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Al Gilbert, C.M. [graphic material, textual record, object, philatelic record] – [1945?]-2006.

Accession Number: 2021-4-3

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2021-4-3

Material Format: graphic material; textual record; object; philatelic record

Physical Description: 3153 photographs : b&w and col. (3133 negatives) ; 41 x 51 cm or smaller; 13 sheets of postage stamps; 1 folder of textual records; 2 presentation pieces : 23 x 34 x 2 cm

Date: [1945?]-2006

Scope and Content: Accession consists of Negev Dinner negatives for the years of 1969, 1975-1977, and 1979-2006. Also included are several presentation pieces comprised of portraits that Gilbert took for presidents and prime ministers of Israel and Israeli Prime Ministerial postage stamps produced from those portraits. Some of the presentation pieces are accompanied by thank-you letters address to Gilbert and signatures of Gilbert and presidents and prime ministers of Israel being featured. Accession also includes six portraits featuring Robert Sterling, Elliotte Friedman’s grandmother, [Sydney Sugarman?], and one unidentified person; two unidentified group photographs; one unidentified wedding photograph; and one photograph depicting Al Gilbert at an event. Also included is an oversized group photograph of Greenfild’s Jewish Radio Hour of CKOC featuring Max Mandel and his colleagues.; Negev Dinner honourees include Mark Levy and Harry Gorman (1969); Rabbi Gunther Plaut (1975); James Kay (1976); Premier Bill Davis (1977); Murray Koffler (1979); Rose Wolfe (1980); Theodore Richmond (1981); Arnold Epstein and Madeline Epstein (1982); Kurt Rothschild and Edith Rothschild (1983); Abe Posluns (1984); Donald Carr and Judy Feld Carr (1985); Dr. Gerald Halbert (1986); Edwin Goodman (1987); Douglas Bassett (1988); Max Sharp and Isadore Sharp (1989); Bernard Weinstein (1990); Harry Gorman (1991); Albert Mandel, Nathan Hurwich, and Lewis Moses (1992); George Cohen (1993); Joey Tanenbaum (1994); Leslie Dan (1995); Henry Newton Rowell “Hal” Jackman (1996); Edward Bronfman (1997); Allan Silber (1998); Dr. Anne Golden (1999); Avie Bennett (2000); Alex Grossman (2001); Toby Feldberg and Saul Feldberg (2002); Eli Rubinstein and Renée Rubinstein (2003); Ronald Appleby (2004); Joseph Lebovic and Wolf Lebovic (2005); Ed and Fran Sonshine (2006).; Presidents and prime ministers of Israel being featured include Levi Eshkol, Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin, Shimon Peres, and Chaim Herzog.

Custodial History: Accession donated by Nina Gilbert, Al Gilbert's daughter, on behalf of the Estate of Al Gilbert.

Administrative History: Nachman (Nathan) Gittelmacher was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1898 to Shloima and Mattie Gittelmacher. Suffering terribly during the pogroms of 1918 and 1920, he fled from place to place and then emigrated to Canada in 1921. Trained as a photographer in Europe, he opened his own photography studio in Toronto in 1922, called Elite Studios. First located at 513 Queen Street West, he soon moved to 615 Queen Street West. Nathan serviced a largely Jewish clientele, photographing weddings, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish community events. Nathan was married to Nina Sokoloff and had three sons and a daughter: Louis (Lou), Albert (Al), Jack, and Ruth. During the early 1940s, the family legally changed their name from Gittelmacher to Gilbert and subsequently altered the name of the business to Gilbert Studios. When Nathan moved to the United States, Al, who had been working there since a young age, took over the business. It thrived under his management. To accommodate his growing clientele, he moved the studio to Eglinton Avenue and later to 170 Davenport Road, where it is situated today. Al made a name for himself as a portrait photographer, using natural light in innovative ways to create more natural looking portraits. Al’s primary work involved producing portraits of families, weddings, bar mitzvahs, special events, and dinners. Most of his early clients were from the Jewish community. He was also paid to produce portraits for local entrepreneurs. Moreover, his multi-year contract with the city gave him sole responsibility of producing portraits for the mayors and council members. He later branched out beyond the Jewish community and began to produce images for businessmen and leaders from the Italian community in Toronto. In addition to the paid contracts involving local personalities and groups, Al Gilbert has also produced many artistic portraits of local, national, and international celebrities, artists, and leaders, such as Wayne and Shuster, Howie Mandel, Oscar Peterson, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Robertson Davies, several Canadian prime ministers, Prince Charles, and the last Pope. He also produced portraits for all of the Israeli prime ministers, which were made into postage stamps by the Israeli government. Gilbert’s work, therefore, captures a huge range of individuals from the ordinary brides to extraordinary world leaders. Throughout his career, Al has won many professional awards and accolades from his peers. He is the three-time recipient of the prestigious Photographer of the Year award of the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC). He has been named Fellow of the photographic societies in Canada, Britain, and the United States. In 1990, he was awarded the Order of Canada. In January 2007, the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) presented him with their Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is the highest honour that PPA can bestow on a person for their body of work and influence on professional photography.

Use Conditions: Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Subjects: Photographers

Name Access: Gilbert, Al, 1922-2019

Places: Toronto (Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Kiever Synagogue [textual record, graphic material, object] – 1913-2013.

Accession Number: 2021-10-1

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2021-10-1

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; object

Physical Description: 30 cm of textual records; 5 photographs : b&w & col. ; 30 x 20 cm or smaller; 2 metal award certificates : 28 x 21 cm; 1 key : framed in a wooden box

Date: 1913-2013

Scope and Content: Accession consists of records related to the Kiever Synagogue or had been stored at the synagogue. Included are certificates (1930-[1961?]); a print of the 1913 Officers and Members of the Grand Order of Israel of Canada; a poster of Yitzhak Ben-Zvi (president of Israel) presented by National Committee for Labour Israel for Israel Histadrut campaign; National Synagogue Directory issued by Canadian Jewish Congress Charities Committee (2011-2012); The Jewish Magazine (2006); Baycrest Men's Service Group Honour Roll books (1993-1997, 1999); shabbat, wedding, and bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah benchers (1965-2013); newspaper clippings; blessing guides; and administrative material such as receipt books (1933-1934), Synagogue Laws and Customs (1976), and a memorandum of agreement (1920). Also included are photographs featuring David Pinkus, Nate Leipciger, students of Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim (1936), and the top view of bimah and chuppah of the Kiever Synagogue, which was taken at Samara Kaplan’s wedding (2004); and miscellaneous material such as raffle tickets (1928), invitation tickets from Chevra Kadisha (1928), and record books of Toronto Free Loan Association. This accession also includes the following artifacts: two metal certificates of Recognition of Service Award granted by State of Israel Bond and Canada-Israel Securities Limited (1964 and 1965) and a skeleton key framed in a wooden shadow box, which is possibly the original key to the building. People identified in the photograph of students of Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim (1936) are: Solly Speisman (second row, fourth from left), Myer Orzench (second row, far right), Hymie Reingewietz (second row, sixth from left), Mr. Hoffman (teacher, left-hand side), and Mr. Nobleman (teacher, right-hand side). Myer Orzench was the second vice-president of the Kiever Synagogue; Mr. Nobleman was father of Ben Nobleman, the municipal politician of York Region.

Custodial History: Records deposited by David Moyal of the Kiever Synagogue.

Administrative History: The Kiever synagogue, also known as the Kiever Shul, is a Modern Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Toronto. It was founded in 1912 by a small congregation of Jewish immigrants from the Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire (now Ukraine) and formally incorporated in 1914 by the granting of the Letters Patent by the Provincial Secretary. The congregation’s formal name is "The First Russian Congregation of Rodfei Sholem Anshei Kiev." According to the earliest congregational records, Max Bossin was president in 1912. At first, services were held in members’ homes and later in a rented house on Centre Avenue in the Ward. Not being able to afford a rabbi, services were led by members, including Cantor Herschel Litvak. In 1917, sufficient funds were raised to mortgage a house at 25 Bellevue Avenue on the outskirts of Kensington Market. The congregation relocated there and the facilities were enlarged in 1921 with the acquisition of a second house. In 1927, a new synagogue, which was built on the site of the two houses and designed by a Jewish architect named Benjamin Swartz in the Byzantine Revival style, was completed to accommodate increasing number of congregants. During the construction from 1924 to 1927, religious services were conducted at the home of Mr. Silverman at 29 Wales Avenue. Equipped with a rabbi and a proper synagogue, the Kiever was able to play a larger role in the Toronto Jewish community. The shul offered Yiddish and bar-mitzvah lessons, a youth minyan led by Fischel Cooper, a credit society, as well as a women’s auxiliary. Several decades later, the Kiever’s membership declined in the 1950s and 1960s due to demographic changes—Jews began leaving the downtown core for the north end of town. The synagogue building deteriorated. In 1973, the Archives Committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress Central Region decided to help preserve it, and by 1982, sufficient funds had been raised to restore the building. In 1979, the Kiever Synagogue became the first building of Jewish significance to be designated a historical site by the province of Ontario and has been protected under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act since then. Some of the founders included: B. B. Smith, Yehudah Leib "Louis" Bossin, Isaac Mosten, Jake Dubin, Harry Cohen, and Wolf Ganz. The congregation's first and longest-tenured rabbi was Solomon Langner, who served from around 1929 until his death in 1973. Sheldon Steinberg served as rabbi from the time of Langner's death until the mid-1990s. David Pinkus served as president of the Kiever Shul from the late 1970s to 2011. His parents, Molly and Isadore Pinkus, were co-founders of the shul. As of 2022, the synagogue president is Adam S. Cohen.

Descriptive Notes: LANGUAGE NOTE: material is in Yiddish, Hebrew, and English.; Availability of other formats: digital preservation copies for some documents have been created and are available in PDF, JPG, and TIF formats.

Subjects: Synagogues

Name Access: Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Places: Toronto (Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Mooney Stitt [graphic material, textual record, object] – [ca. 1900]-[ca. 1943].

Accession Number: 2022-3-11

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2022-3-11

Material Format: graphic material; textual record; object

Physical Description: 1 folder of textual records; ca. 200 photographs (15 negatives): b&w ; 25 x 20 cm or smaller; 1 small metal pendant

Date: [ca. 1900]-[ca. 1943]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of photographs, textual records, and an artifact relating to or collected by Mooney Stitt. Textual records include receipts, correspondence, immigration documents, a trademark certificate issued by the United States Patent Office, material related to Mooney’s municipal election in Sioux Lookout, and Mooney’s British Columbia free miner’s certificate. Photographs make up the majority of this accession, featuring Mooney’s family and personal life. Also included is a small metal pendant with Russian inscriptions.

