Level

Item

Item

2994

Material Format

graphic material

Date

28 May 1973

Physical Description

1 photograph

Scope and Content

Betty Beckerman (president).

Clarice Phillips (Youth Aliyah chaiman).

Notes

See accession record.

Name Access

Phillips, Clarice

Beckerman, Betty

Hadassah-Wizo Organization of Toronto

Subjects

Charities

Children

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

1978-1-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2008-3-3

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

30 cm of textual records

3 photographs

Date

[1915?-1995]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records from Peterborough's Hadassah chapter, including minute books 1951-1995; donation books 1960-1989; records from the 10th Annual Antique Sale, 1979; a notebook and scrapbook from the 1963 Bazaar; a clippings and photos file, 1915-1983; one poster on Hadassah-WIZO; and the guestbook from the 1974 Golden Anniversary dinner. There is also a copy of the 50th Anniversary commemorative book, Golden Jubilee: Canadian Hadassah-WIZO 1917-1967.

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.

Source

Archival Accessions

• 
• 

Part Of

Folks Farein fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

105

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

architectural drawing

Date

1914-1977

Physical Description

3.07 m of textual records

110 photographs : b&w and col. (hand-tinted) ; 51 x 41 cm or smaller

6 architectural drawings : 70 x 36 or smaller

Admin History/Bio

The Folks Farein, also known as the Hebrew National Association, was established in 1914 by a group of Toronto Jewish immigrants as a society dedicated to anti-missionary and educational outreach. They were first located at 23 Cecil Street and moved to 37 Cecil Street around 1940.

In the early years of the Folks Farein's existence, Christian missions and a number of Jewish converts to Christianity sought to exploit the situation of poor Jews in the community through the distribution of direct relief, services of doctors and midwives and by street-corner preaching and proselytizing. To counteract the work of the Toronto missionaries the Folks Farein offered a number of services including welfare for working mothers, a reading room, English language classes and translation services for Yiddish immigrants.

When the threat from missionary activity was no longer an issue, the Folks Farein transformed itself into a philanthropic society. Under its revised mandate the society looked after the sick and needy in hospitals, sanatoriums, mental health institutions and in their homes, and arranged for free doctor services, translation services, medicine, dentures, eyeglasses, orthopedic shoes and medical appliances. The Folks Farein guaranteed the full or partial payment of medical bills by maintaining a fund in several hospitals for the benefit of Jewish patients in need of assistance. They provided assistance to seniors applying for old age pensions, to widows and mothers applying for benefits, assisted needy families and patients with kosher meals, provided cash relief during Passover, and fed and billeted the unemployed and homeless at their premises at 37 Cecil Street.

In the course of their work, the Folks Farein collaborated with many Jewish organizations and societies such as the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society, Jewish Family Welfare Bureau, Relief Unemployment Fund, Jewish Joint Application Bureau, Jewish Children's Bureau, the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto, Canadian Jewish Congress and the Toronto Hebrew Free Loan Association.

Its basis of revenue came from its large membership, house-to-house contributions from the public and from special events such as its annual ball, Moes Chittin campaign, Purim ball, and beauty contests.

In addition to its regular activities the Folks Farein assumed responsibility for providing aid to refugees of the Second World War: the first group arriving from Europe in 1945 and in 1948 to a group of Jewish tailors liberated from the DP camps of Germany. In 1947, the Folks Farein established Hachnoses Orchim, a temporary shelter to accommodate refugees and displaced persons. The shelter was located at 37 Cecil Street.

The Folks Farein's first officers were Mr. J. Graner (president), Mr. J. Meisniker (vice-president), Mr. Meyer Littner (superintendent), Chuna Mosoff and Mr. W. Welman (trustees), Miss Weiner and Mr. Cohen (board of education), Mr. A. Kaminsky (recording secretary) and Mr. Cohen (treasurer). Mr. Epstein referred to as "Grandfather" was one of the founders of the Folks Farein.

Other pioneers included Moshe Oelbaum, and M. Spiegel (1st vice-president), J. Hurwitz (1st vice-president and president), Abraham Sher, S.M. Shapiro Shlesinger, Joseph Grenner, Mrs. Minna Winter (president of the Women's Auxiliary) and Kalman Wagner. In 1930, David Green assumed the position of president of the Folks Farein and served as its exclusive president from 1934 until his passing on 13 May 1977. Sam Cohen was then elected the new president of the Folks Farein.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting the Folks Farein's philanthropic activities in the Toronto Jewish community from 1914 to 1977. Records include meeting minutes and agendas of the executive board and committees, resolutions of board of directors, newspaper clippings in both Yiddish and English, publicity material, photographs, general correspondence, architectural drawings, cemetery deeds, legal documents, records relating to David Green's personal interests, financial and fundraising records, wills and bequests, and client case files. The records have been arranged into nine series: Meeting minutes; Scrapbooks; Executive services; Celebrations and events; Building and operations; David Green; Finance and fundraising; and Case files.

Notes

Formerly cited as MG2 O1N.

Name Access

Folks Farein

Hebrew National Association (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Charities

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Jewish Family and Child fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

79

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1933-2011

Physical Description

ca. 4.8 m of texutal records and other material

Admin History/Bio

Jewish Family & Child was established in 1943 from the amalgamation of a variety of different social agencies formed as early as 1868. These included the Ladies Benevolent Fund, the Free Burial Society, Jewish Family Welfare Bureau, Jewish Children’s Bureau, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and the Ladies Maternal Aid Society. Much of its funding and support after its inception came from the United Jewish Welfare Fund.

The first executive director of the agency was Dora Wilensky. She was a trained social worker who served for twenty-eight years, until her untimely death from cancer in 1959. Jerome Diamond took over in 1960 and Gordon Wolfe succeeded him in 1981. Ron Levin briefly replaced Wolfe after his retirement in 2003, and was succeeded in 2006 by Dr. Richard Cummings who then retired in 2015. As of 2017, Brian Prousky is the organization’s current executive director.

During the early years, fees were established, but the agency never refused to assist clients because of their inability to pay. JF&CS became one of the first agencies to rely on trained social workers. It was also the first social agency in Canada to become unionized.

Over the years the agency’s role has changed and it has expanded significantly, in terms of its staff and services. After the Second World War it played a pivotal role supporting the Holocaust orphans who came to Canada as refugees, particularly in the area of locating foster parents for these children. By 1957, the agency hired its first counsellor and became a member of the United Community Fund of Greater Toronto. The year 1968 marked the start of JF&CS’ new program involving the use of a mobile treatment centre to reach out to Jewish street kids and in 1974 they established the Jerome D. Diamond Adolescent Centre.

In 1981, JF&CS was mandated by the Province of Ontario as a Jewish children’s aid society responsible for the care and protection of all Jewish youth in the GTA. In 1983 they established the Just-A-Second Shop at 3101 Bathurst Street, which took in used goods from the community to pass on to needy families. Two years later they established the Henry G. Goodman Home for developmentally challenged children on Wilmington Avenue. The following year marked the opening of the Elm Ridge Group Living Residence for elderly people. In 1988, they opened a special shelter for abused women and children, and in 1994, they introduced their Homework Club for kids.

The current mission of Jewish Family & Child is to support the healthy development of individuals, children, families, and communities through prevention, protection, counselling, education, and advocacy services, within the context of Jewish values. Their services include counselling, rehabilitation and support, foster care, family services, and community services. These services are offered in a host of different languages including Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian, French, and English.

JF&CS is an independent organization that receives its funding from a variety of different sources such as UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, United Way Toronto and York Region, the Government of Ontario, and individual donations.

As of 2017, JF&CS has nearly 130 staff providing more than thirty community services with a budget of almost $20 million. Their main office is located in the Lipa Green Centre for Community Services at 4600 Bathurst Street. They also maintain offices and run services out of their downtown branch at 35 Madison Avenue, their York Region branch inside UJA’s 1 Open Door at the Lebovic JCC, and their Jerome D. Diamond Adolescent Centre in midtown Toronto.

Name Access

Jewish Family and Child

Wilensky, Dora, 1902-1959

Wolfe, Gordon

Diamond, Jerome D.

Subjects

Charities

Children

Families

Nonprofit organizations

Access Restriction

Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing the records.

Related Material

See also: Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds (fonds 86); Jewish Family Welfare Bureau fonds (fonds 87); Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds (fonds 66); and, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds (fonds 67).

Creator

Jewish Family and Child (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

2004-5-101

2004-1-8

2002-10-38

2006-6-7 (Shelf 03-6,Orphan index cards)

2009-12-9

2010-4-1 (Shelf 34-1)

2010-10-5

2015-8/11

2015-9/1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

Syrelle Bernstein

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

1 print : b&w ; 32 x 43 cm

Date

1975

Scope and Content

Accession consists of an artwork of the Hadassah Bazaar that appears to be titled "The Big Day" and is dated 1975. The work is signed but the artist's signature cannot be made out.

Custodial History

Lauren Goodman mailed the artwork to one of the OJA's archivists as a donation from Syrelle Bernstein.

Use Conditions

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Subjects

Bazaars (Charities)

Drawing

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

12

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[197-]

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

This item is a group photograph of members of the Rishon Chapter. The members are seated and standing in a board room of a hotel or synagogue. Pictured are:

Back row, left to right: Rose Green, Mae Spencer, [unidentified], Florence Rother, Sylvia Roth, [unidentified], [unidentified], Mollie Alexandroff, [unidentified], [unidentified], Beulah Eckler, Gladys Sagman, [unidentified], Evelyn Florence, Sybil Gordon, Lil Feldman (m. Rotstein), Helen Glazer, Sylvia Cummings.

Front row, left to right: Leah Bassett, Debby Alter, Shirley Taylor, Tamara Rosen, Helen Tator, Clara Stein, Dene Eckler, Hilda Young, Bernice Singer, Mimi Wise, Sadie Wise, Bess Yolleck, Lil Topp, [unidentified], [unidentified], Alice Samuels, [unidentified], Elinor Moses.

Notes

Photographer unknown.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

2003-6-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Other organizations series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

7

File

5

Material Format

textual record

Date

1947-1953

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2014-8-1

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 10 x 15 cm

Date

30 May 1999

Scope and Content

Accession consists of one photograph of members of the Leah Chapter of Haddassah at a social gathering (likely unrelated to Hadassah business). Identified is:

Standing (left to right): Kati Lichtman, Oli Mittelman, Edo Werner, Irene Ehrenfeld, Kato Juretsky, Magda Fleischmann, Feri Fleischmann, Vica Barton, Miriam Rosenthal, Georgina Rigor, Agi Berk.

Seated (left to right): Rozi Ehrenfeld, Clara Reitman, and Eva Halas.

Custodial History

The photograph was in the possession of Lilian Rosenthal, the niece of Ella Fleishmann. She donated the photograph c/o her cousin Esther Halevi (the daughter of Lilian).

Administrative History

The Leah Chapter of Hadassah was founded by Ella Fleischmann in honour of her mother Leah Schwarcz who perished in the Holocaust.

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

General community activities series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

11

File

14

Material Format

textual record

Date

[ca. 1960]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of a membership list.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

1130

Material Format

graphic material

Date

5 Nov. 1958

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 18 x 13 cm and 12 x 10 cm

Scope and Content

This item is a copy print and corresponding negative of a Hadassah bazaar in Brantford, Ontario. The photo depicts a large crowd of women gathered around a rack of coats for sale. Individuals pictured include Hilda Gordon, Rita Abeles, Rae Gazer, Trudy Katz and Rose Brown.

Notes

Reproduction restriction note: Original photograph owned by the Brantford Expositor.

Name Access

Hadassah-Wizo

Subjects

Bazaars (Charities)

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Brantford (Ont.)

Accession Number

1976-6-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

4412

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[1985 or 1986]

Physical Description

1 photograph

Notes

Original photo by Graphic Artists, Toronto.

Name Access

Hadassah-Wizo Organization of Toronto

Subjects

Bazaars (Charities)

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

1986-12-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

86

Material Format

textual record

Date

1932-1943

Physical Description

23 cm of textual records

Admin History/Bio

The Jewish Child Welfare Association (JCWA) was formed in 1936 through the amalgamation of the Jewish Children’s Bureau, the Jewish Big Brother Movement, and the Jewish Big Sister Committee. This merger was intended to improve service to families in the community by making one agency responsible for all cases dealing with children and adolescents. The JCWA’s funding primarily came from the Federation for Jewish Philanthropies (later the United Jewish Welfare Fund) and municipal and provincial grants.

The JCWA’s chairman was Bertram N. Davis and first executive secretary was Anne Gussack. Gussack was succeeded by Freda Manson in 1939 and Aaron B. Feld in 1941. Soon after its formation in 1936, the JCWA became one of the first unionized social agencies in Canada when it formed the Staff Association with the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau (JFWB).

Located at 179 Beverley Street, the JCWA’s core activities included placing children in foster homes, arranging adoptions, supervising children in their own homes, providing housekeeping services to families, and providing supervision and guidance to unmarried mothers. The JCWA paid for the foster children’s room and board, clothing, and medical care; supervised their religious education; and supplied scholarships for vocational training through its Jewish Children’s Vocational Fund. The JCWA also ran the Foster Mothers’ Parent Education Group, initiated a foster day care program to allow foster mothers to work, and arranged for the placement of children in summer camps. A constant problem for JCWA was the lack of appropriate foster homes. In order to secure more homes, the agency regularly engaged in a foster homefinding publicity campaign.

The Child Welfare Committee of the Hebrew Maternity Aid Society assisted the JCWA with finding and visiting foster homes, arranging adoptions, and attending to chronic clinical cases. The Hebrew Maternity Aid Society also participated in a Car Corp program with the JCWA by providing its social workers with volunteer drivers to help them travel to different locations.

The JCWA’s Big Brother and Big Sister Departments provided guidance for delinquent, troubled, and developmentally disabled adolescents through individual and group work. Both departments assisted troubled youth with employment, vocational training, school adjustment, and recreational activities. In 1941, the Big Sister Committee left the JCWA to become affiliated with the JFWB.

Discussions regarding the co-ordination of services between the JCWA and the JFWB began as early as 1935. Since both agencies worked with children and families, a merger was believed necessary to improve service to the community and ease confusion. In February 1943, the JCWA and the JFWB merged to form the Jewish Family and Child Services (JF & CS).

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of textual records documenting the programs, operation, finances and special projects and studies of the Jewish Child Welfare Association and its predecessor the Jewish Children's Bureau. Included is correspondence, reports, surveys, memos, meeting notices, agendas and minutes, financial records, questionnaires, speeches, client and membership lists, case presentations, news articles, theatrical scripts, event invitations and statistics.

Fonds has been arranged with one sous-fonds, which contains the records of the Jewish Children's Bureau. In total there are 25 series. The Jewish Child Welfare Association (main fonds) series are: 1. Board of Trustees; 2. Executive Director; 3. Committees; 4. Adoption; 5. Foster care; 6. Summer camp program; 7. Nursery school; 8. Jewish Children's Vocational Board; 9. Finance and accounting; 10. Human Resources; 11. Operational statistics; 12. Special studies and surveys; 13. Publicity; 14. Liaison with other social welfare organizations; and 15. Welfare Council of Toronto. The Jewish Children's Bureau (sous-fonds) series are: 1. Board of Trustees; 2. Executive Director; 3. Adoption; 4. Foster care; 5. Finance and accounting; 6. Human resources; 7. Building administration; 8. Special studies and surveys; 9. Publicity; and, 10. Liaison with other social welfare organizations.

Notes

Associated material note: for related records held at the City of Toronto Archives, see also: Children's Aid Society of Toronto fonds (fonds 1001); Welfare Council of Toronto records in the University Settlement House fonds (fonds 1024, series 658); and, Department of Public Welfare records in the Former City of Toronto fonds (fonds 200).

Name Access

Jewish Child Welfare Association

Jewish Children's Home

Jewish Children's Vocational Fund

Davis, Bertram N.

Gussack, Anne

Manson, Freda

Feld, Aaron B.

Jewish Big Sisters Committee

Jewish Big Brothers Movement

Jewish Family and Child Services

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies

United Jewish Welfare Fund

Department of Public Welfare

Welfare Council of Toronto

Children's Aid Society

Subjects

Charities

Children

Families

Nonprofit organizations

Access Restriction

Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing some of the records.

Related Material

See also: Jewish Family Welfare Bureau fonds (fonds 87); Jewish Family and Child fonds (fonds 79); Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds (fonds 66); and, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds (fonds 67).

Arrangement

Records of the Jewish Big Sisters Committee, the Jewish Big Brothers Movement and records documenting programs of the JCWA that continued after the formation of JF & CS, such as the Foster Homefinding Campaign and the Foster Mothers' Parent Education Group, are arranged with the JF & CS fonds 79.

Accession Number

2004-1-8

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Jewish Family Welfare Bureau fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

87

Material Format

textual record

architectural drawing

Date

1928-1943

Physical Description

67 cm of textual records

1 architectural drawing

Admin History/Bio

Sometime around 1919, the Family Welfare Committee was set up within the newly created Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto (FJPT) to perform social welfare work with Jewish families. Around 1931, the Committee was reorganized as an independent member agency of the FJPT and renamed the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau (JFWB). At the same time, Dora Wilensky (1902-1959), a professionally-trained social worker, was hired as the agency’s executive director. Throughout its existence, most of its funding came from the FJPT (later the United Jewish Welfare Fund).

Located at 179 Beverley Street, the JFWB’s core activities included: relief provision; helping families meet basic needs, such as medical care, heating and clothing; housekeeping assistance; counseling; and case work. The JFWB’s major concerns shifted over time from a rise of immigration and desertion cases in the 1920s to the dramatic increase of wife abuse, suicide, and unemployment cases during the Great Depression of the 1930s. After the outbreak of the Second World War, the JFWB sought ways of assisting soldiers and their families, such as, investigating special government grants to soldiers.

In an attempt to meet community needs, the JFWB initiated various programs, such as a Homemaking Club to teach women house management skills, and a Clothing Centre to provide families with inexpensive household goods. It also partnered with other local Jewish organizations in the early 1940s in the Liaison Project for troubled Jewish youth. In the 1930s, the Jewish Employment Service and Hebrew Free Burial Society became departments of the JFWB and, in 1941, the JFWB began guaranteeing loans for clients through the Hebrew Free Loan Association. In the same year, the Jewish Big Sister Committee became affiliated with the agency and the Jewish Big Brother Movement followed soon after.

In 1936, the JFWB became one of the first unionized social agencies in Canada when it formed the Staff Association with the Jewish Child Welfare Association (JCWA), another member of the FJPT. Although the JFWB’s focus was work with families and the JCWA’s focus was work with children, both agencies found it necessary at times to work with both children and families. In order to prevent service duplication and reduce confusion over casework responsibility, the Joint Application Bureau was set up within the FJPT to review all case work applications and determine the appropriate agency to provide assistance. However, a merger between the agencies was still believed necessary to improve service to the community and ease confusion. Discussions regarding the co-ordination of services between the JCWA and the JFWB began as early as 1935 and in February 1943, the JCWA and JFWB merged to form the Jewish Family and Child Services (JF & CS).

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of textual records and one architectural drawing documenting the programs, operation, finances, and special studies of the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau as well as its relationships with other organizations. Included are reports, meeting notices, agendas and minutes, correspondence, memos, budgets, statistics, theatrical scripts, newsclippings, and one architectural blueprint. A number of the records relate to special short-lived committees and projects that the JFWB participated in with other agencies, such as the Jewish Big Sister Committee, Jewish Big Brother Committee, Jewish Child Welfare Association, the Jewish Community Centre Association, the Young Men's and Women's Hebrew Association, and the Jewish Old Folks' Home.

Records have been arranged into the following 19 series: 1. Board of Directors; 2. Executive Director; 3. Jewish Federation Communal Council; 4. United Jewish Welfare Fund Men's and Women's Service Council; 5. Case Committe; 6. Joint Meetings and Committees; 7. Joint Application Bureau; 8. Homemaking Club; 9. Clothing Centre; 10. Liaison Project; 11. Operational statistics; 12. Finance and accounting; 13. Human Resources; 14. Special projects and studies; 15. Publicity; 16. Liaison with other social welfare organizations; 17. Canadian Association of Social Workers; 18. Welfare Council of Toronto; and, 19. Conferences.

