Accession Number

1993-1-9

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1938-[ca.1980]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Goel Tzedec Synagogue in Toronto. Included are a script of a sisterhood play; copies of the religious-school newsletter Keren Ami; a program for Beth Tzedec's First Congregational (1955); a certificate for charter members of the North Toronto YMHA awarded to the law firm of Singer and Kert; a Young Judaea publication The Leader (1938), which includes a prize-winning address by Shelton Kert; and a menu from Old Ed's, one of Ed Mirvish's restaurants.

Administrative History

The Singer and Kert law partnership lasted from 1920-1965. Joseph Singer was a gold metalist at Osgoode Hall in 1911. He was the first Jewish Controller in Toronto, and legal adviser to the Primrose Club. At the time of his death in 1967 he had practiced law for 56 years.

Lawrence Kert helped organize the Associated Hebrew Schools and the Oakdale Golf and Country Club. He was on the board of Goel Tzedec Synagogue. When he passed away in 1976 he had been a lawyer for 56 years.

Name Access

Kert, Sheldon

Kert, Lawrence

Singer, Joseph

Goel Tzedec Synagogue

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

4

Material Format

multiple media

Date

[ca. 1900]-2010

Physical Description

3.1 metres of textual records and other material

Admin History/Bio

Sol Edell (1919-2000) was a prominant member of the Toronto Jewish community who initially pursued a career as a pharmacist and was later founder and president of the property development company, Elmdale Investments. He held positions as board member or chair in a wide variety of religious, educational and social service organizations and institutions both in Canada and Israel. In Toronto, these included: Clanton Park Synagogue, Adas Israel Synagogue, Jones Avenue Cemetery, Canadian Jewish Congress and the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto (formerly Toronto Jewish Congress, and now the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto).

Edell was born in Toronto on 5 March 1919, the son of Pesach and Molly Edell. He attended Harbord Collegiate and graduated from the Toronto College of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, in 1943 while on leave of absence from the army. He was enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces during the Second World War and served in the signal corps.

After he completed his army service, he opened Edell’s Drug Store at 1978 Queen Street in Etobicoke in 1948, the first shomer Shabbat drug store in the city. He operated a second store at 494 Spadina Avenue in the late 1940s. In 1955 the Queen Street location was expropriated by the City of Toronto. Subsequently, Edell founded Elmdale Investments, the company which built and managed the Elmhurst Plaza in Etobicoke. He reopened the drug store, which was renamed Elmhurst Drugs in the plaza. He also invested in two retail textile stores, Deltex Drapery and Dodd’s Drapery which had been founded by group of businessmen including his cousin Israel Edell.

In 1952 he married Dolly Weinstock, the daughter of Moishe and Sylvia Weinstock. They lived in the newly developed suburb of North York with their four children: Ethel, Simcha, Malka and Joseph. After 10 years of marriage, Dolly died and in 1966, he married Celia Rogen Hoffman.

Sol Edell was a founding member and first president of the Clanton Park Congregation. He was actively involved in the construction of the synagogue and its development. He continued to be affiliated with Shomrai Shabbos where his grandfather Rabbi Yosef Weinreb had been the rabbi. He was also involved with Adas Israel, the synagogue in Hamilton where his wife Celia had been an active member.

He was chair of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region -- Toronto Jewish Congress Archives Committee, which subsequently became the Ontario Jewish Archives. During his tenure, the archives was responsible for the reconstruction of the Kiever Synagogue which had been built in the early 1900s but had fallen into a state of disrepair by the 1960s.

Sol Edell was also involved in a number of Zionist organizations. He was the founding chair of the Aliyah Support Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto, whose mandate was to assist Torontonians who had moved to Israel and ease their transition into Israeli society. He was also an active member of the Mizrachi organization and its affiliated institutions. Another one of Sol Edell’s interests was ensuring the preservation of local cemeteries. He was president of the Jones Avenue Cemetery and on the board of Pardes Shalom and the Bathurst Lawn Cemetery, Clanton Park section.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting Sol Edell's business activities, community involvement and personal life. Included is correspondence, meeting minutes, photographs, financial records, legal records, publications, audio-visual material, invitations, newspaper clippings, artifacts, lists, reports, speeches, and architectural drawings.

