Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 14
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
14
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
object
Date
1917-2011
Physical Description
2.82 m of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
As early as 1916 the Ezras Noshem Society (a mutual benefit society for Jewish women) started to raise funds to purchase and renovate what would become The Toronto Jewish Old Folks' Home (Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care’s forerunner) after its members recognized the need for a home in Toronto where the Jewish elderly could receive kosher meals and communicate with staff in their own language. Property at 31 Cecil Street was purchased in 1917 and sometime between September 1918 and January 1920 the Home officially opened there. The Home was run by a small staff and the women of Ezras Noshem who volunteered their time to make beds, cook kosher meals, do laundry and sponsor fundraising events. By 1938 the Home had expanded into its neighboring houses at 29, 33, and 35 Cecil Street and was caring for 115 residents. It provided residents with synagogue services, a hospital ward and social activities. At this time the Home also became a member of the United Jewish Welfare Fund.
In 1946, the need for a larger and more modern building prompted a fundraising campaign, which was headed by Abe Posluns, to purchase and build a new facility. In December 1954, the new building opened at 3650 Bathurst Street and consisted of two new institutions: The Jewish Home for the Aged and Baycrest Hospital. This location continued to expand over the years, including a new building for residents in 1968, an apartment building for seniors called the Baycrest Terrace in 1976, and a community centre known as The Joseph E. and Minnie Wagman Centre in 1977. These additions enabled Baycrest to expand its programs to include a day care program, recreational programs, and a Sheltered Workshop which was run in cooperation with the Jewish Vocational Service and provided residents with employment. In 1986 a new Baycrest Hospital was erected, and in 1989, the Rotman Research Institute, which is also affiliated with the University of Toronto, opened to create a research facility where top researchers could study and find new treatment methods for the elderly.
In recent years, Baycrest’s services and programs have continued to expand. In 2000, the Apotex Centre, the Jewish Home for the Aged and the Louis and Leah Posluns Centre for Stroke and Cognition opened to help residents with progressive dementia caused by vascular disorders. In 2001 a condominium building opened at 2 Neptune Drive for seniors, and in 2003 the Sam and Ida Ross Memory Clinic was established to provide out-patient services for seniors with memory disorders. Baycrest Centre also provides numerous cultural and religious programs for the inhabitants and the greater community, including a heritage museum, art exhibits and a Holocaust program.
Custodial History
Records were donated to the OJA in a series of accessions from a variety of sources, including the Baycrest Women's Auxiliary and the Multicultural Historical Society of Ontario.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting the history, governance, and activities of the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. Included are meeting notices, agendas and minutes, correspondence, reports, speeches, photographs, artifacts, constitutions, publications, press releases, financial records, event invitations, programs, a scrapbook, a poster, lists, theatrical scripts, newspaper clippings, brochures and booklets, flyers, a land deed, certificates, schedules, annual calendars, cards, questionnaires, and lists.
Fonds is arranged into eleven series: 1. Board of Directors and Executive Committee; 2. Annual General Meetings and Annual Reports; 3. Committees and meetings; 4. Women's Auxiliary; 5. Men's Service Group; 6. Toronto Jewish Old Folks Home; 7. Programs and services; 8. Religious services; 9. Fundraising; 10. Publications and publicity; and, 11. Events. Records are described to the file level with some item level descriptions.
Notes
Physical description note: Includes 1102 photographs, 4 coins, 2 posters, 1 badge, 1 pin, 1 key chain, 1 postcard, and 1 pen.
Associated material note: related material at Library and Archives Canada includes a small Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds, and the Eric Exton fonds. For architectural records see the Irving D. Boigon fonds 243 at the City of Toronto Archives (Boigon was an architect who designed many of Baycrest's buildings between the 1970s and 1990s). Contact Baycrest Centre's Heritage Museum for committee records from the 1930s, and consult Baycrest's website to access electronic copies of current issues of Baycrest's publications.
Name Access
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care
Baycrest Hospital
Ezras Noshem Society (Toronto, Ont.)
Jewish Home for the Aged (Toronto, Ont.)
Jewish Old Folks Home (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Hospitals
Old age homes
Related Material
See Gordon Mendly Fonds 18, series 3-4; Jewish Vocational Services of Toronto fonds 75; United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds 67; accession # 2009-6-2; Dora Till Fonds 52; J. Irving Oelbaum Fonds 24; Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds 61, series 1-1; Gilbert Studios fonds 37; Ben Kayfetz fonds 62, series 3, file 3; JFWB fonds 87, series 6, files 5 and 6; JIAS fonds 9, series 7, file 1; Harold S. Kaplan fonds 27, series 1-4, and Morris Norman fonds 22.
Creator
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, 1917-
Accession Number
1982-11-1
1983-11-2
1988-2-7
1979-9-17
1979-9-23
1987-9-7
2004-5-50
MG 2 O 1A
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 17
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
17
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1936-1992
Physical Description
47 m of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
By 1919 the plight of post-war eastern European Jewry and the need for a united community voice for Canadian Jewry led to the creation of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Its founding meeting was held on March 16, 1919 in Montreal. Though it briefly maintained a tiny regional office in Toronto, the CJC remained inactive until 1933, when it fully reconvened by opening offices in Winnipeg, Montreal, and Toronto. Egmont L. Frankel was the first president of the new central division in Toronto. While the national office in Montreal focused on the overarching issues of the social and economic rights of European Jewry, assistance for Jewish immigrants, and combating prejudice in Canada, the Toronto office dealt with local, violent anti-Jewish demonstrations as well as continuing discrimination both in employment and in access to public recreational facilities. The structure was based on regular national biennial plenary conferences, at which policies were delineated and national and regional executives were elected. Between plenary sessions, national and regional councils were in charge. These were augmented by the following standing committees: administrative, officers, personnel, financial, publications, and educational and cultural. Special committees were created to deal with issues such as: youth, community loans, kashruth, fundraising, Israel, Russian Jewry, and various emergency issues such as refugees, immigration, and housing.
During the 1930s the central division office moved several times and occupied offices in the following locations: Yonge Street, the Bond Street Synagogue, Scheuer House, the Zionist Building, and its long-term home at 150-152 Beverley Street, where it remained until its July 1983 move to the Lipa Green Building in North York.
The CJC's activities expanded to include taking responsibility for Jewish educational standards, but by 1941 its main efforts shifted to support for Canada’s war effort. Immediately after the end of the war, the focus again shifted to Jewish immigration projects and the maintenance of Jewish identity in small communities. By 1950, the CJC’s use of the title “division” was changed to “region” to accommodate internal operational divisions within each region. Also, by then, the central region was busy expanding its programs for all Ontario Jewish communities, creating a province-wide council of youth groups, and working with the newly-created Bureau of Jewish Education (later Board of Jewish Education, now Mercaz). Standardization of kashruth rules in Ontario was implemented. As well, regular educational conferences and cultural events were held throughout the province, while province-wide fundraising efforts in support of Moess Chittin for relief projects in Israel and for local Congress activities were expanded. Many of its educational and cultural responsibilities necessitated working with other Jewish organizations such as the United Jewish Welfare Fund, Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (JIAS), Hadassah, the Canadian Legion, B’nai Brith, the World Jewish Congress, the American Jewish Congress, and the many landsmenshaften (Jewish mutual benefit societies, each formed by immigrants originating from the same Eastern European community).
