Education
Born in Toronto, Ontario, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree (1963), Master of Arts (1964) degree, and Doctor of Philosophy (1969) from the University of Toronto.
historian university professor
Born in Toronto, Ontario, he received his Bachelor of Arts degree (1963), Master of Arts (1964) degree, and Doctor of Philosophy (1969) from the University of Toronto.
He specializes in the history of the Jews in Canada and the Canadian labour movement
His books have included Coat of Many Colours: Two Centuries of Jewish Life in Canada (1990) and None is Too Many: Canada and the Jews of Europe 1933-1948 (1982). He is a professor at York University and is a former president of the Canadian Jewish Congress (1992 to 1995). He was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002.
They have two sons, Jacob and Zachary.
Irving Abella is the cousin of Isaac Abella.
In 2014, he was made a Member of the Order of Ontario "for his contribution to documenting the story of Jewish Canadians, and his commitment to the principles of social justice and tolerance.".