Accession Number

1996-3-3

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

2.4 m of textual records and graphic materials

Date

[ca. 1940]-[ca.1995]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of the records created and/or accumulated by Nechemiah Knobel. They relate to the work of the Labour Zionist Alliance and the Borochov movement. Of note are a series of photographs documenting the unveiling of the Holocaust monument at Mount Sinai Cemetery in 1968. Identified individuals include Mayor Phil Givens, Allan Grossman, Ben Himel and Max Federman.

Use Conditions

Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.

Subjects

Holocaust memorials

Cemeteries

Labor unions

Labor Zionism

Name Access

Knobel, Nechemiah

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1997-4-2

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

50 photographs : b&w and col. (24 negatives)

Date

1916-1988

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs and newspaper clippings documenting the life of the Levine Family. Photographs include class pictures from Port Whitby's Brock School, Purim celebrations at Oshawa's Beth Zion Synagogue, Camp Ogama staff and camper photos, Camp Winnibagoe cabin photos and Royal Winter Fair prize winning photos.

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

Camp counselors

Camps

Farms

Farm tractors

Purim

Name Access

Camp Winnebagoe

Places

Oshawa (Ont.)

Whitby (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

1989-10-4

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1989

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a souvenier booklet celebrating the 65th anniversary of Achdut Ha-Avoda Poale Zion and the 40th anniversaries of Anielewitch Branch Labour Zionist Alliance (L.Z.A.) and Zerubavel - Federman Branch L.Z.A.

Subjects

Anniversaries

Labor Zionism

Name Access

Simon, Harry, 1909-1993

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2007-12-2

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

90 cm of textual records

1000 photographs [approx.]

Date

1919-2007

Scope and Content

This accession consists of textual and graphic records documenting the programs and activities of Canadian Young Judaea. The records include newsletters and publications, photographs, anniversary books, and program books. There are also two compact discs containing scanned copies of the photographs from this accession.

Custodial History

These records were gathered together for an anniversary celebration held in November 2007. Most of the records were found in the basement of the office building on Marlee Avenue, before being donated to the archives.

Administrative History

Canadian Young Judaea was founded in 1909 as a Zionist movement for Canadian youth by members of the Herzl Zion Club. As a Zionist organization, Young Judaea continues to be committed to fostering a sense of Jewish identity and values in today's Jewish youth and to encouraging a lifelong commitment to Israel.

In order to foster a closer connection to Israel, Canadian Young Judaea employs educational Shlichim from Israel who are posted at various Jewish communities throughout Canada and offices at the national level. In Toronto, Young Judaea also operates several Zionist summer camps located in each region of Canada, and a summer leadership institute called Camp Biluim in Quebec. In addition to the social programme of the organization, Young Judaea also offers educational seminars and conferences.

Young Judaea's national structure includes a National Executive Board and an Administrative Council. Conventions are held regularly, as are regional conferences. In the past, Young Judaea operated as an associated, but distinct, organization from the Zionist Organization of Canada. However, Young Judaea operations were overseen by the ZOC executive, and Young Judaea received their budget from the ZOC Treasury. In addition, ZOC and Young Judaea worked in conjunction with one another on many projects and programmes, such as with the operation of the Zionist camps. They were therefore dependent on ZOC.

Subjects

Camps

Youth

Zionism

Name Access

Canadian Young Judaea

Source

Archival Accessions

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

2013-9-2

Material Format

moving images

Physical Description

1 film reel (ca. 5 min.) : col., si. ; super 8 mm

Date

1983

Scope and Content

Accession consists of one film reel documenting the Slavens family at Camp Wahanowin and at a family farm owned by Eric's parents in Dundalk, Ontario.

Use Conditions

None

Subjects

Amateur films

Camps

Farms

Name Access

Camp Wahanowin

Slavens (family)

Places

Dundalk (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-5-4

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

4 photograph albums

ca. 450 photographs : b&w and col. (ca. 260 negatives) ; 36 x 30 cm and smaller

3 cm of textual records

Date

[ca. 1963]-[ca. 1995]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of graphic material and textual records documenting Canadian Young Judaea. Included are photographic albums, loose photographs, clippings, photographic contact sheets and negatives, and textual records, including meeting minutes, correspondences, etc. All of the items relate to Ontario-based Jewish summer camps such as Camp Solelim and Camp Biluim, as well as to Canadian Young Judaea.

