1.35 metres of textual records (20 vols.) and other material
Admin History/Bio
Philip (Phil) Gerald Givens, QC, (1922–1995) was a Canadian politician, judge, police commissioner, and active Jewish communal leader. He is is largely remembered as the fifty-fourth mayor of Toronto.
Phil Givens was born in Toronto, the only son of Hyman and Mary Gevertz (Gewercz). As a youth, he attended Harbord Collegiate and graduated from the University of Toronto in political science and economics in 1945. In 1947, he married the former Minnie “Min” Rubin. They had two children together: Eleanor and Michael.
Givens graduated as a lawyer from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1949; however, shortly thereafter, he decided to enter politics, running as a municipal school board trustee in 1950. In 1951, he was elected as alderman for Ward 5, serving in this capacity until 1960, when he was subsequently elected as a controller.
Givens was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1962.
Following the sudden death of Mayor David Summerville in 1963, Givens was appointed by City Council as the mayor of Toronto and was officially elected to the position in 1964, winning a close race against Allan Lamport. As mayor, Givens was automatically a member of the Metropolitan Toronto Executive and Council, the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission, the Consumer’s Gas Company Executive, the Toronto Hydro Commission and the governing boards of Toronto’s major hospitals.
Givens was publicly seen as an affable and populist mayor, but his tenure was not without controversy. His support for the construction of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts and his decision to acquire Henry Moore’s bronze sculpture The Archer for the new Nathan Phillips Square were both highly controversial during his term in office. In particular, the Moore sculpture sparked intense controversy and public debate amongst council members and citizens alike, because traditional and representational public art pieces were the norm in Toronto at the time and The Archer sculpture was considered expensive, bold, and unrelatable. The controversy surrounding the statue’s purchase was still partly to blame for Givens’ 1966 election defeat to William Dennison. Ultimately, the sculpture was purchased with privately solicited donations and has become one of Toronto’s beloved and recognized landmarks.
Givens ran for the House of Commons of Canada in the 1957 and 1958 federal elections but was defeated in his bid to become member of Parliament for Spadina. In 1967, Givens entered national politics for the second time, winning a seat as a Liberal in Toronto’s York West riding. In 1971, he stepped down before the end of his term to campaign for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Again, running under the Liberal banner, Givens won his seat in York-Forest Hill. In the 1975 provincial election, he was re-elected as a member of Provincial Parliament in the Armourdale constituency.
In 1977, Givens retired from politics and was appointed as a provincial court judge and chair of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission, serving in both capacities until 1985, when he left the Commission but continued in the judiciary as a civil trial judge until officially retired from public life in 1988.
In addition to his political career, Givens also worked briefly as a current affairs commentator for local radio broadcaster CHUM 1050 AM.
Givens was an ardent Zionist and a prominent leader of several Jewish communal organizations. He was the founder and first president of the Upper Canada Lodge of B’nai Brith and sat on the executives of the Canadian Jewish Congress, the United Jewish Welfare Fund, the Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim, the Zionist Organization of Canada, the Toronto Zionist Council, Jewish National Fund, State of Israel Bonds, and the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. He was chair of the United Israel Appeal-Israel Emergency Fund in 1967 and the United Jewish Appeal-Israel Special Fund in 1968. From 1973 to 1985, he was the national president of the Canadian Zionist Federation. In the 1990s, he served as the national chairman of the Committee for Yiddish of the Canadian Jewish Congress.
Givens was the honouree of the Jewish National Fund’s Negev Dinner in 1968. He received the Human Relations Award from the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews in 1969 and the Award of Honour from the Toronto Regional Council of B’nai Brith in 1972.
Givens was also known to be a passionate sailor and was a member of both the Royal Canadian and the Island Yacht Clubs in Toronto.
Custodial History
The records were in the possession of Phil Givens until they were donated to the Archives in September 1990 by his wife.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting the personal, professional and communal activities of Phil Givens. The bulk of the material is graphic and most of the photographs relate to his tenure as Mayor of Toronto and to his Jewish communal work. The records also include general correspondence, speeches, campaign material, scrapbooks, cartoons, certificates and awards, biographical writings, audio and visual materials and artifacts. The records have been arranged into nine series representing Givens’ various roles and activities and have been described to the file level and item level when necessary. These series are: 1. Personal life; 2. City of Toronto Alderman; 3. City of Toronto Controller; 4. City of Toronto Mayor; 5. Metropolitan Toronto Police Commissioner; 6. Provincial politics; 7. National politics; 8. Legal career; 9. Jewish communal service.
