Now, it’s an article of semi-secular faith among many Jews in Toronto (and, I imagine, other big cities) that when they (or their parents or grandparents) were growing up, they were exposed to signs that read “No Dogs or Jews Allowed.”
Except Csillag couldn’t find any physical evidence to prove such signs ever existed.
The Jewish archives and libraries in Toronto and Montreal do indeed possess photos of signs that read “Gentiles Only,” “No Jews Allowed,” and variations on that theme. Not surprisingly, the most hysterical example comes from a Quebec resort town, and warns Jews (in French) to “scram while the going is good.”
Csillag notes that numerous highly respected Canadian Jewish historians insist, to the point of irritation, that “No Dogs or Jews” signs were real, but they can’t provide sound references or examples.