During the 1960s, the central region began sending Moess Chittin relief shipments to Cuban Jews unable to acquire kosher foods for Passover. Its lobbying efforts included participation in the Royal Commissions on Hate Propaganda, and its greatest success came with the introduction and implementation of Ontario’s fair employment and fair accommodation practices legislation, an achievement in which Congress played a pivotal role.
From 1971 to 1989 the major focus became international and national lobbying for, and providing support to, Soviet Jewry. Virtually all local and Canadian efforts to assist the Soviet Jewish “refusniks” were organized and coordinated in Toronto by the Ontario region office, which provided staff and funding for the many lobbying activities and public demonstrations that characterized this successful effort.
As of November 1975, the central region’s responsibilities in Toronto were radically altered. To improve cost efficiency in Toronto, CJC educational and social service program activities were merged with similar programs already provided by Toronto’s United Jewish Appeal. The UJA assumed sole responsibility for these amalgamated programs in Toronto and was renamed Toronto Jewish Congress. The central region still retained province-wide responsibilities for Ontario’s smaller Jewish communities, and its office remained in Toronto. Also, following this reorganization, its name was changed to Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region. Although CJC no longer provided direct social and educational programs to Toronto, the TJC’s senior executive was, at the time, still obliged to continue to keep it notified about developments concerning previous Congress responsibilities.
From 1983, the Ontario Region's offices were located in the Lipa Green Building at 4600 Bathurst Street. It continued its work of financially supporting various Israeli institutions and fostering Canada-Israel relations. It also spearheaded the movement to support and protect Jews in Arab lands, especially in Syria. Funding for the CJC came from the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy, which restributed a portion of the funds raised by the local Jewish federations across Canada.
The CJC dissolved in 2011. Today, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) acts as the Jewish community's primary lobby group.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of the records of the Ontario Region office of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Of primary importance in documenting this organization’s history are its minutes of the Executive and Administrative Committees and the various standing, and short-term committees such as Community Organization, Finance, Fund Raising, Educational and Cultural, Research, Immigration, War Efforts, and Jewish Education. Most of these records are still managed all together within Fonds 17, Series 1. Fonds 17, Series 2 contains the general subject and correspondence files of these committees. Records in both series require further processing.
Records now found in Series 3 document the efforts of the Committee for Soviet Jewry in coordinating the activities of the many Toronto and Ontario organizations involved in assisting Soviet Jewry during the 1971 to 1989 period.
Series 4 consists of administrative and committee records of the United Jewish Refugee and War Relief Agencies in Toronto from 1938 through 1967. These document its work rescuing the survivors of European Jewish communities, settling as many as possible in Ontario, and providing assistance to those attempting to obtain restitution payments.
Series 5 consists of the records of the Community Relations Committee (1938-1976). Responding to depression-era anti-Semitism in Canada, the Canadian Jewish Congress and B’nai Brith together established in 1938 a new joint committee. Since then this Committee has documented racist threats in Canada; initiated advocacy activities to work for improved civil rights; promoted legislation combating hate; worked to ensure equality of access to employment, education and accommodation; and investigated specific incidents of discrimination. The Committee, for example, played a key role in achieving the Anti-Discrimination Act of 1944, and the Fair Employment Practices Act of 1951, key steps leading to Canada’s current Human Rights Code. Although originally named Joint Public Relations Committee in 1938, a series of name changes later occurred; s follows: Joint Community Relations Committee, Central Region (1962-1978), Joint Community Relations Committee, CJC, Ontario Region (ca. 1978-ca. 1991) Community Relations Committee, CJC, Ontario Region (ca. 1991-present) Records in this series were reorganized into 5 sub-series and a further 9 sub-sub-series during the 2009 to 2011 period. For further details please view the database records for Fonds 17, Series 5. Although this series will eventually hold all CRC records up to 1992, only those prior to 1979 are currently fully processed.
Notes
Physical description note: Includes 1839 photographs, 89 audio cassettes, 11 videocassettes, 4 drawings, and 6 microfilm reels (16 mm).
Processing note: Processing of this fonds is ongoing. Additional descriptive entries will be added in future.
Name Access
Canadian Jewish Congress. Ontario Region
Subjects
Pressure groups
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the Archivist prior to accessing some of the records
Arrangement
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the Archivist prior to accessing some of the records.
Creator
Canadian Jewish Congress. Ontario Region (1919-2011)
Places
Ontario
Source
Archival Descriptions
Name
Fanny Gertzbein
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
2 Oct. 1984
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Fanny Gertzbein
Number
OH 33
Subject
Charities
Immigrants--Canada
Interview Date
2 Oct. 1984
Quantity
1
Interviewer
Morris Silbert
Total Running Time
OH 033: 27:34 minutes
Conservation
Copied August 2003.
Notes
Language: Fanny often speaks Yiddish with Morris Silbert providing a translation.
Related group of records external to the unit being described: accession 2019-7/2 includes comments by Gella Rothstein on this oral history.
Use Restrictions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Biography
Fanny Gurtzbein (née Goldhar) immigrated from Poland to Toronto in 1903. Fanny lived with her parents and siblings in Toronto's Ward district. Although raised in poverty, Barney, Fanny's brother, went on to become a successful furrier; Fanny's mother, Tzyerl Goldhar, became the organizer of the Mothers and Babes Summer Rest Home.
Material Format
sound recording
Language
Yiddish
English
Name Access
Goldhar, Myer
Goldhar, Tzeryl
Goldhar, Barney
Gurtzbein, Fanny
Geographic Access
St. John's Ward (Toronto, Ont.)
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Digital file
Transcript
G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 33 - Gertzbein\OH33_001_Log.docx
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Toba Fluxgold
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
1975
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Toba Fluxgold
Number
OH 8
Subject
Bakeries
Immigrants--Canada
Interview Date
1975
Quantity
1 cassette (1 copy) 2 WAV files
Interviewer
Sheldon Steinberg
Total Running Time
1:02 min.
Conservation
Copied August 2003
Digitized December 2014
Use Restrictions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Conditional access. Researchers must receive permission from the interviewee or their heir prior to accessing the interview. Please contact the OJA for more information.
Biography
Toba Fluxgold was born in Warsaw, Poland and immigrated to Toronto with her father, older brother, and sister. Toba's father ventured into the bakery business and, in the early 1920s, opened his own kosher bakery in Toronto. Following her father's death in 1929, Toba’s brother Morris expanded and modernized the bakery and later sold it to Carmel Bakery. After her marriage in 1925, Toba moved to Arthur, Ontario, and returned to Toronto after the birth of her first child.
Material Format
sound recording
Language
English
Yiddish
Geographic Access
Arthur (Ont.)
Elizabeth Street (Toronto, Ont.)
St. John's Ward (Toronto, Ont.)
Warsaw (Poland)
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Digital file
Transcript
Transcript exists for this oral history.
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Rabbi Shemen
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
Jul. 1991
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Rabbi Shemen
Number
OH 284
Interview Date
Jul. 1991
Quantity
1
AccessionNumber
2004-1-4
Total Running Time
60 min or less
Biography
Rabbi Nachman Shemen was a talmudic scholar, journalist, scholar, teacher, “mediator par excellence,” and the author of more than twenty books. His contribution to Jewish scholarship included interpretations on biblical, talmudic, rabbinic, and literary studies. The two volumes, published in Tel Aviv in Yiddish, discuss issues that date back to the creation and the Book of Genesis up to more recent current day controversial issues as conversion and assimilation.
The rabbinic scholar was born in Chodel, Poland, a small town near Lublin, just before the outbreak of the First World War. Shemen's great-grandfather was a disciple of the founder of Hasidism in Poland, the “Seer of Lublin.” Both his parents were descendants of chassidism and scholars. When he was just over seventeen years old, he received rabbinic ordination, and In 1930, moved to Canada with his family.
A founder of COR the Kashruth supervisory body, Shemen made COR one of the largest and most respected kosher organizations in North America. For over 40 years, Shemen served as director of the Kashruth Council and Rabbinical Vaad Hakashruth of the Canadian Jewish Congress and the Toronto Jewish Congress. He was one of the founders of Congregation Torah V’Avoda and was associated with the Eitz Chaim Schools where he taught for over 25 years. He was a longtime contributor to Yiddish newspapers and wrote many articles, sometimes using the pseudonym “A Reporter,” on Jewish issues and about the early Jewish community of Toronto. He died in 1993.
Material Format
sound recording
Language
Yiddish
Name Access
Shemen, Nachman, 1912-1993
Original Format
Audio cassette
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Brenda and Colin Baskind
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
16 Jul. 2015
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Brenda and Colin Baskind
Number
OH 423
Subject
Canada--Emigration and immigration
Jews--South Africa
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Interview Date
16 Jul. 2015
Interviewer
Lisa Newman
Total Running Time
1 hr. 52 min.
Biography
Brenda met Colin on a blind date while attending teacher’s college in Johannesburg. The two dated for one year before getting married at the Pine Street Shul in 1967. Together, they raised three children—Stacey, Alana, and Cliff—and helped bring up the nephew of their maid, whom they regarded as family.
Around 1976, Colin and Brenda began thinking about emigrating as a result of the country’s worsening political situation. At first, their daughter was unwilling to move, but after a riot broke out at her university, she declared she had had enough. Initially, the family considered moving to Australia, but soon settled upon Canada, immigrating in 1987. Although they found the prospect of starting over intimidating, they received a warm welcome from both the South African Jewish community and the larger community.
Brenda and Colin purchased a khaloupe (a fixer-upper) that they transformed into a beautiful home, planting trees in its large garden. Brenda found employment with Holy Blossom Synagogue while Colin became president of the Southern African Jewish Association of Canada. In their free time, they took up running, a hobby that introduced them to many friends. By 2015, they had participated in eleven marathons.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Yiddish
Name Access
Baskind, Brenda, 1944-
Baskind, Colin, 1941-
Geographic Access
Johannesburg (South Africa)
Port Elizabeth (South Africa)
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Transcript
00:13 Brenda (née Bebrow?) was born 29 October 1944 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Brenda discusses her parents’ divorce and the death of her brother from polio in 1956.
01:25 Brenda explains the reasons her mother sent her to boarding school in Grahamstown.
02:12 Brenda’s father drowned in the ocean in Port Elizabeth at age eleven.
03:41 Brenda’s mother worked as a bookkeeper in Johannesburg.
03:50 Brenda discusses her limited Jewish education and practice while living in Grahamstown.
05:40 Brenda reminisces about her experience at boarding school.
06:43 Brenda discusses how she was able to cope while dealing with her parents’ divorce, followed by the deaths of her brother, father, and grandmother.
07:36 Brenda’s maternal grandparents and great-grandmother were from Russia. They were observant Jews.
09:12 Brenda moved to Johannesburg at age eighteen to attend teacher’s college. She describes living with her great-aunt, great-uncle, and cousin.
10:21 Brenda describes how she met her husband, Colin.
11:37 Colin was born on 20 April 1941 in Johannesburg, South Africa. He lived with his parents and younger sister.
12:03 Colin reminisces about his early years. He discusses his friends and interest in sports.
13:50 Colin’s father was a butcher. His mother assisted his father.
14:18 Colin discusses the high quality of his education.
15:32 Colin’s father practiced Orthodox Judaism.
16:26 Colin discusses his Jewish education. He reminisces about his bar mitzvah.
18:43 Colin describes how he helped with his father’s business.
20:21 Colin’s father was born in Lithuania at age 11. His mother was born in Latvia. Both came to South Africa in the 1920s.
21:39 Colin attended university in Johannesburg.
23:21 Colin discusses work experience.
25:12 Colin and Brenda reminisce about their initial meeting, courtship, and marriage.
29:30 Colin and Brenda’s eldest daughter Alana was born.
29:36 Colin and Brenda discuss their close relationship with their nanny and her family. They describe the living conditions for nannies in general.
33:23 Colin and Brenda recount how they helped raise the baby of their nanny’s sister.
36:50 Brenda’s mother remarried a third time.
39:18 Brenda discusses her work as a nursery school teacher in Johannesburg and Toronto.
41:06 Colin and Brenda explain the reasons that triggered their decision to emigrate. They describe the Soweto riots in 1976.
45:08 Colin explains how they chose and were accepted to immigrate to Canada. Colin and Brenda discuss the distinct advantages of living in Canada relative to South Africa and Australia.
52:33 Colin only considered leaving South Africa after his parents passed away.
53:10 Colin and Brenda discuss their children’s points of view about leaving South Africa.
55:23 Colin and Brenda describe how they got ready for the move to Canada. They discuss what they were and were not allowed to bring out of South Africa.
57:27 Colin explains how some South Africans left the country without going through the steps of formal immigration.
57:26 Brenda describes her fears concerning the move and explains the reasons some of her friends have remained in South Africa.
1:00:04 Brenda shares early memories of moving to Toronto: buying a house and a car.
1:03:09 Colin and Brenda contrast the quality of living between Johannesburg and Toronto.
1:05:04 Colin and Brenda discuss how they formed their early social connections.
1:07:46 Colin discusses how he maintained interest in sport, both as a participant and as a spectator. Sport was another means of making friends.
1:10:0 Colin volunteered with the Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (JIAS) for five years and became involved with the Southern African Jewish Association of Canada (SAJAC).
1:10:40 Colin discusses his involvement with SAJAC.
1:12:44 Brenda and Colin discuss some of the language and cultural challenges they encountered when they arrived in Canada.
1:16:17 Colin and Brenda discuss the achievements of their children.
1:20:42 Colin and Brenda discuss their daughter Stacy’s decision to be a single mother. Brenda discusses their involvement with baby Lily’s care and their decision to buy a house with private quarters to share with Stacy and Lily.
1:28:18 Brenda discusses two trips back to South Africa to care for her mother in 1998.
1:32:28 Brenda discusses the changes she noted in South Africa during her visit.
1:34:43 Colin discusses his volunteer work with JIAS, SAJAC, Jewish Family & Child (JF&CS) and JVC. He explains his desire to enable others to prepare themselves for and find work.
1:43:33 Colin discusses some of the challenges faced by his sister.
