Name
Tobie Taback
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
23 Feb. 1983
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Tobie Taback
Number
OH 136
Subject
Immigrants--Canada
Nonprofit organizations
Interview Date
23 Feb. 1983
Quantity
1
Interviewer
Jack Lipinsky
Total Running Time
34 minutes 58 secons
Conservation
Copied November 2006
Use Restrictions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Biography
Tobie Taback was the long-time secretary for the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society in Toronto. She retired in 1982.
Material Format
sound recording
Name Access
Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (Toronto, Ont.)
Taback, Tobie
Lipinsky, Jack
Geographic Access
Toronto
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Source
Oral Histories

In this clip, Tobie Taback discusses the helplessness faced by the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society in bringing immigrants out of Europe during the period of Canada's strict no immigration policy.

In this clip, Tobie Taback discusses the activities of Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (JIAS) employees during the years 1937–1939, the obstacles they faced vis-à-vis immigrant applications and the "parcels to Russia and Poland" aid program run by JIAS.

Name
Roland Wilk
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
23 Feb. 2017
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Roland Wilk
Number
OH 443
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
23 Feb. 2017
Interviewer
Naomi Raichyk
Total Running Time
OH 443 part1: 26 min.
OH 443 part2: 37 min.
OH 443 part3: 37 min.
OH 443 part4: 177 min.
Biography
Roland grew up part of a close-knit family in the small town of Worcester, one hundred kilometres from Cape Town. At the time, Worcester was home to a small Jewish community of 120 families, the life of which revolved around a single synagogue. Despite its small numbers, the community had a rabbi, a kindergarten teacher, and a Hebrew teacher. In the cheder, Roland learned the Hebrew grammar that was to come in useful when, years later, he studied in Israel.
After high school, Roland completed his year of compulsory military service and enrolled in electrical engineering at the University of Cape Town. He met his wife-to-be, Marion, during this time. The two shared a passion for classical music that would come to shape much of their life together. When Roland went to Israel to pursue a master’s degree at the Technion in Haifa, Marion joined him for part of the time. Even though he never had any intention of making a life in Israel, Roland remembers those years with Marion as among the most blissful and care-free of his life, including representing Israel in the European Junior Bridge Championships.
After graduating in 1976, Roland returned to Cape Town and started working in his father’s business, Merrimaker Industries. After four years, Roland decided to pursue his own path in the IT industry and moved to Johannesburg in 1981 with their two children. A year later, along with two work colleagues, Roland enrolled in a part-time MBA program at Wits University. In 1984, the three founded a software engineering business which was very successful. Fifteen years later they sold the business, which provided Roland and Marion with the financial resources to retire.
The Wilk family came to Canada in July 2003 after spending many summers there at a music camp in Quebec in the late 1990s. Roland and Marion are an integral part of the Toronto classical music scene, involved both in performance and administration. Their two older children live in New York and Beit Shemesh and the two younger ones both live in Toronto.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Wilk, Roland
Geographic Access
Cape Town (South Africa)
Haifa (Israel)
Worcester (South Africa)
Original Format
Digital file
Transcript
Part 1:
00:27 Roland was born on 10 March 1951 in Worcester, South Africa. He discusses the location of Worcester.
01:00 Roland discusses his family history. His paternal grandfather came to South Africa with his parents from Lithuania. He discusses an incident involving his grandfather becoming a prisoner of war while serving with the South African army during the First World War.
02:32 Roland's maternal grandfather came to South African from Lithuania via England. His maternal grandmother came as a three-year-old from Kiev at the turn of the century.
03:24 Roland discusses his grandparents' early years in South Africa. He discusses an acne business started by his great-aunt.
05:10 Roland discusses his parents: where they were born, their education, their work, and his father's service during the Second World War.
06:37 Roland's parents settled in Worcester after they married. He discusses his father's business.
07:30 Roland describes Jewish life growing up in Worcester. Roland attended a Jewish kindergarten.
08:39 Roland discusses his Jewish education.
09:30 Roland discusses the paucity of culture in Worcester and his frequent visits to Cape Town to attend concerts.
10:10 Roalnd discusses his early involvement with music.
11:18 Roland discusses his other early interests.
11:29 Roland recounts his regular visits to Cape Town.
11:58 Roland discusses his limited involvement in Jewish youth groups and camps.
12:37 Roland discusses his family's involvement in Jewish/Zionist activities. His paternal uncle lived in Israel.
13:12 Roland discusses his secular education.
14:18 Roland discusses his eleven-month compulsory military after high school in 1968.
15:40 Roland explains the reasons for moving to Cape Town. He attended the university in Cape Town, studying electrical engineering. He met his future wife while at the university.
16:44 Roland explains the reasons for his limited involvement in political activities while at university. He describes some of the political unrest and the reaction by the state/police during that time. He discusses the evolution of the movement toward a liberal democracy in South Africa.
20:09 Roland discusses his time spent in Israel pursuing his postgraduate studies at the Technion in Haifa. Marion, his future wife, joined him in Israel. Roland mentions his interest in competitive bridge.
22:31 Roland discusses his return to Cape Town following his studies. He marries Marion in November.
23:50 Roland discusses the period after his marriage. He worked in his father's business for four years.
25:35 Roland explains his decision to return to engineering in 1981 and his work in a software engineering firm in Johannesburg.
25:18 Roland describes how he met Marion.
Part 2:
00:00 Roland continues to discuss his initial relationship with Marion and their shared interest in music.
00:51 Roland discusses his involvement in the Gardens Shul choir.
02:04 Roland mentions the birth of his four children.
02:40 Roland describes Cape Town and his involvement with the Jewish community in Cape Town.
04:14 Roland discusses the impact of the unrest in South Africa on his personal life and in more general terms.
07:17 Roland discusses his move to Johannesburg, including his work, studying for a master's of business of administration (MBA) degree, and performing in a choir.
08:36 Roland discusses how he and two friends opened their own software business, BSW, in 1984. They sold the business in 1999.
10:03 Roland discusses his involvement with the Johannesburg mail choir.
10:58 Roland discusses his continued interest in music and bridge.
11:24 Roland completed his MBA in 1986.
11:52 Roland discusses the growth of the business in the telecom industry.
13:57 Roland discusses his ongoing interest in music and performance.
17:25 Roland and his two business partners took a business course at Harvard over three summers, commencing in 1994. He explains how his decision to attend a summer music camp in Quebec during his second summer at Harvard turned into an annual family summer event.
19:25 Roland discusses how and why he and his business partners ended their business in 1999.
20:43 Roland discusses his family's plans after the business was sold. His older son went to the United States, and his older daughter went to Australia with the plan to move to Israel. The rest of the family opted for Canada.
22:22 Roland explains that, as a result of his involvement with a business in England, he and his family moved to Cambridge, England in 2002 until their visas for Canada came through.
23:14 Roland and his family move to Canada in July 2003.
23:37 Roland discusses the quality of his children's education in Johannesburg, Cambridge, and Toronto.
24:30 Roland discusses extended family members who remained in South Africa.
25:24 Roland explains the system of currency movement at the time he and his family emigrated from South Africa.
26:58 Roland discusses his business plans following immigration to Canada.
28:13 Roland describes efforts to purchase a house in Toronto in March before their arrival.
31:40 Roalnd discusses his first impressions of Canada following their move.
32:10 Roland recalls his first impressions of Canada following their move.
33:20 Roland discusses joining two orchestras in Toronto.
35:10 Roland describes a relatively easy adjustment to living in Toronto.
35:45 Roland discusses the challenges of initially finding the right placement for their younger son at York Mills Collegiate.
Part 3:
00:00 Roland suggests reasons to explain the easy integration for younger children in Toronto.
01:34 Roland explains why the family chose to move to Canada.
02:27 Roland discusses his limited contact with other South Africans in Toronto. He explains that he was more inclined to seek out a music community.
03:48 Roland recalls organizing a music fundraising event for the synagogue in Cambridge.
04:38 Roland discusses his involvement on the boards of many musical organizations.
05:50 Roland continues to offer reasons to explain the ease of his integration to Canada.
09:01 Roland discusses how he identifies himself as Canadian and appreciates Canadian values.
11:17 Roland discusses his Jewish life in Toronto and the practices of his children.
12:51 Roland discusses South African traditions that he has continued in Canada.
15:00 Roland explains that he returns to South Africa for two weeks every year to stay at a time-share. He discusses friends and relatives that they visit.
19:04 Roland discusses differences between Canada and South Africa.
22:37 Roland images how his and his family's lives would be had they remained in South Africa.
24:35 Roland discusses his mother who lives in Israel.
28:00 Roland discusses the Jewish community in Worcester when he was young.
31:40 Roland discusses how he started to make cheese at home following a request from his daughter-in-law, who keeps kosher.
Part 4:
00:27 Roland discusses his involvement with various orchestras and music camps.
Source
Oral Histories

Music in the Bush

Making Cheese

Name
Ivor Simmons
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
9 Feb. 2016
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Ivor Simmons
Number
OH 425
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
9 Feb. 2016
Interviewer
Naomi Raichyk
Total Running Time
OH 425 part 1: 21 min.
OH 425 part 2: 20 min.
OH 425 part 3: 21 min.
OH 425 part 4: 1 min.
OH 425 part 5: 2 min.
OH 425 part 6: 4 min.
Biography
Born in Bloemfontein, South Africa’s judicial capital, in 1937, Ivor had a pleasant childhood alongside his two brothers. Because his family lived on the “wrong side” of Naval Hill (the other side was considerably more Jewish), he counted both Jews and non-Jews among his friends. This did not mean he lacked for Jewish culture: Ivor participated in a Jewish youth movement and was sent to a nearby cheder ahead of his bar mitzvah, which he celebrated in the communal hall. Unfortunately, the cheder teacher, a European immigrant who spoke halting English, was not the best teacher and Ivor finished his education with only a partial ability to read Hebrew.
As a young man, Ivor studied chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town. He worked in South Africa for a time before leaving to go to London. At the time he left, he did not have plans to live outside South Africa, but he ended up meeting several Canadians in England who encouraged him to give Canada a try. Obtaining work without any great difficulty and finding the locals friendlier than those in England, he decided to make Canada home.
Ivor worked in marketing for a time before coming to the conclusion that he wanted to be his own boss. With a loan from his father-in-law, he purchased a small company, which he ran for twenty-seven years. He looks back on those years fondly on account of having overcome a number of obstacles along the way and treated his employees fairly. In 1997, he sold his business and decided to devote his time to travel and volunteering.
Ivor and his wife have three children, all of whom live in Canada. They also have several grandchildren.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Simmons, Ivor, 1937-
Geographic Access
Bloemfontein (South Africa)
Cape Town (South Africa)
England
Sasolburg (South Africa)
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
Part 1:
00:25 Ivor was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa in 1937. His maternal grandparents' birthplace was Russia. His paternal grandfather was born near the Lithuanian/Latvian border. His paternal grandfather travelled to England and in 1886 moved to South Africa. His paternal grandmother came to South Africa from Cardiff.
02:24 Ivor's maternal grandfather was a jeweller in Cape Town. He remarried after Ivor's maternal grandmother died. The grandfather and second wife died in a vehicular accident in the 1920s.
03:45 Ivor discusses his parents: how they met and married. Ivor's father ran a printing company and his mother was a music teacher with an interest in the arts. Ivor's mother was involved in Jewish communal affairs.
05:55 Ivor discusses his two younger brother, both of whom moved to Sydney, Australia.
09:20 Ivor describes his youth in Bloemfontein.
10:34 Ivor participated in a B'nai Brith youth movement and attended cheder until age thirteen.
12:05 Ivor had a bar mitzvah in the communal hall.
13:24 Ivor discusses his education and extracurricular activities while he attended Grey College, a boys' school in Bloemfontein. Although Afrikaans was taught in school, Ivor did not gain fluency in Afrikaans until he worked in an oil refinery in Sasolburg.
15:40 Ivor describes his Jewish education.
16:20 Ivor discusses his family's religious and cultural observance.
17:47 Ivor shares his perspective on the impact of politics in South Africa on the Jewish community and on him personally.
19:40 Ivor discusses his reasons for leaving South Africa and how he decided to move to Canada. He found a job with Union Carbide in Toronto and decided to stay.
Part 2:
00:20 Ivor shares his first impressions of living in Toronto and addresses the ease of transition for him.
02:57 Ivor arrived in Toronto on 2 June 1963 after having spent one month in Montreal.
03:40 Ivor discusses the small South African community in Toronto at that time.
05:40 Ivor discusses his family's reaction to his decision to move to Toronto. His parents remained in South Africa. Ivor describes his parents' lifestyle.
08:45 Ivor describes his professional education and career. He studied chemical engineering at the University of Cape Town. He discusses his work history in South Africa, England, and Canada.
13:20 Ivor discusses how he met his wife. He discusses his family: his two sons and one daughter. Ivor discusses his daughter's career.
Part 3:
01:15 Ivor discusses the adoption of his two sons. Ivor discusses the children's education.
06:15 Ivor's mother came to visit regularly. His father came for several visits. Ivor and his family visited South Africa.
07:35 Ivor discusses how his family celebrated Jewish holidays.
08:24 Ivor discusses his wife, Renee.
09:08 Ivor discusses the similarities between Renee's family and his family with regards to Jewish practice and values and their Jewish practice in their home.
11:10 Ivor discusses his limited participation with any organizations within the South African Jewish community in Canada.
12:10 Ivor offers reasons why it would have been difficult to raise his children had they been living in South Africa.
13:40 Ivor discusses some of his family visits to South Africa and the impressions of the children.
15:36 Ivor offers his impressions of current day South Africa.
18:16 Ivor comments on the ease with which he integrated into Canada.
19:06 Ivor discusses his volunteer involvement following his retirement and his personal interests.
Part 4:
00:00 Ivor continues to discuss his personal interests.
Part 5:
00:00 Ivor fondly reminisces about his extended family in Cape Town: his mother's sister and her husband, his mother's brothers, their wives and children, and his father's twin cousins.
Part 6:
00:00 Ivor continues to reminisce about extended family.
02:42 Ivor discusses his pleasure in travel since his retirement.
Source
Oral Histories

What was planned as just a short trip...

