- Accession Number
- 1979-11-1
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 1979-11-1
- Material Format
- text
- textual record
- graphic material
- Physical Description
- 1 book
- 8 microfiche sheets
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
- Date
- 1889-1917
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of records created by Goel Tzedec Congregation. Included are microfiche of minutes and ledgers, a copy of a Seder T'filas Yisroel donated to Goel Tzedec by Chaim Smith in 1917, and a class photograph for the Farband Shule taken in the late 1930s.
- Included in the photograph are Hershel Fogle, Rivkah G, Fayge Weingarten, Sarah Gingold, Aaron Hermaub, Shangle Atkin, Lil Newman, Etle Brody, Rochel Blumenshtein, Chava Smith, Sora Zweig, Yaacov Drexler, Malka, Yaacov Rosenzweig, Aaron Shnipper, Klumann, Shore, Aaron Folk and the teachers Fogle, Leah Lander, Shopsai Rappaport, Moishe Rigelhaupt, and Dr. Isaiah Rabinowich
- Custodial History
- Records were kept by Goel Tzedec and later Beth Tzedec and were donated by the museum on behalf of Dr. Fred Weinberg
- Administrative History
- Goel Tzedec was established in 1883. It was originally an orthodox congregation founded by a group of recent immigrants from Lithuania. The first synagogue was situated in a room on Richmond and York Streets. Three years later they purchased and remodelled a building on University Avenue at Elm Street that was owned by the Methodist Church. Finally, in 1904 they hired an architect to construct a large building that was perfectly suited to their needs. In February of 1907, the building on University Avenue was dedicated and became the largest synagogue in Toronto, accommodating 1200 congregants.
- During the early decades of the twentieth century, Goel Tzedec became more ethnically mixed and established a religious school and women's auxiliary to help raise money and run special events. In 1925, the Congregation joined the Conservative Synagogue Movement and introduced changes to its services.
- After the Second World War, Goel Tzedec and its sister synagogue, Beth Hamidrash Hagadol amalgamated in September 1952 to form Beth Tzedec. The two congregations worked together to build a synagogue which was built in the North end of the city on Bathurst and was dedicated 9 December 1955. Rabbi Stuart E. Rosenberg served as Beth Tzedec's first Rabbi and J. Benjamin Friedberg as its Assistant Rabbi. The Chazzan at the time was Cantor Joseph Cooper. The synagogue adhered to the principles of the Conservative Movement and represents the largest synagogue in Toronto
- Subjects
- Synagogues
- Name Access
- Goel Tzedec Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 1984-12-6
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 1984-12-6
- Material Format
- text
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Date
- 1927-1944
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of books, periodicals and pamphlets relating to Jewish history in Canada. Included is a Balfour Manor Camp booklet (1944), a souvenir program of the Daughters of Zion Scopus Chapter theatre night, and a Jewish Old Folks Home directory of Toronto from 1935-6.
- Name Access
- Jewish Old Folks Home
- Balfour Manor Camp
- Daughters of Zion Scopus Chapter
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 1985-5-12
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 1985-5-12
- Material Format
- text
- Physical Description
- 6 volumes
- Date
- 1928-1960
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of various issues of the Naomi Chapter cook book. The 1928 and 1934 issues contain handwritten notes, newsclippings, and marginalia.
- Custodial History
- The 1928 cookbook (and possibly the others) belonged to Helen Merker Stanway (her last name was previously Steinberg before it was changed to Stanway). The donor saw the book for sale at her friend's garage sale and took it for the OJA. Her friend was the daughter of Helen.
- MG_RG
- MG 2 J 1i
- Subjects
- Community cookbooks
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 1980-2-2
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 1980-2-2
- Material Format
- text
- graphic material
- Physical Description
- 15 cm of textual records and other material
- Date
- 1935-1962
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of material documenting the Workmen's Circle (Arbeiter Ring). Included are: three architectural drawings of the summer cottage for Camp Yunvelt (Pickering, Ont.); two group portraits (one with identification and one without); a bound periodical/journal from 1935; a hardcopy of Fertsik yor arbeter-ring: a geshikhte in bilder (English: Forty Years Workmen's Circle: A History in Pictures) put out by the National Executive Committee of the Workmen's Circle in 1940; a bound periodical/journal of Kultur un dertsiung (English: Culture and Education) for the year 1942; a bound periodical/journal of Der freynd (English: The Friend) for the year 1942; a booklet by Rev. Nathan Stolnitz's titled Some of the Numerous Comments and Reviews on Music in Jewish Life (1957?); a newspaper clipping titled "A bukh vom oyngt" (English: A Book That Opens) that was published in 1957; a hardcopy of Workmen's Circle, Pioneers and Builders put out by the Workmen's Circle Pioneers and Builders Committee in 1962; and two other Yiddish-language publications that have not been identified.
- Administrative History
- The Workmen's Circle (Yiddish: Arbeiter Ring) was founded in the United States by Jewish immigrants in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Circle branches were established in Canada in Montreal and Toronto in 1907 and 1908. In 1917, the Toronto branches incorporated as nonprofit organization called the Arbeiter Ring. The organization celebrated its centenery in 2017.
- Descriptive Notes
- Language: Most of the material in the accession is in Yiddish. The drawings are in English and a few of the publications are in English and Yiddish.
- Subjects
- Camps
- Cottages
- Nonprofit organizations
- Name Access
- Workmen's Circle (Toronto, Ont.)
- Places
- Pickering (Ont.)
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-138
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2004-5-138
- Material Format
- philatelic record
- Physical Description
- 1 Stamp
- Date
- 1941
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of a Young Judea Second World War savings stamp with an inscription "Help Hang Hitler" and a drawing. A note on the back says "displayed at Brantford synagogue" and "coutesy of Sam Resnick".
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2006-2-13
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2006-2-13
- Material Format
- text
- Physical Description
- 1 issue
- Date
- 2 July 1926
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of one issue of the Canadain Jewish Review from 2 July 1926.
- Descriptive Notes
- Canadian Jewish Review.
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2006-4-1
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2006-4-1
- Material Format
- text
- Physical Description
- 4 texts
- Date
- 1935-2000
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of 4 books of poetry written by Morris J. Granite / Morris Granatstein including Street Corners (1935), My City Lodz (1995), Welcome to the Year 2000 (1999), and Toronto, My City (2000).
- Administrative History
- Morris J. Granite was born in 1911 in Lodz, Poland. His parents had a small business dyeing textiles, which they operated out of their apartment on Constantinouska Street, Lodz. His father's family originally came from Glowaszow in Radom, Poland.
