Accession Number

2022-2-3

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records

Date

[1939?]-2020, predominant 1939-1946

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the immigration of Daniel Zultek from Poland to Canada under a Sugihara Visa in 1941 and documents pertaining to Sugihara visas and Chiune Sugihara (also known as Sempo Sugihara), a Japanese diplomat who served as vice-consul for the Japanese Empire in Kovno (Kaunas), Lithuania. Included are Daniel’s travelling documents dating from 1939 to 1941—an identification document, an immigration identification card, a quarantine/medical examination card issued by Nippon Yusen (also known as NYK Line), and a ship manifest; correspondence between Daniel and Polish consulates in Toronto and Montreal (1941-1943)—one of the letters (28 May 1942) was obtained by Daniel for the purpose of bringing his brother, who was still in Warsaw at that time, over to Canada; a memorandum from the Jewish Community of Kobe to Daniel (1941); records documenting Daniel's experience in serving in the Polish Armed Units in Canada (1941); work documents pertaining to Daniel’s career at Canada Motor Products (1941-1942); and a brief memoir written by Daniel with notations by his daughter Irene. Also included are newspaper clippings and book chapters documenting Daniel’s immigration to Canada via Japan under a Sugihara visa (1993-2020), a programme book of the Sempo Sugihara Tribute Dinner (1993), and a pamphlet of the Chiune Sugihara Memorial Hall in Japan.

Custodial History

The records were in the possession of Daniel’s daughter, Irene Henry, before being gifted to the Ontario Jewish Archives on Feb. 9, 2022.

Administrative History

Daniel Zultek (1910-1995) was born in Warsaw, Poland, on 1 September 1910, to Leon and Helena Zultek. Leon owned a large freight shipping company on the Vistula River, between Danzig and Gdynia harbours. Leon was a successful businessman, a community leader, a philanthropist, and a life member of the Jewish Kehilla Congress in Warsaw, which was allegedly the largest Jewish institution in Europe voted by the Jewish public. Daniel had been running the family business since 1932 until 1939 when the Second World War broke out. He was nominated to the board of directors of the company in 1938. In January 1939, Leon died of a heart attack. Daniel's mother Helena, sister Natalia, and most family members were murdered by Nazi Germany in concentration camps. The only survivors were Daniel, his elder brother Rafael, Irene (Rafael's first wife, who lived in Argentina), and four cousins name Daniel (surname unspecified), Rita (surname unspecified), Adam Zultek, and Dorka Zultek. On 6 September 1939, Daniel fled Warsaw, where was heavily bombarded by German troops, and headed for Pinsk, a city near the Soviet border. Half a month later, because Soviet troops invaded Pinsk, Daniel escaped to Vilnius in the neighbouring country Lithuania. In June 1940, the Soviet Union entered Lithuania. During that time, Daniel heard that the Japanese consulate in Kaunas was issuing transit visas. Fortunately, on 1 August 1940, Daniel received his visa from Vice-consul Chiune Sugihara. In the same month, he managed to escape Kaunas and headed for Moscow. With a Russian transit visa, he took the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Vladivostok; from there, he took a ship for Tsuruga Port, Japan. During his stay in Japan, he learned that the British Embassy in Tokyo was recruiting volunteers to join the Polish Armed Forces in Australia, the United States, and Canada. Daniel volunteered and chose Canada as his destination. On 5 June 1941, he embarked on the ship, Hikawa Maru, in Yokohama and arrived in Vancouver on the 17th of the same month. From there, he headed for the Polish military base in Owen Sound, Ontario. Daniel received eight months of military training in Owen Sound but was honourably discharged owing to a cataract in his right eye. Fortunately, he was allowed to remain in Canada. After being discharged, Daniel worked various jobs to make a living. In 1941, he had jobs with Canada Motor Products and Frankel Engineering; from 1942 to 1945, he served de Havilland Aircraft as an inspector; from 1945 to 1948, he worked as a sales representative of an American milkshake and ice cream company named Mr. Gordon. While working at Frankel Engineering in 1941, Daniel met Mr. Epstein who introduced him to farming. In 1948, Daniel bought a one-hundred-acre farm in Brampton, Ontario. In the same year, he attended an agriculture college in Guelph, Ontario. While running the farm, he also opened Caledon Sand and Gravel, a company located in Caledon, Ontario, supplying sand and gravel for construction. His career also involved business in real estate. Daniel married Molly Mandel in 1943 and had three daughters Helen, Leona, and Irene. Molly (nee Mandel) Zultek (1915-1989) was a Torontonian of Russian descent. Her father, Albert Mandel, was one of the founders of the Congregation Knesseth Israel (also known as the Junction Shul) located on Maria Street in the Junction. Molly grew up in the Junction neighbourhood. In 1957, Daniel sold the farm and moved to Forest Hill Village a neighbourhood and former village in Midtown Toronto with his family. Daniel retired in 1988. In addition to business, Daniel also devoted his time to charity and social work. Daniel was an ardent Zionist and visited Israel twenty-seven times. He was director and a member of the board of governors of the Jewish National Fund. He was also a generous contributor to Jewish organizations and sponsored the Hebrew University and its students.

