Accession Number
2005-12-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2005-12-1
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
22 photographs
Date
2002-2004
Scope and Content
This accession consists of twenty-two photographs taken by the prominent architectural photographer Robert Burley. The photographs document the interior and exterior features of six of Toronto's original synagogues: the Kiever, Knesseth Israel, First Narayever, Anshei Minsk, Shaarei Tzedec, and the Beach Hebrew Institute.
These photographs were part of an exhibit held at the Arthur Anderson Gallery that ran from February to May 2005. Burley selected these synagogues for his project because they were the only synagogues in the city still operating in their original buildings. His images reveal the architectural details of the buildings as well as the rich interiors, highlighting the murals, religious artifacts, and interior structure of each building.
Administrative History
Robert Burley graduated with a master's degree in fine arts from the School of Art Institute in Chicago in 1986. He is an accomplished architectural photographer who has exhibited his work around the world. He is a professor at the School of Image Arts at Ryerson University.
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
Architecture
Synagogues
Name Access
Anshei Minsk Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Beach Hebrew Institute (Toronto, Ont.)
Congregation Shaarei Tzedec (Toronto, Ont.)
First Narayever Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-6-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-6-5
Material Format
graphic material
sound recording
moving images
textual record
object
Physical Description
187 photographs : b&w and col. ; 24 x 20 cm or smaller
20 audiocassettes
10 videocassettes
1 folder of textual records
1 object
Date
[193-]-2006
Scope and Content
Accession consists predominantly of records collected by Bess Shockett in her work with UJA Federation's Committee for Yiddish and Friends of Yiddish. The accession also contains some personal family records. The photographs document programmes of the Committee for Yiddish in the late 1980s and 1990s, including an outdoor Yiddish concert, several International Conferences of Yiddish Clubs (1995, 1998, 1999), Sunday morning Yiddish classes, and a 1993 Hanukah concert. There are also three photographs of the New Fraternal Jewish Association and its celebration of J. B. Salsberg's eightieth birthday in 1980. The videocassettes contain recordings of other events including a storytelling workshop, Purim Mystery Night, a farewell for Miriam Waddington and several Sof Vokh (weekend retreat) programmes of 1993.
The twenty cassette tapes feature panel discussions, lectures and interviews, including "Yiddish education," "Yiddish and the Media," "Yiddish and the Younger Generation," "Yiddish and the Performing Arts," and "Yiddish Language and Translation." There are several interviews with Yiddish poet Avrom Sutzkever, as well as two Toronto Yiddish concerts. Other tapes contain radio interviews with [Aaron?] Lansky; "Chava Rosenfarb--Book Fair", 1988; "Plenary reports and presentations"; and an episode of the program The Forward Hour on Peretz Miransky, an influential Polish writer in the inter-war years.
Personal records in the accession consist of family snapshots dating from the 1930s and 1940s. These were taken in Israel and include images of farming, landscapes, travel, a canal, groups of people, city buildings, and processions. These photos all have Yiddish writing on the back. There is one formal portrait, ca. 1890s, of an elderly Jewish man. As well, there is a folder of original and photocopied poetry (in Yiddish) written by a Jack Shockett.
Accession also includes a Yiddish typewriter, in case, that Bess used in the late 1960s/early 1970s when the Committee for Yiddish was under Congress.
Custodial History
Records were entrusted to the estate of Bess Shockett after her death, and given to her Committee for Yiddish colleague Ethel Cooper, who brought them to the archives.
Administrative History
Bess Shockett was born in the Ukraine in 1919. Her father, Solomon Maltin, was the mayor of the town and helped establish a number of Jewish community institutions. He and his wife had two sons along with Bess: Sam and Ben. In 1925, the family moved to Montreal. As an adolescent, Bess became very active in the Jewish community and joined the United Jewish People's Order. She helped organize a union for workers in the knitting industry and later did the same for fur workers. She also travelled to Winnipeg to organize a laundry workers union. She met her husband, Barry Shockett, in Toronto and they married in 1952 and had three children: Michael, Elka and Eric. Bess eventually became very active in the Toronto Jewish community, particularly in regards to supporting and launching several innovative Yiddish programs. She staffed the office of CJC's Committee for Yiddish in its early years, and was Director from 1974 to 1989. She helped found the Friends of Yiddish in 1985 and served as executive vice-president until her death on August 27, 2007.