Notes

Associated material note: for related records held at the City of Toronto Archives, see also: Welfare Council of Toronto records in the University Settlement House fonds (fonds 1024, series 658); and, Department of Public Welfare records in the Former City of Toronto fonds (fonds 200).

Name Access

Jewish Family Welfare Bureau

Jewish Community Centre Association

Young Men's-Young Women's Hebrew Athletic Association (Toronto, Ont.) (subject)

Jewish Old Folks Home (Toronto, Ont.)

United Jewish Welfare Fund (Toronto, Ont.) (subject)

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto (subject)

Wilensky, Dora, 1902-1959

Subjects

Charities

Children

Families

Nonprofit organizations

Access Restriction

Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing some of the records.

Related Material

See also: Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds (fonds 86); Jewish Family and Child Services fonds (fonds 79); Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds (fonds 66); and, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds (fonds 67).

Arrangement

Records relating to programs, committees and liaison with other organizations that continued after the formation of JF & CS are arranged with that fonds.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

66

Material Format

textual record

object

Date

1917-1939

Physical Description

49 cm of textual records

1 ruler : 6 in.

Admin History/Bio

For many years prior to 1917, Toronto Jewish community leaders had recognized the need to centralize fundraising for all local Jewish charities. The 1912 creation of the Associated Hebrew Charities was a partial improvement, but it proved unable to cope with the rapid growth in pre-war immigration, the effects of the 1916 economic recession, and the funding requirements of many still-unaffiliated agencies. The positive experiences of newly-established Jewish community federations in several American cities did, however, offer a better example for Toronto, where prominent Jewish leaders Edmund Scheuer, Abraham Cohen, and Ida Seigel provided the leadership that finally resulted in the establishment of a Toronto federation.

The Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto was chartered as a charitable organization under the laws of Ontario in September 1917. Its central goal was to end the frequent, uncontrolled, and competitive fund soliciting by a wide range of individual Toronto Jewish philanthropic and social service institutions and instead substitute a single, coordinated, city-wide community fundraising effort. This would ensure adequate and accountable funding for all its affiliated organizations and agencies in Toronto.

Original affiliated agencies of the FJPT were: the Ladies Co-operative Board, the Jewish Orphans' Home, the Jewish Girls Club, the Junior Council of Jewish Women, the Hebrew Ladies Maternity Aid and Sewing Circle, the Hebrew Young Ladies Boot and Shoe Society, the Jewish Branch of the Big Brotherhood Movement, the Hebrew Free Loan Society, the Jewish Dispensary, and the Hebrew Burial Society.

The original officers were: Edmund Scheuer (president), Joseph Singer (first vice-president), Jay J. Allen (second vice-president), Moses Gelber (third vice-president), Charles Draimin (forth vice-president), Eli Pullan (treasurer), and Abraham Cohen (honorary secretary). A board of trustees consisting of forty-five members was also constituted, one-third of whom were to be replaced each year.

Final decision powers of the federation were originally vested in the board, which met monthly and was responsible for funds distribution and the nomination of officers of the federation. The board also had the power to change, by a two-third vote, any federation bylaws, rules, or regulations. The president chaired all board meetings and had, along with the treasurer, signing authority for orders and cheques. In his absence, the president's responsibilities were transferred to the first or other vice-presidents, in order. The treasurer was responsible for receiving all donations and depositing them in the bank. He also had signing authority for disbursals.

A system of committees was also established in order to deal with individual issues such as annual meetings, fundraising, budgets, day-to-day administration, and policy, constitutional, and regulation changes. Recommendations from these committees were sent to an executive committee. When vetted, they were then forwarded to the board of trustees for final approval. By 1924, a new position of executive director was added to the list of officers in order to provide better management of the FJPT administration and to head up the executive committee. Also, by this time, six further agencies had become affiliated: Mount Sinai Hospital, the Jewish Boys' and Girls' Camps, Jewish Big Sisters, the Family Welfare Bureau, the Federation Health Clinic, and the Federation Employment Bureau.

The first office of the FJPT was at 206 Beverly Street, but by 1924 it was headquartered at 218 Simcoe Street. By 1928, it had moved to 179 Beverley Street, which was renamed Scheuer House after the FJPT's first president.

The onset of the Great Depression in 1929 created unprecedented and ever-growing service and monetary demands on the FJPT. Unable to cope, a major change was urgently required. In 1938, the FJPT was thus absorbed into a new and larger organization with an expanded mission and reorganized fundraising operations, the United Jewish Welfare Fund.

Although the FJPT was absorbed into the UJWF in 1938, meetings of the FJPT Board of Management (responsible for funds redistribution to the FJPT's affiliated agencies) continued to January 1939, when these responsibilities were finally transferred to the UJWF.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting the incorporation, public reporting, planning, financial, administration and operational records of the FJPT. Included are: the incorporation certificate, committee meeting agendas and minutes, correspondence, budgets, annual reports and special reports. FJPT operational records document fund-raising, fund re-distribution and ongoing dialogues with member agencies. Records of specialized, short-lived committees document specific subjects such as salaries, a new community centre, funding of camps, and policies concerning the future of the organization are also included.

Series within this fonds are; 1. Incorporation, 2. Annual Meetings, 3. Annual Reports, 4. Board of Trustees, 5. Constitution Committee, 6. Executive Committee, 7. Budget Committee, 8. Sub-Committee Studying Salaries, 9. Policy Study Committee, 10. Fund-raising Campaign, 11. Federation and Camp Representative Group, 12. Committee on the Community Centre, and 13. Board of Management.

Name Access

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto

Subjects

Charities

Related Material

For records of the United Jewish Welfare Fund, successor to the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, see Fonds 67.

Creator

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto (1917-1939)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Toronto Hadassah-WIZO fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

71

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1924-2006

Physical Description

11 m of textual records and other material

Admin History/Bio

The first Canadian chapter of Hadassah was established in Toronto in 1916. Subsequent chapters emerged in other large Canadian cities thereafter. In 1919 several chapters organized to form the Hadassah Organization of Canada. And in 1921, Hadassah Canada joined the Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO), and subsequently changed its name to Hadassah-WIZO. The original goal of Hadassah was to raise funds for refugees in Eastern Europe. Later on, their mandate shifted to that of providing money and support for the Jews in Israel. Although it spent a great deal of time and resources raising funds for this cause, Hadassah-WIZO was a philanthropic organization that encouraged productivity rather than charity.

Today, Hadassah-WIZO is the largest organization of Jewish women in Canada. In addition to providing Jewish women with an opportunity to liaise with other women from the community and volunteer for a worthy cause, this organization also promotes some important national and international goals. These goals include: encouraging Jewish and Hebrew culture in Canada; extending the material and moral support of Jewish women in Canada to the people of Israel who require assistance; and cooperating with other organizations in the promotion of Canadian ideals of democracy.

The records in this fonds were created by the Toronto chapter of Hadassah-WIZO. The Toronto chapter is not only the oldest, but also one of the largest and most active affiliates of the 304 Hadassah-WIZO chapters in Canada. Some of the activities that it sponsors include the famous annual bazaar, which was started in 1924 and is one of the largest in North America. They also contribute to the support of a host of Canadian Hadassah-WIZO initiatives in Israel which include: the Nahalal School, the Netanya Technological High School, the Hadassim Children and Youth Village, several day care centres, women’s and youth clubs, the Hadassah-WIZO Canada Research Institute, and two medical centers. The Toronto chapter in particular sponsors youth aliyah, and raises funds and honours important volunteers through the organization of tribute dinners, golf tournaments, and other events. Finally, this chapter is also responsible for producing the Hadassah Reporter, which is the newsletter that documents the activities of the Toronto chapter.

Custodial History

The records were acquired from the main Hadassah office on Sheppard Ave.

Scope and Content

The records in this fonds document the activities of Toronto Hadassah-WIZO. They include the Hadassah magazine the Reporter as well as the national publication Orah. The fonds also consists of photographs, minutes of meetings, certificates, press clippings, correspondence, audio-visual material, posters and scrapbooks.

Notes

Associated material note: The Library and Archives of Canada also possesses material created by members of Toronto Hadassah.

Name Access

Toronto Hadassah-Wizo

Creator

Toronto Hadassah-Wizo (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

2003-3-1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sadie Stren fonds

Photographs file

Level

Item

Fonds

78

File

3

Item

23

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1952

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 21 x 26 cm and 12 x 10 cm

Scope and Content

This item is a copy print and corresponding negative of the first Hadassah bazaar, held at Beth David Synagogue in Brantford, Ontario. The photo depicts several women looking at item for sale on various tables set up in the synagogue's meeting space. The conveners for the bazaar were L. Rothberg and Mrs. Shooman, and the Hadassah chapter president at the time was Sadie Stren.

Subjects

Bazaars (Charities)

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

1978-11-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

1131

Material Format

graphic material

Date

5 Nov. 1958

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 13 x 18 cm and 10 x 12 cm

Scope and Content

This item is a copy print and corresponding negative of a group of women at a Hadassah bazaar in Brantford, Ontario. The photograph depicts the women gathered near a rack of coats for sale.

Notes

Reproduction restriction note: Original photograph owned by the Brantford Examiner.

Name Access

Hadassah-Wizo

Subjects

Bazaars (Charities)

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Brantford (Ont.)

Accession Number

1976-6-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

1985-5-12

Material Format

text

Physical Description

6 volumes

Date

1928-1960

Scope and Content

Accession consists of various issues of the Naomi Chapter cook book. The 1928 and 1934 issues contain handwritten notes, newsclippings, and marginalia.

Custodial History

The 1928 cookbook (and possibly the others) belonged to Helen Merker Stanway (her last name was previously Steinberg before it was changed to Stanway). The donor saw the book for sale at her friend's garage sale and took it for the OJA. Her friend was the daughter of Helen.

MG_RG

MG 2 J 1i

Subjects

Community cookbooks

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

6

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

Mimi Wise helped found the chapter in 1948, following Israeli independence. The meeting took place at the home of Dr. Sydney and Mimi Wise, located at 19 Forest Ridge Drive in Toronto.