Descriptive Notes

LANGUAGE NOTE: some of the material is in Japanese and has been translated into English. Translated documents are available at S:\Collections\2022-2-3.

Availability of other formats: digital preservation copies for most documents have been created and are available in PDF, JPG, and TIF formats.

Subjects

Immigrants

World War, 1939-1945

Places

Warsaw (Poland)

Lithuania

Japan

Toronto (Ont.)

Owen Sound (Ont.)

Brampton (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2022-3-12

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

13 cm of textual records

Date

1997-[ca. 2012]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Ashkenaz Foundation. Included are memorandums of understanding between UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and Ashkenaz Foundation (2004–2010), a copy of the original letters patent that was issued on 21 July 1997, brochures and flyers, and Ashkenaz records for the years 2004–2012.

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

Festivals

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Ashkenaz Festival

Ashkenaz Foundation

Places

Canada

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2022-11-2

Material Format

moving images (electronic)

Physical Description

10 videos (mp4)

Date

2010, 2014

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Eva Muller and Louis Muller. Included are multi-part interviews with both, in which they discuss their lives as children during the Holocaust, their memories of the Hungarian Revolution, their coming to Canada, and their lives in Ontario as Jewish immigrants. Louis's interview was recorded in December of 2010; Eva's interview was recorded in the spring of 2014. Each of them was seventy-six years old at the time of the interview. The person interviewing them is their son Robert Tom Muller.

Administrative History

Eva Muller (née Berger) was born 22 October 1937 in Budapest, Hungary, to Aranka Berger (née Flohr) and Oscar Berger. She had two siblings: an older sister named Edith and a younger sister named Marika. From 1937–1956, Eva resided in Budapest. While hiding in Budapest during the Second World War, Eva used the name Eva Kadet (she had false papers issued under this name). After the war, she attended the Vegyipari Gimnázium, graduating in 1955. Along with Louis Muller, she escaped from Hungary in December 1956, during the failed Hungarian revolution. From 1956–1957, she resided in Linz, Austria. It was there that she married Louis Muller in a civil ceremony on 29 December 1956; two days later, on 31 December 1956, she married Louis in a Jewish ceremony that took place in Vienna. From 1957, Eva has resided in Toronto. She and Louis had three children: William Muller (born 4 January 1958), Robert Tom Muller (born 5 April 1964), and Steven Muller (born 29 March 1969). In 1976 and 1979, Eva won a bronze medal at the YMHA (Jewish Community Centre)'s yearly swim-a-thon. Around the same time, she studied property management at Seneca College, graduating circa 1979. Starting in 1980, she began working as a property manager. She also did some work as a court interpreter translating Hungarian to English from 1987–1990. In 2011, Adath Israel Congregation (Toronto) issued a certificate of appreciate for Eva's service to the synagogue. As a hobbyist, Eva was an avid amateur artist (painter).

Louis Muller was born Lajos Müller 12 April 1934 in Bratislava, Slovakia, to Anna Müller (née Kovacs) and Vilmos Müller. Louis had one sibling: a younger sister named Hermina (Mimi). From 1934–1939, Louis resided in Bratislava. From 1939–1956, he resided in Budapest. During the Second World War, he used the name Louis Pap while in hiding (he had false papers issued under this name). After the war, he trained and apprenticed as a master upholster, becoming a Kárpitos Szakmunkás, completing his training in 1950. He then completed an intensive one-year high school program, graduating circa 1952. He also studied at the University of Physical Education, Testnevelési Foiskola, but did not graduate, as he was expelled for political reasons and immediately drafted into the army. Along with Eva Berger, he escaped from Hungary in December of 1956, during the failed Hungarian revolution. From 1956–1957, Louis resided in Linz. It was there that he married Eva Berger in a civil ceremony on 29 December 1956; two days later, on 31 December 1956, he married Eva in a Jewish ceremony that took place in Vienna. From 1957–2022, he resided in Toronto. There, he ran Louis Interiors, a fine furniture-manufacturing business, which he established in 1961. He and Eva had three children: William Muller (born 4 January 1958), Robert Tom Muller (born 5 April 1964), and Steven Muller (born 29 March 1969). In 2015, Adath Israel Congregation (Toronto) issued a certificate of appreciation for Louis's service to the synagogue. He has been listed as an Honored Member in the Who’s Who Among Top Executives. He passed away 8 May 2022.

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

Hungary--History--Revolution, 1956--Biography

Immigrants--Canada

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Muller, Eva

Muller, Louis, 1934-2022

Muller, Robert T.