- In 1926, the family immigrated to Toronto. During the Great Depression, he worked in Toronto, New York City and Philadelphia as a waiter, power press operator, construction worker and teacher at Hebrew and Yiddish schools. Morris served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. He later worked as a teacher and draftsman in his early years and then as a builder in his middle to later years. The buildings and homes that he worked on still stand in Cuba, Detroit and Toronto.
- He served as president of the Jewish Public Library, editor of the Canadian Jewish Outlook, and as a member of the League of Canadian Poets. He was also a major supporter of artistic and progressive causes.
- Throughout his life, he possessed a true passion for the written word. He published many articles and poems in literary magazines. He also produced four books of poetry: Street Corners (1935), My City Lodz (1995), Welcome to the Year 2000 (1999), and Toronto, My City (2000). At first, he published under the name Granite and later relied on Granatstein as his surname for his last three books.
- He had one daugher, Ettie and two grandchildren. His long-time companion was Barbara Moore.
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2007-9-2
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2007-9-2
- Material Format
- graphic material (electronic)
- textual record (electronic)
- architectural drawing (electronic)
- Physical Description
- 37 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg) + 2 identification keys
- 16 documents (28 jpgs)
- 2 architectural drawings (jpg)
- Date
- [189-]-2004
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of scanned copies of original records documenting the Jewish community in Cornwall. The records relate to various individuals in the community, including the donor, as well as organizations such as B'nai Brith, Hebrew Ladies' Aid Society, and the Beth-El Congregation. The items include scans of cemetery plans, burial certificates, photographs, meeting minutes, memorial books and various legal documents.
- Photographs are as follows:
- 01. Sixtieth anniversary of D-Day program.
- 02. Abe and Rose Goldhamer, Long Sault Rapids before the seaway, ca. 1941.
- 03. Al Burnes in uniform. Al lived in Cornwall and moved to Toronto, [between 1939 and 1945].
- 04. Archie Dover, first person buried in the new cemetery, pg. 1, 1962.
- 05. Archie Dover, first person buried in the new cemetery, pg. 2, 1962.
- 06. Beth El Synagogue, exterior, nd.
- 07. Beth El Synagogue, interior, nd.
- 08. Birdie Phillips Miller.
- 09. B’nai Brith, ca. 1961. [obverse]
- 10. B’nai Brith, ca. 1961. [reverse]
- 11. B’nai Brith entertaining seniors from Glen Stor Dun Lodge, 1964.
- 12. B’nai Brith girls temporary charter, 1967.
- 13. B’nai Brith Youth Organization temporary charter, 1967.
- 14. Boys playing hockey behind the shul, 1930s. Back row, left to right: unidentified, Jack Abrugov, Murray Berns, Julius Kolomier. Front row, left to right: unidentified, Jack Goldhamer, unidentified, unidentified, unidentified.
- 15. Braham Goldhamer on piano.
- 16. Cemetery plan from office of LP Stidwill, civil engineer and Ontario land surveyor, April 18 1958.
- 17. Cemetery plan, nd.
- 18. Construction of the St. Lawrence Seaway, Robert Saunders Dam, 1957.
- 19. B’nai Brith emergency meeting minutes, 1967.
- 20. Entertainer, Helen Goldhamer and her father, Julius Miller.
- 21. General meeting regarding building of the synagogue, pg. 1, Oct. 5, 1924.
- 22. General meeting regarding building of the synagogue, pg. 2, Oct. 5, 1924.
- 23. B’nai Brith Cornwall Lodge, 1961. [obverse] Pictured are, Standing left to right: Moe Helperin, Peter Solway, Oscar Niduvitch, Louis Dubinsky, Alex Abugor, Sam Nyman, Moe Schulman, Bernard Miller, I. Martin, Saul Schulman. Seated left to right: Mark Goldhamer, Sam Smolkin, Saul Kaye, Mrs. Eddie Cantor (guest speaker), Rabbi Matts, Julius Miller.
- 24. B’nai Brith Cornwall Lodge, 1961. [reverse]
- 25. Hebrew School, ca. 1958.
- 26. Helen, Mark and Brham Goldhamer, ca. 1958.
- 27. Helen Goldhamer on the St. Lawrence just west of Cornwall.
- 28. Helen Goldhamer speaking.
- 29. Helen Goldhamer thanking guest speaker.
- 30. Joel Horovitz, bar mitzvah programme, 1954.
- 31. Julius Miller and daughter Helen Goldhamer with father Moses Miller (seated) and grandson Braham Goldhamer at age 2.
- 32. Julius Miller and wife Birdie in front of their furniture company’s first truck, ca. 1946.
- 33. Julius Miller Grove invitation to ceremony, 1969.
- 34. Julius Miller Grove letter, 1969.
- 35. Julius Miller Grove plaque, ca. 1969.
- 36. [Phillips family?], ca. 1900.
- 37. Annette Phillips and Mary Phillips, ca. 1948.
- 38. Julius Miller presented with a pin by Mrs. Eddie Cantor at an Israel Bonds drive, 1961.
- 39. Nathan Phillips with unidentified boy.
- 40. Left to right: Annette Phillips, Mary Phillips, Birdie Phillips Miller and Riva Phillips, 1940s.
- 41. Left to right: Archie Dover, Julius Miller and Rabbi Lewin at the Memory Board dedication.
- 42. Left to right: Helen Goldhamer, Sarah Vineberg, Mrs. M. Phillips, Birdie Phillips Miller, Annette Phillips, ca. 1938.
- 43. Succot. Left to right: Margot Miller, Jack Miller and Braham Goldhamer, ca. 1956.
- 44. Left to right: Mark Goldhamer, Iruim Thaw, Saul Schulman and guest speaker, ca. 1961.
- 45. Nathan and Sam Phillips, ca. 1920.
- 46. Legal letter regarding the deed to the cemetery, pg. 1, 1929.
- 47. Legal letter regarding the deed to the cemetery, pg. 2, 1929.
- 48. Markus Goldhamer RCAF discharge papers, pg. 1, 1945.
- 49. Markus Goldhamer RCAF discharge papers, pg. 2, 1945.
- 50. Markus Goldhamer RCAF photo, Second World War.
- 51. Mary Phillips, life member of Hadassah-WIZO card, April 5, 1954.
- 52. Memorial book, pg. 1, 1926.
- 53. Memorial book, pg. 2, 1926.
- 54. Memorial book, pg. 3, 1926.
- 55. Memorial book, pg. 4, 1926.
- 56. Memory board.
- 57. Moses Miller.
- 58. Original minutes forming the B’nai Brith chapter in Cornwall, pg. 1, 1934.
- 59. Original minutes forming the B’nai Brith chapter in Cornwall, pg. 2, 1934.
- 60. Original minutes forming the B’nai Brith chapter in Cornwall, pg. 3, 1934.
