Irina Levite
Researcher, Graduate Student
Where does your family come from?
I was born in Russia in the city of Murmansk. My father was born in Zhitomir, but he grew up in the Murmansk region. There was no synagogue or Jewish community there, and the family did not follow Jewish traditions. But my grandfather witnessed the preparation of railways for the deportation of Jews to Siberia. He was the head of the police department, and knew well how Jews were subjected to anti-Semitism. My father first heard about the Jewishness of our family when his grandfather was taken to the NKVD prison, where he was beaten for buying matzah for Passover. In the late 70’s, my father was already attending synagogue. However, he did not feel safe until we moved to Israel. At present my father is an expert in cybersecurity. My mother was born in Fergana. Her father was evacuated to Uzbekistan from Zhytomyr during the war. She was a youth Komsomol leader. Jewish traditions were not practiced in their family, since everyone worked in Soviet institutions, and it would have been extremely dangerous. My mother recalls how her father brought matzah, but at the time she did not understand its significance.
In 1991, we emigrated to Israel and lived in the city of Rishon LeZion.
In 1998, our entire family moved to Canada.
Where do you live now, and why did you choose this particular area ?
I currently live in Oshawa, Ontario. I worked as a nurse, but I have always been interested in science and research. But for this I needed to get a special education, and so I returned to school to pass exams for a bachelor's degree in forensic psychology . Xie ychas I finish a magistracy in the area of criminalization alistiki. Oshawa I am moved and to be used lizhe to campus technological th Institute and the University of Ontario, where she studied.
Tell us about your current work.
Currently I am a researcher, working in in a research group at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology on a project financed by the federal government, which in itself speaks about its importance. We are investigating anti-Semitism and hate crimes in Ontario and Quebec. Canadian Jews, by definition, are a prime target for all racists. Despite this, an academic study of anti-Semitism has not been conducted for several decades. As far as I know, in the Canadian university and college campuses, anti-Semitism has never been considered as a serious problem. We hope that our study will be able to provide much-needed information and be the beginning of other anti-hate initiatives, and will also help create support services for victims of hate crimes. Those who want to share their own stories related to anti-Semitism or hate crimes can take part in our study (visit the website at bit.ly/2L9mBYz). Your answers will be anonymous – the name of the person who provides us with the information will not be mentioned anywhere.
What do you do in your free time ? Do you have any hobbies?
My “hobby” is my two year old son, to whom I devoted all my free time away from work and study.
If you could choose to meet any person from any period of history, who would you want to meet?
I would choose my grandfather from my father's side. He was a crystal honest man, very kind and loving. He died before my son was born, and was (and remains) a very important person for me . I think that he would be proud of my achievements. I really miss him…
When did you begin participating in JRCC programs?
About three years ago I started to connect with the JRCC through a partner organization called JAM (Judaism and Modernity).
Do you like JRCC programs? Is participation in them important for you?
Participation in the life of the Jewish community is very important to me. It embodies the connection with my roots, my culture, and symbolizes my Jewish identity.
What are your plans for the future?
In the fall, after I complete my master's degree , I will begin my studies at York University to earn a doctorate in social law research.