Places

Budapest (Hungary)

Linz (Austria)

Toronto (Ont.)

Vienna (Austria)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2010-11-17

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

object

Physical Description

2 photographs : col. ; 10 x 15 cm and 11 x 9 cm and other material

Date

[ca. 1943] - 2010

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs, textual records and military medals and pins that document Iakov's experience serving in the Soviet Union's military during the Second World War. Included is a photograph of Iakov receiving a medal from the Russian Minister of Infrastructure to commemorate the 50th anniversary since the end of the war (1995), a photocopy of a docment certifying that he fought in the war, several thank you cards from the Russian president and the Russian Consulate to commemorate various anniversaries since the end of the war, a certificate documenting the battles Iakov fought in, newspaper clippings of articles written by Iakov about the war, and one photograph of Iakov at the Vaughan Community Center in Toronto with his English language classmates (2000). Also included is one CCCP Red Star pin, one medal to commemorate the 65th anniversary since the end of the war, and one military rank pin.

Custodial History

Part of the Russian Jewish War Veterans oral history program.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: includes 1 folder of textual records, 1 medal and 2 pins.

Subjects

Soviet Union--Armed Forces

World War, 1939-1945

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2010-11-21

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

3 photographs (tiff)

5 cm of texual records (jpg)

Date

1943-2010

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs and textual records that document Yakov's experience in the Red Army during the Second World War. Included is a photograph of Yakov in uniform with his family, Yakov's graduation portrait from pharmacy school (1951), and a photograph of Yakov's father (Gregory) in his military uniform, which he sent home from his military base in Lithuania (1944). Also included are various credential cards for medals Yakov received and a letter that was sent to Yakov from Toronto's Russian consulate.

Administrative History

When the Seond World War began, Yakov lived in Odessa and assisted the Soviet Union's war effort by digging trenches. His army unit was mobilized in 1943, just after he graduated from military college. After serving for three months, he was wounded in an attack. He recovered from his wounds and went on to fight in northern Donetsk and Dneper. His unit also passed the Kharkov and Poltavskaya regions. After his unit forced the crossing of Dneper, the Khrushchev got involved and transported the army to Kiev, where they were supported by the 209 Armoured Brigade. Here, Yakov's unit sometimes experienced up to twenty bombing and shooting attacks per day. During these attacks, Yakov was wounded twice in his legs. First, a bullet hit his leg and then a mine exploded. He still has shrapnel in his legs from this explosion.

Descriptive Notes

Language note: Russian

Location of originals: The originals are in the possession of the donor. They were loaned to the archives for copying and returned to the donor the same day as part of the Russian Jewish war veteran oral history program.

Subjects

Soviet Union--Armed Forces

World War, 1939-1945

Places

Soviet Union

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2010-12-5

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

2 photographs (jpg and tiff) : col. and sepia

2 textual records (jpg)

Date

1942, 2005-2010

Scope and Content

This accession consists of digital copies of two photographs and two documents related to the military career of Russian war vet, Shlomo Mushkat. The photographs are two portaits of Mushkat in military dress and the documents are a letter detailing his participation in the war as well as a letter from the Ukrainian Embassy on the 65th anniversary of the end of the war.

Custodial History

The original records are in the possession of the donor. They were loaned to the Archives for copying as part of the Russian Jewish War Vet oral history program.

Administrative History

Shlomo Zalmanovich Mushkat was born in Vilnius, Lithuania. In 1940, he was drafted into the Soviet Army and a year later he was sent to the front. He was wounded in battle in 1941, but after recuperating in hospital was again sent back to the front. He participated in the battles of Smolensk and Leningrad. He received many medals for liberating Russian territories and cities, inlcuidng the Order of Glory.

Subjects

World War, 1939-1945

Soviet Union--Armed Forces

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2011-3-6

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

6 photographs (electronic) : b&w and col. ; 28 MB

3 textual records (electronic) ; 13 MB

Date

1945-2010

Scope and Content

Accession consists of electronic copies of photographs and textual records related to the Vesyoly's service with the Soviet army during the Second World War. There are also photocopies of a newspaper article and other documents detailing their military service attached to the accesssion form.

Administrative History

Yeugeny was born in Gomel Region, Belarus. He moved to Canada in 1981 with his wife, Sima. At the start of the Second World War, Sima was working in a hospital in Belarus as a civilian. She was drafted in 1943 at the age of nineteen and went to the Third Belarusian Front and served in Berlin and both North and South Korea as a nurse to Japanese prisoners.

Yuegeny was eighteen years of age at the start of the war and served in the air force in the Normandy Regiment and at the Ukrainian Front. He worked as a mechanic on the planes returning from battle. After the end of the war, Stalin sold the Soviet planes to the Chinese and Yeugeny tought their pilots how to operate them. He served for twenty-five years in the Soviet military.