- 61. Original minutes forming the B’nai Brith chapter in Cornwall, pg. 4, 1934.
- 62. Part of crowd at the annual dinner in Beth El Synagogue hall.
- 63. Photocopy of Hebrew Ladies’ Aid meeting minutes, pg. 1, Nov. 29, 1922.
- 64. Photocopy of Hebrew Ladies’ Aid meeting minutes, pg. 2, Nov. 29, 1922.
- 65. President of B’nai Brith Mark Goldhamer speaking. Helen Goldhamer seated to his left.
- 66. Riva Phillips beside Julius Miller Furniture shop, 1950s.
- 67. Thank you card to Mark Goldhamer, pg. 1.
- 68. Thank you card to Mark Goldhamer, pg. 2.
- 69. [Phillips family?], ca. 1900.
- Custodial History
- The original records are in the possession of the donor. The OJA was granted permission to scan the records in September 2007, as part of the Ontario Small Jewish Communities initiative. These copies were then donated to the Archives on 2007-09-04.
- Subjects
- Communities
- Cemeteries
- Name Access
- Goldhamer, Mark
- Places
- Cornwall (Ont.)
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2008-8-20
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2008-8-20
- Material Format
- text
- Physical Description
- 1 text
- Date
- 1930
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of a 1930 school book belonging to the Talmud Torah in Sudbury and stamped "Sudbury Share Shumaim 1913." The book, published by the Department of Synagogue and School Extension of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations, is called Entertaining Programs for the Assembly in the Jewish Religious School and features suggestions for teachers for dramatizations, songs, poems and programs in Jewish studies. The author is Elma Ehrlich Levinger.
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2009-5-2
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2009-5-2
- Material Format
- philatelic record
- graphic material
- Physical Description
- 33 postage stamps (12 electronic)
- 1 photograph : col. ; 21 x 26 cm
- Date
- 1970-1998
- Scope and Content
- This accession consists of a sheet of 15 postage stamps of former Prime Minister of Israel Levi Eshkol, printed in 1970 and featuring a portrait taken by Gilbert in 1968; a sheet of 6 postage stamps of former Israeli president Chaim Herzog printed in 1998 and featuring a portrait taken by Gilbert in 1989, as well as a CD featuring several Israeli stamps from the donor's personal collection. There is also a photograph of Conrad Black and American president Richard Nixon.
- Subjects
- Prime ministers--Israel
- Name Access
- Gilbert, Al
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2009-6-7
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2009-6-7
- Material Format
- architectural drawing (electronic)
- Physical Description
- 5 architectural drawings (pdf)
- Date
- [1992?]
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of five PDF files of architectural drawings for the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre. Three files show the floorplans for the three floors of the centre, and two files show the renovations to the building.
- Custodial History
- The original plans are in the possession of Makrimichalos Cugini Architects.
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Committee meeting agendas, minutes, reports and correspondence series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- text
- Date
- 1942-1998
- Physical Description
- ca. 3.3 metres of textual records
- 14 photographs
- 1 book
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of the correspondence, minutes, agendas, and reports of a wide variety of committees of the Canadian Jewish Congress. The bulk of the material relates to the CJC National and Ontario region executive committees, officers' committees, and plenary arrangements committees. Additional records relate to committees concerned with such topics as, small Jewish communities, culture, Holocaust remembrance, student campus services, education, finance and fundraising, kashruth, and Israel.
- Notes
- Files created by the United Jewish Relief Agencies have been removed and may now be found within Fonds 17, Series 4.
- Files created by the Committee for Soviet Jewry have been removed and may now be found within Fonds 17, Series 3
- Files created by the Joint Community Relations Committee have been removed and may now be found within fonds 17, Series 5.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Some records are closed for conservation reasons.
- Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Maurice Solway fonds
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 13
- File
- 12
- Material Format
- text
- Date
- [ca. 1923]
- Physical Description
- 1 v.
- Admin History/Bio
- Maurice Solway studied and taught at the Hambourg Conservatory of Music, in Toronto, between 1921 and 1926. His teachers there included Henri Czaplinsky and Geza de Kresz. By arrangement with the Conservatory he subsidized his own studies with these violinists by teaching younger students.
- Scope and Content
- The syllabus is 72 pages and outlines the course of study for students in the conservatory. The back pages of the syllabus include numerous advertisements for music and student related companies from that time in Toronto.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Cowan family fonds
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 102
- File
- 52
- Material Format
- text
- graphic material
- Date
- [ca.1920]-[ca.193-]
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 6 cm
- 1 text
- Admin History/Bio
- Woolf Colvin was the Chairman, Department of Economics, Eastern District High School, Brooklyn, New York and the eldest of the nine Cohen (Cowan) siblings.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a photograph of Woolf Colvin (Cohen) and a 1934 textbook "Economic Problems of Today" by Jacob Klein A.M. and Woolf Colvin Ph.D.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ida Lewis Siegel fonds
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 15
- File
- 9
- Material Format
- textual record
- text
- Date
- 1926-1975
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of one book, "The Story of the Women Teachers' Association of Toronto", written correspondence to and from Ida Siegel on a variety of topics concerning education, women's issues, her service as a school trustee,a newspaper clipping, 2 programmes listing Ida Siegel as serving on the Board of Education for Ward 4, Ida's membership card with and bylaws for the Workers' Educational Association.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ida Lewis Siegel fonds
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 15
- File
- 31
- Material Format
- text
- Date
- 1912-[ca. 1930]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of 5 books belonging to Ida Lewis Siegel: "True Friendship Like the Ivy Clings", "Lays of Ancient Rome", "The Vision of Sir Launfal" by Lowell, "Gems from Longfellow" and "Mumu and Kassyan of Fair Springs" by Ivan Turgenev".
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- David Pinkus fonds
- Level
- Fonds
- Fonds
- 138
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- graphic material (electronic)
- architectural drawing
- philatelic record
- sound recording
- cartographic material
- object
- Date
- 1854-2021
- Physical Description
- ca. 2.4 m of textual records
- ca. 600 photographs : b&w and col. (ca. 90 negatives); 30 x 35 cm or smaller
- other material
- Admin History/Bio
- David Pinkus (1924-2021) was born on May 11, 1924, at the Toronto General Hospital to Isadore Pinkus (1887-1947) and Molly (Mollie) Pinkus (née Parelstein) (1892-1990). Isadore was born in Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire; Molly was born in Podolia Gubernia of the Russian Empire and later moved to Ukraine with her family. Isadore and Molly met and married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1910 and moved to Toronto in 1911. The Pinkus family settled in Kensington Market in around 1914 and was one of the first Jewish settlers to the Kensington neighbourhood. David spent his entire life living in the Kensington Market area. He lived on 83 Huron Street until 1927 when the Pinkus family moved to 34 Nassau Street, which has been the house of the Pinkus family ever since. David had two siblings: brother Max and sister Goldie.
