Judith "Judy" Feld Carr, , (born December 26, 1938) is a Canadian musicologist and human rights activist. Between the early 1970s and 2001, she was involved in efforts to facilitate the emigration of more than 3,000 Jews from Baathist Syria. The initiative involved raising funds and negotiating exits for individuals and families, often under restrictive conditions.

Early life and education

Feld Carr was born in Montreal and raised in Sudbury, Ontario. She attended the University of Toronto, where she earned a Bachelor of Music in music education and a Master of Music in musicology. She was also active in the Toronto Jewish community, serving as the first female president of the Beth Tzedec Congregation in 1982–83. They began sending parcels containing religious materials to communities in Syria, which served as a form of communication and support. Using coded correspondence, they established a secret line of communication with Rabbi Ibrahim Hamra, the Chief Rabbi of Syria, and others within the Syrian Jewish community.

Following Ronald Feld's death in 1973, the Dr. Ronald Feld Fund for Jews in Arab Lands was established at Toronto’s Beth Tzedec Synagogue, in his memory to support related humanitarian work. Feld Carr continued coordinating emigration efforts, often working through private networks and intermediaries. This included negotiating with Syrian officials and arranging third-country routes, sometimes involving bribes or logistical support.

According to published accounts, she facilitated the departure of individuals and families under various pretexts, such as medical visits or family emergencies, with the understanding that they would not return. She maintained contacts with Syrian community members and worked with diaspora organizations to sustain the initiative. By the early 1980s, she had established an underground network of contacts inside Syria, comprising Jews as well as sympathetic Muslims and Christians, who assisted in relaying information and facilitating escapes.

In 1992, the Baathist Syrian government permitted the remaining Jews to emigrate on the condition that they not move to Israel. Feld Carr worked to help arrange the emigration of as many people as possible while the opportunity existed. In total, from the 1970s until the operation’s end in 2001, Feld Carr’s efforts brought 3,228 Jews out of Syria, and safely resettled them in Israel, North America, and other destinations.

Throughout the operation, those in the Syrian Jewish community who knew of the rescues referred to their benefactor only as "Mrs. Judy in Canada," often without ever learning her full name. Extreme secrecy was maintained to protect all involved, as any public exposure could have endangered lives and shut down the escape route. Over time, Feld Carr became the central coordinator of what has been described as "the best-kept secret in the Jewish world" of that era.

Awards and recognition

In June 2012, Feld Carr was one of the first six recipients of The Presidential Award of Distinction of the State of Israel. The Award was created by President Shimon Peres earlier that year, in order to "recognize outstanding contribution to the Jewish People and the State of Israel".

  • The Simon Wiesenthal Centre Medal of Valor, 2001
  • Dr Jane Evans Pursuit of Justice Award of Women of Reform Judaism of North America, 2009

Publications and media

The account of Feld Carr’s activities has been documented in several sources. A biography by Harold Troper was published in 1999 under the title The Ransomed of God: The Remarkable Story Of One Woman's Role in the Rescue of Syrian Jews, republished by Lester, Mason & Begg under the title The Rescuer: The Amazing True Story of How One Woman Helped Save the Jews of Syria. A documentary film titled Miss Judy aired on Israeli television in 2011 and was later shown at Canadian film festivals.

Personal life

Feld Carr lives in Toronto. She has three children from her first marriage and three stepchildren from her second marriage to Donald Carr, a Canadian lawyer and Jewish communal leader.

See also

  • Jewish community of Toronto

References

  • ‘Unbelievable’ story of former Sudburian published twice
  • Investiture of the Order of Canada, May 31, 2001
  • Rescuing Syrian Jews
  • Order of Canada Citation
  • Mrs. Judy's Secret