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Eli Bloch
- Accession Number
- 2015-10-6
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2015-10-6
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- 2 photographs (tiff) : b&w
- Date
- 1897-1960, 1993
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the activities of Eli Bloch. Included are photocopies of correspondence, newsclippings, Eli's Canadian certificate of naturalization, travel documents, South African licenses, and a genealogical family tree for the Bloch family. Also included are two photographs of Eli in his later years.
- Custodial History
- The original records are in the possession of Gerry Bloch, the grandson of Eli Bloch. Gerry is the son of Eli's son Norman.
- Administrative History
- Eli (Elias) Bloch was born in 1872 to Nokhum Tevel Rabinovitch in Kishinev Moldava. He had four siblings: Golda, Joseph, Samuel and Bertha. In the 1890s Eli and his siblings (with the exception of Golda) immigrated to South Africa. Bertha married Theodore Dissler (an importer/exporter). During the Boer War, Eli and his brother Joseph fought with the Dutch. After the war, Dissler employed Eli in his business. In 1907, Dissler sent Eli to sell ostrich feathers in various cities around the world, including: London (England), Montreal and Toronto. While in Toronto, Eli attended the First Roumanian Hebrew Congregation Adath Israel where he met his future wife Leah Madonik and chose to remain in Ontario, without completing his task of selling ostrich feathers in the remaining cities on his itinerary. He married Leah in 1909. From about 1911 until 1922, Eli and Leah lived in Gravenhurst and ran a general store on the main street. They had four children together: Harry (1912-1945), Rose (1914-1994), Rachel (Rae) (1916-2000), and Norman (1916-1989). Rachel and Norman were twins.
- In 1922, Elias and Leah moved to Mactier and opened a general store. By 1926, Leah and the children were living in London, ON and Elias continued to operate the general store. He saw the family regularly. Around 1935, Elias left Mactier. He remained in London until he moved to Toronto in 1942. Elias passed away in Toronto in 1960.
- Descriptive Notes
- Language note: English, Yiddish, and Russian
- Subjects
- Immigrants--Canada
- Families
- South Africa--Emigration and immigration
- Source
- Archival Accessions