- In his childhood, David attended the Brunswick Talmud Torah daily and learned Hebrew. He had his bar mitzvah at the Kiever Shul. David attended William Houston School until 1930 and Ryerson Public School until grade eight. Later, he attended Harbord School for high school and was also involved with sports at Harbord Collegiate and YMHA. In 1947, David obtained his Bachelor of Applied Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto. After graduation, he worked at Goodyear for one year and returned to the University of Toronto as an instructor of engineering drawing and machine design. Later, he worked at various places such as Canadian Industries Limited in Maitland, Toronto Iron Works, and Avro Aircraft Limited.
- David’s father, Isadore, was one of the founders of the Kiever Synagogue. David’s involvement with the Kiever Synagogue started in 1947, following Isadore’s death. David served as president and held positions on the executive of the Kiever Shul and played a principal role in the restoration of the shul. He also served on Toronto’s Board of Health as well as the boards of the Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, and St. Christopher House. In addition, David was an active community leader and local historian. He did genealogical research for many Toronto Jewish families. David had been recognized by the National Jewish Federation of North America as a Jewish community hero in 2011. He passed away on May 6, 2021.
- Custodial History
- Records received after the death of David Pinkus through Joseph Solomon, the executor of David Pinkus’ estate. Records have been selected by archivists following a site visit at David’s home at 34 Nassau Street, Toronto.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of textual records, graphic material, sound recordings, architectural drawings, artifacts, and a small number of philatelic records, most of which document David Pinkus’ career and personal life, the Pinkus family, the Kiever Shul, the Kiever Cemetery, as well as Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Mount Sinai Memorial Park) and the Dawes Road Cemeteries (Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees), of which the Kiever Congregation is a member organization. Also included are documents and photographs of other individuals and families, which David collected for his genealogical research, and those that are pertaining to Kensington Market and other congregations and cemeteries.
- Textual records include correspondence; scrapbooks; education records; identification documents; research notes and clippings relating to David’s genealogical research; documents pertaining to his Kensington Market activism and community work; files on David’s engineering career and his role as president of the Kiever Shul; and files documenting the Pinkus family members, such as funeral documents, notebooks, family correspondence, voters’ lists, and records relating to Pinkus Fruit Co. and 34 Nassau Street. Also included are records documenting the Kiever Shul, which include meeting minutes, ledger books, financial documents, legal documents, membership lists and application forms, address books, high holiday service cards, and historic papers dating from the 1920s and 1930s. Textual records documenting the Kiever Cemetery, Mount Sinai Memorial Park, and the Dawes Road Cemeteries are mainly comprised of cemetery maps, burial plot cards, burial record books, by-laws and regulations, and meeting minutes. Also present are records pertaining to other congregations and cemeteries, such as constitution books, brochures, booklets, and copies of legal documents.
- Photographs mainly feature David Pinkus and the Kiever Cemetery, with a small number featuring the Pinkus family members, the Junction Synagogue (Congregation Knesseth Israel), the Great Choral Synagogue of Kyiv, and those that David collected for his genealogical research.
- Architectural drawings of this fonds include the restoration and renovation plan for the Kiever Shul and the alteration plan for Mount Sinai Cemetery Administration Building.
- Also present are sound recordings, including cassettes and microcassettes of David Pinkus; and artifacts, including felt patches, pin back buttons, medals, Toronto foot-pedlar registration badges, and a wooden gavel of the Kiever Shul.
- Fonds has been arranged into the following series: David Pinkus’ personal records; Kensington Market; David Pinkus’ genealogical research; the Pinkus family; the Kiever Shul; the Kiever Cemetery; Mount Sinai Memorial Park; the Dawes Road Cemeteries; and other associations, congregations, and cemeteries.
- Notes
- PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 22 architectural drawings, 7 maps, 4 audio cassettes, 2 microcassettes, 1 optical disc, 8 drawings, 2 prints, 1 photo collage, 34 pinback buttons, 15 Toronto padler-on-foot registration badges, 8 felt patches, 3 medals, 3 brooches, 1 wooden gavel, 2 tax tokens, 2 postage stamps, 1 sales tax stamp, and 9 revenue stamps.
- SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: Books that were initially included in this fonds have been removed and incorporated into the OJA’s library collection. These books are: Spadina Avenue by Rosemary Donegan with an introduction by Rick Salutin, Toronto No Mean City by Eric Arthur revised by Stephen A. Otto, Canadian Jewish Directory edited by Edmond Y. Lipsitz, The Toronto Jewish Directory, and The Canada Year Book 1905 (second series).
- HISTORY/BIO NOTE: Information is sourced from OH 413 and the content of the fonds.
- Name Access
- Pinkus, David, 1924-2021
- Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
- Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Toronto, Ont.)
- Mount Sinai Memorial Park (Toronto, Ont.)
- Dawes Road Cemetery (Toronto, Ont.)
- Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees (Toronto, Ont.)
- Subjects
- Families
- Synagogues
- Genealogy
- Cemeteries
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
- Related Material
- See accessions 2004-1-5, 2004-1-6, 2004-2-1, 2008-11-9, 2016-3-48, and 2021-10-1 for additional information on the Kiever Shul; and OH 413 for more information on David Pinkus and the Pinkus family.
- Arrangement
- Records came into the OJA with no discernible order. Arrangement has been imposed by the archivist.
- Creator
- Pinkus, David, 1924-2021
- Places
- Toronto (Ont.)
- Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
- Accession Number
- 2021-7-3
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- David Pinkus fonds
- David Pinkus' personal records series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 138
- Series
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- sound recording
- object
- philatelic record
- Date
- [ca. 1903]-2021
- Physical Description
- ca. 50 cm of textual records
- ca. 120 photographs : b&w and col. ; 30 x 35 cm or smaller
- other material
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of records documenting David Pinkus’ career and personal life. In addition to David’s education and employment, many records also provide insight into his active involvement with the Toronto Jewish community as well as his passion for sports and the City of Toronto.
