Bogomolny/Greenspan families (Niagara Falls, ON)

Scope and Content: Accession consists of textual records and photographs pertaining to the interrelated Bogomolny and Greenspan families of Niagara Falls. Included is correspondence and speeches relating to Hadassah, a 1957 Sisterhood cookbook, a Hadassah-WIZO 75th anniversary Commemorative Book, a syngagogue yearbook 1960-1961, B'nai B'rith certificates of Abe Bogomolny's, programmes and invitations to special events, two picture postcards and other family photographs, newspaper clippings relating to the Bogomolnys, and immigration documents from 1928. Also included is a senior undergraduate research paper written by Gerald Enchin (originally of Kitchener), entitled, "A Locational Analysis of the Kitchener-Waterloo Jewish Community," 1971.

Custodial History: Many of these records were collected and created by Jennie Greenspan Bogomolny, mother of the donor. They were passed to Brenda upon Jennie's death and kept until they came to the OJA.

Administrative History: Brenda Bogomolny Enchin is the daughter of Jennie Greenspan and Abe Bogomolny. Jennie was 8 years old in 1928 when she came to Canada with her mother and three brothers. Jennie's mother, Faige Bracha Pomerantz, posed as a widow coming to marry Morris Greenspan, even though they were already married. Morris had come ahead to Ontario where his brother Samuel was already settled. The accession includes documents from the rabbi in Poland attesting to Faige's widowed status so that she could get into Canada. Jennie's older brother was Joseph (father of Eddie and Brian Greenspan). Her younger brother, Abram, is living in Dundas as of 2008. The youngest child was Samuel, who was born in Sept. 1927 just a month after Morris had left Poland, so he met his youngest son a year later. Samuel died at age 48 in 1975.; Brenda’s mother Jennie married Abraham Bogomolny in 1946. He came to Niagara Falls in the 1930s, and with his brother Hymie opened the Niagara Rug Company, with braided and woven rugs. They were the biggest suppliers to department stores like Woolworths and Eaton’s. There was a fire in May 1968. Jennie was an elementary school teacher, she taught at Memorial School where the Greenspan children went, and Battleford Elementary School, which now gives out the Jennie Bogomolny Citizenship Award every year.

Use Conditions: Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.