Accession Number
2004-5-134
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2004-5-134
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
15 photographs : col. ; 10 x 15 cm
Date
[ca. 1990]-[ca. 2000]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs of Henry Springer outside and inside his kosher meat store on Bathurst Street in Toronto. His son, Jeff Springer, appears in one of the photographs.
Administrative History
Henry Springer (1921-2014) was born on 10 November 1921 to Mordechai and Leah Springer in Szczebrzeszyn, Poland. He had two sisters, Brenda and Faigie and one brother, Charles. Seven generations of Springers in Poland were butchers. During the Second World War, the whole family survived as prisoners of Russian labour camps. Following the end of the war, they spent four years in a displaced persons camp in Austria named Steyr, then immigrated to Canada, arriving in Quebec City in 1949. They migrated to Toronto with the assistance of JIAS and the Springer family in Kingston.
After a few years of working in an upholstery factory, Henry and his brother Charles partnered to open a kosher butcher store called Springer’s Kosher Meats, on Augusta Ave. in Kensington Market. In 1958, they opened a second location at 3393 Bathurst St., following the Jewish community's move north. A year or so later they closed the location on Augusta and focused exclusively on the Bathurst St. location until its closing in 1995. Their father Mordechai also worked at the business up until his death in 1982.
The store sold fresh meat, chicken and fish and some delicatessen and was well known for its chickens.
Henry Springer was married to Shriley Springer and together had three children: Rochelle, Hannah and Jeff. He died on 3 November 2014 just shy of his 93rd birthday.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Butchers
Kosher food
Name Access
Springer's Kosher Meats
Springer, Jeff
Springer, Henry, 1921-2014
Places
Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-9-9
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-9-9
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
3 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg)
Date
[193-]-1962
Scope and Content
Accession consists of three scanned family photographs as follows:
01. Bat mitzvah of Richelle Gordon, 1962. Left to right: Moishe Laeb, Shaina Hanna, Jack Gordon, Richelle Gordon, Eve Gordon, Raizel Rosen, Yisroel Rosen, Brian Gordon. In front: Sheri Gordon.
02. Family portrait, 1930s. Left to right: Mathew Gordon, Shaina Hana Gordon, Joe Gordon, Moishe Laeb Gordon, Sarah Polen. In front: Jack Gordon.
03. Raizel and Yisroel Rosen (parents of Eve Gordon).
Administrative History
Eve Rosen Gordon was born in Russia in 1923. When she was three years old, her parents and paternal grandparents came to Canada with Eve's sister and brother. Her uncle Aaron Rosen had been in Kitchener, Ontario, since 1903. His business was scrap metal, and Eve's father joined him in the work to pay off their tickets from Russia. Following that, he peddled with a horse and buggy. In 1933, he launched his own business, clearing and filling the swampy land by hand to build a multi-generation business, Rosen and Sons, which eventually moved into industrial waste.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Communities
Families
Name Access
Gordon, Eve
Places
Kitchener (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-8-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-8-6
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
1 photograph (jpg)
Date
1964
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a scanned photograph of the Queen Esther chapter of Hadassah executive in 1964.
Identified, back row: Bessie Brown, Etta Zacks, Miriam Kumer, Bessie Roseman, Esther Goldstein, Lena Highman, Raizel Rosen, Elsie Orzy, Dora Siderson. Front Row: Nellie Norris, Pearl Atkins, Bertha Brown, Rebeccah Taraday, Jennie Ballos, Bella Sklar.
Administrative History
The Queen Esther Hadassah chapter in Kitchener was formed in 1926 by Mrs. Levine, wife of the rabbi. Most of the women in the community joined the new group, and many of them were still members fifty years later. The chapter had monthly meetings where the women met for discussion and planning of activities to raise money for Palestine. After the Second World War, the focus turned to support of Israel's orphanages, hospitals, hostels, and training centres for women. The first Hadassah Bazaar was held in 1962 and quickly became a successful and popular community event. As the years passed, the chapter collaborated more and more with the synagogue sisterhood. At one time Kitchener had three Hadassah chapters and a central Council, but since the 1980s these have dwindled. Today there is a single chapter in the city.
Places
Kitchener (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-8-8
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-8-8
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
6 photographs : b&w : 12 x 17 cm on matte 18 x 25 cm or smaller
Date
1912-1983
Scope and Content
The accession consists of six photographs of the Rosen family of Kitchener. The pictures are all portraits involving multiple generations of the family taken between 1912 and 1944. The people pictured include Aaron J. Rosen, his parents, his children, and one with his brother Israel Rosen. There is also a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship issued to Aaron Rosen. It is dated 1951, however it makes reference to his naturalization in 1911. Later documents include a copy of the Rosen-Shpizel family tree, and a letter written by the donor recounting her mother's reminiscences of life in Kitchener. The letter was written to accompany photographs that the donor loaned to Mr. Donald Bierstock in Kitchener, who was compiling a history of Beth Jacob congregation for its 75th anniversary.
