Who Gets in - by Norman Ravvin (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

An eye-opening account of the Jewish immigration experience in the 1930s, and one man's battle against anti-Semitic immigration policies.

In 1930, a young Jewish man, Yehuda Yosef Eisenstein, arrived in Canada from Poland to escape persecution and the rise of Nazism in the hopes of starting a new life for himself and his family. Like countless others who made this journey from "non-preferred" countries, Eisenstein was only granted entry because he claimed to be single, starting his new life with a lie. He trusted that his wife and children would be able to follow after he had gained legal entry and found work. For years, he was given two choices: remain in North America alone, or return home to Poland to be with his family.

Born from years of archival research, Who Gets In is author Norman Ravvin's deeply personal family memoir, telling the story of his grandfather's resolute struggle against xenophobic and anti-Semitic government policies. Ravvin also provides a shocking exposé of the true character of nation-building in Canada and directly challenges its reputation as a benevolent, tolerant, and multicultural country.

Review Quotes

"Ample, vibrant. Canadian immigrants' lives were controlled by individual bureaucrats' vicissitudes, catching them in a double bind; against prevailing rhetoric, the sobering historical investigation Who Gets In exposes the connected stereotypes, ideologies, and invisible identities."-- "Foreword Reviews"

About the Author

Norman Ravvin is the award-winning author of The Girl Who Stole Everything, Hidden Canada: An Intimate Travelogue, and A House of Words: Jewish Writing, Identity, and Memory. Born in Calgary, he now lives in Montreal, Quebec.