1:46:50 Colin and Brenda share their views on the current and future situation in South Africa.
Source
Oral Histories

The Way Things Were

A khaloupe!

A Scholarship Based on Need

Part Of
Toronto Cloakmakers Union fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 8
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Toronto Cloakmakers Union fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
8
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
[190-?]-1961
Physical Description
7 cm of textual records
5 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller
Admin History/Bio
The Toronto Cloakmakers Union was established in 1909 as an organized effort to assist and protect workers in the women's garment industry. Two years later they became affiliated with the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union (ILGWU) in Toronto and became Local 14. Today they are the oldest local still in existence and are now called Unite Here Canada.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of textual and graphic material documenting the activities and membership of the Toronto Cloakmakers Union and International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union. Included are ILGWU membership dues and strike cards issued to Sara Clodman; letters and cards announcing ILGWU meetings, celebrations, and other matters; an invitation to a dinner honouring A. Magerman's 25 years in the Cloakmaker's Union; copies of the Golden Jubilee Souvenir Journal and the 40th Jubilee Celebration book; a photocopy of the Constitution of the ILGWU; Toronto Cloakmakers Union Local 14 Minute Book in Yiddish; and five black and white photographs of union members, events, and committees.
Name Access
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Toronto Cloakmakers Union
Subjects
Labor unions
Creator
Toronto Cloakmakers Union, 1909-
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Accession Number
1987-12-6
1979-10-1
1998-3-18
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Maurice Solway fonds
Level
File
ID
Fonds 13; File 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Maurice Solway fonds
Level
File
Fonds
13
File
4
Material Format
textual record
Date
1926-1958
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
The file contains low quality photocopies from the original scrapbook. These are primarily of newspaper clippings regarding recitals and reviews from Toronto newspapers in the late 1920s and early 1930s.
Subjects
Scrapbooks
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 20
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
20
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
[190-]-1979
Physical Description
42 cm of textual records
69 photographs : b&w and sepia (23 negatives) ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller
Admin History/Bio
Lipa (Louis) Green (1899–1976) was born on 15 April 1899 in Usupow, Poland. He immigrated to Toronto in 1910 and later began work as a bricklayer. In 1924, Lipa married Fanny Green and had three sons: Abraham (Al), Harold and Sam; and three daughters: Deana (Weiman), Rookie (Goldstein), and Shavy (Tishler). In 1948, with partner, Arthur Weinstock, he founded the Greenview Construction Company, later to be renamed Greenwin. Green's sons, Al and Harold, along with Weinstock's son-in-law Al Latner, later became involved in the business.
Green was a prominent Jewish communal leader and philanthropist in Toronto and was affiliated with organizations such as the Labor Zionists (Farband), the Jewish Vocational Service and the Jewish Public Library. He was a strong advocate of the Yiddish language and was involved with many Yiddish committees, both at the local and national levels. The current building for Jewish agencies in Toronto is named the Lipa Green Building for Jewish Community Services.
Custodial History
The records were in the possession of Lipa's son, Harold, before being donated to the OJA in January 1978.
Scope and Content
This fonds consists of records documenting Lipa Green's personal life as well as his professional and philanthropic endeavours. Included are financial documents, event invitations and programs, meeting minutes, photographs, personal, business and organizational correspondence, speeches and writings, a scrapbook, records on a cooperative Jewish summer resort near Pickering, Ontario, as well as some material produced by other organizations and collected by Green during the course of his life. Most of the personal correspondence, speeches and other writings are in Yiddish, including Green's reminiscences on his life in Poland and his bar mitzvah. The files have been grouped according to personal records, business records, organizational records and ephemera.
Name Access
Green, Lipa, 1899-1976
Subjects
Businesspeople
Immigrants--Canada
Philanthropists
Physical Condition
Some of the photographs are in very poor condition and require conservation work.
Related Material
See Gordon Mendly Fonds 18 for a portrait of Lipa Green.
Arrangement
The records had been previously arranged as MG6 A. Many of the files were kept or combined, but several new files were also created to better reflect the records in the fonds. Several files were also culled as they did not relate to the mandate of the OJA. See the accession record for further information on the culled materials.
Creator
Green, Lipa, 1899-1976
Accession Number
1978-1-4
2004-5-150
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Morris Norman collection
Level
Collection
ID
Fonds 22
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Morris Norman collection
Level
Collection
Fonds
22
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1856-1995
Physical Description
1.1 m of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Morris Norman (b. 1946) is a chartered accountant living and working in Toronto. He is an avid collector of Canadiana, specifically Judaica. He purchases lots at auction and donates them to the Ontario Jewish Archives, as well as other institutions.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of the individual items collected at auction by Morris Norman. The records relate to the Toronto Jewish community and Ontario Jewry and include textual documents, photographs, near-prints, publications, artifacts, posters and broadsheets, sound recordings, and ephemera. Most of the items relate to various Jewish organizations, businesses, synagogues and individuals, and to Christian missionary work in Toronto. The material has been described at the file level, or where appropriate, the item level.
There are also four distinct series of records which document Berul Sugarman, who was a concert violinist and orchestral leader; the Franklin family, who owned a large amount of property in Toronto in the late 1800s and early 1900s; radio and television scripts written by Wayne and Shuster, Henry Karpus and Russell Bradley; and a collection of Turofsky photographs.
Notes
Physical description note: Includes 49 objects, 25 photographs, 7 audio recordings and 4 prints.
Name Access
Norman, Morris
Norman, Jessie
Creator
Norman, Morris (1946-)
Accession Number
1995-9-3
1995-9-4
1995-9-8
1996-6-3
1996-7-3
1996-9-1
1997-7-1
1998-1-1
1998-3-44
1998-7-2
1999-10-1
2000-7-4
2000-12-3
2001-3-3
2001-4-3
2001-8-5
2001-10-6
2001-11-1
2002-4-1
2002-5-1
2002-7-1
2002-9-1
2002-10-5
2002-10-58
2002-12-3
2003-5-3
2003-10-6
2004-7-4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Morris Norman collection
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 22; Item 94
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Morris Norman collection
Level
Item
Fonds
22
Item
94
Material Format
textual record
Date
1949
Physical Description
1 item
Subjects
Yeshivas
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 2; File 951
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
2
File
951
Material Format
textual record
Date
[195-?]
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of a six page typescript of a speech given by the Rt. Hon. Vincent Massey, Governor-General of Canada to members of the Canadian Jewish Congress, to which is appended typed excerpts of stories and songs in English and Yiddish of early Canadian Jewish immigrants.
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Accession Number
2005-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
Committee meeting agendas, minutes, reports and correspondence series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 1; File 613
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
Committee meeting agendas, minutes, reports and correspondence series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
1
File
613
Material Format
textual record
Date
[194-?]
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of one sheet of meeting minutes from the Women's Committee, presumably regarding Moess Chittim.
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Accession Number
2005-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 2504
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
2504
Material Format
graphic material
Date
26 Oct. 1916
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 21 x 26 cm
Scope and Content
This item is a copy print and corresponding negative of a poster for a Toronto Yiddish Theatre Company performance, which happened at the I.O.O.F. Temple at 41 Gore Street in Hamilton. The poster is written in Yiddish.