The fonds is organized into the following eleven series: Personal; Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy; Elmdale Investments; Deltex Drapery and Dodd's Drapery; Adas Israel Synagogue; Clanton Park Synagogue; Shomrai Shabbos; Aliyah; Cemetery and funeral home; Historical materials; and, Activities and organizations.

Notes

Physical description note: includes 739 photographs, 232 architectural drawings, 11 audio cassettes, 9 audio reels, 13 film reels, 7 videocassettes, 4 slides, 1 plaque, 4 badges, and 1 key.

Name Access

Edell Solomon, 1919-2000

Clanton Park Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Edell, Dolly

Edell, Celia

Edell's Drug Store

Elmhurst Pharmacy

Jones Avenue Cemetery

Canadian Jewish Congress/ Toronto Jewish Congress Archives

Aliyah Support Committee

Subjects

Business

Pharmacists

Access Restriction

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

Physical Condition

The bulk of the architectural drawings are currently being stored rolled up. They should be flattened and encapsulated in melinex.

Film and sound reels should be digitized.

Related Material

See fonds #5 for material related to Paul Edell.

See accession #2012-10/9 for material related to the Edell family.

Creator

Edell, Solomon, 1919-2000

Accession Number

2002-12-2

2008-8-29

2011-5-4

2012-10-9

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

Series

Fonds

4

Series

2

Material Format

textual record

architectural drawing

graphic material

Date

1947-1969

Physical Description

17 cm of textual records

3 photographs

7 architectural plans

Admin History/Bio

Sol Edell graduated with a degree in pharmacy in 1943. After completing his military service, he opened Edell's Drug Store and began working as a pharmacist. He subsequently opened two other drug stores, Edell's Drug Store located on Spadina Avenue and Elmhurst Drugs. Although he continued to own Elmhurst Drugs until his death in 2000, he retired from pharmacy in 1962.

Scope and Content

Series consists of material relating to the establishment and operation of Sol Edell’s pharmacy from the three locations where he operated drug stores. Series consists of financial records, newspaper advertisements, ink blotters, and flyers and prescription envelopes from the 1940s and 1950s with the name and logo of Edell’s Drug Store. In addition, there is correspondence and legal documents pertaining to a planned renovation of the Queen Street Store and the expropriation of the building by the City of Toronto. Also included is a photograph of a group of Toronto pharmacists.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Elmhurst Pharmacy

Elmhurst Plaza

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

[between 1948 and 1955]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of advertising flyers announcing an anniversary drug sale and promotional prescription envelopes from Edell's Drug Store at 1978 Queen Street West. The name, address and phone number of the store are printed on the prescription envelopes. Also included is a blank prescription slip of Dr. I.A. Grenville, which advertises Edell's Drug Store on Queen Street.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

1954

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence relating to medications ordered by the Department of Veteran's Affairs, Sunnybrook Hospital. The letters list the name and number of the patient and the price of the medication ordered.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

7

Material Format

textual record

architectural drawing

Date

1953-1956

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

1 presentation drawing : brownline drawing, hand col. ; 41 x 82 cm

3 technical drawings : brownline prints ; 52 x 54 cm and 54 x 78 cm

Scope and Content

File consists of invoices from the architect relating to the construction of a new building which Sol Edell wanted to build on the site occupied by Edell's Drug Store. Also included is correspondence with the Municipality of Etobicoke regarding a building permit and a report from the Ontario Municipal Board regarding by-laws for apartment buildings. File also consists of a presentation drawing of what the proposed apartment building would look like and preliminary floor plans and elevation drawings by architect Sidney Samuels.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

9

Material Format

textual record

Date

1955-1956

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence relating to the expropriation of the Queen Street property by the Metropolitan Toronto. An appraisal report which outlines the compensation that Sol Edell would receive is also included.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

4

Material Format

textual record

Date

1947

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Admin History/Bio

In 1947, Sol Edell opened his drug store at 1978 Queen Street in a building which he had rented from Ross Cameron.

