- Part Of
- Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- Dual Allegiance series
- Second World War album file
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 2
- Series
- 6
- File
- 100
- Item
- 1
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- [May 1945]
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
- Scope and Content
- Item is a photograph of Major Ben Dunkelman standing alongside an unknown soldier. They were billeted at a former German work camp in Doorn, Holland, which the Queen's Own Rifles liberated on May 7, 1945. Soldiers set up the camp to reference local landmarks in Cabbagetown, a neighbourhood in Toronto. There is sign behind them that reads: The Greatest Little Place in Canada, Cabbage Town.
- Subjects
- Soldiers--Canada
- 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.
- Related Material
- Library and Archives Canada Canadian Army Newsreel, No. 88 features the camp. The film has been digitized and can be viewed on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28ZkB4UX3BU
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Level
- Fonds
- Fonds
- 62
- Material Format
- multiple media
- Date
- 1919-2001
- Physical Description
- 93 cm of textual records and other material
- Admin History/Bio
- Benjamin Gershon Kayfetz was born on December 24, 1916 in Toronto, graduating from the University of Toronto in 1939, with a B.A. in modern languages. Between the years 1941 and 1943, he worked as a high school teacher in Huntsville and Niagara Falls. In 1943, he joined the war effort, working for the Department of National Defense in Postal Censorship and was responsible for reviewing prisoner of war mail. After the war, Kayfetz traveled to British Occupied Germany where he worked as a censor of telecommunications with the Control Commission until 1947.
- Upon returning to Toronto, he was hired as the National Director of Community Relations by the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), and as the Executive (National) Director of the Joint Community Relations Committee (JCRC), a CJC - B'nai B'rith cooperative organization. He also served as the Central Region Executive Director of the CJC between 1973 and 1978. During his tenure, he worked with various churches, unions and minority groups to develop anti-discrimination laws and for the protection of minority and religious rights. Kayfetz was also actively involved in promoting the welfare of Jewish Communities worldwide, and made visits to Cuba in 1962 and 1965, and Russia in 1985, to study and report on the state of these Jewish Communities. After his retirement in 1985, he was awarded the Samuel Bronfman Medal by the Canadian Jewish Congress. In recognition of his efforts to promote Human Rights, he was also awarded the Order of Canada in 1986.
- In addition to his professional activities, Kayfetz wrote articles for various Jewish publications under both his own name and the pseudonym, Gershon B. Newman, and gave a weekly radio address on CHIN radio addressing various contemporary Jewish issues. He was also actively involved in the Toronto Jewish Historical Society (serving as its president), Canadian Jewish Historical Society and Yiddish Luncheon Circle. Ben Kayfetz died in 2002.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of materials produced or acquired by Ben Kayfetz in both his personal and professional capacity. It includes biographical materials, minutes, correspondence, recorded CJC and JCRC meetings, memorabilia, transcripts and recorded versions of CHIN radio broadcasts he delivered, as well as various interviews, speeches, articles, book reviews and works he composed. Fonds also consists of minutes, agendas and other records of various Yiddish and historical associations Mr. Kayfetz was involved in.
- Notes
- Physical Description note: includes 20 photographs, 107 audio cassettes, 1 Beta video cassette and 1 object.
- Fonds includes audio tapes 1-5, 7-32, 35-37, 39-42, 44-45, 47-50, 53-56, 58-64, 66-67, 70-85, A1-A5, A7-A9, A12-A14, A16-A20, A23-A28, A30, A32-A38 and A40-A43.
- Name Access
- Kayfetz, Ben, 1916-2002
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Related Material
- Audio tapes AC 246-AC 275 belonged to Ben Kayfetz and are related to this fonds.
- Creator
- Kayfetz, Ben, 1916-2002
- Accession Number
- 1975-012, 1976-10-4, 1980-12-13, 1982-2-2, 1983-6-2, 1985-4-2, 1987-2-3, 1996-5-4, 1998-3-22, 2000-11-4, 2004-3-1, 2004-5-20, 2006-2-9, 2006-8-4
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- CHIN radio broadcasts series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 6
- Material Format
- textual record
- sound recording
- Date
- 1980-2001
- Physical Description
- 23 cm of textual records
- 11 audio cassettes
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of transcripts and recordings of broadcasts that Ben Kayfetz delivered on CHIN radio, where he was a regular contributor. The broadcasts focused primarily on his opinions of current events as well as book reviews.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- Material Format
- multiple media
- Date
- 1933-1999
- Physical Description
- 5 cm of textual records and other material
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of biographical materials and memorabilia relating to Ben Kayfetz and his family. Materials include newspaper articles, a taped interview, certificates, awards, university examinations, personal memorabilia from his service in Germany and materials relating to the Bronfman Medal and Order of Canada he received. This series also contains the video "The Life and the Times of Ben Kayfetz".
- Notes
- Audio tape A14 is part of this series.
- Physical description note: includes 1 photograph, 1 audio tape and 1 Beta video cassette.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Speeches series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 5
- Material Format
- textual record
- sound recording
- Date
- 1962-1999
- Physical Description
- 2 cm of textual records
- 2 audio cassettes
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of transcripts, drafts and audio recordings of addresses delivered by Ben Kayfetz to various audiences and organizations as well as a brochure for a speech he gave at a Brotherhood breakfast.