Subjects

Soviet Union--Armed Forces

World War, 1939-1945

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2011-3-3

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

8 photographs (electronic) : b&w and col. ; 90 MB

Date

1950-2010

Scope and Content

Accession consists of eight electronic copies of original photographs of Avgust Vikhnina. The photos relate to his career in the Soviet military during the Second World War. The photographs consist of one portrait of Avgust in military dress, several snapshots taken at a Moscow parade in commemoration of the sixty-fifth anniversary of the end of the war, as well as snapshots taken at the Russian Embassy in Ottawa.

Custodial History

Photographs were loaned for copying as part of the Russian Jewish War Veterans oral history project. Originals were returned to donor.

Administrative History

Avgust Vikhnina was born in Kharkov, in 1926. He was 15 when the war began and was drafted in 1943. Vikhnina served in the Artillery and fought in the Ukraine, Pribaltika and Prussia. He was decorated with the Order of Patriotic War First Class, the Medal for Valour, and the Medal for Combat Merits.

Subjects

Soviet Union--Armed Forces

World War, 1939-1945

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-12-4

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

moving images

Physical Description

11.1 m of textual records and other material

Date

[ca. 2000]-[ca. 2010]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the operations of the CJC Ontario Region. Included are records related to the activities of the Community Relations Committee, reports, correspondence, political affairs records, communications, meeting minutes and agendas, photographs, and moving images of various events.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: Includes graphic material and audio-visual records

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-1-15

Material Format

textual record

moving images

sound recording

Physical Description

ca. 3 m of textual records

ca. 20 video cassettes

ca. 5 audio cassettes

Date

[ca. 1970]-[ca. 2010]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual records, and audio-visual material documenting the operations of Hillel and its predecessor organization, the Jewish Students Federation.

Subjects

Education

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Hillel of Greater Toronto

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-8-10

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

5 cm of textual records

Date

1988-2014

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual records documenting Cyrel Troster's Jewish communal involvement, particularly with cultural planning for UJA Federation. Included are event inviations, program books, brochures, a postcard, meeting minutes, reports, and flyers. Records relate to the following agencies and projects: UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, the Tomorrow Campaign, Anshei Minsk Synagogue, Holy Blossom Temple, Shareeh Haim Synagogue, the Jewish Museum in Toronto, reports on Jewish education in Toronto, the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, the Holocaust Centre of Toronto, and the Koffler Centre. Of note is a copy of a study commissioned by UJA Federation for Frank Gehry, who was originally approached to design the Koffler Gallery.

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Troster, Cyrel

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-10-1

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

10 cm textual records

ca. 70 photographs: b&w and col. ; 10 cm x 15 cm or smaller

1 scrapbook

Date

1963-2013

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the activities of "Council '63", a branch of the Toronto Section of the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada (NCJWC). Types of records include a photograph album, a scrapbook, correspondence, souvenirs, meeting minutes, membership lists, program materials and budgets.

Administrative History

The "Council '63" Branch of the Toronto Section of the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada (NCJWC) was formed in 1963. Currently consisting of 20 members, the group was initially spearheaded by Barbara Norwich (d. 2011), and they met regularly in homes in the Cedarvale area. The group primarily did volunteer work, although it later evolved into a study group and book club.

Subjects

Women

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

National Council of Jewish Women (Toronto, Ont.)

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

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

2015-2-1

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

45 cm of textual records

Date

2006-2011

Scope and Content

Accession consists of Executive Committee and Board of Director packages distributed to members prior to meetings. Included in the packages are previous meeting minutes, agendas, and ancillary reports. The Executive Committee packages are from 2006-2008 and 2010-2011 and the Board of Director packages are from 2006-2008.

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

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-1-6

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

11 m of textual records

Date

[195-]-2012

Scope and Content

Accession consists of United Restitution Organization (URO), Toronto Office case files for the following funds: Hardship Fund; Hardship Fund, Pre-1965 Austrian; German Social Security (EB); German Social Security (DE); Article 2 Fund; Ghetto Lodz; and the immidiate post-Second World War Wiedergutmachung reparations. There is also a small amount of general operational files.

Custodial History

These records were left in the URO office following the departure of the URO staff person. They were boxed and moved by archives staff.