Scope and Content

File consists of lease agreement between Sol Edell and Ross Cameron, the owner of the building. Also included is a description of the janitor services referred to in the lease.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

5

Material Format

textual record

Date

1947-1952

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of legal documents relating to Sol Edell's purchase of the Queen Street store and adjacent property from Ross and Yvonne Cameron. Also included is Sol Edell's mortgage for the property.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

10

Material Format

textual record

Date

15 Oct. 1956

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of a legal document relating to the sale of the Queen Street store to Metropolitan Toronto.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

11

Material Format

textual record

Date

1951-1955

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of annual trading, profit and loss statements for Edell's Drug Store.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Advertising and promotional stationery file

Edell’s anniversary drug sale flyer item

Level

Item

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

2

Item

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

[between 1948 and 1955]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

13

Material Format

textual record

Date

1967

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of an inventory of the non prescription goods in Edell's Drug Store and an assessment of its monetary value.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gary family fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

97

Item

1

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1952]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 10 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Goldie Gary hanging up the wash on the clothesline at her Pontypool residence on Amelia Street.

Notes

Title taken from writing on back of original photo.

Name Access

Gary, Goldie

Gary, Joseph

Gary, Ethel

Gary, Leslie

Gary, Shirley

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Pontypool (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gary family fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

97

Item

2

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Aug. 1964

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 9 cm

Admin History/Bio

Nancy Halter is the granddaughter of Joseph and Goldie Gary and the youngest daughter of Jack Halter and Ethel Halter (née Gary). The Manettas also owned resort cabins and had the only pool in Pontypool.

Scope and Content

Copy photograph of Nancy Halter wading in the Manettas pool in Pontypool. Nancy's sister, Frances, is seen in the background with her bathing cap on.

Name Access

Manetta family

Gary, Ethel

Gary, Goldie

Gary, Joseph

Gary, Leslie

Halter, Nancy

Subjects

Outdoor recreation

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Pontypool (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gary family fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

97

Item

3

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1960]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 10 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of the home of Joseph and Goldie Gary. There is a tree in the front yard with a handmade sign which reads: "Gary's Cottages RU-1-2913, To Rent".

Notes

Title taken from writing on back of original photo.

Name Access

Gary, Goldie

Gary, Joseph

Gary, Ethel

Gary, Shirley

Gary, Leslie

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Pontypool (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gary family fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

97

Item

4

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Aug. 1962

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 10 cm

Admin History/Bio

Frances and Nancy Halter are the daughters of Jack Halter and Ethel Halter (née Gary) and the granddaughters of Joseph and Goldie Gary.

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Nancy Halter (sitting) and her older sibling Frances (standing) in a children's wading pool on the property of the Gary homestead in Pontypool.

Notes

Title taken from writing on back of original photo.

Name Access

Gary, Ethel

Gary, Leslie

Gary, Shirley

Gary, Goldie

Gary, Joseph

Halter, Nancy

Halter, Frances

Subjects

Outdoor recreation

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Pontypool (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gary family fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

97

Item

5

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Jul. 1961

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 14 cm

Admin History/Bio

Ethel Halter's neice is the daughter of her sister Shirley Cohen (née Gary).

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Joseph Gary, Goldie Gary, Ethel Halter and her neice (crouching) in front of Gary's Cottages.

Name Access

Gary, Joseph

Gary, Goldie

Gary, Ethel

Gary, Shirley

Gary, Leslie

Cohen

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Pontypool (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gary family fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

97

Item

6

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1960]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 15 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of six of the ten cottages on the Gary property in Pontypool.

Name Access

Gary, Joseph

Gary, Goldie

Gary, Ethel

Gary, Shirley

Gary, Leslie

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Pontypool (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gary family fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

97

Item

7

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1950]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 14 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Ethel Halter (née Gary) reclining on a lawn chair in her bathing suit at Gary's Cottages.

Notes

Title taken from writing on back of original photograph.