Watching What you Say in South Africa

Name
Karrie Weinstock
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
11 Jul. 2016
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Karrie Weinstock
Number
OH 435
Subject
Immigrants--Canada
Interview Date
11 Jul. 2016
Interviewer
Lisa Newman
Total Running Time
OH 435 part 1: 22 min.
OH 435 part 2: 11 min.
OH 435 part 3: 22 min.
OH 435 part 4: 5 min.
Biography
Karrie’s life has long been characterized by both privilege and an acute sensitivity to the challenges facing those less fortunate than herself. Although she grew up in a happy professional family, her childhood was marked by uncertainty. Her father, Jack Unterhalter, was a civil-rights lawyer in the apartheid era, active in left-wing politics, and Karrie recalls him keeping a packed briefcase by the door during the state of emergency in case the authorities should come for him.
As a young woman, Karrie studied to be an English teacher at Homerton College, Cambridge. She then returned to South Africa, where she taught for two years, before moving to Boston to pursue a master’s degree in educational administration, planning, and social policy at Harvard. Upon graduating, she took a position at Milton Academy, an independent school in Boston. She enjoyed her time there but chose to relocate to Toronto, where she had an aunt. For over three decades, she has worked at Branksome Hall, first as an English teacher, then as an administrator, and now in her current role as deputy principal.
In 1985, Karrie married Michael Weinstock, a native Torontonian, whose family embraced her as one of their own. Both Karrie and Michael had been married previously, and, through her marriage to Michael, she inherited three beautiful stepdaughters. Karrie and Michael had a child of their own, a son who shares his mother’s love of South Africa, visiting the country each year.
Recognizing her great fortune in life, Karrie gives back through her volunteer work with the Stephen Leacock Foundation, which, among other initiatives, supports low-fee independent schools in South Africa that are connected to independent and public schools in Canada so as to form a unique triangle of hope.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Weinstock, Karen
Geographic Access
Boston (Mass.)
Cambridge (England)
Jamestown (South Africa)
Johannesburg (South Africa)
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Transcript
Part 1:
00:00 Karrie outlines her immediate family. She was born in Johannesburg, South Africa.
01:28 Karrie discusses her family history. Her maternal grandfather was born in 1891 in Lithuania. He came to South Africa in 1914 to escape the military. Her maternal grandmother was born in 1903 in Lithuaniaf. Her paternal grandfather was born in 1888 in Poland. Her paternal grandmother, whose parents came from Lithuania, was born in London in 1893.
03:54 Karrie discusses her father's career as a civil rights lawyer. She discusses her father's role as a founding member of the Liberal Party in South Africa.
06:35 Karrie discusses the impact her father's political activism had on her family. She offers examples to illustrate the unique situation in her home while growing up (e.g. political meetings, fear of her father's imminent arrest, visits from political prisoners).
08:26 Karrie offers her impressions of the position taken by the greater Jewish community in South Africa.
09:27 Karrie explains why she and her siblings attended independent schools.
11:00 Karrie discusses her family's involvement in the Jewish community and Jewish practice.
13:15 Karrie discusses how her parents stressed the importance of education and viewed education as a means of leaving South Africa. She discusses the education paths of her siblings as well as her own. Karrie received her teaching qualifications at Cambridge and earned a master's degree in administration planning and social policy at Harvard.
15:34 Karrie lives in Canada. Her sister lives in London. Her brother opted to return to South Africa.
16:38 Karrie relates an anecdote that compares her current situation of seeing her mother once a year with Black workers in South Africa who saw their children once a year.
17:48 Karrie explains that both her sister and brother were unable to return to South Africa for a period of time. In her sister's case it was due to her political activity; in her brother's case, it was due to his refusal to serve in the military.
18:55 Karrie discusses her "charmed" life growing up.
20:54 Karrie discusses her teaching qualifications and first teaching position at an independent school for mixed-race students.
Part 2:
00:56 Karrie discusses her experience at Harvard. Specifically, she mentions a friendship.
06:09 Karrie explains why her parents preferred that she not return to South Africa.
07:09 Karrie relates the story of finding a job at Milton Academy in Boston following graduation.
Part 3:
00:00 Karrie explains how she decided to move to Toronto.
03:45 Karrie explains how she became engaged and married to Clive Lovett in 1979. She explains the factors that contributed to the end of their four-year marriage.
05:16 Karrie discusses her teaching and administrative responsibilities at Branksome Hall.
12:59 Karrie describes meeting and marrying Michael Weinstock. Michael has three children from a previous marriage. Karrie and Michael have one son together.
15:20 Karrie explains how Peter Oliver, a prominent South African-born Toronto philanthropist and businessman, arranged to fund and build an independent school, the Get-Ahead Project School in rural South Africa. She explains her involvement with the project and the connection with Branksome Hall, Rose Avenue Public School, a high-needs school in Toronto, and the Get-Ahead Project School in South Africa.
Part 4:
00:00 Karrie continues to describe the inter-school program that has been set up for students at Branksome Hall, a school in Jamestown; Toronto, and the Get-Ahead school.
02:26 Karrie discusses her role on the board of the Leacock Foundation and her opportunity to further the inter-school program. She cites an example of how they contributed to the Get-Ahead school.
04:17 Karrie reminisces about times when she felt Canadian.
Source
Oral Histories

A Triangle of Hope

A Packed Suitcase by the Door

A Charmed Existence

Name
John Brotman
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
5 Apr. 2016
Source
Oral Histories
Name
John Brotman
Number
OH 427
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
5 Apr. 2016
Interviewer
Gail Freeman
Total Running Time
OH 427 part 1: 17 min.
OH 427 part 2: 22 min.
OH 427 part 3: 9 min.
OH 427 part 4: 2 min.
Biography
A musician by training, John arrived in Fort McMurray in April 1977. The very next day it snowed. He immediately regretted not picking Australia. “Canada was freezing cold,” he recalled. “But the people are the friendliest people I’ve ever known.”
John’s journey to Canada was anything but straightforward. Born in 1945, he grew up with his parents and two younger sisters in Saxonwold, a suburb of Johannesburg. After graduating high school and studying at the Wits University, he left for England in order to study music. It was there that he met his first wife, Jenny, who was born in Zimbabwe. The couple had two children: a son and a daughter. About a year after their second child was born, the couple decided to move to Australia. First though, they would stop in South Africa to visit with family. That visit, which was meant to last one month, ended up lasting a number of years.
While home in South Africa, John began having second thoughts about Australia. Back in London, he had met a Canadian musician who had encouraged him to move to Canada. When he returned to South Africa, he found an enormous parcel from Edmonton, Alberta that contained invitations from various towns and cities in Alberta encouraging him to come with his family and make a life there, even going as far as to promise housing. The offer being too good to pass up, the family made the move in 1977.
John initially worked as musician in residence at a college in Fort McMurray, a job he thoroughly enjoyed. It was during this time that his first marriage ended and he met his second wife, Sara, a Canadian who grew up on a farm in Alberta but was now teaching in Fort McMurray. The two moved to Edmonton where John worked for the provincial government for a time before being offered a job by the Canada Council. This job, in turn, took him to Ottawa. While in Ottawa, he and Sara had two children: another son and daughter.
John’s final job was with the Ontario Arts Council, of which he eventually became director. He retired several years ago, but continues to take pride in the accomplishment of Canadian artists and composers around the world.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Brotman, John
Geographic Access
Australia
Edmonton (Alta.)
Fort McMurray (Alta.)
Johannesburg (South Africa)
London (England)
Ottawa (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
Part 1:
01:15 John discusses his parents. His father was Isadore and his mother was Doris. Doris was born in Manchester. His father was a radiologist. Two younger sisters: Linda and Angela.
02:00 John briefly outlines his history. He was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. At age twenty, he moved to London, England to study music. He remained there for ten years, where he married and had two children.
02:37 John discusses his neighbourhood, Saxonwold, and his education from elementary school to high school through university.
03:45 John moved to London to study with several music teachers.
04:45 John married in 1970 in London. He discusses his wife's early history. She was born in Rhodesia (today Zimbabwe) and later moved to Cape Town. Their two children were born in England.
05:50 John explains his reasons for deciding to move to Australia. He explains how a short visit stretched into three years.
06:54 John explains how his plans changed and how his first destination in Canada was Alberta.
08:59 John lived in Alberta for four-to-five years. He describes his work as musician-in-residence at the newly founded college in Fort McMurray.
12:17 John explains how, after his first marriage broke up, he moved to Edmonton with his second wife. He worked as cultural music officer for the Alberta government.
13:37 John describes the job he took with the Canada Council in Ottawa. He remained in Ottawa for five years.
15:10 John discusses the job he took with Jeunesse Musicale (Youth in Music), a position that brought him to Toronto.
16:29 John took a position with the Ontario Arts Council. He explains how he advanced from music officer to director of the Ontario Arts Council, where he remained until his retirement in 2013.
Part 2:
00:00 John discusses his first wife, Jennifer Strong, and their children, Matthew and Lauren. They divorced while living in Fort McMurray. He discusses his second wife, Sarah, and their two children, Nicholas and Anna.
03:09 John recounts how he has reconnected with childhood friends from South Africa.
05:31 John discusses the role of Judaism in his life. His father came to South Africa from Prague.
08:24 John discusses his view of politics in South Africa and its impact on his decision to leave to study in England. He recalls South African friends in England who were anti-apartheid.
11:30 John recalls how he briefly contemplated moving to Israel but reconsidered when he was advised that his non-Jewish wife would be required to convert in order to ensure that his children would have full Israeli status.
15:54 John shares his first impressions of Canada and Canadians.
18:06 John discusses his children's education.
19:25 John discusses his family's observance of Jewish holidays.
20:40 John discusses his views on Israel and his connection to Judaism.
Part 3:
00:00 John discusses his reaction to criticism from various interest groups (Jewish, Palestinian, Polish), who objected to certain arts decisions by the Arts Council of Canada.
03:20 John discusses his adjustment to England and Canada.
05:12 John notes some changes in the South African Jewish community that have occurred since he left.
06:56 John recalls experiences that have made him feel "Canadian."
Part 4:
00:00 John relates a meeting with an old South African friend living in Israel and shares some of his views about Israel.
Source
Oral Histories

A Mandate for the Whole Country

The Inevitability of Leaving

Name
Ismé Bennie
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
26 Apr. 2016
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Ismé Bennie
Number
OH 429
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
26 Apr. 2016
Interviewer
Naomi Raichyk
Total Running Time
OH 429 part 1: 21 min.
OH 429 part 2: 21 min.
OH 429 part 3: 21 min.
OH 429 part 4: 9 min.
Biography
For someone who went on to become an influential figure in Canadian broadcasting, it is perhaps surprising to learn that Ismé Bennie grew up without television. Born in Vereeniging, South Africa in 1940, Ismé knew from a young age that she wanted to travel. After graduating from Wits University in 1960, she moved to London, England, which is where she saw television for the first time.
Although happy in London, Ismé decided to return to South Africa after two years, mostly as a result of her parents’ urging. While participating in the production of an American documentary about South Africa, she met a Canadian man who lived in the United States. In 1964, she moved to Los Angeles to be with him and eventually the two moved to New York, where they lived for five years.
Ismé’s partner eventually grew unhappy in New York and decided to return to Canada. At the time, many young men were making their way to Canada in order to dodge the draft. Ismé followed their guide about entering Canada. Upon arrival, she completed the questionnaire with flying colours and was allowed to stay.
Once in Canada, Ismé quickly put together an impressive resume, holding senior positions at CHUM and CTV. She has been honoured by the Canadian Film and Television Production Association with a Personal Achievement Award in 1990 and a Jack Chisholm Award in 1995. In 2003, Women in Film and Television – Toronto recognized her with an Outstanding Achievement Award.
In 2010, Ismé left CTV in order to focus on freelance writing. In 2015, she published a memoir of her childhood entitled White Schooldays: Coming of Age in Apartheid South Africa.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Bennie, Ismé, 1940-
Geographic Access
London (England)
Los Angeles (Calif.)
New York (N.Y.)
South Africa
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
Part 1:
00:24 Ismé was born in South Africa in 1940.
00:36 Ismé immigrated to Enland in 1962. She shares some of her memories from her stay in London. She explains how her views of apartheid changed.
02:40 Ismé discusses her personal and political reaction when she returned to South Africa in 1964.
05:09 Ismé discusses her job with a news magazine in South Africa.
06:48 Ismé discusses her involvement with the production of a film.
08:15 Ismé explains how she met and followed a man to the United States in 1965. She discusses his influence on her intellectually and politically.
10:43 Ismé outlines her first years in North America, initially in Los Angeles, then in New York, and finally in Toronto.
12:32 Ismé explains how she prepared for her move to Canada and discusses her initial arrival in Canada in December 1969.
15:56 Ismé shares her first impressions of Toronto.
18:02 Ismé discusses the friends she made in Toronto.
19:42 Ismé discusses her involvement with her local residential association.
Part 2:
00:00 Ismé discusses her impressions of Canadians' views of South Africa.
01:11 Ismé discusses her process of integration into and adjustment to Toronto.
03:10 Ismé explains that she had minimal contact with other South Africans when she arrived in Toronto. She suggests that her circumstances differed from other South African immigrants.
06:42 Ismé discusses her Jewish life growing up in South Africa.
09:45 Ismé discusses her involvement with the Jewish Genealogical Society in Toronto due to her personal interest in genealogy.
10:57 Ismé discusses her pursuit of her family history.
14:24 Ismé graduated from Witwatersrand University in Johannesburg. She discusses the efforts of an alumni group in Toronto.
16:11 Ismé discusses her successful career in broadcasting.
Part 3:
00:00 Ismé continues to discuss her career in broadcasting.
01:46 Ismé discusses her current work involvement as a consultant and writer.
03:16 Ismé discusses challenges she has faced as a woman and as a Jew.
06:50 Ismé discusses people who have influenced her in her professional life.
08:31 Ismé discusses some of her most rewarding professional achievements.
10:28 Ismé discusses her avid, longstanding interest in reading.
12:07 Ismé discusses her family and friends in South Africa and how she has maintained connection with them.
16:10 Ismé discusses her impressions of recent visits to South Africa.
19:23 Ismé discusses the challenges her sister would face if she considered immigration to Canada.
Ismé considers the notion of moving back to South Africa.
Part 4:
00:00 Ismé continues to discuss the notion of living in South Africa.
01:30 Ismé recalls some of her memories of South Africa.
05:40 Ismé discusses the process of pursuing her Canadian citizenship.
Source
Oral Histories

Toronto Fashion

A Very Loose Jewish Background

Welcome to Canada

Two South Africas

Name
Anthony Lipschitz
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
10 May 2016
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Anthony Lipschitz
Number
OH 430
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
10 May 2016
Interviewer
Melissa Caza
Total Running Time
1 hr. 4 min.
Biography
Like many South African boys, Anthony Lipschitz’s life revolved around sports. He grew up in Victory Park, a Jewish neighbourhood in Johannesburg whose claim to fame was that it had a Jewish day school. Though not especially devout, the neighbourhood had a strong traditional Jewish identity, and Anthony fondly remembers walking across the street with his sister to attend shul on holidays.
As a child, Anthony played sports with a diverse group of friends that included Jews, Italians, Greeks, and Lebanese. It was through sports, and especially soccer, that Anthony came to view athletic pursuits as “the ultimate equalizer,” because they brought people together from different backgrounds. This was especially true as he advanced in his career as a soccer player and began playing in mixed-race teams.
As an adult, Anthony lived and studied in several countries including Israel and the United States. He studied media arts at Long Island University on a full soccer scholarship and co-founded a software business called Advanceware Solutions with a childhood friend, which they sold in 2006. Since then, Anthony has held leadership roles at numerous companies including Brightspark Ventures; iStopOver, a peer-to-peer vacation rentals marketplace that he co-founded; and StubHub, an eBay, Inc. company. Today, he is a partner at FirePower Capital, where he runs their private equity practice.
In 2000, Anthony met his future wife, Lisa, whom he married in March 2003. In 2004,the couple moved to Toronto, which is where Lisa grew up. Anthony has two sons, both of whom attend Bialik Hebrew Day School.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Lipschitz, 1973-
Geographic Access
Israel
Johannesburg (South Africa)
Toronto (Ont.)
United States
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
00:33 Anthony's grandparents came to South Africa from Vilnius, Lithuania in the late 1800s to escape pogroms.
01:02 Anthony was born in Johannesburg on 17 October 1973.
01:15 Anthony's parents were born in Johannesburg. His father was a lawyer. Anthony's mother was a legal secretary. They divorced when Anthony was five. Anthony has a brother in Johannesburg and a sister in Sydney, Australia.
02:28 Anthony discusses Victory Park, his neighbourhood in Johannesburg.
03:22 Anthony discusses the make-up his childhood friends.
03:55 Anthony shares memories from his childhood in Johannesburg.
05:34 Anthony discusses his involvement in soccer.
08:03 Anthony describes the make-up of his soccer teams. He discusses the impact of playing on a mixed-race sports team on his personal growth.
10:28 Anthony explains why, with political changes in South Africa, the make-up of his team became more mixed-race.
11:20 Anthony discusses the role of Judaism in his youth while growing up in Johannesburg. Anthony attended a Jewish day school.
12:50 Anthony describes his bar mitzvah.
14:28 Anthony discusses the impact of apartheid in his life. He describes the challenge of filtering out propaganda while growing up in a liberal home.
16:45 Anthony describes his education. He attended Jewish nursery and Jewish day school.
17:43 Anthony attended Betar summer camp for seven years.
18:55 Anthony explains some of the factors that contributed to his decision to leave South Africa.
20:30 Anthony briefly attended Boston University in South Africa.
21:05 Anthony left South Africa at age nineteen for Israel with the intention of soccer.
22:55 Anthony describes his mother's reaction to his decision to leave South Africa.
23:00 Anthony describes his five month stay in Israel and the factors that influenced his decision to move to the United States.
25:47 Anthony discusses his travels to London and the United States.
26:45 Anthony received a scholarship to play soccer at a university in the United States.
27:15 Anthony discusses his first impressions of the United States.
29:30 Anthony attended Long Island University in Brooklyn, New York to study media arts. He discusses his university stay.
33:50 Anthony discusses his first job after graduation.
37:27 Anthony explains how he partnered with a childhood friend to start their own web design business in 1998. He discusses the growth and metamorphosis of the business. They sold the company in 2006.
40:30 Anthony describes how he met his wife, Lisa, in July 2000. They married in March 2003.
42:33 Anthony explains their decision to move to Toronto in January 2004.
43:55 Anthony shares his impressions of Toronto.
44:50 Anthony explains why they chose to live in the Annex.
45:40 Anthony has two sons: Zachary and Matthew.
46:28 Anthony discusses their decision to send their children to Bialik Hebrew Day School.
47:53 Anthony describes his sons' involvement in sports.
48:50 Anthony discusses his own involvement in sports.
49:40 Anthony discusses his business pursuits in Toronto.
54:50 Anthony shares points of pride from his career.
55:26 Anthony describes his Jewish life in Toronto.
57:10 Anthony explains why his family chose to become members of the Temmy Latner Centre in Forest Hill.
58:40 Anthony describes South African traditions that he has passed on to his children.
1:01:00 Anthony discusses his ongoing connection with South Africa. He notes that his mother, brother, father, and grandmother continues to live in South Africa.
1:01:58 Anthony discusses his impressions of current day South Africa.
1:03:00 Anthony muses about what it means to be Canadian.
Source
Oral Histories

Sport as an Equalizer

Jewish Day School

Raising Jewish Children

Food and South African Identity

Name
Claire and Al Roebuck
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
9 Feb. 1986
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Claire and Al Roebuck
Number
OH 115
Subject
Tailors
Refugee camps
Immigrants--Canada
Interview Date
9 Feb. 1986
Quantity
1
Interviewer
Phyllis Platnick
Total Running Time
30.05 minutes
Conservation
Copied August 2003
Use Restrictions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Biography
Claire and Al Roebuck were involved in the Tailor Project to bring skilled trade workers from the displaced persons camps of Europe to Canada after the Second World War. Claire worked for the Canadian Overseas Garment Worker's Commission with Thomas Aplin.
Material Format
sound recording
Language
English
Geographic Access
Toronto (Ont.)
Europe
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Adele and Alan Farber
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
13 Apr. 2016
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Adele and Alan Farber
Number
OH 428
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
13 Apr. 2016
Interviewer
Lisa Newman
Total Running Time
OH 428 part 1: 18 min.
OH 428 part 2: 19 min.
OH 428 part 3: 22 min.
OH 428 part 4: 3 min.
Biography
Adele and Alan met when she was fifteen and he was seventeen years old. They married a few years later, and lived in Johannesburg until Alan qualified as a chartered accountant. In 1975, they immigrated to Toronto.
Adele arrived in Canada with an honours degree in psychology. She initially completed a one-year program at a Canadian teaching college. After having three children, she went back to university, and obtained an honours degree in social work from York University and a master’s degree in social work from the University of Toronto. She worked with teenagers for several years at an agency and in 2001 opened a private practice as a psychotherapist. Today she works part-time.
Alan requalified as a chartered accountant in Canada, and became a trustee in bankruptcy. In 1979, he founded a firm, which is currently called Farber Group. The firm provides business advisory services from eleven business units and operates in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta.
Adele and Alan are members of Kehillat Shaarei Torah and have engaged in philanthropy through the United Jewish Appeal, Canadian Friends of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, and other Jewish and community charitable organizations.
Their oldest son, Jonathan, lives in Israel while their two younger children, Steven and Sherri, live in Canada. They have seven grandchildren.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Farber, Adele, 1952-
Farber, Alan, 1951-
Geographic Access
Israel
Johannesburg (South Africa)
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
00:02 Adele was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1952. She has one brother, ten years her junior.
00:32 Adele explains why her family moved several times during her childhood: to London, England in 1962; to Herzliya Pituach, Israel in 1964; and back to Johannesburg in 1967.
02:55 Adele discusses her parents' family histories. Her paternal grandfather came from Lithuania at the turn of the century. Her paternal grandmother came from England. They married in South Africa. Her father was the youngest of five children. Adele's maternal grandparents came from Poland prior to the Second World War. Her mother was the middle of six children, all born in Poland.
05:26 Adele discusses her extended family, their cloneness, and regular family get-togethers.
07:17 Adele outlines her Jewish education.
08:13 Adele speaks Hebrew fluently and majored in Hebrew and psychology at university.
08:41 Adele has a son who lives in Israel.
09:07 Adele discusses how she met her husband, Alan. They married young: Adele was nineteen; Alan was twenty-one. They lived in Johannesburg for three years before moving to Canada.
11:10 Adele discusses the reasons they decided to leave South Africa.
14:40 Adele explains why they chose to immigrate to Canada.
16:36 Adele discusses the rocky start to their immigration due to her father's illness and death. They entered Canada in June 1975, returned to South Africa for six months, and returned to Canada at the end of 1975.
17:59 Adele's mother immigrated to Canada in 1980. Adele's brother moved to the United States.
18:12 Adele discusses return trips to South Africa.
Part 2:
00:00 Alan was born in 1951 in Johannesburg. Alan has two older sisters.
00:20 Alan briefly outlines his primary and secondary education.
00:54 Alan fondly reminisces about a friendship he has maintained since childhood.
02:43 Alan discusses growing up in Johannesburg: his neighbourhood, his friends, and his interest in sports.
03:44: Alan discusses his family's origins. Alan's father was born in South Africa. His paternal grandparents came from Lithuania. Alan's mother and maternal grandfather were born in South Africa. His maternal grandparents came from Latvia.
04:35 Alan describes his observance of Judaism while growing up.
06:15 Alan discusses his bar mitzvah. He had a private Hebrew teacher.
07:54 Alan explains that he and his family had limited involvement in Jewish community activity.
09:00 Alan explains how he became more involved in Jewish community organizations in Toronto. He describes his involvement.
11:38 Alan describes his professional training to become an accountant in South Africa, a chartered accountant in Canada, and a trustee in bankruptcy.
13:52 Alan discusses his career development in Canada. He describes his business, the Farber Financial Group.
17:09 Alan discusses the optiosn he considered before ultimately choosing Canada as an immigration destination.
Part 3:
00:03 Adele discusses her post-secondary education, including an honour's degree in psychology earned in South Africa, a teaching degree, a bachelor of social work, and a master's of social work earned in Canada. Adele discusses her various jobs and her private practice.
03:20 Adele discusses their young family: Jonathon (1978), Steven (1980), and Sherry (1983).
05:34 Alan warmly describes raising his children.
06:31 Adele discusses their family's Jewish life when they first arrived in Toronto: the neighbourhood, Shabbat observance, and synagogue attendance. Adele and Alan explain that, for financial reasons, they sent their children to public school, with the exception of Sherry who attended the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto (CHAT).
09:29 Alan and Adele discuss how they established social connections when they first arrived in Canada, welcomed by distant cousins and with other young Jewish couples who had recently immigrated from South Africa.
11:13 Adele and Alan discuss how they were received by Canadians.
12:26 Alan describes their efforts to help other immigrants including sponsoring a family from Vietnam in 1981, sponsoring a Russian Jew through Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (JIAS), and helping sponsor Syrian refugees through their synagogue.
14:29 Adele discusses the supports offered by South African Jews in Canada to South African immigrants, specifically through the Southern African Jewish Association of Canada (SAJAC).
15:57 Alan explains how he served as a contact person for other South African accountants when they arrived in Canada. Also, many of his business employees are from South Africa.
18:03 Alan and Adele belong to Kehillah Shaarei Torah.
18:48 Adele and Alan discuss their grown children. Their oldest son, Jonathon (Israel) is a rabbi in Bet Shemesh, Israel. Steven is a professor of urban geography at the University of Toronto. Sherry, who studied medicine at Ben-Gurion University, returned to Canada to practice medicine.
20:37 Alan shares his hopes for the future.
Part 4:
00:39 Adele expounds on her appreciation of living in Canada.
Source
Oral Histories

The Kensington of Johannesburg

Maybe Canada?

Immigrants Sponsoring Immigrants

Kiss the Ground

Name
Neville and Ruth Sischy
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
17 Nov. 2016
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Neville and Ruth Sischy
Number
OH 439
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
17 Nov. 2016
Interviewer
Miriam Borden
Total Running Time
OH 439 part 1: 37 min.
OH 439 part 2: 7 min.
OH 439 part 3: 7 min.
Biography
Neville and Ruth were born toward the beginning of apartheid rule in South Africa. Indeed, Neville was born the same year the National Party returned to power and formalized the system of apartheid. Because of their young age, Neville and Ruth were largely unaware of the political developments taking place in their country. By the time they left South Africa in the mid-1970s, the government had devolved into a police state. For them, the Canada of Pierre Elliott Trudeau was a welcome contrast to the injustice of apartheid South Africa.
Neville and Ruth grew up in traditional Jewish homes, in which their grandparents spoke Yiddish and were treated with deference. Neville met Ruth while attending medical school in Johannesburg. He was twenty-one at the time; she was eighteen. The two married on the condition that they leave South Africa and, after a positive look-see, came to Canada in 1975. Initially, Neville had trouble finding work as a general practitioner but was eventually able to open a clinic, where he has worked for forty years. Ruth, meanwhile, quickly found work in the nursery department of Holy Blossom Temple, the latter serving as a launching pad for their integration into Canadian society.
Although there were challenges along the way, Neville and Ruth have never regretted their decision to immigrate to Canada. They have four children, all of whom have made friends with the children of their Holy Blossom friends, and hope to see those friendships continue into the third generation.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Sischy, Neville
Sischy, Ruth
Geographic Access
Benoni (South Africa)
Cape Town (South Africa)
Germiston (South Africa)
Toronto (Ont.)
Vancouver (B.C.)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
Part 1:
00:35 Ruth discusses her parents' immigration history. Her father came to Benoni, South Africa from Lithuania and Latvia at age fifteen. Her mother came to Cape Town from Lithuania as an infant with her mother.
03:40 Ruth discusses her Jewish home life growing up. Yiddish was the primary language spoken by her grandmothers and between her grandparents and her parents. She describes her parents' home as traditional but not religious.
05:04 Ruth discusses her education. She attended a public school. She describes her brothers' Jewish education. She did not have any formal Jewish education.
05:42 Ruth continues to describe her home life.
06:55 Neville discusses his family's immigration history. His father came from Sveskna, Lithuania to live with an aunt in South Africa at age sixteen in 1927. He eventually bought a men's clothing business in Germiston, where Neville was born. His mother was born in South Africa. His maternal grandfather came to South Africa from Lithuania at the turn of the twentieth century, leaving behind a wife and child. He was able to bring them to Johannesburg, South Africa thirteen years later.
09:23 Neville explains that he lived in Germiston until 1971, when he moved to Johannesburg to go to medical school. He met Ruth while he was attending medical school. He explains that he and Ruth were married knowing they would leave South Africa.
10:29 Neville discusses the factors that contributed to his decision to leave South Africa.
11:49 Neville considered moving to England after he did an elective there during medical school. He explains why he decided to come to Canada instead. Neville discusses the circumstances that led to two of his father's cousins to leave South Africa and come to Canada.
13:24 Neville and Ruth explain why they decided to settle in Toronto rather than Vancouver, their initial destination. Ruth discusses the challenges of leaving her family. She recalls her first Rosh Hashanah in Toronto and how she found comfort from a sense of community.
17:23 Ruth notes that she chose Toronto over Vancouver thinking she would have a greater chance of seeing family. Paradoxically, her family immigrated to Oregon.
18:21 Ruth discusses the reaction of friends and family to their decision to emigrate.
19:12 Neville and Ruth discuss a look-see visit to Canada in 1974. They relate a humorous incident involving trying to get to the Canadian embassy in Rome.
21:04 Ruth describes the homesickness she felt as a new immigrant to Canada. She highlights the poor communication at the time: slow mail; postal strikes; sending mail via Buffalo, New York; expensive and complicated long-distance phone calls.
23:06 Neville discusses some of the challenges he encountered when he first arrived.
24:38 Neville and Ruth discuss the support they received from the Jewish community. They identify support from their colleagues.
26:10 Neville and Ruth explain the factors that directed them to choose their first neighbourhood.
27:12 Ruth discusses her adjustment to Canadian winter.
28:31 Ruth comments on her surprise of being able to practice Judaism openly in Toronto.
30:44 Ruth contrasts open conversations about the Holocaust in Canada with minimal discussion in Johannesburg. Neville discusses the impact of the Holocaust on his family.
32:25 Ruth discusses the role their household staff played in her life in South Africa.
33:11 Neville recounts an anecdote demonstrating the prevalence of domestic help in white South Africa.
34:08 Neville contrasts the oppressive society of South Africa with the open, welcoming Canadian governance and society.
35:11 Neville discusses why the military was glorified in South Africa.
36:02 Ruth discusses her professional career.
Part 2:
00:47 Neville's sister and family and parents immigrated to Canada a year-and-a-half after their arrival. Ruth's family immigrated to the United States.
01:25 Neville and Ruth have four children, all born in Canada.
02:01 Both Neville and Ruth strongly identify as Canadian. Neville recalls he felt Canadian when she took his children to school. Ruth distinguishes between her "childhood life" in Africa and her "adult life" in Canada.
04:16 Ruth explains when and why she returned to South Africa for visits.
05:07 Neville discusses a desire to help young children and families in South Africa.
07:17 Neville notes the similarities between Ruth and his backgrounds (e.g. living with a grandmother, Yiddish spoken in the home).
Part 3:
00:22 Ruth explains why she is grateful for coming to Toronto.
00:47 Neville discusses a social group in Toronto comprised of former Jewish residents from Germiston. He notes that he has a large extended family in Toronto.
01:38 Ruth notes that most of their close friends tend to be South African.
02:01 Neville discusses his cousin, Ben Sischy, who had been a political activist in South Africa.
02:30 Ruth notes her awareness of South African politics became stronger after she immigrated to Canada.
03:15 Neville relates stories about Black medical students in his medical school class.
04:24 Neville and Ruth explain that they visited Israel but did not consider moving there.
04:57 Neville and Ruth discuss their limited involvement with Zionist youth movements and reminisce about fundraising as children for Jewish organizations.
Source
Oral Histories

