Eli Mandel

Dr. Elias (Eli) Wolf Mandel
b- Dec 3, 1922 in Estevan SK
d- Sept 3, 1992 in Toronto ON

Poet, Essayist, Anthologist
In an interview called himself a “Prairie Poet”
Born to Russian Jewish parents who emigrated from the Ukraine.

His father was Charles Mandel
b- ca 1893 in Nikohav Russia
d- Sept 1, 1956 in Hospital in Regina SK. age 63
Funeral in the Chesed Shel Emes Chapel.
Buried in the Memorial Park of the Beth Jacob Synagogue.

1920 Charles Mandel married a Jewish girl from Hirsch SK.
Eli's Mother- Eva Mandel, nee Berner,
b- ca 1899? in Russia (I believe this is wrong, should be England, and year I believe is wrong as well.)
d- July 1955 in Hospital, in Regina, age 56, after a long illness.
Buried in the Jewish Cemetery in Regina.
Eva came from England in 1899 with her parents
She was a member of the Hadassah Organization for many years.
She had 2 brothers Alex Berner and William “Meyer?” Berner,
living in San Francisco in 1955

see my Hirsch Post Office Page, for Berner Family history

Charles Mandel immigrated to Canada, ca 1907, when he was 14 years old, the family settled in Estevan, where he was in the Grocery business for 25 years.

In 1935 the Charles Mandel family moved to Regina.

Charles Mandel owned the Crown Grocery at 2635 Dewdney Ave. in Regina. in 1955
When Eva died in 1955, they lived at 1858 Winnipeg St. in Regina.

Charles was President of the Family Foods Stores, which he founded in June 1954
Member of the Regina Jewish community for 23 years.
Lived at 2341 Montreal St in Regina when he died.

Eli's sister, Rita Yuditsky, nee Mandel, of Calgary AB.
Her husband Edward Yuditsky

Brother to Charles, and Uncle to Eli Mandel, was Max Mandel, a Store Merchant, in Estevan.
Max was born in the Russian village of Podouluy in 1884.
Max arrived in Canada in 1908, and spent his first year at Emerson MB.
In 1911 Estevan census, boarding with Robert Phillips family, at the time.
Eli was a cousin to Jake Barney Mandel, son of Max, who died in WWII.

Eli Mandel was awarded the I.O.D.E. National Post Graduate Scholarship, thru ECI, in 1949

His family moved to Regina in 1935, so I doubt if he attended ECI, but would have attended Elementary Public Schools in Estevan

1942 attended Regina College taking classes in Pharmacy

1943 enlisted and served in Canada's Medical Corps during World War II, discharged in 1946

Studied English at the University of Saskatchewan, BA in 1949, attaining a Master of Arts degree in 1950. Earned his PhD at the University of Toronto in 1957.

Mandel worked in the following academic postings:
University of Alberta, University of Calgary, York University.

Besides his poetry, he wrote other works such as his 1969 essay, on fellow poet Irving Layton.

Author of 10 volumes of poetry, and 2 Essay collections.
One poem, written in 1977, named “Out of Place”, was about his literal and spiritual return to Estevan.

Received the following awards for his poetry:
University of Western Ontario President's Medal for poetry- 1963
-Poetry/Drama winner,
Governor General's Awards, for “An Idiot Joy” in 1967
-Silver Jubilee medal in 1977
-Made a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 1982
-Honorary Doctor of Letters, York University in 1989

Married twice:
1. Miriam Minovitch
b- June 24, 1930 in Rock Glen SK.
d- Feb 13, 1982
married in 1949, divorced 1967.
they had a daughter, Evie Mandel, and a son, Charles Mandel.

Father- Oscar P. Monovitch
Mother- Fanny Friedman
they lived at 3056 25th Ave. in Regina SK in June 1959

Graduate of University of SK.
Moved with Eli to Edmonton AB.
Miriam also became a Writer,
She also won the Governor General's Award, for “Lions at her Face” in 1972

2- Ann Hardy
they had a daughter, Sara Mandel.

Eli Mandel and His Works
Book written by Mr. Dennis Cooley
ISBN 10: 1-55022-071-3
ISBN 13: 978-1-55022-071-1
5.5 x 9 in, 93 pages, paperback
published Aug 1992

Note- the author of this book, Mr. Dennis Cooley is a very famous Poet also, and is another person Born and Raised in Estevan,
but the good news is, he is alive and well, living in Winnipeg, MB

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