Name Access
Toronto Yiddish Theatre Company
Subjects
Theatrical posters, Yiddish
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
Hamilton (Ont.)
Accession Number
1980-7-7
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 2505
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
2505
Material Format
graphic material
Date
17 April 1928
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 21 x 26 cm
Scope and Content
This item is a copy print and corresponding negative of a poster for a performance by Isaac Nelson's New York Free Yiddisher Folk Theatre, which happened at the I.O.O.F. Temple at 41 Gore Street in Hamilton. The poster is written in Yiddish.
Name Access
Isaac Nelson's New York Free Yiddisher Folk Theatre
Subjects
Theatrical posters, Yiddish
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
Hamilton (Ont.)
Accession Number
1980-7-7
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
William Stern fonds
Family photographs series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 33; Series 1; Item 11
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
William Stern fonds
Family photographs series
Level
Item
Fonds
33
Series
1
Item
11
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1925]
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 14 x 9 cm
Admin History/Bio
Lebil Shternshis was Bill Stern's paternal grandfather. His aunt Peah was brought to Canada by his father Mosihe in 1927, while his aunt Rivka was brought in 1930. Peah later married a Tepperman and Rivka married Phillip Greenspan.
Scope and Content
This item is a postcard photo of the Shternshis family in Lagov, Poland. Pictured from left to right is Rivka, Lebil and Peah. There is writing in Yiddish on the verso of the card.
Name Access
Shternshis family
Shternshis, Lebil
Shternshis, Peah
Shternshis, Rivka
Subjects
Postcards
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
Poland
Accession Number
2004-5-96
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dora Till fonds
Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series
Programming and events sub-series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 52; Series 1-5; File 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dora Till fonds
Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series
Programming and events sub-series
Level
File
Fonds
52
Series
1-5
File
1
Material Format
textual record
Date
[192-]-[193-], 1953
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
1 poster
Scope and Content
Of particular interest in this file is a cardboard poster outlining the rest home's schedule and routine, written in Yiddish.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
Community Relations Committee series
Research Records sub-series
War Crimes and Criminals sub-sub-series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
5-4-7
File
21
Material Format
textual record
Date
1964
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consist of correspondence, reports and newspaper clippings regarding alleged war criminals living in Canada.
Notes
Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.
Subjects
War criminals
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Jewish Old Folks' Home series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 14; Series 6; Item 3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Jewish Old Folks' Home series
Level
Item
Fonds
14
Series
6
Item
3
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[192-?]
Physical Description
4 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 26 x 21 cm
Scope and Content
Item is three copy photographs of a poster depicting the exterior of 29 Cecil Street and 31 Cecil Street and the portraits of three residents: Toltze Slaman, B. M. Pozner, and Sarah Arbes. The signs on the building were added to the image after the photograph was taken.
Notes
Previously cited as photo #253
Name Access
Arbes, Sarah
Pozner, B. M.
Slaman, Toltze
Subjects
Architecture
Posters
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
Cecil Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Jewish Old Folks' Home series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 14; Series 6; Item 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Jewish Old Folks' Home series
Level
Item
Fonds
14
Series
6
Item
4
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[192-?]
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 26 x 21 cm
Scope and Content
Item is a copy photograph of a poster depicting the exterior of 29 Cecil Street and 31 Cecil Street and the portraits of three residents: Toltze Slaman, Rebecca Simpson, and Sarah Arbes. The signs on the building were added to the image after the photograph was taken. The photograph has been plaque mounted.
Notes
Previously cited as photo #252
Name Access
Arbes, Sarah
Simpson, Rebecca
Slaman, Toltze
Subjects
Architecture
Posters
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
Cecil Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Jewish Old Folks' Home series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 14; Series 6; Item 5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Jewish Old Folks' Home series
Level
Item
Fonds
14
Series
6
Item
5
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[192-?]
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 26 x 21 cm
Scope and Content
Item is a copy photograph and negative of a poster depicting the exterior of 29 Cecil Street and 31 Cecil Street. Staff and residents are pictured from a distance standing in front of the home. The signs on the building were added to the image after the photograph was taken. The photograph has been plaque mounted.
Notes
Previously cited as photo #251
Subjects
Architecture
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
Cecil Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Publications and publicity series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 14; Series 10
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Publications and publicity series
Level
Series
Fonds
14
Series
10
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1957-2011
Physical Description
35 cm of textual records
1 postcard
Scope and Content
Series consists of textual records and graphic material documenting the Baycrest Centre's various publications and publicity activities. Included is a meeting notice and minutes, a memo, a postcard, articles, a news release, brochures, newsletters, magazines, and bulletins.
Series is arranged into four sub-series: 1. Baycrest News ; 2. Baycrest Bulletins; 3. Baycrest Breakthroughs; and, 4. Attach Your Name to Baycrest.
Related Material
See the Baycrest Centre's website for electronic copies of current issues of Baycrest's publications, including: Baycrest Matters newsletters, the Joseph E. and Minnie Wagman Centre newsletters, and Baycrest Bulletins. A link to the website is here: http://www.baycrest.org/publications-18.php
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Publications and publicity series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 14; Series 10; File 9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Publications and publicity series
Level
File
Fonds
14
Series
10
File
9
Material Format
textual record
Date
1982
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Admin History/Bio
The Multilingual Magazine was a creative project of the residents of Baycrest Terrace and members of the Jospeh E. and Minnie Wagman Centre. Published twice a year in four languages, the magazine contains stories and memories of the residents and members.
Scope and Content
File consists of the first issue of the Multilingual Magazine.
Name Access
Terraces of Baycrest (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Publications and publicity series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 14; Series 10; File 15
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Publications and publicity series
Level
File
Fonds
14
Series
10
File
15
Material Format
textual record
Date
1972-1979
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Admin History/Bio
The Baycrest Bulletins were issued and written by the residents of the Jewish Home for the Aged. Articles covered such topics as, Baycrest activities and events, fond memories, and Jewish culture. most editions also have an advice column called "Dear Lena". Each issue has an English and Yiddish section.
Scope and Content
File consists of issues of the Baycrest Bulletin.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 95
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
95
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1934-1982
Physical Description
58 cm of textual records
125 photographs
1 print
Admin History/Bio
Dr. Alexander Brown (1909-1984) was a leader in the field of Jewish education in Toronto. He held various positions with Toronto’s Board of Jewish Education (BJE) and the Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto, and was actively involved with other Jewish organizations, such as the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and the United Jewish Welfare Fund (UJWF).
Brown was born in the Ukraine on 14 February 1909 to Louis and Bessie Brown. The family immigrated to Canada in 1920. Brown attended the Simcoe Street Talmud Torah and studied under Rabbi Jacob Gordon. He continued his education at the Hebrew Theological College of Chicago and returned to Toronto in 1933. Between 1934 and 1936 Brown served as the first executive secretary of the CJC, Central Region. From 1936 to 1937 he was an announcer for the Jewish Radio Hour, where he read the News of the Week. In 1945 he graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA and then again in 1948 with an MA in Oriental languages. Brown was married to Dorothy Mercovitch (1912-2009) of London, Ontario, and together they had two children: Martin and Paul.
Brown entered the field of Jewish education as the principal of Shaarei Shomayim Hebrew School from 1942 to 1948, as a principal of the AHS of Toronto and as dean of the Midrasha L'Morim. From 1957 to 1964 he worked as a consultant with the BJE in Toronto and then became the BJE's associate director until the early 1980s. He also was a member of the UJWF’s Study Committee on Jewish Education, the National Council of Jewish Education, the Toronto Zionist Council, and the Educational and Cultural Committee of the CJC. In 1969, he received an honourary doctorate in Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois.
Dr. Brown died on 15 September 1984 at the age of 75.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of Paul Brown, Dr. Brown's son, until their donation to the OJA.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual and graphic material documenting the professional activities of Dr. Alexander Brown. The bulk of the material relates to his involvement with the BJE and the Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto. Included are meeting notices, agendas, and minutes, reports, studies, speeches, proposals, constitutions, correspondence, financial records, publications, questionnaires, photographs, booklets, articles, biographies, press releases, newspaper clippings, programmes, invitations, flyers, lists, applications, statistics, and a directory.
Records have been arranged into the following four series: 1. Board of Jewish Education; 2. Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto; 3. United Jewish Welfare Fund Study Committee on Jewish Education; and, 4. Jewish communal activities. Two files are attached directly to the fonds level. Records are described to the file level with a selection of item level descriptions.
Notes
Fonds was reduced from approximately 1.2 metres to 0.74 metres. Records that were culled include duplicate or damaged photographs, duplicate graduation programmes and invitations, duplicate UJWF Study Committee Interim reports that are located elsewhere in OJA's holdings, and other duplicated material. Also removed were American and other non-Canadian booklets.
Photographers and photography studios are identified on the photographs.
Name Access
Brown, Alexander, 1909-1984
Gordon, Jacob, Rabbi
Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto
Board of Jewish Education (Toronto, Ont.)
United Jewish Welfare Fund (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Education
Physical Condition
The photographs are in poor condition. They have begun to curl and have become stiff from being stored in a dry environment. They should be flattened through humidification and encapsulated in mylar to prevent re-curling.
Related Material
See: Oral history interview with Dr. Brown (AC 140), Board of Jewish Education fonds 48, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds 67, AHS of Toronto MG2 G-1E, accession 1981-11-4, United Synagogue Day School accession 1990-5-2, accession 1991-12-5, and accession 1988-11-3. For photographs of Jewish schools see Gordon Mendly fonds 18, series 3.
Arrangement
Arrangement has been created by the archivist since there was no discernable original order.
Creator
Brown, Alexander, 1909-1984
Accession Number
2009-7-9
2010-12-9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Jewish communal activities series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 95; Series 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Jewish communal activities series
Level
Series
Fonds
95
Series
4
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1934-1982, predominant 1958-1982
Physical Description
7 cm of textual records
37 photographs
Scope and Content
Series consists of textual records documenting Dr. Alexander Brown's various Jewish communal activities. Included are meeting minutes, speeches, publications, correspondence, invitations, flyers, photographs, biographies, newspaper clippings, brochures, a list, and a program.
Notes
Photographers and photography studios are identified on the photographs.
Physical Condition
A number of the photographs are starting to curl along the edges and have become stiff due to poor storage conditions.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Jewish communal activities series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 95; Series 4; File 16
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Jewish communal activities series
Level
File
Fonds
95
Series
4
File
16
Material Format
textual record
Date
29 Mar. 1981
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of an event flyer.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Vanek fonds
Personal records series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 1; Series 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Vanek fonds
Personal records series
Level
Series
Fonds
1
Series
1
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1906-1999
Physical Description
6 cm of textual records
4 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller
Scope and Content
Series includes correspondence and documents pertaining to the Vanek family in Russia and their early years in Ontario, recent letters from a cousin concerning family genealogy, and personal letters from Vanek to his wife, as well as correspondence concerning personal and professional matters from colleagues and friends. There is also an itinerary and notes from a judges' trip to China that took place in 1983 plus several photographs of the Vanek family.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Shirley Baine fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Shirley Baine fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
3
Material Format
textual record
Date
1936-1991
Physical Description
8 cm of textual records
Admin History/Bio
Shirley (Gertzbein) Baine (1910-2005) was born in Lithuania in 1910. She came to Toronto to live with her extended family during the 1930s. She later married Arthur Baine, a widower who had two children. Together, they had three additional children of their own.
Soon after her arrival in Canada, Shirley Baine became very involved in the Mizrachi organization. She was first a member of the Bruria Girls, during the late 1930s, and then joined the Etzion women's chapter later in her life. The role of both groups was to raise funds and provide support for Palestine (and later Israel). In 1972, she was honoured by this chapter with an inscription of her name into their Golden Book. She died in Toronto in 2005.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting Shirley Baine's activites in the Mizrachi movement as well as other initiatives. The fonds includes minutes of meetings, a dance program, a list of members from the Etzion chapter, correspondence, speeches, and a yiskor book.
Name Access
Baine, Shirley, 1910-2005
Subjects
Religious Zionism
Related Material
For related material on the Mizrachi movement, please see MG2 J1A.
Arrangement
By activity and chronological
Creator
Baine, Shirley, 1910-2005
Accession Number
2003-3-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
4
Material Format
multiple media
Date
[ca. 1900]-2010
Physical Description
3.1 metres of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell (1919-2000) was a prominant member of the Toronto Jewish community who initially pursued a career as a pharmacist and was later founder and president of the property development company, Elmdale Investments. He held positions as board member or chair in a wide variety of religious, educational and social service organizations and institutions both in Canada and Israel. In Toronto, these included: Clanton Park Synagogue, Adas Israel Synagogue, Jones Avenue Cemetery, Canadian Jewish Congress and the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto (formerly Toronto Jewish Congress, and now the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto).
Edell was born in Toronto on 5 March 1919, the son of Pesach and Molly Edell. He attended Harbord Collegiate and graduated from the Toronto College of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, in 1943 while on leave of absence from the army. He was enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces during the Second World War and served in the signal corps.
After he completed his army service, he opened Edell’s Drug Store at 1978 Queen Street in Etobicoke in 1948, the first shomer Shabbat drug store in the city. He operated a second store at 494 Spadina Avenue in the late 1940s. In 1955 the Queen Street location was expropriated by the City of Toronto. Subsequently, Edell founded Elmdale Investments, the company which built and managed the Elmhurst Plaza in Etobicoke. He reopened the drug store, which was renamed Elmhurst Drugs in the plaza. He also invested in two retail textile stores, Deltex Drapery and Dodd’s Drapery which had been founded by group of businessmen including his cousin Israel Edell.
In 1952 he married Dolly Weinstock, the daughter of Moishe and Sylvia Weinstock. They lived in the newly developed suburb of North York with their four children: Ethel, Simcha, Malka and Joseph. After 10 years of marriage, Dolly died and in 1966, he married Celia Rogen Hoffman.
Sol Edell was a founding member and first president of the Clanton Park Congregation. He was actively involved in the construction of the synagogue and its development. He continued to be affiliated with Shomrai Shabbos where his grandfather Rabbi Yosef Weinreb had been the rabbi. He was also involved with Adas Israel, the synagogue in Hamilton where his wife Celia had been an active member.
