Accession Number
2017-6-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-6-5
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
ca. 30 cm of textual records
89 photographs : b&w and col. (7 negatives) ; 18 x 13 cm or smaller
1 CD-ROM (textual record)
19 videocassettes (ca. 22 hr.)
Date
[19--?]-2008
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Abe and Margot Zukerman, their family, and the Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society. Included are: awards, identity documents, legal documents, letters, photographs, publications, videocassettes, and vital records.
Photo Caption (015): Abe Zukerman's father, [19--?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-6-5.
Custodial History
Mel Perlmutter, stepson of Abe Zukerman and son of Margot Zukerman, donated the records to the Ontario Jewish Archives.
Administrative History
Abe Zukerman (1914-2009) was born in Wierzbnik, Poland in 1914. He was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust. In 1948, he came to Canada, where he became involved in the Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society and married. His first wife, Esther, predeceased him. In 1975, he married his second wife, Margot, who had two children from a previous marriage. In addition to serving as a senior executive member of the Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society for over 50 years, Abe volunteered with United Jewish Appeal and State of Israel Bonds. He passed away 8 Feb. 2009. Margot Zukerman (née Rubin) was born in Berlin, Germany on 31 December 1922. Still a child when the National Socialists came to power, she was denied schooling. She arrived in Toronto in 1939 never having received a formal education. Despite this, she was able to learn English and operate her father's small ladies' wear store in Hamilton for at least a dozen years. In 1944, she married her first husband Alexander Perlmutter, with whom she had two children: one in 1945 and another in 1948. In 1970, she moved to Toronto, where she acted as caregiver to her father. In 1974, she met Abe, whom she married on 14 February 1975. Like her husband, Margot was an active member of Toronto's Jewish community.
Use Conditions
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
ASSOCIATED MATERIALS: Other records relating to Abe Zukerman can be found in Accession 2017-9-1.
Subjects
Families
Societies
Name Access
Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society
Zukerman, Abe, 1914-2009
Zukerman, Esther, 1912-1972
Zukerman, Margot, 1922-
Zukerman family
Places
Canada
Israel
Poland
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-1-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-1-5
Material Format
textual record
object
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
3 objects
Date
[190-?]-1967
Scope and Content
Accession consists of materials documenting the Grosman family, in particular Max Grosman. Included are Max's certificate of naturalization, various Polish-language documents including Max's Polish passport, an old age security application, and an insurance book. The accession also includes a pin commemorating the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union's fortieth anniversary and two rings that belonged to Max.
Custodial History
Max Grosman's son, Wilfred Grosman, came into possession of the records constituting Accession 2018-1-5 following the death of his father. He donated the records to the Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre on 17 January 2018.
Administrative History
Max Grosman was born 25 March 1884 in Novoradomsk, Poland. He became a naturalized British subject in 1914. Max's wife, Minnie "Majja" Grosman (née Bocian), came to Canada in 1913. Together, they had four sons: Jack, Morris, Samuel, and Wilfred. Max made his living as a tailor. He passed away on 17 October 1960 at the age of seventy-seven.
Descriptive Notes
LANGUAGE: Accession contains records in both English and Polish.
Subjects
Families
Immigrants--Canada
Name Access
Bocian, Majja
Bocian, Minnie
Grosman, Majja
Grosman, Minnie
Grosman, Max
Grosman, Wilfred
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
Places
Canada
Poland
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-12-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-12-3
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
ca. 33 cm of textual records and other material
Date
1913-2014
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the maternal (Cohn) and paternal (Levy) branches of the donor's family. Included are cards, certificates, death certificates, degrees, diplomas, family trees, letters, an oral history transcript, passports, photographs, reference materials, telegrams, and other records.
Individuals documented in the records include: Al Berns, Etta Cohn, Judah Cohn, Natalie Cohn, Stanley Cohn, Sylvia Cohn, Al Cole, Myer Drazin, Manny Godfrey, Bert Gold, Dan Gold, Jonah Gold, Yenta Kohl, Ann Levy, Corinne Levy, Edgar Levy, Lois Levy, Nancy Levy, Joan Lipton, Joy Matsuzaki, Raymond Mock,Edythe Noss, Harvey Noss, Mark Noss, Walter Lyons, Judy Rubin, Richard Seymour, and Elaine Zimmerman.
Caption (030): Edgar Levy shortly after arrival in Canada, [ca. 1921]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2019-12-3.
Administrative History
The Noss family traces its origins to Russia/Ukraine. The patriarch, Avraham Noss, died after contracting typhus after being badly beaten in a pogrom. His wife, Toiba, died of either cholera, typhus, or influenza (accounts vary). They left behind four children: Raisa, Meyer, Joseph, and Moshe. The extended family took care of the four orphans but did not have enough food to feed them, so the three youngest were put in a Jewish orphanage. The eldest, Raisa, was too old but came every day to visit her brothers. One day, she arrived only to be told, "The missionaries took them away." The entire orphanage was brought to Canada. A Mr. Hershman from Toronto was involved as was a congregation of Christadelphians from Hamilton including a Mr. Farrar who owned a good-quality clothing store.
Raisa remained in Russia, where she received an education from the Communist Party and became an engineer. Meyer kept in touch with his sister for as long as possible, but the two eventually lost touch.
The Drazin family took in Meyer, the eldest brother, although the family never adopted him. Despite this, he changed his name to Drazin. Joseph ("Joe") was adopted but was returned to Children's Aid, where he went from foster home to foster home. He eventually took back the Noss family name. As for Moshe, he was adopted by Moses Levy and Marietta Steinert. Moshe's new parents changed his name to Edgar Steinert Levy. Edgar Levy is thus the same individual as Moshe Noss. Marietta was well-known in the Hamilton community, and a chapter of the National Council of Jewish Women was named after her.