Descriptive Notes
There is little written material; what there is (captions and poetry) is mostly in Yiddish; some captions are in English.
Subjects
Committees
Yiddish language
Name Access
Committee for Yiddish (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-9-8
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-9-8
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
4 photographs : b&w and col. ; 56 cm x 71 cm
Date
2002-2004
Scope and Content
This accession consists of four framed photographs taken by Robert Burley. The photographs document the Anshei Minsk Synagogue and were part of the exhibit "Recurrent Memories: Historic Jewish Sites in Canada and Poland," which was held at Gallery 345 from 23 April 2008 to 18 May 2008. The photographs are as follows:
1) Burned Books, Anshei Minsk Synagogue, Toronto, 2002
2) Anshei Minsk Synagogue, Toronto, 2002
3) Fire Damage to the Women’s Gallery, Anshei Minsk Synagogue, 2002
4) View from the Bima, Anshei Minsk Synagogue, Toronto, 2004
Administrative History
Robert Burley graduated with a master's degree in fine arts from the School of Art Institute in Chicago in 1986. He is an accomplished architectural photographer who has exhibited his work around the world. He is a professor at the School of Image Arts at Ryerson University.
Use Conditions
Robert Burley holds copyright for these photographs and should be credited.
Descriptive Notes
see 2005-12-1
Subjects
Architecture
Photographers
Synagogues
Name Access
Anshei Minsk Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Burley, Robert, 1957
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 138
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
138
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
architectural drawing
philatelic record
sound recording
cartographic material
object
Date
1854-2021
Physical Description
ca. 2.4 m of textual records
ca. 600 photographs : b&w and col. (ca. 90 negatives); 30 x 35 cm or smaller
other material
Admin History/Bio
David Pinkus (1924-2021) was born on May 11, 1924, at the Toronto General Hospital to Isadore Pinkus (1887-1947) and Molly (Mollie) Pinkus (née Parelstein) (1892-1990). Isadore was born in Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire; Molly was born in Podolia Gubernia of the Russian Empire and later moved to Ukraine with her family. Isadore and Molly met and married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1910 and moved to Toronto in 1911. The Pinkus family settled in Kensington Market in around 1914 and was one of the first Jewish settlers to the Kensington neighbourhood. David spent his entire life living in the Kensington Market area. He lived on 83 Huron Street until 1927 when the Pinkus family moved to 34 Nassau Street, which has been the house of the Pinkus family ever since. David had two siblings: brother Max and sister Goldie.
In his childhood, David attended the Brunswick Talmud Torah daily and learned Hebrew. He had his bar mitzvah at the Kiever Shul. David attended William Houston School until 1930 and Ryerson Public School until grade eight. Later, he attended Harbord School for high school and was also involved with sports at Harbord Collegiate and YMHA. In 1947, David obtained his Bachelor of Applied Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto. After graduation, he worked at Goodyear for one year and returned to the University of Toronto as an instructor of engineering drawing and machine design. Later, he worked at various places such as Canadian Industries Limited in Maitland, Toronto Iron Works, and Avro Aircraft Limited.
David’s father, Isadore, was one of the founders of the Kiever Synagogue. David’s involvement with the Kiever Synagogue started in 1947, following Isadore’s death. David served as president and held positions on the executive of the Kiever Shul and played a principal role in the restoration of the shul. He also served on Toronto’s Board of Health as well as the boards of the Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, and St. Christopher House. In addition, David was an active community leader and local historian. He did genealogical research for many Toronto Jewish families. David had been recognized by the National Jewish Federation of North America as a Jewish community hero in 2011. He passed away on May 6, 2021.
