Looking Back

From the William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish Detroit History

accessible at www.djnfoundation.org

70 | MAY 12 • 2022

The Windsor-Detroit
Jewish Connection
T

his week and next, intrepid JN
reporter Danny Schwartz is fea-
turing Congregation Beth El and
Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, both of
Windsor, in his weekly “Synagogue Spotlight.”
As most of us know, many Michiganders
and Detroiters currently have Canadian rel-
atives or, at the least, Canadian
ancestors. This is certainly the
case for Jewish Michiganders
(or Michiganians, depending
upon your personal taste in state
monikers).
Inspired, I decided to explore
the nature of Windsor-Detroit
Jewish relationships in the
William Davidson Digital Archive of Jewish
Detroit History. In short, the pages of
the Detroit Jewish Chronicle and JN provide
indisputable proof of close communal ties
between Jewish Detroiters and Windsorites.
By the way, Congregation Beth El and
Congregation Shaar Hashomayim, Windsor,
are mentioned on more than 2,000 pages in
the Archive.
Jewish communities in both Windsor and
Detroit have long histories. The first Jew
to settle in Sandwich was Moses David in
1790 (Sandwich was one of several villag-
es incorporated into the city of Windsor
in 1935). Chapman Abraham, a fur trad-
er from Montreal, was the first recorded
Jew in Detroit in 1762. This was one year
after the first Jew in Michigan, Ezekiel
Solomon, another fur trader, arrived at
Fort Michilimackinac, now Mackinaw City,
Michigan.
Beginning in 1916, “Windsor” is men-
tioned on 14,100 pages of the Archive.
Whew! Of course, many citations relate to
Windsor Street in Metro Detroit (there is
a Detroit Street in Windsor), stores and
restaurants in Windsor (the JN’s Danny
Raskin loved the Tunnel BBQ) and Windsor
shoes (I must admit — fashion-horse that I
am — that I did not realize England’s Duke

of Windsor inspired such stylish shoes).
Beyond those types of references, however,
the Davidson Archive holds a lot of stories
about Windsor’s Jewish community.
The first mention of Windsor was in the
April 21, 1916, Chronicle, the newspaper’s
eighth issue. It was an announcement for the
“decided success” of a “Maccabean play” pre-
sented at a benefit for Jewish War Sufferers.
From that time forward, the Society Pages of
the Chronicle and JN hold thousands of items
regarding synagogue and societal news from
Windsor.
Over the years, the Archive also published
thousands of advertisements for Windsor
businesses and products. Sometimes, the
ads provided evidence of cross-river busi-
ness partnerships. For example, see the
1917 ads for Royal Salad Dressing from
Horton-Cato Mfg. Co. based in Windsor
and Detroit. Many of us have shopped
in Windsor stores such as the famous
Freed’s, featured in the Dec. 1, 2005, JN.
Hundreds of marriages between Detroiters
and Windsorites have been announced in
the Chronicle and JN. For a more in-depth
look at love across the Detroit River, see
“Cross-Border Bliss” by Ronelle Grier. It
states that: “Wedding a Windsorite can be
‘the best of both worlds’ (Aug. 1, 2003).” An
earlier article, “Tunnel of Love,” discusses
how “Windsorites like Allen Feur look for
people to date across the border and else-
where (July 10, 1987).”
The JN also holds stories about other
cross-border events. Jewish Detroiters have
attended “Windsor Reunions” (June 28,
2018). The Jewish Historical Society of
Michigan has sponsored tours of Jewish sites
in Windsor (Aug. 1, 2013).
Jewish Detroit has a historic, intimate
relationship with Windsor. It’s been a love
affair since the 18th century.

Want to learn more? Go to the DJN Foundation
archives, available for free at www.djnfoundation.org.

Mike Smith
Alene and
Graham Landau
Archivist Chair