Who was Alex Dworkin?
Alex Dworkin was born in Ottawa in
1909 to Abraham and Rose (Deborah) Dworkin, originally
of Lithuania. In 1901, his father had founded Dworkin Furs, a
profitable company that is still in existence. Alex was thus raised
in material comfort, unlike many children of recent immigrants of
his time. However, he was blessed with a keen social conscience
that manifested itself throughout his adult life, both private and
public. Alex Dworkin was a forward-thinking and generous employer,
a man who recognized the importance of higher education and
supported those less fortunate to attain it, a person of charm and
wit yet one who was also described as a "no-nonsense" man, and a
man of principled and charitable character.
While still in his teens, Mr. Dworkin travelled to New York,
where he began his career in women's fashion. By 1937, he had moved
to Montreal, and in 1939, he opened Leo-Danal Dresses. The company
was highly successful and is still in existence. Dworkin sold his
company shares in 1974 and turned his financial expertise to
investments.
Alex Dworkin's introduction to philanthropy began in 1956 when
he met Max Etra, a New York lawyer, businessman and
communal leader, a man whom he deemed his "greatest inspiration."
Etra invited Alex to become a co-founder of New York's Albert
Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. Dworkin thus
became one of eight Canadians who spearheaded the development and
growth of this prestigious institution. In Montreal, he was invited
by Robert Kleinman, Executive Director of the Jewish
Community Foundation of Montreal, to visit various Jewish
agencies. It was an eye-opening experience.
"It was seeing the other side of life I had never experienced -
the handicapped, the poor and the frail elderly. I hope I can
alleviate some of the suffering in my lifetime, to make it a little
easier for them."
Since that time, numerous philanthropic projects bear his name,
many along with his wife Ruth. They include the Dworkin Poverty
Initiative, the Ruth and Alexander Dworkin Test Centre at the
Jewish General Hospital, the Alex and Ruth Dworkin Tolerance
Initiative Fund, the Ruth & Alex Dworkin Moot Court of Jewish
Law Beit Din, the Ruth and Alex Dworkin Scholarship, the Alex and
Ruth Dworkin Foundation, the Jewish Community Foundation's
Alexander Dworkin Charitable Foundation, and, most recently, the
Alex Dworkin Foundation for Jewish Archives.
Alex Dworkin passed away June 18, 2004, but his legacy to
Montreal's Jewish community and to numerous institutions elsewhere
endures.
The Alex Dworkin Foundation for Jewish
Archives at the Jewish Community Foundation of Montreal
encourages and sustains dynamic initiatives in Canadian Jewish
heritage preservation. Thanks to the generous legacy of Alex
Dworkin, the Foundation now supports the operations of both the
Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives and the Jewish
Public Library Archives.
The Foundation is also committed to fostering
the growth of cross-Canada partnerships in the Canadian Jewish Heritage Network, an
exciting research and display platform jointly conceived by the
Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives (then called the CJCCC
National Archives) and the JPL-A. The Alex Dworkin Foundation for
Jewish Archives will ensure access to the treasures of our history
and culture for generations to come.