Scope and Content

This item is a photograph of the Rishon Chapter of Hadassah Wizo meeting. Pictured are:

Back row, left to right: Evelyn Florence, Florence Rother, Clara Stein, Dene Eckler, Malka Kagan, Sybil Gordon, Alice Samuels, [unidentified], [Sylvia Miller], Lil Rotstein, [?] Shusterman, Bess Yolleck, [unidentified], Elinor Moses, Doris Nefsky, Mimi Wise.

Second row, left to right: [Eva Woolf], Beulah Eckler, Leah Bassett, Roslyn Eisen, [unidentified], Zelda Kaplan, Myra Schwartz, Molly Alexandroff, Helen Glazer, Bernice Singer, Hilda Young.

Third row, left to right: Gladys Sagman, Lil Morrison, Marilyn Willer, [unidentified], Helen Tator, Lil Topp, Rose Green, Sadie Wise, Frances Basen, Sylvia Roth.

Front row, left to right: Florence Donnenfield, Sylvia Cummings, May Spencer, Debby Slter, Jewel Schwartz.

Sylvia Miller and Eva Woolf were twin sisters and could be misidentified in this photograph.

Notes

Photographer unknown.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

2003-6-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Ethel Mehr fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

68

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Date

[ca. 1898]-1965

Physical Description

70 photographs

1 folder of textual records

Admin History/Bio

Ethel Mehr (1901-1975) was born in Toronto in March 1901, the daugther of Mendel and Bessie Mehr. She attended Bishop Strachan School in Toronto. On December 15, 1925, Ethel married Henry Greisman (1897-1950) who was a partner in the Balfour Building Company and later owned the Lady Ellis chain of clothing stores. They had two children, John Richard and Sally Barbara (m. Brenzel). After Henry Greisman's death, Ethel married Myer Brenner, whom she had first met as a young women.

Ethel had four siblings, Pincus, Leonard, Lucille (Warshavsky) and Bernice (Dunkelman).

Custodial History

The materials in this fonds were donated to the Archives in 1988 by Sally (Greisman) Brenzel, the daughter of Ethel Mehr.

Scope and Content

This fonds consists of photographs and a small amount of textual records documenting the Mehr, Greisman and Brenner families. The photographs include images of the Mehr family and friends, including individual members of the Greisman and Brenner families, and images of the Lady Ellis Shops in Toronto, Stratford, Ottawa and Windsor. The textual records include Ethel Mehr's confirmation diploma from Holy Blossom Temple as well as a personal letter and a Bishop Strachan domestic science workbook.

Name Access

Mehr, Ethel, 1901-1975

Subjects

Children

Education

Creator

Mehr, Ethel, 1901-1975

Accession Number

1988-12-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

3002

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1940]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Name Access

Hadassah-Wizo

Varsity Arena

Subjects

Bazaars (Charities)

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Accession Number

1978-1-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Na'amat Canada Toronto fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

130

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Date

[195-]-2018

Physical Description

1.1 m of textual records and other material

Admin History/Bio

Na’amat Canada Toronto is a chapter of Na'amat Canada, a Jewish non-profit volunteer women’s organization whose goal is to improve the lives of women, children, and families in Israel and Canada. Na'amat was founded in 1925 under the name the Women's Organization for the Pioneer Women of Palestine, an organization connecting the labour Zionist movement in Palestine with Jewish communities in Canada and the United States. The need for a women’s organization arose in the context of a feminist movement in which women sought to become equal partners in founding the State of Israel by lobbying for maternity leave laws, the creation of daycare centers near places of employment, and equal-pay legislation.

A Toronto chapter was established in 1948. In 1966, Pioneer Women (Na'amat) became autonomous in Canada, and the next year it incorporated in Canada as Pioneer Women's Organization Incorporated. In 1987, Pioneer Women's Organization Incorporated officially changed its name to Na'amat Canada Inc. The organization’s mission includes safeguarding the status of women and children, responding to humanitarian concerns, promoting Zionism and Jewish identity, and strengthening bonds between Israel and the Diaspora. To accomplish its goals, Na’amat members organize fundraisers, solicit donations, engage in targeted marketing, attract new members, and obtain publicity among other activities.

Na'amat Canada Toronto is governed by a council comprised of volunteers that represent the membership across Toronto. More specifically, the council consists of a Toronto president, a Toronto vice-president, an immediate past president, a Toronto office administrator, a membership committee chair, a fundraising committee chair, club presidents, a communication/technology chair, a Toronto technical consultant, a programming/education chair, a leadership chair, a membership experience person, a membership advisor, a school supplies chair, an Israel Day Festival chair, and Dollars for David co-chairs.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of materials relating to Na'amat Canada Toronto which document the organization's fundraising, educational, and publishing activities in the Toronto area from the 1950s until 2018. The fonds is comprised of the following series: publications, administrative records, fundraising and event ephemera, Na'amat Israel, Na'amat USA, newspaper clippings, and clubs.

Name Access

Na'amat Canada Toronto

Subjects

Charities

Women

Zionism

Repro Restriction

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

Creator

Na'amat Canada Toronto

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

2019-3-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2009-8-6

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

1 photograph (jpg)

Date

1964

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a scanned photograph of the Queen Esther chapter of Hadassah executive in 1964.

Identified, back row: Bessie Brown, Etta Zacks, Miriam Kumer, Bessie Roseman, Esther Goldstein, Lena Highman, Raizel Rosen, Elsie Orzy, Dora Siderson. Front Row: Nellie Norris, Pearl Atkins, Bertha Brown, Rebeccah Taraday, Jennie Ballos, Bella Sklar.

Administrative History

The Queen Esther Hadassah chapter in Kitchener was formed in 1926 by Mrs. Levine, wife of the rabbi. Most of the women in the community joined the new group, and many of them were still members fifty years later. The chapter had monthly meetings where the women met for discussion and planning of activities to raise money for Palestine. After the Second World War, the focus turned to support of Israel's orphanages, hospitals, hostels, and training centres for women. The first Hadassah Bazaar was held in 1962 and quickly became a successful and popular community event. As the years passed, the chapter collaborated more and more with the synagogue sisterhood. At one time Kitchener had three Hadassah chapters and a central Council, but since the 1980s these have dwindled. Today there is a single chapter in the city.

Places

Kitchener (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

14

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1988

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 10 x 13 cm

Scope and Content

This item is a photograph taken on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Rishon Chapter of Hadassah Wizo. The photograph is of a group of chapter members standing on the front steps of a house. Pictured are:

Back row, left to right: Leah Bassett, Sybil Gordon, Myra Schwartz, Gerry Zimmerman, Malka Kagan, Myra Callander.

Second row, left to right: [unidentified], Sylvia Roth, Bernice Singer, [unidentified], Marilyn Willer, [unidentified], Gladys Sagman, [unidentified].

Third row, left to right: Pearl Harnick, Beulah Eckler, Jewel Schwartz, Debby Alter, Mimi Wise, [unidentified], [unidentified].

Fourth row, left to right: Sadie Wise, [unidentified], Alma Baker, Clara Stein, [unidentified], Helen Shoichet, [unidentified], [unidentified], Lil Rotstein, [unidentified]/.

Front row, left to right: Dene Eckler, Florence Rother, Rose Green, Tamara Rosen, Lil Topp, Frances Basen, Bess Yolleck, May Spencer, Helen Glazer.

Notes

Please see accession form to confirm identification.

Photographer unknown.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

2003-6-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Benjamin Dunkelman fonds

Personal series

Level

File

Fonds

2

Series

1

File

18

Material Format

textual record

Date

1978

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File contains correspondence between Ben Dunkelman and Shirley Gold, who wrote on behalf of the Rose Dunkelman Chapter of Hadassah in Niagara Falls, Ontario, inviting Ben to be the chapter's guest speaker at its upcoming 35th anniversary.

Notes

For more information about Rose Dunkelman, please see the Rose Dunkelman Fonds.

Physical Condition

Records are fragile but in good condition.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Koffler Centre of the Arts fonds

Art exhibitions series

Level

File

Fonds

100

Series

8

File

101

Material Format

textual record

Date

2001

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Custodial History

File consists of an exhibition catalogue entitled Shadow Play.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Jewish Vocational Services of Toronto fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

75

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

moving images

Date

1947-2006

Physical Description

5.1 m of textual records and graphic material

1 DVD

Admin History/Bio

The Jewish Vocational Services (JVS) was established on 16 June 1947. After the Second World War thousands of survivors arrived in Canada in search of homes, education for their children and jobs. The returning servicemen, in turn, were also in need of employment. For the first two years of its existence, JVS catered exclusively to these two groups. By 1949, it had expanded its mandate to become a community-wide agency.

Max Enkin, the founder of the post-war "tailor scheme" became its first president and chairman of the board. Under this scheme, he and other members of his delegation were able to bring over 2,200 displaced persons to Canada as skilled tailors. Other members of the JVS board included Lipa Green, Sydney Harris, Dr. Albert Rose and Louis Lockshin. The executive director was Norman Stack. He served for a few years and was replaced by Milton Freidman in 1949. Freidman was a social worker who relocated to Toronto from Buffalo and spent close to 40 years in this position, retiring in 1985.

JVS's early mandate was to serve as a placement service for applicants and employers and to provide individual counselling services to its clients. Its office was situated above the original Tip Top Tailors building at 455 Spadina Avenue. It later moved its office to 152 Beverley Street and then in the 1960s to Tycos Drive. By the 1960s, JVS began to expand its services to all segments of society including newcomers, people with disabilities and from all sectors of life. The staff included social workers, psychologists, job counsellors and clerical staff.

During the 1980s, Bernie Berger became the new executive director. He served in that capacity until 1991. He was replaced by Ed Segalowitz. During this period, JVS set up a seniors' program called ATLAZ on the grounds of the Baycrest Home for the Aged. It was funded by the Bick family and was intended to create programs to keep seniors engaged. Today, this program is called the Al Green Resource Centre and provides employment, placement, training and volunteer opportunities to adults of all ages and with developmental disabilities. JVS also launched a youth program called Youthinc and a women's program.

Karen Goldenberg became executive director in 1998 and was replaced by Frank Markel in 2011 after her retirement. JVS has expanded its clientele, helping people from all backgrounds with diverse needs to identify their strengths and goals, develop skills, and achieve success in school, work and life. By 2009, it offered an expansive range of over 40 employment-related support programs and services throughout the Greater Toronto Area to thousands of unemployed and underemployed individuals and served 23,000 people. They operated out of 12 locations and have approximately 200 professionals on staff.