Custodial History
The photographs belonged to Aaron Rosen's daughter Mary until she passed them on to her son in the early 1990s. He gave them to his sister Phyllis, the donor, in July 2009.
Administrative History
Aaron J. Rosen (1879-1973) was born in Checholia, Russia, the son of Avraham Zvi Rosen and Pesa Cohn. He was the first of his family to come to Canada, in 1903. He came ahead of his wife Sima Leah (1873-1948), and their son Irving (d. 1962). In Kitchener, Aaron established himself in the peddling business, founding Rosen Rag & Metal. After his wife and son joined him, they had two more children, Mary (1908-1996) and Joseph (1906-1916). Joseph died of diphtheria at the age of ten. He was one of the first to be buried in the Beth Jacob Cemetery.
Aaron Rosen was one of the founders of Beth Jacob Congregation in 1908, and was among those who signed the mortgage for the synagogue in 1924. The family rented a house at 156 Church Street, and later lived next to the Rosen Rag & Metal warehouse at 123 Strange Street. In 1927, Aaron brought over his brother Israel with his family and their parents.
In 1938, Aaron's daughter, Mary Rosen, married Ben Coles. They settled in Toronto. They had two children, Alan and Phyllis (the donor). Irving Rosen married Tillie Minsky and his children (in the photos) are Estelle and Gerry.
Sima Leah Rosen predeceased Aaron, and when he was 70 he remarried, wedding Rebecca (usually called Bayla) Kaplan (grandmother of Robert Kaplan, MP and Attorney General). The marriage was religious but not civil. Aaron Rosen died at the age of 93 in 1973. He is buried next to his first wife at Roselawn Cemetery in Toronto.
Subjects
Communities
Families
Name Access
Rosen, Aaron, 1879-1973
Rosen, Sima Leah, 1873-1948
Places
Kitchener (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Level
Item
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1963]
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 21 x 26 cm and 10 x 12 cm
Scope and Content
This item is a copy print and corresponding negative depicting members of the B'nai B'rith Kitchener Lodge, seated with the lodge's standard and a menorah.
Name Access
B'nai B'rith
Places
Kitchener (Ont.)
Accession Number
1977-8-16
Source
Archival Descriptions
Address
216 Beverley Street
Source
Landmarks

The Apter Synagogue was formed by a group of people who came to Toronto from the area of Opatow (Apt) in Poland around the turn of the century. They first established a small synagogue on Centre Avenue near Dundas Street in the Ward. In 1918, in anticipation of more Apter immigrants coming to Toronto after the First World War, the synagogue was sold and a larger one purchased on Beverley Street. Both the synagogue members and the Apter Friendly Society met there.
Address
216 Beverley Street
Time Period
1918-unknown
Scope Note
The Apter Synagogue was formed by a group of people who came to Toronto from the area of Opatow (Apt) in Poland around the turn of the century. They first established a small synagogue on Centre Avenue near Dundas Street in the Ward. In 1918, in anticipation of more Apter immigrants coming to Toronto after the First World War, the synagogue was sold and a larger one purchased on Beverley Street. Both the synagogue members and the Apter Friendly Society met there.
History
In later years, a bitter controversy between the synagogue and society erupted and the building was sold.
Category
Political
Religious
Private Clubs
Source
Landmarks
Accession Number
2013-7-8
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-7-8
Material Format
textual record
moving images
graphic material
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
1 optical disc (48:20 min.) : col. ; DVD
35 photographs : col. ; 16 x 11 cm
Date
2006-2012
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to the military career of Corporal Tamar Freeman, particularly her 6-month deployment to Kandahar, Afghanistan. Included is postcard and email correspondence sent to her parents detailing issues of camp life, her religious observance, as well as her role as a medic; a DVD of the film "Sisters in Arms" written and directed by Tamar's sister, Beth Freeman; newspaper clippings and articles on Tamar and the film "Sisters in Arms"; photographs of Tamar receiving an award from the Canadian Jewish Congress, of her family greeting her at the airport upon return to Canada, a portrait of Tamar with another soldier and General Hillier, as well as images taken of fellow soldiers and the surroundings while in Afghanistan.