- Included are David’s secondary and post-secondary education records, certificates and awards, personal correspondence, invitations, greeting cards, scrapbooks, identification documents, licenses and permits, medical records, financial and insurance records, notes, newspaper clippings, address books, recommendation letters, application forms for jobs, and board appointments. Also included are records relating to his military service during the Second World War; his trips to Israel, Cuba, and the U.S.; and his collaborations with the Ontario Jewish Archives. Records that reflect his personal interests in sports and the Jewish community include historic photographs of sports teams, brochures and newspaper clippings pertaining to the Pavilion of Judaism at Expo 67, artworks featuring Jerusalem and synagogues, notated music of Yiddish-American songs, documents and historic letters in Yiddish and Hebrew, speeches and field-trip workbooks of Toronto’s Jewish community relationship building projects, and miscellaneous material such as personalized Hebrew New Year cards, tickets and promotional material of exhibitions, and the Handbook of Practical Cookery of Toronto Board of Education. Of note is his scrapbooks, which document the City of Toronto and the Ontario Jewish community. The scrapbooks are comprised mainly of photographs, postcards, newspaper clippings, postage stamps, wartime ration books, brochures, and historic TTC tickets. This series also contains David’s portraits, photographs featuring him at various events, cassettes and microcassettes, and artifacts of his personal collection such as one brooch, pinback buttons, felt patches, and medals. A small number of pinback buttons and felt patches are part of the scrapbooks.
- Notes
- PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 4 audio cassettes, 2 microcassettes, 2 paintings, 2 prints, 34 pinback buttons, 8 felt patches, 1 brooch, 3 medals, 2 postage stamps, and 9 revenue stamps.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- David Pinkus fonds
- The Pinkus family series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 138
- Series
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- object
- philatelic record
- Date
- 1909-2013
- Physical Description
- 10 cm of textual records
- 12 photographs : b&w and col. ; 10 x 15 cm or smaller
- other material
- Admin History/Bio
- David Pinkus’ father, Isadore (Israel) Pinkus (1887-1947), was born in Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire. David’s mother, Molly (Mollie) Pinkus (née Parelstein) (1892-1990), was born in Podolia Gubernia of the Russian Empire and later moved to Ukraine with her family. David’s maternal grandfather, Eliezar Parelstein, was a manager of a royal estate, while his paternal grandfather was in the cattle business. Isadore and Molly met and married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 16, 1910, and moved to Toronto in 1911. At that time, the Pinkus family lived with Moshe [Morris?] Brodsky in The Ward at 94 Edward Street between Bay and Yonge Street. In around 1914, the Pinkus family settled in Kensington and was one of the first Jewish settlers to the Kensington neighbourhood. Isadore worked various jobs and finally became a fruit and vegetable wholesaler servicing merchants in Kensington Market. He and other fourteen merchants of Toronto established a joint stock company named “The Mutual Fruit and Produce Company Limited” in 1923. The Pinkus family lived at 83 Huron Street in the early 1920s and then moved to 34 Nassau Street in 1927. Isadore and Molly were co-founders of the Kiever Shul.
- Molly’s brother, Myer Leib Parelstein (1885-1972), was born on January 15, 1885, in Kamianets-Podilskyi of the Russian Empire. He came to Canada in 1906 and obtained Canadian citizenship in 1909. Myer worked as a pedlar.
- David had two siblings: Max Pinkus (1912-2013) and Goldie Pinkus (1915-1973). Max was born on July 6, 1912, at Grace Hospital (College Street and Huron Street). He attended Ryerson Public School, Ogden Public School, and Central Technical School. He served in military for a short period of time during the Second World War through an immediate call for military training; at that time, he was an employee at an insurance company named Murray and Company, a branch of the Prudential Assurance Company Limited of London, England. Max was an active member of the Kiever Synagogue. His involvement with the Kiever started in as early as 1927 when the building of the synagogue was built. He was also a toy collector. Max passed away on March 16, 2013, in his 101st year.
- Goldie was born on February 13, 1915, at the Toronto Western Hospital, and handicapped from poliomyelitis from age three. She attended Ogden Public School and Wellesley School. David had a cousin also named Goldie Pinkus, known as Goldie Pinkus Michael. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1911 to Sadie Pinkus and married Sam Michael of Revere, Massachusetts. Goldie Pinkus is not to be confused with Goldie Pinkus Michael.
- Ernie Pinkus and Melvin (last name not specified) are David’s cousins. Ernie attended William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute, the University of Windsor, and the University of Waterloo. He worked at Audio Magic Inc. from 1981 to 1998 and has been serving as president of Satel Distribution since 1998.
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of records documenting the Pinkus family members—Isadore Pinkus, Molly (Mollie) Pinkus, Max Pinkus, Goldie Pinkus, Ernie Pinkus, Myer Leib Parelstein, Eliezar Parelstein, and Melvin (last name not identified). Included are constitution handbooks, licenses and permits, receipts, funeral records, sympathy cards, certificates, legal documents, mortgage records, postcards, correspondence, notebooks, education records, identification documents, application forms, birthday greetings, business cards, financial documents, voters’ lists, and historic papers pertaining to 34 Nassau Street. Series also contains a small number of photographs featuring Max Pinkus, Melvin, and the Pinkus family house at 34 Nassau Street. Also present are a prepaid sales tax stamp of the State of Ohio as well as artifacts, including two brooches of Molly Pinkus’ funeral, two tax tokens of the State of Washington, and fifteen pedlar-on-foot registration badges of Toronto.
- Notes
- PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 15 Toronto pedlar-on-foot registration badges, 2 funeral brooches, 2 tax tokens, and 1 sales tax stamp.
- HISTORY/BIO NOTE: The document indicating that Israel Pinkus was another name used by Isadore Pinkus was discovered on the Ancestry website and stored at S:\Collections\138-Pinkus
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- David Pinkus fonds
- David Pinkus’ personal records series
- Insurance booklet of Unemployment Insurance Commission file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 138
- Series
- 1
- File
- 7
- Material Format
- philatelic record
- Date
- 1946-1947
- Physical Description
- 1 booklet
- 5 revenue stamps
- 4 partial revenue stamps
- Scope and Content
- File consists of an Unemployment Insurance Commission insurance booklet for 1946-1947 with affixed revenue stamps issued by the Toronto office.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- David Pinkus fonds
- David Pinkus’ personal records series
- Scrapbook 2 (part 9 of 9) file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 138
- Series
- 1
- File
- 31
- Material Format
- textual record
- philatelic record
- Date
- [ca.1909]-2014
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- 2 postage stamps
- Scope and Content
- File consists of the nineth part of a scrapbook of David Pinkus. It documents miscellaneous topics relating to Toronto and the local Jewish community and is comprised of newspaper clippings, postage stamps, historic TTC tickets, a wartime ration book, and postcards. Also include are a postcard and a tourist brochure featuring the Niagara Parks.
- Arrangement
- The scrapbook has been dismantled for preservation purposes. According to the original order of the pages, the content of this scrapbook has been categorized based on subjects.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- David Pinkus fonds
- The Pinkus family series
- Max Pinkus file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 138
- Series
- 4
- File
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- object
- philatelic record
- Date
- [ca. 1930]- 2013
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- 9 photographs : b&w and col. ; 11 x 9 cm or smaller
- Other material
- Scope and Content
- File consists of Max Pinkus’ personal records. Included are photographs, identification documents, licenses, permits, award certificates, reminders of Toronto Zionist Council meetings, handwritten notes, funeral documents, correspondence, an auction-sale notification, documents relating to his military service during the Second World War, records concerning the registration of firearms, and birthday greetings sent from the Queen and the government of Canada in celebration of Max’s hundredth birthday. Also present are two tax tokens of the State of Washington and one prepaid sales tax stamp of the State of Ohio.
- Notes
- PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 2 tax tokens and 1 sales tax stamp.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Accession Number
- 2010-10-7
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2010-10-7
- Material Format
- architectural drawing (electronic)
- graphic material (electronic)
- textual record (electronic)
- Physical Description
- 3 compact discs
- Date
- 1976-2008
- Scope and Content
- This accession consists of three CDs containing 1. The original plans created by Jerome Markson for the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre along with relevant photographs and documents. These records were created between 1976 and 1984 and were digitized in 2007. 2. The mechanical as-builts for the Lipa Green Centre's Family Pavillion, created in 2008. 3. The drawings and specs issued for construction of the Lipa Green Centre's Family Pavillion created in May 2008.
- Custodial History
- The discs were in the possession of Stephanie Olin Chapman, Facilities Developer for the UJA Federation's Tomorrow Campaign.They were loaned to the Archives for copying and returned on Oct. 28, 2010.
- Administrative History
- UJA Federation's Tomorrow Campaign is Canada’s largest non-profit community development project. It is Federation's response to the need for new facilities and services brought about by the growth of Toronto’s Jewish community.
The Tomorrow Campaign is mandated with the fundraising and creation of three campuses for Jewish life in the GTA. The Downtown District, serving Toronto's growing Jewish population in the city core, is anchored by the new Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre at Bloor & Spadina and the Wolfond Centre for Jewish Campus Life at Harbord & Huron. The new Sherman Campus, on Bathurst north of Sheppard, will include the new Prosserman Family Jewish Community Centre, where the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre is currently located, a new Koffler Centre for the Arts, a new National Centre for Jewish Heritage including the Canadian Jewish Musuem, the Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre and a renovated Lipa Green Building for Jewish Community Services. The Lebovic Jewish Community Campus, at Bathurst & Weldrick north of Rutherford, is designed to provide programs and services for York Region's Jewish community of 60,000 - the fastest growing in Canada. The Lebovic Campus will be highlighted by the Kimel Family Education Centre, housing the northern branch of the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto (CHAT); the Schwartz-Reisman Centre offering recreational, educational, cultural, social and fitness facilities; community services; a United Synagogue Day School and other schools as well.
- Use Conditions
- UJA Federation meeting minutes and general correspondence are closed for 10 years from date of creation. Contracts and donor agreements are permanently closed.
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2012-2-5
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2012-2-5
- Material Format
- text
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Date
- 1942-1967
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of two Hadassah Daughter of Israel Chapter cookbooks from Timmins, Ontario (1960, 1967) and the Book of Jewish Recipes published by the Jewish Standard and edited by Tina Lohman (1942).
- Custodial History
- The provenance and custodial history for these items is unknown.
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2012-9-6
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2012-9-6
- Material Format
- text
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Date
- [ca. 1952]-[ca. 1962]
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of a Hadassah Naomi Chapter cookbook, 3rd ed., published around 1952. The cookbook was originally owned by Evelyn (Quitt) Drutz and also contain handwritten recipes and inserted copies of recipes from various newspapers and magazines. Canadian Jewish Review "Class In Cookery" clippings feature submissions from Toronto and Montreal residents including Mrs. Sonny Roth (Montreal), Mrs. Beryl Abrams (17 Rosseau Rd. Downsview, Toronto), Mrs. M. Turk (12 Carousel Court, Toronto), Mrs. J. R. Miller (Montreal), Mrs. B. Goldman (421 Bathurst Street, Toronto), Mrs. A. Chernofsky (Montreal), Mrs. Hyman Cooper (Montreal), Mrs. J. Weinman, (63 Westgate Boulevard, Toronto), Mrs. Isaac Rawaz (Montreal), Mrs. R. Bleiweis (47 Earnscliffe Road, Toronto), Mrs. Edward Schrieder (78 Whitmore Avenue, Toronto), Mrs. Joel M. Cohen (Montreal), Mrs. B. Shadowitz (Montreal), Mrs. Jack Cape (Montreal), Mrs. Julian Kurin (47 Beechborough Avenue, Toronto).
- Custodial History
- The cookbook was in the possession of Mark Drutz, the son of Evelyn (Quitt) Drutz.
- Administrative History
- Mark Drutz is the youngest child of Harold "Hy" Drutz and Evelyn Sandra Drutz (née Quitt). Harold (1913–1998) was born to Phillip (Fyvish) and Annie Drutz of Russia. In 1946, he married Evelyn Quitt (1924–1999), the daughter of Samuel Quitt (1891–?) and Bertha Quitt (1890–1953), also of Russia. They had two children: Paul, who ultimately succumbed to AIDS (1947–1994) and Mark (aka Donald, 1951–). 'Evelyn raised Paul's son, her grandson Ezra Matthew (1975–).
- Harold worked in the garment trade as a pattern cutter and also served in the Canadian Medical Corps during the Second World War. He was one of seven children. His siblings were: Meyer, Daniel, Harry (Drue), David, Pauline, and Mollie (Simmons). Evelyn was one of five chidren. Her siblings were: Estelle (Drue - married Harold's brother Harry), Rivka (Smolkin), Gordon (Gerhson), and Beverley (Brown).
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2013-6-2
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2013-6-2
- Material Format
- textual record
- text
- Physical Description
- 30 cm of textual records
- 7 books
- Date
- 1966-1974
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of several copies of the Canadian Jewish Review, the Chronicle Review and the Canadian Jewish Chronicle Review. Also included is an Ottawa Jewish bulletin and several books.
- Custodial History
- Records were in the possession of Stanley Shankman.
- Administrative History
- Stanley Shankman was the former owner of the Canadian Jewish Chronicle Review. He purchased the Canadian Jewish Chronicle (est. 1914, successor to the Jewish Times, est 1897) in Montreal in 1962 when it was experiencing financial difficulties. Max Melamet was his first editor. He later purchased the Canadian Jewish Review (est. 1921) and combined the two publications into one: the Candian Jewish Chronicle Review (ca. 1967), which published editions in both Montreal and Toronto. Carol Frilegh was the paper's first edtor.
