- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Level
- Fonds
- Fonds
- 2
- Material Format
- multiple media
- Date
- 1898, [192-?]-1997
- Physical Description
- 80 cm of textual records and other material
- Admin History/Bio
- Benjamin Dunkelman (1913–1997) was a successful businessman and president of Tip Top Tailors. He had a distinguished military career in both the Canadian Army during the Second World War and in the Haganah during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
- Benjamin was born in Toronto to David Dunkelman (1883–1978) and Rose (née Miller, 1889–1949). He had three sisters and two brothers: Joseph, a movie executive; Ernest, a manufacturer; Zelda; Veronica; and Theodora. His father, David, was a successful entrepreneur who established Tip Top Tailors in 1910. Both David and his wife Rose were fervent Zionists.
- Benjamin attended Upper Canada College and, at the age of eighteen, visited Palestine for the first time. While in Palestine, he worked for a year on a kibbutz, mostly as a guard. During the Second World War, he served as a major in the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada; as major, he gained respect for his knowledge of mortars. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in 1945 for his role in the final Allied assault on Germany. Two years later, Benjamin returned to Palestine to join the Haganah in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. As a commander, he captured Nazareth and brought northern Galilee under Jewish control. Near the end of the war, he met and married Yael Lifshitz (m. Dunkelman), a corporal in the Israeli army. Benjamin was elected national commander of the Jewish War Veterans of Canada in 1977.
- In addition to his work as a soldier, Benjamin was a successful businessman. He served as president of Tip Top Tailors after his father stepped down; he was also director of Colonial Finance Corporation, president of Cloverdale Shopping Centre, and president of Renforth Developments. Besides operating the Dunkelman Gallery, Benjamin and his wife, Yael, ran the Constellation Hotel and Dunkelman’s Restaurant.
- Dunkelman later wrote of his experiences in both wars in his autobiography "Dual Allegiance" (published by MacMIllan). As well as the DSO, Dunkelman was awarded the Fighter’s Decoration of the State of Israel (1970), and an Israel Bonds Award Dinner in Tribute to Ben Dunkelman (1977). He was a guest of honour both at a reception hosted by the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science and the veterans of the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada (1976) and at a 7th Brigade Reunion in Israel (1991).
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records documenting Benjamin Dunkelman's personal, business, and military activities. Included is personal and business correspondence and other records, maps, photographs, news clippings, and scrapbooks assembled by Dunkelman. The bulk of the records relate both to Dunkelman’s autobiography Dual allegiance and to his military career in the Second World War and in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Other records relate to his business work with Tip Top Tailors, the Constellation Hotel, Dunkelman’s Restaurant, and the Dunkelman Gallery, as well as to his Zionist actvities, his writing and public speeches, and his personal life.
- The fonds is organized into the following series: Personal records and correspondence, Zionist materials, Businesses, Second World War, Arab-Israeli War, Dual Allegiance, and Speeches.
- Notes
- Physical description note: Includes 218 photographs, 60 maps, 7 postcards, 5 architectural drawings, and 3 albums.
- Associated material note: see the Ben Dunkelman fonds at Library and Archives Canada.
- Name Access
- Dunkelman, Benjamin, 1913-1997
- Subjects
- Authors
- Israel-Arab War, 1948-1949
- World War, 1939-1945
- Related Material
- See fonds #39 (Rose Dunkelman fonds).
- Creator
- Dunkelman, Benjamin, 1913-1997
- Accession Number
- 2000-3-4
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- [192-?]-1995
- Physical Description
- 10 cm of textual records
- 43 photographs
- 2 postcards
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of records documenting Ben Dunkelman’s family/private life and such hobbies as yachting and travel. Included are photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, invitations, certificates, speeches, a travel diary, a passport, and a scrapbook. The series is made up of two sub-series: 1. David and Rose Dunkelman (including biographies of those in the Dunkelman family) and 2. Theodora Dunkelman (Ben Dunkelman’s sister).
- Name Access
- Dunkelman, David, 1883-1978 (subject)
- Dunkelman, Rose, 1889-1949 (subject)
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Zionist series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 2
- Material Format
- graphic material
- textual record
- Date
- 1927-1996
- Physical Description
- 6 cm of textual records
- 2 photographs
- 4 postcards : b&w and col. ; 9 x 14 cm
- Admin History/Bio
- Dunkelman, like his parents, was an active Zionist throughout his life. As a young man from 1930-1931, he lived in Israel and later fought in the Arab-Israeli War. Following the war in 1948-49, he wrote articles, kept correspondence, encouraged investment, and gave speeches in support of Israel. He was also on the executive committee of Israel Speaks, an American publication, and was a member of the Zionist Organization of Canada (ZOC). In 1976, Dunkelman agreed to be the deputy president of the ZOC’s Charitable Fund.
- Scope and Content
- The series consists of records documenting Ben Dunkelman's Zionist activities. Included are legal papers, photographs, correspondence, articles and newspaper clippings.
- Notes
- Herb Mowat was a Canadian Zionist who maintained a correspondence with Dunkelman during the 1950s and 1960s. Dunkelman acquired some of his records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Business series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 3
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- architectural drawing
- Date
- 1898, 1941-1988
- Physical Description
- 56 photographs and other material
- Admin History/Bio
- Ben Dunkelman’s involvement in business was wide-ranging. He served as president of Tip Top Tailors after his father and as president of Cloverdale Shopping Centre. Along with his wife, Yael, he also opened the Dunkelman Gallery for modern art and Dunkelman's restaurant.
