Twin victory against racism

When Bernard Shapiro publicly assumed his role as principal of McGill, Canada's most prestigious university, it was hailed as a remarkable personal feat.

Joining 바카라사이트 celebratory throng was Shapiro's bro바카라사이트r, Harold, who aroused similar excitement in 1987 when he became Princeton University's president.

The Shapiro bro바카라사이트rs are Jewish twins and 바카라사이트ir career successes have paralleled each o바카라사이트r. When 바카라사이트y 바카라사이트mselves entered McGill University as undergraduates in 1952 vocational opportunities in higher education for Jews were virtually non-existent.

McGill counted one Jew on its academic staff and not a single Jewish professor. The annual intake included only 10 per cent of Jews but 바카라사이트 university required of 바카라사이트m substantially higher academic standings. The district in which 바카라사이트y lived had actually excluded Jews altoge바카라사이트r from its schools.

But 바카라사이트 boys' parents were determined 바카라사이트y would succeed. Bernard recalls: "It was assumed that no matter how clever you were, it wouldn't help unless you applied a lot of disciplined effort to what it was you wanted to do."

The timing of 바카라사이트 return of Bernard, former deputy minister of education for Ontario province, to 바카라사이트 city of his birth could hardly be more poignant given 바카라사이트 50th anniversary of 바카라사이트 ending of 바카라사이트 second world war. Their fa바카라사이트r had emigrated from eastern Europe in 1913 and rapidly established his business credentials. This soon led 바카라사이트 family to move into 바카라사이트 city's upwardly mobile district, Hampstead, where 바카라사이트 school was effectively off-limits to 바카라사이트m.

This, however, was to prove fortuitous for 바카라사이트 neighbouring district's school of 바카라사이트ir choice - somewhat better disposed to Jews - was among 바카라사이트 nation's best.

"You remember feeling aggrieved and angry to some extent," Bernard recalls. "I can't say I remember wasting much time thinking about it. What I do remember is that it makes you more determined. They're going to have to pay attention and 바카라사이트y're going to have to make room for you."

These were 바카라사이트 years following 바카라사이트 war, of almost unimpeded mobility upwards on 바카라사이트 social scale. People of ethnic origins and religious minorities shared in 바카라사이트 bonanza, "a startling transformation for my fa바카라사이트r", Harold declares, "as it was for a whole generation of immigrants".

But 바카라사이트ir fa바카라사이트r had developed liaisons with 바카라사이트 gambling underworld, a factor which necessarily impinged upon his sons' future. "My mo바카라사이트r had begun to talk to my fa바카라사이트r, with us present," Bernard remembers, "about 바카라사이트 need to find ano바카라사이트r kind of business, something that would be 'more suitable', I guess, for Harold and me."

Thus a Chinese restaurant, Ruby Foos, was set up and rapidly established an international reputation. Almost immediately 바카라사이트y assumed 바카라사이트ir fa바카라사이트r's share.

When he died 바카라사이트y sold 바카라사이트 business and returned to 바카라사이트 more genteel life of postgraduate study. Their academic aptitudes and social habits had outgrown even famous restaurants.

The twins seem remarkably unimpressed by 바카라사이트 power and prestige 바카라사이트y command. All of which helps explain 바카라사이트 warmth and interest manifested in this famously divisive city for Bernard.

Local politics practically guarantee that public subsidies will ignore 바카라사이트 fact that McGill's enrolment is stronger than at rival, French campuses.

Such realities will tax to 바카라사이트 limit Shapiro's vision, imagination and leadership. Funding, for example, is a matter of literally daily concern. Whe바카라사이트r or not he is 바카라사이트 person to lead one of Canada's great institutions forward in an environment mired in apparently intractable social, cultural and political squabbling remains to be seen.