A warm Jewish heart in Hamilton

by BAILA LAZARUS

A biting wind blows up King Street forcing my friend and me to hunch our shoulders against it. Just a few more blocks, though, and we are at our destination – perhaps the warmest place in Hamilton – the Westdale Deli.

The warmth we experience entering through the swinging glass door is not just due to the heat coming from the stove, but from the friendly face that greets us from behind the counter – that of owner Meir Kaider.

"Come in, come in, get warm," he entreats, offering coffee or home-made soup to warm us up. We settle in to chat over a bagel and creamcheese.

The Westdale Deli is a fixture in Hamilton, much like Sabra's on Oak Street or Omnitsky's on Cambie in Vancouver. Kaider and his wife, Necha, have been behind the counter for 17 years.

Originally from Israel, the Kaiders began to think about moving after visiting relatives in Hamilton in 1982. They "fell in love with the peace and quiet." And, though they came in one of the worst winters Hamilton had experienced, they were not discouraged.

"I figured there are 30 million people here. If they are surviving...." Kaider's voice trails off. "Anyway, in Israel, it was often harder to live."

At the time, Kaider said, there was 400 per cent inflation in Israel.

Interested in the food business, and with an appetite for entertaining, as well, Kaider and his wife bought the deli, had it kashered and transformed it into an eatery that seats 20.

He started introducing the clientele to Middle Eastern dishes, such as babaganoush, falafel, tabouleh and humous, along with hearty soups, such as vegetarian borsht and lentil soup with rice, all made fresh on the premises. Most of the customers enjoy his new creations, but he can always tell when they're not enthusiastic, even when they're trying to be polite.

"Israelis will tell you if they don't like something," Kaider said, smiling. "Canadians, if they try something and don't like it, they say, 'It's nice.' 'It's interesting.' "

All the food made in the deli is vegetarian and deli meats are brought in from neighboring Toronto, just an hour away.

One of the things that impressed Kaider about Canadians is the help and advice he received when he started up his business. He was also struck by the way people in other stores go out of their way to help him as a customer.

"When we came here, we didn't imagine people would do that – show you where to go [if they don't have what you're looking for], even if they are sending you to a competitor."

Kaider said he's still impressed with Canada 20 years later. He has found Canadians to be somewhat of a mirror image of Israelis. While Israelis are a bit hard on the outside, they're very warm and welcoming. Canadians, on the other hand, are very friendly with strangers, but a bit reserved when you try to get to know them.

Still, there are a lot of similarities between Israel and Canada that have helped the Kaiders feel at home.

"I find something amazing in Canada," Kaider said. "In Israel, people come from all over the world and make a life there. Canada is like Israel in that way and when you have friends from different cultures, you learn about them. People are living under one umbrella, even if they're fighting elsewhere in the world."

The deli has been kept busy enough over the years to provide for Kaider and his family, which includes a daughter, Iris, who's 28, and a son, Hadar, 22. But Kaider hopes some new initiatives by the Hamilton Jewish community will bring a little more business. The federation there is trying to generate interest in the community, which now stands at 5,000 Jews, and hopes to entice 80 families to move there, mostly from Toronto, over the next three years. One visit to the Wesdale Deli should do the trick.

For more information on Jewish Hamilton, visit www.jewishhamilton.org. The Westdale Deli is located at 893 King St. W. Phone 905-529-2605.

Baila Lazarus is a freelance writer, photographer and illustrator living in Vancouver, Canada. Her work can be seen at www.orchiddesigns.net.