- When Ray Wolfe, Donald Carr and Charles Bronfman purchased the Candian Jewish News from M. J. Nurenberger, Shankman sold them the Candian Jewish Chronicle Review to incorporate into one community paper serving the two cities.
- Subjects
- Newspapers
- Name Access
- Shankman, Stanley
- Canadian Jewish Chronicle Review
- Canadian Jewish Review
- Canadian Jewish Chronicle
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2013-8-3
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2013-8-3
- Material Format
- text
- Physical Description
- 1 book : 166 p.
- Date
- [198-?]
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of one cookbook published by the Sisterhood of the Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue and the Dorothy Rothschild Chapter of Hadassah (Sudbury).
- Subjects
- Food
- Women
- Name Access
- Shaar Hashomayim Synagogue
- Hadassah-Wizo
- Places
- Subury, Ont.
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2014-1-5
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2014-1-5
- Material Format
- textual record
- philatelic record
- Physical Description
- ca. 16 cm of textual records
- 1 stamp
- Date
- 1962, 2008-2013
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of textual records documenting the fundraising and planning activities for the Reena Community Residence on the Joseph and Wolf Lebovic Jewish Community Campus. Records include meeting minutes, marketing materials, correspondence, event invitations and a grant application submitted to the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation. Also included are records documenting the opening ceremonies for the residence, including invitations, newspaper clippings, and programs. Finally, accession includes one Israeli stamp that was issued to celebrate 25 years of UJA in 1962.
- Use Conditions
- UJA Federation meeting minutes and general correspondence are closed for 10 years from date of creation. Contracts and donor agreements are permanently closed.
- Name Access
- UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
- Reena (Toronto, Ont.)
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2014-2-10
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2014-2-10
- Material Format
- text
- textual record
- graphic material
- Physical Description
- 30 cm of textual records and graphic material
- Date
- [194-]-[199-]
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of records related to the activities of Canadian Young Judaea, as well as a small amount of Ajalon Lodge records that belonged to former member Maurice Berg. Berg was also involved in Young Judaea through the Zionist Organization of Canada. Included are CYJ photo albums documenting various social events as well as several Kinus (1950s-1990s); correspondence, newsletters and reports (1960s-1990s); a CYJ alumni reunion book; Hanoar Hatzioni newsletters (1976-1992); meeting minutes, reports and the constitution (1940s-1960s); two books about A.M. Klein; Ajalon Lodge photo albums and tour of Israel photographs (1960s-1980s, 1979); as well as one pencil drawing of Maurice Berg (1977).
- Subjects
- Recreation
- Zionism
- Name Access
- Berg, Maurice, 1913-1993
- Canadian Young Judaea
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2014-9-3
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2014-9-3
- Material Format
- graphic material (electronic)
- architectural drawing (electronic)
- textual record (electronic)
- Physical Description
- ca. 30 photographs (tiff)
- ca. 15 architectural drawings (tiff)
- 3 textual records (pdf)
- Date
- [1945?]-[ca. 1990]
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of photographs and architectural drawings documenting Jaime Levy-Bencheton's architectural career in Ontario and Morocco. The bulk of the material relates to projects Levy-Bencheton designed while working for the Government of Ontario including: a greenhouse for the Ontario Science Centre, OPP Headquarters building in London, ON, Rideau Correctional Centre, and Chestnut Hill (Southwestern Ontario regional archaeological office). Also included are architectutal drawings and photographs related to Levy-Bencheton's private practices in Morocco and Toronto and work for architect Martin Mendelow.
- Administrative History
- Jaime Levy-Bencheton was born on July 6, 1918 in Casablanca, Morocco. Jaime started a private architectural practice in Morocco in 1945. He immigrated to Canada in 1963 and initially found work with the architect Martin Mendelow. In 1965, he started working for the Government of Ontario's Department of Public Works as a draftsman. Starting in 1969, he worked for the Ministry of Government Services as an architectural job captain until his retirement in 1985. During his career Levy-Bencheton specialized in designing facilities for persons with disabilities and worked on a variety of buildings across Ontario including, industrial, institutional, and office use buildings. In his retirement, Levy-Bencheton became devoted to the study of the Bible and creating Jewish religious art.
- Subjects
- Architects
- Occupations
- Name Access
- Levy-Bencheton, Jaime, 1918-
- Places
- Casablanca, Morocco
- Toronto, Ont.
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2017-4-4
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2017-4-4
- Material Format
- text
- Physical Description
- 1 text
- Date
- 2010
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of one self-published memoir written by Allan Weiss.
- Administrative History
- Allan Weiss (1929-2017) was born in the small town of Botiz, a small farming village in the foothills of the Carpathian Mountains. He was one of four children to Izidor and Gizella Weisz. His father owned a general store. At the age of 14, he, his younger sister Magda, and their parents were taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau. His parents and sister were killed but Allan, old enough to be useful, was forced into slave labour as the assistant to a mason building Nazi industrial projects. He was able to survive the Holocaust and at the war's end made his way to a displaced persons camp. Allan was brought to Canada as a war orphan in 1947 under the auspices of the Canadian Jewish Congress. He travelled on the ocean liner the Aquitania. His plan was to eventually join his surviving brother and sister in the United States but instead he met and married his wife Grace Levine and had four children: Jason, Cari, Gerald and Russell.
- Upon arrival in Canada he first boarded with the Montagnes family and worked at various jewellry stores. He later worked seven days a week selling aluminum windows door- to-door in the suburbs of Toronto. Eventually, he and a partner opened up a small window shop on Bathurst St. Ten years later, by the age of 29, he and his partners had factories across the country producing aluminum windows and related products. Following Grace's death in 1990, Allan remarried Lila (Shiner) Roher in 1991. Allan passed away on 2 Jan. 2017.
- Use Conditions
- Partially closed. See administrative notes for details.
- Name Access
- Weiss, Allan, 1929-2017
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2019-5-8
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2019-5-8
- Material Format
- textual record
- text
- Physical Description
- 1 book
- 1 cm of textual records
- Date
- 1998
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of the agenda and closing remarks by [Leslie Gales] from the opening event celebrating the establishment of the D. H. Gales Director of the University of Toronto Surgical Skills Centre at Mount Sinai. In addition, there is a copy (#31 of 320) of the 1998 book From Generation to Generation: A History of Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital written by Lesley Marrus Barsky.
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2020-1-1
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2020-1-1
- Material Format
- textual record
- text
- Physical Description
- 1 book
- 1 folder of textual records
- Date
- 1959-2011
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of materials collected by Lil Blume for an anthology called "Letters and Pictures from the Old Suitcase". The anthology was published in 2011 for a Jewish Literary Festival that Lil Blume ran in 2010. Included in the collection is handwritten autobiographical pages as well as photocopied pages from Miriam Beckerman. In addition, there are two photocopies of a 1959 letter to the Irgun regarding redirecting of reparations due to Moshe Beckerman. The document provides a summary of Moshe Beckerman's wartime experience including enlistment with the British Military serving with the Regiment of Royal Engineers (1940), transfer to Greece (1941), capture by Germans (1941), escape and recapture in Italy and eventual internment in Minchen and then Danzig prior to his release in 1945 by the second British Army.
- The Beckerman's contribution to the anthology included translated copies of four Yiddish language letters written by Miriam and Moshe Beckerman to Miriam's parents in Toronto while the couple were living in Palestine and then Israel in 1947 and 1948.
- In addition, there is a copy of the publication "Letters and Pictures from the Old Suitcase" edited by Ellen S. Jaffe and Lil Blume. Contributors to the anthology listed in alphabetical order include Alvin Abram, Larry Anklewicz, Miriam Beckerman, Maxianne Berger, Steven Michael Berzensky, Helen Blum, Aha Blume, Lil Blume, Baila Ellenbogen, Shelley Halpern Evans, Joi Freed-Garrod, Ellen S. Jaffe, Beth Kaplan, Nomi Kaston, Agnes Klinghofer, Myrna Neuringer Levy, Carol Lipszyc, Malca Litovitz, Janice Masur, Seymour Mayne, Maria Meindl, Wendy Morton, Sharon H. Nelson, Aviva Ravel, Karen Shenfeld, Ken Sherman, Sharon Singer, Joan Sohn, J.J. Steinfeld, Pia Taavila, Carolynne Veffer, and Thomas Verny.
- Custodial History
- Miriam Beckerman sent handwritten autobiographical pages as well as photocopied pages to Lil Blume, as part of her contribution to the anthology that Lil Blume published in 2011.
- Administrative History
- In 2011, Lil Blume published an anthology called "Letters and Pictures from the Old Suitcase". The publication was edited by Ellen S. Jaffe and Lil Blume for a Jewish literary Festival that Lil Blume ran in Hamilton in 2010.
- Miriam Beckerman (née Dashkin) is a Yiddish literature translator. She attended the Farband Folks Shule in Toronto during the 1930s and later worked as a bilingual secretary (Yiddish and English) at the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region. In 1946, she travelled to Israel where she met her husband, Moshe Beckerman, at a kibbutz. The couple married in October 1947 and emigrated from Israel to Toronto with their children in 1952. Beckerman continues to work as a Yiddish translator for individuals, scholars and institutions. She has a number of published translations, including her recent collaborative work "A Thousand Threads: a story through Yiddish letters." Her work has been recognized by the Dora Teitelboim Foundation of Coral Gables, Florida. Her husband Moshe passed away in 1993.
- Use Conditions
- Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
- Subjects
- World War, 1939-1945
- Israel-Arab War, 1948-1949
- Israel--Emigration and immigration
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Part Of
- Edelstein family fonds
- Level
- Fonds
- Fonds
- 111
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- object
- text
- Date
- 1890-2005
- Physical Description
- 2 m of textual records
- 30 photographs
- 4 posters
- 2 artifacts
- 12 books
- 1 CD
- Admin History/Bio
- Isaac Edelstein (1889-Dec. 1954) was born to Ronya Edelstein (née Silver) ([18--?]-June 1921) and Abraham Edelstein (1846-[19--?]). The family moved to Canada in 1913, arriving in Quebec before settling in Toronto. Isaac, the eldest, had five siblings: Archibald, Bessy, Lilian, Goldie, and Harry. Isaac married Ida (Hebrew name: Chaya) (1898-1978), who immigrated to Canada from Gomel district in Homiel Province, Belarus.
- Isaac was a tailor and Ida was a dressmaker. Isaac and Ida had two children: Rony (nickname Renne) Rabassa (b. 4 Jan. 1931) and Albert (nickname Abi) Edelstein (26 Sept. 1925-1 May 2021).
- After meeting through shared involvement in Habonim, Albert married Ruth (née Blumenstein) (15 Sept. 1928-30 Mar. 2023) on 2 Jan. 1949. They had 4 children, 11 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren.
- Albert received vocational training as a watchmaker at Central Technical School, and spent the majority of his career as a retailer, operating a jewelry store with his wife Ruth. He was the president of the District Jewelers Association (1983-1984) and the chairman of the Queen Broadview Business Improvement Area in the 1990s. Ruth and Albert's children were educated in the Jewish day school system. Ruth was involved in the National Council of Jewish Women.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records documenting the personal lives of members of the Edelstein family and their communal affiliations.
- Name Access
- Edelstein (family)
- Subjects
- Families
- Creator
- Albert Edelstein
- Accession Number
- 2000-1-1
- 2000-2-2
- 2000-3-3
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Committee for Soviet Jewry series
- Refusnik cases sub-series
- Reference publications sub-sub-series
- Level
- Sub-sub-series
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 3-6-3
- Material Format
- textual record
- text
- Date
- 1972-1986
- Physical Description
- 11 v. text
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Sub-sub-series consists of widely-distributed publications listing large numbers of refusniks as well as assorted folders of refusnik file listings and fact sheets. These publications and lists were utilized by the committee and its associated member agencies both to enhance public awareness concerning the extent of the problems and also to create mailing lists that could be used by the agencies to assist in expanding direct contact with individual refusniks.
- Related Material
- Individual refusnik case files may be found at Fonds 17, Sub-sub-series 3-6-1.
Publications about refusniks may be found at Fonds 17, Sub-sub-series 3-6-2.
- Arrangement
- Sub-sub-series records are organized chronologically.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Committee for Soviet Jewry series
- Refusnik cases sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 3-6
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- text
- Date
- 1970-1988
- Physical Description
- 81 cm of textual records
- 11 v. text
- 456 photographs : b&w; 20 x 25 cm or smaller
- Admin History/Bio
- Individual case files and refusnik listings were assembled by numerous Soviet Jewry advocacy groups and distributed internationally. Such records were then used by groups like the Committee for Soviet Jewry in their promotional material such as leaflets and news briefs to inform the Jewish community, interest groups and members of the general public about updates to the status of individual refusnik cases and the plight of Soviet Jews within the Soviet Union.
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series consists of files documenting individual refusniks, some very well known, as well as files and publications containing lists and/or groups of Soviet Jews and documents related to group activities. Sub-series is organized into three sub-sub-series: individual case files, groups, and publications.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Maurice Berg fonds
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 41
- File
- 4
- Material Format
- philatelic record
- Date
- [ca. 1950]
- Physical Description
- 1 album of philatelic records
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of one album of Jewish National Fund stamps which may have been collected and assembled by Maurice Berg.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- 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