Administrative History
Corporal Tamar Freeman (1967-) is the daughter of Harvey and Gilda Freeman. She began her military career as an army reservist in 1990. As a reservist, she committed one day per week and one weekend per month to working in hospitals on board ships and in defence research facilities. In 2006, she joined the regular infantry as a medic in the Second Field Ambulance unit. She served in Kandahar for 6 months between 2006 and 2007 as a medic treating wounded soldiers, Afghan allies and civilians. She also served as part of the Provincial Reconstruction Team at a village medical clinic. She received the Alan Rose Award for International Human Dignity from the Canadian Jewish Congress in 2007. Corporal Freeman is currently stationed at Base Borden in Ontario.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
Use restrictions note: Personal emails are confidential and require the permission of Tamar Freeman before accessing.
Subjects
Afghan War, 2001-
Soldiers--Canada
Name Access
Freeman, Tamar
Places
Afghanistan
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-8-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-8-1
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
9 cm of textual records
25 photographs : col., sepia and b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
1 crayon enlargment portrait : col. ; 12 x 19 cm
Date
1925-2003
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a colour crayon enlargement portrait of Bessie and Joseph Brown, "A Tribute to Bessie Brown" photograph album (Beth Jacob Synagogue and Sisterhood, Kitchener Ontario, 1976), photographs of Joseph, Bessie and Phillip Brown and [Beth Jacob Congregation's Sisterhood?] in 1964, a certificate of service and affiliaton at Beth Jacob for Bessie Brown, and newsletters from Beth Jacob and Beth Tikvah in Montreal (1980-2004).
Custodial History
Materials were donated by Cantor Avraham Fisher, who served at Beth Jacob from 1985-1994 and was a friend of the Brown family.
Administrative History
Bessie and Joesph Brown lived in Kitchener, Ontario. They had two children: Harry (b. 1926-?) and Phillip (1930-1939).
Descriptive Notes
ASSOCIATED MATERIAL NOTE: Bessie, Joseph and Harry Brown appear in Beth Jacob membership lists in accession 2008-6-7
Subjects
Families
Synagogues
Name Access
Beth Jacob Congregation (Kitchener, Ont.)
Brown, Bessie
Brown, Harry
Brown, Joseph
Brown, Phillip, 1930-1939
Places
Kitchener (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-4-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-4-4
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
ca. 35 photographs : b&w and col. ; 33 x 27 cm or smaller
Date
1891-2013
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting members of Harvey Freeman's family, several of whom served in the armed forces. Included are: family photographs, a Krugel family tree, a copy of Itzik Kriegel (Harvey's grandfather)'s army discharge, an attestation paper for Louis Krugel (Harvey's uncle), a signed program for a "stag whoopee dinner and night of blissful freedom" in honour of Lou Krugel's approaching marriage, and printed images of Harvey's daughter Tamar Freeman in Afghanistan. One of the photographs depicts Louis Krugel with professional wrestler and actor Tor Johnson, aka the Swedish Angel.
Photo Caption (001): Wellesley Public School, [ca. 1915]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (002): Louis Krugel. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (003): Buba Sluva with Sara, Moe, Lou, and Harry, 1909. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (004): Berel Krugel in front of 22 Gerard Street West, Toronto, [ca. 1919]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (005): Wedding, 28 September 1926. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (006): Louis Krugel. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (007): Baba Tzluva with Harry, [189-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (008): Louis Krugel. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (009): Shabbat dinner, [ca. 1940]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (010): Norman, Buba Sluva, and Bert, [ca. 1922]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (011): Family portrait, 1909. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (012): Harry and Sara, 1916. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (013): Louis Krugel, [192-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (014): Louis Krugel and unknown man posing with boxing gloves, [1918?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (015): Louis Krugel, 1918. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (016): Harvey Freeman at Camp Borden, 1945. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (017): Unknown. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (018): Louis Krugel and unknown man, 1918. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (019): Louis Krugel with Tor Johnson, aka the Swedish Angel, [194-]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (020): Signed portrait of Louis Krugel. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Photo Caption (021): Louis Krugel, [192-]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-4-4.
Administrative History
Harvey Freeman was born on May 22, 1928. As a youth, he attended Harbord Collegiate and went on to join the militia, where he was the lone Canadian Jewish bagpiper.
Harvey made his living in business, working in different areas including furniture manufacturing and property management. As part of a change in lifestyle, he took up marathons in his early seventies.
Harvey has four children.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
ASSOCIATED MATERIALS: Records for Harvey's daughter Tamar can be found in Accession 2013-7-8.
Subjects
Afghan War, 2001-
Families
Soldiers--Canada
Name Access
Freeman, Harvey
Freeman, Tamar
Johnson, Tor, 1903-1971
Places
Afghanistan
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-22
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-22
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
47 photographs : b&w and col. ; 19 x 14 cm or smaller
Date
1949-2007
Scope and Content
Accession consists of forty-seven photographs documenting Lilian Rosenthal's family.
