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

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Accession Number

2005-11-5

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 15 x 10 cm

Date

[ca. 1930]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of one photograph of Sadie and Nathan Friedman standing in a field at Crystal's Resort in Pontypool around the summer of 1930.

Administrative History

Nathan Friedman (b. 1906-d. 1954) was born in Poland and Sadie (Book) Friedman (b. 1911- d. 1991) was born in Hamilton, ON. They were married in Toronto in June 1929. Nathan worked as a furrier in Toronto. They began vacationing in Pontypool during the early 1930s and originally rented a loft in the Crystal's barn. Later they rented a cabin at Crystal's Resort. The donor, Jerry Friedman, is the son of Nathan and Sadie.

Pontypool was a popular summer resort spot for vacationing Jews from the 1940s to the 1960s. The area was relatively cheap and had a pond as its swimming spot. Kosher meals would often be brought in for the vacationers who arrived on two trains daily from Union station. Charlie and Surah Crystal were the owners of several resort cabins resort that was popular amongst the Jewish vacationers.

Subjects

Charities

Outdoor recreation

Vacations

Name Access

Friedman, Nathan

Friedman, Sadie

Places

Pontypool, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2008-11-8

Material Format

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

5 photographs : b&w ; 34 x 15 cm or smaller + identification key

55 photographs : b&w (jpgs) ; 300 dpi

Date

1934-1975

Scope and Content

This accession consists of photographs documenting the Moscoe family, Camp B'nai Brith near Ottawa, and the Kirkland Lake Jewish community. Also included are a few photographs taken at the amalgamation of Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue in 1975. The amalgamation photographs include: Syd Moscoe, Stuart Moscoe, Harry R. Moscoe, Irving Horowitz, Cantor David Bercovici, Cantor Louis Danto, and Rabbi Joseph Kelman.

Custodial History

The photographs were loaned to the Archives for copying. The donor has the original records.

Use Conditions

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Subjects

Camps

Communities

Families

Places

Kirkland Lake (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2009-11-4

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

2 photographs : b&w ; 9 x 14 cm and 9 X7 cm

1 matchbook

Date

1928-2009

Scope and Content

Accession consists of mementos, family documents and clippings from Nancy Draper (née Frankel). The records include a birth announcement card for Nancy in 1928 and a matchbook party favour from her wedding to Darrell Draper in 1949. There is also a scholarship application letter from the donor's granddaughter, Haley Draper, to UJA. Other records include a staff list from Camp Wabi-Kon in 1946; a Globe and Mail obituary of Dr. Martin Wolfish, a past volunteer of OJA; a photograph of David Steinhauer; a clipping about an Inuit sculpture inspired by the experience of Holocaust survivor Leon Kahn; and three eulogies for Patricia Drevnig Goldstein (1940-2005) (née Jacobs). Patricia was the granddaughter of Rabbi Solomon Jacobs of Holy Blossom, and her mother, Edna, was a Frankel. Finally, the accession includes a photocopy of a photograph of members of the Siglen family of Meaford with Maurice Frankel, the great-uncle of the donor, and Irwin Rosen, ca. 1928.

Administrative History

Nancy Frankel (b. 1928) is the daughter of Carl and Dorothy Jacobs Frankel, past prominent members of the Toronto Jewish community and members of Holy Blossom Temple. Nancy attended Camp Wabi-Kon, a Jewish camp in northern Ontario near Temagami, and then worked there as a teenager. She married Darrell Draper on December 10th, 1949. Nancy is a longtime volunteer at the OJA.

Subjects

Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)

Camps

Families

Letters

Obituaries

Name Access

Draper, Nancy

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-5-2

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

15 cm of textual records

8 architectural drawings

2 CDs

Date

1960-2011, predominant 2011

Scope and Content

Accession consists of architectural drawings for the construction of the Northern YM-YWHA at 4600 Bathurst Street (1960) as well as floor plans for the proposed re-development of the site in 1999. Also included are submissions for the competition to design and build the Jewish War Veterans of Canada memorial at the Sherman Campus (2011).

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.

Subjects

Architecture

Charities

Veterans--Canada

Name Access

Young Men's Hebrew Association (Toronto, Ont.)

Bathurst Jewish Community Centre

Jewish War Veterans of Canada

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-10-2

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

40 cm of textual records and other material

Date

[192-]-[200-]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the life and career of David Green and the Jaffey family. Records include sound and video recordings of events, Goodwill Sales accounting ledgers, meeting minutes from the Jewish Canadian Military Archives and Museum, David Green's military ephemera, manuals and reports of the Jewish Federation Board of Trustees and Bequest and Endowment Fund, and Jaffey family correspondence and photographs. Records also include certificates of appreciation awarded to David Green, mainly from UJA Federation.

Administrative History

David Green (1919-2014) was born in the Junction in west Toronto. He served as a private in the Canadian army as part of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was captured and designated MIA when he was held as a POW in Belgium. He became a member of General Wingate Branch 256 Jewish Canadian Legion. In the mid-1940s he married his wife, Sylvia (nee Jaffey) (d. 2010) and they had a daughter, Miriam. He was a longtime volunteer for the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. In 1990, he was one of the first individuals to establish an Endowment Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto.

The Jaffey family consisted of Kaby Jaffey, his wife, Nellie, and their children Sylvia, Jess and Albert.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: Accession also consists of photographs and textiles.

Subjects

Canada--Armed Forces

Charities

Families

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Green, David, 1919-2014

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-10-4

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

ca. 250 photographs (3 albums) : b&w and col. ; 53 x 43 cm and smaller

9 cm of textual records

Date

[191-]-[197-], 1992

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the Title, Samuels and Fishman families. Included are family photographs, and photos related to involvement with philanthropy and industry, materials related to Reliable Toy Company, Forest Hill Collegiate "Forester" year books, a land deed for the Ansheir Yoisher Misrachi Synagogue in Welland, news clippings relating to Alex Samuels death, a Holy Blossom "Tempelite" year book, a Crown Bakery Bread promotional item, a wedding menu from the marriage of Molly Fishman and Harry Title, Molly Fishman's high school diplomas and JNF certificates. There are a number of photos of the Fishman and Title families in Welland and the United States, photos of the Crowland Volunteer Fire Department with Sam and Frank Fishman, Turk family albums with Moishe Turk and Eva Fishman, an album of a sefer torah dedication to Baycrest Hospital in memory of Leah Fishman, photos of the Samuels family, their trip to Israel, promotional photos from the Reliable Toy Company, Beth Tzedec founding board photos, and B'nai Brith Women photos.

Administrative History

Samuel (ca. 1882-1929, Russia) and Gussie (nee Moscovitz) (b. ca.1884, Romania) Fishman, immigrated to Welland Ontario from Romania. Both arrived to the USA as teenagers sometime around the turn of the century. Samuel and Gussie were married in the USA and by 1920 immigrated with their young family to the historic township of Crowland in Welland County. Here they opened and operated a men's clothing store. Together they had six children, Molly (b. 1909, USA), Abe (b. 1911, USA), Morris (b. 1916, USA), Ruth (b. 1915, USA), Ann (b. 1920, Ontario) and Ethel. Morris married Pauline and lived in St. Catherines, Ruth married Nate Oelbaum and lived in Tucson Arizona, Anne married Alec Rothman and lived in Port Colborne, Ethel married Eddie Matchtinger and lived in Toronto and Abe never married. Yeva Fishman, the niece of Samuel Fishman married Morris Turk. Her father was (Frank Fishman?) and her mother was Sara Leah Fishman. Molly Fishman married Harry Title (Teitelebaum) (b. ca. 1903). They had three children, Greta (nee Title) Greisman, Sandra (nee Title) Samuels and Stephen (m. Carole Hillman, niece of Ben Hillman). Harry Teitelbaum is the son of Israel and Frumeth Teitelbaum. He was born in Gdansk Poland (b. ca., 1903). Harry Title had four younger siblings Lloyd, Birdie (m. Witlin), Arthur and Lorelle (Lieba) the youngest who was born in Toronto. Harry arrived to Canada shortly after the first world war and worked in the garment industry. He and his brother Arthur founded the Title Dress Company in the late 1920s and operated the business out of 355 Adelaide St. West. In the late 1980s, the business moved from this location to Adelaide and Bathurst. Sandra Title (b. Oct 27, 1936, Toronto), the middle daughter of Molly Fishman and Harry Title, married Lawrence Samuels. Together they had five children Joanna, John, Noah, Tom and Caroline. Lawrence was the eldest son of Alex Samuels (d. 1966) and Kate (nee Goldberg) Samuels. He had two younger siblings Herbie and Florence (m. Bill Goodman). Lawrence's father Alex Samuels immigrated to Canada from Dubrovna, White Russia (present day Dubrouna, Belarus). He immigrated to Canada with his parents Samuel and Chana Samuels and his younger siblings Sol, Ben, Riva and Polly. Alex and his brothers Sol and Ben established Reliable Toy Company in (ca. 1929) on Carlaw Ave. They sold the company in 1990.

Subjects

Business

Charities

Families

Places

Welland, Ont.

Toronto, Ont.

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2016-1-1

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

ca. 14 cm of textual records

Date

2006-2014

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual records documenting the fundraising activities for the Lebovic Jewish Community Campus, Sherman Campus and Miles Nadel JCC & Wolfond Centre for Jewish Campus Life. Records include brochures, an exhibit proposal for the National Centre for Jewish Heritage, event programs, newsletters, commemorative books for openings, powerpoint presentations and copies of the publication Vision featuring Philanthropy and Leadership. In addition, there is a special presentation booklet made for the Offer family.

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.

Subjects

Charities

Fund raising

Name Access

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2017-4-7

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

8 cm of textual records

1 photograph : col. ; 13 x 18 cm

Date

2004-2010

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a photograph of Ted Sokolsky and textual records that include: Centre Square Seniors' Centre Program and Design Brief (2004), Israel Emergency Campaign Fact Finding Trip by Ted Sokolsky and Adam Minsky (2007), Israel Emergency Campaign Proposal Draft 1 (2007) and a photo scrapbook of the Hatzor Ha'Glilit Early Childhood Centre (2010) thanking the UJA for its contribution to the construction of its new building.

Custodial History

Donated by Adam Minsky's office.

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.

Subjects

Charities

Israel

Older people

Name Access

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2017-8-10

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records

3 photographs : b&w ; 13 x 9 cm and smaller

1 DVD

Date

[ca. 1920]-2012

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the history of the Dora Wilensky Salsberg Memorial Fund at Jewish Family and Child. Included are: a Canadian Jewish News feature ("Legacy of Life") on Dora Wilensky; a Dora Wilensky Memorial Fund pamphlet; correspondence from J. B. Salsberg regarding Sharyn’s ongoing role with the Jewish Communal Service Graduate Studies Scholarship Program; correspondence regarding the Fund between Sharyn Salsberg Ezrin and Richard Cummings, Ron Levin, Gordon Wolfe, and Sam Helfenbaum; fund and endowment statements regarding the Dora Wilensky Memorial Fund; and correspondence between Sharyn and the Toronto Jewish Congress Endowment Fund. Also includes: records documenting the J. B. Salsberg Tribute Dinner held at Beth Sholom Synagogue on November 13, 1991; Canadian Jewish News and Toronto Life profiles of J. B. Salsberg; an interview of J. B. Salsberg by Sandy Naiman; J. B. Salsberg's eulogy by Irving Abella; and one DVD of a J.B. Salsberg video tribute. Also includes three photographs of J. B. Salsberg and Dora Wilensky, and four issues of various JF&CS publications.

Administrative History

Dora Wilensky Salsberg was one of Toronto’s earliest professionally trained Jewish social workers and a leader in the Canadian social work field. She was born in Russia on July 28, 1902 to Hyman and Mary Wilensky. She had three younger sisters: Bertha (b. 1903) Jenny (b. 1905), and Fagel (b.1910). In 1907, the family immigrated to Toronto where Hyman worked at a cap factory.

Dora had the highest marks in the province of Ontario upon graduating from high school and graduated as a gold medalist in modern history from McMaster University in Toronto. She initially pursued a career in teaching, but had difficulty securing a job due to discrimination. When her only job offer from Oshawa was given on the condition that she change her last name, Dora decided to become a social worker.