Use Conditions
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
Accompanying material: After donating the records in her possession, the donor emailed the archivist a document titled "Noss Family Story," which the archivist used to compose the biographical sketch. The document has been saved with other supporting documentation.
Subjects
Families
Genealogy
Name Access
Cohn (family)
Levy, Corinne,1917-1978
Levy, Edgar, 1915-1980
Levy (family)
Levy, Marietta Steinbert, 1858-1928
Noss (family)
Places
Canada
Source
Archival Accessions
Part Of
John J. Glass fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 109
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
John J. Glass fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
109
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1914–1974
Physical Description
71 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
John Judah Glass was born in England on 31 October 1895 to Morris and Pearl Glass. In 1907, he immigrated to Toronto—two years after his father. In 1917, he graduated from the University of Toronto. During the First World War, he served overseas in the 58th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery. In 1921, Glass he earned his law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School. That same year, he was called to the Ontario bar. Glass became a practicing barrister and solicitor and was a member of the Canadian Bar Association.
Glass went on to have a political career that spanned fifteen years. From 1928 to 1930, he served as trustee for the Toronto Board of Education. From 1931 to 1934, he represented the former Ward 4 as alderman in Toronto City Council. From 1934 to 1943, he represented the St. Andrew riding as Liberal MPP in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. In 1943, he left the world of active politics.
A significant portion of Glass' life was devoted to Jewish community work. For more than ten years, he was national president of the Canadian Federation of Polish Jews. He was also a member of Beth Tzedec Congregation's board of governors, a past president of the Toronto Zionist Council, a member of the Zionist Organization of Canada's national and regional executive, a founder of the Canadian Jewish Congress, a past president of Toronto B'nai Brith, and a founder and first president of the General Wingate Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. His affiliations included the Toronto Council of Christians and Jews, the Palestine Lodge, the Jewish Home for the Aged and Baycrest Hospital, the Jewish Historical Society, United Jewish Appeal, the Jewish National Fund, and State of Israel Bonds.
In addition to his involvement in various Jewish organizations, Glass was a Mason and past-president of the Scarborough Liberal Association. He died on 22 September 1973 and was survived by his wife, Anne Ethel Glass (née Horowitz), and two sons, George and Jesse.
Scope and Content
Fonds documents the life of John Judah Glass (1895-1973), including his involvement in the military, politics, and the Jewish community. The fonds is divided into three series: Artifacts, Documents, and Photographs.
Of note are those records documenting Glass' military service in the First and Second World Wars and his progression through the ranks of public service from lawyer to trustee of the Board of Education, Toronto City Council alderman, and Liberal member of the Parliament of Ontario.
Records also document Glass' participation in the unveiling of the Vimy Ridge Memorial as representative of the Government of Ontario and his role in the purchase of a historic building on Spadina Avenue for a new Zionist headquarters. (The chain of ownership of that property since 1883 is detailed in the records.)
Name Access
Glass, John Judah, 1895-1973
Subjects
Politicians
Repro Restriction
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Physical Condition
Some of the textual records are in poor condition and are enclosed in plastic. Panoramic photos are in fragile condition.
Creator
Glass, John Judah, 1895-1973
Places
Canada
France
Israel
United States
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
General Wingate Branch 256, Royal Canadian Legion fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 74
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
General Wingate Branch 256, Royal Canadian Legion fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
74
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Date
1914-1986
Physical Description
35 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 79 cm or smaller
2 folders of textual records
Admin History/Bio
The Jewish Brigade was a member of the Great War Association in the 1920s. After its first president was installed in the early 1930s, the Royal Canadian Legion granted a charter for a Jewish veterans' branch. The brigade was renamed the General Wingate Branch in the mid-1940s after the British army officer Major General Orde Charles Wingate, DSO. Although Major Wingate was not Jewish, he was a passionate Zionist, hence the name.
At first, the branch met at a veteran’s hall at Crawford and College Streets in Toronto, but later purchased its own house at 1610 Bathurst Street. In 1968, the branch moved to Eglinton Avenue West. It was then located at the Zionist Centre on Marlee Avenue.
The branch held an annual memorial march and service at the Mt. Sinai Cemetery, and distributed poppies to raise funds for veterans and their families, hospitals and medical research. Members also gave speeches at schools on Remembrance Day. It closed in September 2018 after more than eighty years.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of photographs and textual records that document the activities and history of the General Wingate Branch 256. Included are images of parades, memorials, picnics and executive members. There is also one 1950s branch newsletter documenting the branch's purchase of Wingate House.
Name Access
Royal Canadian Legion. General Wingate Branch 256
Subjects
Veterans
Related Material
See also Fonds 51, series 5-3, file 15 for images of Remembrance Day ceremonies held by the General Wingate Branch 256.
Creator
General Wingate Branch 256, Royal Canadian Legion (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Canada
Accession Number
1976-9-1
1987-12-1
2007-1-3
2007-12-10
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
The Shuls Project fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 64
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
Part Of
John J. Glass fonds
Artifacts series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 109; Series 1; Item 21
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
John J. Glass fonds
Artifacts series
Level
Item
Fonds
109
Series
1
Item
21
Material Format
object
Date
1916
Physical Description
1 pin : gold ; 4.5 cm long
Scope and Content
Item is a gold pin in the shape of a banner with "CANADA" written across it.
Physical Condition
Fair. Tarnished and oxidized.
Places
Canada
Source
Archival Descriptions