For many, a traditional Ontario experience revolves around summers at the cottage. These respites by the lake tap into our collective sense of freedom and desire to retreat into nature. This tradition was embraced by Jewish immigrants. As Ontario’s Jewish population grew, cottage industries emerged to support the influx of eastern European immigrants arriving by the thousands at the turn of the century.

Over time, resorts were established, colonies and collectives built, and individual cottages purchased, providing a welcome refuge from crowded living conditions in the city and summer’s oppressive heat. These vibrant Jewish resort and cottage communities formed in nearby locations like Lake Wilcox, Pickering, Brampton, Lake Simcoe, Pontypool, Muskoka, and Crystal Beach.

Jewish resorts catered to the specific needs of the community by offering kosher food and Shabbat observance. They provided a space for Jewish families to socialize and communicate in their native language while enjoying quintessential summer activities.

But behind these warm beach scenes lay a cold and dark reality. Overt antisemitism limited access for Jewish patrons to other resorts and cottage communities, a discriminatory practice that was publicized on signage and in advertisements. Restrictive land covenants even prohibited the sale of land to Jewish people.

In 1948, a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of Canada struck down these covenants, but individual resort restrictions continued for many years after. Over time, demand waned for the Jewish resorts that defined this era, and one-time institutions like Smith’s Bay House closed.

Today, Jewish cottage life in Ontario, and remains a beloved tradition for many Jewish families, who eagerly await their summer escapes.