Editing Samuel Bronfman (section)

==Biography ==
Samuel Bronfman was born onboard ship (en route to Canada) either in [[Soroki]] or in [[Otaci]], [[Soroksky Uyezd|Soroca uyezd]], [[Bessarabia]], then part of the [[Russian Empire]] (present-day [[Moldova]]),<ref name="martin">{{cite journal|last1=Martin|first1=Joseph E.|title=Titans|journal=Canada's History|date=2017|volume=97|issue=5|pages=47–53|issn=1920-9894}}</ref> one of eight children of Mindel and Yechiel Bronfman. He and his parents were [[Jewish]] refugees of [[Czarist]] [[Russia]]'s [[antisemitic]] [[pogroms]],<ref name="sam">Michael R. Marrus (1992). ''Samuel Bronfman: The Life and Times of Seagram's Mr. Sam''</ref>{{page needed|date=June 2022}} who immigrated to [[Wapella, Saskatchewan|Wapella]] in Saskatchewan' [[District of Assiniboia]]. They soon moved to [[Brandon, Manitoba|Brandon]], [[Manitoba]].<ref name="martin" /> A wealthy family, they were accompanied by their [[rabbi]] and two servants. Soon Yechiel learned that [[tobacco]] farming, which had made him a wealthy man in his homeland, was incompatible with the cold climate of that region. Yechiel was forced to work as a laborer for the [[Canadian Northern Railway]], and after a short time moved to a better job in a sawmill. Yechiel and his sons then started making a good living selling firewood and began a trade in frozen [[Freshwater whitefish|whitefish]] to earn a winter income. Eventually, they turned to trade horses, a venture through which they became involved in the hotel and bar business.<ref name="business">[http://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/44/The-Seagram-Company-Ltd.html The Seagram Company Ltd. - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on The Seagram Company Ltd<!-- Bot generated title -->]. ''referenceforbusiness.com''.</ref>

In 1903, the family bought a hotel business, and Samuel, noting that much of the profit was in alcoholic beverages, set up shop as a [[liquor]] distributor. He founded the ''Distillers Corporation'' in [[Montreal]] in 1924, specializing in cheap [[whisky]], and concurrently taking advantage of the U.S. [[prohibition]] on alcoholic beverages. The Bronfmans sold liquor to the northern cities of the U.S. such as [[Boston]], [[New York City]] and [[Chicago]] during the [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition era]], where alcohol production and distribution was illegal, while operating from the perimeters of [[Montreal]], [[Quebec]] where alcohol production was legal.<ref>[[Daniel Okrent]] (2010). ''Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition''. Simon & Schuster. {{ISBN|978-0-7432-7702-0}}. pp. 146–158.</ref>

On June 21, 1922, Bronfman married [[Saidye Rosner Bronfman|Saidye Rosner]] (December 9, 1896 – July 6, 1995), with whom he had four children:  Aileen Mindel "Minda" Bronfman de Gunzburg (1925–1985),
[[Phyllis Lambert]] (born January 24, 1927), [[Edgar Bronfman, Sr.|Edgar Miles Bronfman]] (June 20, 1929&nbsp;– December 21, 2013<ref>{{Cite web|title=Edgar M. Bronfman Sr. Obituary |date=2013 |work=Buffalo News |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/buffalonews/name/edgar-bronfman-obituary?pid=168708882|access-date=2021-08-18|via=Legacy.com}}</ref>), [[Charles Bronfman|Charles Rosner Bronfman]] (born June 27, 1931).