Kim Coulter became president and CEO in 2013.

Custodial History

The case files were located in the vault with no accession number. They were likely transferred to the OJA during the 1970s or 1980s. They were assigned accession number 2002-10/34.

The remaining records were in the possession of Amanda Batchelor of JVS, who had acquired the material from various past board and committee members for the creation of the 60th anniversary book.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting the activities, programs, finances, operation and history of the Jewish Vocational Services. Included are meeting minutes, photographs, correspondence, surveys, reports, financial statements, certificates, bulletins, newsletters, newsclippings, press releases, anniversary books, and one DVD. The fonds is arranged into the following series: 1) Formation and history; 2) Board of Directors; 3) Executive board; 4) Annual general meetings; 5) Special and general meetings; 6) Committees; 7) Career, employment and training services; 8) Disability services; 9) Immigrant and newcomer services; 10) Women in New Roles (WINR); 11) Youth services; 12) Volunteer program; 13) Studies and reports; 14) Finance; 15) Personnel; 16) Planning and operations; 17) Publications and publicity; 18) Fundraising; 19) United Way; 20) Events; 21) Conferences and workshops.

Name Access

Jewish Vocational Services of Toronto

Subjects

Charities

Immigrants--Canada

Access Restriction

Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.

Creator

Jewish Vocational Services of Toronto (1947-)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

2002-10/34

2008-9/6

2010-11/7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

67

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1936-2010, predominant 1938-1976

Physical Description

14.3 m of textual records

5593 photographs, 25 x 20 cm and smaller, and other media

Admin History/Bio

The Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto (FJPT) was incorporated in Ontario in March 1917 to coordinate the fundraising activities of Jewish charitable, philanthropic, and social service agencies in Toronto. In 1918, ten separate agencies were funded by the FJPT. By 1937, fourteen agencies were funded. The Great Depression of the 1930s and the development of several newer Jewish aid, education, and medical care organizations created both increased need for resources and growing competition for ever-more scarce dollars. Within a very few years, this funding crisis forced a major review of the organization.

During 1936, a series of special meetings of leading individuals were held to examine the income and expenditures of all Toronto Jewish agencies and also to speculate about the need for a new Toronto Jewish "community chest" as the sole fund-raising organization for a federation of all Jewish agencies, including the FJPT. In 1938, the new United Jewish Welfare Fund was formally constituted. Added to the FJPT's previous list of Toronto client agencies in 1938 were: the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Hebrew National Association, the Jewish Immigrant Aid Association, the Mizrachi Society, the Toronto Free Loan Association, the Geverkshaften, and Old Folks Home, and the United Palestine Appeal, raising the total number of agencies to twenty-two.

When the State of Israel was established in 1948, the UJWF's annual fundraising campaign was combined with the CJC's United Palestine appeal to form a new, combined campaign named the United Jewish Appeal (UJA). In 1967, the UJA name was legally changed to the United Jewish Appeal of Metropolitan Toronto.

In mid-1976, the organization's public name was changed to the Toronto Jewish Congress. Although initially thought of as a merger between the UJWF and the CJC, the actual result was the expansion of the UJWF responsibilities to include local education and welfare services previously shared with the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region. The UJWF, however, remained the legal senior entity.

In 1991, the public name was again changed to the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto and, in 1999, to UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. By this date, over thirty beneficiary and affiliated agencies, forty-nine affiliated schools and five federation departments were fully or partly funded by the federation.

In June 2010, the organization altered its legal structure, with the senior legal entity becoming the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of 25 series: Annual Meetings, Annual Reports, Board of Directors, Constitution Committee, Executive Committee, Officers Committee, Budget and Finance Committee, Administration Committee, Social Planning Committee, Committee on Capital Needs and Planning, Central Committee on Scholarships in Aid, Joint Committee of the BJE and UJWF Study on Jewish Education, Nominations Committee, Pension Fund Committee, Coordinating Committee, Special Ad Hoc and Temporary Committees, Annual Campaign, Client Agencies, Joint Committee of the CJC and the UJWF, Committee on Community Organization, Sub-Committee on Construction and Administration of Community Schools, Joint Committee on Fundraising, Personnel Committee, Community Leadership Development Council, and Israel at Fifty Community Celebration.

Over 4500 photographs and a variety of other media are managed within Series 17, Campaign records.

Notes

For exact details about the contents of individual series and sub-series, please review their scope and contents notes.

Name Access

United Jewish Welfare Fund

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto

United Jewish Appeal

Toronto Jewish Congress

Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Subjects

Charities

Fund raising

Access Restriction

Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.

Related Material

For records of the predecessor of the UJWF, see Fonds 66, the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds.

Further detailed documentation of the proposed merger between the UJWF and the CJC (creation of the TJC) may be found in Fonds 67, Sub-sub-series 5-5-1, Files 171 and 221.

Further documentation on the United Jewish Welfare Fund may be found within Fonds 9, Series 7, records of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society.

For further detailed records of a key community leader's involvement with the UJWF see Accession 1982-8-8, the records of Samuel Godfrey, 1943-1972.

Creator

United Jewish Welfare Fund (1938-)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

1913

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1920]

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative)

Notes

Photograph by R. H. Peter.

Name Access

Hadassah-Wizo

King Edward Hotel

Subjects

Charities

Luncheons

Meetings

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

1980-2-10

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Zionist Organization of Canada fonds

Publicity photographs of people and events series

Level

File

Fonds

28

Series

6

File

253

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[194-?]

Physical Description

3 photographs : b&w ; 10 x 15 cm and 5 x 5 cm

Scope and Content

The file consists of photographs of Lily Sherezin Sharon, QC.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2010-3-1

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 300 photographs and other material

Date

1906-1983

Scope and Content

The accession includes records documenting the family of Sharon Abron Drache. This includes both sides of her family: the Abramowitz/Abrons and the Levinters. The material consists of two beta home movie tapes, three DVDs, several photo albums, four artifacts (as well as newspaper clippings), correspondence, certificates, and other material. The donation also includes a book entitled Window on Toronto, a certificate for the Jewish Colonial Trust, examples of Murray Abron's photographs, and a recording of a speech Abba Eban gave at the UN.

Custodial History

The records were in the custody of Sharon Abron Drache. She has interherited the family photos and documents from both sides of her family.

Administrative History

Murray Abramowitz was born in 1912 in Toronto. His parents were David Abramowitz (1884-1963) and Sarah Abramowitz (née Winfield) (1885-1955). David arrived in Toronto in 1906. Sarah and her parents, Jacob and Anna, settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania around 1880. Jacob worked as a grocer and relocated his family to Toronto around 1894. Sarah and David were married at the McCaul Street Synagogue in Toronto on March 6, 1906. They resided at 159 York Street after their nuptials. The couple had three children: Rose (1907-2001), Oscar (1910-1986), and Murray (1912-2005). David's father, Shevach, served as the lay cantor at the First Roumanian Hebrew Congregation (now Adath Israel). David owned the men’s shop in Union Station. His sister, Sophie Abramowitz, ran the ladies' shop. The shops were located on the east end of the Great Hall, beneath the composite glass windows. Rose Abron Lahman became a physician, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. Initially, she practised in Toronto; later, she practiced in Atlanta, Georgia. Rose graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto when there were quotas for both women and Jews.

Murray married Edythe Levinter (m. Abramowitz) on June, 8, 1941. The event took place at the bride's family's home above their furniture store, J. Levinter Ltd, at 1169 Bloor Street West. The couple had one child, Sharon Abron Drache. Murray began using the Abron surname during the 1940s, changing it legally in the 1950s.

During his life, Murray worked as an hotelier and ran several businesses. These included the Rex Hotel in Toronto, Tent City at Lake Simcoe (ca. 1935-1945), and the St. Lawrence Hotel in Port Hope (1949-1955). When Murray managed the Rex Hotel he was a fifty-fifty partner with his mother's brother-in-law, Leo Hertzman. Leo owned and managed the store, United Clothing, which fronted the Rex Hotel on Queen Street at the south side of the beverage room. When Leo’s son Harold Hertzman returned from military service in 1945, Leo bought out Murray’s share in the business for Harold. Jack Ross and Morris Meyers purchased the hotel from the Hertzmans in 1951. Murray was also a co-owner of the Tent City business with his father, David Abramowitz, coinciding with his Rex Hotel years. During the late 1950s he worked as a real estate broker in Toronto and Florida. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, he worked in his mother-in-law’s furniture business, J. Levinter Ltd. After Murray retired from the furniture business, he became a stock broker. His hobbies included fishing, photography, and storytelling. He died on October 10, 2005.

The Levinter family was headed by Samuel Levinter and Rebecca Levinter (née Godfried). They were both born in Austria (Galicia) and came to Canada in their teens. After their marriage in 1890, they resided in St. John's Ward. The couple had seven children: Jacob (b. 1892), Etta (b. 1894), Manny (b. 1895), Isadore (b. 1898), Molly (b. 1900), Rose, and Dolly. Isadore became a prominent Toronto lawyer and was the first Jew appointed as a bencher at the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Samuel established Levinter Furniture in 1890. The business was initially located at 401-405 Queen Street. By 1925 Samuel had relocated his store to 287 Queen Street West, and his son Jacob had opened a second location at 1169 Bloor Street West. Jacob later expanded his location to 1171 Bloor Street West. Samuel died on April 30, 1942. Rebecca died in 1952. Jacob married Sara Kamin (b. 1894, Lodz, Poland) on June 25, 1916. They had six children: Edythe (1918 -2011), Alfred (1919-1919), Evelyn (1922-2006), Murray (1925-), Molly (1926 -), and Florence (b. 1930-). Jacob died of a heart attack in 1944. After his death, Sara took his place as owner and manager of the family business, grooming her son Murray to succeed her. Sara’s daughter Molly had an early career as a concert pianist in Toronto and New York. Sara died in Toronto in 1990.

Sharon Abron Drache attended Forest Hill Collegiate, graduating in 1962, and then completed an undergraduate degree and post-graduate diploma in psychology at the University of Toronto, the latter from the Institute of Child Study. She was enrolled as a special student in the Department of Religion at Carleton University from 1974-78. She has published four books of adult fiction: the Mikveh Man, Ritual Slaughter, the Golden Ghetto, and Barbara Klein Muskrat – Then and Now. She has also published two children's books: the Magic Pot and the Lubavitchers are Coming to Second Avenue. She has also worked as a literary journalist and book reviewer for several newspapers and journals including the Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, Books in Canada, the Glebe Report, and the Ottawa and Western Jewish Bulletins.