Notes
Physical Description Note: Includes ca. 915 photographs, 14 drawings, 1 print, 1 presentation piece, 27 objects, 4 DVD’s, 4 videocassettes and 1 audiocassette.
Physical Extent Note: Fonds was reduced from 5.5 m of records to 2.6 m of records. Please see accession record for further details regarding the records that were culled.
General Note: Previously cited as MG6 B
Associated material note: City of Toronto Archives: “Philip Givens fonds” (fonds 1301) and Series 363, Sub-series 2 “Mayor' Office journals” (fonds 200). Library and Archives Canada: “Correspondence and subjects” series (R4942-1-1-E) in the Stuart E. Rosenberg fonds (R4942-0-X-E); Henry S. Rosenberg fonds (R3946-0-9-E); Jewish National Fund of Canada fonds (R4347-0-1-E), “Subject series: Givens, Judge Philip G. – Toronto” (R4347-7-4-E); “Correspondence, memoranda, minutes, reports” series (MG31-H67), Zdzislaw Przygoda fonds (R6257-0-0-E) [Sir Casimir Gzowski monument committee records –chaired by Phil Givens]; B'nai Brith Canada fonds (R6348-0-9-E); Canadian Zionist Federation fonds (R9377-0-6-E).
Name Access
Givens, Phillip, 1922-1995
Givens (nee Rubin), Min
Subjects
Law
Politicians
Related Material
See Fonds 2: Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
See Fonds 18: Gordon Mendly fonds
See Fonds 28: Zionist Organization of Canada fonds
See Fonds 37: Gilbert Studios fonds (Negev dinners series, Zionist Building series, Portraits series).
Philip G. Givens, the son of Hyman and Mary Gevertz [Givens], was born in Toronto in 1922. He graduated from the University of Toronto in Political Science and Economics in 1945 and from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1949. He practiced law at Pivnick, Givens, and Chusid. Philip Givens was married to Minnie Rubin and they had two children named Eleanor and Michael.
Givens was first elected in 1951 as Alderman for Ward 5 in Toronto, serving in that capacity until he ran for Controller in 1960 and won. He was Controller until 1963, when he was appointed Mayor. He was re-elected Mayor in 1964, but was defeated in 1966.
In 1968, he was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for York West, and in 1971, he was elected to the Ontario Provincial Legislature for the riding of York Forest Hill.
In 1977, Phil Givens was appointed Provincial Court Judge and Chairman of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission. He served as Chairman until 1985, when he was appointed trial judge in the Civil Division. He retired from the judiciary in 1988.
Philip Givens was active in Jewish communal life. He held offices in many organizations, including the Canadian Jewish Congress, the United Jewish Welfare Fund, B'nai B'rith, the Zionist Organization of Canada, the Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim and Baycrest Centre.
He was also the founder and first president of the Upper Canada Lodge of B'nai B'rith. He was general chairman of the United Israel Appeal -Israel Emergency Fund in 1967 and the United Jewish Appeal -Israel Special Fund in 1968. From 1973 to 1985 he was national chairman for the Canadian Zionist Federation.
Philip Givens was the recipient of the Negev dinner award from the Jewish National Fund in 1968, the Human Relations Award of the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews in 1969, and the Award of Honour from B'nai B'rith and the State of Israel Bonds in 1972.
Scope and Content
Item consists of a studio portrait of Philip Givens.
Name Access
Givens, Philip, 1922-1995
Subjects
Judges
Mayors--Canada
Politicians
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.
Photograph of Philip Givens and Leon E. Weinstein at the Negev dinner. Leon E. Weinstein was the guest of honour and Phil Givens gave the presentation of the Nachla Citation.
Name Access
Weinstein, Leon E.
Givens, Philip
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.
Philip G. Givens, the son of Hyman and Mary Gevertz [Givens], was born in Toronto in 1922. He graduated from the University of Toronto in Political Science and Economics in 1945 and from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1949. He practiced law at Pivnick, Givens, and Chusid. Philip Givens was married to Minnie Rubin and they had two children named Eleanor and Michael.