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of photographs, correspondence, pamphlets and papers documenting Benjamin Dunkelman’s business activities. The files are organized into three sub-series: Tip-Top Tailors, Constellation Hotel, and Dunkelman Gallery.
- Notes
- Physical description: Includes 6 cm of textual records, 5 architectural drawings, and 1 postcard.
- Subjects
- Business
- Physical Condition
- Most photographs are warped.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Personal series
- David and Rose Dunkelman sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 1-1
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- [192-?]-1991
- Physical Description
- 5 cm of textual records
- 3 photographs
- Admin History/Bio
- Rose and David Dunkelman, Benjamin Dunkelman's parents, were staunch supporters of Toronto's Zionist community. David was a leader of the Zionist Organization of Canada for more than 50 years, while Rose was publisher and first managing editor of the Jewish Standard, a Toronto-based Zionist magazine she founded with her husband. In addition, she was the first vice-president of the Hadassah Organization of Canada and president of the Hadassah Organization of Ontario. Both fervently supported Zionist projects.
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series consists of photographs, clippings, obituaries, correspondence and biographical information in connection with Rose, David and Ben Dunkelman. The sub-series contains a pamphlet from the Toronto Zionist Council in 1957 celebrating the council’s 50th anniversary and praising Rose Dunkelman. There are also copies of articles about Rose Dunkelman by H.M. Kaiserman and Meyer W. Weisgal.
- Name Access
- Dunkelman, Rose, 1889-1949
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Personal series
- Theodora Dunkelman sub-series sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 1-2
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- [192-?]-Nov. 1953
- Physical Description
- 3 folders of textual records
- 26 photographs
- 2 postcards
- Admin History/Bio
- Theodora Dunkelman, one of Ben Dunkelman’s three sisters, was an actress who obtained her bachelor's degree in fine arts and drama from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in 1946. She died in 1947.
- Custodial History
- Ben Dunkelman acquired some of his sister's records after her death.
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series consists of four files of photographs, clippings, brochures and documents. It includes a scrapbook containing clippings and brochures about Theodora Dunkelman’s acting performances and her sister Zelda’s marriage to Morton Harrison Wilner. Other clippings in a separate folder refer to the Theodora Dunkelman Training Workshops which were established in her honour in 1950 at Hadassim, the Canadian Hadassah’s Children’s Village in Israel. A final folder contains Theodora Dunkelman’s bachelor’s degree.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Business series
- Tip Top Tailors sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 3-1
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1898, 1941-1988
- Physical Description
- 4 cm of textual records
- 16 photographs
- Admin History/Bio
- David Dunkelman, Benjamin's father, started Tip Top Tailors in Toronto in 1909, and by 1950 it had become a thriving business, with more than 1000 outlets across the country. During the 1930s, Ben had worked for the company, and following the Arab-Israeli War in 1948-49, he returned to Tip Top. He took over as company CEO in the 1950s until the company was sold to Dylex Ltd. in 1967.
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series consists of photographs, correspondence and clippings documenting David and Ben Dunkelman's involvement in the family firm, Tip Top Tailors.
- Name Access
- Tip Top Tailors
- Physical Condition
- Most photographs are warped.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Zionist series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 2
- File
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1927-1941
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains a postcard from Menachem Ussishkin to David and Rose Dunkelman, and two clippings about Ussishkin from Karnenu and the Palestine Review.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Personal series
- David and Rose Dunkelman sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 1-1
- File
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- [192-?]-1978
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 13 x 18 cm
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a Mourner's Kaddish for David Dunkelman, Ben's father, who died in 1978. The file includes a 2-page speech about David Dunkelman's business success, and refers to Rose Dunkelman's role in assisting David with Tip Top Tailors. The file also contains a photograph of David Dunkelman and four other men (likely all businessmen) walking along a boardwalk, likely in Atlantic City. Identified in the photo is (left to right): [Samuel Posluns?], Louis Gelber, Percy Hermant, [unidentified], and David Dunkelman.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Personal series
- Theodora Dunkelman sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 1-2
- File
- 1
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- [192-?], Nov. 1953
- Physical Description
- 26 photographs : b&w ; 14 x 9 cm or smaller
- 2 postcards : b&w ; 9 x 14 cm
- Scope and Content
- File consists of graphic material relating to Theodora Dunkelman. The majority of the images are of Theodora as a young girl during a family trip to Florida. Also included are photographs taken at Camp Modin and of Theo with her father, David Dunkelman. Finally, file includes a post card of a sulphuric acid plant in Haifa and a boat.
- Physical Condition
- One photograph is torn.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Business series
- Tip Top Tailors sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 3-1
- File
- 10
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1898-1988
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of notes and documents Ben Dunkelman wrote or gathered to provide biographical information about David Dunkelman for a Zionist encyclopedia.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Personal series
- David and Rose Dunkelman sub-series
- David Dunkelman file
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 1-1
- File
- 1
- Item
- 1
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- [192-?]
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 13 x 18 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of David Dunkelman and four other men walking along a boardwalk, likely in Atlantic City. Identified in the photo is (left to right): [Samuel Posluns?], Louis Gelber, Percy Hermant, [unidentified], and David Dunkelman.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