Use Conditions

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Descriptive Notes

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Includes 4 objects, 2 videocassettes (beta-tapes), 3 DVDs, 1 book, and 1 folder of textual records.

ASSOCIATED MATERIAL NOTE: Please see Sharon Drache's fonds at Library and Archives Canada and at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto for material related to her literary career. Please see Sharon Drache's fonds at the Ottawa Jewish Archives for material related to her journalism career. Finally, for additional material related to Sharon's family please see her fonds at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto.

RELATED MATERIAL NOTE: See accessions #2010-12/8 and # 2013-7/15 for addtional records donated by Sharon Abron Drache.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2010-12-8

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 11 cm of textual records and other material

Date

[ca. 1905] - 1989

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual records, photographs and audio-visual material documenting Sharon Abron Drache's family and career. Family records document both sides of her family: the Abramowitz/Abron and Levinters. Family records include correspondence, invitations, photographs, five beta tapes of home movies, certificates, newsclippings, family genealogy trees and one scrapbook. Professional records include Sharon's curriculum vitae, newsclippings and a manuscript of Sharon's unpublished novel entitled, Weekend Commute.

Custodial History

The records were in the custody of Sharon Abron Drache. She has interherited the family photos and documents from both sides of her family.

Administrative History

Murray Abramowitz was born in 1912 in Toronto. His parents were David (1884-1963) and Sarah (nee Winfield) (1885-1955). David arrived in Toronto in 1906. Sarah and her parents, Jacob and Anna, settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania around 1880. Jacob worked as a grocer and relocated his family to Toronto around 1894. Sarah and David were married at the McCaul Street Synagogue in Toronto on 6 March 1906. They resided at 159 York Street after their nuptials. The couple had three children: Rose (1907-2001); Oscar (1910-1986); Murray (1912-2005). David's father, Shevach, served as the lay cantor at the First Roumanian Hebrew Congregation (now Adath Israel). David owned the Men’s shop in the Union Station and his sister, Sophie Abramowitz, ran the Ladies shop. The shops were located on the east end of the Great Hall beneath the composite glass windows. Rose Abron Lahman became a physician, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. Initially she practised in Toronto and then in Atlanta, Georgia. Rose graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto when there were quotas for both women and Jews.

Murray married Edythe (née Levinter) on 8 June, 1941. The event took place at the bride's family's home above their furniture store, J. Levinter Ltd, at 1169 Bloor Street West. The couple had one child, Sharon Abron Drache. Murray began using the Abron surname during the 1940s, changing it legally in the 1950s.

During his life, Murray worked as an hotelier and ran several businesses. They included the Rex Hotel in Toronto and Tent City at Lake Simcoe (ca. 1935-1945) and the St. Lawrence Hotel in Port Hope (1949-1955). When Murray managed the Rex Hotel he was a 50/50 partner with his mother's brother-in-law, Leo Hertzman. Leo owned and managed the store, United Clothing, which fronted the Rex hotel on Queen Street at the south side of the beverage room. When Leo’s son Harold Hertzman returned from military service in 1945, Leo bought out Murray’s share in the business for Harold. Jack Ross and Morris Meyers purchased the hotel from the Hertzmans in 1951. Murray was also a co-owner of the Tent City business with his father, David Abramowitz, coinciding with his Rex hotel years. During the late 1950s he worked as a real estate broker in Toronto and Florida. From the 1960s to the early 1970s he worked in his mother-in-law’s furniture business, J. Levinter Ltd. After Murray retired from the furniture business he became a stock broker. His hobbies included fishing, photography and storytelling. He died on 10 October 2005.

The Levinter family was headed by Samuel and Rebecca (née Godfried). They were both born in Austria (Galicia) and came to Canada in their teens. After their marriage in 1890, they resided in St. John's Ward. The couple had seven children: Jacob (b. 1892); Etta (b. 1894); Manny (b. 1895); Isadore (b. 1898); Molly (b. 1900); Rose and Dolly. Isadore became a prominent Toronto lawyer and was the first Jew appointed as a bencher at the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Samuel established Levinter Furniture in 1890. The business was initially located at 401-405 Queen Street. By 1925 Samuel had relocated his store to 287 Queen Street West and his son Jacob had opened a second location at 1169 Bloor Street West. Jacob later expanded his location to 1171 Bloor Street West. Samuel died on April 30, 1942; Rebecca died in 1952. Jacob married Sara Kamin (b. 1894, Lodz, Poland) on 25 June 1916. They had six children: Edythe (1918 -2011); Alfred (1919-1919); Evelyn (1922-2006); Murray (1925-); Molly (1926 -); Florence (b. 1930-). Jacob died of a heart attack in 1944. After his death, Sara took his place as owner and manager of the family business grooming her son Murray to succeed her. Sara’s daughter Molly had an early career as a concert pianist in Toronto and New York. Sara died in Toronto in 1990.

Sharon Abron Drache attended Forest Hill Collegiate (g. 1962) and then completed an undergraduate degree and post-graduate diploma in Psychology at the University of Toronto, the latter from the Institute of Child Study. She was enrolled as a special student in the Department of Religion at Carleton University from 1974-78. She has published four books of adult fiction, The Mikveh Man, Ritual Slaughter, The Golden Ghetto, Barbara Klein Muskrat – then and now, and two children's books, The Magic Pot and The Lubavitchers are coming to Second Avenue. She has also worked as a literary journalist and book reviewer for several newspapers and journals including, The Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, Books in Canada, the Glebe Report and the Ottawa and Western Jewish Bulletins.

Use Conditions

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: Includes 1 scrapbook, ca. 8 photographs, 5 beta-tapes, and 4 DVDs.

Associated Material Note: please see Sharon Drache's fonds at Library and Archives Canada and at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto for material related to her literary career. Please see Sharon Drache's fonds at the Ottawa Jewish Archives for material related to her journalism career. Finally, for additional material related to Sharon's family please see her fonds at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto.

Related Material Note: see accessions #2010-3/1 and #2013-7/15 for addtional records donated to the OJA by Sharon Abron Drache.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-7-15

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

13 film reels (ca. 3 hrs.) : b&w and col., si. ; 16 mm and other material

Date

[ca. 1938]-1965, 2013

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting both sides of Sharon Abron Drache's family: the Abramowitz's/Abron's and the Levinter's. Included are film reels with footage of both the Abramowitz and Levinter families as well as an album documenting a Jewish National Fund Negev tribute dinner in honour of David Abramowitz's 70th birthday. The album includes congratulatory letters and telegrams, photographs, newspaper clippings, and one vinyl recording entitled "Great Moments of Beth Tzedec". Identified in the photographs are David Abramowitz and Nathan Phillips.

Accession also includes a copy of an oil painting of Jacob Levinter that was by Kenneth Forbes, a wedding portrait of Sharon Abron Drache (1965) by Al Gilbert, and Sharon's curriculum vitae (2013).

Custodial History

Sharon found these records in her home. She inherited them from her parents. The film reels had been stored in an old suitcase in her building's storage locker.

Administrative History

Murray Abramowitz was born in 1912 in Toronto. His parents were David (1884-1963) and Sarah (nee Winfield) (1885-1955). David arrived in Toronto in 1906. Sarah and her parents, Jacob and Anna, settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania around 1880. Jacob worked as a grocer and relocated his family to Toronto around 1894. Sarah and David were married at the McCaul Street Synagogue in Toronto on 6 March 1906. They resided at 159 York Street after their nuptials. The couple had three children: Rose (1907-2001); Oscar (1910-1986); Murray (1912-2005). David's father, Shevach, served as the lay cantor at the First Roumanian Hebrew Congregation (now Adath Israel). David owned the Men’s shop in the Union Station and his sister, Sophie Abramowitz, ran the Ladies shop. The shops were located on the east end of the Great Hall beneath the composite glass windows. Rose Abron Lahman became a physician, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. Initially she practised in Toronto and then in Atlanta, Georgia. Rose graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto when there were quotas for both women and Jews.

Murray married Edythe (née Levinter) on 8 June, 1941. The event took place at the bride's family's home above their furniture store, J. Levinter Ltd, at 1169 Bloor Street West. The couple had one child, Sharon Abron Drache. Murray began using the Abron surname during the 1940s, changing it legally in the 1950s.

During his life, Murray worked as an hotelier and ran several businesses. They included the Rex Hotel in Toronto and Tent City at Lake Simcoe (ca. 1935-1945) and the St. Lawrence Hotel in Port Hope (1949-1955). When Murray managed the Rex Hotel he was a 50/50 partner with his mother's brother-in-law, Leo Hertzman. Leo owned and managed the store, United Clothing, which fronted the Rex hotel on Queen Street at the south side of the beverage room. When Leo’s son Harold Hertzman returned from military service in 1945, Leo bought out Murray’s share in the business for Harold. Jack Ross and Morris Meyers purchased the hotel from the Hertzmans in 1951. Murray was also a co-owner of the Tent City business with his father, David Abramowitz, coinciding with his Rex hotel years. During the late 1950s he worked as a real estate broker in Toronto and Florida. From the 1960s to the early 1970s he worked in his mother-in-law’s furniture business, J. Levinter Ltd. After Murray retired from the furniture business he became a stock broker. His hobbies included fishing, photography and storytelling. He died on 10 October 2005.

The Levinter family was headed by Samuel and Rebecca (née Godfried). They were both born in Austria (Galicia) and came to Canada in their teens. After their marriage in 1890, they resided in St. John's Ward. The couple had seven children: Jacob (b. 1892); Etta (b. 1894); Manny (b. 1895); Isadore (b. 1898); Molly (b. 1900); Rose and Dolly. Isadore became a prominent Toronto lawyer and was the first Jew appointed as a bencher at the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Samuel established Levinter Furniture in 1890. The business was initially located at 401-405 Queen Street. By 1925 Samuel had relocated his store to 287 Queen Street West and his son Jacob had opened a second location at 1169 Bloor Street West. Jacob later expanded his location to 1171 Bloor Street West. Samuel died on April 30, 1942; Rebecca died in 1952. Jacob married Sara Kamin (b. 1894, Lodz, Poland) on 25 June 1916. They had six children: Edythe (1918 -2011); Alfred (1919-1919); Evelyn (1922-2006); Murray (1925-); Molly (1926 -); Florence (b. 1930-). Jacob died of a heart attack in 1944. After his death, Sara took his place as owner and manager of the family business grooming her son Murray to succeed her. Sara’s daughter Molly had an early career as a concert pianist in Toronto and New York. Sara died in Toronto in 1990.