He was chair of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region -- Toronto Jewish Congress Archives Committee, which subsequently became the Ontario Jewish Archives. During his tenure, the archives was responsible for the reconstruction of the Kiever Synagogue which had been built in the early 1900s but had fallen into a state of disrepair by the 1960s.
Sol Edell was also involved in a number of Zionist organizations. He was the founding chair of the Aliyah Support Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto, whose mandate was to assist Torontonians who had moved to Israel and ease their transition into Israeli society. He was also an active member of the Mizrachi organization and its affiliated institutions. Another one of Sol Edell’s interests was ensuring the preservation of local cemeteries. He was president of the Jones Avenue Cemetery and on the board of Pardes Shalom and the Bathurst Lawn Cemetery, Clanton Park section.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting Sol Edell's business activities, community involvement and personal life. Included is correspondence, meeting minutes, photographs, financial records, legal records, publications, audio-visual material, invitations, newspaper clippings, artifacts, lists, reports, speeches, and architectural drawings.
The fonds is organized into the following eleven series: Personal; Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy; Elmdale Investments; Deltex Drapery and Dodd's Drapery; Adas Israel Synagogue; Clanton Park Synagogue; Shomrai Shabbos; Aliyah; Cemetery and funeral home; Historical materials; and, Activities and organizations.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 739 photographs, 232 architectural drawings, 11 audio cassettes, 9 audio reels, 13 film reels, 7 videocassettes, 4 slides, 1 plaque, 4 badges, and 1 key.
Name Access
Edell Solomon, 1919-2000
Clanton Park Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Edell, Dolly
Edell, Celia
Edell's Drug Store
Elmhurst Pharmacy
Jones Avenue Cemetery
Canadian Jewish Congress/ Toronto Jewish Congress Archives
Aliyah Support Committee
Subjects
Business
Pharmacists
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Physical Condition
The bulk of the architectural drawings are currently being stored rolled up. They should be flattened and encapsulated in melinex.
Film and sound reels should be digitized.
Related Material
See fonds #5 for material related to Paul Edell.
See accession #2012-10/9 for material related to the Edell family.
Creator
Edell, Solomon, 1919-2000
Accession Number
2002-12-2
2008-8-29
2011-5-4
2012-10-9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Level
Series
Fonds
4
Series
1
Material Format
multiple media
Date
[ca. 1900]-2000
Physical Description
49 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell, the son of Paul and Mollie Edell, was one of five siblings. He and Dolly Weinstock, the daughter of Moishe and Sylvia Weinstock, had two daughters and two sons and lived in Toronto. After Dolly died in 1961, he married Celia (née Rogen) Hoffman, a widow, in 1966. He became the stepfather to the two sons of Max and Celia Hoffman who had been residents of Hamilton. Some members of the family remained in Toronto while others moved to other parts of Canada, the United States and Israel. Sol Edell was actively involved in or provided financial support to many educational, professional and religious organizations.
Scope and Content
Series includes correspondence, invitations, publications, photographs, family films and a sound recording. The series is made up of seven sub-series: Associations, Charities, Community Activities, Education and Extra-Curricular Activities, Life Cycle and Family Events, Religious, and Residence.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 12 photographs, 7 film reels, 1 audio reel, 1 plaque, 4 badges, and 47 architectural drawings.
Name Access
Hoffman, Max
Hoffman, Celia
Rho Pi Phi
Harbord Collegiate
Subjects
Education
Greek letter societies
Physical Condition
Film and sound reels should be digitized.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Shomrai Shabbos Synagogue series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 7
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Shomrai Shabbos Synagogue series
Level
Series
Fonds
4
Series
7
Material Format
textual record
architectural drawing
graphic material
Date
1913-1999
Physical Description
22 cm of textual records
4 architectural drawings
2 photographs
Admin History/Bio
Shomrai Shabbos is an orthodox congregation which was founded in 1896. Sol Edell’s grandfather, Rabbi Yosef Weinreb, served as rabbi of the congregation from 1900 until 1942. The synagogue was in several downtown locations until it moved to its present location on Glengrove Avenue in North York in 1966. The congregation has grown steadily over the years and now has a membership of over 350 families. Sol Edell’s family were members of the congregation when he was a child. Although he retained his membership in the congregation after his marriage, he rarely attended the services at the synagogue. However, he did continue to participate in fundraising on behalf of the synagogue.
Custodial History
The earlier records were collected by Sol's grandfather, Rabbi Yosef Weinreb, or his father, Paul Edell. After their deaths, Sol maintained his membership in the congregation and continued to receive material from the synagogue.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting the establishment, construction, membership and activities of the Shomrai Shabbos Synagogue. Included is correspondence, speeches, technical drawings, financial records, ledgers, a tribute book, legal records, flyers, bulletins, marriage certificate receipts, certificates, invitations, a photograph, and stationary.
Name Access
Felder, Gedalia, Rabbi
Yosef, Weinreb, Rabbi
Subjects
Architecture
Synagogues
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
General community activities series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 11
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
General community activities series
Level
Series
Fonds
4
Series
11
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1950-2010
Physical Description
77 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
In addition to his ongoing involvement with Clanton Park, the Canadian Jewish Congress Archives, the Aliyah Support Group, Jones Avenue Cemetery, Shomrai Shabbos and Adas Israel, Sol Edell undertook special projects on behalf of a wide array of Jewish organizations. These include cultural (Toronto Cantorial Scholarship Fund), educational (Netivot Hatorah and Yeshivat Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot), religious (Union of Jewish Orthodox Congregations), social welfare (Association of Jewish Seniors and Co-Ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly) and Zionist (Canadian Friends of Yeshivat Hakotel and State of Israel Bonds) organizations.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting Sol Edell's involvement with a wide variety of Jewish educational, social and religious organizations and institutions in Canada, the United States, and Israel. Included are meeting minutes, publications, reports, photographs, correspondence, invitations, programmes, financial records, an architectural drawing, and a sound recording. While many of these organizations such as Eitz Chaim, Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot (educational), Mizrachi Organization of Canada, Emunah Women (Zionist) and Beth Jacob V’Anshe Drildz (synagogue) are orthodox, others such as Associated Hebrew Day Schools (educational), State of Israel Bonds (Zionist) and Co-ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly (social welfare) have no religious affiliation.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 26 photographs, 1 audio cassette, and 1 architectural drawing.
Name Access
Eitz Chaim
Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot
Mizrachi Men’s Organization
Emunah Women
Beth Jacob V'Anshei Drildz (Toronto, Ont.)
Associated Hebrew Day Schools
State of Israel Bonds
Co-ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly
Camp Moshava
Harbord Collegiate
Netivot Hatorah
Union of Jewish Orthodox Congregations
B'Nei Akiva
Toronto Committee for Bikur Cholim Hospital
Subjects
Charities
Children
Education
Fund raising
Older people
Religion
Zionism
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Life cycle and family events sub-series
Level
Sub-series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 1-5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Life cycle and family events sub-series
Level
Sub-series
Fonds
4
Series
1-5
Material Format
multiple media
Date
[ca. 1900]-2000
Physical Description
37 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell had a large family and a large circle of friends and aquaintenances. Consequently, he was invited to many circumcisions, weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs. He also set up several memorial funds in memory of his sister and wives.There are also documents in this sub-series that relate to family members.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of correspondence, receipts, diplomas, photographs and films documenting various family celebrations, vacations and home life. There is a selection of invitations, cards and benchers sent by the Edell, Weinstock and Hoffman families as well as ones that they received from family and friends. In addition, there are newspaper clippings and notices of the deaths of Edell family members and friends as well as correspondence and receipts relating to memorial funds set up in their memory. The sub-series also contains films of family and friends taken at home, on vacation and at family celebrations.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 10 photographs, 7 film reels, and 1 audio reel.
Name Access
Hoffman family
Weinstock family
Edell, Dolly
Edell, Celia
Subjects
Families
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Religious sub-series
Level
Sub-series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 1-6
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Religious sub-series
Level
Sub-series
Fonds
4
Series
1-6
Material Format
textual record
Date
1962-1997
Physical Description
3 folders of textual records
Admin History/Bio
During his lifetime Sol Edell regularly attended or maintained membership in a number of different synagogues. As a child Sol Edell’s family were members of Shomrai Shabbos. After he married he became a founding member of Clanton Park. His second wife Celia was a member of Adas Israel prior to their marriage. The Edell’s also had a cottage in Belle Ewart and they attended the synagogue which the Jewish cottagers had established for the summer.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of correspondence, receipts and newspaper clippings relating to the religious activities of the Edell family. This includes dues and donations to Adas Israel, Clanton Park and Shomrai Shabbos synagogues. As well there are newspaper clippings about the synagogue in Belle Ewart. Also included are contracts for the sale of chametz for Passover.
Name Access
Shomrai Shabbos
Adas Israel Congregation (Hamilton, Ont.)
Clanton Park Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Ewart, Belle
Subjects
Religion
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 4; Series 2; File 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series
Level
File
Fonds
4
Series
2
File
1
Material Format
textual record
Date
1948
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of an invoice from the Yiddisher Zhurnal relating to a New Years greeting that had been printed in the paper for Sol Edell's Drug Store.
Subjects
Yiddish newspapers
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
Lipa Green fonds
Personal series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 1; File 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Personal series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
1
File
1
Material Format
textual record
Date
1942-1949
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of various documents, including the Constitution for the Co-operative Summer Colony (English and Yiddish versions), general release forms, cash receipts, and a legal document retaining M. W. Kellermann to act as solicitor for the Co-operative in all matters relating to the colony.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Personal series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 1; File 8
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Personal series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
1
File
8
Material Format
textual record
Date
[194-]-[196-]
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of an assortment of correspondence, most of which is in Yiddish. English written correspondence include personal letters to family members, a Mother's Day card, a poem to Zadie Green, a bar mitzvah speech, and legal papers.
Subjects
Speeches, addresses, etc
Yiddish letters
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Personal series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 1; File 12
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Personal series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
1
File
12
Material Format
textual record
Date
[196-]
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of a Yiddish language and literature quiz, and the answers to the quiz in English.
Subjects
Yiddish language
Yiddish literature
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Business series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 2; File 2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Business series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
2
File
2
Material Format
textual record
Date
1948-[196-]
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of various documents including the announcement of the opening of a new office of Greenview Construction Co; a legal contract between the Green Construction Co. and the Apter Congregation to build a synagogue on Beverly Street, Toronto; tenders to Greenview for building construction; a land survey of 44 Majestic Court, Lipa's home; and an order book.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 3; File 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
3
File
1
Material Format
textual record
Date
1966
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of letterhead for the Association for Yiddish Cultural Radio Program and Yiddish Literature Group at I.L. Peretz Workmen's Circle School.
Subjects
Radio broadcasting, Yiddish
Yiddish literature
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 3; File 2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
3
File
2
Material Format
textual record
Date
1962-1965
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of newsletters and forms from Ateneo Literato, Buenos Aires.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 3; File 6
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
3
File
6
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1960-1975
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
Scope and Content
File consists of records pertaining to the Canadian Committee for Yiddish. Records include a book of receipts, requests for donations, various receipts and invoices, a list of membership pledges, payment records and a photograph of the committee.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 3; File 7
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
3
File
7
Material Format
textual record
Date
1963-1965
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of records pertaining to the Central Yiddish Cultural Organization (CYCO). The majority of records, written in Yiddish, are from the CYCO, based in New York, USA. There is also a letter from the chairman of the Jewish Book Month Committee of Toronto to the chairman of the CYCO discussing sponsorship. A pledge card belonging to Lipa Green is also in the folder.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 3; File 8
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
3
File
8
Material Format
textual record
Date
1967-1979
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of six program books, a seder invitation, donation receipts, a sympathy card and a form in Yiddish. The program books are for the twenty-third-to-twenty-eighth(with the exception of the twenty-fifth) annual theatrical events presented by B. Borochov Branch 124 of the Farband Labor Zionist Order. There is also a fiftieth anniversary program book (1917-1967) commemorating the Branch's golden jubilee.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 3; File 9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
3
File
9
Material Format
textual record
Date
1956-1975
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of records related to the Farband Labour Zionist Order including invitations to meetings and dinners, pledges, newsletters, minutes of a committee meeting, a musical revue program and an almanac directory of committee members.
Subjects
Labor Zionism
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 3; File 10
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
3
File
10
Material Format
textual record
Date
1958-1968
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of records pertaining to the Israel Histadrut Campaign of Toronto of which Lipa Green was a member and canvasser. Records include pledge cards, canvassers' instructions, list of names of prospects to canvass, a Histadrut news bulletin, a Third Seder Haggadah, and a program book commemorating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising.
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
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 3; File 12
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
3
File
12
Material Format
textual record
Date
1953-1965
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of meeting minutes of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Public Library, a receipt of membership, a letter about the Library's membership campaign and an invitation to a panel presentaiton at the Library.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 20; Series 3; File 18
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Lipa Green fonds
Organizations series
Level
File
Fonds
20
Series
3
File
18
Material Format
textual record
Date
1972-1976
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of four programme books for annual concerts performed by the Workmen's Circle Peretz School for 1972-1974 and 1976, and a letter written on paper with Lipa Green's letterhead in Yiddish.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Cowan family fonds
Level
File
ID
Fonds 102; File 73
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Cowan family fonds
Level
File
Fonds
102
File
73
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1905-1987
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
6 photographs : b&w and col. ; 13 x 18 cm or smaller
Admin History/Bio
Morris Rosenthal was the husband of Nessie (Celia) Soren Rosenthal, and the father of Liilian Rosenthal Cowan.
Scope and Content
File consists of photographs of Morris Rosenthal as a young man, with his wife in middle age, and in his later years. A colour photograph is mounted in a hardcover notebook with two of his poems translated from Yiddish by his daughter Lillian Cowan. Documents include "Memories of Bell Ewart" (Belle Ewart) by Al Sherman, which mentions Celia and Morris Rosenthal leasing and running a hotel in that area, letters in Yiddish which may be Morris' poems, and a letter to Saul and Libbie Cowan from Rivka Lieberman with translations of the same two poems mentioned above, which Rivka found among her papers.
Name Access
Rosenthal, Morris
Physical Condition
Two of the older photographs are torn in half, one taped together on the back
Source
Archival Descriptions