Identified in the photographs are: Emy Berman (née Rosenthal), Ella Fleischmann (née Schwarcz), Esther Fleischmann, Jack Fleischmann, Ivan Fleischmann, Joanne Howe (née Fleischmann), Livia Bitton Jackson, Leah Kedar, Allan Leibler, Mary Leibler (née Schwarcz) Bram Morrison, Ruth Raphael, Amir Rosenthal, Annette Rosenthal, Arthur Rosenthal, Eddie Rosenthal, Herschel Rosenthal, Jack Rosenthal, Keren Rosenthal, Leslie Rosenthal, Lilian Rosenthal, Miriam Rosenthal (née Schwarcz), Murray Rosenthal, Nili Rosenthal, Ron Rosenthal, Shira Rosenthal, Valerie Rosenthal, William Rosenthal, Carmelle Rutman, Serena Rutman, Tami Rutman (née Rosenthal), Yasmin Rutman, Alexander Schwarcz, Manci Schwarcz, Susan Schwarcz, Miriam Sharon (née Stern), Mr. Shoychet, Mrs. Shoychet, Rochelle Treister (née Fleischmann), and Ugo Vero.
Administrative History
Lilian Rosenthal is the daughter of Holocaust survivors Miriam Rosenthal (née Schwarcz) and Rabbi William Rosenthal. She grew up in Sudbury, Ontario with her siblings, Leslie and Murray.
Lilian's parents were born in eastern Europe and came to Canada in 1947. They lived in Timmins for a year before moving to Sudbury, where William ("Bela") served as a rabbi, cantor, and teacher for sixteen years.
In 1965, the family moved to Toronto and Miriam and William opened a Judaica store at the corner Bathurst Street and Caribou Road. Together, Lilian's parents ran the store for more than forty years until retiring in 2007. William died on 11 April 2008; Miriam died on 10 February 2018.
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.
Descriptive Notes
Availabilityusc of other formats: Digital access copies (jpg) have been created.
Finding aids: A short description including dates and identification is available for each photograph.
Associated material: The USC Shoah Foundation produced an oral history with Miriam Rosenthal, which has been digitized.
Subjects
Families
Family-owned business enterprises
Holocaust survivors
Name Access
Rosenthal (family)
Rosenthal, Lilian
Rosenthal, Miriam, 1922-2018
Rosenthal, William, 1911-2008
Places
Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Caribou Road (Toronto, Ont.)
Sudbury (Ont.)
Timmins (Ont.)
Toronto Islands (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Level
Item
ID
Item 5022
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
5022
Material Format
graphic material
Date
27 Oct. 1961
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
Scope and Content
Item is a photograph of Sam Ruth showing a model of the new Jewish Home for the Aged and Baycrest Hospital to two women.
Notes
Graphic Artists.
Name Access
Baycrest Hospital
Jewish Home for the Aged (Toronto, Ont.)
Ruth, Sam
Subjects
Architecture
Places
Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1990-1-5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds
Photographic and audiovisual collection series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 67; Series 27; File 35
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds
Photographic and audiovisual collection series
Level
File
Fonds
67
Series
27
File
35
Material Format
graphic material
Date
1959-1971
Physical Description
27 photographs : b&w (4 negatives) ; 21 x 26 cm and smaller
Scope and Content
File consists of twenty-three photographs and four negatives of interior and exterior scenes at the Jewish Public Library at Glen Park Avenue from 1959 to 1971. Photographs include exterior shots of the old building at Markham Street and Harbord Street, the new building at Bathurst Street and Glen Park Avenue (including a negative of a drawing of the proposed building plan by architect Ralph M. Goldman), several portraits of visitors reading and browsing the stacks, and a study group with Rabbi Israel Frankel; all are publicity photos. Identified on the back of a photo from the 1962 opening ceremonies are Vernon Singer (Reeve, North York), Sam Sable, Florence Hutner (Executive Director, UJWF), Edward G. Gelber, William Allen (Metro Chairman), Bert Godfrey, Nathan Phillips (Mayor, Toronto), Allan Grossman (MPP), Irving Paisley (Councillor, North York), Rabbi Stuart Rosenberg, Rabbi W. Wurzburger, Rabbi I. Frankel, Mirial Small, Myer Sharer, Meyer Gasner, and Dr. Joseph Diamond.
Notes
Photos by Jack Mitchell Photography, The Globe and Mail, Graphic Artists Photographers, and Federal Newsphotos of Canada.
Name Access
Jewish Public Library (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Libraries
Places
Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Glen Park Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Harbord Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Markham Street (Toronto, Ont.).
Source
Archival Descriptions