Givens was first elected in 1951 as Alderman for Ward 5 in Toronto, serving in that capacity until he ran for Controller in 1960 and won. He was Controller until 1963, when he was appointed Mayor. He was re-elected Mayor in 1964, but was defeated in 1966.
In 1968, he was elected as a Liberal Member of Parliament for York West, and in 1971, he was elected to the Ontario Provincial Legislature for the riding of York Forest Hill.
In 1977, Phil Givens was appointed Provincial Court Judge and Chairman of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission. He served as Chairman until 1985, when he was appointed trial judge in the Civil Division. He retired from the judiciary in 1988.
Philip Givens was active in Jewish communal life. He held offices in many organizations, including the Canadian Jewish Congress, the United Jewish Welfare Fund, B'nai B'rith, the Zionist Organization of Canada, the Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim and Baycrest Centre.
He was also the founder and first president of the Upper Canada Lodge of B'nai B'rith. He was general chairman of the United Israel Appeal -Israel Emergency Fund in 1967 and the United Jewish Appeal -Israel Special Fund in 1968. From 1973 to 1985 he was national chairman for the Canadian Zionist Federation.
Philip Givens was the recipient of the Negev dinner award from the Jewish National Fund in 1968, the Human Relations Award of the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews in 1969, and the Award of Honour from B'nai B'rith and the State of Israel Bonds in 1972.
Scope and Content
Photograph of former mayor of the City of Toronto Philip Givens wearing the mayoral Chain of Office. Upon inauguration, the Chain of Office is worn by the new mayor throughout the inauguration ceremony and while meeting the Toronto City Council.
Name Access
Givens, Philip, 1922-1995
Subjects
Mayors--Chains of office
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.
File consists of textual records documenting Phil Givens' campaign in the newly designated Armourdale electoral district. Included are campaign flyers, postcards, paper buttons, and posters, as well as district boundary maps, lists of volunteers and eligible voters, and press releases.
The file consists of a group photograph. From left to right are: Eliezer Dembitz, Consul General of Israel in Toronto; Allan Grossman, MP; Philip Givens; and Nathan Phillips.
Name Access
Eliezer Dembitz
Grossman, Allan, 1910-1991
Philip Givens
Phillips, Nathan, 1892-1976
Repro Restriction
Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
4 photographs : b&w (2 negatives) ; 21 x 26 cm and 10 x 12 cm
Date
1919-1970
Scope and Content
Accession consists of Yiddish newspaper clippings and Yiddish theatrical programs including a Kiever Podoler Society concert program, Victory Theatre, Spadina Avenue. (Toronto, ON), 30 Oct.1949 Also included are two copy photographs of a Toronto Yiddish Theatre Company poster for a performance in Hamilton and a poster for an Isaac Nelson New York Free Yiddisher Folk Theatre performance in Hamilton.
Descriptive Notes
LANGUAGE NOTE: Materials are in Yiddish and English.
22 photographs : b&w and col. ; 16 x 10 cm and 7 x 9 cm
1 DVD
Date
[197-]-[198-]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of 22 copy photographs documenting the political and personal career of Philip White, former mayor of York, as well as one DVD entitled the Life of Philip White, produced by Knowledge Media Design Institute in the Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto. Several of the photographs also depict politicians such as Nathan Phillips, Phil Givens, Paul Godfrey, Pierre Trudeau, David Crombie, Bob Rae and Mel Lastman.
Administrative History
Philip Cecil White was a Jewish mayor of York, a borough of the pre-amalgamated Toronto, from 1970 to 1978. He was the longest serving mayor of the region since 1850. He was also a pharmacist and owned White's pharmacy with his brother Murray at Jane St. and St. Clair Ave. from 1950 to 1972.
Phil White was born in Toronto on October 23, 1923 to Harry and Sara (Steinhart) White, immigrants from Poland and Austria. He attended Harbord Collegiate and graduated from the University of Toronto in Pharmacy. He first served as alderman from 1959 to 1968, then as controller from 1968 to 1970 and again from 1982 to 1988. White was with partner Trudy Appleby from 1987 to 2013, following a first marriage to Helen Strachman from 1950 to 1978. He has four children, Bryon, Glenna, Lesley and Kevin. Philip White passed away on June 8, 2013.
Accession consists of two items that belonged to Philip Martin. The first item is a 1931 Central High School of Commerce yearbook. The second item is a letter written by the proprietor of Scarfe's French Beauty Shop in Toronto, to Lillian Noble, in which the former denies the latter employment on the grounds the latter is Jewish.
Custodial History
Linda Martin, Philip Martin's daughter, found the letter inside the yearbook when she was sorting through her father's things after he died. It is unknown how Philip came into possession of the letter.
Administrative History
Philip "Phil" Martin was born on November 5, 1913. Growing up during the Great Depression, he did not have the means to attend university. Instead, he became a businessman in Hamilton, Ontario, where he owned a sporting goods store. Philip continued to run his business until the age of forty-seven. When he was forty-eight, he went back to school and became a chiropractor. After graduating, he practiced for over twenty years.
Philip was deeply involved in the Jewish community. In Hamilton, he belonged to Beth Jacob Synagogue, where he was an active member. He was a volunteer for United Jewish Appeal and was an active member of the Toronto Jewish Free Loan Society. Joining Beth Tzedec, he sat on its ritual committee. Philip was also president of Upper Canada Lodge and volunteered at the Harold & Grace Baker Centre Shabbat services.
Philip and his wife Laura had three children: Marleen, Sheila, and Linda. Philip died on December 20, 2002.
Descriptive Notes
Physical description: The yearbook contains approximately thirty-five signatures, presumably of other Central High students.
Conservation: The letter has been encapsulated.
Availability other formats: The letter is also available as PDF.
This accession consists of one silver trophy presented to Jacob Mosoff for his ten years of service as Recording Secretary at the McCaul Street Synagogue on October 24th 1926.
Accession consists of three photographs, two of which are of Phil Givens and one of which is of Phil Givens with two young men likely taken in Israel. Also included in the folder is a document commemorating the centennial of the founding of the Jewish Community in Toronto, issued by Mayor Nathan Phillips.
Custodial History
There is no information on the acquisition of this material.
Accession consists of records related to the Jewish communal and public service activities of Phil Givens. Included are textual records and photographs as well as a small number of artifacts. Included are numerous speeches, municipal, provincial and federal election materials, professional records related to Givens' legal career, Jewish communal records including the Canadian Zionist Federation, the Upper Canada Lodge B'nai Brith chapter, and the Yiddish Committee, biographical materials, letters of thanks, certificates and honours, school graduation composite photographs, and photographs of various events and of the Givens and Rubins families. Artifacts include a Metropolitan Toronto Police Commissioners badge, a City of Toronto Council member pin, a Wingate Legion felt patch, and notably, a Canadian flag and an Israeli flag. The Canadian flag flew over the Canadian parliament, while the Israel flag was raised in the Knesset. Both flags were requested by Givens and were draped on his casket at his funeral. Accompanying documentation is also in the accession.
Administrative History
Philip Gerard Givens (1922-1995) was a municipal, provincial and federal politician, a judge, a police commissioner and an active Jewish communal leader. He is largely remembered as the 54th Mayor of Toronto.
Phil Givens was born in Toronto on April 24th, 1922, the only son of Hyman and Mary Gevertz (Gewercz). As a youth, he attended Harbord Collegiate and graduated from the University of Toronto in political science and economics in 1945 and from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1949. In 1947, he married Minnie "Min" Rubin (born February 7th, 1924) and together they had two children, Eleanor and Michael.
Givens graduated as a lawyer from Osgoode Hall; however, shortly thereafter he decided to enter politics, running as a municipal school board trustee in 1950. In 1951 he was elected as alderman for Ward 5, serving in this capacity until 1960, when he was subsequently elected as a city Controller.
Givens was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1962.
Following the sudden death of Mayor David Summerville in 1963, Givens was appointed by City Council as the Mayor of Toronto and was officially elected to the position in 1964, winning a close race against the former mayor, Allan Lamport. As mayor, Givens was automatically a member of the Metropolitan Toronto Executive and Council, the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission, the Consumer’s Gas Company Executive, the Toronto Hydro Commission and the governing boards of Toronto’s major hospitals.
Givens was publicly seen as an affable and populist mayor but his tenure was not without controversy. His support for the construction of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts and his decision to acquire Henry Moore’s bronze sculpture “the Archer” for the new Nathan Phillips Square were both highly controversial during his term in office. In particular, the Moore sculpture sparked intense controversy and public debate amongst council members and citizens alike. Although ultimately purchased with private solicited donations, the controversy surrounding the statue’s purchase was still partly to blame for Givens’ 1966 election defeat to William Dennison.
In 1967 Givens entered national politics for the second time, the first being a failed 1957 bid in Toronto’s Spadina riding, winning a seat as a Liberal in Toronto’s York West riding. In 1971 he stepped down before the end of his term to campaign for a seat in the Provincial Legislature. Again running under the Liberal banner, Givens won his seat in York-Forest Hill and after the elimination of this riding in 1975, was re-elected in the new riding of Armourdale. In 1977 he retired from politics. He also worked briefly as a current affairs commentator for local radio broadcaster CHUM 1050 AM.
In 1977, Givens was appointed as a provincial court judge and chairman of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission, serving in both capacities until 1985, when he left the Commission but continued in the judiciary as a civil trial judge until officially retiring from public life in 1988.
An ardent Zionist, Givens was also a prominent leader of several Jewish communal organizations. He was the founder and first president of the Upper Canada Lodge of B’nai Brith and sat on the executives of the Canadian Jewish Congress, the United Jewish Welfare Fund, the Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim, the Zionist Organization of Canada, the Toronto Zionist Council, Jewish National Fund, State of Israel Bonds and the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. He was chairman of the United Israel Appeal-Israel Emergency Fund in 1967 and the United Jewish Appeal-Israel Special Fund in 1968. From 1973 to 1985 he was the national president of the Canadian Zionist Federation and in the 1990s was the national chairman of the Canadian Jewish Congress’ Committee for Yiddish.
Givens was honoured by Jewish community organizations, including the Jewish National Fund’s Negev Award in 1968 and the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews’ Human Relations Award in 1969. As well, in 1972, he received the Award of Honour from the Toronto Regional Council of B’nai Brith.
Givens was also known to be a passionate sailor and was a member of both the Royal Canadian and the Island Yacht Clubs in Toronto. He died on November 30th, 1995 at the age of 73.
Descriptive Notes
Physical Description Note: Includes ca. 300 photographs, 1 pin, 1 felt patch, 1 badge, 2 flags, 1 poster, and 2 paper bags.
ca. 300 photographs : b&w and col. (30 negatives) ; 36 x 26 cm or smaller
8 cm of textual records and other material
Date
1932-2011
Scope and Content
Accession consists of textual records, graphic materials, videocassettes, a scrapbook, and a small number of artifacts, which are related to the Givens and Rubin families and Phil Given's political, Jewish communal, and public service activities.
Textual records consist of the Givens family record from Beth Tzedec Congregation; certificates (1932 and 1946); Phil’s campaign material; a birthday greeting to Phil’s mother, Mary Gevertz, from the Government of Ontario (1971); newspaper clippings documenting Phil’s music career in his early years as well as his political, Jewish communal, and public service activities (1932-2011); booklets of B’nai Brith documenting Phil Givens involvement with B’nai Brith Upper Canada Lodge (1949 and 1996); the Phil Givens Negev Dinner programme book (1968); a centennial schoolbook of Harbord Collegiate Institute which Phil Givens attended (1992); and magazines with articles related to Phil Givens’ communal and political activities (1967-1990). Textual records also include invitation and birthday cards (1968-1978), a personal letter and an appreciation message to Phil, and a bulletin of Hebrew Men of England Congregation dedicated to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Rubin (1966).
Graphic materials are comprised mainly of photographs ([194-?]-[199-?]), which include Phil Givens’ professional portraits; Michael Givens’ camping photographs; passport photographs of Phil, Min, and Michael Givens; photographs depicting the Givens family, various social events that Phil and Min attended, Phil’s 1968 political campaign (from the campaign scrapbook), as well as Phil and Min’s trip to Egypt, Russia, and Israel. Graphic materials also include several negatives and over 150 stereo slides featuring the Givens family and events that Phil and Min attended ([195-]1978).