Administrative History

In Canada, the United Restitution Organization (URO) was founded in 1953 under the aegis of the Canadian Jewish Congress. The funds advanced by the Claims Conference were administered by the CJC which also gave support by providing the URO with office space and clerical staff. Offices were set up in Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver. The Winnipeg and Vancouver offices closed in the 1970s and the Montreal office remained open until 2002, after which time the active cases were sent to the Toronto office. The Toronto office officially closed on April 1, 2007. There was one case worker, however, who contintued to tend to any active claims that were left. Her position was transfered to Jewish Family and Child in 2013. The URO dealt with a variety of different types of claims. The first and largest were the BEG cases (Bundesentschaedigungsgesetz), which translates as Federal Indemnification Law for the Compensation of Victims of National Socialist Persecution. This program provided compensation for individuals persecuted for political, racial, religious, or ideological reasons who suffered long-term damage to their health, imprisonment, death of family members, loss of property, reduced income, or reduced professional advancement. The other two major programs or cases covered by the URO were the Hardship Fund and Article 2. The Hardship Fund was established during the 1960s and was open to Jews who emigrated from the former Soviet Union who were not eligible for compensation under the BEG program. The Article 2 program, in turn, arose during the 1990s, after the unification of the German government. It is still operating today and is open to Jewish victims of Nazi persecution who met a certain critiera, and those who are eligible, are provided with a pension paid out in installments every three months each year.

Use Conditions

Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.

Subjects

Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

United Restitution Organization (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-8-10

Material Format

textual record

graphic material (electronic)

moving images (electronic)

Physical Description

10 cm of textual records

2240 photographs (jpg and gif)

8 moving images

Date

1944-2015 (predominent 2008-2015)

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the activities of Alex Levin, a Jewish war veteran and Holocaust survivor. Records include letters written to Levin from school children following various speaking engagements; interviews with Crestwood School, CHAT, and Netivot Hatorah; a recording of the Saluting Our Italian Heroes commemorative event; recordings of Remembrance Day ceremonies hosted by the Canadian Jewish War Veterans (Toronto Post); and photographs documenting events attended by Levin including Holocaust remembrance events, Yom Hashoah, Remembrance Day ceremonies, March of the Living, Miracle Dinners and Proms, Azrieli Foundation events including the launch of Levin's book "Under the Yellow and Red Stars", school visits, JWV programs with Sunnybrook veterans, portraits of Levin through the years and various scanned images of Levin's family.

Administrative History

Alex Levin (1932-2016) was born in 1932 in Rokitno, Poland. In 1941, the Germans invaded Rokitno and established a ghetto and formed a Judenrat to carry out their orders. In 1942, the Ghetto was evacuated and the Jews were brought to the town's marketplace to be transported by train to be killed. Levin was ten years old when he escaped into the nearby forest with his brother Samuel where he lived for 18 months in a hole in the ground. He was twelve when he emerged from hiding to find that his parents and youngest brother Moishe had been murdered. In 1944, he joined the Soviet forces as a messenger boy. After the war, he was sent to the USSR and enrolled in cadet school, remaining in the Soviet army until forced out for being Jewish in the 1970s. An engineer by training, Alex came to Canada in 1975 via Austria and Italy, and now lives in Toronto where he regularly speaks about his experiences in the Holocaust.

Subjects

Education

Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Levin, Alex, 1932-2016

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-7-6

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

[2010?]-[2015?]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of thank you cards from schools where Alex was a speaker, sharing his story of Holocaust survival.

Administrative History

Alex Levin (1932-2016) was born Joshua Levin in 1932 in Rokitno, Poland. (He was also known as Yehoshua and Shike.) Rokitno was occupied in 1941 by Nazi Germany and Alex escaped the Rokitno ghetto with his brother in 1942, hiding in the woods for eighteen months. Soviet troops found him in January of 1944 and invited him to join the 13th Army as a field hospital unit helper. Because his Yiddish nickname was unfamiliar (Shike, from his Hebrew name, Yehoshua), they called him Shura or Shurik, diminutive forms of Alexander, which became his formal name. He became an officer in the USSR and an engineer. He immigrated to Canada in 1975 and brought his family to join him in 1980.

Subjects

Education

Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)

World War, 1939-1945

Antisemitism

Name Access

Levin, Alex, 1932-

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

2015-11-7

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

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

Date

[ca.1930]-[ca.1945], [197-]-[2015]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records pertaining to the military service of twin brothers Julius (Jack) Spiegel and Louis (Lou/Syd) S. J. Spiegel. Included are photographs of the young Spiegel brothers with their cousins in front of Central High School of Commerce, Dewson St., ca. 1930, original snapshots and portraits of Lou Spiegel in uniform during the 1940s, a hand drawn Easter greeting card signed by Lou Spiegel, and newspaper clippings concerning Lou's role as an aerial photographer for the U.S. Marine Corps unit and his return home to Toronto. There are wartime photocopies of photos including a portrait of Jack Spiegel in uniform, an image of Jack with his crew in front of military aircraft, and a modern day photo of Lou visiting Jack's grave in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery in Holland. Textual copies include, an annotated photocopy of Veteran Affairs Canada website listing of Jack Spiegel, including information on his burial location and his listing in the Second World War Book of Remembrance. There is a photocopy of Jack's obituary from the Canadian Jewish Congress Book Canadian Jews in World War II, Part II: Casualties, p. 75, and a copy of a letter from the Royal Canadian Air Force addressed to Jack's mother Mrs. Israel Spiegel, notifying her of her son's death. In addition, there is one colour photograph (197?) of promotional municipal campaign street signs for North York City Councillor and Controller, Irving Paisley.

