- Accession Number
- 2013-12-9
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2013-12-9
- Material Format
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1 cm of textual records
- Date
- 2009-2012
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of records documenting UJA Federation's Maot Chittin program in Cuba and a campaign event featuring Shimon Peres.
- 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
- Presidents--Israel
- Prime ministers--Israel
- Name Access
- Peres, Shimon, 1923-2016
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- 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
- 2015-8-7
- 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
- 2015-3-5
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2015-3-5
- Material Format
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Date
- 2013-2015
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of textual records documenting the history of the Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks (THMP) and Sidney Freedman's role as founder. Included are writings created by Sid Freedman reflecting on mixed burial issues and the history of THMP (this writing accompanies audio recordings Freedman had created on this topic in 1997). Also included is correspondence between Freedman and Bill Draimin as well as a copy of Freedman's farewell letter to THMP's Board.
- Use Conditions
- Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and donor prior to accessing the records.
- Descriptive Notes
- Related material note: AC 237-240
- Subjects
- Cemeteries
- Name Access
- Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks
- Places
- Toronto (Ont.)
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2017-1-24
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2017-1-24
- Material Format
- moving images (electronic)
- Physical Description
- 1 MP4 video (8 min., 58 sec.) : col. , sd.
- Date
- 27 Nov. 2016
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of one MP4 video file containing a Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks tribute video to Sidney Freedman. It was produced by the Heritage Professionals.
- Subjects
- Cemeteries
- Name Access
- Freedman, Sidney
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2019-1-4
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2019-1-4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Physical Description
- ca. 2 cm of textual records
- 1 textual record (docx)
- Date
- 2017-2019
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of textual records documenting the history of the Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks (THMP) and Sidney Freedman's role as founder. Included are: printouts of email correspondence that touch on issues of interfaith burial; funding, specifically the Sidney Freedman Endowment Fund; and THMP's relationship to UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. There is also a short version of the speech Sidney delivered on the occassion of a tribute dinner in 2016.
- Administrative History
- Sidney Freedman was born in 1928 in Ivansk (Iwanska) Poland. In 1929 the family of eight immigrated to Canada, first to Winnipeg, and then in 1933 to Toronto. He put himself through law school by working in construction jobs and opened a law firm after graduation. He later became president of Temple Sinai and became interested in the operation of cemeteries. In 1970 he purchased the land that would become Pardes Shalom Cemetery and later founded the Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks.
- Use Conditions
- Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.
- Subjects
- Cemeteries
- Interfaith marriage
- Name Access
- Beit Olam (Toronto, Ont.)
- Pardes Chaim (Toronto, Ont.)
- Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks
- UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
- Places
- Toronto (Ont.)
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2019-2-7
- Source
- Archival Accessions
- Accession Number
- 2019-2-7
- Material Format
- textual record (electronic)
- textual record
- Physical Description
- 8 textual records (electronic)
- 1 folder
- Date
- 2017-2018
- Scope and Content
- Accession consists of material collected and/or created by Sidney Freedman. The accession includes four hard copy records and eight records in electronic format. The hard copy records include a memoir of Ivansk Poland around the time of his birth, a visit to Poland and Ivansk in 2006, and an essay titled "The Book of Job and Related Matters." There is also a copy of the The Funeral Chronicle with an article by Mr. Freedman. The electronic records include Mr. Freedman's speech at the dedication of Pardes Shalom Cemetery, and essays/stories titled "Ecrite Intimes," "Holocaust Memorials," "Hungarian Rhapsody," "Israel and Palestinians," "O Canada," "Pride and Celebrity," and "The Enduring Hatred."
- Custodial History
- The donor emailed the eight records in electronic records to an OJA archivist in February 2019; he mailed the hard copies shortly thereafter to the same archivist shortly thereafter.
- Administrative History
- Sidney Freedman was born in 1928 in Ivansk (Iwanska) Poland. In 1929 the family of eight immigrated to Canada, first to Winnipeg, and then in 1933 to Toronto. He put himself through law school by working in construction jobs and opened a law firm after graduation. He later became president of Temple Sinai and became interested in the operation of cemeteries. In 1970 he purchased the land that would become Pardes Shalom Cemetery and later founded the Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks.
- Descriptive Notes
- Scope: Regarding the speech he made at the Pardes Shalom dedication, the donor noted: "Some of the comments I made at that time were adopted as a legend in THMP's promotional material. In reading it however I see how I schmaltzed up the audience with gratitude to the number of institutions and people who really didn't deserve it. The story about our priorities as to number one of first paying back invested monies to buy land etc. was completely false. In fact the only contribution came later as the archives will show when in serving the land a commercial loan from the predecessor to federation came up with something like $350,000 in increments which got paid back at 10% interest cumulatively and retired on five years. On that basis the speech I gave was feel-good but not one that was at all accurate in terms of who assisted in establishing the cemetery."
- Subjects
- Authors
- Cemeteries
- Essays
- Name Access
- Freedman, Sidney
- Places
- Toronto (Ont.)
- Source
- Archival Accessions