Accession also includes fifteen Betamax videocassettes, six passports of the Givens and Rubin families (1965-1983), a SIN card of Mary Gevertz, a scrapbook of Phil’s 1968 campaign, and two metal award and honour panels granted to Phil by the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews and the Bnei Akiva Schools of Toronto (1969 and 1991).
Administrative History
Philip Gerard Givens (1922-1995) was a municipal, provincial and federal politician, a judge, a police commissioner and an active Jewish communal leader. He is largely remembered as the 54th Mayor of Toronto.
Phil Givens was born in Toronto on April 24th, 1922, the only son of Hyman and Mary Gevertz (Gewercz). As a youth, he attended Harbord Collegiate and graduated from the University of Toronto in political science and economics in 1945 and from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1949. In 1947, he married Minnie "Min" Rubin (born February 7th, 1924) and together they had two children, Eleanor and Michael.
Givens graduated as a lawyer from Osgoode Hall; however, shortly thereafter he decided to enter politics, running as a municipal school board trustee in 1950. In 1951 he was elected as alderman for Ward 5, serving in this capacity until 1960, when he was subsequently elected as a city Controller.
Givens was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1962.
Following the sudden death of Mayor David Summerville in 1963, Givens was appointed by City Council as the Mayor of Toronto and was officially elected to the position in 1964, winning a close race against the former mayor, Allan Lamport. As mayor, Givens was automatically a member of the Metropolitan Toronto Executive and Council, the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission, the Consumer’s Gas Company Executive, the Toronto Hydro Commission and the governing boards of Toronto’s major hospitals.
Givens was publicly seen as an affable and populist mayor but his tenure was not without controversy. His support for the construction of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts and his decision to acquire Henry Moore’s bronze sculpture “the Archer” for the new Nathan Phillips Square were both highly controversial during his term in office. In particular, the Moore sculpture sparked intense controversy and public debate amongst council members and citizens alike. Although ultimately purchased with private solicited donations, the controversy surrounding the statue’s purchase was still partly to blame for Givens’ 1966 election defeat to William Dennison.
In 1967 Givens entered national politics for the second time, the first being a failed 1957 bid in Toronto’s Spadina riding, winning a seat as a Liberal in Toronto’s York West riding. In 1971 he stepped down before the end of his term to campaign for a seat in the Provincial Legislature. Again running under the Liberal banner, Givens won his seat in York-Forest Hill and after the elimination of this riding in 1975, was re-elected in the new riding of Armourdale. In 1977 he retired from politics. He also worked briefly as a current affairs commentator for local radio broadcaster CHUM 1050 AM.
In 1977, Givens was appointed as a provincial court judge and chairman of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission, serving in both capacities until 1985, when he left the Commission but continued in the judiciary as a civil trial judge until officially retiring from public life in 1988.
An ardent Zionist, Givens was also a prominent leader of several Jewish communal organizations. He was the founder and first president of the Upper Canada Lodge of B’nai Brith and sat on the executives of the Canadian Jewish Congress, the United Jewish Welfare Fund, the Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim, the Zionist Organization of Canada, the Toronto Zionist Council, Jewish National Fund, State of Israel Bonds and the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. He was chairman of the United Israel Appeal-Israel Emergency Fund in 1967 and the United Jewish Appeal-Israel Special Fund in 1968. From 1973 to 1985 he was the national president of the Canadian Zionist Federation and in the 1990s was the national chairman of the Canadian Jewish Congress’ Committee for Yiddish.
Givens was honoured by Jewish community organizations, including the Jewish National Fund’s Negev Award in 1968 and the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews’ Human Relations Award in 1969. As well, in 1972, he received the Award of Honour from the Toronto Regional Council of B’nai Brith.
Givens was also known to be a passionate sailor and was a member of both the Royal Canadian and the Island Yacht Clubs in Toronto. He died on November 30th, 1995 at the age of 73.
Descriptive Notes
Physical Description Note: Apart from photographs and textual records, this accession also includes 156 stereo slides, 15 Betamax videocassettes, 1 scrapbook, 2 metal award and honour panels, 6 passports, and 1 SIN card.
The content and duration of the Betamax videocassettes need further identification.