Sol Nayman was born in Stoczek Wegrowki, Poland on November 5, 1935. In September 1939 Sol escaped with his family to the forest and then to the Soviet Union. They were sent to a labour camp in Syktyvkar in Komi which was just south of the Arctic circle on the same latitude as Yellowknife and later to another labour camp in the Ukraine. When the war ended they found themselves in a German DP camp and stayed there until 1948. They learned that Canada was accepting a limited quota of tailors to work in the growing garment industry after several prominent Canadian Jewish manufacturers undoubtedly had to provide adequate financial guarantees. They immigrated to Canada in 1948 and first settled in Montreal later moving to Toronto where he helped create a major clothing label. Sol and his beloved wife Queenie have 2 sons and 5 grandchildren.

Explore more of Sol Nayman’s story:

• The Times of Israel, “In Poland, Canadian Holocaust survivor returns to native village as sole local Jew” May 8, 2023