Custodial History

Records came via Josefa Michaelson, c/o Canadian Young Judaea

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Children

Camps

Name Access

Canadian Young Judaea

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-5-9

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

moving images

Physical Description

90 cm of textual records and graphic material

3 film ; 16 mm

7 VHS

Date

[194-]-1989

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the Labour Zionist Alliance and its precurssor organizations including the Borochov Branches and the Independent Friendly Worker's Circle.Records include photographs of past members, governance documents, correspondence, publicity materials and anniversary and program books for the Cloakmakers Branch of the Independent Worker's Circle, the Zerubavel Branch and the B. Borochov Branch 124 of the Farband. Also included are meeting minutes and membership ledgers for the Independent Worker's Circle (1944-1950; 1962-1971) and the Farband Labour Zionist Order (1959-1961). The films document the intiatives in Israel supported by the Labour Zionist Order.

Custodial History

Records were in the possession of the Labour Zionist Order until they ceased functioning in May 2014.

Subjects

Labor Zionism

Societies

Name Access

Labour Zionist Order (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-8-15

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

ca. 20 cm textual records

3 photographs

Date

1948-2007

Scope and Content

Accession consists of documents and photographs related to Young Judaea programs. Photographs are group pictures from Camp Shalom and Camp Biluim. Among the documents are meeting minutes, newsletters, correspondence, songbooks, scripts, flyers, and guides for counsellors and group leaders. Also included are issues of Hebrew newsletters Daf Hat'Nua and Bat'Nua.

Subjects

Camps

Youth

Zionism

Name Access

Canadian Young Judaea

Camp Shalom

Camp Biluim

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-10-3

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

40 cm textual records

ca. 50 photographs

Date

1940-2012

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records of Canadian Young Judaea. Records include correspondence, camp committee meeting minutes, camp committee and staff lists, the CYJ constitution, organizational newsletters, donation lists, flyers and camp reunion ephemera. Records also include clippings and reproductions from the Zionist Archives, and Camp Solelim photographs, as well as publications from other Jewish organizations.

Administrative History

Canadian Young Judaea was founded in 1909 as a Zionist movement for Canadian youth by members of the Herzl Zion Club. As a Zionist organization, Young Judaea continues to be committed to fostering a sense of Jewish identity and values in today's Jewish youth and to encouraging a lifelong commitment to Israel. In order to foster a closer connection to Israel, Canadian Young Judaea employs educational Shlichim from Israel who are posted to various Jewish communities throughout Canada and to offices at the national level in Toronto Young Judaea also operates several Zionist summer camps located in each region of Canada, and a summer leadership institute called Camp Biluim in Quebec. In addition to the social programme of the organization, Young Judaea also offers educational seminars and conferences.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Access restriction note: Files contain personal information of donors, campers, committee members and applicants for subsidies.

Subjects

Camps

Youth

Zionism

Name Access

Canadian Young Judaea

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-5

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1982-1989

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a Jubilee Book in honour of 50 years of Zerubavel Branch (1982) and a Jubilee Dinner book (1989) celebrating the 65th anniversary of Achdut Ha-Avoda and the 40th anniversary of the Anielewitch Branch and the Zerubavel-Federman Branch, both of the Labour Zionist Alliance (L.Z.A.).

Custodial History

A card titled 'Donor Lead' states that the textual materials were provided by Ben Himel.

Subjects

Anniversaries

Labor Zionism

Name Access

Achdut Ha-Avoda - Poale Zion (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-8-7

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 70 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1928-2013

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the activities of Ben Zion Shapiro and his family. The bulk of the records document the Shapiro family's involvement in Young Judaea. The Young Judaea material includes: yearbooks, photographs, correspondence, meeting minutes, event programmes, song books, newsletters, and two Camp Biluim flags made by Bunny Shapiro. One flag contains Camp Biluim's crest (1951) and the other one was created for Camp Biluim's colour war and contains the text "We will try and we will succeed Camp Biluim" (1954?). Also included is a VHS tape containing a copy of the Toronto Zionist Council's video about Camp Shalom (1991?). Of note are minute books maintained by Roy Shapiro for the Toronto Young Judaea Administrative Board (1928-1934) and for the Leadership Club (1940-1948).

Accession also contains material relating to Roy and Ben Zion's involvement with the following organizations: the Coordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly (Circle of Care), B'nai Israel Beth David Congregation, Beth Tzedec's Mispacha Program, Beth Tzedec's Israel Action Program, Congregation Beth Haminyan, and Holy Blossom Temple's Department for Jewish Living. These records include, minutes, correspondence, newsletters and publications, evaluation reports and other reports. Also included is a demographic report entitied "Rapid Growth and Transformation: Demographic Challenges Facing the Jewish Community of Greater Toronto" (1995), material from a conference at the University of Toronto on the university's partnership with Israel, CHAT alumni directories, and a CHAT book entitled, "Voices: Jewish Teens of the 90's". Of note are buttons, photographs, reports and correspondence documenting Bunny and Ben Zion's trip to the Soviet Union on behalf of the CJC's Committee for Soviet Jewry.

Finally accession includes material documenting family activities of the Shapiro and Sherman family. Included is a transcript of Bessie Sherman telling her life story (1978), haggadot, PowerPoint presentations created by Ben Zion for his grandchildren and for a family reunion outlining the family history of his family and Bunny's family. There is also a video of Ben Zion presenting his PowerPoint at the Michalski / Cohen family reunion. Also included are family films and videos containing footage of Bunny and Ben Zion's wedding and honeymoon, Camp Biluim, Young Judaea events, Bunny on Machon, family wedding anniversaries and birthday parties, trips to Israel, the United States, and Europe as well as footage of the Cousin's Club. Also included is a VHS tape containing a recorded segment from CityPulse News featuring the family's Pesach festivities in 1995.

Photo identification: Back row, left to right: Ray Markus, Michelle Landsberg, Menachem ?, Frank Narrol. Front row, left to right: Gilda Mitchell, Bunny Shapiro, BenZion Shapiro, Malka Rabinowitz.

Administrative History

Ben Zion Shapiro was born in Toronto in 1931 to Roy Shapiro and Beck Shapiro (née Cohen). He has a younger brother, Morden "Mort" Shapiro (b. 1940). His father worked as an office manager at Rotstein Furniture and Maple Leaf Cleaners, and his mother worked as a legal secretary until marriage. Roy was active in a number of organizations including: Young Judaea, Sons of Jacob Society, Toronto Camera Club, a founding member of Beth David Synagogue, Coordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly (Circle of Care) and president of the Association of Jewish Seniors. Beck was active in Young Judaea and Pioneer Women (president of the Golda Meir Club).

Ben Zion received a master of social work degree from the University of Toronto and attended the Jewish Agency Institute for Youth Leaders from Abroad in Jerusalem (1951-1952). He has worked for a number of organizations throughout his career, including: Young Judaea (he was director of both Camp Shalom [1962-1969] and Camp Biluim [1954-1956]), B'nai Brith Youth Organization, University Settlement, St. Christopher's House and director of the Novomeysky Centre in Jerusalem (1957-1961). He was also professor and associate dean of social work at the University of Toronto and three times visiting professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Ben married Bunny "Bernice" Shaprio in 1955. Bunny was born in 1934 in Noranda, Quebec to Irving Sherman and Bessie (née Consky). Bunny attended public school in Noranda, Noranda High School and Forest Hill Collegiate in Toronto, University of Toronto (BA), the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (M.Ed. in special education), and the Jewish Agency Institute for Jewish Leaders from Abroad (1952-1953).

Bunny graduated from the first Camp Biluim Institute for leadership training in 1951 and worked with Ben Zion at Camp Shalom as Camp Mother in 1962 and from 1964-1969. She also worked at Camp Biluim from 1955-1956. In 1983, Bunny and Ben Zion went to the Soviet Union to visit refuseniks on behalf of the Soviet Jewry Committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region.

Bunny and Ben have two children: Ayala and Ilan. Since Ben Zion's retirement in 1996, he and Bunny have been living in Jerusalem for half of each year. In 2015, they moved full-time to Jerusalem.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: includes ca. 300 photographs (256 tiff), 2 PowerPoint presentations, 1 textual record (doc), 4 buttons, 2 flags, 5 VHS tapes, and 18 film reels (8 mm).

Subjects

Camps

Youth

Zionism

Name Access

Shapiro, Ben Zion, 1931-

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2018-5-3

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

90 photographs : b&w and col. ; 18 x 13 cm or smaller

2121 slides : col. ; 35 mm

Date

[1972]-2002

Scope and Content

Accession consists of slides primarily from Camp Solelim. There are additional photos from Camp Biluim and Biluim Israel.

Custodial History

One photo album belonged to Biluim Israel staff member, Aubrey Zimmerman.

Administrative History

Canadian Young Judaea was founded in 1909 as a Zionist movement for Canadian youth by members of the Herzl Zion Club. As a Zionist organization, Young Judaea continues to be committed to fostering a sense of Jewish identity and values in today's Jewish youth and to encouraging a lifelong commitment to Israel. In order to foster a closer connection to Israel, Canadian Young Judaea employs educational Shlichim from Israel who are posted to various Jewish communities throughout Canada and to offices at the national level in Toronto Young Judaea also operates several Zionist summer camps located in each region of Canada, and a summer leadership institute called Camp Biluim in Quebec. In addition to the social programme of the organization, Young Judaea also offers educational seminars and conferences. Young Judaea's national structure includes a National Executive Board and an Administrative Council. Conventions are held regularly, as are regional conferences. In the past, Young Judaea operated as an associated, but distinct, organization from the Zionist Organization Canada. However, Young Judaea operations were overseen by the ZOC executive, and Young Judaea received their budget from the ZOC Treasury. In addition, ZOC and Young Judaea worked in conjunction with one another on many projects and programmes, such as with the operation of the Zionist camps.

Camp Solelim was founded in 1965. Its name comes from Kibbutz HaSolelim in Israel which recognizes the builders who were integral to the establishment of the State of Israel. The program is infused with informal social, Jewish and Zionist educational programs. Like many of the camps founded earlier, campers are encouraged to participate in the functioning of the camp and derive a strong sense of responsibility through daily camp operations and camp projects.

Camp Biluim was founded in 1961 under the auspices of the Zionist Organization of Canada as a national leadership training institute for Canadian youth. Originally located in Huntsville Ontario, the camp moved to Mont Tremblant, Quebec in 1976, where it remains today under the full operation of Canadian Young Judaea. The purpose of the camp was to provide practical and transferable leadership training to a slightly older group of Jewish Canadian youths, most of whom were members of Young Judaea. Many Camp Biluim graduates later returned to ZOC summer camps as counsellors or found senior administrative positions in Canadian Young Judaea. Camp Biluim was co-administered by the National Camps Association, and during its period in Ontario, the Ontario Camps Association. However, daily operation and staffing of the summer camp was provided by Canadian Young Judaea.

Subjects

Youth

Camps

Name Access

Canadian Young Judaea

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Harry Simon fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

23

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1931-[198-]

Physical Description

25 cm of textual records

17 photographs (6 negatives)

Admin History/Bio

Harry Simon (1909-1993) was born in Russia on 15 July 1909 and immigrated to Canada with his parents and two younger brothers in 1923. In 1930, he married Eva Millman and together they had two sons, Morris and Norman. Simon was involved in a number of labour unions and organizations during his lifetime, namely the Fur Workers' Union, the AFL-CIO, the Canadian Labour Congress and the Labour Zionist Movement.

In 1926, at the age of 17, Simon left his schooling in Toronto and went to work in a fur factory. He joined the International Fur Workers' Union and at the age of 20, Simon held the distinction of being the youngest business agent elected to a union in Canada. He joined the Canadian Commonwealth Federation (CCF) in 1933 and ran as a political candidate in the 1937 provincial election for the St. Andrew riding in Toronto.

Simon also served as the Canadian representative for the American Federation of Labour from 1944 to 1956. In 1956, he was appointed to the Canadian Labour Congress, becoming the CLC's Ontario regional director of organization until his retirement in 1974. Simon also held the position of national chairman of the Jewish Labour Committee of Canada and as president of the Labour Zionist Movement of Canada. He was also a member of the national executive of the Canadian Jewish Congress.

After his retirement Simon often spoke about labour issues at various functions and events when requested. He died on 22 December 1993 at the age of 84.

Scope and Content

This fonds consists of the records related to the professional career of Harry Simon. This includes meeting minutes, general correspondence, speeches, posters, flyers, booklets, programmes and photographs. The bulk of the material is in the form of correspondence sent to or from Harry Simon. There is also a small amount of biographical material and a number of photographs, which have been described at the item level.

Name Access

Simon, Harry, 1909-1993

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Labor leaders

Physical Condition

Some photographs require conservation work.

Arrangement

The files were originally arranged by Harry Simon according to organization. This original order has been maintained by the archivist.

Creator

Simon, Harry, 1909-1993

Accession Number

1988-5-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Harry Simon fonds

Level

File

Fonds

23

File

7

Material Format

textual record

Date

1980-1987

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records

Scope and Content

This file consists of textual records relating to Harry Simon's work as the Chairman of the National Co-ordinating Committee of the Labour Zionist Movement, and as representative of Achdut Ha'Avodah on the Jewish Labour Council. The records consist of correspondence, bulletins, program booklets and meeting minutes.

Subjects

Labor Zionism

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Board of Jewish Education fonds

Subject files series

Level

File

Fonds

48

Series

4

File

183

Material Format

textual record

Date

1970-1987

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Subjects

Labor Zionism

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds

Photographic and audiovisual collection series

Level

File

Fonds

67

Series

27

File

578

Material Format

graphic material

Date

13 Dec. 1981

Physical Description

3 photographs : b&w (2 negatives) ; 21 x 26 cm and 28 x 28 mm

Scope and Content

File consists of one photograph and two negatives of three men seated at a table, presenting cheques to the four other men standing behind them. An accompanying description reads: Labour Zionist Alliance. A meeting for UJA took place on Sunday, 13 December. Standing from left: Mr. Max Caplan, Israel Appeal, Pres.; Haim Divon, Israel Vice Consul to Toronto, Morris Koffman. Sitting: Harvey Feldman, Morris Prel, and Joe Krystal." The back of the photo reads, "Labour Zionist Alliance. Missing: Harvey Naiman, Al Cohen, and Al Schelberg."

Notes

Photos by Graphic Artists Photographers, Toronto.

Availability of other formats: Also available as digital images.

Subjects

Labor Zionism

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

92

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1914-1993

Physical Description

1.2 m of textual records (2 v.) and other material

Admin History/Bio

Joseph Baruch Salsberg (1902-1998) was a labour leader, political activist, politician, insurance salesman, and journalist. He was also active in various Jewish organizations, including the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto, and the New Fraternal Jewish Association. He is well-remembered by contemporaries, such as Sam Lipshitz, as a “champion of the people," committed to social justice, the plight of the working class, and the preservation of Jewish culture.

J. B. was born in Lagow, Poland on November 5, 1902 to Abraham and Sarah-Gittel Salsberg. Abraham immigrated to Toronto in 1910 and J. B. followed with his mother and two younger sisters in 1913. They settled at 73 Cecil Street. Abraham and Sarah-Gittel had additional children in Canada: Nathan (b. 1915), Reuven (Bob or Robert, b. 1917), Betty, and Thelma. Abraham worked as a peddler in Toronto.

J. B. briefly attended Landsdowne Public School, but dropped out around 1916, against his parents' wishes, and took a job in a leather goods factory to contribute to his family’s income. J. B.’s parents had hoped he would become a rabbi and, despite his full-time employment, J.B. continued to study Torah with scholars at the synagogue on Centre Avenue.

In 1917, J. B. decided to pursue the ideas of Zionism and socialism and, abandoning his plans to become a rabbi, became involved in establishing the Young Poale Zion organization, a Labour Zionist youth group dedicated to secular aims. Around 1922, J. B. was made secretary general of the Young Poale Zion of America in New York, where he worked for one year. Shortly after returning to Toronto, he became the organizer for the Hat, Cap, and Millinery Workers Union of North America in Chicago. J. B. married Dora Wilensky in 1927.

In 1926, J. B. joined the Communist Party of Canada (CPC). He was an active member of the CPC for 30 years, serving as the head of its Trade Union Department for two decades. In 1929 he was suspended from the party for one year as a dissenter. In 1932, he became the Southern Ontario District union organizer for the Communist Workers' Unity League.

It was as a member of the CPC that J. B. entered electoral politics. After a series of failed bids in municipal and provincial elections between 1935 and 1937, J. B. was elected alderman of Ward 4 in Toronto in 1938. He only held the position for one year. He was re-elected to this position in 1943, beating out Nathan Phillips, before being elected to the Ontario Legislature as the representative for the St. Andrew riding. J. B. sat as member of provincial parliament for the Labor-Progressive Party (the provincial wing of the CPC) for 12 years. For several years, he was the only elected Communist in North America. As MPP, he helped create legislation banning discrimination in public places and introduced a bill that would ensure fair employment practices in the province. He lost his seat to Allan Grossman in 1955 and unsuccessfully ran in the federal election later that year. Remembered by journalist Gordon Sinclair as “one of the best debaters in the house," J. B. was well-respected by members of all political parties. Out of admiration for J. B., Conservative Premier Leslie Frost named Salsberg Township in Northern Ontario in his honour.

Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, J. B. had grown increasingly concerned about reports of Soviet antisemitism and privately urged party leaders to pursue the issue. In 1956, when Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev exposed the transgressions of Stalin’s regime, J. B. went to Moscow as part of a CPC delegation. After meeting with Khrushchev himself, it became clear to J. B. that antisemitism was indeed a problem in the USSR and that his efforts to probe the situation were being stonewalled.

J. B. publicly expressed his concerns about Soviet antisemitism in a series of articles published in the Vochenblatt from October 25, 1956 to December 13, 1956. He finally left the Communist Party in 1957. However, he remained a member of the United Jewish People’s Order (UJPO), a Communist Jewish fraternal organization.

Entering the business world, J. B. established the Model Insurance Agency Limited in 1957, where he served as president for several years. In 1959 J. B.’s wife, Dora, passed away. Around this time J. B. also resigned from the UJPO, along with other members who felt the organization needed to be more critical of the Soviet Union. They founded an alternative, non-Communist, left-wing Jewish organization, the New Fraternal Jewish Association, where J. B. served as president for several terms and edited its publication, Fraternally Yours.

In his later life, J. B. was active as an executive member of organizations, such as the CJC and the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. He was the first chairman for the CJC Ontario Region’s Soviet Jewry Committee and the Committee for Yiddish. He also began writing an award-winning weekly column for the Canadian Jewish News. J. B. was awarded the CJC’s Samuel Bronfman Medal for distinguished service, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto’s Ben Sadowski Award of Merit. A strong supporter of Israel, he was involved in the creation of two Israeli medical centres that are named in his honour. He also helped establish the J. B. and Dora Salsberg Fund and the J. B. Salsberg Fund for Yiddish at the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto. J. B. passed away in 1998.

Custodial History

The records were donated to the OJA in a series of accessions. Material from accessions 1991-5-4 and 1992-9-4 were donated by J. B. Salsberg. The remaining material was donated by his estate after his death.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting J. B. Salsberg's personal, professional and Jewish communal activities. The bulk of the records are textual and relate to his membership in the CPC (later LPP), election campaigns, and Jewish communal work. Included is correspondence; photographs; reports; political writings; certificates; agendas; pamphlets; brochures; booklets; flyers; campaign literature; campaign notes; posters; newspaper clippings; press releases; articles; transcripts; speeches; telegrams; political platforms, briefs and submissions; statements; constitutions; resolutions; newspapers; meeting minutes; bulletins; periodicals; notebooks; notes; course guides and outlines; medallions; pins; plaques; donation receipts; event invitations and programmes; lists; blank employment applications; a school test; a study; a coin; a drawing; a sketch; an audio cassette; and a delegate card.

Records are arranged into the following five series: 1. Personal ; 2. Labour Zionism and union activities ; 3. Political career ; and, 4. Jewish community involvement. There are also four files and one item attached directly to the fonds.

Notes

Physical Description Note: Includes 53 photographs, 7 medallions, 11 pins, 4 posters, 2 plaques, 1 sketch, 1 drawing, 1 audio cassette, 1 desk name plate, and 1 coin.

Physical Extent Note: Fonds was reduced from approximately 7 metres to 1.5 metres. The culled material consisted primarily of published books, periodicals and pamphlets that had been collected by J. B. Salsberg. For further details about what was culled please view the accession records.

Associated Material Note: Queen's University Archive also has a J. B. Salsberg fonds, 14 hours of interview tapes with J. B. Salsberg and records of the UJPO are held by the Multicultural Historical Society of Ontario (MHSO).

Name Access

Salsberg, J. B.,1902-1998

Subjects

Labor leaders

Politicians

Related Material

For additional records in OJA's holdings, see: Ben Kayfetz fonds 62, series 8, file 2 ; accession 2008-11-2 ; accession 2004-1-4 ; and oral histories AC 71 and AC 226.

Creator

Salsberg, Joseph Baruch, 1902-1998

Accession Number

1991-5-4

1992-9-4

1998-2-2

1998-12-5

2004-5-28

2010-4-1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds

Labour Zionism and union activities series

Level

Series

Fonds

92

Series

2

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

object

Date

1918-1981

Physical Description

5 cm of textual records (1 v.) and other material

Scope and Content

Series consists of records related to J. B. Salsberg's labour Zionism and union activities. Of note are records documenting Salsberg's early Poale Zion activities in New York. Included are photographs, correspondence, a medallion, pins, bulletins, newsletters, booklets, a book, and a pamphlet.

Notes

Physical description note: includes 11 b&w photographs (3 negatives), 3 pins, and 1 medallion.

Subjects

Labor Zionism

Source

Archival Descriptions