Loneliness

Basic Human Needs

Two Very Distinct Lives

Name
Dr. Vivian Rakoff
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
24 Nov. 2016
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Dr. Vivian Rakoff
Number
OH 440
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
24 Nov. 2016
Interviewer
Naomi Raichyk
Total Running Time
OH 440 part 1: 31 min.
OH 440 part 2: 3 min.
OH 440 part 3: 2 min.
OH 440 part 4: 21 min.
Biography
Vivian Morris Rakoff was born on 28 April 1928 in Cape Town but was quickly whisked off to Port Nolloth, a small town on the northwest coast of South Africa, where he spent his earliest years. And while Port Nolloth was home to less than a dozen Jewish families, his mother would still braid challah every Friday night.
The family moved to Cape Town when Vivian was six. At age eleven, he had a bruising encounter with apartheid that left a strong impression on him. Having innocently boarded a bus set aside for Black South Africans, he was thrown off by the conductor who told him, “You can’t come here!” Afterwards, he told his aunt he was not going to live in South Africa.
After completing a degree at the University of Cape Town, Vivian set sail for England, where he was planning to study English at Oxford. Instead, he followed friends down to Marseilles where he met Yiddish-speaking Holocaust survivors waiting to set sail for Israel. The encounter was a pivotal one and led Vivian to journey to Israel, where he lived on kibbutz for a year.
After losing his passport, Vivian returned to South Africa, where he completed a master’s degree in psychology. He then travelled to England, this time staying for more than eight years. He studied medicine at University College London and enjoyed the city’s theatres and museums. After completing his degree, he decided it was time to see his parents so he returned once more to South Africa.
While in South Africa, Vivian met a friend who suggested he enroll in McGill University’s psychiatry program. Vivian thus set sail yet again, this time with wife and ten-month-old baby. After an eighteen-day journey, the family arrived in Montreal, where Vivian did his residency. Residency complete, he accepted a job offer in Toronto, where he stayed for the rest of his career, serving as chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto and as the namesake for the Rakoff Centre for Positron Emission Tomography. In 2015, the Government of Canada appointed him a member of the Order of Canada in recognition of his contributions to psychiatry as well as for his role in founding the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.
Vivian died on 1 October 2020. He was survived by his wife Gina Shochat-Rakoff, son Simon, daughter Ruth, and grandchildren Micah, Amit, Sasaf, and Zoe.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Rakoff, Vivian Morris, 1928-2020
Geographic Access
Cape Town (South Africa)
Montréal (Québec)
Port Nolloth (South Africa)
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
Part 1:
00:29 Vivian discusses the immigration of his father's family to South Africa. His grandfather left Lithuania around the turn of the twentieth century. His grandmother and her children joined him in South Africa. Vivian lists the members of the family.
04:24 Vivian discusses the immigration of his mother's family. His mother, who was born in Chicago, came to South Africa in 1914.
05:00 Vivian's family settled in Port Nolloth. Vivian discusses the economy of the region. He discusses his father's businesses and marriage to his mother, Bertha. Vivian is one of four children.
06:48 Vivian was born on 28 April 1928 and lived in Port Nolloth for his first six years.
07:35 Vivian shares memories of growing up Jewish in Port Nolloth. He recounts anecdotes concerning his father's Zionist leanings.
09:40 Vivian describes his family's Jewish observance and shares memories from his youth.
12:30 Vivian discusses the impact of Zionism in his personal life. He describes his involvement with HaShomer HaTzair and travelling to Israel.
13:13 Vivian describes synagogues in Cape Town. He discusses his Jewish education after his family moved to Cape Town when he was six.
14:26 Vivian discusses the Jewish lives of his grandparents in Lithuania. He discusses the influence of the Haskalah (Jewish Enlightenment) and the rise of Zionism.
17:17 Vivian discusses the impact of South African politics on his life. He recalls a poem he wrote for his Zionist youth magazine. He recalls how an incident from his childhood that highlights the oppressive nature of the apartheid regime. The incident influenced his decision to leave South Africa.
21:04 Vivian describes the circumstances that triggered his decision to go to Palestine in 1947. His plan to study in England was interrupted when he decided to join a group of displaced persons in Marseilles who were travelling to Palestine. He remained there for a year.
24:26 Vivian describes his educational studies in South Africa and England.
25:27 Vivian expounds on living in London for eight years.
28:15 Vivian discusses his decision to come to Canada to study Psychiatry at McGill University.
29:18 Vivian describes his journey by steamship to Canada with his wife and ten-month-old baby.
30:13 Vivian discusses his impressions of South Africa when he returned from England.
Part 2:
00:13 Vivian discusses early memories of living in Montreal and how reality differed from expectations. He worked as a psychiatry resident at the Jewish General Hospital, but his wife, also a doctor, was unable to work. He describes a feeling of disappointment when they were not invited for High Holidays.
Part 3:
00:00 Vivian explains that he had decided to leave Montreal in 1967. He discusses Expo 67 and their many visitors.
Part 4:
00:00 Vivian discusses how his first job offer in Toronto at St. Michael's Hospital in 1967 was retracted due to antisemitism. He was then offered a position as director of postgraduate education in the psychiatry department.
01:00 Vivian describes some of the early challenges faced by his family when they arrived in Canada such as financial challenges and antisemitism.
02:28 Vivian and family move to a home on Ridgewood Road where they remain for twenty-three years.
03:00 Vivian contrasts his early experiences in Toronto with those in Montreal.
04:07 Vivian's children attended Bialik Hebrew Day School.
04:16 Vivian describes his family's Jewish observance.
04:52 Vivian explains that his primary connection to the South African Jewish community in Toronto is through relatives.
05:25 Vivian continues to discuss his Jewish observance.
06:25 Vivian discusses some of his family members who came to Toronto.
08:00 Vivian discusses his research concerning the challenges faced by children of Holocaust survivors. He continues to discuss his professional and literary writing.
09:5 Vivian outlines his professional positions: director of postgraduate education, chief of psychiatry at St. Michael's Hospital, chief of psychiatry and professor of psychiatry at the University of Toronto.
10:25 Vivian highlights a personal achievement concerning bringing a positron emission scanner to the Clark Institute (CAMH).
11:50 Vivian discusses his interest in art.
13:17 Vivian discusses some of the challenges encountered by new immigrants.
14:30 Vivian addresses his own decision to immigrate to Canada.
15:41 Vivian addresses his Canadian identity.
15:58 Vivian describes a trip with his grandchildren to Port Nolloth.
17:36 Vivian shares some of his lasting memories of Cape Town.
19:08 Vivian discusses the common destinations for South African Jewish immigration.
20:12 Vivian discusses his experience as an immigrant of Canada.
Source
Oral Histories

Braiding challah with my mother

Montreal was Hostile

On Survivors

Receiving the Order of Canada

Name
Avis Osher and Robbie Osher
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
12 Jul. 2016
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Avis Osher and Robbie Osher
Number
OH 436
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
12 Jul. 2016
Interviewer
Lisa Newman
Total Running Time
OH 436 part 1: 12 min.
OH 436 part 2: 11 min.
OH 436 part 3: 22 min.
OH 436 part 4: 13 min.
Biography
Like many South Africans, Avis and Robbie are descendants of Latvian and Lithuanian immigrants to South Africa. Each had two siblings, attended public school, and went on to attend Wits University. Avis became an occupational therapist and Robbie a chartered accountant. They have three daughters.
Avis and Robbie began thinking about leaving South Africa as early as 1969, but a combination of family and financial considerations kept them there until 1996, the year they immigrated to Canada.
Robbie ran a successful accounting practice in South Africa for thirty years. On arriving in Canada, he decided he wanted a career change and eventually transitioned into the role of chief financial officer of a Toronto company. A competitive squash player in South Africa, he continued winning titles at the provincial and national levels in Canada. It was largely through squash that he integrated into Canadian society.
Avis worked in a variety of hospitals and schools, taught at Wits, and ran a successful practice in Johannesburg. She re-qualified to register in Canada and after occupying different positions now works in her own practice.
They are proud grandparents of nine grandchildren. They both agree that through their professional and personal dedication, they have given back to their adopted country.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Osher, Avis
Osher, Robbie, 1939-
Geographic Access
Johannesburg (South Africa)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
Part 1:
00:14 Avis was born in Johannesburg, South Africa. Avis provides a brief family history. Her mother, Rae Mer, was born in Zamel, Lithuania. Her father, Sollie Burde, was born in Grodno, Belarus. She discusses the circumstances of various relatives.
01:45 Avis explains why her father came to South Africa in 1932.
02:55 Avis hypothesizes how her parents met and married in Johannesburg. Avis had one sister, Hessie, and one brother, David.
04:25 Avis describes her experience growing up.
06:38 Avis explains that she went to work in the family factory when she finished school. She discusses her mother's role in the business.
07:44 Avis discusses her family's involvement with the Jewish community and their practice of Judaism.
10:50 Avis describes the path she took to become an occupational therapist. She describes her first work placement.
Part 2:
00:00 Robbie was named Robert Percy Osher at birth. Robbie was born in Johannesburg in 1939.
01:02 Robbie discusses his childhood. He discusses his social life, interests, and education. Robbie graduated from accounting and qualified as a certified public accountant (CPA) in Israel. He received a degree in accounting in the United Kingdom and a certified management accountant (CMA) degree.
04:01 Robbie discusses the reasons for considering and then rejecting the idea of moving to Israel in 1969. Robbie discusses his Jewish education and his family's practice of Judaism.
05:34 Robbie provides a brief family history. His mother was born in 1912 in Latvia. She came to South Africa at age eight with her family. His father was born in 1911 in ?Killem, Lithuania. His father was a tailor.
07:40 Robbie explains that his family had Black servants. He discusses segregation.
Robbie discusses his reasons for deciding to leave South Africa in 1969. He discusses multiple applications for emigration: Canada, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, and Israel. Their daughter, Dorit, immigrated to Canada in 1986. Robbie explains how he and Avis immigrated to Canada in 1990 after settling their business affairs.
Part 3:
00:17 Avis discusses the dilemmas she struggled with when she and Robbie considered leaving South Africa.
01:35 Avis describes the challenges her family encountered when they attempted a move to the United States in 1976.
03:50 Avis describes her response when her mother suffered a heart attack when Avis was aged eight. She explains how she was not inclined to leave her mother.
05:17 Avis discusses expectations for her daughters.
05:49 Robbie discusses the reasons for remaining in South Africa.
08:00 Robbie discusses his passion for and achievement in squash, including six medals at the Maccabiah Games in 1985, 1989, and 1993.
10:50 Robbie explains how playing competitive squash in Canada was a way of integrating into Canadian society. Robbie discusses his accomplishments in squash since he arrived in Canada.
12:03 Robbie discusses his work since he arrived in Canada.
12:50 Avis explains how they were able to get some money out of South Africa despite state financial restrictions.
15:00 Avis shares some stories from her experience working with Black African patients and staff. She discusses hierarchies and inequities in care and equipment.
18:33 Avis and Robbie provide examples to show racism and the separation of white, Black, and coloured individuals in South Africa.
21:20 Robbie relates an example from his own experience to highlight the practice of racism and injustice in South Africa.
Part 4:
00:00 Avis discusses her relationship with their family nanny.
02:30 Robbie describes what they brought with them from South Africa to Canada.
04:30 Robbie and Avis discuss the reaction of their friends and relationships when they decided to leave.
08:26 Avis discuss the life pursuits of their three daughters: Dorit, Shira, and Susan.
11:05 Robbie and Avis discuss factors that contribute to their feeling and identifying as Canadian.
Source
Oral Histories

