstein combines professional rigour and personal passion in recounting the story of his long-lost aunt, Leah. A practising lawyer for over fifty years, he holds a B.A., a LL.B., a Master of Laws, and is a qualified arbitrator. He also served as Chair of the City of Toronto’s Committee of Adjustments for eight years and continues to work as a mediator and arbitrator. These decades of experience in uncovering facts, weighing evidence, and crafting compelling narratives shape his approach to reconstructing Leah’s life. The writing of this book was driven by Granatstein’s fascination with Jewish history and the Holocaust, combined with a personal urge to uncover the mystery of a silenced family member. What started as a legal mind’s quest for proof turned into a profoundly human journey blending immigration history, cultural identity, the stigma of mental illness, and the enduring resilience of family. An award-winning writer known for his earlier journalism, Granatstein now applies his skills to historical storytelling, combining thorough research with imagination to honour those whose voices were lost to time. He lives in downtown Toronto with his wife, Joan, an avid reader, walker and photographer. Together, they enjoy supporting their daughter and grandchildren, whose curiosity and resilience continue to inspire his work. www.donaldgranatstein.ca
Contributors
- Author
- Donald Granatstein