Administrative History

Julius (Jack) Spiegel (1921-1944, Toronto), and Louis (Lou) Spiegel (1921-1999), are twin brothers born in Toronto on March 26, 1921. Their parents Israel Spiegel (b. 1878) and Eva (née Gelbwachs) Spiegel (b. 1880) of 430 Euclid St. Toronto, immigrated from Austria to Canada in 1894 and 1906 respectively.

According to the 1921 Canada census, Israel and Eva had 8 children; Nat Spiegel (b. 1903, U.S.A.), Morse Spiegel (b. 1906), Gertrude Spiegel (b. 1909), Beatrice Spiegel (b. 1911), Sydney Spiegel (b. 1915), Mildred Spiegel (b. 1917), and twin brothers Julius and Louis S. Spiegel (b. 1921).

Both Jack and his twin brother Lou, attended Central Technical High School of Commerce. Jack enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941 and trained as a wireless air gunner. He went overseas in May 1944 and successfully completed 10 military missions with his unit. Eyewitnesses reported to Lou that Jack parachuted out of his Lancaster Bomber that was shot down over the Rhineland battlefields in Germany . Originally buried by the Dutch Resistance, Jack was later moved to Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Holland. His date of death was confirmed as October 28, 1944. According to his death certificate, the location of his death was Belgium, that he was married at the time of death and resided at 238 Beatrice St. Jack's brothers Sydney and Murray Spiegel, also served in the military during the Second World War. Sydney with the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps (administrative corps) and Murray with the U.S. Army Medical Department in Kansas.

Louis (Lou) Spiegel (1921-1999, Toronto) served during the Second World War for the Royal Canadian Air Force and the U.S. Marine Corps as an aerial photographer. He later studied at U of T earning a bachelor's degree and transferred to USC (California) earning a master's degree in English and communications. He served as campaign director for the United Welfare Fund in 1954 and worked various jobs throughout his career as an educator in American Community Colleges. He was director of Unarius after Ruth Norman died and was awarded by the same institution with a doctor of psychic therapeutic science degree.

Irving Paisley (1919-2006) married to Adele Paisley, had a 30 year long career in municipal politics in the city of North York holding positions as Councillor, Controller, and Deputy Mayor. He spearheaded the building of York Finch Hospital and served as its founding Chairman. He was also a founding member of Temple Sinai, and founded Paisley Manor Insurance. Paisley’s accomplishments were recognized by the Federal Government and he earned the Centennial Medal for Service to the Nation in 1967.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Canada--Armed Forces

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Spiegel, Jack, 1921-1944

Spiegel, Lou, 1921-1999

Paisley, Adele

Paisley, Irving 1919-2006

Places

Toronto

Holland

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2015-12-7

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 10 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1986, 1991-2015

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the personal and professional activities of Janice Benatar. Personal records include a family tree, speeches Janice delivered at the Lipa Lippers Toastmaster's Group meetings, a Sephardic cookbook, immigration papers, and a Sharon School Reunion invitation for alumni living in Toronto. Also included are photographs of Janice with her family, performing in a ballet production with the Academy of Ballet and Jazz, with her newborn son, at her son's bar mitzvah at Chabad Flamingo, and with the keys to her first home in Thornhill. Also identified in photographs are: Elan Levitan, Viviane Benatar, Michael Benatar, Claudia Benatar, Rachel Pasternak, and Samuel Pasternak.

Also included are speeches, invitations, event programs, and video recordings of Book Of Life events as well as a bookmark that was designed by artist Enya Keshet for Book of Life honourees. Finally, accession also includes Professional Advisory Committee meeting minutes (2009-2015) and breakfast seminar presentations (2014-2015).

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 7 photographs, 4 DVDs, 200 KB of textual records, and 1 bookmark.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Nonprofit organizations

Philanthropy and fundraising

Women

Name Access

Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-3-29

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

2015

Scope and Content

Accession consists of one document created by the Adath Israel Congregaion honouring the synagogue's past and present members who are veterans of the Second World War. The document lists approximately 180 names, most of whom are deceased.

Subjects

Synagogues

Veterans--Canada

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Adath Israel Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2017-7-1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

ca. 10 m of textual records and graphic material

Date

1973-2017

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the operation of Reena including executive materials, committee records, general correspondence, policy documents, promotional materials and photographs.

Administrative History

Reena was established in 1973 by a small group of parents of children with developmental disabilities as a practical alternative to institutions. In 1977 Reena began to receive funding from the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services. Reena is also funded by the community through the Reena Foundation and by the United Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto. Reena today provides programs and support to close to 1,000 persons in a variety of residential locations. The Toby and Henry Battle Developmental Centre was opened in 1999 for day and evening programs for children and adults with a developmental disability. Located in Vaughan, this unique building features a wellness and health centre, sports centre, creative arts workshop, computer lab, greenhouse and library, all with activities tailored to the individual skills and interests of its members. The Battle Centre is also the site of Reena’s administrative offices. Recognising the increasing needs of individuals with developmental disabilities as they age, Reena opened its first home dedicated to seniors in 2000, followed by another such home in 2007. An innovative new housing alternative, the Reena Community Residence, was officially opened in September 2012 in the heart of the Lebovic Jewish Community Campus in Vaughan. It provides apartments for 84 adults with developmental, cognitive, physical or mental health needs. Designed as an Intentional Community for individuals with special needs, the residents will be truly integrated into the community as they access all the facilities and programs the campus has to offer.

(from http://www/about/history-Reena/ accessed 27 July 2017)

Use Conditions

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

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

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Reena (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-7-20

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

120 cm of textual records (4 boxes)

Date

1987-2011

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material involving Shoel Silver's involvement with various Jewish organizations including B'nai Brith Canada (BBC), the Canada-Israel Committee (CIC), the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), UJA Federation of Greater Toronto (UJA), and the United Israel Appeal (UIA). Included are meeting minutes, reports, memoranda, correspondence, budgets, discussion documents, resource material, newspaper clippings, photocopies of newspaper articles, briefing papers, resolutions.

Custodial History

Records remained in the custody of Shoel Silver until 27 July 2018 when the OJA acquired the records from the former.

Administrative History

Shoel Silver is a Toronto businessman. He formerly co-chaired the Unity of the Jewish People Committee with Natan Sharansky. Prior to that, he was the scholar in residence for the first Federation Shabbaton.

Use Conditions

Accession is closed for 25 years from date of donation.

Subjects

Israel

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

B'nai Brith Canada

Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

Jewish Agency for Israel

Silver, Shoel

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

United Israel Appeal

Places

Canada

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-9-1

Material Format

textual record (electronic)

graphic material (electronic)

moving images (electronic)

Physical Description

ca. 2.26 GB of textual records and other material

Date

2007-2018

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Kulanu Toronto. Included are: meeting minutes, budgets, photographs, videos, Pride materials, and a copy of the letters patent incorporating Kulanu Toronto.

Custodial History

Former executive director Justine Apple kept the records on a USB flash drive. In September 2018, she transferred copies of the records to a computer belonging to the Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre.

Administrative History

Kulanu Toronto was founded in 2000. It incorporated as a not-for-profit in 2014. Following its dissolution in 2018, some of its functions were taken over by the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre LGBTQ Initiative.

Use Conditions

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

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 parades

Nonprofit organizations

Sexual minorities

Name Access

Kulanu Toronto

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-9-3

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

moving images

Physical Description

ca. 30 cm of textual records and graphic material

2 optical discs

1 scrapbook : 62 x 47 cm

1 videocassette

Date

1975-2018

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Alvin Abram, the Jewish National Fund of Toronto (JNF Toronto), and the Leonard Mayzel Ontario Lodge (LMOL).

LMOL records include certificates (1975-1977); issues of the Observer (1978-1979), Planet Observer (2016-2018), and the Bulletin (2017-2018); a VHS tape made on the occasion of the lodge's fiftieth anniversary (1998); a DVD made on the occasion of the lodge's sixtieth anniversary (2008); and a scrapbook commemorating the lodge's community volunteer services (1977-1978).

JNF records include annual reports for the years 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008; copies of the Roots newsletter for the years 2000-2008; and Negev Dinner tribute books for the years 2003, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015.

Other records include a Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue Yakir Hakahal gala tribute dinner book honouring Sir Nicholas Winton (2010), a Temple Har Zion gala dinner book honouring Rabbi Michael S. Stroh (2005), a Wiesenthal Award book honouring Judy Feld Carr (2002), and a DVD-R with 34 photographs (jpg) taken at an Unto Every Person There is a Name event on 5 May 2016 that was attended by Andi Reti, Councillor James Pasternak, and Daniel G. Lovell.

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

Authors

Clubs

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Abram, Alvin

Jewish National Fund of Toronto

Leonard Mayzel Ontario Lodge

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2019-3-8

Material Format

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

21.1 MB of textual records

Date

2016-2019

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Kulanu Toronto. Included are minutes, agendas, information on upcoming events, posters, and instructions for volunteers.

Custodial History

Former executive director Sheri Krell emailed records in electronic format to an OJA archivist in March 2019.

Administrative History

Kulanu Toronto was founded in 2000. It incorporated as a not-for-profit in 2014. Following its dissolution in 2018, some of its functions were taken over by the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre LGBTQ Initiative.