Custodial History: Records were in the possession of Peter Marcovitz’s mother, Lillian Averson, until her death in 1965. Since then, the records have been stored possibly in the family house until being found and gifted to the Ontario Jewish Archives in 2021 by Peter and his wife, Joyce Borenstein.

Administrative History: Mooney Stitt (1904-1943), also known as Munya Studnitz, was born in 1904 in Poland to Simcha Studnitz and Miriam Woyler. He might also be referred to as Chaim Studnic or Hiame Studnitz. Mooney had four siblings: David, Dina (Dinah/Diana), Dora, and Miron. In 1923, Mooney and Dina Studnitz immigrated to Canada from Poland under the sponsorship of their uncle, Nathan Stitt, who resided in the City of Fort William (now Thunder Bay) and had a clothing store named Stitt & Sons. Mooney and Dina lived in the City of Lemberg (now Lviv) before moving to Canada. By taking the ship Laconia, Mooney landed in Halifax in 1923; then he made his way to Thunder Bay and started working on a farm of David J. Piper in the Township of Paipoonge. Later, he moved to Sioux Lookout, where he presented himself in a municipal election. Mooney relocated to Montreal in the mid-1930s and founded a company called Canadian Art Studios, which manufactured silk scarves. In 1939, he married Lillian Averson (1916-1965). It is possible that Lillian also helped him operate the business. On March 13, 1943, Mooney passed away of heart ailments in Montreal. Upon his death, one of Lillian’s brothers-in-law joined the company, and a children’s wear division was launched shortly afterwards. The company ceased manufacturing scarves in the early 1950s and grew into a successful children’s wear manufacturer under the name Tam O’Shanter (spelling uncertain). Lillian was bought out by her brother-in-law in the late 1950s. The company finally ceased operating in the late 1980s. Mooney and Lillian did not have children together. In 1945, Lillian married her second husband, Joel Marcovitz. Peter Marcovitz was born in 1947 to Lillian and Joel.

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: Availability of other formats: photographs and documents have been scanned and are available in PDF, TIF, and JPG formats.; LANGUAGE NOTE: A small number of records are in Russian and Polish.; RELATED MATERIAL NOTE: See accession 2008-7-13 and OH 308 for additional information on the Stitt family and the Stitt & Sons clothing store.

Subjects: Families

Name Access: Stitt, Mooney, 1904-1943

Places: Fort William (Ont.); Sioux Lookout (Ont.); Thunder Bay (Ont.); Montréal (Québec); Poland

Source: Archival Accessions

Leslie Mezei [textual record, object] – 1947-1948.

Accession Number: 2022-5-15

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2022-5-15

Material Format: textual record; object

Physical Description: 1 folder of textual records; 1 armband : white fabric ; 18 x 5 cm

Date: 1947-1948

Scope and Content: Accession consists of Leslie Mezei's certificate of identity in lieu of passport, issued on 2 Dec. 1947 by the Office of the Military Governor, US Zone of Germany. It contains Leslie's picture and signature, as well as the 13 Jan. 1948 Canadian stamp of arrival in Halifax. Also included is the armband worn by Leslie on his way to Canada, which says, "Sponsored by the Canadian Jewish Congress. Chief Welfare Officer Ethel Ostry-Genkind."

Custodial History: Records were donated by Leslie Mezei himself.

Administrative History: Leslie (Laszlo) Mezei was born in Budapest, Hungary, on 9 July 1931. After the war, he and his siblings stayed at the Leipheim DP camp, in Germany, and at a children's camp in Prien am Chiemsee, in Southern Germany. After going on the Exodus 1947 illegal immigration to then Mandatory Palestine, they were sent back to Prien, where a Canadian social worker signed them up for immigration. They arrived in January 1948 on board the USS General SD Sturgis, an American troop carrier that had been used for carrying refugees. They landed at Pier 21, in Halifax. Then, they took a train to Montreal, and, after spending some time at the YMHA, Leslie was taken in by the Winkler family, with whom he stayed with for five years. After completing his basic education, he enrolled at McGill University for a BSc in mathematic and physics followed by an MA in meteorology in Toronto, where he got married in August 1953 to his fiancée, Annie Wasserman, a Holocaust survivor from Poland. Leslie became a computer programmer in 1954 and a systems analyst in 1958. His wife, Annie, with whom he had two children, Frances and Michael, developed a brain tumor and died in January 1977. After Annie's death, Leslie started to work with the interfaith movement. He later married Kathy, a seventh-generation Canadian of English, Irish, and Scottish background. Between them, they have five children, ten grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. In 2021, Leslie was awarded a certificate of recognition signed by the mayor of Toronto, the president of the Interfaith Council, and the head of the Toronto Sufi Order International. In 2019, the Azrieli Foundation published the Holocaust story of his family in a book titled "A Tapestry of Survival."

Descriptive Notes: Physical Description note: Armband has been measured in flattened position.

Subjects: Holocaust survivors; Refugee children; Immigrants--Canada

Name Access: Mezei, Leslie (Laszlo), 1931-

Places: Germany; Halifax (N.S.); Montréal (Québec); Toronto (Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Andy Reti [object] – 1944.

Accession Number: 2022-6-3

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2022-6-3

Material Format: object

Physical Description: 1 knapsack : canvas, leather and metal ; 48 x 48 x 5 cm

Date: 1944

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a knapsack worn by Ibolya (Ibi) Grossman when she, her mother, and her son, Andy Reti, were deported to the Budapest ghetto. Ibi used the knapsack to carry some food and provisions for her baby son. Andy Reti later used it in 1956 and for camping trips in Canada - all special journeys for him.

Custodial History: Object was donated by Andy Reti, Ibi's son.

Administrative History: Ibolya (Ibi) Grossman was born on 11 December 1916 in Pécs, Hungary, to Ignacz Szalai and Laura Fisher. Around 1931, she joined the Zionist movement in Hungary; there, she met Zoltan (Zolti) Rechnitzer, who she would later marry. In 1933, she moved to Budapest, where her older sister lived; for several months, she worked at a thread factory. The Rechnitzer family moved to Budapest in 1936, and she married Zolti in September 1939. She became pregnant in 1941, and a son Andras (Andy) was born in July 1942. In November 1942, Zolti reported for duty as a labourer in the Hungarian army, as was required for all Jewish males between the ages of 18 and 50. In May 1944, Zolti was taken to a labour camp; Ibi never saw him again. In the meantime, she was confined to a Jewish ghetto in Budapest. In July 1944, her parents and two half-sisters were taken to Auschwitz. In 1945, Grossman was liberated from the ghetto by the invading Russian army. In 1949, she attempted to escape from Hungary. She was betrayed, arrested and jailed. Her second attempt succeeded, and she came to Canada with her son in 1956, first to Winnipeg, and then to Toronto. In 1958, she married Emil Grossman. She passed away on 11 March 2005 in Toronto.

Subjects: Holocaust survivors; Jewish ghettos; Refugees

Name Access: Grossman, Ibolya (Ibi), 1916-2005; Reti, Andy, 1942-

Places: Budapest (Hungary)

Source: Archival Accessions

Pearl Freedhoff [textual record, graphic material, object] – 1922-1997.

Accession Number: 2022-7-6

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2022-7-6

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; object

Physical Description: ca. 8 cm of textual records; 25 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller; 1 medal : bronze

Date: 1922-1997

Scope and Content: Accession consists of textual records, photographs, and a bronze Shekel Medal for Israel’s twenty-fifth anniversary, most of which document Pearl Freedhoff and her Jewish communal and public service activities.; Textual records include public speeches, handwritten notes and short writing pieces, invitation and greeting cards, correspondence, materials relating to the sisterhoods of Beth Tzedec and Goel Tzedec synagogues, Pearl’s 1940 National Registration certificate, materials documenting the Ontario Bicentennial Award and dinner, and the 1981 royal tour of Canada, newspaper clippings relating to Pearl’s Jewish communal and public service activities, and an advertisement that Pearl made for Lido Spa. Also included are newsletters, magazines, and bulletins, which document Pearl’s experience in wedding consultation and her active involvement in Toronto Hadassah-WIZO and the Women’s Auxiliary of the Jewish Home for the Aged; and travel itineraries and promotional materials for Israel and the Orient trips, which were issued by Toronto Hadassah-WIZO, B’nai Brith, and travel agencies they were in co-operation with. Textual records also include a small number of bulletins and magazines as well as a twenty-fifth anniversary book of Baycrest men’s service group, which document the accomplishments of Pearl’s husband, Dr. Samuel Freedhoff.; Photographs feature the Goel Tzedec Sisterhood, trips to Israel organized by Toronto Hadassah-WIZO, the wedding of Linda Greene (Lorne Greene’s daughter), and various social and political events that Pearl attended.; Accession also includes a bronze Shekel Medal for Israel’s twenty-fifth anniversary. It was presented to Pearl to commemorate her inscription as a governor of the Haifa Community College.

Custodial History: Records were in the possession of Judith Golden, Pearl's daughter, until being gifted to the Ontario Jewish Archives on 14 July 2022.

Administrative History: Pearl Freedhoff (née Narrol) (1906-1997) was born on 17 September 1906 in Toronto to Harry Narrol and Esther Narrol (née Newman). She had four siblings: Albert, Gertie, Hilda (m. Spivak), and Mendell (died as infant). Pearl married Dr. Samuel Osias Freedhoff (1903–1973) in 1927 and had two children: Stephen and Judith. Samuel was the son of Harry Freedhoff and Molli Freedhoff (née Bohnen). Pearl graduated from the University of Toronto, School of Social Work, and Samuel graduated from the School of Dentistry. Both were members of Goel Tzedec Synagogue, with Pearl serving as sisterhood president from 1949 to 1950 and Samuel as president of the men's club in 1952.; Pearl was an active member of the Jewish community and served on executives and boards in many Jewish communal organizations, including the Canadian Hadassah-WIZO Toronto Centre, the sisterhoods of Goel Tzedec and Beth Tzedec Synagogues, and the Women’s Auxiliary of the Jewish Home for the Aged. She had a political interest in the Progressive Conservative Party and was active in federal and provincial politics; she served on the boards of the Victorian Order of Nurses and Ontario Housing Commission and was included in special dinners such as dinners for the royal family. In addition, she had an outstanding reputation as a bridal and bar-mitzvah counsellor for over thirty years. In 1984, she was awarded the Ontario Bicentennial Medal in honour of her contributions to the community at large.; Pearl passed away on 18 December 1997.

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: Politicians

Name Access: Freedhoff, Pearl, 1906-1997

Places: Toronto (Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Forberg and Michalowicz families [textual record, graphic material, sound recording, object] – 1920-2013.

Accession Number: 2022-7-10

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2022-7-10

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; sound recording; object

Physical Description: ca. 9 cm of textual records; 186 photographs : b&w and col. ; 22 x 28 cm or smaller; 1 album (197 photographs) ; 34 x 25 cm; 1 audio cassette : 1/8 in.; 1 identification tag : metal ; 5 x 5 cm

Date: 1920-2013

Scope and Content: Accession consists of records documenting the Forberg and Michaels (Michalowitz) families. They include family histories, Holocaust documentation, and records pertaining to Bathurst Manor. Accession also includes 186 photographs documenting ancestors, family life, and family celebrations from the early 20th century to the early 2000s, including life in the DP camps and Bathurst Manor, and an album containing 197 photographs documenting Honey and Esther Forberg's 1967 trip to Israel. Additional records include Syma Forberg's metal Jewish identification tag, tributes to the Forberg family, Esther Forberg's school history project, Henry and Pola Michaels' funeral records, among others.

Custodial History: Records were donated by Esther Michaels, David and Syma's daughter, Harry and Pola's daughter-in-law.

Administrative History: David Berel Forberg was born in Czestochowa, Poland, on 1 February 1922. From 1939 to 1942, he lived in the Czestochowa Ghetto, where he worked as a manual labourer and painter. Syma Jurkowska was born in Opatow, Poland, on 5 August 1924. From 1939 to 1942, she lived in the Opatow Ghetto, where she made brushes in a factory and cleaned Gestapo homes and the post office. David and Syma met at the Polish labour camp Hasag-Palcery, where they worked at an ammunitions factory. After the war, they were placed in a DP camp in Lampertheim, Germany, where they got married on 11 September 1947. In July 1948, they left the German DP camp after three years and immigrated to Canada, via Quebec. They had two children, Joseph (born 19 June 1946 in Mannheim, Germany) and Honey Sarah (born 16 January 1948 in Lampertheim, Germany). They had been sponsored by Syma's uncle Cheil Slavny, who lived in Toronto. David and Syma rented rooms in their home, while David worked as an upholsterer and Syma babysat. In the early 1950s, they started making chairs and tables, which they delivered on the streetcar. David and Syma's younger children, Esther and Billy Avraham, were born in Toronto on 23 May 1949 and 26 Sep. 1952, respectively. David died on 9 October 2011. Syma died on 9 April 2021.; Harry Michaels (Hersz Michalowicz) was born in Kalisz, Poland, on 26 May 1918. Pola Lewkowicz was born in Zagorow, Poland, on 28 August 1916. By the end of the Second World War, they were living in the Soviet Union, where their first son, Julius (Jozef) was born, in the city of Gelendzhik, on 8 May 1945. After the war, they lived in Jawor, Poland, before resettling at the Steyr DP camp, in Austria, where their second son, Albert (Abram) was born, on 22 April 1947. In 1948, the family immigrated to Canada, arriving via Halifax on 1 October of that year. In Toronto, Harry worked as a furniture merchant. He died on 27 Sep. 1997. Pola died on 23 Apr. 2003.; David and Syma's daughter Esther married Harry and Pola's son Albert.

Use Conditions: Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.

Subjects: Holocaust survivors; Families

Source: Archival Accessions

Nancy Levy [textual record, graphic material, object] – 1958-1967.

Accession Number: 2022-12-9

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2022-12-9

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; object

Physical Description: 1 folder of textual records and other material

Date: 1958-1967

Scope and Content: Accession consists of material documenting Nancy Levy, primarily education records, such as citizenship awards and scholarship awards issued by the Board of Education for the City of Hamilton, Ontario. It also consists of certificates and patches issued by the Canadian Red Cross Society and the Royal Life Saving Society of Canada while at Camp Kadimah and Hamilton's Recreation Centre as well a photograph of a Temple Anshe Sholom confirmation class taken in 1967. Identified in the photograph are: (back row) Michael Epstein, Paul Simon, Leslie Mitchinick, Rabbi Baskin, Michael Isaac, Robert Mitchnick, Harold Barnett, Brian Singer, (front row) Cheryl Hebscher, Sharon Leutcher, Robin Raphael, Gerrie Perrell, Nancy Levy, Jacqueline Houston, Elaine Hotz, Ethel Landrecht, and Debbie Minden.

Administrative History: Nancy Levy was born in 1951 to Corinne (née Cohn) and Edgar Levy. (Corinne and Edgar's name was originally Moshe Noss. He was born in the Ukraine and orphaned at an early age. Around 1921 he immigrated to Canada through the help of a Mr. Grafstein. Once in Canada, Edgar and his brothers were adopted into different families. The Levy family adopted Edgar and he took their name.; Edgar married Corrine Cohn in 1946. Edgar had a business in Hamilton called Piston Service, which was a wholesaler for car parts. Corrine drove a truck for this business and eventually became the bookkeeper for another firm. After marriage, they lived in Hamilton at 18 West Third.; Nancy had two younger siblings: Ann (1956–) and Lois (1958–2018). She married Wayne Greenberg in 1979 and they divorced around 1985. She studied medical lab technology at a community college and worked at various hospitals and businesses, including Henderson Hospital in Hamilton and Baycrest.

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: Availability of other formats: Digitized material.

Subjects: Confirmation (Jewish rite); Education

Name Access: Temple Anshe Sholom (Hamilton, Ont.)

Places: Hamilton (Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Judith Cohen [textual record, object, text, philatelic record] – [ca. 1910]-2013.

Accession Number: 2023-2-2

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2023-2-2

Material Format: textual record; object; text; philatelic record

Physical Description: 10 cm of textual records; 1 sheet of postage stamps; 8 artifacts; 1 prayer book; 1 plaque; 8 photographs : b&w and col ; 10 x 18 cm or smaller

Date: [ca. 1910]-2013

Scope and Content: Accession consists of two scrapbooks containing emails, letters of thanks, articles and program materials related to Judith's various speaking engagements and presentations as a survivor speaker. Also included are eight photos of family members, a prayer book, plaque, a spice box and eight kiddush cups, two certificates affirming completion of English language courses at McGill University, two certificates of recognition of commitment to Holocaust Education from the Ontario Government and the Government of Canada, one sheet of stamps remembering the Holocaust issued by Canada Post, and a labour discharge certificate from the Tailor's Immigration project.

Administrative History: Judith Cohen was born in 1928, in Debrecen, Hungary. Cohen was deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration and Death Camp, and to other labour camps. Cohen lived in a displaced persons camp in Germany following liberation where she reunited with her remaining siblings. In 1948, Cohen arrived in Canada as part of the Tailor Project, originally settling in Montreal and later moving to Toronto. She chaired the Holocaust Education Centre and is a committed Holocaust educator and speaker as well as a human rights activist.

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.

Source: Archival Accessions

Steve Goldman [graphic material, object] – 1923-1931.

Accession Number: 2023-5-8

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2023-5-8

Material Format: graphic material; object

Physical Description: 1 trophy : metal, cup shape; 1 photograph : sepia ; 20 x 25 cm on matte 31 x 35 cm

Date: 1923-1931

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a 1931 JCSSL Championship trophy. The inscription on the trophy reads "J.C.S.S.L 1931 Champs. Yolles-Herzls. Pres. by Harry Tait to J. Goldman." Also included is a group photograph of the YMHA 1923–24 Midget basketball team. Individuals identified include J. Benjamin, E. Sniderman, Captain B. Goldman, Coach, Manager I. Gold, S. Ramm (top row from left); M. English, H. Lister, W. Garbe (bottom row from left). Photograph by Alexandra Studios, Toronto.

Custodial History: Material received through Steve's wife, Merle Goldman.

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: Sports

Places: Toronto (Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Rabbi Joseph Benjamin Friedberg [architectural drawing, graphic material, object, textual record, sound recording] – 1930-2012.

Accession Number: 2022-8-4

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2022-8-4

Material Format: architectural drawing; graphic material; object; textual record; sound recording

Physical Description: ca. 11 m of textual records and other material

Date: 1930-2012

Scope and Content: Accession consists of records documenting the life and career of Rabbi Benjamin Friedberg. Included are subject files, eulogies, sermons, marriage records, funeral record cards, conversion certificates, gittin (Jewish divorce documents), addresses for High Holiday services, and photographs. Also include are a few artifacts, such as felt patches and medallions, as well as sound recordings. A large number of documents are relating to Rabbi Friedberg's rabbinical career at Beth Tzedec Congregation.

Administrative History: Rabbi Joseph Benjamin Friedberg (1927-2022) was born on June 26, 1927, in Toronto to Chaim (Chamel) and Rochel Rose Friedberg. Rochel Friedberg was born in Polaniec, Poland (Russian part of Poland), the daughter of Moshe and Sura Poss. Rochel had little formal education but learned Talmud from her father. In her youth, Moshe came to Toronto to make a living and had to leave the family behind; shortly thereafter, World War I broke out, and Rochel was sent to the town of Stopnitz. She was then sent to Crackow to work. Rochel married Chaim (Chamel) Friedberg from Patchenev, who was enlisted in Pilsudski’s army. Before the Great Depression, Rochel and Chaim immigrated to Canada. Later on, Chaim took ill and had to go to the Western Sanitarium; soon after that, he passed away in 1957. Rochel passed away in 1992.; Rabbi Benjamin Friedberg was a native of Toronto and received his basic religious and secular education there. He attended Harbord Collegiate in his youth. After spending a number of years at the Yeshiva University in New York, he returned home to attended the University of Toronto, from which he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1949. In 1950, Rabbi Friedberg entered the Rabbinical School of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He received his Master of Hebrew Letters degree and rabbinical ordination in 1954.; Rabbi Friedberg’s first pulpit was in Rochester, New York. He served as assistant rabbi at Beth Tzedec Congregation in 1955; and then as rabbi of B’nai Israel Congregation in London, Ontario. In 1959, he received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario in Bible and Archaeology. As part of his doctorial program, he studied in the Department of Archaeology and Bible at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; he also spent several years studying in the Department of Religion at the University of Ottawa with special emphasis on the Samaritans.; In 1961, Rabbi Friedberg was called to the pulpit of Agudath Israel Congregation in Ottawa, Ontario, where he served for thirteen years until 1974.; In 1974, he was appointed senior rabbi at Beth Tzedec Congregation, Toronto. His major emphases in the congregation were the development of both child and adult education and emphasizing Israel as the dominant fact in Jewish life today. Much of the programming at Beth Tzedec that he instituted dealt with Israel.; Rabbi Friedberg’s interest in Jewish education was responsible for the founding of a Hebrew High School in Ottawa. His concern with Jewish youth prompted him to devote his time as counsellor to the Hillel Organization on the campuses of the University of Western Ontario, Carleton University, and the University of Ottawa. He taught Bible, Biblical Hebrew, and courses in Judaism at the University of Ottawa; and was an occasional lecturer at the University of Western Ontario in the Orientals Department. While living in Ottawa, he was active in a number of Jewish communal organizations. He was the founder and the organizer of the Ottawa Soviet Jewry Committee and was head of the Jews in Foreign Lands Committee and Canada-Israel Committee. Also, he was on the Social Welfare Council and was chairman of the Aliyah Committee in Ottawa.; Rabbi Friedberg was active with the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and the Canadian Zionist Federation (CZF). He worked actively on behalf of the CJC’s Educational Department. He was on the executive of the CJC Central and Eastern Regions and served as national chairman of the CJC’s International Affairs Committee. As an active Zionist, he served as national chairman of the Hasbara Committee of the CZF and was president of Mercaz Canada, the Zionist organization of the Masorti (Conservative) Movement. He also organized Israel tours and led Israel tour groups for a number of times. Rabbi Friedberg was the recipient of citations of the UJA, State of Israel Bonds, and various other awards in recognition of his communal work. In addition, he had also been invited to serve as a member of Teddy Kollek’s Jerusalem Committee.; Rabbi Friedberg was a contributor to Anglo-Jewish press, television work, and radio. He was chairman of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Religious Advisory Committee and hosted his own television program called “Focus.” He had written for the London Free Press, and the Ottawa Citizen, and a number of Jewish periodicals.; Rabbi Friedberg was married to the former Lola Constant of Montreal (1930-2022). They had three children together—Mark, Gilah, and Esther. Lola Friedberg had a degree from McGill University in Arts and Music. She had given two-piano recitals in conjunction with her twin sister, Miriam “Mitzi” Leboff, on a number of occasions. Lola had taught piano and conducted choirs in Montreal and Ottawa.

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: Rabbis; Sermons; Eulogies

Name Access: Friedberg, Benjamin, 1927-2022; Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Places: Toronto (Ont.); Ottawa (Ont.); London (Ont.); Jerusalem

Source: Archival Accessions

Beta Sigma Rho [textual record, graphic material, object] – 1922-1994.

Accession Number: 2023-11-1

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2023-11-1

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; object

Physical Description: 18 cm of textual records; 11 photographs : col ; 10 x 15 cm or smaller; 91 slides : col ; 35 mm; 54 negatives : col. ; 35 mm

Date: 1922-1994

Scope and Content: Accession contains material related to the Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity, Eta Chapter at the University of Toronto. Included in the material is a 1922 constitution and ritual book, pledge and introduction manuals, rushing guidelines, records of initiation and interviews with pledges, programmes and invitations to annual balls, dinner dances, conventions and reunions, revenue reports, invoices and receipts, legal documents relating to the house sale and dissolution of the chapter, meeting minutes, membership lists, ETA and Grand Chapter newsletters, newspaper clippings, personal correspondence and memorabilia, photographs and slides, songbooks and correspondence. Also included is material relating to the Beta Sigma Rho Grand Chapter, New York, New York. The included object is a wooden case with a glass door, presumably used to hold information or announcements.

Custodial History: Records were in the possession of several individuals in the following order: Barney Dales, Marvin Pearl, Ed Bogolmy, Richard Stein.

Administrative History: The Beta Sigma Rho fraternity was founded in 1910 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York by four Jewish veterinary students who were unable to obtain membership in existing fraternities because of their religion. Originally named Beta Samach, the purpose of the fraternity was to promote fraternal spirit and good fellowship among its members, to diffuse a liberal culture, to advance scholarship, and to further equity in college affairs. Although not formally stated in its constitution, the fraternity also served a social function allowing its members to develop friendships and to take part in social events, such as dances.; The fraternity began to expand nationally in 1914, and in 1920 the fraternity’s name was changed to Beta Sigma Rho. The fraternity expanded into Ontario in 1930 with the Eta Chapter at the University of Toronto. In 1944 a second Canadian chapter was opened at the University of Western Ontario, known as the Iota Chapter.; Membership in Beta Sigma Rho began to decline in the late 1960s, and in 1972 its national office merged with the Pi Lambda Phi fraternity for financial assistance. The chapter at Pennsylvania State University chose not to take part in the merger and became an independent fraternity under the new name Beta Sigma Beta.

Subjects: Greek letter societies

Name Access: Beta Sigma Rho Fraternity (Toronto, Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Dr. Tibor Juda [object, textual record] – [1950?]–[1989?].

Accession Number: 1991-3-5

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1991-3-5

Material Format: object; textual record

Physical Description: Artifacts; Textual records

Date: [1950?]–[1989?]

Scope and Content: Textual records include flyers, invitations, mailings, form letters, newsletters, blank cheques, legal documents and correspondence. Organizations documented include Agudath Israel Congregation, Pirchei Agudas Yisroel of Toronto, Bnos Agudah Toronto, Bikur Cholim women's volunteer service of Toronto, Beth Jacob High School, Hachnosas Kallah, Va'ad Harabonim, Zichron Schnver, The Press Foundation and Ahavas Chesed.; Artifacts include:; Metal hooks used in the schitah process. -- [ca. 1960s]. -- 5 hooks : metal ; 25 cm in length. -- 5 bent pieces of metal with one sharp end and a hook on the other end. On the hook, it reads, "Perl's, Kosher". In good condition.; Rolls of kashrut labels. -- [ca. 1960s]. -- 2 label rolls : beige and blue ; labels are either 6 cm or 3 cm in length. -- Rolls of stickers with the Hebrew letters symbolizing kashrut In fair condition. They are faded.; Leather pouches with strings. -- [ca. 1960s]. -- 2 pouches : leather and textile, brown ; 8 cm in length. -- One tan, one dark brown leather pouch with a flap for closing. Both have shoe laces attached to the flap to close the pouch. In fair condition.; Lead kashrut stamp. -- [ca. 1960s]. -- 1 stamp : lead ; 9 cm in length In good condition.; The Associatin for Welfare of Soldiers in Israel Charity Box. -- 11 cm. -- Tin, no lid, white and blue paper wrapped around, picture of soldiers walking on the front. poor condition.; Jewish National Fund Charity Box (2) but from different accession, not using. -- 8.5 x 3.5 x 11.5 cm. -- Tin, blue and white, Hebrew and English writing, map of Israel on one side. one is poor quality, one is good quality.

Descriptive Notes: Box 93-1-1 includes a Dept. of Public Health permit to operate a poultry slaughter house, dated 7 Jan. 1953, issued to Herman Gross and Abram Perl for their slaughter house located at the rear of 54-56 Kensington Ave.; Records are in English and Yiddish.

Source: Archival Accessions

Joe Goodman [object, graphic material, textual record, text] – 1925-[198?].

Accession Number: 1985-11-11

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1985-11-11

Material Format: object; graphic material; textual record; text

Physical Description: 47 artifacts; 6 cm of textual records; 1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 77 cm

Date: 1925-[198?]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of textual records, predominantly clippings, from a scrapbook that has been dissassembled. The clippings date from the 1920s through the 1980s and relate to sports, politics, the Toronto Boys' Municipal Council, and Joe Goodman's trucking business. There is also one file of personal correspondence and Goodman's certificate for his Canada Centennial Medal.; The accession also contains one photograph: a panoramic photograph of the Toronto Boys' Municipal Council from 1930. Individuals are identified on the photograph.; The artifacts in the accession include: various ribbons, crests, and badges associated with athletic prowess. Some were given at the Canadian National Exhibition track. These honours were given for sports: rugby, wrestling, and boxing.; Wrestling Clarkson AA medal awarded to Joe Goodman. -- 28 January 1932. -- 1 medal : sterling silver ; 2 cm in diam. -- Manufacturer: Recdos Sterling. -- A sterling silver medal-pendant with an image of two men wrestling on one side and an engraving on the other side In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Wrestling City Championships medal awarded to Joe Goodman. -- 1932. -- 1 medal : sterling silver ; 3 x 2.5 cm. -- A sterling medallion with two men wrestling on one side and an engraving on the other. In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Ontario Championship Second Place medal awarded to Joe Goodman. -- 1930. -- 1 medal : sterling silver ; 3.5 x 2.5 cm. -- Manufacturer: Ellis Bros. -- Sterling silver medal with two men wrestling in a circular mound, with an engraving on the other side In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Central "Y" Wrestling First Place medal awarded to Joe Goodman. -- 1930. -- 1 medal : silver ; 2.5 x 1.5 cm; 1 ribbon : textile, red, white and blue. -- Manufacturer: Bailey Sterling. -- Silver medal with the emblem of two men wrestling mounted onto the base There is an engraving on the other side and a blue, red and white ribbon attached to the clasp In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Central YMCA Team medal awarded to Joe Goodman. -- 1929-1930. -- 1 medal : silver ; 3 x 2.5 cm. -- Manufacturer: Bailey Sterling. -- A silver medal with a leaf branches bordering the emblem of 2 men wrestling and an inscription at the bottom and on the other side. In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; J.Goodman Wrestling medal awarded to Joe Goodman. -- [ca. 1930]. -- 1 medal : silver ; 3 x 2 cm. -- Manufacturer: Bailey Sterling. -- Medal is decorated with various patterns along the edges, and borders two men wrestling in a circle. "J.Goodman" is engraved on the back In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Rugby league President medal awarded to Joe Goodman. -- 1929. -- 1 medal : copper, brown, white and blue ; 3 x 4 cm. -- A diamond shaped medal with a pattern along the border. In it is another border (white and blue), inside of which, is an image of a man playing rugby. The other side has an inscription. In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Green River Boosters pin. -- [ca. 1930s]. -- 1 pin : copper, green, blue and gold ; 1 cm in diam. -- A tiny circular pin with a blue border and gold writing along the border with a picture of a landscape in the center. In good condition, but some of the paint on the pin is coming off. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Toronto City Playgrounds medals given to Joe Goodman. -- 1926 (2) and 1925 (1). - - 2 medals : copper ; 2.5 cm in diam.; 1 medal : silver, beige ; 2.5 cm in diam.; 1 ribbon : textile, red, white and blue. -- Manufacturer: Trophy Craft Sterling. -- 2 copper, one silver medals. "Toronto City Playgrounds" written along the border with different images embossed in the center. One of a man playing basketball, one of two men wrestling, one of a man running. On the back is the City Playgrounds logo an an inscription of the year. One of the copper medals has a blue, red and white ribbon weaves through the clasp. In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Boys Council Swim medal. -- [ca. 1930]. -- 1 medal : silver ; 3.5 x 3 cm. -- Manufacturer: Bailey Sterling. -- A silver medal with an engraving bordering a welded image of a man swimming. On the opposite side is an image of an ancient Rome or Greek character In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Toronto Public School Board medal given to Joe Goodman. -- [ca. 1930]. -- 1 medal : copper ; 3.5 cm in diam. -- A copper coin with an intricate emblem on one side bordered by maple leaf carvings. In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Medal given to Joe Goodman from the Toronto Public School Board. -- [ca. 1930]. - - 1 medal : copper ; 3 cm in diam. -- A copper medal with the Toronto Public School Board emblem on one side and an inscription on the other side. In good condition, a bit tarnished. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Ostrovtzer Independent Sick Benefit Society pin. -- [ca. 1930]. -- 1 pin : metal, blue, white and gold, crest shaped ; 1 cm in length. -- A tiny pin in the shape of a shield, half being white and half blue, with gold writing. In good condition, but some of the paint is falling off. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Gold menorah pin. -- [ca. 1930]. -- 1 pin : gold, menorah shaped ; 1 cm In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Gold menorah pin with blue background. -- [ca. 1930]. -- 1 pin : gold, blue and gold, square ; 1.5 x 1.5 cm. -- A gold menorah mounted on a blue background with a gold border. In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; MTC pin. -- [ca. 1930]. -- 1 pin : gold, red and gold, circular ; 1.5 cm in diam. -- Red circular pin with the letters MTC in gold, and a gold border In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Toronto Boy Municipal Council pin. -- 1930. -- 1 pin : metal, white, gold and blue ; 1.5 cm. -- A blue and white oval pin with gold writing and a picture of a clock tower in the center In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Boy Scouts medal. -- [prob. 1930]. -- 1 medal : gold, gold and black, dog shaped ; 1.5 cm. -- A gold medal in the shape of the face of a dog with a black banner in front of his mouth that reads "Boy Scouts" . A stand in the shape of a crescent holds up this medal In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Boy Council Athletic Day medal. -- 1929. -- 1 medal : metal, gold, rectangular ; 3.5 cm. -- A gold medal with a picture of a Greek god standing in a toga holding a branch in one hand and resting on the TBMC emblem. In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Toronto Municipal Boys Council 1927 Championship medal. -- 1927. -- 1 medal : metal, gold ; 3 cm. -- Manufacturer: TrophyCraft. -- An engraving of the words "The Toronto Boy Municipal Council" borders an engraving of a clock tower. On the other side is another engraving. In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Toronto Boy Municipal Council Ontario Championships medal. -- 1927-1930. -- 1 medal : metal, silver, oval ; 1.5 cm. -- There is an image of a clock tower on one side and engraving on the other In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Toronto Boy Municipal Council Boys Championship medal. -- [prob. 1930]. -- 1 medal : copper, oval ; 1.5 cm. -- A copper emblem of the T.B.M.C with an engraving on the other side In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Toronto Boy Municipal Council Boys Week medals. -- 3-10 June 1922. -- 2 medals : copper, oval ; 1.5 cm; 1 ribbon : textile, blue In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.; Toronto Boy Municipal Council medal. -- 1930. -- 1 medal : metal, gold ; 1.5 cm; 1 pin : metal and textile, gold, blue and red. -- A red ribbon hangs from a rectangular pin that says "official". From the ribbon hangs the medal with the TBMC emblem on it In good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 16.

Administrative History: Joe Goodman, born 1912, was a member of the council when he was 19-20. He won a number of medals, pins and ribbons that are a testament to his involvement and athletic participation.

Source: Archival Accessions

Rabbi David Kirshenbaum [textual record, graphic material, object, text] – 1928-1981.

Accession Number: 1981-9-1

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1981-9-1

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; object; text

Physical Description: 1.5 m of textual records and graphic material; Text; Artifacts

Date: 1928-1981

Scope and Content: Accession consists of textual records and graphic material documenting the life and career of Rabbi David Kirshenbaum of London, Ontario. Included is material related to Congregation B’nai Moses Ben Judah and Congregation Or Shalom, communal records, minutes, articles, sermons, orations, correspondence, books, periodicals, notes, photographs, scrapbooks, personal and family records and awards. Also included are the following artifacts:; Shochet's knife and sharpening stone. -- [ca. 1925-1960]. -- 1 sharpening stone : stone, black ; 0.8 x 7.5 x 2 cm; 1 knife : metal, gold, black and silver ; 21 cm. This shochet’s chalef (ritual slaughtering knife) and sharpening stone belonged to Rabbi David Kirshenbaum (1903-1981), who served in London, Ontario from the mid 1920s until his retirement in the 1960s. This size of knife, used for poultry, was specially-designed to maximise cleanliness, speed, and efficiency, and minimise pain. During the height of the Jewish markets in the Kensington area, from the 1920s until the 1940s, buyers had the option of paying someone to pluck the chicken’s feathers, or they could bring the animal home and do it themselves.; Pen and pad given to the Zionist Organization of Canada, Central Division 27th Convention.; Ontario Zionist Region conference delegate badge. -- 1 badge : textile, blue and gold ; 10 cm in length. -- A light blue ribbon with a pin at the top saying "Rev Kirshenbaum, London".

Administrative History: Rabbi David Kirshenbaum (1902-1981) was born in Koriw, Poland and came to Canada in 1921. In 1926 he became rabbi of B’nai Moses Ben Judah Congregation in London, Ontario and remained in that position until his retirement in 1966. During his tenure in London he was active in many Jewish organizations including the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Jewish National Fund, the Israel Histadrut Campaign and the Jewish Community Council of London. He was a regular contributor to Yiddish and Anglo-Jewish publications. His articles appeared in the Hebrew Journal, Kanader Adler, Voice of Radom and The Jewish Standard. He was also the author of several books : Our Chassidic Treasuries, What is General Zionism?, Ships at Sea, A Journey to Israel, Mixed Marriages and the Jewish Future, Religion: Love or Hate? and Feast Days and Fast Days. He was also elected to the Board of the Victoria Hospital Trust and served on the University Assembly of the University of Western Ontario.; Rabbi David Kirshenbaum was married to Pearl Kirshenbaum.

MG_RG: MGC 6

Subjects: Rabbis

Name Access: Kirshenbaum, David, 1902-1981

Places: London (Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

John Sherman : Alpha Omega Fraternity [object, textual record, graphic material] – 1921-1981.

Accession Number: 1988-4-7

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1988-4-7

Material Format: object; textual record; graphic material

Physical Description: 3 m of textual records; ca. 60 photographs; 1 pin

Date: 1921-1981

Scope and Content: Accession consists of records related to the personal and professional life of Dr. John Sherman and his wife Etta (née Taube), as well as Sherman's involvement with the Alpha Omega Fraternity, a dental fraternity at the University of Toronto.; In addition to textual records there are their are 44 photographs and 2 certificates from The Hebrew University of Jerusalem acknowledging Mrs. Etta T. Sherman and Dr. John A. Sherman as a founding members of the School of Dental Medicine. Among the photographs are family photos of the Taube family, general Alpha Omega event photos and several oversized photographs documenting: the interior ballroom of an Alpha Omega Installation Dinner, Feb 16, 1958, Jaeger House; the interior ballroom of an Alpha Omega Fraternity Award Night, 49th Annual Convention, Dec. 30, 1956, The Statler Hotel, Boston, Mass.; the interior ballroom of an Alpha Omega National Convention, Dec. 30, 1954, Detroit, Michigan; an Alpha Omega annual convention banquet, Dec. 27, 1938, the Statler Hotel, Cleveland, Ohio; a family photo taken at the Alpha Omega's 44th Annual Convention, Dec. 27-31, 1951, Ambassador Hotel, Atlantic City, N.J.; and an Argonaut vs Balmy Beach Dinner, Nov. 24, 1945, Adelaide Hotel, J.E. Wagman Annual Football Party, Toronto.

Administrative History: Dr. John A. Sherman (1 May 1901-30 Sept. 1982) graduated from the University of Toronto Dental School in 1924. John and Etta (née Taube) (6 Mar. 1908-22 July 1998) Sherman were among the group of dentists and their wives who started Alpha Omega Fraternity in Canada in 1921. Dr. Sherman was an international president of AO, and the founder of the Alpha Omega Foundation of Canada; he also served as its secretary-treasurer for many years. He was an exemplary leader in dentistry across the world and also served the profession as an inventor of dental equipment.; John Sherman died Sept. 30, 1982 and Etta Sherman died July 22, 1998.

MG_RG: MG2 B1Q

Subjects: Greek letter societies

Name Access: Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity, Toronto Chapter; Sherman, Etta, 1908-1998; Sherman, John, 1901-1982

Places: Toronto (Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Willie Zimmerman [textual record, graphic material, object] – 1912–1979.

Accession Number: 1991-1-4

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1991-1-4

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; object

Physical Description: 3 boxes of textual records; photographs; 1 apron

Date: 1912–1979

Scope and Content: Accession includes periodicals, a book, pamphlets, a certificate, clippings on Hadassah-WIZO and records relating to Youth Aliyah, Ajalon, Beth Tzedec and Palestine Lodge. As well, there is a 1925 University of Toronto yearbook. There are also several photographs taken in 1943 of the interior of the Canadian Jewish Congress Service Mens Club, at 44 St. George Street, Toronto (Community House). The artifact is a blue and white striped apron, ca. 1940s. -- 1 apron : textile, blue, red and white ; 91 cm in length. -- A blue and white striped apron with red initials embroidered in the center, white lining around the sleeves, and a blue and white striped belt for tying the apron around the waist. In fair condition. The apron is ripped at the side and slightly stained in some spots. Current location: PacArt, Box 27.

Source: Archival Accessions

Allan Grossman [graphic material, object] – 1929-1991.

Accession Number: 1992-12-6

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1992-12-6

Material Format: graphic material; object

Physical Description: 6 photographs : b&w (3 negatives) ; 20 x 25 cm; Artifacts

Date: 1929-1991

Scope and Content: Accession consists of several artifacts including: Life member for Baycrest plaque awarded to Allan Grossman, 1981; American Israel Numismatic Association plaque awarded to Allan Grossman, November 1972; Minister of Revenue framed golden seal, ca. 1970s; Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada Award of Service plaque presented to Allan Grossman; Quinte Regional Detention Center plaque presented to Allan Grossman, 1971; B'nai Brith Convention guest badge, 1-4 June 1969; Grey Cup badge,1980; Jigsaw puzzles from the Allan Grossman Campaign; Federal-Provincial Conference of First Ministers delegate badge, 15-17 November 1991; Yellow and blue Davis sign; Yellow and blue Davis hats; Yellow and blue Davis jackets; plaque commemorating the new bridge in Toronto opened December 23, 1953; plaque commemorating 1956 visit with the Pope, 25 April 1956; Framed certificate given to Allan Grossman on his 70th Birthday from the Premier of Ontario, 4 March 1974; Harold King Farm plaque given to Allan Grossman; shovel from the Ground Breaking ceremony of the new Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, 30 June 1983; B'nai Brith Distinguished Citizen Award plaque given to Allan Grossman, 3 March 1974; Small plaque from Premier William Davis honouring Allan Grossman, 1972; Memorial Groves plaque.; Photographs include a collage of portraits of members (including Allan Grossman) of the Toronto Boy Municipal Council 1929, and a photo of William McIntyre, acting clerk of the Executive Council, administering the oath of office to Allan Grossman, Minister Without Portfolio, at the Ontario Parliament on November 21, 1960. Also picured are Leslie Frost and Keiller McKay. A third photograph was taken at a visit in 1965 to the Ontario Legislature with ohn Robarts, Premier of Ontario, and Menachem Begin of Israel.

Name Access: Grossman, Allan, 1910-1991

Source: Archival Accessions

Allan Grossman [textual record, graphic material, object] – [ca. 1922]-[194-].

Accession Number: 1990-4-3

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1990-4-3

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; object

Physical Description: 1 m of textual records and graphic material; 1 badge : felt and metal, blue, silver and white ; 10.5 x 10.5 cm; 1 pin : metal, white, blue and gold ; 1 cm.

Date: [ca. 1922]-[194-]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of textual records and graphic material documenting the life and career of Allan Grossman. Also included is a Jewish Boys in Training Crest of Merit badge (ca. 1922-1924), a white felt badge with a blue Magen David in the middle and in the four corners with metal plates attached to the material, each one with a different symbol, and an Ostrovtzer Independent Mutual Benefit Society pin (ca. 1940s).

Subjects: Politicians

Name Access: Grossman, Allan, 1910-1991

Source: Archival Accessions

Dr. Hyman O. Singer [textual record, object] – 1938-1977.

Accession Number: 1981-6-7

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1981-6-7

Material Format: textual record; object

Physical Description: 90 cm of textual records; 2 artifacts

Date: 1938-1977

Scope and Content: Accession consists of records related to the life and communal service of Dr. Hyman O. Singer. Included are records related to B'nai Brith District No. 22, Eastern Canadian Council, and the Jacob Goldblatt Lodge; Canadian Jewish Congress, the Welland Hebrew Congregation; and other organizations such as the Canadian Council fo Christians and Jews and the National Council of Jewish Women. In addition, there are two objects: a B'nai B'rith badge and a plastic portfolio for the B'nai Brith Triennial Convention in 1965.

Administrative History: Born in Montreal, Dr. Hyman O. Singer (1908-1981) graduated with an M.D. degree from the University of Toronto in 1937. In 1940 he settled in Welland, Ontario. He was the first member of the Lord Melchett Lodge in St. Catharines and later became a member of the Jacob Goldblatt Lodge and served as its president, from 1949-1950. He served on the national executive of B'nai Brith, and as their vocational service commissioner. During his term as president of the Anshe Yosher Congregation (Welland Hebrew Congregation), a new synagogue and centre was built. He was a member of the National Executive of the Canadian Jewish Congress, and served as vice-chairman of the Educational and Cultural Committee. He was also the president of the medical staff of the Welland County General Hospital and Chief of the Department of General Practice. He died in St. Catharines in 1981.

Name Access: Singer, Hyman 1908-1981

Places: Welland, Ont.; St. Catharines, Ont.

Source: Archival Accessions

Shaarey Shomayim Synagogue (Thunder Bay, Ont.) [object, textual record, graphic material] – 1908-1970.

Accession Number: 1986-9-2

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1986-9-2

Material Format: object; textual record; graphic material

Physical Description: 30 cm of textual records; 7 photographs; artifacts

Date: 1908-1970

Scope and Content: Accession consists of textual records, graphic materials, and artifacts documenting the Shaarey Shomayim Synagogue in Fort William (Thunder Bay) and the Jewish community of Thunder Bay. The records include a brass menorah and shivisi from the Synagogue, along with a wooden tablet of the ten commandments (1920s); a marriage register (1908-1951); a minute book of the chevra kadisha (1913-1986); B'nai Brith Lodge membership registration books, minute books, a dues book, and a framed citation (1911-1970); and several photographs including the Jewish community's float for the coronation of King George VI, the turning of the sod for the new synagogue, the B'nai Brith Lodge annual picnic in Port Arthur and a meeting honouring Jewish servicemen of the Second World War, and three portraits of the Synagogue's honourary presidents.

MG_RG: MG 2 B 1ii; MG 3 B 23

Subjects: Communities; Synagogues

Name Access: Shaarey Shomayim Congregation (Thunder Bay, Ont.)

Places: Thunder Bay, Ont.

Source: Archival Accessions

Canadian Hebrew Benevolent Society [textual record, object] – 1900-1950.

Accession Number: 1985-5-6

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1985-5-6

Material Format: textual record; object

Physical Description: 1 folder of textual records; 1 badge

Date: 1900-1950

Scope and Content: Accession consists of records created and collected by the Canadian Hebrew Benevolent Society. Included are an immigrant's letter book in Yiddish and English and a member badge for the Canadian Hebrew Benevolent Society

Administrative History: The Canadian Hebrew Benevolent Society was a fraternal organization, founded in 1913, whose primary objective was the provision of aid to the Jewish community

MG_RG: MG 20 B 1N

Source: Archival Accessions

Samuel Samuels [textual record, object] – 1939-1940.

Accession Number: 1983-2-1

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1983-2-1

Material Format: textual record; object

Physical Description: 1 folder of textual records; 3 ribbons

Date: 1939-1940

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a dues notebook which belonged to Samuel Samuels. The books contain listings in Hebrew of contributers to a building fund, entries written in Yiddish of family lifecycle events, telephone numbers and addresses with numbers in English, as well as ribbon badges for a United Palestine Appeal Committee (1939), a Ontario Zionist Regional Conference (1940), and a Canadian Jewish Congress Annual Conference (1940).

Source: Archival Accessions

Button [object] – [19--].

Accession Number: 1981-1-9

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1981-1-9

Material Format: object

Physical Description: 1 button : metal ; 3 cm in diam.

Date: [19--]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a button featuring a religious scene. A bearded man is standing with his arms outstretched and an individual is kneeling before him. This is possibly a scene from the Book of Esther (Purim). Surrounding the image is either Hebrew or Yiddish text.

Source: Archival Accessions

International Ladies Garment Workers Union, Cloakmakers Union [object] – [ca. 1928].

Accession Number: 1981-9-3

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1981-9-3

Material Format: object

Physical Description: 1 pin

Date: [ca. 1928]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a member's pin with a ribbon and pendant celebrating the 25th jubilee of the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU), Cloakmakers Union Toronto.

Subjects: Anniversaries; Labor unions

Name Access: International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union

Source: Archival Accessions

Sadowski family [object, graphic material, textual record] – 1884-1986.

Accession Number: 1994-12-5

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1994-12-5

Material Format: object; graphic material; textual record

Physical Description: Artifacts; Photographs; 1 folder of textual records

Date: 1884-1986

Scope and Content: Accession consists of photographs, textual records, and artifacts documenting the Sadowski family from Massey, Ontario. Records include family photographs, family correspondence, geneological information, and business records. Of note are photographs of the Sadowski General Store in Massey, a meal token from the store, a notebook documenting animal fur transactions (1920-1922), and a land survey of the Sadowski family property (1893).

Source: Archival Accessions

Chil Kellerman papers [textual record, object] – 1937-1953.

Accession Number: 1991-8-2

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1991-8-2

Material Format: textual record; object

Physical Description: 1 folder of textual records; 1 badge

Date: 1937-1953

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a small book in Hebrew, a notebook with Yiddish writing and one item of genealogy information in English, the 25th Anniversary Book of the Zion Benevolent Association (1937), a pamphlet from the Montreal Life Insurance Company, and a letter to the National Trust Company (1943). As well there is a Zion Benevolent Association of Toronto members badge, a grocery bill from Traisters on Spadina (1953), and an Israel Art Calendar (1950-51).

Source: Archival Accessions

Z. Socol [textual record, graphic material, object] – 1912-[ca. 1940].

Accession Number: 1992-8-5

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1992-8-5

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; object

Physical Description: 1 folder of textual records; 6 photographs : b&w (3 negatives) ; 11 x 16 cm on matte 18 x 23 cm or smaller; 1 plaque : metal, mounted in frame, gold and black ; frame measures 47 x 62 cm.

Date: 1912-[ca. 1940]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of photographs of the Socol Hebrew-Yiddish School (a class picture and a school picnic in High park), and a photo of a dentist Dr. Robert Seidenberg whose mother brought Mr. Socol to Toronto. As well there is Mr. Socol's diary (1912) with a translation from Yiddish to English by Alex Korn, and a letter concerning the proposed Beyt Sefer T'Khiya. Finally, accession includes a Socol Hebrew and Yiddish School plaque. It has a gold background embossed with a pattern of leaves. There is black Yiddish lettering mounted on, and set in a glass frame with a black metal border. It reads: "Z. Socol Hebrew-Yiddishe Shule" .

Descriptive Notes: Identification is provided for the photographs

Source: Archival Accessions

Sarah Levine [object, textual record] – 1966-1976.

Accession Number: 1982-8-3

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1982-8-3

Material Format: object; textual record

Physical Description: 4 plaques; 1 folder of textual records

Date: 1966-1976

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a four plaques awarded to Sarah Levine including a 94th birthday plaque from the Government of Ontario (1970); a 100th birthday plaque from the Government of Ontario (1976); a 90th birthday plaque from Baycrest (1966); a life membership plaque from Baycrest (1973); and 3 congratulatory telegrams honouring the occasion of her 94th birthday in 1970.

Name Access: Levine, Sarah

Source: Archival Accessions

Canadian Jewish Congress Next of Kin League pin [object] – [ca. 1940]-[ca. 1945].

Accession Number: 1995-5-2

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1995-5-2

Material Format: object

Physical Description: 1 pin

Date: [ca. 1940]-[ca. 1945]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a lapel pin worn by persons who had close relatives serving in the military during the Second World War.The maple leaf shaped pin is inscribed with " Canadian Jewish Congress Next of Kin League" and "On Active Service".

Administrative History: Rabbi Monson and Mrs.Sadie Danson originated the idea of producing the pins. This one belonged to Min Rosenfeld.

Source: Archival Accessions

Toronto Independent Benevolent Association [object] – 1900.

Accession Number: 1989-8-1

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1989-8-1

Material Format: object

Physical Description: Artifact

Date: 1900

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a lodge pin from the Toronto Independent Benevolent Association dated September 20, 1900.

Name Access: Toronto Independent Benevolent Association

Source: Archival Accessions

Samuel John Sword (Swartz) [textual record, graphic material, object] – 1936-1979.

Accession Number: 1989-9-2

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1989-9-2

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; object

Physical Description: 2 photographs : b&w ; 25 x 20 cm and 20 x 25 cm; 1 folder of textual records

Date: 1936-1979

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a group photo of the Post Graduate Class, Ontario College of Pharmacy and an accompanying diploma. Sam Sword and Issie Rothbart are identified. Other records include a photograph, likely of Sam Sword, wearing a Masonic apron; a letter from G.E.W. Bridge in England; a registered pharmacist's pin; Second World War service award pins, badges, and medals; and certificates documenting Sam Sword's participation in organizations such as the Grand Encampment of Florida Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Supreme Lodge Knights of Pythias (Florida), Grand Council Royal and Select Masters of State of Nevada, Grand Council Royal and Select Masters of Ontario, Grand Chapter Royal Arch Masons of Canada, and Ancient Mystic Order of Samaritans of West Virginia.

Administrative History: Sam Sword was the step-father of the donor, Marty Sheffer.

Source: Archival Accessions

Sam Pizel [object, graphic material] – 1939-1945.

Accession Number: 1984-5-7

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1984-5-7

Material Format: object; graphic material

Physical Description: 1 coin; 16 photographs : b&w ; 7 x 10 cm

Date: 1939-1945

Scope and Content: This accession consists of one Mount Sinai Lodge A.F. & A.M. No. 522 G.R.C. 25th anniversary coin. The coin has the lodge's coat of arms on the recto and a set of tablets with the words "keep these and good fortune will be yours" on the verso.; Also included are 16 photographs of the Allied Forces (including the Canadian Army) at Bergen-Belsen in April 1945 following the liberation of the camp. Pictured are the general grounds, mass graves with sign markers, a group of (local German?) women crowded around the back of an army truck, army personnel observing and taking photographs of a deceased victim, a crematoria, and Sam Pizel (standing right) and other servicemen with a box of human ashes.

Administrative History: Sam Pizel (?-29 Sept. 2004) was married to Lily and was the brother of Irving Pizel.

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: Availability of other formats: Digitized material.

Subjects: Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945); World War, 1939-1945

Name Access: Pizel, Sam; Bergen-Belsen

Places: Germany

Source: Archival Accessions

Kieltzer Sick Benefit Society [object] – [193-?].

Accession Number: 1985-5-3

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1985-5-3

Material Format: object

Physical Description: 1 pin

Date: [193-?]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a gold Kieltzer Sick Benefit Society pin engraved with "for not drawing ten years benefit".

Administrative History: The Kieltzer Society was organized in 1913 by a handful of immigrants from the city of Kieltz (Kielce) in Poland with the objective of creating a home away from home for themselves and the arriving new immigrants. They helped each other find jobs and accommodations, and they arranged opportunities to socialize with one another. As the Society became more established, it created a Free Loan Casa (fund). Members could borrow money for down payments on homes, starting businesses, and sending home parcels. Each member was also entitled to receive weekly sick benefits when necessary and free doctor visits.; Following the devastation of the Holocaust, there were new obligations and responsibilities for the Society. Members welcomed recently arrived immigrants from Kieltz into the Society and helped them adjust to a new life. These new members reinvigorated the Society with active participation and the organization of more social events. Once the immigrants became more settled in Toronto, the Kieltzer Society turned its efforts to strengthening the new State of Israel by raising funds, buying Israel Bonds and teaching the next generation the importance of its security. The members of the Society were awarded with pins and badges in recognition of their leadership and tzedakah. As the Kieltzer Society celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2013, it remains steadfast in its commitment to Israel and to preserving its legacy for future generations.

Name Access: Kieltzer Sick Benefit Society

Source: Archival Accessions

Sheldon Kert [textual record, object] – 1954.

Accession Number: 1994-11-3

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1994-11-3

Material Format: textual record; object

Physical Description: 1 folder of textual records; 1 pin

Date: 1954

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a United Jewish Appeal 1954 campaign pin and letter and a programme for a fashion show at the 1954 Hadassah Bazaar presented by the Scopus Chapter.

Source: Archival Accessions

Ostrovtzer Independent Mutual Benefit Society, Young Men's Branch [object, textual record] – 1949-1976.

Accession Number: 1988-4-1

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1988-4-1

Material Format: object; textual record

Physical Description: 3 cm of textual records; 3 artifacts

Date: 1949-1976

Scope and Content: Accession consists of records related to the Ostrovtzer Independent Mutual Benefit Society, Young Men's Branch including meeting minutes (1971-1976), invitations and programs (1949-1968), "Hilites" bulletins (1953-1956), as well as a small amount of general correspondence and a membership list. Also included are several artifacts, including an Ostrovtzer pin, an Ostrovetzer gavel presented to Al Speisman (1962) and a Solomon J. Freedman award plaque (1952-1972).

MG_RG: MG 2 B 1LL

Source: Archival Accessions

Max Swartz [textual record, graphic material, object] – [189-?]-[1989?].

Accession Number: 1992-6-2

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1992-6-2

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; object

Physical Description: ca. 20 cm of textual and graphic material; 1 notary stamp; 1 plaque

Date: [189-?]-[1989?]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of clippings, correspondence, invitatations and photographs reflecting the personal life and community contributions of H. Max Swartz. The records include honours, photocopied documents, newsletters, family snapshots and portraits, Swartz's notary public stamp and a small plaque from JIAS in appreciation of Swartz's contribution as president. There are also three scrapbooks containing letters, clippings and photographs.

Custodial History: The records were donated by H. Max Swartz's son Paul.

Administrative History: H. Max Swartz (1900-1989) was born and raised in Toronto, where he worked for decades as a lawyer and was a well-known leader in the community. Swartz studied law at Osgoode Hall and subsequently worked in the law firm of Nathan Phillips for six years and also helped plan Phillips's mayoral campaigns. Swartz was in his early twenties when both his parents died, and he supported his eight younger siblings, an aunt and his grandmother. Eventually he established his own law firm. He was also elected president of the Reading Law Club of the Upper Canada Law Societ (a Jewish law club). Swartz was made a member of the King's Counsel in 1948. He married Seraphine (Serry) Marshack in 1931 and together they had two sons, Paul and Myron.; Swartz's community work started early and never flagged. In 1919, he was one of the founders of the YM-YWHA and he served on its board of directors as president, chairman and then honourary vice president. He was a board member of the United Jewish Welfare Fund and Toronto Jewish Congress, a national executive member of Canadian Jewish Congress, and president of Toronto JIAS (Jewish Immigrant Aid Services) in 1951-1952. In the 1980s, the Jewish Community Centre set up the H. Max Swartz Leadership Development Fund in his honour, and Swartz received a commendation from the mayor of Toronto for his dedication to the preservation of historic buildings, including the Gooderham flatiron building and others in the St. Lawrence Market area of the city. H. Max Swartz died at the age of 88 in 1989.

Source: Archival Accessions

Abe Goldberg [object, textual record, graphic material] – 1928-[ca. 1944].

Accession Number: 1982-7-6

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1982-7-6

Material Format: object; textual record; graphic material

Physical Description: 1 poster; 3 cm of textual records; Artifacts

Date: 1928-[ca. 1944]

Scope and Content: This accession includes a Standard Theatre poster for the play Sheindele from Slabodke, staring Mischa and Lucy German (1928). This production was also known as Papirosn-makherin (Cigarette Maker) and Reizele from Slabodke and was staged in 1927 in the Hopkinson Theatre then in Philadelphia with Clara Young, Lucy German, and Vera Rosanka.; Also included are pages from a scrapbook with Jewish Standard editorial writings from the 1930s by Hye Bossin. Topics include life on Spadina Avenue and in Kensinton Market, Yiddish entertainers, Emma Goldman's visit to Toronto, Caplan's Cafe, athletes, and the Toronto Islands. As well, there is a metal plate for F. B. Harris, circa 1944, with an inscription on it in memory of Sgt. F. B. Harris who "died in his country's service 6 June, 1944."

Descriptive Notes: Availability of other formats: The Standard Theatre poster and Emma Goldman interview are available as digital files.

Subjects: Newspapers; Theatrical posters, Yiddish

Name Access: Bossin, Hye; Goldman, Emma, 1869-1940; Harris, Fred. B.; Standard Theatre (Toronto, Ont.)

Places: Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.); Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Archie and Sophie Bennett [object, textual record, graphic material] – 1939-1975.

Accession Number: 1984-7-4

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1984-7-4

Material Format: object; textual record; graphic material

Physical Description: Artifacts; 30 cm of textual records; photographs

Date: 1939-1975

Scope and Content: Accession consists of textual records, graphic materials, and an artifact pertaining to Sophie and Archie Bennett. The textual records are made up of newspaper clippings, books, visitor log, correspondence, and event programmes. The graphic material relates to photographs of Archie Bennett and photograph postcards. Of note is a selection of postcards sent to Sophie Bennett by Ethel Ostry on 5 June 1945 from Germany. There is a scrapbook and other commemorative items and letters addressed to Sophie Bennett honouring her work as national president of ORT in 1965 as well as celebrating her 70th birthday. The artifact is a ceremonial key for the Jewish Public Library from 8 April 1951 given to Archie Bennett as he was president of the library at the time of its opening in 1951. Other subject matter related to this accession are as follows: Canadian Jewish Congress, ORT, United Jewish Appeal, Zion Benevolent Association, Hadassah-WIZO, United Jewish Welfare Fund, and the Zionist Organization of Canada.

Administrative History: Archie (A.B.) Bennett and Sophie Bennett (born 1895) were members of the Toronto Jewish community. Archie Bennett was pesident of the Jewish Public Library in Toronto at the time of the opening of the library's building at 22 Glen Park Ave in 1951. Archie Bennett was also involved with the Jewish Standard. Sophie Bennett was the national president of ORT (1959-1964) and was honoured at a testimonial dinner in 1965 for her contributions.

Source: Archival Accessions

Bernard and Dora Coffler [textual record, graphic material, object] – 1900-1979.

Accession Number: 2004-3-2

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2004-3-2

Material Format: textual record; graphic material; object

Physical Description: ca. 3 cm of textual records and other material; 7 photographs b&w and col ; 20 x 25 cm or smaller

Date: 1900-1979

Scope and Content: This accession consists of material documenting the donor's grandparents Dora and Bernard Coffler. It includes portraits of her grandparents and an exterior photograph of the Coffler Bedding Co., activities and fiftieth wedding celebration. This accession also includes: documents such as their passports, wedding certificate and identification cards; correspondence from David Croll; press clippings relating to their wedding and anniversary; an Ezras Noshem Society pin (1927); an Adath Israel Congregation Golden Jubilee Book and key chain (1952); and a Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary 25th Anniversary Year Book.

Administrative History: Bernard and Dora Coffler arrived in Canada from Roumania in 1900 and 1901 respectively. They met in 1902 and married on 21 May 1904 in Toronto. They reportedly were the first couple to be married on a Sunday in Toronto. They had three children: Myer (1905), Goldie (1910), and Sam (1914).; The Coffler's opened up a business called Coffler Bedding Co., which was located at 391 Parliament Street.; Dora Coffler was very active in two organizations, the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire (IODE) as well as the Mount Sinai Hospital Auxiliary called the Ezras Noshem Society.; Bernard and Dora Coffler passed away in 1960 and 1971 respectively.

Descriptive Notes: Physical description note: includes 7 photographs, 1 key chain, 1 pin and 1 coin.

Subjects: Weddings; Storefronts

Name Access: Coffler Bedding Co.; Adath Israel Congregation (Toronto, Ont.); Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto, Ont.); Croll, David, 1900-1991; Ezras Noshem Society (Toronto, Ont.)

Places: Toronto (Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Bobbie Rosenfeld [object] – 1949–1981.

Accession Number: 1987-5-1

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1987-5-1

Material Format: object

Physical Description: Artifacts

Date: 1949–1981

Scope and Content: Plaque given to Bobbie Rosenfeld from City of Toronto. -- 16 January 1951. -- 1 plaque : metal, book shape, mounted on lucite, col. ; 32 X 38 cm Plaque is in fair condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 19.; Plaque given to Bobbie Rosenfeld by The Canadian Press. -- 1950. -- 1 plaque : metal, golden, mounted on wood ; 28 x 38 cm. -- An image of Rosenfeld appears on the metal Plaque is in fair condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 19.; Medallion given to Bobbie Rosenfeld by the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. -- 1981. -- 1 medallion : bronze , in wooden case ; 10 cm in diam. -- A bronze circular medallion with an engraved arm holding a torch in front of the Star of David. The wooden box has a small plaque mounted on the inside. Medallion is in good condition. Current location: PacArt, Box 19.

Source: Archival Accessions

Sydney M. Harris [object] – 1975.

Accession Number: 1976-7-1

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1976-7-1

Material Format: object

Physical Description: 1 badge

Date: 1975

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a World Jewish Congress Plenary Assembly delegate badge from 1975.

Descriptive Notes: Canadian Jewish Congress.; Joint Community Relations Committee.; Soviet Jewry.

Source: Archival Accessions

Magerman-Shefsky families [graphic material, textual record, object] – 1921-1971.

Accession Number: 2004-5-14

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2004-5-14

Material Format: graphic material; textual record; object

Physical Description: 10 cm of textual records; 1 medallion; 2 coins; 2 lapel pins; 8 photographs

Date: 1921-1971

Scope and Content: This accession consists of photographs and textual materials relating to the Shefsky and Magerman family; immigration and naturalization papers for Max and Toba Shefsky; photographs depicting the Toronto textile trade; Hungarian currency; school yearbooks from Harbord Collegiate, Toronto Normal School, Borochov School and Kindergarten, and Vaughan Road Collegiate Institute; newsclippings; and several Baycrest Centre lapel pins and coins. Also included is a photo of the Ray-Magerman wedding party (8 May 1948). The records origianlly belonged to Esther (Magerman) Ray.

Custodial History: The materials were kept by Leslie Gales, wife of Keith Ray

Administrative History: Abe Magerman was the assistant manager for the International Ladies Garment Workers' Union for many years. He was married to Jennie (nee Shefsky) Magerman and had two children, Esther and Alfred. Esther attended Toronto Normal School and Harbord Collegiate while both Esther and Alfred attended the Borochov School and Kindergarten.; Jennie (nee Shefsky) Magerman was the daughter of Myer and Toba Rayzel (nee Nusynovitch) Shefsky. The Baycrest pins and coins once belonged to her.; The donor, Keith Ray, is the son of Esther (nee Magerman) Ray and Gerald (Jerry) Ray. Gerald Ray attended Vaughan Collegiate Institute and later went on to the University of Toronto for chemical engineering

Subjects: Families

Source: Archival Accessions

David Ben-Gurion Medal presented to Benjamin Schneider by Ben-Gurion [object] – 1967.

Accession Number: 2004-5-86

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2004-5-86

Material Format: object

Physical Description: 1 medal

Date: 1967

Scope and Content: Accession consists of a large circular copper coloured medal enclosed in glass or acrylic. The inscription says that it was presented to Benjamin Schneider by Ben-Gurion on March 20, 1967.

Source: Archival Accessions

Contorowitz family and Phil Granovsky [textual record, object, graphic material] – 1915-1944.

Accession Number: 2004-5-111

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2004-5-111

Material Format: textual record; object; graphic material

Physical Description: 1 folder of textual records; 1 pin; 1 photograph : b&w ; 14 x 9 cm

Date: 1915-1944

Scope and Content: Accession consists of records pertaining to the Contorowitz family including the marriage certificate of Nathan Contorowitz and Gertie Sand in Toronto, Grace Street School transfer records for their three children, and a 1940 voter registration form for Gertie Contorowitz. In addition there is a photograph of Phil Granovsky taken at Smith Bay House, Port Carling, Ontario in 1944 and an unidentified pin with Hebrew lettering inscribed "founded 1912".

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.

Name Access: Granovsky, Phil, 1921-1995

Places: Port Carling (Ont.); Toronto (Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Anne Schwartz [object, textual record] – [ca. 1910]-1942.

Accession Number: 2004-5-85

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 2004-5-85

Material Format: object; textual record

Physical Description: 1 folder of textual records; 1 passport case

Date: [ca. 1910]-1942

Scope and Content: This accession consists of the Canadian naturalization papers and passports (Russian) of Morris and Mary Rose and a record relating to Gurofsky's Steamship Agency.The passports are housed in a cloth protective case provided by the steamship company F.Missler of Bremen, Germany.

Source: Archival Accessions

Kieltzer Sick Benefit Society [object] – [192-].

Accession Number: 1975-008

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1975-008

Material Format: object

Physical Description: 2 badges

Date: [192-]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of two Kieltzer Sick Benefit Society members' badges.

Subjects: Societies

Name Access: Kieltzer Sick Benefit Society (Toronto, Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

M. Gebirtig [object, textual record] – 1906-[193-?].

Accession Number: 1975-015

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1975-015

Material Format: object; textual record

Physical Description: 1 name plaque; 1 folder of textual records

Date: 1906-[193-?]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of an M. Gebirtig name plaque from the Beaches Hebrew Institute of Toronto. The plaque is gold-and-black metal. Also included is a seat deed for the McCaul Street Synagogue and a deed to plots at the McCaul Street Synagogue cemetery.

MG_RG: MG3A3; MG3A21

Subjects: Synagogues

Name Access: Beach Hebrew Institute (Toronto, Ont.); McCaul Street Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Places: Toronto (Ont.)

Source: Archival Accessions

Shimon Nepom [textual record, object] – [between 1900 and 1939].

Accession Number: 1976-6-1

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1976-6-1

Material Format: textual record; object

Physical Description: 1 folder of textual records; 1 typewriter

Date: [between 1900 and 1939]

Scope and Content: Accession consists of Shimon Nepom's folding Corona Typewriter in Yiddish, with case. Accession also includes poems handwritten in Yiddish in a 1933 journal book.

Administrative History: Shimon Nepom was a Yiddish poet, born in Elizavetgrad, Kherson in 1882 and died in Toronto in 1939. He was an author as well, and a TTC motorman.

MG_RG: MG6D

Subjects: Poets, Yiddish

Name Access: Nepom, Shimon, 1882-1939

Source: Archival Accessions

Louis Danto [object, textual record] – [190-]-1953.

Accession Number: 1977-8-2

Source: Archival Accessions

Accession Number: 1977-8-2

Material Format: object; textual record

Physical Description: 13 objects; Textual records

Date: [190-]-1953

Scope and Content: Accession consists of material donated by Louis Danto. Included are thirteen artifacts and a small number of documents.; Artifacts include an arch covering from the early 1900s, a Torah cover, tablecloth, white bag (Torah cover?), white silk table cover, a white night shirt, a white silk table cover, a coloured table cloth, a bridge table cover, a dark green bed spread, a red silk table cloth, and a silk hat belonging to a cantor.; The documents include photocopies of the Hebrew Men of England constitution, a deed to seat for D. Cohen, a twenty-fifth anniversary synagogue for Hebrew Men of England, and a Bais Yehuda bulletin.

MG_RG: MG3A15; MG3A18

Source: Archival Accessions