Part Of
Koffler Centre of the Arts fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 100
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Koffler Centre of the Arts fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
100
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1967-2013
Physical Description
1.9 m of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
The Koffler Centre of the Arts was established in 1977 as part of the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre at Bathurst Street and Sheppard Avenue to enrich the cultural life of Toronto through arts education and exhibitions. The centre exists to encourage and develop the creative and artistic potential of the diverse community it serves. The Koffler Gallery as a public gallery and member of the Ontario Association of Art Galleries exhibits, interprets, and documents works of excellence in the visual arts with a focus on contemporary Canadian art, including the work of visual artists, emerging artists, and programming of special interest in the Jewish community.
The Koffler has offered an array of programmatic, education, and learning programs, including national and international art exhibitions, educational tours, and workshops, literary arts programs, art classes, lectures, concerts, film screenings, and theatre performances. The Koffler has also served public and private school students and their teachers through Koffler Gallery exhibition tours and workshops.
The Koffler Centre is governed by an executive board and standing and ad-hoc committees and is funded by endowments, donations, and sponsorhips as its primary sources of funding. The Koffler also receives annual operating support from the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and all levels of government, including the City of Toronto, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Canada Council. The staff consists of an executive director, curators, and administrative support staff.
In 2013, after five years of off-site programs, the Koffler Centre of the Arts opened its administrative offices and the new Koffler Gallery at Artscape Youngplace on Shaw Street in downtown Toronto. The Artscape Youngplace facilities showcase Koffler Gallery exhibitions, public programs, and expanded school and education programs, as well as Koffler cross-disciplinary programs: literary events, theatre readings and performances, concerts, workshops, and more.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting the activities and functions of the Koffler Centre of the Arts and its role in bringing Jewish-inspired visual, dance, dramatic and musical arts to the community. Included are records related to its board of directors and committees, its former affiliation with the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre and the YM-YWHA, building campaigns, financial operations, art exhibitions, the Jewish Book Fair and Bookmark Project, educational programming, performances, and special events. Records include meeting minutes, memoranda, correspondence, committee reports, budget and financial statements, press clippings and reviews, program guides, art exhibition catalogues, artist statements and CVs, promotional material, photographs, architectural drawings, a sound recording, and moving images. The fonds is arranged into the following ten series: Board of directors, Committees, Planning and development, Financial and administrative, Public relations, Educational programming, Book fair, Art exhibitions, Performances and events, and the Bookmark Project.
Notes
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Includes 672 photographs, 3 architectural drawings, 1 sound recording, and 7 moving images.
Name Access
Koffler Centre of the Arts
Subjects
Art centers
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 67
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
67
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1936-2010, predominant 1938-1976
Physical Description
14.3 m of textual records
5593 photographs, 25 x 20 cm and smaller, and other media
Admin History/Bio
The Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto (FJPT) was incorporated in Ontario in March 1917 to coordinate the fundraising activities of Jewish charitable, philanthropic, and social service agencies in Toronto. In 1918, ten separate agencies were funded by the FJPT. By 1937, fourteen agencies were funded. The Great Depression of the 1930s and the development of several newer Jewish aid, education, and medical care organizations created both increased need for resources and growing competition for ever-more scarce dollars. Within a very few years, this funding crisis forced a major review of the organization.
During 1936, a series of special meetings of leading individuals were held to examine the income and expenditures of all Toronto Jewish agencies and also to speculate about the need for a new Toronto Jewish "community chest" as the sole fund-raising organization for a federation of all Jewish agencies, including the FJPT. In 1938, the new United Jewish Welfare Fund was formally constituted. Added to the FJPT's previous list of Toronto client agencies in 1938 were: the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Hebrew National Association, the Jewish Immigrant Aid Association, the Mizrachi Society, the Toronto Free Loan Association, the Geverkshaften, and Old Folks Home, and the United Palestine Appeal, raising the total number of agencies to twenty-two.
When the State of Israel was established in 1948, the UJWF's annual fundraising campaign was combined with the CJC's United Palestine appeal to form a new, combined campaign named the United Jewish Appeal (UJA). In 1967, the UJA name was legally changed to the United Jewish Appeal of Metropolitan Toronto.
In mid-1976, the organization's public name was changed to the Toronto Jewish Congress. Although initially thought of as a merger between the UJWF and the CJC, the actual result was the expansion of the UJWF responsibilities to include local education and welfare services previously shared with the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region. The UJWF, however, remained the legal senior entity.
In 1991, the public name was again changed to the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto and, in 1999, to UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. By this date, over thirty beneficiary and affiliated agencies, forty-nine affiliated schools and five federation departments were fully or partly funded by the federation.
In June 2010, the organization altered its legal structure, with the senior legal entity becoming the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of 25 series: Annual Meetings, Annual Reports, Board of Directors, Constitution Committee, Executive Committee, Officers Committee, Budget and Finance Committee, Administration Committee, Social Planning Committee, Committee on Capital Needs and Planning, Central Committee on Scholarships in Aid, Joint Committee of the BJE and UJWF Study on Jewish Education, Nominations Committee, Pension Fund Committee, Coordinating Committee, Special Ad Hoc and Temporary Committees, Annual Campaign, Client Agencies, Joint Committee of the CJC and the UJWF, Committee on Community Organization, Sub-Committee on Construction and Administration of Community Schools, Joint Committee on Fundraising, Personnel Committee, Community Leadership Development Council, and Israel at Fifty Community Celebration.
Over 4500 photographs and a variety of other media are managed within Series 17, Campaign records.
Notes
For exact details about the contents of individual series and sub-series, please review their scope and contents notes.
Name Access
United Jewish Welfare Fund
Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto
United Jewish Appeal
Toronto Jewish Congress
Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Subjects
Charities
Fund raising
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Related Material
For records of the predecessor of the UJWF, see Fonds 66, the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds.
Further detailed documentation of the proposed merger between the UJWF and the CJC (creation of the TJC) may be found in Fonds 67, Sub-sub-series 5-5-1, Files 171 and 221.
Further documentation on the United Jewish Welfare Fund may be found within Fonds 9, Series 7, records of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society.
For further detailed records of a key community leader's involvement with the UJWF see Accession 1982-8-8, the records of Samuel Godfrey, 1943-1972.
Creator
United Jewish Welfare Fund (1938-)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Bella Diamant fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 117
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Bella Diamant fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
117
Material Format
textual record
graphic material (electronic)
Date
1926-1947
Physical Description
3 cm of textual records
11 photographs : b&w and sepia (tiff)
Admin History/Bio
Bella Diamant (m. Hershenhorn) was the daughter of Moishe and Sarah Diamant. She was born in Ostrowiec (Ostrovietz), Poland and had five siblings: Esther, Chaim Myer, David, Baruch, and Ruth. Bella met her future husband, Samuel Hershenhorn, in Poland. He was the son of Mendel and Miriam Hershenhorn from Drildz. The family arrived in Toronto sometime during the early 1920s; Mendel arriving first followed by Miriam and Samuel. The marriage between Bella and Samuel was arranged by their families and so Bella was sent to Toronto to be with him in 1927. They married on 13 Nov. 1927. Together they had three children: Ruth (Rishie), Esti and Lee. Samuel worked for a slipper and spat manufacturer and then started his own company: The Canadian Spat and Slipper Company. He was a member of the Drildzer Sick Benefit Society. Bella was a housewife. Many of Bella's relatives perished during the Holocaust, including both her parents, her brother David who died with his wife and daughter on a forced march, and her sister Ruth who was murdered by the Nazis alongside her young daughter. Chaim Myer was sent to live with Bella and Samuel in Toronto prior to the onset of the war and therefore survived. Baruch and Esther both survived the Holocaust and eventually moved to New York City.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of letters written to Bella Diamant Hershenhorn from relatives in Poland and Frankfurt. The pre-war letters are from Bella's father Moishe in Poland as well as Bella's siblings and cousins, usually added as additional notes and postscripts onto Moishe's letters. The post-war letters are from Bella's sister Esther and brother Baruch in Frankfurt, who both survived the Holocaust. The letters are written in Yiddish and Polish and have accompanying English translations. Also included are several scanned copies of photographs depicting Bella on the SS Estonia, en route to Canada (ca. 1927), and with various relatives in Poland prior to immigration.
Notes
REPRODUCTION RESTRICTION NOTE: Donor must be notified prior to publication of letters.
Name Access
Hershenhorn, Bella, ca. 1906-1999
Subjects
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
Letters
Arrangement
The letters have been arranged chronologically.
Places
Ostrowiec (Sokolów Podlaski, Poland)
Toronto (Ont.)
Frankfurt am Main (Germany)
Accession Number
2016-12-44
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Henry Rosenbaum fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 121
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Henry Rosenbaum fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
121
Material Format
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
textual record
Date
1928-2015
Physical Description
247 photographs : b&w and col. (1 negative); 20 x 25 or smaller
13 cm of textual records
Admin History/Bio
Henry "Hanoch" Rosenbaum (1925-2015) was born in Radom, Poland. He was the second youngest of eight children born to Rachel Rosenbaum (née Katz) and Moshe Rosenbaum.
In the aftermath of the Second World War, Herny learned the fate of Radom's Jewish civilian population. Two thirds of Radom's Jewish population were victims of mass murder and perished in the extermination camp Treblinka, immediately following the first liquidation of Radom's large ghetto in August 1942. Henry's parents, two siblings, and their families were among the innocent victims murdered during the Holocaust.
Henry Rosenbaum met his wife Bella Rotbard (1925–2012) while living in an Italian DP camp after the war. Although Bella was also from Radom, she did not know the Rosenbaum family. Bella's parents, her sixteen-year-old sister, and four-year-old brother, as well as most of her parents' extended families, were also victims of the Holocaust.
While in Italy, the Joint Distribution Committee funded "mock kibbutzim," preparing Holocaust survivors for immigration to Palestine and kibbutz life. Bella, a one-time member of the secular Jewish youth movement Hashomer Hatzair, believed that she was destined to be a "kibbutznik," a member of a kibbutz.
In 1946, Bella and Henry immigrated to Palestine as part of the Bricha. The Bricha supported the illegal immigration of Holocaust survivor refugees to Palestine. They spent their first few days in Atlit, a British Mandate detainee camp and soon settled on kibbutz. Bella married Henry in 1946 and moved to an apartment in Ramat Gan. During this time Henry served in the IDF’s motor pool.
Henry, Bella, and their young daughter Brenda (b. 1949) immigrated to Toronto in 1952. With the assistance of a relative, Henry gained employment in a print shop sweeping floors. Henry soon advanced to machine operator and in 1961 opened his own print shop, Trio Press Limited.
Bella worked in the garment industry, sewing collars onto shirts and earned her wages through piece work. She continued working in manufacturing up until the birth of her second child Murray (b. 1961).
Henry Rosenbaum was an active life-long member of the Radom Society and served as editor for their quarterly Yiddish and English journal the Voice of Radom.
Custodial History
Material was in possession of Henry Rosenbaum's daughter Brenda Bornstein.
Scope and Content
Fonds illustrates the family history of Henry Rosenbaum and the life he and his wife Bella Rosenbaum rebuilt in Canada. Photographs document: early life in Poland, displaced persons camp in Italy, immigration to Palestine, military service in the Israel Defense Forces, family life in Israel, immigration and settlement in Canada and many milestone events and celebrations in Toronto, Ontario. Additional photographs of the Radom Society in Toronto. The majority of the photographs were assembled in a scrapbook created by their daughter Brenda Bornstein in celebration of her parents' thirtieth wedding anniversary (1976). In addition, there is a more comprehensive biography written by Henry and Bella's son-in-law Eric Bornstein.
Fonds consists of records relating to Henry Rosenbaum and his affiliation with B’nai Radom. Included are programs and souvenir booklets from the 1962 unveiling of a monument in memory of the Jewish Martyrs and Heroes of Radom and Vicinity (Poland), annual Holocaust remembrance (Yizkor) events published in 1987 and 2010; and a 50th Anniversary of Liberation publication. Books include a Yiddish language bound copy of the Voice of Radom from 1963-1965, an English language bound copy of the Voice of Radom 1983–1989 and Henry Rosenbaum’s personal memoir published in 1995. In addition, there are eight photographs of Henry's great-grandchildren, and a photo of Henry with his daughter Brenda.In addition there is a collection of speeches written by Henry Rosenbaum primarily for family milestone events such as weddings, birthdays, bar mtizvahs, and bat mitzvahs. In addition there is a copy of a presentation made to the Radom Congregation on the occasion of Israel's twenty-fifth year of independence, a Hebrew-language letter of congratulations, and several personal letters written by Murray Rosenbaum (the latter are addressed to his parents while travelling to Israel and Europe). The personal speeches written and delivered by Henry were in honour of the following relatives: Rivi Anklewicz, Marshall Lofchick, Murray Rosenbaum, Elana Aizic, Regina Goldstein, Brenda Rosenbaum, Eric "Ricky" Bornstein, Murray Severin, Robin Severin-Weingort, Rachel Bornstein, Susan Szainwald, Daniel Bornstein, Sholom Rosenbaum, Bella Rosenbaum, Linda Goldstein, and Leon Aizic.
Subjects
Holocaust survivors
Creator
Rosenbaum, Henry, 1925-2015
Places
Poland
Italy
Palestine
Israel
Toronto (Ont.)
Accession Number
2015-10-5
2017-2-13
2019-7-1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Accession Number
2020-10-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-10-7
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
moving images (electronic)
Physical Description
19 photographs : col. (jpg) ; 5 MB
1 audiovisual recording : col. (mov) ; 6 MB
Date
2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs of the Dr. Alexis and Rabbi David Jerome Lerner family during COVID-19 pandemic in the Humewood-Cedarvale area of Toronto. Photographs include a pandemic Upsheren of daughter Magda Rose Lerner, images depicting the co-parenting arrangement of the Lerner and the Aviva Bellman-Steve Bercovici families and their children, Magda Rose and Levi Lerner and Eitan Bercovici, as well as a Zoom toast given by Rabbi David Lerner in celebration of the successful PhD defense by Alexis Lerner.
The donor submitted the following descriptions of the photographs:
"Our family observes the tradition of not cutting a child's hair until after their third birthday. We do this to coincide with the three-year period when fruit may not be picked from new trees, the age when a child begins their Jewish educational journey, and the superstition that long hair would protect our sons from the evil eye (and the statistical reasoning that, in order to protect sons from the evil eye by letting their hair grow long, we must also insist that our daughters grow their hair long). Our daughter turned three in June 2020, three months after we began lockdown. We did a small ritual Upsheren at home in June—my husband, Rabbi David Jerome Lerner, said a few words before he and I cut a lock of curls. Once lockdowns became slightly lessened in July, I brought Magda Rose to get her first haircut (in) a month. This felt safe as the salon was extremely strict and required prior appointments, good health, social distancing, and facemasks. It was so memorable for all of us, especially for my daughter, who loved having her scalp massaged (don't we all?). A moment of semi-normalcy and Jewish ritual amidst the COVID-19 pandemic."
"With groups for new parents cancelled and increased isolation by design, the Lerner family and Bellman-Bercovici family blended together to raise our babies, Levi and Eitan, with as much normalcy as quarantine could allow. The families were close since they met in Detroit at the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue almost a decade earlier. We spent our summer days in the backyard and on the porch, celebrating birthdays and milestones—eating solids, babbling, sitting up, crawling, and walking. One of my favourite memories was buying an inflatable swimming pool; the stores were all sold out and we had to meet someone in a parking in York to buy it out of their trunk. As of October 2020, the boys have spent the majority of their lives under COVID-19-related restrictions."
"We've become accustomed to conducting the milestones of our lives digitally and remotely. Birthdays, funerals, and weddings during COVID-19 shifted online as businesses closed and public health concerns became tantamount. With schools closed and her children homebound, Dr. Alexis Lerner conducted her PhD dissertation defense from a hotel room. In this video, her husband, Rabbi David Jerome Lerner (previously of Beth Tzedec Synagogue in Toronto), congratulates his wife on this professional milestone from his pulpit in New York. Alexis is a scholar of comparative authoritarianism and Russian politics, so the two toast with straight vodka (hers from the mini-bar)."
Subjects
COVID-19 (Disease)
Children
Families
Upsheren
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-4
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
3 folders of graphics material (electronic)
Date
Jun. 2019
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting three Pride events held in 2019: a CIJA LGBTQ+ Advisory Council event celebrating the start of Pride Month in Toronto, an event hosted by the Israeli consulate in Toronto to celebrate Pride, and the Pride parade. The donor provided brief descriptions of each of the events, which can be found below.
CIJA Pride event: "These pictures are from an event held on June 1, 2009 that was hosted by the CIJA LGBTQ+ Advisory Council to celebrate the start of Pride month in Toronto. It was held at the Lodge at O-Grady's on Church Street in the Gay Village. It featured a community Havdalah and drag performance/contest."
Israel consulate event: "The following pictures are from an event hosted by the Israeli Consulate in Toronto to celebrate Pride on June 27, 2019. It featured a panel of members of the LGBTQ community sharing their experiences of visiting Israel."
Pride parade: "The following pictures are from the Pride parade in Toronto on June 23, 2019 from the Jewish community contingent that included participants from CIJA, JFCS, and several other organizations and synagogues."
Subjects
Gay pride celebrations
Name Access
Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs
Pride Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-5
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
9 photographs : col. (jpg) ; 10.2 MB
Date
27 Mar. 2021-28 Mar. 2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of several photographs depicting two seder tables as well as a virtual Zoom seder. Featured individuals are Sam Mogelonsky and Mat Calverley. The donor submitted the following text to accompany the images:
"We attended two seders this year. The first was a very small one at my parents with only our "bubble" in attendance. My dad every year makes "The Ten Modern" Plagues which we read and discuss. For the second Seder, we hosted a virtual one with our friends. We used an online Hagaddah by Jew Belong that we modified."
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Passover
Seder
COVID-19 (Disease)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-24
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-24
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
221 photographs (jpg)
1 audiovisual recording (mp4)
Date
2016
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Eker family. Included are photographs taken in Hamilton and Toronto. Locations include the Eker home, Limeridge Mall in Hamilton, Bayfront in Hamilton, First Canada Place, the Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue. Pictured in the photographs are Debbie and Glen Eker and Glen's father.
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.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Eker (family)
Eker, Glen
Places
Hamilton (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-10
Material Format
moving images (electronic)
textual record (electronic)
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
22 videos : mp4 ; 1113 GB
Textual records (electronic) ; ca. 4.3 MB
ca. 670 photographs and pdfs (electronic)
Date
2017-2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records created during the production of Ron Chapman's film, Shelter. Included are video interviews and written transcripts, and family photographs and documents collected and copied from the interviewees. Signed release forms accompany the interviews. Also included is the finished film and trailer as mp4 files.
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.
Subjects
Buildings
Holocaust survivors
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-1-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-1-1
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. (jpg)
Date
30 Dec. 2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a photograph of a piece of cake. The photograph was taken on 30 December 2021 in Toronto after the donor's parents completed their quarantine.
Commenting on the photograph, the donor wrote:
A cake celebrating my parents completion of their quarantine after having Covid 19. The cake's decoration says "Congratulations on beating Covid!"
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Cake
COVID-19 (Disease)
Quarantine
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-4-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-4-4
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
3 photographs : col. (jpg)
1 slideshow (pdf)
Date
2022
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting a virtual seder held by Sam Mogelonsky and her partner on 17 April 2022. Included are three photographs and a slideshow. The latter includes prayers for Ukraine and prayers for those who aren't Jewish. Sam and her partner, Mat, used a humanist Haggadah to pull it together.
Commenting on the seder, the donor wrote:
"My partner and I did a virtual seder last night for the third night of Passover. We started doing this the first year of Covid, and now it’s sort of a tradition. It’s a mix of jewish and non-Jewish friends and very fun and inclusive. We made a special presentation deck for it so people could read off the screen. There are a lot of Simpsons, pop culture and baseball references.
"You are seeing the view as we did. I should have taken a photo of the set up! We had a webcam on a plinth and a microphone set up. Then we had the laptop and a wireless mouse.
"Also, mat is allergic to horse raddish, so we have Calabrian hot pepper paste for Maror!"
In a separate email, Sam explained that the chili paste was a nod to Mat's Italian background.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
COVID-19 (Disease)
Passover
Seder
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Ukraine
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-8-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-8-3
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
6 cm of textual records and other material
Date
1890-2002, predomintant 1956-1977
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the Bendahan and Corcos families, specifically Sydney and Miriam Bendahan (née Corcos), including immigration documents, Corcos family history, Corcos family tree, Sydney's CV and letters of recommendation written on his behalf, among others. Includes records documenting the Magen David Sephardic Congregation, speeches and reference material documenting Sephardic history and the Sephardic community in Canada, oral history tapes recorded by Sydney and Raphael Bendahan for the Multicultural History Society of Ontario (including reports of the interviews), records related to Miriam's career as a fashion designer, and a CBC interview from "Identities".
Interviewees include: A. Bechetrit; Corcos; Bitton; Arnold Oro; Sol Hamouth; Mr. and Mrs. J. Benaim; Benzacar; De Pinto; J. Cohen; Perez; Nahman; Kuessous; and Moryoussef.
Administrative History
Sydney David Bendahan was born on 1 Nov. 1919 in Gibraltar, the son of Raphael and Esther (née Benabu). He was a descendant of a distinguished Sephardic family who immigrated to Gibraltar from Spain over 300 years ago. His father was a civil servant with the British government for many years. Sydney was fluent in English, French, and Spanish, having received formal education in the three languages. He served with the security services of the British armed forces during the Second World War. After the war, he served with the International Police in Tangier and later was a Special Investigator for the United States Air Force in North Africa. He married Miriam in Tangier, and the couple relocated to Casablanca. They had two sons: Raphael and Mark. The family immigrated to Toronto in Mar. 1957, and for a number of years Sydney headed Dominion Furniture Ltd. He was a member of the board of the Canadian Jewish Congress - Central Region, president of the Association sépharade in Toronto, president of Magen David Sephardic Congregation, and one of the founders of the Canadian Sephardic Federation. He died on 18 Dec. 1979 and was buried at Mount Sinai Memorial Park, in North York.
Miriam (Mimi) Bendahan (née Corcos) was born on 25 Oct. 1923 in Mogador, French Morocco (present-day Essaouira, Morocco), the daughter of Albert and Oro (née Hamouth).
Use Conditions
Conditional Use. Researchers must receive permission from the donor prior to publication. Please contact the OJA for more information.
Descriptive Notes
Physical Description note: Contains 6 cm of textual records, 27 audio cassettes (ca. 24 hr., 34 min.), 1 photograph (b&w ; 8 x 12 cm), 1 family tree (60 x 90 cm), and 4.28 GB of electronic records.