- Notes
- Audio tapes A16 and A20 are part of this series.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Associations series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 7
- Material Format
- textual record
- sound recording
- Date
- 1980-1995
- Physical Description
- 4 cm of textual records
- 30 audio cassettes
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of correspondence, minutes and other materials accumulated by Ben Kayfetz during his involvement with various organizations, including the Toronto Jewish Historical Society, Canadian Jewish Historical Society, Learned Society and Yiddish Luncheon Circle.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Published and unpublished works and research series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 8
- Material Format
- textual record
- sound recording
- Date
- 1974-2000
- Physical Description
- 26 cm of textual records
- 34 audio cassettes
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of articles, book reviews and works written in Yiddish and English by Ben Kayfetz for various publications, including the Jewish Western Bulletin, Jewish Standard, Fraternally Yours and others. This series also consists of biographical and autobiographical works he composed and translated. These include a first person account of the Kielce pogrom as experienced by Moses Kwasnievski and a biographical work on J.B. Salsberg. Also included in this series are various interviews conducted by Kayfetz with members of the Jewish community, many of which he used as source material to compose his written works.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- sound recording
- Date
- 1948-1986
- Physical Description
- 9 cm of textual records
- 45 audio cassettes
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of correspondence, minutes, reports, audio recordings of meetings and other materials relating to Ben Kayfetz’s tenure with the Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee. This series also includes records of the Joint Public Relations Committee, which was a precursor of the Joint Community Relations Committee.
- Notes
- Audio tapes 13-19, 26, 30-32, 36-37, 40-45, 50, 53-56, 58, 61, 64, 66, 70, 80, 85, A4, A8, A12, A14, A18, A23, A26, A34, A36, A38-A42 are part of this series. Materials in this series have been physically arranged into three categories: CJC materials, JCRC materials and correspondence. The files have been
arranged chronologically within these categories.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1942-1996
- Physical Description
- 13 cm of textual records
- 1 photograph
- Scope and Content
- Series consits of incoming and outgoing correspondence between Ben Kayfetz and various individuals and organizations, and includes correspondence during his service in British-occupied Germany. Correspondence relating to Canadian Jewish Congress/Joint Public Relations Committee and correspondence relating to the various societies and associations Ben Kayfetz belonged to, are located in their respective series.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Collected materials series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 3
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- object
- Date
- 1919-1970
- Physical Description
- 11 cm of textual records
- 18 photographs
- 1 object
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of various materials collected by Ben Kayfetz. It includes various items from Nazi Germany including a Jewish yellow star and number on a badge, Nazi hymn book and a service book of a Nazi Stormtrooper. Among the other materials are photographs of the Bronfman family, World War II enlistment posters, Peretz School Composition books and Jewish Old Folks Home Committee minutes.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1942-1945
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence between Ben Kayfetz and various people during the Second World War.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Speeches series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 5
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1962-1999
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of various speeches delivered by Ben Kayfetz in both Yiddish and English. These were delivered on such topics as his retirement from the CJC, antisemitism, the development of Ontario's Jewish community, anti-hate legislation, the Jewish press in Toronto, Jewish immigration to Canada and others.
- Subjects
- Speeches, addresses, etc
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Associations series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 7
- File
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1988-1993
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains the constitution, bylaws, meeting minutes and agendas of the Canadian Jewish Historical Society. File also contains budgetary information.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Associations series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 7
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1982-1996
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of meeting notices, minutes, agendas and correspondence relating to the activities of the Toronto Jewish Historical Society.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Associations series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 7
- File
- 3
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1980-1995
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of meeting notices, correspondence and a membership list of the Yiddish Luncheon Circle, of which Ben Kayfetz was a founding member.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [1985?]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 3
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1927-1999
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of certificates of honour, a high school diploma, a university diploma and other memorabilia of Ben Kayfetz and his family.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1985
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of the Council of National Ethnocultural Organizations of Canada Service Award received by Ben Kayfetz and a brochure and article about the event.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 6
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1945-1947
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of materials relating to Ben Kayfetz's service with the Control Commission in British Occupied Germany. Materials include troop movement orders, a berthing card, an immigration identification card and other materials.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 7
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1937
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Ben Kayfetz's copy of "The Undergraduate" magazine from the University of Toronto - which he was attending at the time.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 8
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1963
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains two university exam booklets completed by Ben Kayfetz on the topic of Romance Philosophy.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 5
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1984-1986
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of newspaper clippings and congratulatory correspondence received by Ben Kayfetz upon his receiving the Order of Canada and Bronfman Medal.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1945-1946
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence between Ben Kayfetz and his brother David while Ben was stationed in Germany.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 3
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1945-1947
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- 6 postcards
- 1 photograph
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence between Ben Kayfetz and his family while he was stationed in Germany.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1946-1947
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence between Ben Kayfetz and various people while he was stationed in Germany.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 5
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1951-1975
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 6
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1978-1984
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 7
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1985-1990
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Source
- Archival Descriptions