Sharon Abron Drache attended Forest Hill Collegiate (g. 1962) and then completed an undergraduate degree and post-graduate diploma in Psychology at the University of Toronto, the latter from the Institute of Child Study. She was enrolled as a special student in the Department of Religion at Carleton University from 1974-78. She has published four books of adult fiction, The Mikveh Man, Ritual Slaughter, The Golden Ghetto, Barbara Klein Muskrat – then and now, and two children's books, The Magic Pot and The Lubavitchers are coming to Second Avenue. She has also worked as a literary journalist and book reviewer for several newspapers and journals including, The Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, Books in Canada, the Glebe Report and the Ottawa and Western Jewish Bulletins.

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.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: includes 1 album, 1 painting, 1 photograph, and 1 folder of textual records

Associated Material Note: please see Sharon Drache's fonds at Library and Archives Canada and at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto for material related to her literary career. Please see Sharon Drache's fonds at the Ottawa Jewish Archives for material related to her journalism career. Finally, for additional material related to Sharon's family please see her fonds at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto.

Related Material Note: see accessions #2010-12/8 and #2010-3/1 for addtional records donated to the OJA by Sharon Abron Drache.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2020-3-3

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w : 14 x 24 cm or smaller

Date

1945, 1956

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Sharon Abron Drache (the donor) and her family. Included are two photographs taken around the middle of the twentieth century.

The first photograph is titled "German Surrenders" and was taken by Murray Abramowitz, the father of the donor, in front of the family home at 27 Forest Ridge Drive. The photograph shows the donor's uncle Murray Levinter and mother, Edythe Levinter Abron, holding a newspaper with the headline "Germany Surrenders." Standing next to Edythe is the donor's maternal grandmother Sara Levinter (née Kamin). Next to Sara is the donor's aunt Molly, a well-known pianist in Toronto. Lastly, there is two-year-old Sharon Abron Drache who is holding hands with her aunt Florence.

The second photograph is titled "Sharon Abron Drache's bat mitzvah" and is to be credited to Morrison Studios. The ceremony, which was held on 3 March 1956, was the first to be held in the Beth Tzedec sanctuary. (Previous bat mitzvahs were held in the chapel, the interior of which was completed before the sanctuary.) Rabbi Friedberg and Cantor Cooper officiated at the bat mitzvah. Sharon wore a powder-blue bat mitzvah gown with a white dickey. She is standing in front of the closed ark on the significantly raised bimah.

Caption (001): German surrenders, 1945. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2020-3-3.

Caption (002): Sharon Abron Drache's bat mitzvah, 3 Mar. 1956. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2020-3-3.

Administrative History

Murray Abramowitz was born in 1912 in Toronto. His parents were David (1884-1963) and Sarah (nee Winfield) (1885-1955). David arrived in Toronto in 1906. Sarah and her parents, Jacob and Anna, settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania around 1880. Jacob worked as a grocer and relocated his family to Toronto around 1894. Sarah and David were married at the McCaul Street Synagogue in Toronto on 6 March 1906. They resided at 159 York Street after their nuptials. The couple had three children: Rose (1907-2001); Oscar (1910-1986); Murray (1912-2005). David's father, Shevach, served as the lay cantor at the First Roumanian Hebrew Congregation (now Adath Israel). David owned the Men’s shop in the Union Station and his sister, Sophie Abramowitz, ran the Ladies shop. The shops were located on the east end of the Great Hall beneath the composite glass windows. Rose Abron Lahman became a physician, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. Initially she practised in Toronto and then in Atlanta, Georgia. Rose graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto when there were quotas for both women and Jews. Murray married Edythe (née Levinter) on 8 June, 1941. The event took place at the bride's family's home above their furniture store, J. Levinter Ltd, at 1169 Bloor Street West. The couple had one child, Sharon Abron Drache. Murray began using the Abron surname during the 1940s, changing it legally in the 1950s. During his life, Murray worked as an hotelier and ran several businesses. They included the Rex Hotel in Toronto and Tent City at Lake Simcoe (ca. 1935-1945) and the St. Lawrence Hotel in Port Hope (1949-1955). When Murray managed the Rex Hotel he was a 50/50 partner with his mother's brother-in-law, Leo Hertzman. Leo owned and managed the store, United Clothing, which fronted the Rex hotel on Queen Street at the south side of the beverage room. When Leo’s son Harold Hertzman returned from military service in 1945, Leo bought out Murray’s share in the business for Harold. Jack Ross and Morris Meyers purchased the hotel from the Hertzmans in 1951. Murray was also a co-owner of the Tent City business with his father, David Abramowitz, coinciding with his Rex hotel years. During the late 1950s he worked as a real estate broker in Toronto and Florida. From the 1960s to the early 1970s he worked in his mother-in-law’s furniture business, J. Levinter Ltd. After Murray retired from the furniture business he became a stock broker. His hobbies included fishing, photography and storytelling. He died on 10 October 2005. The Levinter family was headed by Samuel and Rebecca (née Godfried). They were both born in Austria (Galicia) and came to Canada in their teens. After their marriage in 1890, they resided in St. John's Ward. The couple had seven children: Jacob (b. 1892); Etta (b. 1894); Manny (b. 1895); Isadore (b. 1898); Molly (b. 1900); Rose and Dolly. Isadore became a prominent Toronto lawyer and was the first Jew appointed as a bencher at the Law Society of Upper Canada. Samuel established Levinter Furniture in 1890. The business was initially located at 401-405 Queen Street. By 1925 Samuel had relocated his store to 287 Queen Street West and his son Jacob had opened a second location at 1169 Bloor Street West. Jacob later expanded his location to 1171 Bloor Street West. Samuel died on April 30, 1942; Rebecca died in 1952. Jacob married Sara Kamin (b. 1894, Lodz, Poland) on 25 June 1916. They had six children: Edythe (1918 -2011); Alfred (1919-1919); Evelyn (1922-2006); Murray (1925-); Molly (1926 -); Florence (b. 1930-). Jacob died of a heart attack in 1944. After his death, Sara took his place as owner and manager of the family business grooming her son Murray to succeed her. Sara’s daughter Molly had an early career as a concert pianist in Toronto and New York. Sara died in Toronto in 1990. Sharon Abron Drache attended Forest Hill Collegiate (g. 1962) and then completed an undergraduate degree and post-graduate diploma in Psychology at the University of Toronto, the latter from the Institute of Child Study. She was enrolled as a special student in the Department of Religion at Carleton University from 1974-78. She has published four books of adult fiction, The Mikveh Man, Ritual Slaughter, The Golden Ghetto, Barbara Klein Muskrat – then and now, and two children's books, The Magic Pot and The Lubavitchers are coming to Second Avenue. She has also worked as a literary journalist and book reviewer for several newspapers and journals including, The Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, Books in Canada, the Glebe Report and the Ottawa and Western Jewish Bulletins.

Descriptive Notes

Availability of other formats: Also available as JPEG and TIFF files.

Subjects

Bat mitzvah

Families

V-Day

Name Access

Drache, Sharon Abron, 1943-

Levinter (family)

Places

Forest Ridge Drive (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

• 

Level

Item

Item

2975-2977

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Sep. 1971

Physical Description

3 photographs

Notes

See accession record for terms of use.

Name Access

Hadassah-Wizo

Subjects

Charities

Dormitories

Women

Places

Israel

Accession Number

1978-1-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Toronto Hadassah-WIZO fonds

Ilana Chapter series

Level

Series

Fonds

71

Series

2

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Date

1949-1996

Physical Description

33 photographs : b&w and col. (17 negatives) ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller

2 artifacts

15 cm of textual records

Admin History/Bio

Founded in the spring of 1949 by Mrs. Dolly Tarshis and Mrs. Elaine Culiner, the Ilana Chapter of the Hadassah – Wizo Organization of Canada was created under the organization’s national mandate dedicated to financially and socially supporting the peoples of Israel and promoting Jewish culture and ideals in Canada. Under the leadership of Elaine Culiner as it’s first President, membership in the Ilana Chapter began with 15 women in 1949 and grew to 26 women in it’s second year. By 1965 there were 50 members in total, residing in several different neighbourhoods across central and north Toronto. All chapter meetings were held in members’ homes, generally twice a month. Executive meetings were held once a month between September and June. Over the years many Ilana members were also active in the Toronto Hadassah Council Executive.

The Ilana Chapter was constructed according to the mandate of the Hadassah – Wizo Organization of Canada, and as such, was obligated to administer itself accordingly. It’s administration was comprised of 2 levels – an administrative council and a general membership. The executive consisted of a president, vice-president, treasurer, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, past president, 2 members-at-large, and various portfolio chairmen. The executive met at least once a month to discuss chapter issues, and the general membership met approximately twice a month. All other meetings were held on a rotating basis at members’ homes and the minutes were recorded by the secretary. All issues and activities would be voted on by the membership at large, although it was the executive’s responsibility to ensure that all activities were carried out. Members were required to pay annual dues, of which the chapter retained only a small portion for expenses, as the balance was relegated to the regional council to pay for administrative costs and donations.As well, all fundraising profits raised by the Chapter for support of the various Hadassah - Wizo programs was required to be forwarded to the regional council by the 10th of each month.

Membership in Ilana remained relatively constant until the chapter merged with the Deborah Chapter in 1990, primarily due to waning meeting attendance.

The Ilana Chapter participated in numerous organization-wide fundraising activities, contributing to such social programs as Youth Aliyah, the Children’s Village in Hadassim, the Jewish National Fund, and the Henrietta Szold Memorial Scholarship Fund.

The Rose Dunkelman Day Care Center in Tel Aviv is one of 10 Israeli centers sponsored by the Hadassah-Wizo Organization of Canada and is directly affiliated with the Toronto branch and it’s constituent chapters.The Ilana Chapter contributed financially to this center through it’s child sponsorship program, in which a child at the center would be “adopted” for one year.

Fundraising campaigns unique to the Ilana Chapter included the Clothing Name Tape program benefiting the Children’s Village in Hadassim, and the innovative “House That Goodwill Built”, later adopted by the Toronto Hadassah Council, which featured it as the “Eilat Lighthouse” at the annual Toronto Hadassah Bazaar.

Cocktail parties, teas, luncheons, raffle draws, theatre outings, and dinner-dances were also popular fundraising activities for the Ilana Chapter, most taking place in members’ homes and relying heavily on membership donations.In 1964 the Chapter inaugurated a highly successful fundraising event, their annual Treasure Trove and Antique Auction, with proceeds benefiting Youth Aliyah.This project ran until the early 1980’s. Linens, silver, clothing, and other like goods were either donated for sale or offered on consignment by local businesses, proving to be a successful fundraising event for the Chapter. Originally organized in members’ homes, the Auction and Treasure Trove was held at the following venues during the 1960s and early 1970s:The North York Memorial Gardens, St. Lawrence Hall, Edwards Gardens, and finally the Holiday Inn Yorkdale, where it remained from 1973 until its final years.

Scope and Content

The series consists of records in the form of textual documents, photographs, press clippings, memorabilia, and scrapbooks that document the history of the Ilana Chapter from 1949 – 1990, and its successor the Deborah-Ilana Chapter from 1990-1996.

These include administrative documents such as executive council lists (1951-1983), membership lists (1949-1993), master lists of past presidents (1949-1983) and financial records (1952-1991).

Other documents include executive meeting minutes (1952-1972) and general meeting minutes (1951-1982), the opening prayer read before all meetings, a Chapter history compiled by a former President in 1966, and the Chapter Constitution and By-Laws (1964).

Documents of the chapter’s involvement in the Rose Dunkelman Day Care Center include letters, photos, certificates and case histories issued by Hadassim and Wizo Baby Services from 1997- 1988.

Among the membership memorabilia are photos, cards, invitations, press clippings, a sympathy card, and an obituary.

Finally this series includes the meeting gavel which was used by the president to chair the meetings.

The records are arranged in chronological order by subject, such as membership lists, executive council nominations, and executive meeting minutes. The contents of 3 scrapbooks have been placed in files and are arranged chronologically.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds

Head chapter series

Level

Series

Fonds

73

Series

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1956-1960

Physical Description

3 cm of textual material

Scope and Content

Series consists of two files documenting the Fraternity's history and alumni affairs. Included is an historical mauscript of the fraternity and an alumni newsletter.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity fonds

Eta Chapter series

Level

Series

Fonds

73

Series

2

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1937-1994, predominant 1937-1972

Physical Description

2 scrapbooks

10 cm of textual records

Admin History/Bio

The Eta Chapter was opened at the University of Toronto in 1930. Little is known about the early years of the chapter, except that its first pledge was Jerry Goulding. The year 1937 ushered in what members called a “golden age” for the chapter when its members began to take a more active role in university activities, such as athletic activities, drama productions and dinner-dances. This is also the period when Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster became members. They regularly wrote articles for the undergraduate newspaper, "The Varsity", and performed in campus dramas. In 1939 the fraternity began presenting an annual campus musical, the Fraternity Review, which was put on entirely by fraternity members.

During World War Two, the Eta Chapter pledged the Canadian government to care for a group of young Jewish refugees from Germany and Austria who were interned in England. At least one such refugee came to Toronto in the Eta Chapter’s care.

Eta’s fraternity house changed location multiple times. In the late 1940s it moved from 15 Admiral Rd. to 18 Willcocks St. After the University of Toronto purchased this property, the fraternity moved to a new house at 84 Lowther Ave., and then it was relocated again a few years later to 699 Spadina Ave.

Scope and Content

Series is arranged into six files: alumni records, social events, newsletters, conventions and conferences, recruiting material and scrapbooks.

Notes

Information for History/Bio taken from "An Introduction to Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity" found in this series and "A History of Beta Sigma Rho" found in series #1 of this fonds.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

1976-6-14

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records.

Date

1960-1976

Scope and Content

Accession consists of several bulletins (1975–1976), a letter from the Beth Zion Congregation in Oshawa, and material from the Piyah Chapter of Hadassah in Oshawa (1960–1970). Included are flyers of organizational news, events, and announcements of meetings.

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Board of Jewish Education fonds

Executive director series

Teacher files sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

48

Series

2-4

File

167

Material Format

textual record

Date

1955-1959

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Access Restriction

Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Board of Jewish Education fonds

Executive director series

Teacher files sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

48

Series

2-4

File

275

Material Format

textual record

Date

1968-1969

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Access Restriction

Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Board of Jewish Education fonds

Executive director series

Teacher files sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

48

Series

2-4

File

355

Material Format

textual record

Date

1966-1967

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Access Restriction

Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Board of Jewish Education fonds

Executive director series

Teacher files sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

48

Series

2-4

File

438

Material Format

textual record

Date

1976

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Access Restriction

Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Zionist Organization of Canada fonds

Central Region sous-fonds

Subject files series

Level

File

Fonds

28-1

Series

7

File

102

Material Format

textual record

Date

1962-1969

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

The file consists of correspondence, lists of Toronto Hadassah executive (1964-1965), flyers for the Toronto Hadassah Choir, a copy of the programme for the 21st national biennial convention, and a copy of the programme for the Tribute Dinnner for Betty Zweig.

Name Access

Betty Zweig

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Zionist Organization of Canada fonds

Central Region sous-fonds

Subject files series

Level

File

Fonds

28-1

Series

7

File

103

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1964

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

The file consists of a photograph of the Hadassah Choir during a performance.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sharon Chapter of Hadassah fonds

Special projects and events series

Level

File

Fonds

90

Series

2

File

7

Material Format

textual record

Date

1966-1969

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of programmes and financial statements documenting Sharon Chapter's event, An Evening With Hadassah.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sharon Chapter of Hadassah fonds

Annual Bazaar series

Level

File

Fonds

90

Series

3

File

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

[ca. 1963]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of one Hadassah recipes sheet which was likely distributed during a Sharon Chapter bazaar. Recipes include: potato pancakes, noodle pudding, cabbage rolls, and cheese blintzes.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Zionist Organization of Canada fonds

Central Region sous-fonds

Young Judaea series

Level

File

Fonds

28-1

Series

4

File

6

Material Format

textual record

Date

1961-1964

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

The file consists of correspondence between members of the executive of Central Region and chapters of Hadassah.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

The Shuls Project fonds

Western Canada synagogues series

Level

File

Fonds

64

Series

3

File

49

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1977

Physical Description

3 photographs : b&w ; 13 x 9 cm

Subjects

Synagogues

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Winnipeg (Man.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2017-8-10

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records

3 photographs : b&w ; 13 x 9 cm and smaller

1 DVD

Date

[ca. 1920]-2012

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the history of the Dora Wilensky Salsberg Memorial Fund at Jewish Family and Child. Included are: a Canadian Jewish News feature ("Legacy of Life") on Dora Wilensky; a Dora Wilensky Memorial Fund pamphlet; correspondence from J. B. Salsberg regarding Sharyn’s ongoing role with the Jewish Communal Service Graduate Studies Scholarship Program; correspondence regarding the Fund between Sharyn Salsberg Ezrin and Richard Cummings, Ron Levin, Gordon Wolfe, and Sam Helfenbaum; fund and endowment statements regarding the Dora Wilensky Memorial Fund; and correspondence between Sharyn and the Toronto Jewish Congress Endowment Fund. Also includes: records documenting the J. B. Salsberg Tribute Dinner held at Beth Sholom Synagogue on November 13, 1991; Canadian Jewish News and Toronto Life profiles of J. B. Salsberg; an interview of J. B. Salsberg by Sandy Naiman; J. B. Salsberg's eulogy by Irving Abella; and one DVD of a J.B. Salsberg video tribute. Also includes three photographs of J. B. Salsberg and Dora Wilensky, and four issues of various JF&CS publications.

Administrative History

Dora Wilensky Salsberg was one of Toronto’s earliest professionally trained Jewish social workers and a leader in the Canadian social work field. She was born in Russia on July 28, 1902 to Hyman and Mary Wilensky. She had three younger sisters: Bertha (b. 1903) Jenny (b. 1905), and Fagel (b.1910). In 1907, the family immigrated to Toronto where Hyman worked at a cap factory.

Dora had the highest marks in the province of Ontario upon graduating from high school and graduated as a gold medalist in modern history from McMaster University in Toronto. She initially pursued a career in teaching, but had difficulty securing a job due to discrimination. When her only job offer from Oshawa was given on the condition that she change her last name, Dora decided to become a social worker.

After studying at the New York School for Social Work and working briefly in Chicago, Dora returned to Toronto and took up the position as Executive Director of the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau in 1931. When the JF&CS was formed in 1943 she served as its first Executive Director. Under her leadership, JF&CS gained a reputation as being one of the most advanced and progressive agencies in Toronto. She was among the first to hire a psychiatric social worker and to introduce play therapy as part of treatment; she remained on top of advances being made in the field in other countries and encouraged her staff to regularly engage in professional development activities.

Dora attempted to enter the United States for professional development in the fall of 1948. She was refused entry by the commissioner of immigration and naturalization. Her aim was to attend a postgraduate course in social work at the University of Pennsylvania. In spite of numerous official letters of endorsement, her application for admission was denied.

Dora was also actively involved in various professional organizations. She was a member of the National Board of the Canadian Association of Social Workers, served on the Board of Governors and various committees of the Canadian Welfare Council, and was active on the Social Planning Council (formerly the Welfare Council of Toronto). In addition, she was instrumental in the establishment of the University of Toronto’s post-graduate course in social work. For her service to the field, she earned both the King George V and Coronation medals.

In 1927, Dora married J. B. Salsberg. Although she legally adopted his name, she always used her maiden name professionally. They did not have any children. On March 20, 1959, Dora passed away from cancer at the age of 56.

Subjects

Charities

Charities

Name Access

Salsberg, J. B.,1902-1998

Wilensky, Dora, 1902-1959

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions