Accession Number
2014-10-3
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
2015-3-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-3-7
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
moving images
Physical Description
7.2 m of textual records and other material
Date
1923-2014
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to the Alpha Omega Fraternity, Pi Chapter, the Ladies Auxiliary, the AO Alumni Association, the AO Foundation and the AO House Association. Records include meeting minutes and reports, convention programs, general correpondence, newsletters, membership rosters, legal records, programs, photographs, budgets and other financial records, scrapbooks, AORTA yearbooks and efficiency reports detailing the activities of the AO during the year. Of particular note are the meeting minutes of the Mount Sinai Dental Society (1939-1946) and the Toronto Jewish Dental Society (1934-1935). There are also early photographs of John Sherman, one of the original founders of the AO, which were collected for an event in his honour.
Custodial History
The records were housed at the Fraternity House on Willowdale Rd. until its sale and the Fraternity's move to 4600 Bathurst St.
Administrative History
Alpha Omega is an international dental fraternity. It is the oldest international dental organization and was founded in Baltimore, Maryland in 1907 by a group of dental students originally to fight discrimination in dental schools. Today, with headquarters relocated to Glen Rock, NJ, it is primarily an educational and philanthropic organization. There are chapters and members in cities and dental schools in the United States, Canada, South America, Europe, Israel, South Africa and Australia/New Zealand. Alpha Omega represents about 6,000 active dentists worldwide.
The Alpha Omega International Dental Fraternity is dedicated to the following: to be "The Voice of the Jew In Dentistry"; to be "The Voice of Dentistry in all problems concerned with the Jewish Fate"; to uphold "The Image of the Jew in Dentistry"; to fight discrimination in the graduation of dental students from their respective schools, in procedures of licensing boards, in organized dentistry and in the private practice of dentistry.
The objectives of the Fraternity are to promote the profession of dentistry; to establish, foster and develop high standards of Scholarship, Leadership and Character; to inculcate a spirit of fellowship amongst all its members; to create and bind together a body of professional people, who, by scholarly attainments, faithful service and the maintenance of ethical ideals and principles, have achieved distinction; to honour achievement in others; to strive for breadth of vision, unity in action and accomplishment of ideals; to commend all worthy deeds, and if fraternal welfare demands, to call and counsel with its members; to accept, sponsor and develop the cultural and traditional achievements of our faith; to build within our fraternity a triangle, the base of which is Judaism, the supporting sides, professionalism and fraternalism.
The Toronto undergraduate chapter was founded in 1921 at the University of Toronto and the alumni chapter in 1924. The alumni continue to meet regularly and organize a variety of educational, networking, fundraising and social events for its membership.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
Physical Description Note: Accession inclucdes scrapbooks, graphic material and a film reel.
Use Conditions Note: Financial materials and executive meeting minutes are closed for 15 years from date of creation. Membership rosters are closed for 50 years from date of creation.
Subjects
Greek letter societies
Occupations
Name Access
Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity, Toronto Chapter
Places
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-8-7
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
Accession Number
2018-10-11
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-10-11
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
24 cm of textual records
Date
1954-2013
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting Louise Starkman's involvement with the Mount Sinai Women's Auxiliary; Mount Sinai Hospital reports; and records documenting Dr. Stanley Starkman's involvement with Alpha Omega, Beta Sigma Rho, Kappa Sigma Rho, and the YMHA.
Subjects
Greek letter societies
Hospitals
Married people
Name Access
Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity, Toronto Chapter
Alpha Omega (Fraternity)
Mount Sinai Hospital (Toronto, Ont.)
Starkman, Louise
Starkman, Stanley
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-7
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
48 photographs (jpg) : col.
Date
[Taken in 2017]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of forty-nine photographs taken at the 2017 Pride Parade in Toronto. Rafi Yablonsky, the donor of the photographs, is visible in many of the pictures.
Administrative History
As of June 2019, Rafi Yablonsky was campaign director at the Jewish National Fund of Canada.
Use Conditions
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Gay Pride Day
Jewish sexual minorities
Parades
Name Access
Yablonsky, Rafi
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions