Winnipeg Jews & the Garment Industry

A STITCH IN TIME! explores the exciting history of the industry and its relation to Winnipeg and its Jewish community. The exhibit also looks at the industry today, and how it has changed since its beginnings at the end of the 19th century. The garment industry has had a notable impact on Winnipeg’s socio-economic and cultural development; and Jews have played a fundamental and determining role in it. The exhibit describes a multidimensional and dynamic Jewish community while reflecting on the community’s relation to Canadian society as a whole.

The exhibit is a product of extensive research in the archives of the Jewish Heritage Centre and at other archives, museums, and educational institutions. We have referred to the writing of scholars and to the reminiscences of people in the industry. There is material from interviews with owners, workers, and labour personalities. The story is told by integrating photographs, documents, oral histories, and artefacts to depict a colourful tapestry of personalities, social forces, and technological change.

This exhibit is not exhaustive. It would have been impossible to refer to every Jewish garment manufacturer or to document the breadth of Jewish involvement in the labour movement. A STITCH IN TIME! is a starting point to pique interest and encourage research into a fascinating history. We urge you to add to our knowledge about the industry by coming to the JHCWC with your stories, photos, and memorabilia.

A STITCH IN TIME! has drawn on the skills of many talented individuals including historian Professor Dan Stone and most notably assistant curator Susan Turner, who also designed the exhibit and its graphic components.

As curator, I came to this initiative with admiration and respect for the rich, complex history of Winnipeg Jewry. I am the son of immigrant parents who worked in the garment industry for and alongside Jews as well as with immigrants from many other countries. Their experiences and reflections have pricked my conscience, and have contributed enormously to my intellectual and emotional development. Thinking of and cherishing them, I have sought to inject into the exhibit the all-important human dimension. I hope I have I succeeded!

Stan Carbone

Exhibit Curator