12 | JULY 28 • 2022
ON THE COVER
W
elcome Home, an initiative
seeking to grow three
Ontario Jewish communities,
will hold its kickoff event Sunday, Sept.
11, at the Windsor JCC as it seeks to
let Jews in Metro Detroit, Toronto and
beyond know about the opportunities
waiting just a short drive away.
Hamilton, London and Windsor
are preparing to welcome Jewish
immigrants interested in settling
down in their communities, which
offer a more reasonable cost of living
than nearby cities such as
Detroit or Toronto. Through
the program, newcomers
can get connected to
schools and social service
organizations, meet local
Jewish families and learn
more about the areas.
Federation CEOs Gustavo
Rymberg of Hamilton, Rob
Nagus of London and Dan
Brotman of Windsor are
helping lead the charge to
bring in potential residents.
“There are three communities with
open hearts and arms to welcome you,”
Rymberg says.
“There are so many
advantages in moving to
Canada — especially for
a young family,” explains
Brotman, noting the $10/
day (Canadian) childcare
throughout the country,
universal healthcare, good
access to public schools and
universities, and political stability in the
country.
“We’re 10 minutes to Detroit. You
still have access to the entire Detroit
community, but I think you’re living in
a fairer society,” he says.
Similar initiatives have been
successful in other communities in
Canada, says Brotman, particularly
Winnipeg and Halifax, where leaders
have used Canada’s open immigration
policies to grow shrinking populations.
Winnipeg brought 5,000 Jewish
immigrants to its community, a
substantial jump for the community of
about 15,000.
Meanwhile, even within the U.S.,
programs like Tulsa Tomorrow have
been incentivizing Jewish professionals
and entrepreneurs, inviting young
Jewish families, students and more to
come for a weekend tour and see if
Tulsa is the right community for them.
Initially targeted at young families
in the greater Toronto area, the fourth
most expensive housing market in
North America, Welcome Home
has expanded to get the word out
worldwide about these places and the
Jewish resources available for people
looking to move.
The pandemic bolstered the smaller
communities’ appeal, as workers were
increasingly able to keep their big city
jobs without living in big cities. Instead,
they sought more space and more
affordability in places where they could
bring their remote jobs with them,
Brotman says.
The campaign is also being promoted
to potential immigrants from Argentina
and Russia, two countries with
A Bridge So Near
Gustavo
Rymberg
Rob Nagus
Dan
Brotman
KAREN SCHWARTZ CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Windsor lures new Jewish residents — even from Detroit.
KEN LUND