- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Level
- Fonds
- Fonds
- 61
- Material Format
- multiple media
- Date
- [ca. 1920]-1994
- Physical Description
- 3 m of textual records (19 v.) and other material
- Admin History/Bio
- The Schwartz-Reisman Jewish Community Centre, the Prosserman Jewish Community Centre (formerly the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre or BJCC) and the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre (MNJCC) in Toronto are the current incarnations of what began, in 1919, as the Hebrew Association of Young Men's and Young Women's Clubs, later known as the Young Men's and Young Women's Hebrew Association of Toronto (YM-YWHA). The YM-YWHA, in turn, began as a merger between several other small athletic clubs operating in the city. The original mandate was strictly athletic, but soon broadened to include other areas of interest, in order to provide a sense of Jewish identity and camaraderie through physical, educational, cultural and community based programming. During the 1920s, the 'Y' became known simply as the Young Men’s Hebrew Association (YMHA) – the name under which it was incorporated in 1930.
- For close to two decades, the ‘Y’ had rented rooms in the Brunswick Avenue and College Street area, including the basement facilities of the Brunswick Avenue Talmud Torah. By the mid-1930s, these facilities were overcrowded and unable to support the growing membership, particularly when the young women’s programming was reintroduced in 1936.
- As a result, in 1937, the YM-YWHA constructed its own athletic building at 15 Brunswick Avenue, next door to the Talmud Torah, to ease the overcrowding. However, the ‘Y’ still had to make use of five scattered buildings to meet its needs, including the Central YMCA gym for its basketball teams. The early ‘Y’ was staffed by volunteers who were granted free memberships in exchange for their time and expertise.
- On 3 February 1953, a new Jewish Community Centre was dedicated at the corner of Bloor Street and Spadina Avenue. By the end of the 1950s, the ‘Y’ was providing services for all ages, ranging from a nursery school to their Good Age Club for seniors.
- As the Jewish community moved northward, so too did the ‘Y’, with the dedication of a new northern branch on 1 May 1961. This new branch, located at Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue, was created in order to address the athletic, educational, cultural and community needs of the expanding Jewish community in the north end of the city. Fourteen years later, an improved cultural and physical education wing was added as part of the completion campaign. This included the addition of the Leah Posluns Theatre and the Murray Koffler Centre of the Arts. In 1978, the YM-YWHA changed its name to the Jewish Community Centre of Toronto, in order to better reflect its broader role in the community. A new Northeast Valley branch was also established in Thornhill in the early 1980s and later closed in the late 1990s.
- In 1994, the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto took over the operation of the northern branch, due to financial difficulties. At this point, all three branches became independent of one another and were no longer constituted as the Jewish Community Centre of Toronto. They each had independent boards of directors, while still receiving some of their operating funds from the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto.
- Scope and Content
- This fonds consists of the records created and accumulated by the Jewish Community Centre of Toronto -- which included the Bloor branch and the northern Bathurst Jewish Community Centre -- and its predecessor, the YM-YWHA. The records include textual records maintained by the office of the executive director, financial reports, architectural plans, Y-Times newsletters, program material, photographs and oral histories.
- The records have been arranged into the following series: Executive director, Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee, Publication Committee, Communications Department, Sports Celebrity Dinner, and Combined Building Campaign Committee.
- Notes
- Includes 2539 photographs, 42 architectural drawings, 13 sound recordings, 4 artifacts, and 2 posters.
- Name Access
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto
- Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre
- Subjects
- Community centers
- Related Material
- See photo #2369-2646, 3412, 3519, 3804, 4201, 5004, 6125, accession #1986-7-8, MG2 N1a
- Creator
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto (Toronto, Ont.)
- Places
- Toronto (Ont.)
- Accession Number
- 2004-6-6
- 2004-5-13
- 2004-5-2
- 1988-11-7
- 1988-4-9
- 1984-7-2
- 1983-12-1
- 1982-12-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive Director series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- object
- architectural drawing
- Date
- 1936-1993
- Physical Description
- 2.66 m of textual records (12 v.) and other material
- Admin History/Bio
- The role of the executive director was to oversee the administrative operations of the YM-YWHA, including staffing and personnel, budgetary activities, maintenance, programming, special events and festival celebrations, membership, community outreach and fundraising activities.