Custodial History
Records received after the death of David Pinkus through Joseph Solomon, the executor of David Pinkus’ estate. Records have been selected by archivists following a site visit at David’s home at 34 Nassau Street, Toronto.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records, graphic material, sound recordings, architectural drawings, artifacts, and a small number of philatelic records, most of which document David Pinkus’ career and personal life, the Pinkus family, the Kiever Shul, the Kiever Cemetery, as well as Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Mount Sinai Memorial Park) and the Dawes Road Cemeteries (Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees), of which the Kiever Congregation is a member organization. Also included are documents and photographs of other individuals and families, which David collected for his genealogical research, and those that are pertaining to Kensington Market and other congregations and cemeteries.
Textual records include correspondence; scrapbooks; education records; identification documents; research notes and clippings relating to David’s genealogical research; documents pertaining to his Kensington Market activism and community work; files on David’s engineering career and his role as president of the Kiever Shul; and files documenting the Pinkus family members, such as funeral documents, notebooks, family correspondence, voters’ lists, and records relating to Pinkus Fruit Co. and 34 Nassau Street. Also included are records documenting the Kiever Shul, which include meeting minutes, ledger books, financial documents, legal documents, membership lists and application forms, address books, high holiday service cards, and historic papers dating from the 1920s and 1930s. Textual records documenting the Kiever Cemetery, Mount Sinai Memorial Park, and the Dawes Road Cemeteries are mainly comprised of cemetery maps, burial plot cards, burial record books, by-laws and regulations, and meeting minutes. Also present are records pertaining to other congregations and cemeteries, such as constitution books, brochures, booklets, and copies of legal documents.
Photographs mainly feature David Pinkus and the Kiever Cemetery, with a small number featuring the Pinkus family members, the Junction Synagogue (Congregation Knesseth Israel), the Great Choral Synagogue of Kyiv, and those that David collected for his genealogical research.
Architectural drawings of this fonds include the restoration and renovation plan for the Kiever Shul and the alteration plan for Mount Sinai Cemetery Administration Building.
Also present are sound recordings, including cassettes and microcassettes of David Pinkus; and artifacts, including felt patches, pin back buttons, medals, Toronto foot-pedlar registration badges, and a wooden gavel of the Kiever Shul.
Fonds has been arranged into the following series: David Pinkus’ personal records; Kensington Market; David Pinkus’ genealogical research; the Pinkus family; the Kiever Shul; the Kiever Cemetery; Mount Sinai Memorial Park; the Dawes Road Cemeteries; and other associations, congregations, and cemeteries.
Notes
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 22 architectural drawings, 7 maps, 4 audio cassettes, 2 microcassettes, 1 optical disc, 8 drawings, 2 prints, 1 photo collage, 34 pinback buttons, 15 Toronto padler-on-foot registration badges, 8 felt patches, 3 medals, 3 brooches, 1 wooden gavel, 2 tax tokens, 2 postage stamps, 1 sales tax stamp, and 9 revenue stamps.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: Books that were initially included in this fonds have been removed and incorporated into the OJA’s library collection. These books are: Spadina Avenue by Rosemary Donegan with an introduction by Rick Salutin, Toronto No Mean City by Eric Arthur revised by Stephen A. Otto, Canadian Jewish Directory edited by Edmond Y. Lipsitz, The Toronto Jewish Directory, and The Canada Year Book 1905 (second series).
HISTORY/BIO NOTE: Information is sourced from OH 413 and the content of the fonds.
Name Access
Pinkus, David, 1924-2021
Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Toronto, Ont.)
Mount Sinai Memorial Park (Toronto, Ont.)
Dawes Road Cemetery (Toronto, Ont.)
Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Families
Synagogues
Genealogy
Cemeteries
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Repro Restriction
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Related Material
See accessions 2004-1-5, 2004-1-6, 2004-2-1, 2008-11-9, 2016-3-48, and 2021-10-1 for additional information on the Kiever Shul; and OH 413 for more information on David Pinkus and the Pinkus family.
Arrangement
Records came into the OJA with no discernible order. Arrangement has been imposed by the archivist.
Creator
Pinkus, David, 1924-2021
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
2021-7-3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Address
52 East Fox Lake Rd.
Source
Landmarks

Established in 1933, Camp Winnebagoe was the first Jewish co-educational camp in Canada, owned and operated by Joe and Sadie Danson. First located on the Rouge River, just east of Toronto, the camp moved to a number of different lakeside locations in the Huntsville area, during its long history. In 1971, Camp Winnebagoe purchased Camp Ogama on Fox Lake and it has been there since, operated by the Lustig family. The camp’s programming includes secular and Jewish traditions including themed days, events honouring individual campers’ outstanding contributions and Friday Night Services.
Address
52 East Fox Lake Rd.
Time Period
1933-present
Scope Note
Established in 1933, Camp Winnebagoe was the first Jewish co-educational camp in Canada, owned and operated by Joe and Sadie Danson. First located on the Rouge River, just east of Toronto, the camp moved to a number of different lakeside locations in the Huntsville area, during its long history. In 1971, Camp Winnebagoe purchased Camp Ogama on Fox Lake and it has been there since, operated by the Lustig family. The camp’s programming includes secular and Jewish traditions including themed days, events honouring individual campers’ outstanding contributions and Friday Night Services.
History
In 1946, David Lieberman founded Camp Ogama, a private a co-educational overnight camp for children aged 6-16, on Fox Lake near Huntsville. It was touted to be “Canada’s most progressive camp for young Jewish boys and girls.” The socially conscience programming offered at Camp Ogama had a profound impact on counselors and campers alike producing highly influential alumni. Former camper journalist Earl Pomerantz reflects, “Camp inoculated us with a passion for justice. And it wasn’t write a check and see you later; this was money where your mouth is.”
Category
Camps and Resorts
Source
Landmarks
Accession Number
2010-7-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2010-7-2
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
40 cm of textual records
Date
[1998?]-2010
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one box of gittin.
Use Conditions
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director and rabbi in charge of gittin (or the chair of the Reform Rabbis of Greater Toronto) prior to accessing the records.
Descriptive Notes
General: Gittin are in sealed envelopes and identified by the surname(s) of parties involved. The start date assigned to this accession may not be accurate as the gittin are sealed and not all are marked with a date on the envelope.
Subjects
Get (Jewish law)
Name Access
Reform Rabbis of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2011-6-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2011-6-4
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
ca. 25 cm of textual records
1 photograph
Date
1980-2000, predominant 1980-1990
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting Rolf Lederer's involvement with JIAS, the Canadian Jewish Congress's Chaplaincy Services Committee, the Toronto Jewish Congress Ontario Region Archives Committee, SAJAC, and the Jewish Genealogical Society. JIAS records make up the bulk of the accession and include; statistical reports; meeting notices; agendas and minutes for various committees, such as the Executive Committee, Immigrant Case Committee, Integration Committee and the Board of Directors; newsclippings, correspondence, programmes, reports, JIAS Information bulletins, and JIAS News newsletters.
Chaplaincy records include meeting notices, agendas and minutes, bulletins, invitations, brochures, and general correspondence. JGS records include one photograph of a plaque awarded to the agency and correspondence regarding its cemetery project. Archives Committee records include event invitations, correspondence, and documents related to the Sense of Spadina tour. Finally, accession also consists of SAJAC News publications (1989), correspondence with the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists and a Congregation B'nai Torah dedication banquet programme (1984).
Custodial History
The records were in the possession of Rolf Lederer until he donated them to the OJA on June 22, 2011.