Subjects
Sephardim
Jews, Moroccan
Name Access
Bendahan, Sydney, 1919-1979
Bendahan, Miriam, 1923-
Magen David Sephardic Congregation
Places
Morocco
Tangier (Morocco)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2023-11-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2023-11-2
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
12 photographs (jpg) : col.
Date
Nov. 2023
Scope and Content
Accession consists of twelve photographs of posters taken by the donor in Midtown, Toronto, and near Bathurst and Sheppard Streets in North York. The photographs were taken between 6 and 8 November 2023, approximately one month after the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel and the start of the 2023 Israel-Hamas war. Many of the photographs depict Israeli citizens taken hostage by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups.
Six of the photographs are of posters disseminated by the #KidnappedFromIsrael campaign (https://www.kidnappedfromisrael.com). Of the seven Kidnapped from Israel posters photographed—one photograph depicts two posters—three of which were vandalized. The vandalism on the first Kidnapped from Israel poster reads, "IDF soldier." The vandalism on the second Kidnapped from Israel poster reads, "Israeli terrorism is not OK!" The vandalism on the fifth Kidnapped from Israel poster reads, "3000 dead Palestinians."
Two of the photographs are of posters disseminated by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto's #NoRoomForTerror campaign (https://www.instagram.com/noroomforterror). Neither of the #NoRoomForTerror posters appear to have been vandalized, although one is torn in half. It is unclear if this was done intentionally.
Two of the photographs are of posters with the message "HAMASISIS" and the hashtag #BringThemHomeNOW. Of the two HAMASISISIS posters photographed, both were vandalized. The vandalism on the first HAMASISIS poster appears to read, "10k dead Palestinians." The vandalism on the second HAMASISISIS poster appears to read, "Israel is terroris[m/t]."
Lastly, there is a photograph of a small poster tied to the Forgotten Echo Instagram page. The latter's message reads, "It costs Canadian taxpayers $33,000 to kill one baby in Gaza. Take action." On this poster is a QR code that links to a petition to the prime minister of Canada calling upon the prime minister "to take the necessary measures to address the Israel-Palestine conflict."
Use Conditions
Conditional Use. Researchers must receive permission from the donor prior to publication. Please contact the OJA for more information.
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Hostages
Posters
Vandalism
Name Access
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-7-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-7-3
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
17 photographs : b&w (jpg)
Date
31 Oct. 1948
Scope and Content
This accession consists of seventeen electronic copies of photographs taken at the wedding of William Freedman and Eunice Garshowitz. The ceremony took place at the Shaw Street Synagogue in Toronto. The photographs depict the bride and groom; the bridal party, including sister Goldie Greenspan-Glayt (nee Garshowitz), cousin Judy Miller (nee Halpern); and the best man, Gord Rosenberg; as well as the groom's father Abe Freedman; the bride's great uncle Sam Garshowitz; and her parents, Max and Freda Garshowitz. Many of the photographs were taken inside the synagogue.
Administrative History
William Freedman was born in North Bay on 27 August 1926. He moved to Toronto to attend the University of Toronto. In 1948, he married Eunice Garshowitz of Hamilton who was living in Toronto with her family at the time. Shortly thereafter, the couple moved back to North Bay, where Bill ran a furniture store and, later, a government surplus store. They had four boys, Shelly, Larry, Paul, and Steven.
Use Conditions
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.
Subjects
Communities
Families
Weddings
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Part Of
Mimi Wise fonds
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 16; Item 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Mimi Wise fonds
Level
Item
Fonds
16
Item
4
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Date
[ca. 1940]
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w (jpg)
Admin History/Bio
Joseph Marin was a founder of the Beach Hebrew Institute and was involved in the Toronto Hebrew Free Loan and Farband.
Scope and Content
This item is an electronic copy photograph of a portrait of Joseph Marin.
Name Access
Beach Hebrew Institute (Toronto, Ont.)
Farband
Toronto Hebrew Free Loan
Subjects
Portraits
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
Toronto (Ont.)
Accession Number
2006-9-7
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 61
Source
Archival Descriptions
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
David Pinkus fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 138
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
138
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
architectural drawing
philatelic record
sound recording
cartographic material
object
Date
1854-2021
Physical Description
ca. 2.4 m of textual records
ca. 600 photographs : b&w and col. (ca. 90 negatives); 30 x 35 cm or smaller
other material
Admin History/Bio
David Pinkus (1924-2021) was born on May 11, 1924, at the Toronto General Hospital to Isadore Pinkus (1887-1947) and Molly (Mollie) Pinkus (née Parelstein) (1892-1990). Isadore was born in Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire; Molly was born in Podolia Gubernia of the Russian Empire and later moved to Ukraine with her family. Isadore and Molly met and married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1910 and moved to Toronto in 1911. The Pinkus family settled in Kensington Market in around 1914 and was one of the first Jewish settlers to the Kensington neighbourhood. David spent his entire life living in the Kensington Market area. He lived on 83 Huron Street until 1927 when the Pinkus family moved to 34 Nassau Street, which has been the house of the Pinkus family ever since. David had two siblings: brother Max and sister Goldie.
In his childhood, David attended the Brunswick Talmud Torah daily and learned Hebrew. He had his bar mitzvah at the Kiever Shul. David attended William Houston School until 1930 and Ryerson Public School until grade eight. Later, he attended Harbord School for high school and was also involved with sports at Harbord Collegiate and YMHA. In 1947, David obtained his Bachelor of Applied Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto. After graduation, he worked at Goodyear for one year and returned to the University of Toronto as an instructor of engineering drawing and machine design. Later, he worked at various places such as Canadian Industries Limited in Maitland, Toronto Iron Works, and Avro Aircraft Limited.
David’s father, Isadore, was one of the founders of the Kiever Synagogue. David’s involvement with the Kiever Synagogue started in 1947, following Isadore’s death. David served as president and held positions on the executive of the Kiever Shul and played a principal role in the restoration of the shul. He also served on Toronto’s Board of Health as well as the boards of the Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, and St. Christopher House. In addition, David was an active community leader and local historian. He did genealogical research for many Toronto Jewish families. David had been recognized by the National Jewish Federation of North America as a Jewish community hero in 2011. He passed away on May 6, 2021.
Custodial History
Records received after the death of David Pinkus through Joseph Solomon, the executor of David Pinkus’ estate. Records have been selected by archivists following a site visit at David’s home at 34 Nassau Street, Toronto.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records, graphic material, sound recordings, architectural drawings, artifacts, and a small number of philatelic records, most of which document David Pinkus’ career and personal life, the Pinkus family, the Kiever Shul, the Kiever Cemetery, as well as Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Mount Sinai Memorial Park) and the Dawes Road Cemeteries (Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees), of which the Kiever Congregation is a member organization. Also included are documents and photographs of other individuals and families, which David collected for his genealogical research, and those that are pertaining to Kensington Market and other congregations and cemeteries.
Textual records include correspondence; scrapbooks; education records; identification documents; research notes and clippings relating to David’s genealogical research; documents pertaining to his Kensington Market activism and community work; files on David’s engineering career and his role as president of the Kiever Shul; and files documenting the Pinkus family members, such as funeral documents, notebooks, family correspondence, voters’ lists, and records relating to Pinkus Fruit Co. and 34 Nassau Street. Also included are records documenting the Kiever Shul, which include meeting minutes, ledger books, financial documents, legal documents, membership lists and application forms, address books, high holiday service cards, and historic papers dating from the 1920s and 1930s. Textual records documenting the Kiever Cemetery, Mount Sinai Memorial Park, and the Dawes Road Cemeteries are mainly comprised of cemetery maps, burial plot cards, burial record books, by-laws and regulations, and meeting minutes. Also present are records pertaining to other congregations and cemeteries, such as constitution books, brochures, booklets, and copies of legal documents.
Photographs mainly feature David Pinkus and the Kiever Cemetery, with a small number featuring the Pinkus family members, the Junction Synagogue (Congregation Knesseth Israel), the Great Choral Synagogue of Kyiv, and those that David collected for his genealogical research.
Architectural drawings of this fonds include the restoration and renovation plan for the Kiever Shul and the alteration plan for Mount Sinai Cemetery Administration Building.
Also present are sound recordings, including cassettes and microcassettes of David Pinkus; and artifacts, including felt patches, pin back buttons, medals, Toronto foot-pedlar registration badges, and a wooden gavel of the Kiever Shul.
Fonds has been arranged into the following series: David Pinkus’ personal records; Kensington Market; David Pinkus’ genealogical research; the Pinkus family; the Kiever Shul; the Kiever Cemetery; Mount Sinai Memorial Park; the Dawes Road Cemeteries; and other associations, congregations, and cemeteries.
Notes
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 22 architectural drawings, 7 maps, 4 audio cassettes, 2 microcassettes, 1 optical disc, 8 drawings, 2 prints, 1 photo collage, 34 pinback buttons, 15 Toronto padler-on-foot registration badges, 8 felt patches, 3 medals, 3 brooches, 1 wooden gavel, 2 tax tokens, 2 postage stamps, 1 sales tax stamp, and 9 revenue stamps.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: Books that were initially included in this fonds have been removed and incorporated into the OJA’s library collection. These books are: Spadina Avenue by Rosemary Donegan with an introduction by Rick Salutin, Toronto No Mean City by Eric Arthur revised by Stephen A. Otto, Canadian Jewish Directory edited by Edmond Y. Lipsitz, The Toronto Jewish Directory, and The Canada Year Book 1905 (second series).
HISTORY/BIO NOTE: Information is sourced from OH 413 and the content of the fonds.
Name Access
Pinkus, David, 1924-2021
Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Toronto, Ont.)
Mount Sinai Memorial Park (Toronto, Ont.)
Dawes Road Cemetery (Toronto, Ont.)
Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Families
Synagogues
Genealogy
Cemeteries
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Repro Restriction
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Related Material
See accessions 2004-1-5, 2004-1-6, 2004-2-1, 2008-11-9, 2016-3-48, and 2021-10-1 for additional information on the Kiever Shul; and OH 413 for more information on David Pinkus and the Pinkus family.
Arrangement
Records came into the OJA with no discernible order. Arrangement has been imposed by the archivist.
Creator
Pinkus, David, 1924-2021
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
2021-7-3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Accession Number
2012-8-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2012-8-1
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
ca. 18 cm of textual records and other material
Date
1884-1985
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the Coppel and Cooper families of Galt (now Cambridge) and Toronto respectively. Coppel family records include family correspondence, photocopies of Moses Kappel's discharge papers from the Austro-Hungarian military (1884), B'nai Israel Synagogue sisterhood meeting minutes, financial records, photographs, Hadassah booklets and programmes, and a photo album documenting the closing of B'nai Israel Synagogue in 1985. Also included are records relating to Elizabeth Cooper (née Coppel)'s involvement in Canadian Young Judaea and her work as a camp counselor at a Jewish day camp near Kitchener-Waterloo (Judaean Day Camp/Camp Ruach). These records include correspondence, publications, activity schedules, lists of camp counselors, and a Young Judaean scarf. Coppel family records also include marriage and burial records of Aaron Coppel, audio cassettes of an oral history interview conducted with Cy Coppel in 1976, and military records documenting Max David Simonoff's service in the Canadian Navy during the Second World War. Finally, included is a Farband Shule (Folks School) program book (1927) and class photo (ca. 1931). Identified in the photograph is Ethel Raicus (first row, third from the right).
Cooper family records include digital photographs of Sam Cooper and the weightlifting club at the YMHA in Toronto (1930s), portraits of Jacob Cooper (Cooperberg), a school photo of Sam and Max Cooper, and a photo of Hilda Cooper.
Finally accession consists of program books for various events, including a Canadian Jewish Congress song book, an Israel Dance Theatre at the Royal Alexandra, and a Queen Esther Purim play.
Administrative History
Aaron Selig (Archie Aaron) Coppel (Kappel / Koppel / Cappell / Kappele) was born to Moses Kappel and Perl (nee Pistenfeld) in Galicia in 1882. He came to Canada in 1903 and lived with a landsmen family, the Siegels. Mr. Siegel was a horse dealer who took Aaron under his wing and taught him the horse trade. Aaron married Mr. Siegel's daughter, Chaya Geitel (Gertrude) Seigel, in 1905. Aaron and Geitel had seven children: Helen, Rose, Newt, Cyrus ("Cy," born in 1911), Les, George, and Harry. After marrying, Aaron and Geitel remained in Galt, and Aaron continued dealing in livestock. Although he was eager to assimilate into Canadian society (he gave his children British names and spoke with no accent), the family kept kosher and Aaron hired itinerant Hebrew teachers for the children.
Cyrus Coppel married Channa "Anna" Simonoff on 25 August1946. Anna was born in Russia to Avraham Dov and Chashe Bryna Tzaitzeck. Anna had three siblings: Sarah Merle, Faigle (died en route to Canada), and Mordecai Doved. She immigrated to Ottawa in 1914 with her family. An uncle already living in Ottawa had changed his last name to Simonoff and the family decided to change their name to Simonoff as well. Avraham worked as a tailor in Russia and likely continued in this profession in Canada. The family moved to Toronto sometime after 1919 and was actively involved in the Labour Zionist movement. Anna was in the milliner's union and two of her aunts, Slaava Raicus and Esther Cohen, were members of Club One (Pioneer Women). Anna and Cyrus had two children together: Bryna (24 February 1949-12 January 2006) and Elizabeth (b. 16 Dec. 1950). Cyrus initially worked as a mechanic, but later worked in the office of an auto shop and traded in auto parts. He also traded in livestock as a hobby. Cyrus was one of the founders of the B'nai Israel Synagogue in Galt. Initially, synagogue services were held in the homes of local residents, such as the Spring family; however, a building was finally purchased in 1946. After the synagogue closed, the Torahs and plaques went to the synagogue in Kitchener. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacob Cooperberg (Kupferberg, Cooper) came to Canada around 1910 from Kielce, Poland. His wife and children (Max, Sam, and Aidel or Ida) remained in Poland, waiting for Jacob to earn enough money for them to come to Canada as well. His family was unable to join him until after the First World War had ended, arriving in 1920. Jacob and Sarah had three more children in Canada: Irving, Joey, and Hilda. Jacob worked as a peddler in Toronto and later opened a scrap yard, Cooper Iron and Medal. The family lived on Oxford Street in the Kensington Market area.
Sam Cooper married Kay Gernstein in 1948. They had two children together: Neil and Donna (married name is Speigel). Sam initially worked as a tailor, but later worked as a scrap dealer. Neil married Donna Coppel and also works in the scrap trade. Donna is a librarian.
Use Conditions
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.
Descriptive Notes
Includes 1 photo album, 7 photographs (tiff), 3 photographs, 2 audio cassettes, and 1 scarf.
Subjects
Families
Places
Galt (Cambridge, Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-6-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-6-4
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
13 photographs : b&w (11 tif, 2 jpg)
Date
1909-[ca. 1952]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs documenting the Gryfe, Silverman, Saul and Greenberg families. The majority of the images are family portraits, however, also included is a school photograph of Sandy Greenberg at Charles G. Fraser School in Toronto, a photograph of Feda and Izzy Greenberg in Ottawa, a photograph of the Silverman family at Crystal Beach, and a photograph of a family celebration for Morris Silverman's birthday. Also identified in the photographs are: Sam Silverman, Bill Gryfe, Esther (Gryfe) Silverman, Lizzie Gryfe, Bayla Gryfe, Fae Silverman, Tillie Silverman, Sam Silverman, Bertha Silverman, Sam Saul, Joseph Saul, Ida Saul, Anna Saul, Rachel Saul, Nancy Silverman, Ruth Silverman, Lou Weitzman, and Ruth Weitzman.
Administrative History
Izzy Greenberg and Anna (nee Nathan) Greenberg immigrated to Ottawa from Romania around 1910. They had six children together: Freda, Harry, Joe, Anne, Helen, and Earl (b. 1920). Izzy likely worked as a peddler. When Anna passed away in 1923 all of the children, except for Freda, were sent to a Jewish orphanage in Montreal (the Montefiore orphanage). The orphanage closed in 1936 when Earl was 16 years old. He came to Toronto where he met Sandy (or Sylvia) Silverman. They were married in 1947. Earl initially worked as a shoe salesman, but later opened his own business, Sanmarcoda, where he bought and sold electronic surplus. He and Sandy had three children together: Marsha, Corey, and David. Sandy worked as a secretary with the provincial government and sold baby's clothing at flea markets on Sundays.
Joseph and Anna Saul came to Canada from Romania in the early 1900s. They had six children together: Sam (b. 1908), Rachel (Rae, b. 1910), Ida, Jeanette, Bonnie, and Dorothy. Joseph abandoned the family around 1923 and travelled to California to become an actor. Although his family never heard from him again, they later recognized him in movies under the name Maurice Samuels. Anna was deaf and mute and worked as a seamstress, making ladies clothing out of her own home. Rae obtained work in a hat factory when she was 13 years old and continued in this trade throughout the remainder of her life. Around 1950 she opened her own hat store at Eglinton and Dufferin called Rae's Hats. She briefly lived above the store with her husband, Sam Silverman.
Morris Silverman, Esther (Gryfe) Silverman, and their two daughters Fae and Tillie immigrated to Hamilton from Romania in 1907. Esther's sister, Lizzie Gryfe, was already living in Hamilton at the time. In 1909, Morris and Esther had another son together, Sam. By 1922, the family had moved to Nassau Street in Toronto where Morris worked as a tailor for Tip Top Tailors. They lived next door to the Saul Family. Sam married Rae Saul in 1927. Sam had had various jobs throughout his life including, cab driver, venetian blind salesman, and driver for a cleaner's.
Subjects
Families
Portraits
Name Access
Greenberg, Sandy
Places
Crystal Beach (Fort Erie, Ont.)
Ottawa (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-12-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-12-5
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Date
1920-1965
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one digital image of a Mandel Bros. Produce Pasteurized Special Sour Cream lid.
Administrative History
Mandel’s Creamery opened between 1913-1920. It was initially owned by Harry Mandel. After 1944, it was owned by one of his sons William Mandel and, in the 1950s, it was owned by the brothers Saul, Abraham, Ben, and William Mandel. From 1960 to approximately 1965, it was owned by William Mandel (exclusively).
Mandel's Creamery manufactured cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, and butter milk under the labels Mandel Bros. & Silver Brand. They also manufactured for private label brands and other wholesale and retail customers. They sold wholesale butter, eggs, and hard cheese which they did not manufacture. Low salt & low fat cottage cheese was a specialty sold to institutions such as Baycrest Hospital. Their customers included supermarkets, bakeries, restaurants, institutions, resorts, and summer camps. There was also retail sales at the store front at 29 Baldwin St.
The business was sold by the Mandel family around 1965 to Mr. Bricks and Mr. Caplan who then sold it to Western Creamery some years later.
Subjects
Creameries
Business
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-12-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-12-6
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
ca. 200 photographs and other material
Date
[193-]-[2007?]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the personal life and family of Myra Merkur. The bulk of the accession consists of photographs and home movies documenting family activities and an outing to High Park and the Toronto Zoo, holiday celebrations (such as Hanukkah Purim, Passover, and New Year's Eve costume parties), milestones (such as, Myra's wedding and graduation), cottage life at Gamebridge Beach and Camp Wishiwami, and family holidays and travel (such as to Israel, Blue Mountains in Collingwood, and Grossingers in New York).
Also included are sound recordings of a speech made by David Merkur to Nomi Tepperman at her bat mitzvah (17 May 1998) and of an interview with David Merkur who explains to his tweleve year old granddaughter what life was like when he was twelve (1 Nov. 2000).
Finally, accession includes a photocopy of a tribute Myra wrote for her late mother Lena Charlotte Gula documenting Lena's life and Myra's memories of her.
Administrative History
Myra Merkur (née Gula) was born to Lena Gula (née Neimen) and Jack Gula in Toronto in 1933. She had one sister, Elaine Wolfish. As a child, Myra and her family lived with her maternal grandmother, Betty "Brindel", at 234 Markham Street. They later moved into their own home at 1 Enid Crescent in 1949. Myra's father initially worked as a tailor but later went into the sales business selling furniture and insurance. Myra's mother initially stayed at home but obtained work in the mid-1950s as a saleswoman at Morgan's department store.
Myra married David Israel Merkur in 1954. David was a civil engineer and lawyer. He later started a family real-estate business that involved buying, selling, and maintaining properties. Myra and David had three children together: Shauna Tepperman (b. 1956), Lorne Merkur (b. 1957), and Jordan Merkur (b. 1962).
Myra completed her undergraduate degree from Atkinson College (York University) around 1975. She obtained her master of education from OISE in 1982. Myra worked as an ESL teacher with the Toronto Public School Board and was involved as a volunteer and leader with the National Council of Jewish Women, JF&CS, and the Jewish Women's Federation (Women's Philanthropy).
Descriptive Notes
Physical description: includes 1 folder of textual records, 2 sound recordings (wav), and 7 DVDs
Subjects
Families
Vacations
Fasts and feasts--Judaism
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
New York (State)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-6-9
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-6-9
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
6 photographs : b&w (jpg)
4 documents (jpg)
Date
[195-?]-1979
Scope and Content
Accession consists of six electronic copies of photographs of Irving Levine and the Levine family and electronic copies of three invitations to Irving Levine's birthday party, and one newspaper clipping. Included is Irving and Ruth's wedding portrait and wedding photo with their parents (Sept. 6, 1952), two photographs of Irving with his mother Anne at Crystal Beach, a photograph of the Irving brothers in Grimsby, and a photo of Irving with business partner Lionel Robins (ca. 1978). Identified individuals in the photographs include: Irving Levine, Lionel Robins, Harry Levine, David Levine, Anne Levine, Ruth Levine, Sam Levine, Abraham Feldman, and Jennie Feldman.
Administrative History
Irving Levine was born in 1929 to Sam and Anne Levine. He was born in Grimsby, Ontario, where his father owned a junior department store. They were members of Beth Jacob Synagogue in Hamilton. Irving moved to Toronto in 1953, he married Ruth Fern in 1952 and they had three children: Alan, born in 1953, Suzy, born in 1956 and Michael, born in 1961. He has six grandchildren. He purchased Braemar clothing store in the early 1960s, with the first location in Cloverdale Mall. He became the top vice-president of Dylex, Ltd.,one of Canada's largest retail clothing companies, and general manager of Fairweather's division. Lionel Robins became his business partner in 1964.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
Further identification can be found with the accession record.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Levine, Irving, 1929-
Places
Crystal Beach (Fort Erie, Ont.)
Grimsby (Ont.)
Hamilton (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-18
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-18
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
85 cm of textual records
184 photographs : b&w and col. (tif and jpg)
ca. 200 photographs : b&w and col.
14 moving images : mov and mp4
Date
[192-]-2015, predominant 1983-2015
Scope and Content
Accession consists of the records related to the activities and operations of the First Narayever Congregation. Included are board and general meeting minutes (1984-1996); general correspondence, high holiday tickets and membership lists (1970s-1990s); membership and dues ledger (1929-1983); Ritual Committee meeting minutes (1984-1988); Implementation Committee records (1970s-1980s); constitutions (1980s); newsletters (1983-2004); a blank seat deed (1920s); a cemetery map (1950s?); records regarding burial rights for the Owen Sound Hebrew Congregation (1966-1980); records regarding a court case filed by members of the congregation surrounding the egalitarian changes being planned; an album documenting SHTICK! A Celebration of Jewish Playwrights (2005-2006); an album documenting the congregation's participation in a UJA Mission to Israel (2003-2004); a binder of material containing photocopied and original records in support of the research for the congregation's 100th anniversary celebrations (1970s-2014); photographs and a video recording of the 100th Anniversary exhbition opening at the Miles Nadal JCC; photographs of events hosted by the congregation; and 9 video interviews with individuals connected to the shul conducted by Sharoni Sibony, Peter Gold, and Harry Schachter for the anniversary celebrations. Interviewees are: Peter Gold, Sharon Weintraub, Murray Teitel, Rosalyn Katz, Julia Gluck, Shaya Petroff, Stuart Schoenfeld, Sylvia Solomon and Ben Rothman. Also included are family photographs and written transcripts of oral interviews conducted with members of the Hersh Petersiel family, who lived in Hastings, Ontario and had early connections to the Narayever Congregation.
Custodial History
The records related to Hersh Petersiel were given to the First Narayever by Marsha Beck for their upcoming one-hundredth anniversary. Marsha agreed to donate them to the OJA along with the Narayever records.
Administrative History
In 1914, Jews from eastern Galicia (now in modern Ukraine) established the First Narayever Congregation in Toronto as a landsmanshaf, i.e. a society of Jewish immigrants from the same town or region. The synagogue takes its name from the small market town of Narayev, which is located in eastern Galicia. The synagogue's founders belonged to the working class and many worked in Toronto's garment industry.
Initially, congregation members met in different locations, but by 1923 their numbers and financial means had grown such that they were able to rent a small house at 70 Huron Street at the corner of Huron and Dundas. This house served as the congregation's home for twenty years.
The congregation's first president was Israel Chaim Katz and its first meeting was held at the Katz home at 156 William Street. The congregation's first rabbi was Solomon Langner, who was hired by the congregation in 1923. He retained this affiliation despite serving the Kiever Synagogue as a full-time rabbi from 1929 until he died in 1973.
In 1943, the congregation purchased property at 187-189 Brunswick Avenue from Bethel Church. This is where the the synagogue is located today. In 1950, Henry Young became president of the congregation. He occupied that position until his death in 1976. Shalom Langner, the son of Rabbi Solomon Langner, succeeded Young as president.
As Toronto's Jewish population began to move north, the First Narayever continued to serve Orthodox Jews living downtown. In the 1980s, the congregation struggled to balance the needs of this older generation with the young generation's desire to make the synagogue more egalitarian with respect to gender. In 1983, the congregation's new leadership team successfully advanced a proposal to allow the full participation of women in traditional services. This innovation led to several long-standing members taking legal action, but their case was dismissed on the grounds that it was not a matter for civil law.
The First Narayever's identity continued to evolve. In 2009, its membership voted to allow its rabbi, Edward Elkin, who began serving the congregation in 2000, to officiate at same-sex marriages.
Subjects
Synagogues
Name Access
First Narayever Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)
Petersiel, Hersh
Places
Hastings (Ont.)
Owen Sound (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-7-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-7-1
Material Format
textual record
moving images
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records and other material
Date
1987, 1998-2009
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the history and events of the Kehillat Shaarei Torah. Included are event invitations, programs, and booklets. Of note is the synagogue's 18th anniversary booklet. Also included are VHS tapes and DVDs of the following events: a Purim celebration featuring a mock wedding (2007), the farewell tribute dinner to Rabbi and Rebbetzin Reuven and Joyce Tradburks and family (2009), the Flo Urbach tribute dinner, the synagogue's 18th anniversary celebrations (1999) and an event honouring Margaret Klompas (2004). Finally, accession includes a CD with images from the Abe Goldberg Torah Dedication (2006).
Administrative History
Kehillat Shaarei Torah is a modern Orthodox congregation that was founded in Toronto in 1980. Most of the early founders and members were recent immigrants from South Africa who had settled in the Bayview-Leslie-York Mills-Shepard area. Unable to find a congregation in their area that reflected their Orthodox traditions from South Africa, they formed their own minyan. They initially met in living rooms and basements and in 1987 opened the synagogue's building at 2640 Bayview Avenue.
Descriptive Notes
Physical description note: Includes 3 videocassettes (VHS), 2 DVDs, and 1 CD (103 photographs)
Subjects
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Synagogues
Name Access
Kehillat Shaarei Torah of Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-2-12
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-2-12
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
45 cm of textual records and other material
230 photographs : sepia and b&w ; 23 x 30 cm and smaller
8 sound recordings (50 wav files; 1 microcassette)
1 artifact
Date
1937-2004
Scope and Content
Accession consists of textual records, photographs and audio recordings documenting the lives of Dick Steele, his wife Esther, and friend Bill Walsh. The materials are mostly correspondences between Dick and Esther during his internment at the Don Jail and Ontario Reformatory in Guelph, and from Dick and Bill's military service overseas during the Second World War. They also include correspondences between Esther and Bill, Bill and Anne Walsh, "Jack" and Esther, and other family and friends. Some of the letters show evidence of being censored. There are news clippings in English and Yiddish about the family from various newspapers including the Canadian Tribune (a Communist Party paper). There is a letter Esther wrote to campaign for Dick's release from internment, part of women's activism in this period. There is also a photocopy of a memoir written by Moses Kosowatsky and Moses Wolofsky "From the Land of Despair to the Land of Promise" ca. 1930s.
The photographs include Dick and Bill in the army during the Second World War, a signed picture of Tim Buck addressed to Esther and the twins and a photo of Dick delivering a speech related to the Steel Workers. Also included is a recording of edited sound clips of Bill and Esther talking about Dick, Esther speaking about the letters, (how she received letters and flowers from Dick after he had already been killed), Bill reading a letter Dick wrote to Esther that he left with friends in England to send her in the case that he was killed (which he was), recordings of "Bill Walsh Oral history" Vols.1 and 2 compiled by Leib Wolofsky's (Bill's nephew), and 5 audio recordings by Adrianna Steele-Card with her grandparents Bill and Esther. There is also a microcassette labelled "Joe Levitt."
The accession also includes the stripe of a German corporal that Bill captured as a prisoner, peace stamps and an early copy of Cy Gonick's A Very Red Life: The Story of Bill Walsh, edited by Bill.
Administrative History
Richard "Dick" Kennilworth Steele is the name adopted by Moses Kosowatsky. He was born in 1909 in Montreal to Samuel Kosowatsky and Fanny Held. He lived in a laneway off Clark Street, below Sherbrooke, where his father collected and recycled bottles. He grew up with his siblings, Joseph, Mortimer, Matthew, Gertrude, and Edward.
Bill Walsh (birth name Moishe Wolofsky) was born in 1910, to Sarah and Herschel Wolofsky, the editor of the Keneder Adler (Montreal's prominent Yiddish newspaper). He attended Baron Byng and then Commercial High School, where he met Dick Steele. Bill recalled that Dick denounced militarism in the school when a teacher tried to recruit students to be cadets.
Bill moved to New York City in 1927. His brother, who was living there, helped him get a job as a messenger on Wall Street. He also worked in the drug department at Macy's while attending courses at Columbia University in the evening. Dick worked on a ship for a year and then joined Bill in New York City in 1928. Dick worked at a chemical plant called Linde Air Products while also studying in the evenings at Columbia University.
In 1931, Dick and Bill boarded a ship together in New York bound for Copenhagen. Together, they travelled across Europe, witnessed a Nazi demonstration in Breslau, Germany, and found work in Minsk and Moscow, Russia. This trip inspired them to become Communists. In 1933, Bill's father was on a Canadian trade mission to Poland, which he left to "rescue" his son from the Bolsheviks. Bill agreed to return to Canada after being advised to do so by the Comintern. He then changed his name to Bill Walsh to protect his family.
In 1934, Bill moved to Toronto. He worked as the educational director for the Industrial Union of Needle Trade Workers and the Communist Party, where he met Esther Slominsky/Silver, the organization's office manager. Dick joined Bill in Toronto soon after. Bill introduced Dick and Esther, who then married. In 1940, Esther gave birth to twin sons, Michael and John Steele. Esther was born in Toronto in 1914 to Joseph Slominsky and Fanny (Blackersany?). Her siblings were Bella, Eileen, Morris, and step-sister Eva. Her father, Joseph, was a cloak maker and Esther also worked in the garment industry. Her mother Fanny passed away in 1920 at the age of twenty-six from tuberculosis.
Dick was a metal worker and became a union organizer in the east end of Toronto. He was the head organizer of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and the Steel Workers Organizing Committee of Canada (SWOC) until 1940, when he was dismissed for being a Communist. Bill helped organize Kitchener's rubber workers into an industrial union and was also an organizer for the United Auto Workers of Windsor, Ontario.
Jack Steele, an alias for Dick's brother Mortimer, fought with the Mackenzie-Papineau Brigade in the Spanish Civil War. Jack Steele was recalled to Canada in October 1937 to rally support for the efforts in Spain, returned to the front in June 1938, and was killed in action in August. Some of Dick's letters to his wife, Esther, are signed "Salud, Jack" and were likely written in 1940 when the Communist Party (CP) was banned by the Canadian government under the War Measures Act.
In November 1941, after Mackenzie King's call for enlistment, Dick wrote to the Department of Justice to ask permission to join the army. He never received a reply. On 1 April 1942, Dick's home was raided and he was interned at the Don Jail until September 1942, when he was moved to the Ontario Reformatory in Guelph. Esther wrote a letter to the minister of justice, Louis St. Laurent, to appeal on his behalf.
Major public campaigning by Communists and the wartime alliance with the USSR after 1941 shifted public opinion toward the CP, and the Canadian government slowly began releasing internees in January 1942. Dick was released in October 1942 and enlisted at the end of the month. Dick died on 17 August 1944 in Normandy, France. He was a tank driver in the Canadian Army.
Bill was similarly arrested in 1941, spending time in jail and then an internment camp with other members of the CP. He joined the Canadian Army in 1943 and fought in Holland and Belgium. Bill was first married to Anne Weir who died of a brain hemorrhage in 1943, just before he enlisted. The family believes this may have been due to drinking unpasteurized milk. Encouraged by Dick Steele to take care of his family should he pass in the war, Bill married Esther Steele in 1946. They had a daughter named Sheri and were members of the United Jewish People's Order. For twenty years, Walsh worked for the Hamilton region of the United Electrical Workers (UE). Bill remained a member of the CP until 1967, when we was expelled for criticizing another union leader. He died in 2004. Esther passed away in 2010 at age ninety-six.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
RELATED MATERIAL NOTE: Library and Archives Canada has the William Walsh fonds and MG 28, ser. I 268, USWA, vol.4, SWOC Correspondence, has various letters from Dick Steele ca. 1938. Museum of Jewish Montreal has an oral history with Leila Mustachi (daughter of Max Wolofsky, Bill's brother) where she speaks about Bill, Dick and Esther. USE CONDITION NOTES: For "Bill Walsh Oral history" Vols.1 and 2, some contributors stipulate that recordings are restricted to personal use only and must not be used for any commercial purpose.
Subjects
World War, 1939-1945
Politics and government
Labour and unions
Name Access
Steele, Michael
Steele, Dick
Walsh, Bill
Walsh, Esther Steele
Places
England
Fort William (Ont.)
Germany
Guelph (Ont.)
Hamilton (Ont.)
Montréal (Québec)
Netherlands
Oshawa (Ont.)
Ottawa (Ont.)
Thunder Bay (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-7-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-7-5
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
41 photographs : b&w and col. (1625 kb jpgs) ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller
Date
1932-2013
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the Latchman Triplets. Included are family photographs of Donald, Marvin and Victor Latchman, a family portrait taken at the wedding of Philip and Sally Latchman, class photos, summer camp photos, and images of the triplets' 75th and 80th birthdays (5 November 2013).
Identified in photographs are: Donald and Annette Latchman, Victor and Rosalie Latchman, Marvin and Shirley Latchman, Philip and Sally Latchman, Morris Latchman, Vera Latchman Berrin, Mari Latchman Lipton, Irv Lipton, and Belle Latchman.
Textual records include Beth Sholom Bulletin June-August 1997, Beth Sholom Brotherhood Ball and Installation 1971, photocopies of news paper articles about the triplets, class photos and letter regarding payment of King's Bounty.
Administrative History
Philip and Sally (Sugarman) Latchman were married in 1932. In November 1933, Sally gave birth to identical triplets Donald, Marvin and Victor. In celebration, they were sent the King's Bounty of 3 British pounds. The boys were interviewed every year on their birthday by Toronto newspapers until they decided to stop the publicity. The family lived in the Bloor-Markham area until the boys were 11. The family then moved to Montclair Avenue where the boys attended Forest Hill Public School. They had their bar-mitzvahs at the Hebrew Men of England Synagogue. The triplets' father, Philip Latchman was a founding members of Beth Sholom Synagogue. Donald Latchman was on the board and Rosalie Latchman was active in the congregation.
Philip and his younger brother Morris Latchman started Federal Farms Limited in 1948 on 150 acres of Holland March in Brantford, Ontario. They grew vegetables: potatoes, carrots, celery and rutabegas. They also had a potato chip company Mad Hatter Snack Foods which was Kosher for Passover. Federal Farms Ltd. went public in 1961 and Loblaws bought 51% of the shares.
Donald attended Ryerson business school and founded Latchman Insurance Brokers. He married Annette Bachst, a Holocaust survivor who grew up in New York.
Marvin attended Ryerson business school then worked for Federal Farms at the Ontario Food Terminal. Later he became a real estate broker. He married Shirley Wolkofsky.
Victor worked on the family farm and at Federal Fruit Company at the Ontario Food Terminal. Victor took a business course at Shaw's Business School. In 1966 he bought Taylors shoes, a business at 2934 Dundas Street. West started in 1920 by Sid Taylor. Victor helped start the Junction Business Improvement Association and was twice pesident of Junction Gardens BIA. He retired in 2009. Victor and Rosalie Greenspan (d. 2014) were married at Beth Sholom in 1958 by Rabbi David Monson. Their children are Howard, and Faith and Mitchell Sherman. Their grand-children are Matthew, Jennifer and Russell Sherman. Victor and Rosalie were honoured at Beth Sholom Synagogue on 26 October 2013 for their 55th wedding anniversary.
In 2012 at age 78, the triplets believed themselves to be the oldest male identical triplets alive in Canada.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
RELATED MATERIALS NOTE: Federal Farms Limited fonds at Simoce Country Archives. ASSOCIATED MATERIALS NOTE: See accession 2016-12\45 (Victor Latchman) and 2002-10\66 (Morris Latchman).
Subjects
Agriculture
Families
Name Access
Latchman, Donald
Latchman, Marvin
Latchman, Victor
Places
Brantford (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-7-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-7-6
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
65 photographs : b&w and col. (tiff)
Date
1948-1964
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Gary Wagman and his family. Included are: sixty-five photographs of the Gold-Wagman family. Twenty-eight of the photographs were taken at Gary's bar mitzvah party, which was held on 8 March 1964 at the North Bathurst Talmud Torah.
Administrative History
Gary Irving Wagman (1951–) was born 19 March 1951 and is the youngest son of Ann Wagman (née Gold, 1926–2017) and Sollie Wagman (1921–2014). His older brother Howard, known as Hushy (1947–2001), was born 9 October 1947. Gary is the grandson of David Gold and Rose Gold (his maternal grandparents) and Celia Wagman and Jacob Wagman (his paternal grandparents).
Photo Caption (027): Gary Wagman holding chumash given to him by his grandmother, 8 Mar. 1964. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-7-6.
Photo Caption (017): Gary Wagman swinging baseball bat, 1964. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-7-6.
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
ASSOCIATED MATERIALS: Other records relating to the Wagman family can be found in Accessions 2009-11-1 and 2017-8-13.
Subjects
Bar mitzvah
Families
Name Access
North Bathurst Talmud Torah
Wagman family
Wagman, Gary, 1951-
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-8-13
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-8-13
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
object
Physical Description
45 photographs (tif) : b&w and col.
2 objects : 7 x 38 or smaller
Date
[192-?]-2015
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Gary Wagman and his family. Included are: a commemorative key commemorating the grand opening of the Apter Centre on 13 Mar. 1949, a key to the Apter Centre, and 45 photographs in TIF format. The photographs are largely of members of the extended Gold-Wagman family including Gary Wagman, Gary's brother Howard "Hushy" Wagman, Gary's mother Ann Wagman (née Gold), and Gary's father Sollie Wagman along with various cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles. The photographs also depict several unidentified individuals who may be related to Gary.
Photo Caption (007): Ann Gold, [194-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-8-11.
Photo Caption (008): Jack Gold with friends, [194-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-8-11.
Photo Caption (010): Howard “Hushy” Wagman and Gary Wagman waiting for their grandparents at Union Station, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, [195-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-8-11.
Photo Caption (013): Leonard Walker, Mrs. Leonard Walker, Bryan Davidson, Rosalie, Charles Davidson, Aaron Miller, and Marry Miller (née Davidson), [197-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-8-11.
Photo Caption (014): Ann Gold, [193-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-8-11.
Administrative History
Gary Irving Wagman (1951-) was born 19 March 1951 and is the youngest son of Ann Wagman (née Gold, 1926-2017) and Sollie Wagman (1921-2014). His older brother Howard, known as Hushy (1947-2001), was born 9 October 1947. Gary is the grandson of David and Rose Gold (his maternal grandparents) and Celia and Jacob Wagman (his paternal grandparents).
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
Associated materials: Other records relating to the Wagman family can be found in accessions 2009-11-1 and 2017-7-6.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Apter Friendly Society (Toronto, Ont.)
Gold family
Wagman, Gary, 1951-
Wagman family
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-2-8
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-2-8
Material Format
moving images (electronic)
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
1 video recording : (mov)
6 photographs : col. (jpg) ;
Date
23 Oct. 2017
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a video recording of a speech written and presented by Gloria Roden. She presented the early history of National Council of Jewish Women, (1897-1957) at a Government of Canada ceremony in which NCJW’s Council House, formerly located at 44 St. George Street, Toronto, was designated an institution of national historic significance by Parks Canada Historic Sites and Monuments Board. The event took place at Council House, 4700 Bathurst Street on October 23, 2017. In addition, there are several photos of Gloria Roden, along with NCJW representatives and government officials with a commemorative plaque to be installed at 44 St. George Street.
Administrative History
Gloria Roden is a a second generation volunteer council member.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Name Access
National Council of Jewish Women of Canada
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-4-14
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-4-14
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
34 photographs (tif) : col. and b&w
Date
[1952]-1989
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs belonging to Lea Garvin depicting her home in Montreal that she shared with her parents and sister, travel in the Laurentian Mountains, her work as a practical nurse with the Red Cross, her move to Toronto and celebrating her mother Yolanda's 100th birthday at Baycrest.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Families
Places
Montréal (Québec)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-5-12
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-5-12
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
2 photographs (jpeg)
Date
[201-]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of two photographs taken of Les Singer and Margaret Singer at a Pride parade in the 2010s. They are holding Kulanu Toronto signs in both photographs.
Photo Caption (001): Les Singer and Margaret Singer, [201-]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-5-12.
Photo Caption (002): Margaret Singer with sign, [201-]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-5-12.
Subjects
Gay pride parades
Name Access
Kulanu Toronto
Singer, Les
Singer, Margaret
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-6-21 [Processed]
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-6-21 [Processed]
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
13 cm of textual records
Date
1982-1989
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Cantor Harold Klein and Rabbi Stuart Rosenberg. Cantor Klein's records include sound recordings and sheet music. Rabbi Rosenberg's records include certificates of conversion, divorce, and marriage; counselling and pastoral cards; decree absolutes; a letter to Mr. A. Copnick from Garry Goldberg regarding a "Burn the Mortgage Campaign" (the letter includes a note to the rabbi); a letter to Rabbi Rosenberg from Rabbi Bernard Baskin; and wedding record cards.
Custodial History
6/25/2018: Rabbi Yossi Sapirman of Beth Torah Congregation donated the records to the Ontario Jewish Archives.
Administrative History
Cantor Harold Klein was the chazzan of the Shaarei Shomayim Congregation in Toronto. Cantor Klein was a classmate, and then later a student for many years, of Professor Noach Schall of Yeshiva University.
Rabbi Stuart E. Rosenberg led Beth Torah Congregation for nine years. Prior to that, he was senior rabbi for seventeen years at Beth Tzedic, the largest Conservative congregation in Canada.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Subjects
Cantors (Judaism)
Rabbis
Name Access
Klein, Harold
Rosenberg, Stuart E
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-12
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-12
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
450 cm of textual records and other material
ca. 350 audio cassettes
164 audio discs : vinyl
Date
[19--]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Cantor Harold Klein. Included are audio recordings that belonged to Klein, sheet music, and other textual records.
Administrative History
Cantor Harold Klein was born in Borough Park, Brooklyn in 1929. The child of eastern European immigrants, Klein was the second of three sons. When he was four, the family moved to Williamsburg. It was there that he attended yeshiva.
As a child, Klein was inspired by Rabbi Levi Greenwald, Rabbi Dovid Rabinowitz, and Earl Spero to pursue his vocation as a cantor. He studied with Cantor Noah Schall and [Frederick?] Pugel. In a 1984 interview with author Mark Slobin, Klein credited both with his later success.
In the course of his career, Klein sung for several congregations. The first was Sutton Place Synagogue, aka the U.N. Synagogue, where he introduced congregational singing. In 1968, he moved to Toronto and became cantor at Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue. After several years at Beth Emeth, he went to Shaarei Shomayim, where he sung for many years.
In addition to regular singing, Klein occupied a number of important posts within the cantorial community. In the 1970s, he was elected to the executive council of the Cantors Assembly of America. At the time he was elected, Klein was serving as the president of the Toronto Council of Hazzanim.
Klein was also a published author. After a friend encouraged him to write a songbook, he formed Mydas Music Company, which published his Let's Sing and Daven songbook in 1985. The songbook, which was accompanied by a ninety-minute cassette of Klein singing to piano accompaniment, won praise from a number of cantors. A sequel, Let's Sing and Celebrate,was released in 1987.
In 1988, the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary inducted Klein as one of its honourary fellows.
Use Conditions
Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Cantors (Judaism)
Music by Jewish composers
Synagogue music
Name Access
Klein, Harold
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-9-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-9-1
Material Format
textual record (electronic)
graphic material (electronic)
moving images (electronic)
Physical Description
ca. 2.26 GB of textual records and other material
Date
2007-2018
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Kulanu Toronto. Included are: meeting minutes, budgets, photographs, videos, Pride materials, and a copy of the letters patent incorporating Kulanu Toronto.
Custodial History
Former executive director Justine Apple kept the records on a USB flash drive. In September 2018, she transferred copies of the records to a computer belonging to the Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre.
Administrative History
Kulanu Toronto was founded in 2000. It incorporated as a not-for-profit in 2014. Following its dissolution in 2018, some of its functions were taken over by the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre LGBTQ Initiative.
Use Conditions
Conditional Access. Researchers must receive permission from the donor prior to accessing the records. Please contact the OJA for more information.
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Gay pride parades
Nonprofit organizations
Sexual minorities
Name Access
Kulanu Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-11-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-11-5
Material Format
textual record
graphic material (electronic)
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
7 cm of textual records
285 MB of photographs and textual records
Date
[188-]-2018
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the From Latkes to Laffa exhibition that was held at Beth Tzedec Congregation in 2017. Included are textual records organized into the following files: Planning, Introduction, The Ward, Kensington, Eglinton, Dairy/bagels, Delis, Kosher, and New trends. There are two additional files without names that contain additional material related to the exhibition. Also included are electronic records, primarily graphic, that relate to the exhibition. The latter have been organized into two folders: Photographs and USB.
Administrative History
From Latkes to Laffas was an exhibition at Beth Tzedec Congregation's Reuben & Helene Dennis Museum that explored the history of Toronto's Jewish restaurants. The exhibition opened on Wednesday the 6 September 2017.
Descriptive Notes
Source of supplied title proper: Title based on a label on the side of the binder.
Subjects
Ethnic restaurants
Name Access
Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)
Rothstein, Gella
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-7-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-7-5
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
45 cm of textual records (6 vol.)
ca. 1000 photographs : b&w and col. ; 25 x 20 cm or smaller
5 drawings
2 ribbons
Date
1976-2007
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs and textual records that document the activities of the General Wingate Branch 256 from 1976-2007. Also included in the accession are 6 albums dated 1976, 1984, 1985-1986, 1998-2002, 2002-2004, and 2002-2007.
The album for 1976 consists of material related to the First World Assembly of Jewish War Veterans held in Jerusalem. Included are photographs, correspondence, a contact list for branch officers, executive committee and chaplains for 1976/77, newsclippings and general memorabilia related to the First World Assembly in Israel. Of note is a photograph of Moshe Dayan at a lecture of the First World Assembly and of Ephraim Katzir, Israel's fourth president.
The album for 1984 consists of material related to the unveiling of the Canadian Jewish War Veterans's Cenotaph at Mt. Sinai Cemetery, Toronto. Included are photographs of the Cenotaph, Mt. Sinai cemetery, the annual Remembrance Day parade, newsclippings, drawings and political cartoons. Of note are letters of congratulations from members of Parliament to the General Wingate Branch for their efforts in making the Cenotaph possible.
The album for 1985-1986 consists of material related to the annual memorial service dedicated to the men and women who lost their lives in World War II and in particular the 430 Jewish men and women slain in the Canadian Forces. Included are photographs and newsclippings related to the annual memorial service at Mt. Sinai cemetery, Remembrance Day parade and fundraising events.
The album for 1998-2002 consists of material related to the memorial service dedicated to 50th anniversary of the end of WWII. Included are photographs of the memorial service, articles related the Wingate Branch donations to Baycrest and Sunnybrook Hospitals, the CNE Warrior Day parade, the annual Veterans' seder and poppy campaign and the Jewish military exhibit held at Toronto's Lipa Green Building. Of note is a letter from Jean Chretien paying tribute to war veterans.
The album for 2002-2004 consists of material related to the 70th anniversary of the General Wingate Branch 256. Included is a 70th anniversary commemorative soft cover booklet, photographs, newsclippings, general meeting newsletters, correspondence, letters from members of Parliament and the 2004-2005 report to the community.
The album for 2002-2007 consists of material relating to the Wingate Branch annual memorial services held at Mt. Sinai cemetery. Included are photographs of the annual memorial services, community and fundraising events, newsclippings concerning the diminishing membership of the Canadian Legion, letters from members of Parliament, a Portraits of Bravery: Canadian Jewish War Veterans brochure and photo negatives of 2003-2006 events.
Administrative History
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 Veteran’s Branch. The brigade was renamed the General Wingate Branch in the mid-1940s after the British army officer Major General Orde Charles Wingate, D.S.O. Although Major Wingate was not Jewish, he was a passionate Zionist. At first, the branch met at a veteran’s hall at Crawford and College Street in Toronto, but later purchased its own house at 1610 Bathurst Street. In 1968, the branch moved to Eglinton Avenue West. It is currently located at the Zionist Centre on Marlee Avenue. The Branch holds an annual memorial march and service at the Mt. Sinai Cemetery where there stands a Cenotaph funded and maintained by the branch. The Cenotaph memorializes Jewish servicemen who died and are buried overseas, as well as those who fought in Israel's War of Independence and partisans who fought the Nazis. Once a year veterans distribute poppies and the funds raised are disbursed to assist veterans and their families, hospitals, medical research and charitable causes in the community. In 2018, after more than eight decades of operation Toronto's General Wingate Branch 256 of the Royal Canadian Legion voted to close its doors and give up its charter.
Subjects
Veterans--Canada
Name Access
Royal Canadian Legion. General Wingate Branch 256
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-5-14
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-5-14
Material Format
textual record
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
1 bound portfolio
Date
2015
Scope and Content
Item is a bound portfolio containing a photograph and the story of the Lagover Mutual Benefit Society.
Subjects
Fraternal organizations
Name Access
Lagover Mutual Benefit Society
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-6
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
9 photographs (jpg) : col.
Date
Jun. 2019
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs taken of the LGBTQ+ at the J group during 2019 Pride Month. Some of the photographs were taken on 21 June 2019, likely at the Trans March, while others were taken on 23 June 2019, likely at the Annual Pride Parade. The photograph of the three individuals modelling the LGBTQ+ at the J T-shirts was taken on 18 June 2019.
Administrative History
Following the dissolution of Kulanu Toronto in 2018, Miles Nadal JCC assumed responsibility for providing Jewish LGBTQ+ programming in midtown and downtown Toronto. This took the form of LGBTQ+ at the J, which, according to its mission statement, "strives to be the heart of Toronto's LGBTQ+ Jewish community, providing queer Jews opportunities to gather, celebrate and thrive." In 2019, the group participated in Toronto's annual Pride Parade.
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.
Subjects
Gay Pride Day
Parades
Sexual minorities
Name Access
Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-5
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
4 m of textual records and other material
Date
[194-]-2017
Scope and Content
Accession consists of textual records, photographs, sound recordings, moving images, and several felt badges and crests. The textual records include strategic planning documents, pedagogical and curriculum documents, meeting minutes, capital planning documents, fundraising records, school yearbooks, graduation programs, newsletters to parents and internal newsletters, and other operational documents. Photographs document the building and classrooms; school classes; sports teams; class outings; special guests; Jewish holiday celebrations; and Bialik groundbreakings, galas, and anniversary celebrations. The audio recordings include the school choir and an interview with Pearl Meckler. Moving images include graduations.
Custodial History
Records were stored in the Viewmount location. A committee of past alumni and parents formed to sort the archival material in preparation for donation to the OJA.
Administrative History
Bialik Hebrew Day School was established by the Labour Zionist Alliance, which also operated the Farband Folks Shule and The Borochov School. In the 1950s, the Labour Zionist Alliance sold its property on Cecil Street in order to finance the purchase of the 12 Viewmount Avenue, which housed both the offices of the Labour Zionist Alliance and Bialik Hebrew Day School. The school was intended to fill a gap in Jewish education in Toronto, namely by teaching Yiddish as well as Hebrew and by promoting Zionism. The school was named for Chaim Nachman Bialik, Israel’s national poet.
Bialik Hebrew Day School began with 29 pre-school and first grade students in 1961, and by the mid-2000s had grown to over 800 students in kindergarten through grade 8. Several renovations and expansions took place over the intervening decades, and in 2003 a new school was opened at 2760 Bathurst Street. In 2013, the school opened a northern campus (Bialik North, or the Ben and Edith Himel Education Centre) on the Joseph & Wolf Lebovic Jewish Community Campus in Vaughan to serve students in the York Region.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Includes ca. 1000 photographs, sound recordings, moving images, and several objects.
Subjects
Education
Jewish day schools
Name Access
Bialik Hebrew Day School
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-7
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
48 photographs (jpg) : col.
Date
[Taken in 2017]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of forty-nine photographs taken at the 2017 Pride Parade in Toronto. Rafi Yablonsky, the donor of the photographs, is visible in many of the pictures.
Administrative History
As of June 2019, Rafi Yablonsky was campaign director at the Jewish National Fund of Canada.
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.
Subjects
Gay Pride Day
Jewish sexual minorities
Parades
Name Access
Yablonsky, Rafi
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-3-12
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-3-12
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
2 folders of textual records
7 photographs : col
2 photographs : b&w
Date
1949-2011
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Miriam Beckerman's work as a translator. Included are correspondence, English translations with corresponding Yiddish texts, awards, and some promotional materials relating to published translations. Also included are several photographs of Miriam.
Subjects
Yiddish language
Yiddish literature
Name Access
Beckerman, Miriam
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-8-14
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-8-14
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
multiple media
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records ca. 2cm of textual records
12 photographs : b&w and col ; 30 x 35 cm or smaller
1 scrapbook
Date
1900-1950, [196?], 1970-1995
Scope and Content
Accession consists of 12 photographs (ca. 1900-1930, 196?) of members of the Schönberger family, including family portraits, class portraits, and a group photograph of the United Cloth Hat & Cap Makers Union Local No. 41. Accession also contains a scrapbook (ca.1937-1945) kept by Walter Schoenberger consisting of ca. 90 photographs and other graphic materials (eg. cigarette cards, photographic postcards) documenting his life in Vienna, England, Quebec and Toronto. This scrapbook includes photographs of Schoenberger's internment at a Kitchener Camp in Kent, England, as well as photographs of a parade at Old City Hall in Toronto.
Accession also consists of 1 folder of textual records, including Canadian citizenship and naturalization documents, a Vienna drivers license, one postcard, wedding invitations and certificates, newspaper clippings, personal writings, and a death certificate. There are also a number of documents ca. 1939-1942 relating to Walter Schoenberger's time at the Kitchener Camp in England, including letters from the Red Cross, the American Embassy to Vienna, the American Consulate General in London, the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society, the Central Council for Jewish Refugees Agricultural Committee, and Tip Top Tailors.
Accession also includes Victory Bonds certificates (1943-1945), an issue of the Toronto Star from December 3, 1992, a Toronto Transit Commission map, a program for a "Life Begins at 65" celebration for George Burns, and a book entitled "Collective Poems - The Terrace Holocaust Survivors Group" consisting of poetry by Holocaust survivors. Also included are documents relating to the Schwab family.
Ancestor chart of Mindy Schönberger
Custodial History
Collection of Walter Schoenberger, donated by daughter Mindy Pollishuke.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Tailors
Immigrants--Canada
Labor unions
Clothing workers
Postcards
Refugee camps
Refugees
World War, 1939-1945
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
England
Austria
Germany
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-11-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-11-6
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
25 cm of textual records and other material
Date
[ca. 1925]-1996
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to the Jewish communal and public service activities of Phil Givens. Included are textual records and photographs as well as a small number of artifacts. Included are numerous speeches, municipal, provincial and federal election materials, professional records related to Givens' legal career, Jewish communal records including the Canadian Zionist Federation, the Upper Canada Lodge B'nai Brith chapter, and the Yiddish Committee, biographical materials, letters of thanks, certificates and honours, school graduation composite photographs, and photographs of various events and of the Givens and Rubins families. Artifacts include a Metropolitan Toronto Police Commissioners badge, a City of Toronto Council member pin, a Wingate Legion felt patch, and notably, a Canadian flag and an Israeli flag. The Canadian flag flew over the Canadian parliament, while the Israel flag was raised in the Knesset. Both flags were requested by Givens and were draped on his casket at his funeral. Accompanying documentation is also in the accession.
Administrative History
Philip Gerard Givens (1922-1995) was a municipal, provincial and federal politician, a judge, a police commissioner and an active Jewish communal leader. He is largely remembered as the 54th Mayor of Toronto. Phil Givens was born in Toronto on April 24th, 1922, the only son of Hyman and Mary Gevertz (Gewercz). As a youth, he attended Harbord Collegiate and graduated from the University of Toronto in political science and economics in 1945 and from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1949. In 1947, he married Minnie "Min" Rubin (born February 7th, 1924) and together they had two children, Eleanor and Michael. Givens graduated as a lawyer from Osgoode Hall; however, shortly thereafter he decided to enter politics, running as a municipal school board trustee in 1950. In 1951 he was elected as alderman for Ward 5, serving in this capacity until 1960, when he was subsequently elected as a city Controller. Givens was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1962. Following the sudden death of Mayor David Summerville in 1963, Givens was appointed by City Council as the Mayor of Toronto and was officially elected to the position in 1964, winning a close race against the former mayor, Allan Lamport. As mayor, Givens was automatically a member of the Metropolitan Toronto Executive and Council, the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission, the Consumer’s Gas Company Executive, the Toronto Hydro Commission and the governing boards of Toronto’s major hospitals. Givens was publicly seen as an affable and populist mayor but his tenure was not without controversy. His support for the construction of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts and his decision to acquire Henry Moore’s bronze sculpture “the Archer” for the new Nathan Phillips Square were both highly controversial during his term in office. In particular, the Moore sculpture sparked intense controversy and public debate amongst council members and citizens alike. Although ultimately purchased with private solicited donations, the controversy surrounding the statue’s purchase was still partly to blame for Givens’ 1966 election defeat to William Dennison. In 1967 Givens entered national politics for the second time, the first being a failed 1957 bid in Toronto’s Spadina riding, winning a seat as a Liberal in Toronto’s York West riding. In 1971 he stepped down before the end of his term to campaign for a seat in the Provincial Legislature. Again running under the Liberal banner, Givens won his seat in York-Forest Hill and after the elimination of this riding in 1975, was re-elected in the new riding of Armourdale. In 1977 he retired from politics. He also worked briefly as a current affairs commentator for local radio broadcaster CHUM 1050 AM. In 1977, Givens was appointed as a provincial court judge and chairman of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission, serving in both capacities until 1985, when he left the Commission but continued in the judiciary as a civil trial judge until officially retiring from public life in 1988. An ardent Zionist, Givens was also a prominent leader of several Jewish communal organizations. He was the founder and first president of the Upper Canada Lodge of B’nai Brith and sat on the executives of the Canadian Jewish Congress, the United Jewish Welfare Fund, the Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim, the Zionist Organization of Canada, the Toronto Zionist Council, Jewish National Fund, State of Israel Bonds and the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. He was chairman of the United Israel Appeal-Israel Emergency Fund in 1967 and the United Jewish Appeal-Israel Special Fund in 1968. From 1973 to 1985 he was the national president of the Canadian Zionist Federation and in the 1990s was the national chairman of the Canadian Jewish Congress’ Committee for Yiddish. Givens was honoured by Jewish community organizations, including the Jewish National Fund’s Negev Award in 1968 and the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews’ Human Relations Award in 1969. As well, in 1972, he received the Award of Honour from the Toronto Regional Council of B’nai Brith. Givens was also known to be a passionate sailor and was a member of both the Royal Canadian and the Island Yacht Clubs in Toronto. He died on November 30th, 1995 at the age of 73.
Descriptive Notes
Physical Description Note: Includes ca. 300 photographs, 1 pin, 1 felt patch, 1 badge, 2 flags, 1 poster, and 2 paper bags.
Subjects
Politicians
Name Access
Givens, Philip, 1922-1995
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-1-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-1-6
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
2 pins
1 ring
1 optical disc
28 photographs : b&w and col. (1 contact sheet) ; 15 x 10 cm or smaller
Date
1925, 1950-1998
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a binder of notes related to the Goldenberg Scroll, created by Sara Edell Shafler Kelman. The scroll was the project of Dr. Henry Goldenberg who captured the genealogical history of his patients with Galician roots on the paper that lined the exam table in his office. The notes are primarily anecdotes about Dr. Goldenberg rather than his patients. Also included is a photograph of Dr. Goldenberg, as well photographs of his wife and daughter Helen and Ricki with Sara Edell, and a photograph of a 25th wedding anniversary celebration for Avromtche Kurtz and Yente Goldenberg Kurtz.
This accession also includes clippings and photographs related to Ben Kayfetz including one of him with Meyer Sharzer and Danny Drutz; a Pride of Israel Sick Benefit Society ring and pin owned by Harry Arnoff; a Sunnyside Lodge 449 pin owned by Harry Arnoff; as well as a recording of an interview with Barry Little.
Custodial History
The material in this accession was created and/or compiled by Sara Edell Shafler Kelman. It was later given to Bill Gladstone, who in turn donated the material to OJA. Many of the records are annotated, though it is not always clear whether the annotations were made by Kelman or Gladstone.
Subjects
Genealogy
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-7-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-7-3
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
2 photographs (jpg) : col.
Date
2019
Scope and Content
Accession consists of two colour photographs. The first photograph is of Jewish Family & Child marching at Pride in 2019. The second photograph is of the JF&CS staff meeting in 2019.
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.
Subjects
Gay pride parades
Meetings
Portraits, Group
Name Access
Jewish Family and Child
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-2-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-2-2
Material Format
textual record (electronic)
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
3 folders (electronic)
Date
2012–2019
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material accumulated by Shlomo Gleibman during his years volunteering for Kulanu Toronto, Shir Libeynu, and Jewish LGBT programs at Miles Nadal JCC.
Included among the Kulanu Toronto records are a draft of a letter to the Canadian Jewish News responding to a a "hateful letter" that appeared in the newspaper; a Holocaust Education Week program; a list of interested candidates for Kulanu Toronto's executive committee 2013–2014; a list of some of Kulanu's past events; a list of Jewish LGBT organizations; a filled-out nomination form for the Bill Graham Award, which was established in 2008 by the Pride and Remembrance Association to recognize service to the LGBT community; and a list of inclusive synagogues in Greater Toronto.
Included among the Miles Nadal JCC records are a flyer for its Downtown Shabbat Dinner Series, a document titled "Towards a Proposal for Jewish LGBTQ Programming in Toronto," an agenda for the LGBTQ Advisory Committee meeting held on 28 March 2019, a letter to a "Friend of Kulanu" informing the latter that many of the organization's functions will be taken over the MNjcc LGBTQ+ Programming Committee, and a MNjcc LGBTQ+ initiative proposal.
Included among the Shir Libeynu records are a photograph possibly taken at Pride in 2012, the congregation's logo with Pride colours, and information about the congregation's Pride Havdalah service and other Pride programming.
Administrative History
Shlomo Gleibman was born in Lviv, Ukraine in 1974. Upon moving to Toronto, he volunteered with a number of organizations: From 2012, he served on Kulanu Toronto's executive committee in the capacity of director of education. From 2016–2019, he served on the board of Shir Libeynu, serving as the board's president from 2018–2019. As of 7 February 2020, he was a PhD candidate in York University. Shlomo has also studied at yeshivot in New York and Israel.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
Related groups of records external to the unit being described: Other records relating to Kulanu Toronto can be found in the Kulanu Toronto fonds.
Subjects
Volunteers
Name Access
Gleibman, Shlomo
Kulanu Toronto
Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre
Shir Libeynu
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-4-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-4-1
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
2 photographs : col. (jpg)
Date
8 Apr. 2019
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Ilana Newman's seder preparations. Included are two photographs of Newman's seder table with candles, kiddush cup, and some food.
Custodial History
Items were submitted to the archives via the OJA website.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Candles and lights (Judaism)
Kiddush cups
Seder
COVID-19 (Disease)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-4-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-4-3
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w and col. (jpeg)
Date
27 Mar. 2020, 8 Apr. 2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Parnes family.
The first photograph was taken on 27 March 2020 and shows the Parnes family celebrating its Shabbat in isolation over Zoom. Identified in the photograph are Richard Parnes and Penny Parnes, Sarah Parnes and Jonah Cohen, and Samantha Parnes.
The second photograph was taken on 8 April 2020 and shows three generations of cousins celebrating the first night of Pesach (Passover) over Zoom. According to the donor, it was a "full humanistic Jewish sedar with musical entertainment by Richard Parnes." Identified in the photograph are Sarah Parnes and Jonah Cohen, Samantha Parnes, Penny Parnes and Richard Parnes, Fran Bleviss, Ernie Lightman and Adrienne Chambon, Sean Hayes and Naomi Lightman, Dorothy Tessis, and Eddie Nehani and Lisa Bleviss.
Custodial History
Items were submitted to the archives via the OJA website.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Humanistic Judaism
Passover
Sabbath
COVID-19 (Disease)
Places
Calgary (Alta.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-4-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-4-4
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
4 photographs : col. (jpg)
1 invitation (html)
Date
8 Apr. 2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Shinder Family Virtual Seder. The seder, which was celebrated on 8 April 2020, was hosted by Sol and Zelaine Shinder of Ottawa, Ontario over Zoom. Adam Sherman of Toronto acted as the Zoom controller. Included are four images of the seder and a copy of the invitation to join the seder.
The first image is a screenshot from the second half of the seder and shows dialogue and a link to the words of Had Gad Ya. The second image is a photograph of a computer on the Gewurtz family seder table. The third image is another screenshot. The fourth image is a photograph of a computer on the seder table at the home of Ian Sherman of Ottawa, Ontario. Ian is the newphew of Sol Shinder; his son, Adam Sherman of Toronto, organized and was the Zoom controller.
Custodial History
Items were submitted to the archives via the OJA website.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Seder
COVID-19 (Disease)
Places
Atlanta (Ga.)
Georgian Bay (Ont. : Bay)
Miami (Fla.)
New York (N.Y.).
Ottawa (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-4-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-4-5
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
2 photographs : col. (jpg)
Date
8-9 April 2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of two born-digital photographs documenting the donor's Passover seder via Zoom. The donor submitted the following information with the photographs:
A Passover on Zoom. From our small apartment in Toronto we were able to connect with our friends and family. This was a special Seder and for many friends it was their first.
Passover 1 - Larry Mogelonsky, Maureen Wright Passover 2 - Sam Mogelonsky, Mat Calverley, Ruby Carolan, Mark Lush, Eva Kolzce, Spencer Barclay, Ellen Bleiwas, Amanda Gotlieb, Montana Kimmel, Ruth Jones, Jon Sasaki, Rob Cumming, Jesse Carliner, Marcos Armstrong.
Custodial History
Items were submitted to the archives via the OJA website.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.
Subjects
Passover
Seder
COVID-19 (Disease)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions