Ernst Salzberg
Engineering and Hydrogeology, Pianist North York
Where is your family from, and how long have you live in Ontario?
My mother was born in Tiraspol (Bessarabia). My father is from Yegorievsk, in the Moscow Region. I can’t believe it’s been so long, but I’ve lived in Toronto, in North York, since January
1981.
Why did you choose to live in North York?
I wanted to be closer, physically and spiritually, to my “tribesmen.”
What do you do in your free time? Do you have any hobbies?
Since 2005, I have served as the editor-compiler of collections of “Russian Jews in America” (known as “Reva”). To date, we have published seven volumes. The purpose of the publication is to show the role of Russian Jews in the economic, cultural, scientific, artistic and political movements in North and South America. In the collections we feature participating authors from the USA , Canada, Argentina, Germany , Poland, Israel and Russia. Among them are many well-known scientists, journalists, cultural scholars, and simple enthusiasts. Along with biographical sketches and essays about historical characters and our contemporaries, we publish a variety of materials, such as letters and memoirs, related to the main theme of the collections. As a result, the content is quite diverse and is of interest to both specialists and ordinary readers interested in the contribution of Russian Jews to American society. In addition, I work in the field of hydrogeology and problems associated with the ability to predict earthquakes (together with my colleague G. Vartanyanom).
If you were given the opportunity to meet anyone, alive or dead, who would you choose, and why?
I would choose Dr. Charles (Chaim) Spivak [born in 1861, Russia, died in 1927, Denver, Colorado]. He was a physician, writer, journalist, linguist, an administrator, a fighter for the public health system. From 1899 until his death in 192 , as director of one of the largest in the United States tuberculosis sanatoriums (National Jewish Hospital in Denver), Charles became one of the leading figures in the fight against the disease in the United States. His bright personality manifested itself in everything from solutions to medical problems to staff interactions with patients (most of them were Eastern European Jews) and the collection of donations.
Spivak was one of the first physicians in the United States who understood the importance of the hospital environment for patients, and to take their ethnicity and religion into account. As a result, they continued to observe traditional Jewish religious practices, and, at the same time, gain knowledge about the rights and customs of their new country of residence, the United States. Spivak's views were a unique blend of Judaism, socialism, and human values. He felt at ease performing traditional holiday dinners for patients, explaining Shakespeare, or celebrating the Fourth of July. It seems to me that Dr. Spivak embodied the best features and qualities of Russian Jews who have found a way to make a positive impact in the United States.
What are your future plans?
To publish two or three more volumes of "Reva."