Name Access

Gary, Ethel

Gary, Leslie

Gary, Shirley

Gary, Goldie

Gary, Joseph

Subjects

Outdoor recreation

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Pontypool (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gary family fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

97

Item

8

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1947

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 15 x 9 cm

Admin History/Bio

Mrs. Burke owned a farm near the pond in Pontypool. The Garys rented a room from her in the summer of 1947 while they looked for a home to purchase in the town.

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Mrs. Burke, Ethel Halter and Goldie Gary standing in Mrs. Burke's cornfield.

Name Access

Gary, Ethel

Gary, Leslie

Gary, Shirley

Gary, Goldie

Gary, Joseph

Burke, Mrs.

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Pontypool (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gary family fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

97

Item

10

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1947]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 15 x 9 cm

Admin History/Bio

Joseph Gary and Goldie Gary (née Lawrence) married in 1921 in Rochester, N.Y. Shortly thereafter they moved to Toronto. Joseph and Goldie had three children; daughters Ethel (Halter) and Shirley (Cohen), and son Leslie. In 1950, after three years of visiting the region, Joseph and Goldie purchased a home on Amelia Street in Pontypool, ON. As the area was a popular summer resort spot for vacationing Jews from the 1940s to the 1960s, Joseph and Goldie decided to build 10 cottages on their land for rental, which they named Gary's Cottages. The cottages were sold around 1970 and are no longer in existence, however their home is still standing.

Mrs. Burke owned a farm near the pond in Pontypool. Joseph and Goldie rented a room from her in the summer of 1947 while they looked for a home to purchase in the town.

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Goldie and Joseph Gary standing in Mrs. Burke's cornfield. They are holding onto a large sunflower.

Notes

Title taken from back of original photograph.

Name Access

Gary, Ethel

Gary, Leslie

Gary, Shirley

Gary, Goldie

Gary, Joseph

Burke, Mrs.

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Pontypool (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gary family fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

97

Item

9

Material Format

graphic material

Date

August 1964

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 10 cm

Admin History/Bio

Nancy Halter is the daughter of Jack Halter and Ethel Halter (née Gary) and the granddaughter of Joseph and Goldie Gary.

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Nancy Halter in her bathing suit, standing in front of Gary's cottages in Pontypool. She is holding a bucket of sand and there is a wooden chair directly behind her.

Notes

Title taken from writing on back of original photograph.

Name Access

Gary, Ethel

Gary, Leslie

Gary, Shirley

Gary, Goldie

Gary, Joseph

Halter, Nancy

Subjects

Outdoor recreation

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Pontypool (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

8

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1955]

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w ; 13 x 18 cm

Scope and Content

File consists of two photographs of the exterior of Sol Edell's Drug Store at 1978 Queen Street.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Repro Restriction

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

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

2

File

6

Material Format

architectural drawing

Date

1947

Physical Description

3 technical drawings : blueprints ; 64 x 89 cm

Scope and Content

File consists of a floor plan and glass and metal detail drawings.

Name Access

Edell's Drug Store

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gary family fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

97

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1947-1967

Physical Description

10 photographs : b&w ; 9 x 15 cm or smaller

Admin History/Bio

Joseph Gary and Goldie Gary (née Lawrence) married in 1921 in Rochester, New York. Shortly thereafter they moved to Toronto. Joseph and Goldie had three children: daughters Ethel (Halter) and Shirley (Cohen) and son Leslie. In 1950, after three years of visiting the region, Joseph and Goldie purchased a home on Amelia Street in Pontypool, Ontario. As the area was a popular summer resort spot for vacationing Jews from the 1940s to the 1960s, Joseph and Goldie decided to build ten cottages on their land for rental, which they named Gary's Cottages. The cottages were sold around 1970 and are no longer in existence; however, their home is still standing.

Custodial History

The original photographs were loaned to the archives for copying and were subsequently returned to the donor.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of ten copy photographs documenting the Gary family and their cottages in Pontypool.

Name Access

Gary (family)

Gary, Goldie

Gary, Joseph

Subjects

Recreation

Creator

Gary family (Pontypool, Ont.)

Places

Pontypool (Ont.)

Accession Number

2005-9-3

Source

Archival Descriptions