- Although a staff position, the executive director was also a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee, as acting secretary. As such, the executive director was responsible for attending and taking the minutes at all committee meetings, and for the collection and maintenance of all official files documenting the activities of the YM-YWHA, and later, the Jewish Community Centres. The executive director also acted as executive director of the Jewish Camp Council, which operated out of the Bloor and Spadina YM-.YWHA building.
- In the late 1940s, George Horrowitz was the YM-YWHA's executive director, and in 1952, David Andrews succeeded him. Andrews served as executive director until 1976, at which point he became executive vice-president and Martin Park, his former assistant, succeeded him as executive director. Sid Brail became the executive director in 1979.
- Scope and Content
- This series consists of the records created and collected by the office of the executive director of the YM-YWHA and the Jewish Community Centre of Toronto. The records include operating files, correspondence, financial records, program material, reports, photographs, course registration ledgers and architectural drawings.
- The records are organized alphabetically as subject files, which reflects the original arrangement of the records. The exceptions are the financial reports, the course registration ledgers and the architectural plans, which were maintained separately.
- The records have been arranged into the following sub-series: subject files, financial reports, architectural drawings and Y-Arts Council registration ledgers.
- Notes
- Includes 142 photographs, 41 architectural drawings, 2 artifacts and 2 posters.
- Arrangement
- As the executive director oversaw operations at both the Bloor and Spadina branch and the northern branch of the YM-YWHA, the records relating to both branches were filed together. There has been no attempt made to separate the records of the individual branches.
- Creator
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- 1988-11-7
- 1983-12-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive director series
- Subject files sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1-1
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- object
- architectural drawing
- Date
- 1936-1993
- Physical Description
- 2.1 m of textual records and other material
- Scope and Content
- This sub-series contains the operating files created and accumulated by the office of the executive director of the YM-YWHA during the years 1937-1978. The files contain correspondence, meeting minutes and agendas, program material, photographs, reports, financial records and other related records. They are arranged by subject in alphabetical and chronological order. The photographs and architectural drawings are located in the subject files with the related textual material.
- Notes
- Includes 142 photographs, 11 architectural drawings, 2 artifacts, and 2 posters.
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- 1988-11-7
- 1983-12-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2
- Material Format
- graphic material
- sound recording
- textual record
- architectural drawing
- Date
- [ca. 1920]-1990
- Physical Description
- 1866 photographs and other material
- Admin History/Bio
- The Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee was established in 1982, in order to document the history of the YM-YWHA of Toronto. The committee was chaired by Bert Fine and was mandated by the JCC of Toronto's Executive Committee to collect historical and archival material from the community, which was to be donated to the Ontario Jewish Archives.
- Scope and Content
- This series consists of the records collected by the Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee. The records are predominantly photographs, but also includes some textual records. This series also contains oral histories, created by the committee in order to document the experiences of some of the YM-YWHA's original members.
- The series contains a sub-series for the photograph collection, which is organized alphabetically by theme, event or person and is described at the file and item levels. There is also a sub-series for the oral history program, which is described at the sub-series level.
- Notes
- Includes 13 sound recordings, 3 cm of textual records, and 1 architectural drawing.
- Accession Number
- 1984-7-2
- 1982-12-2
- 2004-5-13
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive director series
- Financial reports sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1-2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1937-1984
- Physical Description
- 30 cm of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The treasurer was responsible for overseeing all financial operations of the YM-YWHA. The treasurer was chairman of the Finance Committee which recommended, discussed and approved the day-to-day financial requirements for the operation of the "Y". The committee was also responsible for submitting the financial information to the accounting houses who prepared the "Y's" audited financial reports.
- Scope and Content
- This sub-series contains the financial reports and statements for the YM-YWHA., the Jewish Community Centre of Toronto, the Combined Building Campaign, the Northern Building Fund Campaign, the Jewish Camp Council, Camp Northland, Camp B’nai Brith, the Mothers' and Babes' Rest Home and Camp Fundale.
- The reports are organized chronologically by year. Each year often contains more than one report, either for different periods of the same year, or for different structures under the control of the YM-YWHA. The reports were kept by the office of the executive director.
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Publication Committee series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 3
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1933-1979
- Physical Description
- 25 cm of textual records (7 v.)
- Admin History/Bio
- The Publication Committee was a committee of the YM-YWHA that was in charge of creating the Y-Time newspaper and any other related publications disseminated within the Jewish Community of Toronto. They reported to the Executive Committee.
- Scope and Content
- This series consists of the Y-Time newspapers from 1933 to 1978, a JCC-Time newsletter from 1979 and two publicity scrapbooks.
- Accession Number
- 1984-7-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive director series
- Subject files sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1-1
- File
- 18
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1949-1954
- Physical Description
- 1 cm of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The Board of Management was created in 1949 as a temporary governing body of the YM-YWHA. The Board of Management functioned for one year after the dedication of the new community centre in 1953 at Bloor and Spadina, at which point there was a large enough membership to elect its own officers. The board was then replaced with the Executive Committee.
- Scope and Content
- This file contains general correspondence regarding the creation and functioning of the Board of Management.
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive director series
- Subject files sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1-1
- File
- 46
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1941-1955
- Physical Description
- 2 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- This file contains the constitutions of the YM-YWHA, the United Jewish Welfare Fund, the Jewish Community Centre of Toronto, the YMHA of Winnipeg, the YM-YWHA of Montreal and the Jewish Home for the Aged. Also included is some general correspondence concerning the constitution and by-laws of the YM-YWHA of Toronto.
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive director series
- Subject files sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1-1
- File
- 47
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1939-1967
- Physical Description
- 1 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- This file contains copies of the Corporate Information Act Returns of Information and Particulars, required of each corporation by the Province of Ontario. The return lists the date and means of incorporation, the names of the directors and officers of the executive and other related information.
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive director series
- Subject files sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1-1
- File
- 67
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1949-1954
- Physical Description
- 3 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- This file contains textual records relating to the House Committee, which oversaw all building, property, equipment and maintenance issues. Records include meeting minutes and agendas, committee member lists, general correspondence and reports.
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive director series
- Subject files sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1-1
- File
- 73
- Material Format
- textual record
- architectural drawing
- object
- Date
- 1943-1954
- Physical Description
- 3 cm of textual records
- 1 architectural drawing : blueprint ; 34 x 42 cm folded to 18 x 22 cm
- 2 artifacts
- Admin History/Bio
- The Jewish Camp Council was formed in 1945 by five different groups running summer camps for Jewish youth: B’nai Brith, the National Council of Jewish Women, the Mothers’ and Babes’ Summer Rest Home Association, the United Jewish Welfare Fund of Toronto and the YM-YWHA.
- The United Jewish Welfare Fund eventually assumed responsibility for all camp property, including Camp Northland in Haliburton, and programming for all camps was organized as a unified service. The Jewish Camp Council Board of Directors included representatives from all five organizations, while the executive director of the YM-YWHA acted as executive director of the Jewish Camp Council. Initially, the head office was located at Camp B'nai Brith, near Orillia, and then moved into the new YM-YWHA building at Spadina and Bloor in 1953.
- Scope and Content
- This file contains textual records relating to the operation of the Jewish Camp Council and the camps it oversaw. The records include reports, meeting minutes and agendas, executive and community correspondence, financial records, camp pamphlets, event invitations and flyers and an architectural blueprint of the grounds of the Mothers' and Babes' Rest Home in Tollandale near Barrie, Ontario. There is also a parent's guide and two YMHA cousellor badges from Camp Frailoch and Camp Northland.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- 1988-11-7
- 1983-12-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive director series
- Subject files sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1-1
- File
- 91
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1942-1949
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- In 1945, the UJWF received two applications concerning capital needs -- one from the YM-YWHA and one from the General Wingate Branch. They suggested that a joint capital campaign for $750 000 be held for a Jewish War Memorial Centre, which would house the activities of the "Y" and the General Wingate Branch.
- The campaign began in 1948, and was spearheaded by Samuel Godfrey, campaign chairman. The campaign raised approximately $350 000 which was later added to the $1 250 000 raised in the second campaign, to reach the "Y"s total Combined Building Campaign goal of $1 500 000. The legion never moved into the "Y" building, but the building was dedicated to the Jewish soldiers who fought for Canada in the world wars, during the cornerstone ceremony.
- Scope and Content
- This file contains a survey report of the Toronto Jewish community created by the National Welfare Board prior to the campaign launch, meeting minutes of the Wingate Branch, and general correspondence. There is also a copy of a "Victory" booklet from 1942, which contains a list of "Y" member names who were enlisted in the armed forces during the Second World War.
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive director series
- Subject files sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1-1
- File
- 130
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1949-1953
- Physical Description
- 1 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- This file contains executive correspondence regarding the purchase of the Bloor and Spadina property by the YM-YWHA and the sale of 12 Major Street.
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive director series
- Subject files sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1-1
- File
- 141
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1944-1954
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- This file contains correspondence between the YM-YWHA and the Brunswick Avenue Talmud Torah regarding the use of the school facilities, as well as a newsclipping announcing the re-opening of the old Brunswick "Y" building for adult use in 1954.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Executive director series
- Subject files sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 1-1
- File
- 142
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1949-1955
- Physical Description
- 1 cm of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The Toronto Jewish Youth Council was a body composed of Jewish youth groups throughout the city. Its purpose was to co-ordinate the groups, supplement their programs and develop a spirit of community camaraderie.
- Scope and Content
- This file contains meeting minutes of the Toronto Jewish Youth Council, as well as correspondence and reports. There is also one copy of the Hebrew Youth Club News, which was a club affiliated with the Toronto Jewish Youth Council that met at the Brunswick Avenue YM-YWHA building.
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- Material Format
- graphic material
- textual record
- architectural drawing
- Date
- [ca. 1920]-1993
- Physical Description
- 1866 photographs : b&w, sepia and col. (199 negatives) ; 35 x 28 or smaller
- 3 cm of textual records
- 1 architectural drawing
- Custodial History
- Most of the photographs were in the custody of Ted Winick, who sat on the Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee. They were donated to the OJA in 1982 and 1984.
- Scope and Content
- This sub-series contains photographs collected by the Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee. The photographs document the executive and general membership, special events, sporting groups and teams, and YM-YWHA owned camps and properties, including the construction and completion program of the northern branch. There are also a small amount of textual records and an architectural drawing, which has been kept in the file with the accompanying graphic images.
- Arrangement of the photographs has been imposed by the archivist, as no original order existed when the records were acquired. The photos have been arranged into alphabetical files by function, where one exists, otherwise they have been grouped together by subject, event or individual. This approach was taken so that images pertaining to certain subjects or events could be easily accessed by the researcher. The images have been described at the file and item levels.
- Accession Number
- 1984-7-2
- 1982-12-2
- 2004-5-13
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- 1944, 1981
- Physical Description
- 2 photographs : b&w and col. ; 17 x 11 and 9 x 13 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of two photographs of Judge Joseph Addison, who was a member of the YM-YWHA and a handball enthusiast. One photograph is of Addison holding a handball and is affixed to a board which says: Although he is no longer playing handball, he was noted for his long arms and legs and excellent condition. He has, and is devoting a lot of time and effort into promoting handball from coast to coast and is the present Commissioner of Handball. The second is a snapshot of him sitting in an office chair, consulting some papers.
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- Item
- 5
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- [ca. 1940]
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 13 x 18 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of one photograph of a group of young male athletes posing in the gymnasium of the Brunswick YM-YWHA.
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- Item
- 8
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- 1942
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 13 x 18 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of one photograph of the YMHA midget city champs basketball team. Pictured are:
- Top row, left to right: J. Lanetsky, L. Shack, A. Shack, J. Collis, N. Collis, P. Elas, H. Simon, A. Britt.
- Bottom row, left to right: S. Himel, M. Nisker, Snooky L. Rubenstein (coach), L. Glait (captain), B. Wiseman, S. Tweyman (manager), L. Tennenbaum, S. Fruitman.
- Subjects
- Sports teams
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- Item
- 9
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- 1943
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 19 x 24 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of one photograph of the YMHA bantam basketball team from 1943. Pictured are:
- Back row, left to right: [unidentified], [unidentified], Stan Krivy, Vern Dubinsky, "Dusty" Cole.
- Front row, left to right: Nate Frankel, Max Zigelstein, Ben Atkins, Aubie Dashkin, Jerry [Sherman?].
- Subjects
- Sports teams
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- Item
- 12
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- [ca. 1940]
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : sepia ; 24 x 19 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of one photograph of Harvey Blackstein standing outdoors in an overcoat and hat.
- Name Access
- Blackstein, Harvey, 1912-1986
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- File
- 45
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- [ca. 1945]-[ca. 1950]
- Physical Description
- 2 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of one photograph of a play being performed by Lou Jacobi and two unidentified individuals at the Brunswick Avenue YM-YWHA, and one photograph of a group of theatre members on stage in the Brunswick Avenue auditorium, located in the Talmud Torah building next door.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- File
- 69
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- 1946-1953
- Physical Description
- 2 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of two photographs of children in the YM-YWHA woodworking studio at the Brunswick building and the Bloor and Spadina building. The instructor of the class is featured in both photographs.
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- Item
- 35
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- 1942
- Physical Description
- 2 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of two copies of a photograph taken at the YMHA leaders' dinner on 20 May 1942. The photograph shows a roomful of young men and women seated at several banquet tables, looking at the camera.
- Identified individuals in the photograph include Goldie Heller, [?] Durnick, Lou Jacobi, Lou Zimmerman, Anne Zimmerman, Sam Stellman, Sam Crystal, Harry Eisen, Cecil Stekel, Danny [?], Ida Spiegel, [?] Lieberman, Stan Krivy, Albert White, Morris Gotlief, Max Goldhar, Dr. Stillman, Freda Stillman, Harry Mayzel, Thelma Isenberg Pikes, and Hank Seiden.
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- Item
- 48
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- 1946
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of one photograph taken during the Brunswick YM-YWHA junior sports day in the summer of 1946. The photograph depicts several children playing a game in a field.
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- Item
- 49
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- 1946
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 16 x 11 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of one studio photograph of Ben Swartz. He is wearing leopard-print shorts and is standing in a wrestling pose.
- Subjects
- Wrestlers
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- File
- 126
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- 1935-1975
- Physical Description
- 8 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of group photographs of the YM-YWHA swim teams at the original Brunswick Avenue building and the Bloor Street building. All of the photographs were taken poolside and some of the individuals are holding trophies. Identified individuals include Ted Winick, Bert Fine, Al Winick, Sid Shipper, Dave Rosen, Harvey Blackstein, Dave Perlmutter, Ben Starkman, [Harry?] Fleishman, Carl Chappelle, Timmy [?], Nat Needman, Joe Leipziger, Lou Savlov, Harry Brown, Al Pickofski, Al Kodak, Bert Izer, Harry Mazell, Irving Linzon, Al Raines, [?] Brown, [?] Applebaum.
- Notes
- There is two copies and a corresponding negative for one of the photographs.
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- File
- 133
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- 1941-1950
- Physical Description
- 2 photographs : b&w and col. ; 28 x 22 cm and 18 x 13 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of one colour reproduction of the certificate of membership belonging to David Usher and one studio photograph of David Usher posing with a weightlifting bar.
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- File
- 137
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- [192-]-[ca. 1980]
- Physical Description
- 35 photographs : sepia and b&w ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of several photographs of the YM-YWHA volleyball teams. Included is one very early group photograph of a YMHA volleyball team standing under an entrance arch. There are also several shots of a 1970 team practicing in the northern YM-YWHA gymnasium and a group portrait of a women's volleyball team from 1980.
- Subjects
- Sports teams
- 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.
- Physical Condition
- The photograph from the 1920s is in very poor condition. The image has peeled off in several spots and there is several missing pieces around the edges.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- File
- 138
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- 1936-1975
- Physical Description
- 17 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 26 or smaller
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of photographs of members of the YM-YWHA weightlifting club. The images include the first all-Jewish weightlifting club in Canada from 1936, the club from 1946, as well as men lifting weights at both the Bloor and Spadina and northern branches. Identified individuals include Nat Crystal, Moe Stolberg, Sam Milstone, Harry Moscoe, Juda Lapidus, Isadore Keshen, Dave Brown, Sol Kline, Berney Rosen, Murray Krugel, Ben Pinkus, Isadore Crystal, Joe Goodman, Hye Marks, Bill Gryfe, Sam Cooper, Nat Feldman, Sam Ginsberg, Jack Handler, Earl Mandel, Sid Charendorf and Marty Winick.
- Notes
- There are two copies of the image of the 1936 club.
- Subjects
- Weight lifters
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- File
- 139
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- 1935-1963
- Physical Description
- 4 photographs : b&w (3 negatives) ; 18 x 24 cm and 10 x 13 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of group portraits of the YM-YWHA weightlifting teams, including one team from 1935 and one from 1963 accepting a trophy. There is also an image of a weightlifter being weighed in.
- Identified individuals include, from left to right: S. Klein, M. Goldstein, Joe Sklar, Gordy Bernstein, S. Cohen, L. Cohen, Issie (Izzy) Bass, Abe Ginsberg and William Gryfe.
- Subjects
- Portraits, Group
- 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.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Jewish Community Centre Archives Committee series
- Photograph collection sub-series
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 2-2
- Item
- 55
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- [ca. 1945]
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 25 x 35 cm
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of one group photograph of the YMHA men's basketball team. They are in the Brunswick Avenue building's gymnasium.
- Subjects
- Sports teams
- 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.
- Physical Condition
- This item is in poor condition. It has many rips and folds in it.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Publication Committee series
- Y-Time newspaper sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 3-1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1933-1978
- Physical Description
- 24 cm of textual records (7 v.)
- Admin History/Bio
- The Y-Time was the official news organ of the Toronto YM-YWHA. The paper began in 1933 as the YMHA Bulletin and was originally produced as an annual publication. The Executive Committee was originally in charge of most of the content that was submitted to the editor for printing. In later years, the YM-YWHA's Publication Committee took over responsibility for producing the newspaper. It was mailed out, free of charge, to the YM-YWHA. membership until around 1978, when the paper ended.
- Scope and Content
- This sub-series consists of Y-Time newspapers produced by the YM-YWHA. The newspapers are organized by year, generally with six-to-ten issues per year. There are also some bound volumes of the periodicals.
- There are several missing issues, particularly from the years between 1936 and 1951. There is also some duplication between the bound issues and the loose issues, both of which have been kept due to the uniqueness of the record.
- Name Access
- Y-Times
- Y-Time
- Physical Condition
- The newspaper is quite brittle and should be considered for future microfilming projects.
- Accession Number
- 1984-7-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
- Publication Committee series
- Y-Time newspaper sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 61
- Series
- 3-1
- File
- 33
- Material Format
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1 cm of textual records (1 v.)
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of one bound volume of Y-Time newspapers from 1933-1957. This includes one issue from 1933, two from 1934 and one year book and programme from 1935. There are missing issues from 1936 to1951.
- Accession Number
- 1984-7-2
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- The Shuls Project fonds
- Reference series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 64
- Series
- 5
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- architectural drawing
- Date
- 1859-1980
- Physical Description
- 35 cm of textual records
- 10 photographs
- 41 architectural drawings
- Scope and Content
- Series contains reference materials created by and written about the synagogues. Primary records include commemorative booklets, a small number of newsletters, brochures, and programs from special events. There are also newspaper clippings and copied articles providing histories of synagogues. There is a small number of photograph prints and negatives, but many of the files also include photographs from books, magazines or photocopies. The series is arranged in alphabetical order by city, then by synagogue. Not every synagogue the project team researched has a reference file, and there may be reference files for shuls for which no photographs survive.
- Subjects
- Synagogues
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- The Shuls Project fonds
- Level
- Fonds
- Fonds
- 64
- Material Format
- multiple media
- Date
- 1859-1980, predominant 1977-1979
- Physical Description
- ca. 5178 photographs and other material
- Admin History/Bio
- The “Shuls Project” was the work of three University of Toronto architecture students, who in 1977 wrote a research paper on the eight Toronto synagogues built before World War II. Concerned at the lack of resources on these synagogues, Sidney Tenenbaum, Lynn Milstone and Sheldon Levitt foresaw the loss of communities’ recorded history as membership dwindled and elders passed on. The students conceived a project that would photograph and document every synagogue in Canada, gathering visual evidence, memorabilia, plaques and stories before they disappeared and history was lost. The students’ goal was to document synagogues’ architecture, art, and historical development through research, interviews and site visits.
- The students secured a large portion of the required funding for the project from the Samuel and Saidye Bronfman Family Foundation in Montreal, funding which was matched by the Canadian Jewish Congress. This financial support enabled Levitt, Milstone and Tenenbaum to begin their study, named “Shuls… A Study of Canadian Synagogue Architecture.” They began in the summer of 1977, traveling through the Western provinces. The next summer, they visited eight Maritime cities, Montreal and other Quebec communities. Financial support in the project’s second year was again provided by the Bronfman Family Foundation, along with the Canadian government and donations in kind from businesses, including Benjamin Photo Finishers in Toronto, and Polaroid. The summer of 1979 was spent in Ontario, with an added grant from Wintario. In total, the Shuls project team traveled over 24,000 kilometres, taking thousands of photographs and conducting several hundred interviews. Photographs were taken by Tenenbaum, with Levitt and Milstone assuming primary responsibility for researching synagogues’ history and gathering historic records. Interviews were conducted by all three researchers, in both English and Yiddish.
- With no handy index of every shul in Canada, the researchers located small shuls by word of mouth. They spread word of their project and solicited assistance using press releases, letters to known communities, and slideshow presentations as they traveled. They would first examine a building to get an idea of a community’s character and heritage, then conduct interviews with designers, architects, rabbis and other prominent community members.
- With the research and photographs created, the team compiled three catalogues of the Western, Eastern/Quebec, and Ontario phases of the project. These catalogues have entries on each synagogue that include historical summaries highlighting the founding, growth, mergers and decline of Jewish communities, their changing needs, changing architectural expressions and trends, and the evolving uses of synagogues over the course of the twentieth century. There are also building descriptions, some with critical comments by the authors, and lists of the photographs and slides produced.
- The compilation of materials and preparation of these catalogues took place at the Project’s offices at 26 Ava Road in Toronto, and continued through the summer of 1980 when the Ontario catalogue was completed. In 1985, Tenenbaum, Milstone and Levitt published a book highlighting their work, called Treasures of a People: The Synagogues of Canada.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of the records created and collected by the team of students conducting the Shuls study from 1977 to 1980. The majority of the fonds is made up of graphic material, in the form of 35mm colour slides and black-and-white Polaroid prints and (print-size) negatives. There are approximately 5110 photographs in the fonds. Fonds also consists of notes and inventory forms of buildings' architectural features. There are no interview transcripts, but the fonds does include three audio cassettes with recorded interviews and shul tours. Reference materials used in researching the history of the shuls include dedication and anniversary commemorative books and programmes, newsletters, articles and newspaper clippings. In addition the fonds contains 47 blueprints, the majority from Montreal synagogues. The fonds is arranged in the following series: 1. Quebec synagogues; 2. Ontario synagogues; 3. Western Canada synagogues; 4. Eastern Canada synagogues; 5. Reference.
- Notes
- Physical description note: includes 92 cm of textual records, 42 architectural drawings, 3 audio cassettes, and 1 drawing.
- Physical extent note: many of the slides were culled because they were felt to be reproductions. Some of the synagogue images in the research book may therefore not be included in the fonds.
- Name Access
- Shuls Project
- Subjects
- Synagogues
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
- Creator
- Levitt, Sheldon
- Milstone, Lynn
- Tenenbaum, Sidney T.
- Places
- Canada
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