After studying at the New York School for Social Work and working briefly in Chicago, Dora returned to Toronto and took up the position as Executive Director of the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau in 1931. When the JF&CS was formed in 1943 she served as its first Executive Director. Under her leadership, JF&CS gained a reputation as being one of the most advanced and progressive agencies in Toronto. She was among the first to hire a psychiatric social worker and to introduce play therapy as part of treatment; she remained on top of advances being made in the field in other countries and encouraged her staff to regularly engage in professional development activities.

Dora attempted to enter the United States for professional development in the fall of 1948. She was refused entry by the commissioner of immigration and naturalization. Her aim was to attend a postgraduate course in social work at the University of Pennsylvania. In spite of numerous official letters of endorsement, her application for admission was denied.

Dora was also actively involved in various professional organizations. She was a member of the National Board of the Canadian Association of Social Workers, served on the Board of Governors and various committees of the Canadian Welfare Council, and was active on the Social Planning Council (formerly the Welfare Council of Toronto). In addition, she was instrumental in the establishment of the University of Toronto’s post-graduate course in social work. For her service to the field, she earned both the King George V and Coronation medals.

In 1927, Dora married J. B. Salsberg. Although she legally adopted his name, she always used her maiden name professionally. They did not have any children. On March 20, 1959, Dora passed away from cancer at the age of 56.

Subjects

Charities

Charities

Name Access

Salsberg, J. B.,1902-1998

Wilensky, Dora, 1902-1959

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-7-21

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

multiple media

Physical Description

113 cm of textual and other records

1 scrapbook

Date

1938-2016

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Act to End Violence Against Women organization. Included are: meeting minutes of the executive board; a ledger containing executive board waivers of notice; meeting minutes and resolutions from the yearly conventions; photographs of Act to End Violence Against Women members; correspondence with other organizations; correspondence, research material, public reactions, and ephemera from various campaigns; a commemorative booklet for a B'nai Brith cantorial concert; a scrapbook on the formation of the B'nai Brith Women Claire Morry Chapter; constitutions, constitutional amendments, reports, budgets, resolutions and other records of Act to End Violence Against Women; member lists and honour roll of past chapters; material and correspondence with B'nai Brith Washington; UJA material concerning assimilation and intermarriage and 2001 Jewish census data results.

Administrative History

The first Canadian chapter of B'nai Brith Women International was formed in Windsor, Ontario in 1923. Other chapters were soon formed throughout Eastern Canada and additional chapters were established in Winnipeg and British Columbia after 1949. The organization was initially administered by the American B'nai Brith Women. In 1976, it finally became autonomous (although still affiliated with the American agency) and changed its name to B'nai Brith Women of Eastern Canada. In 1981, its name was changed again to B'nai Brith Women of Canada. In 1995, the organization became known as Jewish Women International of Canada (JWIC). In November 2011, the organization underwent a final name change to Act to End Violence Against Women.

JWIC is committed to social change, with a particular focus on improving the lives of women and their families. In the 1980s, the agency initiated programs to counter domestic violence and began operating safe housing for Jewish women and children known as ASTEH (Alternative Safe Temporary Emergency Housing). JWIC also runs the JWI Residential Treatment Centre for emotionally disturbed youth.

Use Conditions

Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.

Descriptive Notes

Language note: Material in English, Russian and French.

Subjects

Charities

Family violence

Women

Name Access

Act to End Violence Against Women

Places

Canada

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-9-4

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

42 cm of textual records

Date

2001-2017

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records created and accumulated by Director, Capacity Building for the Social Services Sandi Pelly. Included are: reports, including annual reports; strategic plans; and studies for agencies funded by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Agencies documented in the records include: Bernard Betel Centre, Circle of Care, Chai-Tikvah Foundation, JACS, Jewish Family & Child, JIAS Toronto, JVS Toronto, Kehilla Residential Programme, Reena, and Zareinu Educational Center.

Custodial History

Shortly after Pelly left UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, her records were transferred to the office of Viola Dessanti, vice president of measurement analytics and evaluation. On September 9, 2018 the archivist went through the records, selected those that had archival value, and brought them back to the archives.

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.

Subjects

Charities

Name Access

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-2-4

Material Format

graphic material

architectural drawing

sound recording

Physical Description

ca.15 cm of textual records 5 DVD

Date

2002-2011

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material created or accumulated by the vice president, strategic community planning and engagement Robin Gofine during her time at UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Through her position with the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, Robin Gofine was involved in numerous project proposals. The following are documented in this accession: Sorel Etrog Central Square, Dubi Wall Mural, UJA Arts and Culture Mission, Jewish Museum of Toronto, Vaughan Campus, Central Campus Redevelopment, Centre for Canadian Jewish Heritage and Culture, and Sherman Campus.

Subjects

Charities

Name Access

Gofine, Robin

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-3-6

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

3 folders

Date

1999-2013

Scope and Content

Accession consists of correspondence and other material documenting UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and funded agencies including Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (JIAS) and Community Planning and Allocation (CP&A).

Subjects

Charities

Name Access

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-11-4

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

3 folders of textual records

Date

1922–1936

Scope and Content

Accession consists of three Jewish Family and Child case files.

Administrative History

Jewish Family & Child was established in 1943 from the amalgamation of a variety of different social agencies formed as early as 1868. These included the Ladies Benevolent Fund, the Free Burial Society, Jewish Family Welfare Bureau, Jewish Children’s Bureau, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and the Ladies Maternal Aid Society. Much of its funding and support after its inception came from the United Jewish Welfare Fund.

The first executive director of the agency was Dora Wilensky. She was a trained social worker who served for twenty-eight years, until her untimely death from cancer in 1959. Jerome Diamond took over in 1960 and Gordon Wolfe succeeded him in 1981. Ron Levin briefly replaced Wolfe after his retirement in 2003, and was succeeded in 2006 by Dr. Richard Cummings who then retired in 2015. As of 2017, Brian Prousky is the organization’s current executive director.

During the early years, fees were established, but the agency never refused to assist clients because of their inability to pay. JF&CS became one of the first agencies to rely on trained social workers. It was also the first social agency in Canada to become unionized.

Over the years the agency’s role has changed and it has expanded significantly, in terms of its staff and services. After the Second World War it played a pivotal role supporting the Holocaust orphans who came to Canada as refugees, particularly in the area of locating foster parents for these children. By 1957, the agency hired its first counsellor and became a member of the United Community Fund of Greater Toronto. The year 1968 marked the start of JF&CS’ new program involving the use of a mobile treatment centre to reach out to Jewish street kids and in 1974 they established the Jerome D. Diamond Adolescent Centre.

In 1981, JF&CS was mandated by the Province of Ontario as a Jewish children’s aid society responsible for the care and protection of all Jewish youth in the GTA. In 1983 they established the Just-A-Second Shop at 3101 Bathurst Street, which took in used goods from the community to pass on to needy families. Two years later they established the Henry G. Goodman Home for developmentally handicapped children on Wilmington Avenue. The following year marked the opening of the Elm Ridge Group Living Residence for elderly people. In 1988, they opened a special shelter for abused women and children, and in 1994, they introduced their Homework Club for kids.

The current mission of Jewish Family & Child is to support the healthy development of individuals, children, families, and communities through prevention, protection, counselling, education, and advocacy services, within the context of Jewish values. Their services include counselling, rehabilitation and support, foster care, family services, and community services. These services are offered in a host of different languages including Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian, French, and English.

JF&CS is an independent organization that receives its funding from a variety of different sources such as UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, United Way Toronto and York Region, the Government of Ontario, and individual donations.

As of 2017, JF&CS has nearly 130 staff providing more than thirty community services with a budget of almost $20 million. Their main office is located in the Lipa Green Centre for Community Services at 4600 Bathurst Street. They also maintain offices and run services out of their downtown branch at 35 Madison Avenue, their York Region branch inside UJA’s 1 Open Door at the Lebovic JCC, and their Jerome D. Diamond Adolescent Centre in midtown Toronto.

Use Conditions

Conditional Access. Researchers must receive permission from the donor prior to accessing the records. Please contact the OJA for more information.

Subjects

Charities

Name Access

Jewish Family and Child

Places

Canada

Source

Archival Accessions

Level

Item

Item

681

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[193-]

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative)

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Mrs. Sadie Feinberg and Red Cross Workers.

Name Access

Feinberg, Sadie

Red Cross

Subjects

Charities

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

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

General community activities series

Level

Series

Fonds

4

Series

11

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1950-2010

Physical Description

77 cm of textual records and other material

Admin History/Bio

In addition to his ongoing involvement with Clanton Park, the Canadian Jewish Congress Archives, the Aliyah Support Group, Jones Avenue Cemetery, Shomrai Shabbos and Adas Israel, Sol Edell undertook special projects on behalf of a wide array of Jewish organizations. These include cultural (Toronto Cantorial Scholarship Fund), educational (Netivot Hatorah and Yeshivat Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot), religious (Union of Jewish Orthodox Congregations), social welfare (Association of Jewish Seniors and Co-Ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly) and Zionist (Canadian Friends of Yeshivat Hakotel and State of Israel Bonds) organizations.

Scope and Content

Series consists of records documenting Sol Edell's involvement with a wide variety of Jewish educational, social and religious organizations and institutions in Canada, the United States, and Israel. Included are meeting minutes, publications, reports, photographs, correspondence, invitations, programmes, financial records, an architectural drawing, and a sound recording. While many of these organizations such as Eitz Chaim, Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot (educational), Mizrachi Organization of Canada, Emunah Women (Zionist) and Beth Jacob V’Anshe Drildz (synagogue) are orthodox, others such as Associated Hebrew Day Schools (educational), State of Israel Bonds (Zionist) and Co-ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly (social welfare) have no religious affiliation.

Notes

Physical description note: includes 26 photographs, 1 audio cassette, and 1 architectural drawing.

Name Access

Eitz Chaim

Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot

Mizrachi Men’s Organization

Emunah Women

Beth Jacob V'Anshei Drildz (Toronto, Ont.)

Associated Hebrew Day Schools

State of Israel Bonds

Co-ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly

Camp Moshava

Harbord Collegiate

Netivot Hatorah

Union of Jewish Orthodox Congregations

B'Nei Akiva

Toronto Committee for Bikur Cholim Hospital

Subjects

Charities

Children

Education

Fund raising

Older people

Religion

Zionism

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

66

Material Format

textual record

object

Date

1917-1939

Physical Description

49 cm of textual records

1 ruler : 6 in.

Admin History/Bio

For many years prior to 1917, Toronto Jewish community leaders had recognized the need to centralize fundraising for all local Jewish charities. The 1912 creation of the Associated Hebrew Charities was a partial improvement, but it proved unable to cope with the rapid growth in pre-war immigration, the effects of the 1916 economic recession, and the funding requirements of many still-unaffiliated agencies. The positive experiences of newly-established Jewish community federations in several American cities did, however, offer a better example for Toronto, where prominent Jewish leaders Edmund Scheuer, Abraham Cohen, and Ida Seigel provided the leadership that finally resulted in the establishment of a Toronto federation.

The Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto was chartered as a charitable organization under the laws of Ontario in September 1917. Its central goal was to end the frequent, uncontrolled, and competitive fund soliciting by a wide range of individual Toronto Jewish philanthropic and social service institutions and instead substitute a single, coordinated, city-wide community fundraising effort. This would ensure adequate and accountable funding for all its affiliated organizations and agencies in Toronto.

Original affiliated agencies of the FJPT were: the Ladies Co-operative Board, the Jewish Orphans' Home, the Jewish Girls Club, the Junior Council of Jewish Women, the Hebrew Ladies Maternity Aid and Sewing Circle, the Hebrew Young Ladies Boot and Shoe Society, the Jewish Branch of the Big Brotherhood Movement, the Hebrew Free Loan Society, the Jewish Dispensary, and the Hebrew Burial Society.

The original officers were: Edmund Scheuer (president), Joseph Singer (first vice-president), Jay J. Allen (second vice-president), Moses Gelber (third vice-president), Charles Draimin (forth vice-president), Eli Pullan (treasurer), and Abraham Cohen (honorary secretary). A board of trustees consisting of forty-five members was also constituted, one-third of whom were to be replaced each year.

Final decision powers of the federation were originally vested in the board, which met monthly and was responsible for funds distribution and the nomination of officers of the federation. The board also had the power to change, by a two-third vote, any federation bylaws, rules, or regulations. The president chaired all board meetings and had, along with the treasurer, signing authority for orders and cheques. In his absence, the president's responsibilities were transferred to the first or other vice-presidents, in order. The treasurer was responsible for receiving all donations and depositing them in the bank. He also had signing authority for disbursals.

A system of committees was also established in order to deal with individual issues such as annual meetings, fundraising, budgets, day-to-day administration, and policy, constitutional, and regulation changes. Recommendations from these committees were sent to an executive committee. When vetted, they were then forwarded to the board of trustees for final approval. By 1924, a new position of executive director was added to the list of officers in order to provide better management of the FJPT administration and to head up the executive committee. Also, by this time, six further agencies had become affiliated: Mount Sinai Hospital, the Jewish Boys' and Girls' Camps, Jewish Big Sisters, the Family Welfare Bureau, the Federation Health Clinic, and the Federation Employment Bureau.

The first office of the FJPT was at 206 Beverly Street, but by 1924 it was headquartered at 218 Simcoe Street. By 1928, it had moved to 179 Beverley Street, which was renamed Scheuer House after the FJPT's first president.

The onset of the Great Depression in 1929 created unprecedented and ever-growing service and monetary demands on the FJPT. Unable to cope, a major change was urgently required. In 1938, the FJPT was thus absorbed into a new and larger organization with an expanded mission and reorganized fundraising operations, the United Jewish Welfare Fund.

Although the FJPT was absorbed into the UJWF in 1938, meetings of the FJPT Board of Management (responsible for funds redistribution to the FJPT's affiliated agencies) continued to January 1939, when these responsibilities were finally transferred to the UJWF.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting the incorporation, public reporting, planning, financial, administration and operational records of the FJPT. Included are: the incorporation certificate, committee meeting agendas and minutes, correspondence, budgets, annual reports and special reports. FJPT operational records document fund-raising, fund re-distribution and ongoing dialogues with member agencies. Records of specialized, short-lived committees document specific subjects such as salaries, a new community centre, funding of camps, and policies concerning the future of the organization are also included.

Series within this fonds are; 1. Incorporation, 2. Annual Meetings, 3. Annual Reports, 4. Board of Trustees, 5. Constitution Committee, 6. Executive Committee, 7. Budget Committee, 8. Sub-Committee Studying Salaries, 9. Policy Study Committee, 10. Fund-raising Campaign, 11. Federation and Camp Representative Group, 12. Committee on the Community Centre, and 13. Board of Management.

Name Access

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto

Subjects

Charities

Related Material

For records of the United Jewish Welfare Fund, successor to the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, see Fonds 67.

Creator

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto (1917-1939)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

67

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1936-2010, predominant 1938-1976

Physical Description

14.3 m of textual records

5593 photographs, 25 x 20 cm and smaller, and other media

Admin History/Bio

The Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto (FJPT) was incorporated in Ontario in March 1917 to coordinate the fundraising activities of Jewish charitable, philanthropic, and social service agencies in Toronto. In 1918, ten separate agencies were funded by the FJPT. By 1937, fourteen agencies were funded. The Great Depression of the 1930s and the development of several newer Jewish aid, education, and medical care organizations created both increased need for resources and growing competition for ever-more scarce dollars. Within a very few years, this funding crisis forced a major review of the organization.

During 1936, a series of special meetings of leading individuals were held to examine the income and expenditures of all Toronto Jewish agencies and also to speculate about the need for a new Toronto Jewish "community chest" as the sole fund-raising organization for a federation of all Jewish agencies, including the FJPT. In 1938, the new United Jewish Welfare Fund was formally constituted. Added to the FJPT's previous list of Toronto client agencies in 1938 were: the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Hebrew National Association, the Jewish Immigrant Aid Association, the Mizrachi Society, the Toronto Free Loan Association, the Geverkshaften, and Old Folks Home, and the United Palestine Appeal, raising the total number of agencies to twenty-two.

When the State of Israel was established in 1948, the UJWF's annual fundraising campaign was combined with the CJC's United Palestine appeal to form a new, combined campaign named the United Jewish Appeal (UJA). In 1967, the UJA name was legally changed to the United Jewish Appeal of Metropolitan Toronto.

In mid-1976, the organization's public name was changed to the Toronto Jewish Congress. Although initially thought of as a merger between the UJWF and the CJC, the actual result was the expansion of the UJWF responsibilities to include local education and welfare services previously shared with the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region. The UJWF, however, remained the legal senior entity.

In 1991, the public name was again changed to the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto and, in 1999, to UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. By this date, over thirty beneficiary and affiliated agencies, forty-nine affiliated schools and five federation departments were fully or partly funded by the federation.

In June 2010, the organization altered its legal structure, with the senior legal entity becoming the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of 25 series: Annual Meetings, Annual Reports, Board of Directors, Constitution Committee, Executive Committee, Officers Committee, Budget and Finance Committee, Administration Committee, Social Planning Committee, Committee on Capital Needs and Planning, Central Committee on Scholarships in Aid, Joint Committee of the BJE and UJWF Study on Jewish Education, Nominations Committee, Pension Fund Committee, Coordinating Committee, Special Ad Hoc and Temporary Committees, Annual Campaign, Client Agencies, Joint Committee of the CJC and the UJWF, Committee on Community Organization, Sub-Committee on Construction and Administration of Community Schools, Joint Committee on Fundraising, Personnel Committee, Community Leadership Development Council, and Israel at Fifty Community Celebration.

Over 4500 photographs and a variety of other media are managed within Series 17, Campaign records.

Notes

For exact details about the contents of individual series and sub-series, please review their scope and contents notes.

Name Access

United Jewish Welfare Fund

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto

United Jewish Appeal

Toronto Jewish Congress

Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Subjects

Charities

Fund raising

Access Restriction

Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.

Related Material

For records of the predecessor of the UJWF, see Fonds 66, the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds.

Further detailed documentation of the proposed merger between the UJWF and the CJC (creation of the TJC) may be found in Fonds 67, Sub-sub-series 5-5-1, Files 171 and 221.

Further documentation on the United Jewish Welfare Fund may be found within Fonds 9, Series 7, records of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society.

For further detailed records of a key community leader's involvement with the UJWF see Accession 1982-8-8, the records of Samuel Godfrey, 1943-1972.

Creator

United Jewish Welfare Fund (1938-)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Jewish Family and Child fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

79

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1933-2011

Physical Description

ca. 4.8 m of texutal records and other material

Admin History/Bio

Jewish Family & Child was established in 1943 from the amalgamation of a variety of different social agencies formed as early as 1868. These included the Ladies Benevolent Fund, the Free Burial Society, Jewish Family Welfare Bureau, Jewish Children’s Bureau, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and the Ladies Maternal Aid Society. Much of its funding and support after its inception came from the United Jewish Welfare Fund.

The first executive director of the agency was Dora Wilensky. She was a trained social worker who served for twenty-eight years, until her untimely death from cancer in 1959. Jerome Diamond took over in 1960 and Gordon Wolfe succeeded him in 1981. Ron Levin briefly replaced Wolfe after his retirement in 2003, and was succeeded in 2006 by Dr. Richard Cummings who then retired in 2015. As of 2017, Brian Prousky is the organization’s current executive director.

During the early years, fees were established, but the agency never refused to assist clients because of their inability to pay. JF&CS became one of the first agencies to rely on trained social workers. It was also the first social agency in Canada to become unionized.

Over the years the agency’s role has changed and it has expanded significantly, in terms of its staff and services. After the Second World War it played a pivotal role supporting the Holocaust orphans who came to Canada as refugees, particularly in the area of locating foster parents for these children. By 1957, the agency hired its first counsellor and became a member of the United Community Fund of Greater Toronto. The year 1968 marked the start of JF&CS’ new program involving the use of a mobile treatment centre to reach out to Jewish street kids and in 1974 they established the Jerome D. Diamond Adolescent Centre.

In 1981, JF&CS was mandated by the Province of Ontario as a Jewish children’s aid society responsible for the care and protection of all Jewish youth in the GTA. In 1983 they established the Just-A-Second Shop at 3101 Bathurst Street, which took in used goods from the community to pass on to needy families. Two years later they established the Henry G. Goodman Home for developmentally challenged children on Wilmington Avenue. The following year marked the opening of the Elm Ridge Group Living Residence for elderly people. In 1988, they opened a special shelter for abused women and children, and in 1994, they introduced their Homework Club for kids.

The current mission of Jewish Family & Child is to support the healthy development of individuals, children, families, and communities through prevention, protection, counselling, education, and advocacy services, within the context of Jewish values. Their services include counselling, rehabilitation and support, foster care, family services, and community services. These services are offered in a host of different languages including Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian, French, and English.

JF&CS is an independent organization that receives its funding from a variety of different sources such as UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, United Way Toronto and York Region, the Government of Ontario, and individual donations.

As of 2017, JF&CS has nearly 130 staff providing more than thirty community services with a budget of almost $20 million. Their main office is located in the Lipa Green Centre for Community Services at 4600 Bathurst Street. They also maintain offices and run services out of their downtown branch at 35 Madison Avenue, their York Region branch inside UJA’s 1 Open Door at the Lebovic JCC, and their Jerome D. Diamond Adolescent Centre in midtown Toronto.

Name Access

Jewish Family and Child

Wilensky, Dora, 1902-1959

Wolfe, Gordon

Diamond, Jerome D.

Subjects

Charities

Children

Families

Nonprofit organizations

Access Restriction

Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing the records.

Related Material

See also: Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds (fonds 86); Jewish Family Welfare Bureau fonds (fonds 87); Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds (fonds 66); and, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds (fonds 67).

Creator

Jewish Family and Child (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

2004-5-101

2004-1-8

2002-10-38

2006-6-7 (Shelf 03-6,Orphan index cards)

2009-12-9

2010-4-1 (Shelf 34-1)

2010-10-5

2015-8/11

2015-9/1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Jewish Family Welfare Bureau fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

87

Material Format

textual record

architectural drawing

Date

1928-1943

Physical Description

67 cm of textual records

1 architectural drawing

Admin History/Bio

Sometime around 1919, the Family Welfare Committee was set up within the newly created Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto (FJPT) to perform social welfare work with Jewish families. Around 1931, the Committee was reorganized as an independent member agency of the FJPT and renamed the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau (JFWB). At the same time, Dora Wilensky (1902-1959), a professionally-trained social worker, was hired as the agency’s executive director. Throughout its existence, most of its funding came from the FJPT (later the United Jewish Welfare Fund).

Located at 179 Beverley Street, the JFWB’s core activities included: relief provision; helping families meet basic needs, such as medical care, heating and clothing; housekeeping assistance; counseling; and case work. The JFWB’s major concerns shifted over time from a rise of immigration and desertion cases in the 1920s to the dramatic increase of wife abuse, suicide, and unemployment cases during the Great Depression of the 1930s. After the outbreak of the Second World War, the JFWB sought ways of assisting soldiers and their families, such as, investigating special government grants to soldiers.

In an attempt to meet community needs, the JFWB initiated various programs, such as a Homemaking Club to teach women house management skills, and a Clothing Centre to provide families with inexpensive household goods. It also partnered with other local Jewish organizations in the early 1940s in the Liaison Project for troubled Jewish youth. In the 1930s, the Jewish Employment Service and Hebrew Free Burial Society became departments of the JFWB and, in 1941, the JFWB began guaranteeing loans for clients through the Hebrew Free Loan Association. In the same year, the Jewish Big Sister Committee became affiliated with the agency and the Jewish Big Brother Movement followed soon after.

In 1936, the JFWB became one of the first unionized social agencies in Canada when it formed the Staff Association with the Jewish Child Welfare Association (JCWA), another member of the FJPT. Although the JFWB’s focus was work with families and the JCWA’s focus was work with children, both agencies found it necessary at times to work with both children and families. In order to prevent service duplication and reduce confusion over casework responsibility, the Joint Application Bureau was set up within the FJPT to review all case work applications and determine the appropriate agency to provide assistance. However, a merger between the agencies was still believed necessary to improve service to the community and ease confusion. Discussions regarding the co-ordination of services between the JCWA and the JFWB began as early as 1935 and in February 1943, the JCWA and JFWB merged to form the Jewish Family and Child Services (JF & CS).

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of textual records and one architectural drawing documenting the programs, operation, finances, and special studies of the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau as well as its relationships with other organizations. Included are reports, meeting notices, agendas and minutes, correspondence, memos, budgets, statistics, theatrical scripts, newsclippings, and one architectural blueprint. A number of the records relate to special short-lived committees and projects that the JFWB participated in with other agencies, such as the Jewish Big Sister Committee, Jewish Big Brother Committee, Jewish Child Welfare Association, the Jewish Community Centre Association, the Young Men's and Women's Hebrew Association, and the Jewish Old Folks' Home.

Records have been arranged into the following 19 series: 1. Board of Directors; 2. Executive Director; 3. Jewish Federation Communal Council; 4. United Jewish Welfare Fund Men's and Women's Service Council; 5. Case Committe; 6. Joint Meetings and Committees; 7. Joint Application Bureau; 8. Homemaking Club; 9. Clothing Centre; 10. Liaison Project; 11. Operational statistics; 12. Finance and accounting; 13. Human Resources; 14. Special projects and studies; 15. Publicity; 16. Liaison with other social welfare organizations; 17. Canadian Association of Social Workers; 18. Welfare Council of Toronto; and, 19. Conferences.

Notes

Associated material note: for related records held at the City of Toronto Archives, see also: Welfare Council of Toronto records in the University Settlement House fonds (fonds 1024, series 658); and, Department of Public Welfare records in the Former City of Toronto fonds (fonds 200).

Name Access

Jewish Family Welfare Bureau

Jewish Community Centre Association

Young Men's-Young Women's Hebrew Athletic Association (Toronto, Ont.) (subject)

Jewish Old Folks Home (Toronto, Ont.)

United Jewish Welfare Fund (Toronto, Ont.) (subject)

Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto (subject)

Wilensky, Dora, 1902-1959

Subjects

Charities

Children

Families

Nonprofit organizations

Access Restriction

Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing some of the records.

Related Material

See also: Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds (fonds 86); Jewish Family and Child Services fonds (fonds 79); Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds (fonds 66); and, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds (fonds 67).

Arrangement

Records relating to programs, committees and liaison with other organizations that continued after the formation of JF & CS are arranged with that fonds.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sharon Chapter of Hadassah fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

90

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1918-1981, predominant 1952-1973

Physical Description

22 cm of textual records (4 v.)

16 microfiches of textual records

2 photographs

Admin History/Bio

Canada’s third chapter of Hadassah was organized in Brantford on January 2, 1918 by Mrs. Anna Selig (m. Raginsky) and sponsored by Mrs. Leah Lazarus primarily to assist with Canada’s war effort. In 1919, it joined with other Canadian chapters to form the Hadassah Organization of Canada. By 1921, Hadassah Canada had merged with the Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO) and changed its name to Hadassah-WIZO. In 1929, the Brantford chapter adopted the name Rose of Sharon, but abbreviated it to the Sharon Chapter of Hadassah.

As a member of Hadassah-WIZO, the Sharon Chapter shared its mandate of financially and socially supporting the peoples of Israel and promoting Jewish culture and ideals in Canada. Following the national organization’s mandate, its administration consisted of two levels: a general membership and an executive committee. The general membership voted on all issues and activities, while the executive committee ensured all tasks were completed. Although the chapter initially only elected one president, it began electing three presidents in 1943.

Mrs. Sam Fox served as the chapter’s first president over the charter membership of 30 women. Membership initially remained fairly constant, but grew to 92 members by 1962. All members paid annual dues, of which a small portion was used to pay the chapter’s expenses with the remainder being forwarded to the regional Hadassah council to pay administrative costs and donations.

Some of the fundraising activities Sharon Chapter organized include an annual birthday party (started in 1925), an annual bazaar (started in 1952), sewing circles, pot lucks, tea and garden parties, rummage and auction sales, and showers. The funds and other goods accumulated from these events were forwarded to the regional Hadassah council to support various Hadassah-WIZO projects, such as Youth Aliyah and the Acco Baby Creche. The Sharon Chapter also supported local projects, such as, assisting new immigrants, and entertaining servicemen at the local canteen during the Second World War.

The population of Brantford’s Jewish community began declining after the 1960s as younger generations moved to larger cities and were followed by their parents after retirement. By 1999, the Sharon Chapter’s membership had fallen to 24 women and meetings were being held only once a year. The Sharon Chapter likely closed around 2001; the same year that dwindling resources and membership forced the closure of Brantford’s synagogue, Congregation Beth David.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting the activities, finances, special programs and fundraising events of Brantford’s Sharon Chapter of Hadassah-WIZO. Included are meeting minutes, correspondence, photographs, ledgers, annual budgets, remittance forms, financial bulletins, financial statements, certificates, invitations, lists, notebooks, programmes, reports, recipes, speeches, news clippings, an auditorium lease, a contract, a theatrical script, and pledge cards.

Fonds has been arranged into five series: 1. Meetings; 2. Special projects and events; 3. Annual Bazaar; 4. Finance and accounting; and, 5. Administration. One item and one file are attached to the fonds-level.

Notes

Physical extent note: fonds was reduced from ca. 50 cm to 22 cm. See accession 2001-10-3 for further information about the culled material.

Name Access

Sharon Chapter

Hadassah-Wizo

Brantford

Subjects

Charities

Children

Related Material

For additional OJA records documenting the Sharon Chapter, see Sadie Stren fonds 78 and the Congregation Beth David fonds 88.

For additional OJA Hadassah-WIZO records, see Toronto Hadassah fonds 71, accessions 1996-11-1, 2008-3-3, and 2009-8-6.

For additional OJA records related to Brantford families and other Jewish organizations, such as the B'nai Brith lodge, please see accession #2001-10-3; #2009-7-1, 1978-11-4, 1977-8-16, 1992-8-3, 1980-1-14, 1978-1-2, 2008-7-1, photo# 109, photo# 755, and photo #758.

See also the Hadassah-WIZO Organization of Canada fonds at Library and Archives Canada, reference #R3454-0-7-E.

Accession Number

2001-10-3

1979-9-21

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Folks Farein fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

105

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

architectural drawing

Date

1914-1977

Physical Description

3.07 m of textual records

110 photographs : b&w and col. (hand-tinted) ; 51 x 41 cm or smaller

6 architectural drawings : 70 x 36 or smaller

Admin History/Bio

The Folks Farein, also known as the Hebrew National Association, was established in 1914 by a group of Toronto Jewish immigrants as a society dedicated to anti-missionary and educational outreach. They were first located at 23 Cecil Street and moved to 37 Cecil Street around 1940.

In the early years of the Folks Farein's existence, Christian missions and a number of Jewish converts to Christianity sought to exploit the situation of poor Jews in the community through the distribution of direct relief, services of doctors and midwives and by street-corner preaching and proselytizing. To counteract the work of the Toronto missionaries the Folks Farein offered a number of services including welfare for working mothers, a reading room, English language classes and translation services for Yiddish immigrants.

When the threat from missionary activity was no longer an issue, the Folks Farein transformed itself into a philanthropic society. Under its revised mandate the society looked after the sick and needy in hospitals, sanatoriums, mental health institutions and in their homes, and arranged for free doctor services, translation services, medicine, dentures, eyeglasses, orthopedic shoes and medical appliances. The Folks Farein guaranteed the full or partial payment of medical bills by maintaining a fund in several hospitals for the benefit of Jewish patients in need of assistance. They provided assistance to seniors applying for old age pensions, to widows and mothers applying for benefits, assisted needy families and patients with kosher meals, provided cash relief during Passover, and fed and billeted the unemployed and homeless at their premises at 37 Cecil Street.

In the course of their work, the Folks Farein collaborated with many Jewish organizations and societies such as the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society, Jewish Family Welfare Bureau, Relief Unemployment Fund, Jewish Joint Application Bureau, Jewish Children's Bureau, the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto, Canadian Jewish Congress and the Toronto Hebrew Free Loan Association.

Its basis of revenue came from its large membership, house-to-house contributions from the public and from special events such as its annual ball, Moes Chittin campaign, Purim ball, and beauty contests.

In addition to its regular activities the Folks Farein assumed responsibility for providing aid to refugees of the Second World War: the first group arriving from Europe in 1945 and in 1948 to a group of Jewish tailors liberated from the DP camps of Germany. In 1947, the Folks Farein established Hachnoses Orchim, a temporary shelter to accommodate refugees and displaced persons. The shelter was located at 37 Cecil Street.

The Folks Farein's first officers were Mr. J. Graner (president), Mr. J. Meisniker (vice-president), Mr. Meyer Littner (superintendent), Chuna Mosoff and Mr. W. Welman (trustees), Miss Weiner and Mr. Cohen (board of education), Mr. A. Kaminsky (recording secretary) and Mr. Cohen (treasurer). Mr. Epstein referred to as "Grandfather" was one of the founders of the Folks Farein.

Other pioneers included Moshe Oelbaum, and M. Spiegel (1st vice-president), J. Hurwitz (1st vice-president and president), Abraham Sher, S.M. Shapiro Shlesinger, Joseph Grenner, Mrs. Minna Winter (president of the Women's Auxiliary) and Kalman Wagner. In 1930, David Green assumed the position of president of the Folks Farein and served as its exclusive president from 1934 until his passing on 13 May 1977. Sam Cohen was then elected the new president of the Folks Farein.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting the Folks Farein's philanthropic activities in the Toronto Jewish community from 1914 to 1977. Records include meeting minutes and agendas of the executive board and committees, resolutions of board of directors, newspaper clippings in both Yiddish and English, publicity material, photographs, general correspondence, architectural drawings, cemetery deeds, legal documents, records relating to David Green's personal interests, financial and fundraising records, wills and bequests, and client case files. The records have been arranged into nine series: Meeting minutes; Scrapbooks; Executive services; Celebrations and events; Building and operations; David Green; Finance and fundraising; and Case files.

Notes

Formerly cited as MG2 O1N.

Name Access

Folks Farein

Hebrew National Association (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Charities

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Na'amat Canada Toronto fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

130

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Date

[195-]-2018

Physical Description

1.1 m of textual records and other material

Admin History/Bio

Na’amat Canada Toronto is a chapter of Na'amat Canada, a Jewish non-profit volunteer women’s organization whose goal is to improve the lives of women, children, and families in Israel and Canada. Na'amat was founded in 1925 under the name the Women's Organization for the Pioneer Women of Palestine, an organization connecting the labour Zionist movement in Palestine with Jewish communities in Canada and the United States. The need for a women’s organization arose in the context of a feminist movement in which women sought to become equal partners in founding the State of Israel by lobbying for maternity leave laws, the creation of daycare centers near places of employment, and equal-pay legislation.

A Toronto chapter was established in 1948. In 1966, Pioneer Women (Na'amat) became autonomous in Canada, and the next year it incorporated in Canada as Pioneer Women's Organization Incorporated. In 1987, Pioneer Women's Organization Incorporated officially changed its name to Na'amat Canada Inc. The organization’s mission includes safeguarding the status of women and children, responding to humanitarian concerns, promoting Zionism and Jewish identity, and strengthening bonds between Israel and the Diaspora. To accomplish its goals, Na’amat members organize fundraisers, solicit donations, engage in targeted marketing, attract new members, and obtain publicity among other activities.

Na'amat Canada Toronto is governed by a council comprised of volunteers that represent the membership across Toronto. More specifically, the council consists of a Toronto president, a Toronto vice-president, an immediate past president, a Toronto office administrator, a membership committee chair, a fundraising committee chair, club presidents, a communication/technology chair, a Toronto technical consultant, a programming/education chair, a leadership chair, a membership experience person, a membership advisor, a school supplies chair, an Israel Day Festival chair, and Dollars for David co-chairs.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of materials relating to Na'amat Canada Toronto which document the organization's fundraising, educational, and publishing activities in the Toronto area from the 1950s until 2018. The fonds is comprised of the following series: publications, administrative records, fundraising and event ephemera, Na'amat Israel, Na'amat USA, newspaper clippings, and clubs.

Name Access

Na'amat Canada Toronto

Subjects

Charities

Women

Zionism

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.

Creator

Na'amat Canada Toronto

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

2019-3-2

Source

Archival Descriptions