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Sexual minorities

Name Access

Kulanu Toronto

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-5-13

Material Format

textual record

object

graphic material

Physical Description

7 cm of textual records and other material

3 objects

Date

[194-]-[201-]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Nathan Isaacs. Included are letters, photographs, service records, a sight log, a book with photographs of fighter planes active in the Second World War, and telegrams congratulating Nathan's family on Nathan coming home. Also included are a number of objects: Nathan's dog tags, navigator wings, and crest; a flask with Nathan's initials on it; another item with Nathan's initials that he received upon enlisting in 1942 and which would have held a mirror, nail file, and possibly a comb; a cigarette lighter made from an empty shell by ground crew; and, finally, a Bomber Command bar that was issued to Nathan in 2013.

Administrative History

Nathan Isaacs (né Isaacovitch) was born on 20 November 1922. He enlisted on 5 August 1942. After training, Nathan worked in the kitchen at a Royal Canadian Air Force base in Aylmer, Ontario, while awaiting deployment to Europe. After being flown to Yorkshire, England, Nathan went on to fly thirty-five missions. He was twenty-one when he flew his first.

Following the war, bombers like Nathan received little in the way of recognition on account of the heavy civilian casualties caused by bombing. In 2013, Julian Fantino, minister of veterans affairs, gave out the Bomber Command bar to recognize Second World Bombers, including Nathan. That same year, thanks to a photograph that accompanied a Toronto Star article about Second World War bombers, Nathan was reunited with John Mulholland, the pilot with whom he flew his final mission.

Descriptive Notes

Availability of other formats: Six of the photographs and four of the textual records have been scanned and are available as JPEG, TIFF, and/or PDF files.

Subjects

Bomber pilots

Veterans

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Isaacs, Nathan, 1922-

Places

Canada

Europe

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2020-1-1

Material Format

textual record

text

Physical Description

1 book

1 folder of textual records

Date

1959-2011

Scope and Content

Accession consists of materials collected by Lil Blume for an anthology called "Letters and Pictures from the Old Suitcase". The anthology was published in 2011 for a Jewish Literary Festival that Lil Blume ran in 2010. Included in the collection is handwritten autobiographical pages as well as photocopied pages from Miriam Beckerman. In addition, there are two photocopies of a 1959 letter to the Irgun regarding redirecting of reparations due to Moshe Beckerman. The document provides a summary of Moshe Beckerman's wartime experience including enlistment with the British Military serving with the Regiment of Royal Engineers (1940), transfer to Greece (1941), capture by Germans (1941), escape and recapture in Italy and eventual internment in Minchen and then Danzig prior to his release in 1945 by the second British Army.

The Beckerman's contribution to the anthology included translated copies of four Yiddish language letters written by Miriam and Moshe Beckerman to Miriam's parents in Toronto while the couple were living in Palestine and then Israel in 1947 and 1948.

In addition, there is a copy of the publication "Letters and Pictures from the Old Suitcase" edited by Ellen S. Jaffe and Lil Blume. Contributors to the anthology listed in alphabetical order include Alvin Abram, Larry Anklewicz, Miriam Beckerman, Maxianne Berger, Steven Michael Berzensky, Helen Blum, Aha Blume, Lil Blume, Baila Ellenbogen, Shelley Halpern Evans, Joi Freed-Garrod, Ellen S. Jaffe, Beth Kaplan, Nomi Kaston, Agnes Klinghofer, Myrna Neuringer Levy, Carol Lipszyc, Malca Litovitz, Janice Masur, Seymour Mayne, Maria Meindl, Wendy Morton, Sharon H. Nelson, Aviva Ravel, Karen Shenfeld, Ken Sherman, Sharon Singer, Joan Sohn, J.J. Steinfeld, Pia Taavila, Carolynne Veffer, and Thomas Verny.

Custodial History

Miriam Beckerman sent handwritten autobiographical pages as well as photocopied pages to Lil Blume, as part of her contribution to the anthology that Lil Blume published in 2011.

Administrative History

In 2011, Lil Blume published an anthology called "Letters and Pictures from the Old Suitcase". The publication was edited by Ellen S. Jaffe and Lil Blume for a Jewish literary Festival that Lil Blume ran in Hamilton in 2010.

Miriam Beckerman (née Dashkin) is a Yiddish literature translator. She attended the Farband Folks Shule in Toronto during the 1930s and later worked as a bilingual secretary (Yiddish and English) at the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region. In 1946, she travelled to Israel where she met her husband, Moshe Beckerman, at a kibbutz. The couple married in October 1947 and emigrated from Israel to Toronto with their children in 1952. Beckerman continues to work as a Yiddish translator for individuals, scholars and institutions. She has a number of published translations, including her recent collaborative work "A Thousand Threads: a story through Yiddish letters." Her work has been recognized by the Dora Teitelboim Foundation of Coral Gables, Florida. Her husband Moshe passed away in 1993.

Use Conditions

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Subjects

World War, 1939-1945

Israel-Arab War, 1948-1949

Israel--Emigration and immigration

Source

Archival Accessions

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