Overcrowding in Black Hospitals

What We Left Behind

An Icon at the Club

Name
Brynie Lacob and Steven Silver
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
31 Aug. 2016
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Brynie Lacob and Steven Silver
Number
OH 437
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
31 Aug. 2016
Interviewer
Miriam Borden
Total Running Time
AC 437 part 1: 22 min.
AC 437 part 2: 22 min.
AC 437 part 3: 3 min.
Use Restrictions
Please contact Brynie Lacob for permission before posting on the internet.
Please contact Steven Silver for permission before posting on the internet.
Biography
Brynie and Steven first met at a bar mitzvah when Brynie was twelve and Steven was thirteen. The two have been in each other’s lives in one way or another ever since.
Brynie came to Canada in 1988. She chose Canada partly because she had a boyfriend there and partly because she anticipated using it as a stepping stone to the United States. Instead, she found work, earned a master’s degree in psychology, and married. Her first marriage resulted in three children, all of whom she enrolled in Jewish day school.
Steven came to Canada in 1994, a number of years after the rest of his immediate family had immigrated. He became involved in Canada’s film and television industry and today is chief executive officer of Kew Media Group, a special purpose acquisition company. In April 2000, Brynie and Steven began dating. They married in 2006.
Brynie and Steven retain close ties to South Africa, frequently going back. While both are grateful to Canada for the opportunities it has given them, they continue to feel a strong connection to the smells, sounds, and warmth of their country of origin and have discussed returning for a few months each year.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Lacob, Brynie
Silver, Steven
Geographic Access
Durban (South Africa)
Johannesburg (Ont.)
Thornhill (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
Part 1:
00:42 Brynie discusses her family's immigration to South Africa. Her paternal grandparents and maternal great-grandparents came from Lithuania. Her maternal grandparents were born in South Africa.
01:24 Steven discusses his family history. His paternal grandfather and great-grandparents came from Poland. His paternal grandmother was born in South Africa. His maternal grandmother came from Russia.
03:59 Steven was born in Durban and grew up in Johannesburg from age four. He came to Canada in 1994.
04:11 Brynie was born and raised in Johannesburg. She came to Canada in 1988 at age twenty-one.
04:49 Brynie discusses her family's Jewish practice. Her father's family was traditional. Her mother's family was secular.
06:09 Steven discusses his family's Jewish practice. His paternal grandfather was gabbai at the main synagogue in Durban.
09:05 Brynie discusses her personal practice of Judaism.
10:24 Steven discusses his personal Jewish experience. He attended Jewish day school, belonged to the Habonim youth movement, and attended ulpan in Israel in 1981.
12:09 Steven explains how his Jewish education and involvement in Habonim influenced him and other Jews to get involved with politics in South Africa.
12:55 Brynie discusses her family's involvement in politics. She explains that her mother was involved with the Progressive Reform Party (PRP). Brynie was not actively involved with politics.
14:45 Brynie explains her desire to leave South Africa. At age seventeen, she attended an exchange program for a year in the United States.
15:12 Steven discusses politics in his home and school life. He recalls an accident involving bringing a political activist to his school that left an impression on him.
16:53 Steven discusses his involvement with the National Union of South African Students while attending university. He was president in 1981.
17:30 Steven joined the African National Congress (ANC) when it was unbanned in 1990.
18:14 Steven discusses his involvement with the group End Conscription Campaign (ECC). He discusses getting arrested for his refusal to serve in the army.
20:18 Brynie discusses her relationship with her family's Black nanny.
21:26 Steven discusses his relationship with his family's Black nanny.
Part 2:
00:08 Brynie discusses the factors that led to her decision to leave South Africa.
01:10 Steven discusses his parents' and two young brothers' immigration to Canada in 1986. He explains his decision to remain in South Africa and the impetus that spurred him to leave in 1994.
02:43 Brynie describes her lack of preparedness upon arrival in Canada.
04:00 Brynie discusses her expectations of Canada when she arrived.
05:17 Steven explains the factors that facilitated his adjustment to Canada (e.g. family, employment).
07:28 Steven discusses his early impressions of Canada. He highlights the feelings of security and safety in Canada.
08:59 Brynie and Steven discuss how they met. Brynie was married previously and had three children. Steven and Brynie married in 2006.
12:15 Brynie discusses her children.
12:55 Brynie discusses her professional career in social work and counselling.
13:33 Steven discusses his professional career. He graduated in law. His career focused on documentary and feature films. He current works as chief executive officer of a media company.
15:40 Brynie discusses her reception in Canada.
17:17 Steven discusses his perceptions as a South African in Canada.
18:04 Brynie discusses her involvement in the Jewish community in Toronto.
19:08 Brynie shares her impressions of raising children in Toronto and more specifically in Thornhill.
20:21 Brynie discusses her ongoing connection with South Africa.
Part 3:
00:00 Steven discusses his ongoing to South Africa.
01:05 Steven shares some comments on the current and future situation in South Africa.
01:51 Brynie discusses her outgoing interest in South African news and politics.
Source
Oral Histories

Political Activism

The Place I Call Home

Name
Monty Grunebaum and Barney Sher
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
6 Sep. 2016
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Monty Grunebaum and Barney Sher
Number
OH 438
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South AFrica
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
6 Sep. 2016
Interviewer
Naomi Raichyk
Total Running Time
OH 438 part 1: 22 min.
OH 438 part 2: 22 min.
OH 438 part 3: 20 sec.
OH 438 part 4: 14 min.
OH 438 part 5: 22 min.
OH 438 part 6: 11 min.
Biography
Monty Grunebaum and Barnie Sher are two of the founding members of Kehillat Shaarei Torah, a Modern Orthodox shul located on Bayview Avenue in North York. Monty, who immigrated to Canada in 1977, says that the impetus for starting the shul derived partly from South Africans wanting to recreate their memories of Jewish life in South Africa in their new country. A group began to look at different venues in the city and applied for a rabbi. Because many of the South Africans who immigrated to Canada were of modest means, it was a challenge raising funds. With the support of the established Toronto community, eventually, the group was able to purchase a property and hire a rabbi. In November 1980, the shul was incorporated as Kehillat Shaarei Torah of Toronto.
Kehillat Shaarei Torah has had four rabbis since its incorporation in 1980. Rabbi Eliot Feldman served the community from 1981 to 1988 and was instrumental in getting the shul established. Rabbi Steven Cohen succeeded Feldman, serving the congregation from 1988 to 1992. Rabbi Reuven Tradburks came next, caring for the community from 1992 to 2009. The current rabbi, Rabbi Joe Kanofsky, has led the community since 2009.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Grunebaum, Monty
Kehillat Shaarei Torah (Toronto, Ont.)
Sher, Barney
Geographic Access
South Africa
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
Part 1:
00:29 Monty explains the impetus for starting a synagogue for South African Jews in Toronto.
01:37 Monty discusses where he lived in Toronto when he arrived in 1977. He discusses the main locations where South African Jews settled.
02:50 Barnie describes a large presence of South African Jews in the Bayview/York Mills area.
03:11 Barnie discusses the origins of the synagogues in South Africa.
04:14 Barnie discusses the importance of cantorial singing in South African synagogues.
05:20 Barnie describes some of the synagogues and their primary influences from Lithuania and Germany.
06:24 Barnie recounts his first experience at a Toronto synagogue for the High Holidays.
08:13 Monty recounts his first experience at a Toronto synagogue for Rosh Hashanah and how it served as a catalyst to establish a synagogue that would feel more comfortable.
09:47 Barnie describes funeral traditions in South Africa. He contrasts these practices with his personal experience in Toronto.
14:19 Barnie and Monty discuss the early attempts to establish services to meet the needs of their South African Jewish community.
18:21 Barnie highlights the importance of having a separate section in the cemetery in order to maintain South African burial practices.
19:23 Barnie and Monty discuss the role played by Bernard Isaacs in the formation of the synagogue.
Part 2:
00:00 Barnie discusses some of the earliest founders and promoters of the synagogue: Rabbi Whitty, Kurt Rothschild, Harvey Hecker, ?Bernie Gert. He describes fundraising efforts.
01:19 Monty explains how the property for the synagogue was purchased.
03:23 Barnie describes the acquisition of the aron kodesh, pews, and prayer books from an Ontario synagogue donation and from membership donations.
04:25 Monty discusses the limited financial resources of new South African immigrants. Financial support for the synagogues came from membership donations.
05:20 Monty notes that the synagogue attracted a number of Jews who moved from Montreal.
06:26 Barnie discusses the synagogue's first rabbi, Rabbi Feldman.
07:50 Barnie discusses resistance to the synagogue from Jewish neighbours.
09:36 The synagogue's name, Kehillah Shaarei Torah, was the name of Rabbi Feldman's congregation in Syracuse. Barnie and Monty reminisce about Rabbi Feldman.
12:55 The synagogue was incorporated in November 1980.
14:45 Barnie describes the operation of the synagogue before a building was constructed.
19:13 Monty recalls that Beth Tikvah Synagogue lent them Torahs.
19:51 Barnie reminisces about the first Rosh Hashanah in their new building.
20:48 Barnie recounts how the synagogue received a generous donation from the Reichman family.
Part 4:
00:00 Monty lists the rabbis who served the synagogue.
00:26 Barnie recounts a humorous incident about meeting a new rabbi.
02:50 Barnie and Monty discuss Rabbi Tradburks and his contribution to the synagogue and the greater Jewish community in Toronto.
09:29 Barnie discusses an attempt to change the synagogue's direction from Orthodox to Conservative.
10:28 Barnie and Monty continue to reminisce about Rabbi Tradburks.
Part 5:
00:00 Monty discusses Rabbi Joel Kanofsky.
02:40 Barnie identified demographics as a concern for the continuity of the synagogue.
04:50 Barnie continues to discuss membership. Membership has remained relatively steady at a 220-230 family core.
06:00 Barnie and Monty discuss outreach methods and various synagogue services, education, and events.
11:00 Barnie discusses some humorous incidents involving their group of four friends, including a Purim skit and a birthday gag.
18:17 Barnie discusses Rabbi Tradburk's involvement in the formation of the Coby Mandel Foundation, a support group for youth in Israel who have lost family members as a result of terrorism.
Part 6:
00:00 Barnie discusses changes that are occurring in the synagogue with a change of demographics and new membership.
02:24 Monty raises concerns about loss of membership.
04:18 Monty lists some programs and services offered in the synagogue, including a youth program.
04:43 Barnie discusses the current status of the synagogue. He cites some of the problems with the existing synagogue (e.g. no elevator, lack of parking, no banquet hall).
07:34 Barnie mentions the synagogue on Green Lane, another synagogue with a large South African membership.
08:44 Barnie describes the process of hiring a new rabbi for their synagogue.
Source
Oral Histories

https://player.vimeo.com/video/232091886?

Name
Blanche Haber
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
18 Dec. 1987
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Blanche Haber
Number
OH 189
Subject
Boardinghouses
Families
Immigrants--Canada
Occupations
Interview Date
18 Dec. 1987
Quantity
1
Interviewer
Kaylee Gollom Miller
Total Running Time
Side 1 - 31 minutes Side 2 - 31 minutes
Conservation
Copied August 2003
Use Restrictions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Biography
Blanche Haber (née Heller) was born in a small town in Russia in 1893. She came to Toronto at age eight. Her father worked as a peddler. She married Isadore Haber in 1915. Three of her five children died from illness in their childhood. Before her marriage, Blanche worked as a seamstress. Isadore worked as a tailor, primarily for Eaton's. Like her mother, Blanche took boarders into her home at 112 Parliament Street once married.
Material Format
sound recording
Name Access
Haber, Blanche, 1893-1994
Haber, Isadore, 1887-1982
Manischewitz (family)
Geographic Access
Halifax (N.S.)
Parliament Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Digital file
Transcript
G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 189 Haber\OH 189 notes.pdf
Source
Oral Histories

In this clip, Blanche Haber describes taking boarders into her mother’s and her own home at 112 Parliament Street.

In this clip, Blanche Haber fondly remembers the warm relationship that developed between her family and the Manischewitz family. She explains that Joe Manischewitz boarded at her family’s home while his family built a matzah factory in Toronto.

Name
Hilton and Shirley Silberg
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
3 Sep. 2015
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Hilton and Shirley Silberg
Number
OH 419
Subject
Business
Immigrants--Canada
Families
Occupations
Interview Date
3 Sep. 2015
Interviewer
Naomi Raichyk
Total Running Time
1 hr. 34 min.
Biography
Hilton and Shirley were born in Durban, South Africa in 1951. Although both were involved in the Habonim youth movement, the two did not meet until their first year in pharmacy school. After getting married and serving a brief stint in the military, Hilton left with Shirley on a trip overseas that included Europe and the United Sates, but whose ultimate purpose was the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.
Upon arriving in Montreal, the couple decided Canada would be a good place to live. By that point, they had resolved that they did not want their children to internalize the racial norms of apartheid South Africa. Cementing their decision was the fact Shirley’s sister was accepted into Canada shortly after the two returned to South Africa.
Hilton and Shirley’s immigration to Canada was complicated by the fact they were regarded by the government as students, not full-fledged pharmacists. When they came to Canada in August 1977, they therefore had to qualify as pharmacists, which they did by attending university while holding down full-time jobs as pharmacy technicians. Once certified, they moved to Dundas, where they opened a series of pharmacies and raised their children.
In 2007, the couple sold their Day Night Pharmacy chain to Rexall Pharma Plus. In 2014 Hilton and Shirley relocated to Toronto and now spend their time between Toronto and Vancouver to be close to their children and grandchildren.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Silberg, Hilton, 1951-
Silberg, Shirley, 1951-
Geographic Access
Dundas (Ont.)
Durban (South Africa)
Johannesburg (South Africa)
Original Format
Digital file
Transcript
00:38 Shirley was born in Durban, South Africa in 1951.
00:44 Shirley discusses her family history. Her maternal grandparents came to Durban in early 1800s from England. They married in South Africa. Her paternal grandparents came to Durban from Lithuania in the late 1800s. They married in South Africa. Her father was a physician specializing in physical medicine; her mother worked as his secretary.
03:31 Shirley describes her privileged early home life.
04:26 Shirley attended Hebrew day school.
05:06 Shirley describes her education and involvement in sports.
07:28 Shirley attended the Habonim youth movement.
08:13 Shirley discusses her early memories of politics and apartheid.
09:57 Shirley describes the impact an overseas trip to Europe and Israel had on her.
12:34 Shirley explains that she and Hilton considered immigrating to Canada and Israel. Her sister had immigrated to Canada and her brother had immigrated to England.
13:31 Hilton and Shirley attended the pharmacy school in Durban.
14:48 Hilton and Shirley married and moved to Johannesburg. Hilton completed mandatory service in the army.
15:37 Hilton was born in Durban on 26 October 1951. He discusses his family history. His maternal grandparents came from Lithuania. His mother was born in South Africa. His father's family came from Lithuania. His father was born in Lithuania. Hilton shares a story about his paternal grandmother's voyage from Lithuania to Pretoria with five children. When his parents were married they moved to Durban in the mid-1950s.
17:46 Hilton discusses his parents. His mother was an occasional secretary. His father was initially a tool and diemaker. Later, he worked in business. Hilton notes that his father was a semi-professional football player.
20:30 Hilton explains that his mother had a strong Jewish identity, but was not religious.
21:06 Hilton discusses his education in public school and Hebrew school.
21:58 Hilton reminisces about his childhood.
23:25 Hilton discusses how he and his sister became competitive ballroom dancers.
25:50 Hilton discusses his bar mitzvah training.
27:02 Hilton was active in the Habonim youth movement.
27:31 Hilton shares his impressions growing up under apartheid. He discusses discrimination, restrictions, and censorship.
30:33 Hilton discusses his mandatory military service.
36:22 Hilton and Shirley discuss how they met and dated.
37:45 Hilton discusses some of the factors that triggered the couple's decision to leave South Africa.
43:07 Hilton and Shirley describe how they struggled to accumulate money before leaving South Africa.
44:12 Hilton describes the efforts made to secure work and a visa for entry into Canada.
48:31 Hilton and Shirley describe the sentiments that surrounded their departure from South Africa.
49:40 Hilton and Shirley arrived in Canada on 25 August 1977.
50:30 Shirley shares anecdotes about her first experiences with household chores.
54:20 Hilton and Shirley discuss their few acquaintances/contacts when they first arrived in Canada.
55:40 Hilton explains how his outlook has changed since he moved to Canada.
57:41 Shirley describes the challenges of juggling work and pharmacy classes at the University of Toronto. Hilton and Shirley share some examples of cultural differences between Canada and South Africa.
1:01:05 Hilton and Shirley worked as pharmaceutical technicians.
1:03:53 Hilton explains how they became partners in a pharmacy in Dundas, Ontario. Hilton and Shirley discuss how they settled in and were welcomed into the Jewish community.
1:10:05 Hilton and Shirley brought Hilton's two sisters, brother, parents, and Shirley's mother to Canada.
1:11:02 Hilton explains the circumstances that led to a split with his partners. He changed the name of the pharmacy from Amherst Pharmacy to Hilton Pharmacy. He describes the growth of the business.
1:18:00 Hilton describes the expansion and success of the business to five pharmacies.
1:20:12 Hilton discusses his involvement in the Jewish and secular communities in Dundas.
1:20:57 In 2007, the business was purchased by Rexall.
1:21:33 Shirley explains the circumstances that prompted their move to Toronto via Vancouver.
1:23:55 Shirley describes a return visit to South Africa with her two youngest children.
1:25:22 Hilton reminisces about a family trip to London and South Africa in 1980.
1:27:08 Hilton describes his discomfort during a visit to Durban, South Africa in 1986.
1:28:40 Shirley relates an anecdote that occurred during their family trip to South Africa.
1:30:46 Hilton reflects on how much he appreciates being in Canada.
1:32:50 Shirley identifies becoming Canadian citizens as a turning point in their new life in Canada.
Source
Oral Histories

https://vimeo.com/230208590

Immigration Tribulations

Who Has Left Over Matzah Balls?

The First Midnight Store

Name
Elfreda Levine and Alec Levine
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
9 Feb. 2017
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Elfreda Levine and Alec Levine
Number
OH 442
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
9 Feb. 2017
Interviewer
Miriam Borden
Total Running Time
OH 422 part 1: 37 min.
OH 422 part 2: 9 min.
Biography
Alec and Elfreda met when they were young teenagers. Elfreda was friends with Alec’s sister, and the two would play tennis together. Despite meeting at a young age, Alec and Elfreda did not begin dating until they were in their early twenties. They married in 1958 and subsequently had three children. It was largely on account of their two eldest children that they emigrated. Their eldest son had emigrated first, initially settling in Saskatchewan, while their daughter emigrated shortly thereafter, making a home in the United Kingdom. Their youngest son chose to remain in South Africa.
Following the birth of their granddaughter in Saskatoon, Alec and Elfreda began making regular trips to Canada. As time went on and crime continued to rise in South Africa, Alec and Elfreda’s children started to encourage their parents to move to Canada. This they did in 1999, arriving in Toronto in the cold month of October. While the ice and snow initially made for a new and exciting experience, they quickly got over it.
Arriving in their sixties, Alec and Elfreda initially struggled in their new country, but they soon found work and made friends. Making this process somewhat easier was the fact that the two enjoyed exploring the different areas of the city via subway, an activity they keep up to this day. Alec and Elfreda also continue to follow developments in South Africa—in part because one of their sons lives there—but now think of themselves as Canadians.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Levine, Alec
Levine, Elfreda
Geographic Access
Cape Town (South Africa)
Johannesburg (South Africa)
Saskatchewan
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
00:40 Elfreda discusses her family's immigration to South Africa. Her maternal grandparents came to Cape Town from Riga, Latvia via London. Her paternal grandfather came to South Africa in his teens and settled in ?Aliwal North.
02:14 Alec discusses his family's immigration to South Africa. His parents were married in Riga, Latvia. His maternal grandfather came to South Africa. During the period of 1930-1936, he brought his five daughters and their husbands to South Africa.
03:30 Elfreda describes Jewish life in Aliwal North. She explains why the Jewish population declined over time.
05:08 Elfreda recalls travelling by train to cities for holidays and how she and Alec met during holiday.
06:41 Alec describes his Jewish life growing up in Johannesburg.
07:48 Elfreda continues to discuss Jewish life while growing up in a small community.
09:13 Alec and Elfreda discuss Jewish youth groups and camps.
10:35 Elfreda discusses her academic path: two years of nursing in Cape Town and commercial bookkeeping in Johannesburg.
12:13 Alec discusses his career path: architecture for two years then joining the family plumbing business.
13:00 Alec and Elfreda married in 1958.
13:24 Alec describes his limited involvement in politics in South Africa. Their daughter became involved with the African National Congress (ANC) while she attended university.
14:55 Elfreda shares her memories from her childhood. She recalls the impact of apartheid following the rise of the nationalists in 1948.
16:13 Alec and Elfreda discuss having household staff in their homes while growing up and after they were married.
19:50 Elfreda describes a party she held for her family's maid when she retired.
21:17 Alec and Elfreda explain when and why their two older children emigrated from South Africa. Their youngest son remained in South Africa.
22:49 Alec and Elfreda discuss the factors that contributed to their decision to immigrate to Canada.
25:13 Alec describes some incidents of violence he personally experienced in Johannesburg.
25:58 Alec and Elfreda describe their feeling about leaving South Africa and the challenges of immigrating at a later stage of life (e.g. upgrading their work skills, finding work, making new friends).
28:33 Alec and Elfreda share some of their earliest memories of moving to Canada.
30:35 Alec discusses his early efforts to find work in Canada.
33:52 Elfreda discusses her involvement with the Jewish community, notably the South African Jewish community since their arrival in Canada.
35:49 Elfreda discusses how their willingness to explore Toronto has helped with their integration.
Part 2:
00:34 Alec and Elfreda describe the response from family and friends in South Africa to their decision to leave.
02:25 Alec and Elfreda came to Canada in October 1999. Their son, Mark, came in 1986.
02:50 Alec and Elfreda discuss the easier experience of integration by their son's family compared to their own.
03:49 Elfreda relates a family story. Mark settled in a small town in Saskatchewan when he arrived in Canada. He discovered that relatives of Elfreda had settled in a small neighbouring community in 1906.
5:00 Elfreda discusses their identity as Canadians.
Elfreda discusses their ongoing connections with South Africa.
07:30 Elfreda notes that they did not experience culture shock as they settled in Canada.
Source
Oral Histories

Not the Way to Live

Afrikaners Dominated Politics

Leaving your Heart in South Africa

Name
Anne Edell and I. S. Edell
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
7 Feb. 1984
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Anne Edell and I. S. Edell
Number
OH 208
Subject
Recreation
Education
Occupations
Antisemitism
Interview Date
7 Feb. 1984
Quantity
1
Interviewer
Phyllis Platnick
Total Running Time
AC 208A: 40 minutes AC 208B: 18 minutes
Conservation
Copied August 2003
Use Restrictions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Biography
Anne Edell grew up in Toronto. She worked as a bookkeeper in several local Jewish businesses. During summer vacation, Anne would travel to Port Dalhousie, Crystal Beach, and Jackson's Point. I. S. Edell grew up in Toronto. He graduated in education from OCE but was unable to find a teaching position. He worked at the post office for a short time and later in his father-in-law's business.
Material Format
sound recording
Name Access
Edell, Anne
Edell, I.S.
Platnick, Phyllis
Geographic Access
Port Dalhousie
Crystal Beach
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Digital file
Source
Oral Histories

In this clip, Anne Edell shares memories of summer vacations.

In this clip, I. S. Edell discusses the antisemitism encountered by Jewish graduates in the field of education in Ontario in the 1930s.

Accession Number
2016-1-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-1-5
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
ca. 10 cm of textual records and other material
Date
1957-2015, predominant 1974-2015
Scope and Content
Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting Claude Heimann's immigration to Canada, career, involvement with Temple Har Zion and family life. Included are photographs, correspondence, newsletters and journals, writings and presentations by Heimann, certificates, newspaper clippings, event and conference programs, and business cards. Also included are documents with the text used for Totum Research's website.
Administrative History
Claude Heimann was born on 21 March 1944 in Johannesburg, South Africa to Wilhelm (Bill) Otto Heimann and Lotte Heimann (nee Rosenberg). He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Witwatersrand in 1966. In 1969, he married Adele Masail at the Pine Street Synagogue in Johannesburg. They lived in Windsor Park, Johannesburg and had two children together: Nicole Heidi (now married to Marshall Starkman) and Marc Steven.
Claude initially worked for Market Research Africa interviewing farm workers across the country. In 1971 he joined Reader's Digest in South Africa as a Research Director. Believing there would not be a peaceful solution to apartheid, Claude had decided at a young age that he would evenutally leave South Africa. He hoped that Reader's Digest was a company that might be able to transfer him to work in another country. Ten years later, in 1981, an opportunity came up with the Canadian edition of Reader's Digest in a similar role. Claude accepted the position and immigrated with his family to Toronto in May 1981. For their first few months they lived at Glengrove Manor on Yonge Street between Lawrence and Eglinton. In July, they moved into their home in Thornhill. Adele initially stayed home with the family, but eventually worked as a bookkeeper for a variety of different businesses.
Claude left Reader's Digest in 1990 to become a partner in Totum Research. Throughout his career, Claude has served on the Research Committee of PMB and has been a member of the Board of Directors of CARF for whom he served as Technical Director. He has also served on a number of other media research related committees, including the Technical Committee of AMPS and the Magazines Canada Research Committee. Claude was also active on the Board of Temple Har Zion, holding a variety of positions, including: regular Board member, vice president for worship, vice president, treasurer, president and past president for two years on the Executive. He also reported Board decisions for the THZ monthly bulletin.
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 2.3 MB of textual records, 6 photographs, 17 slides, and 26.3 MB of photographs.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Occupations
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Synagogues
Source
Archival Accessions
Name
Dr. Mattie Rotenberg
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
26 Feb. 1976
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Dr. Mattie Rotenberg
Number
OH 63
Subject
Antisemitism
Rabbis
Charities
Influenza
Balfour Declaration
Immigrants--Canada
Women's clothing
Women
Department stores
Interview Date
26 Feb. 1976
Quantity
2 cassettes (1 copy)
2 WAV files
Total Running Time
62:52 sec.
Conservation
Copied to cassette in August 2003.
Copied to digital file in June 2014.
Side 2 of the original cassette is damaged. The tape continually speeds up and slows down.
Use Restrictions
Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Biography
Mattie Rotenberg was the daughter of Russian immigrants. She grew up in Toronto's Ward district and received her degree in mathematics and physics at the University of Toronto. In 1920, she became the first secretary of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society in Toronto.
Material Format
sound recording
Name Access
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto
Hillcrest Progressive School
Goel Tzedec Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
University of Toronto
T. Eaton Co
Geographic Access
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Digital file
Transcript
Introduction of Dr. Mattie Rotenberg to the audience 0:00-:49 Family History 0:50-4:00: Rotenberg, daughter of Russian immigrants, recounts the story of her parents’ immigration and arrival in Toronto during the early 1890s. 4:01-7:35: Rotenberg recalls her childhood memories of life growing up in Toronto’s Ward district during the era of “great” Jewish immigration. 7:40-11:10: Rotenberg recalls happy childhood memories living on Regent Street, then a primarily non-Jewish neighbourhood. 11:11-13:40: Rotenberg recalls the Great Fire of Toronto of 1904 that destroyed a large section of downtown Toronto. 13:45-15:19: Rotenberg recalls the open-air streetcar that ran along Toronto’s beltline, the City Dairy, and Riverdale Park. 15.20-18.02: Rotenberg recalls Rabbi Jacob Gordon of Goel Tzedec Synagogue and Rabbi Julius Price, the synagogue’s first English-speaking rabbi. 18:03-21:00: Rotenberg discusses her education at the Dufferin Elementary School and Jarvis Collegiate, her family’s first telephone, riding in a motor car, Massey Hall and Jarvis and Sherbourne Streets considered to be the choice residential district of the time. 21:01-22.00: Rotenberg recalls Dr. Sandler, Toronto’s first Jewish doctor to practice in Toronto’s non-Jewish community. 22:01-22:59: Rotenberg recalls the Queen Street shopping district, the Willinsky’s department store, and Hadassah’s first bazaar held at Toronto Armory. 23:00-23:47: Rotenberg recalls antisemitic incidents that occurred in Toronto during the late 1920s. 23:48-24.33: Rotenberg discusses the Orange Lodges’ influence on civic politics, prejudice towards the Jewish and Catholic communities, and the anti-French-language campaign Rotenberg discusses life in Toronto then and now 24.34-25.30: Rotenberg recalls the changes to Gerrard Sreet East, from a tree-lined street to concrete sidewalks. 25.31-26.48: Rotenberg recalls being the only Jewish student at Jarvis Collegiate. 26.49-27.20: Rotenberg discusses her Jewish education. 27.22-28.06: Rotenberg provides an anecdote about local Jewish news and gossip. 28.07-29.18: Rotenberg discusses the hardships of housekeeping. 29.20-30.25: Rotenberg discusses women’s fashion during the early 1900s. 30.26-31.05: Rotenberg discusses Eatons and Simpsons before the introduction of the cash register. 31:26-33.23: Rotenberg discusses life in Toronto during the early years of the First World War. Rotenberg recalls recruitment meetings held at the Armoury and the crowds that gathered to view war bulletins posted in the window the Telegram’s office on Bay Street. 33.24-36.28: In this portion of the interview, Rotenberg describes the University of Toronto as being an extremely “WASPish” place run by professors with chauvinistic attitudes 36.29-37.23: Rotenberg discusses the problem faced by Jewish women looking for a teaching position. 37:24-39:12: Rotenberg recalls Dr. (Canon) Cody, president of U of T, and his witch hunts for students believed to have Communist leanings. 39:13-40:05: Rotenberg recalls Toronto’s flu epidemic following the First World War. 40:06-41:07: Rotenberg recalls the announcement of the Balfour Declaration in 1918 and the city’s commemoration parade to honour the declaration. Side 2 0:00-:46 : Commemoration of the Balfour Declaration continued. 0:47-4.09: Rotenberg discusses her job as secretary to JIAS during the 1920s. She describes JIAS as an “embryo” started by a few dozen men working to provide aid for Jewish immigrants. *Speech garbled in some sections* 4:10-6:24: Rotenberg discusses the founding in 1929 of the Hillcrest Progressive Day School, whose main motive was to provide a comprehensive Jewish education. 6.25-6.36: Rotenberg discusses the making of liquid hydrogen at the University of Toronto’s physics building during the early 1920s. 6.36-10.00: Here the sound quality becomes poor and Rotenberg’s voice is garbled. 10:00- 21.45: Question period. Sound quality poor and garbled. END
Source
Oral Histories
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Chronological correspondence and memoranda series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 48; Series 6; File 37
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Chronological correspondence and memoranda series
Level
File
Fonds
48
Series
6
File
37
Material Format
textual record
Date
Feb. 1990
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Chronological correspondence and memoranda series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 48; Series 6; File 71
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Chronological correspondence and memoranda series
Level
File
Fonds
48
Series
6
File
71
Material Format
textual record
Date
Feb. 1993
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Chronological correspondence and memoranda series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 48; Series 6; File 72
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Chronological correspondence and memoranda series
Level
File
Fonds
48
Series
6
File
72
Material Format
textual record
Date
Feb. 1993
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Chronological correspondence and memoranda series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 48; Series 6; File 73
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Chronological correspondence and memoranda series
Level
File
Fonds
48
Series
6
File
73
Material Format
textual record
Date
Feb. 1993
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Chronological correspondence and memoranda series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 48; Series 6; File 74
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Chronological correspondence and memoranda series
Level
File
Fonds
48
Series
6
File
74
Material Format
textual record
Date
Feb. 1993
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Source
Archival Descriptions
Accession Number
2015-9-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-2
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
ca. 8 cm of textual records and other material
Date
[ca. 1938]-[ca. 2009]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Silberg family's immigration to Ontario, family life in South Africa and Ontario, education, communal involvement in Hamilton, and pharmacy businesses. Included are photographs, correspondence, ephemera from the pharmacy businesses (such as bags and a name tag), newspaper clippings, certificates, invitations, flyers, school transcripts, architectural drawings for Night-Day Pharmacy on Ryman Road East, cookbooks, and photo albums. Also included is a JNF book for a Negev dinner honouring Hilton and Shirley Silberg as well a copy of Beth Jacob Synagogue's 125th anniversary book (the Beth Jacob Family Album).
Administrative History
Hilton Silberg was born in Durban, South Africa in 1951 to Sam and Brina Silberg. Sam worked in the retail furniture business and Hilton has three siblings: Sheryl, Lynn and Brett. Hilton was very active in sports and played soccer, cricket and swimming. At age 11, he started competing in ballroom dancing with his sister Lynn. At age 16, he and Lynn were the South African Juvenile Ballroom Champions and runners up in the Latin American Championship. In highschool, Hilton started his own DJ business which he continued through his first years of pharmacy school.
Shirley (nee Gitlin) Silberg was born in Durban in 1951 to Max and Isabel Gitlin. Max was a physical medicine specialist and Isabel ran his practice. Shirley has two siblings: Brian and Barbara. Shirley was very active in her school's netball, field hockey and swimming teams.
Hilton and Shirley met at the Natal Pharmacy School in Durban and married in 1974. After marriage, Hilton completed his one-year mandatory service in the South African army as an officer. After his service, he and Shirley went on a ten month long backpacking trip which ended at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. This trip was an eye-opener for them and they realized that they no longer wanted to live in a country with apartaid politics. They didn't want to raise children in South Africa. They chose Canada as their destination and applied three times for entry. Thier application was rejected all three times, but Hilton staged a "sit-in" at the Canadian embassy in Pretoria and an immigration officer eventually met with him and overturned thier rejection. They arrived in Canada in August 1977.
They went to the University of Toronto School of Pharmacy for two years to re-license in Canada. In the evenings they worked in a pharmacy owned by their Canadian sponsor. In 1981, Hilton and Shirley partnered with their Canadian sponsors and opened the Amhurst Pharmacy in Dundas. In 1982 the pharmacy's name was changed to Hilton's Pharmacy. In 1987 Shopper's Drug Mart purchased Hilton's Pharmacy. The Silberg's stayed on to operate two of the franchises in Dundas. In 1992, Hilton and Shirley left Shppers Drug Mart to open the DayNight Pharmacy on the east Hamilton Mountain. This was the first pharmacy in Hamilton to remain open until midnight. Their pharmacy eventually expanded to include five stores. In 2007, they sold their business to Rexall Pharma Plus.
Hilton and Shirley have three children: Mark, Maxine and Brad. Hilton and Shirley were very active in Hamilton's community. Hilton was involved in a variety of organizations including, Beth Jacob synagogue, Shalom Village, and Jewish National Fund Hamilton. Shirley has volunteered with various Hamilton JCC programs, the Hamilton North End Breakfast Program, the 'Out of the Cold' Program, Goldie's Place day program for adults at Shalom Village, and the Jewish National Fund Hamilton.
Descriptive Notes
Physical description note: includes ca. 80 photographs, 4 cookbooks, 1 architectural drawing, 3 bags, and 1 name tag.
Related material note: oral history #419.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Families
Occupations
Societies
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Name Access
Silberg, Hilton
Silberg, Shirley
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-3-26
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-3-26
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
4 folders of textual records
ca. 10 photographs : col. ; 22 x 28 cm or smaller
Date
1980-2016, predominant 1982-1994
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Herman family's immigration to Ontario, family life in Thornhill, education, communal involvement in Hamilton, and their business endeavours with the Firwin Corporation and Simply Extraordinary. Included are photographs; a family history that was written in commemoration of Paul and Miriam's fiftieth wedding anniversary; a selection of annual family newsletters that detail their life in Canada; correspondence documenting Paul's involvement with Temple Anshe Sholom in Hamilton, Ontario; their childrens' school certificates, secondary school diplomas, and post-secondary convocation programs. Also included is business ephemera, such as, business cards and images documenting Simply Extraordinary corporate gift products.
Identified in the photographs are: Paul Herman, Miriam Herman, Brett Herman, and Adina Ward (nee Herman).
Administrative History
Paul Henry Herman was born on July 3, 1940 to Mr. Leslie Elkan and Mrs. Clare Herman (nee Emdon) of Dunkeld West, Johannesburg, South Africa. Paul is the eldest of five siblings. During his youth, Paul was involved in his synagogue and youth groups as well as the Boy Scouts. He attended Stellenbosch Afrikaans University where he earned a business degree and became fluent in Afrikaans. After university, he joined the family uniform business, H. J. Henochsberg, and was sent to England in 1962 for further clothing industry training.
Paul married Miriam Riva Herman from Wynberg, Cape Town, SA on February 6th, 1965. Miriam worked as a social worker at the Johannesburg General Hospital. Their first son, Stanley, was born in 1966 followed by Rael in 1968, Brett in 1970 and Adina in 1974.
The Herman’s were motivated to emigrate out of a desire to prevent their son from having to enlist in the South Africa army [and thereby become involved in military efforts that they did not support]. After the family business was sold, Paul worked as a quality manager at Edgars Stores while periodically travelling abroad with Miriam to seek out emigration opportunities.
The Herman family came to Canada in 1982 and settled in Thornhill, Ontario. Upon arriving in Ontario, Paul found work at a uniform manufacturer (Saint Hill Levine Uniforms) then at Lady Manhattan and Sunshine T-Shirts. In 1989, Paul and Miriam purchased Firwin Corporation, a high temperature insulation manufacturing company. During the family’s early years in Canada, Miriam started a corporate gift business called Simply Extraordinary.
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
Immigrants--Canada
Families
Occupations
Societies
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1981-4-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1981-4-5
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
2 folders of textual records
Date
1928-1929
Scope and Content
Accession consists of David Waserman's Polish passport, Canadian immigration identification card stamped at Halifax upon his arrival on the Megantic, two copies of his birth certificate, a Polish police clearance document, and an army service book. There is also a Polish passport for Syma Nachsztern and her immigration identification card stamped upon arrival on the SS United States.
MG_RG
MG1
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Name Access
Waserman, David
Places
Canada
Poland
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1979-12-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1979-12-5
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
1 photograph : b&w ; 5 x 4 cm
Date
1921
Scope and Content
Accession consists of documents and a passport photograph pertaining to the immigration of Joseph Kalman Wainryb (Wajnryb) age 17 from Warsaw, Poland to Toronto in 1921.These include his passport, legal and medical certificates, and ship's cabin and landing cards.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Name Access
Wainryb, Joseph Kalman
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1979-9-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1979-9-5
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
2 May 1976
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one booklet for the annual meeting of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada, Central Region held at Temple Sinai with guest speaker Mr. Gaynor Jacobson, executive vice-president of HIAS.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Name Access
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (Toronto, Ont.)
Jacobson, Gaynor
Temple Sinai Congregation of Toronto
Places
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Name
Stephen Pincus
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
26 Apr. 2015
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Stephen Pincus
Number
OH 415
Subject
Immigrants--Canada
Interview Date
26 Apr. 2015
Interviewer
Jessica Parker
Total Running Time
1 hr. 23 min.
Use Restrictions
Restriction noted by interviewee on video/oral history release form: The foregoing is subject to OJA obtaining my prior written consent prior to placing any of the interview on the internet (other than password protected communications)
Researches should be directed to the access copy created by Stephen Pincus.
Biography
Although he grew up in South Africa, Stephen was born in England where his father was studying. When they returned to South Africa in 1963, they visited Israel on the way, and five-year-old Stephen fell in love with the exotic, young Jewish state.
As a teenager, Stephen was active in Habonim, South Africa’s largest Zionist youth movement and became head of that movement in the late 1970s, running the largest Jewish youth camp in the world. Stephen was also elected chair of South Africa’s Zionist Youth Council, the umbrella body for all-Jewish youth organizations in the country. He and his wife Michelle then moved to Israel with a Habonim group that established Kibbutz Tuval in the western Galilee.
In 1982 Stephen came to study in Toronto. He served as administrator of Bialik Hebrew Day School and as camp director of Camp Shalom, while completing MBA and LLB degrees, and was awarded the Gold Medal at Osgoode Hall Law School. Stephen and Michelle started a family and both their own parents immigrated to Toronto.
Stephen is a senior partner and executive committee member at Goodmans LLP, is widely regarded as one of Canada’s leading business lawyers, and has played a pioneering role in the development of the country’s capital markets. He is is the founding chair of the Canada Africa Chamber of Business, a director of Kew Media Group, a member of the Board of Governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel, chair of the board of Makom, and founder of Kaleidoscope, a unique multi-dimensional Israel engagement program.
He and his wife Michelle; their two married children, Daniel and Lisa; granddaughter Olivia; and therapy dog Mannee all live in Toronto.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Pincus, Stephen, 1958-
Geographic Access
England
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
00:56 Stephen discusses his family background, including notable forebears, his grandparents' immigration in the early 1900s, and the largely Lithuanian composition of the South African Jewish community.
03:04 Stephen discusses his South-African-born parents' backgrounds and how they met.
05:14 Stephen mentions that he was born in England in 1958, while his family was abroad for his father's medical studies. He lived there until they returned to South Africa in 1964.
06:25 Stephen remembers arriving in South Africa and all the family that had come to greet them who hadn't seen his parents for eight years. He mentions that all correspondence happened via mail.
08:01 Stephen describes his family's relationship to Judaism: They were Orthodox in name, but took a pragmatic approach. Stephen went to public school and received a lot of his Jewish education from Habonim.
09:27 Stephen describes his bar mitzvah celebrations. Stephen remembers preparing his speech. He enjoys public speaking and this was a starting point.
10:49 Stephen talks about the Habonim youth movement. Stephen's involvement began in his early teens. He became the head of the movement in the late 1970s and ran the camp for a couple of years. Stephen is organizing a trip this summer to Israel for alumni of Habonim.
14:50 Stephen explains that he has a foot in South Africa, Canada, and Israel.
15:43 Stephen talks about the unique environment in South Africa that contributed to Zionism. He talks about the Soweto Uprising in 1976. Israel was a place where South African Jews could create something better. Stephen finds it ironic that some see in Israel a continuation of apartheid.
19:53 Stephen talks about his parents' view of his involvement in Habonim. He relates a story where his father became upset when Stephen participated in a march protesting a United Nations resolution instead of studying for an exam.
21:37 Stephen's father was risk-averse and practical. He wasn't keen on Stephen moving to Israel and would discourage his son indirectly. Stephen went to Israel anyway.
22:20 Stephen's parents did not give voice to strong political views. Stephen remembers being at a poetry reading at a friend's parents' house when he was eight. It was his first mixed-race experience. Stephen and his friends were politically active in high school and as undergraduate students.
24:27 Stephen explains how Zionism and Israel were his major focus while the South African situation was secondary. Stephen remembers visiting Soweto a number of times.
26:00 Stephen discusses the paradox of under apartheid while opposing it. He sees this as a central issue that white South Africans of his generation faced. He discusses the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings of the 1990s.
28:24 Stephen recounts how Israel fell into the arms of South Africa after being pushed away by various African states in the 1970s.
29:03 Stephen describes his involvement in resuscitating Machon Le'Madrichei Chutz La'Aretz, a year-long leadership course for youth leaders in Israel. South African Jews would defer their army service to participate. In 1975, the South African government determined it would not let Jewish students defer for this purpose.
31:16 Stephen discusses his decision to leave South Africa.
32:51 Stephen discusses how not going on Machon is one of his regrets.
33:28 Stephen discusses the places he considered immigrating to. He was focused on going to Israel and was part of a group that went to live on a kibbutz in the western Galilee.
37:24 Stephen discusses previous trips to Israel. The first time he went to the country was when his family went from England to South Africa. This was before the Six-Day War and he remembers barbed wire in Jerusalem. Stephen thinks he probably fell in love with Israel at this time.
38:32 Stephen explains the meaning of the words machon and garin.
39:23 Stephen describes the kupah meshutefet ("common treasury box") economic system. The system didn't last very long.
40:16 Stephen describes how his family and friends reacted to the news that he was making aliyah.
41:09 Stephen discusses a car trip he and his wife took throughout South Africa. He relates how they were caught in a flood and ended up being taken in by a Black family. Stephen reflects on the irony of their situation.
44:07 Stephen discusses he and his wife's arrival in Israel. Stephen was accepted by Hebrew University to study law. Ultimately, he and his wife chose to move to Toronto at the beginning of 1982.
45:06 Stephen shares what he brought with him to Toronto from South Africa.
47:20 Stephen discusses his initial trip to Canada in January 1982. He thinks that it was the coldest winter Toronto experienced until 2014. He discusses some of the hurdles he faced adjusting to the new climate.
51:33 Stephen discusses settling in Canada and going to school.
56:25 Stephen discusses opening an issue of the Canadian Jewish News and seeing that a summer camp was looking for a director. He was director for a couple of years and he and his wife would spend their summer at the camp.
57:05 Stephen discusses how Habonim was different from Camp Shalom, the camp he worked at in Canada.
58:24 Stephen discusses his transition from being involved in a Zionist and socialist youth movement to ending up in business and corporate law. He notes that he has shifted in a number of respects in terms of his perspective on economic values, social values, and religious values.
1:02:55 Stephen discusses his experience integrating into Canadian society.
1:05:20 Stephen contrasts his parents' experience coming later in life with his own experience. They had a wonderful time when they came because there was a large community of retired South African expatriates by then.
1:09:54 Stephen discusses the role of the local Jewish community, and local South African Jewish community, played in his acclimatization.
1:11:59 Stephen discusses how he came to work for Goodmans.
1:14:17 Stephen discusses the differences he has noticed between Canadians and South Africans. He feels that South Africans as a group tend to be more direct than Canadians. In his opinion, South Africans lie somewhere between Israelis and Canadians in terms of directness.
1:17:51 Stephen discusses his journey, coming from a secular Zionist background and starting a program of Jewish learning later in life.
1:20:40 Stephen discusses his own approach to keeping Jewish traditions and customs. He is observant, but not dogmatic.
1:26:11 Stephen discusses his two children. His son is a medical resident and his daughter is finishing up a law/business administration program.
1:27:09 Stephen discusses synagogues he is involved with.
1:29:10 Stephen discusses cultural differences he has experienced raising his children in Canada.
1:33:04 Stephen explains the decisions he and his wife made regarding their children's education.
1:35:15 Stephen describes his children's relationships with their grandparents.
1:37:31 Stephen answers the question, "Do you feel Canadian?"
1:41:55 Stephen discusses his involvement with the Canada-South Africa Chamber of Business.
1:42:42 Stephen discusses the differences in being involved with the ex-South African community more broadly and the ex-South African Jewish community.
1:44:58 Stephen discusses his children's connections to South Africa, which he says are quite limited.
1:46:37 Stephen shares food words and expressions that he shared with his children and which they now use.
1:47:55 Stephen offers a few final remarks about his decision to immigrate to Canada and the relationship between Canadian identity, Jewish/Israeli identity, and South African identity.
Source
Oral Histories

Israel, the Opportunity for New Beginnings

An Indoor Life

Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 1; Item 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
1
Item
4
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1955]
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 18 x 13 cm
Admin History/Bio
Isadore Caplan was born on 4 February 1888, in Russia, to David and Ida Caplan. He settled in Canada in 1905. He married Sophie Caplain (née Gold) in 1910 and had four children: Arthur, Harold, Leonard and Evelyn (Herschorn).
Isadore was president of I. Caplan Limited, his realty company, which was located in the Caplan Building on Duncan Street. He was a founding member of Shaarei Shomayim Congregation and was on the board of directors for the Toronto Talmud Torah and the Mount Sinai Hospital. He was president of the Hebrew Free Loan Association of Toronto, and was affiliated with other organizations such as the Jewish Home for the Aged, Baycrest Hospital, the Primrose Club and the Mount Sinai Lodge AF & AM.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of Isadore Caplan, which was used in the 1967 edition of the Who's Who in Canadian Jewry.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 1; Item 6
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
1
Item
6
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1960]
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 18 x 13 cm
Admin History/Bio
Jacob Egit was born 27 August 1912, in Poland, the son of Moses and Shindel Egit. He married Clara (née Schwartzbard) and had three children: Mary (Betel), Ryszard and Mark.
After completing his schooling in Poland, he became a journalist and was a staff member of the Polish and Jewish press and active in communal work in pre-war Poland. After the Second World War, Egit became associated with the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRA) and the Joint Distribution Committee, and took part in the rehabilitation of Jewish persons from DP camps. He later became director of a book publishing firm.
In 1958 he came to Toronto with his family and became the associate executive director of the Israel Histadrut Campaign, a member of the Speakers Bureau of the Canadian Jewish Congress, secretary of the Organization of the Jews from Poland and a member of the Executive of the Toronto Jewish Cultural Association.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of Jacob Egit.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 1; Item 14
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
1
Item
14
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1965]
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 18 x 13 cm
Admin History/Bio
Isadore Green was born 22 September 1898, in Poland, the son of Younison and Rivka Green. He married Toby (née Goldman) and had three children: Goldie, Carl and Jerry.
Green was an active member of the Toronto Jewish community. He was the past president and secretary of the Ostrovtzer Congregation; president of the Adeth Israel Congregation in Oshawa; president of the Radomer Mutual Benefit Society; founder and secretary of the Radomer Co-operative Credit Association Ltd.; founder and treasurer of the Canadian Polish Farband; executive member of the Canadian Jewish Congress Board; national recording secretary of the United Radomer Relief, USA and Canada; founder of the Warsaw Lodzer; founder of the Toronto branch of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society; founder of Beth Radom Congregation, and an active Israel Bonds salesman.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of Isadore Green.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 1; Item 30
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
1
Item
30
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1960]
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 13 x 9 cm
Admin History/Bio
Sarah (née Rawet) Mendly was born to Shapsa and Feiga Rawet. The family immigrated to Canada sometime around 1926. Sarah was the president of the Toronto Chapter of the B’nai Brith Ladies’ Auxiliary, the Herzl Zion Ladies’ Auxiliary, the Jewish Home for the Aged and Baycrest Hospital. Sarah Mendly was the wife of photographer, Gordon Mendly. She died on 31 December 1992.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of Sarah Mendly in her husband's studio on College Street.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Places
College Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 1; Item 13
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
1
Item
13
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1960]
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 18 x 13 cm
Admin History/Bio
David Green was born in 1897, in Kaminka, Poland, the son of Reb Chaim Shochet. In 1913, he immigrated with his family to Toronto, at the age of sixteen. Three years later he married Tilly (née Litowitz) and had three children: Hyman, Beulah and Esther.
Green was an active member of several Jewish organizations and clubs, such as the Palestine Lodge, and was president of the Hebrew National Association (Folks Farein), president of Beth Lida Congregation, vice-president of the Mount Sinai Cemetery Association, vice-president of the Jewish Public Library, vice-president of the College Memorial Chapel , vice-president of the Toronto Jewish Old Folks Home, and was on the board of directors of the United Jewish Welfare Fund. Green died on 13 May 1977.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of David Green.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 1; Item 35
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
1
Item
35
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1960]
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 18 x 13 cm
Admin History/Bio
Harry Posen was born in 1908, in Pinsk, Poland, to Yakov Shleime and Ethel (née Stravietz) Posenitsky. He was married to Blanche (née Cohen) Spiegel Posen and had three children: Karen (Davidman), Stephen, and David. Blanche also had two other children from a previous marraige: Barry Spiegel and Joy (née Spiegel) Cohen. Harry Posen was the co-owner of a dental laboratory named Posen and Furie. He was a member of Holy Blossom Temple and Ontario Men's O.R.T. He died on 20 May 1985.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of Harry Posen.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 1; Item 48
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
1
Item
48
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1960]
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 18 x 13 cm
Admin History/Bio
Kalmen Wagner was born on 12 October 1892, in Ostrowiec Swietokrzyski, Poland. He was married to Bina (née Wagner) and had three children: Harry, Sam and Charlie Goldman. Wagner was executive director of the Toronto Poalei Zion, and was active in Israel Histadrut. Wagner died on 16 August 1972, at the age of 79.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of Kalmen Wagner.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 1; Item 49
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
1
Item
49
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1955]
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 18 x 13 cm
Admin History/Bio
Kurt Weinberg was born in Frankfurt on Mein, Germany in 1925, the son of Herman and Frieda (née Julich) Weinberg. In May 1939, he escaped to Manchester, England from Germany on the Kinder Transport. In 1946, he married his ex-wife, Miriam (née Reuben) and together they had one daughter, Lynda (Crayston). In 1949, Weinberg immigrated to Toronto with his family and attended the School of Social Sciences at the University of Toronto.
Weinberg has held several positions with Jewish communal organizations such as: the Zionist Organization of Canada, Central Region; the United Israel Appeal campaign in Ontario; Education Planning Committee of the United Jewish Welfare Fund of Toronto; campaign secretary of the United Jewish Appeal of Metropolitan Toronto; and executive director of the Jewish National Fund of Canada, Central Region for over nineteen years.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of Kurt Weinberg.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Accession Number
2014-3-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-3-2
Material Format
sound recording (electronic)
Physical Description
1 audio recording : mp3
Date
1975-[ca. 1982]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one audio recording of an oral history interview conducted by Mike Culiner with his father Harry Culiner. The interview was conducted in San Francisco in the early 1980s. In the interview Harry describes his early life in Russia and in the Russian army, his immigration to Canada and early life here.
Custodial History
The original cassette tapes are in the possession of Jill Culiner, the granddaughter of Harry and niece of Mike. Jill is the daughter of Jack Culiner. She digitized the cassette tape and brought the digitial file into us.
Administrative History
Harry was born around 1885 in Privitnoye (Russia). Around 1904 he went into the Russian army and soon after immigrated to Ontario. He initially worked on the railway in South Porcupine and Cochrane. Around 1918 he moved to St. Catharines and eventually moved from there to the Junction area of Toronto. He opened a menswear shop at 2996 Dundas Street West and lived above the shop. He married Milder Culiner and they had four children together: Alex (b. 1911), Jack (or John) (1913-2013), Norman (b. around 1915), and Mike (b. around 1917). Harry passed away in 1985 or 1986.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Name Access
Culiner, Harry
Places
Russia
South Porcupine, Ont.
Cochrane, Ont.
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-1-17
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-1-17
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
1930-1965
Scope and Content
Accession consists of textual records documenting the immigration and settlement of Max Smith (Szmidt, Szmit, Szmita) and Pearl (nee Apelbaum?) Smith and their family. Included are Polish identification papers and correspondence with Canadian immigration officials. Also included is correspondence relating to Alexander Najmanowicz.
Custodial History
The records were found by UJA Federation employee Leanne Campbell while she was cleaning out her office for a move. She believes the records belonged to someone who had her office before her. The original owner/source of the records is unknown.
Use Conditions
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.
Descriptive Notes
Language note: Polish and English.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Name Access
Smith, Max
Smith, Pearl
Places
Toronto, Ont.
Poland
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-2-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-2-3
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
[1946?]-1951
Scope and Content
Accession includes an undated document describing immigration prospects following the Second World War and the anti-immigration sentiment. The document was published by an unknown group "interested in combating race-hatred and anti-Semitism and on strengthening the unity between the groups which make up the people of Canada". In addition, there is a copy of a confidential letter dated February 14, 1951 listing immigrants identified as skilled workers and selected by overseas Canadian immigration officials under the auspices of the Settlement Branch to settle in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. These immigrants were to arrive in Halifax on the above noted date of on board the SS Staveangerfgord.
Custodial History
File discovered while processing CJC fonds 17.
Use Conditions
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Places
Canada
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-11-13
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-11-13
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
7 cm of textual records
Date
1993-1998
Scope and Content
Accession consists of meeting minutes of the Southern African Jewish Association of Canada (SAJAC). The earliest minutes are from 8 May 1993; the latest minutes are from 12 January 1998.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Name Access
Southern African Jewish Association of Canada
Places
Ontario
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-4-11
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-4-11
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
1923-1930
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records doumenting Sarah Clodman's immigration to Canada. Included is Clodman's Certificate of Naturalization; Clodman's passport from the USSR; and landing card from Clodman's immigration to Canada as well as a Red Star Line Baths inspection card containing a final inspection stamp given in Antwerp.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-7-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-7-7
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 certificate
Date
Oct. 2005
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one citation for citizenship from the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, awarded posthumously to Eugene Winter for community service settling Hungarian Jewish refugees.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Name Access
Winter, Eugene, 1910-1995
Places
Canada
Source
Archival Accessions
Level
Item
ID
Item 2529
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
2529
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[1908 or 1909]
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative)
Admin History/Bio
Abraham Walerstein came from Europe alone. This photo was taken to send back to his family.
Notes
Photo by Wilfrid Joron, 69 St. Lawrence St., Montreal.
Name Access
Walerstein, Abraham
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
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
Montréal (Québec)
Accession Number
1981-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 1541
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
1541
Material Format
graphic material
Date
1927
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative)
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
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
Halifax (N.S.)
Accession Number
1978-4-9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 4760
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
4760
Material Format
graphic material
Date
1904
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w
Notes
For details, please see accession record.
Name Access
Alexandroff, Boris
West Toronto
Junction
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
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
1989-3-4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gilbert Studios fonds
Al Gilbert portraits series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 37; Series 4; Item 15
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gilbert Studios fonds
Al Gilbert portraits series
Level
Item
Fonds
37
Series
4
Item
15
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1970]
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 11 x 13 cm
Admin History/Bio
Nat Hennick was born in Poland to Molly and William Hennick. The family immigrated to Canada shortly after his birth. Nathan Hennick was a member of Beth Tzedec Synagogue.
Scope and Content
Photograph of Mr. Nat Hennick.
Name Access
Hennick, Nat
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
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.
Related Material
see Photo #51 for Irving Hennick
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
Community Relations Committee series
Anti-Semitism cases sub-series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 5-3; File 210
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
Community Relations Committee series
Anti-Semitism cases sub-series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
5-3
File
210
Material Format
textual record
Date
1964
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of correspondence regarding Boris Sperberg, an immigrant to Canada from Russia who allegedly informed on Jews to the NKVD in Russia.
Notes
Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Source
Archival Descriptions