Administrative History
Dr. Rolf Lederer was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1934. His family immigrated to South Africa in 1936 and Rolf remained there until 1961, earning his medical degree from Cape Town University. After completing his psychiatric training in Edinburgh and Boston, Rolf settled in Toronto in 1968. There he set up private practice as a General Psychiatrist.
After moving to Toronto, Rolf became actively involved in the Jewish community and served on a number of committees. He was on both the local and national board of directors of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (JIAS) as well as a number of JIAS sub-committees, including the South African Jewish Association of Canada (SAJAC), the Local Case File Committee and the Management Committee.
From 1985 to 1988 Rolf was chairman of the Canadian Jewish Congress’s (CJC) Chaplaincy Services Committee. He was also a member of other CJC committees; including, the Jewish Cultural Council and the Joint Adult Education Committee. In addition, Rolf co-founded the Jewish Genealogical Society (JGS) in 1985 and served as the society’s president from 1987 to 1991. Finally, he was an active member of B’nai Torah Congregation, serving as secretary and first vice-president in the early 1980s
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Name Access
Lederer, Rolf, 1934-
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto
Southern African Jewish Association of Canada
Canadian Jewish Congress. Ontario Region
Ontario Jewish Archives
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2011-6-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2011-6-6
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
1 photo album
12 cm of textual records
Date
1963-2004
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the involvement of Itshe Meyer Korolnek and his children in the Eitz Chaim Talmud Torah and Jewish education in Toronto. Eitz Chaim records include a graduation programme (1968), an annual dinner book honouring Harry and Max Korolnek (1992), and a dedication journal (1963). Also included are anniversary dinner programmes for the Beth Jacob High School and the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto Congregation, a memorial breakfast booklet for the Toronto Cheder (2003), a publication by Mayer S. Abramowitz titled "Toronto's Sages," and a CJC book commemorating seventy years of Jewish life in Canada. Finally, the accession also includes a photo album documenting a testimonial dinner for Itshe Korolnek and issues of the Jewish Times (1983), the Canadian Jewish Review (1950), and the Hebrew Journal (Yiddisher Zhurnal) (1972).
Subjects
Education
Name Access
Bais Yaakov High School (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2012-6-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2012-6-7
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
58 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 25 cm or smaller
Date
[190-]-2003
Scope and Content
Accession consists of original and photocopies of photographs related to the Lyons, Agranove, Rotenberg, Pollock families from Toronto and Hamilton. Included are family portraits, wedding portraits, the family likely at community events, and a photo of the family at Crystal Beach. There is also a photocopy of a story in the Canadian Jewish News about a Rotenberg family reunion in 2003.
Administrative History
William Agranove was active in Keiltzer Society and was in the furniture manufacturing business. He was also a major fundraiser for the UJA, a close friend of Sam Kronick. He is mentioned in Hesh Troper's book "None is Too Many" as helping Jews come to Toronto from Europe.
Rotenberg Family were a large family with 10 children. Saul Rotenberg raised horses and was partners with Lyons in the furniture business that had many locations, one on Yonge Street.
Descriptive Notes
Donor's cousin Judy will be in touch with OJA to provide more information.
Subjects
Families
Places
Hamilton (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-3-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-3-1
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
ca. 71 photographs
1 folder of textual records
Date
1919-1939, [ca. 2005]
Scope and Content
Accession consists primarily of photographs documenting the early life of Bella Wilder (née Goldbach) and her family in Poland. Included are images of Bella with her siblings and friends, group photos of Bella at her Jewish school in Poland, a group image of Victor in the Polish army, and other photographs of Bella's family and friends. Also included are two family histories documenting the story of Bella's mother, Shifra Frimeth Goldbach, and the story of Max and Bella Wilder, which was written by their granddaughter Sandee Sharpe. Of particular note is a 1925 school photograph of the Workers Evening School in Opatow (?), which has Yiddish writing suggesting that the school may have received aid from an organization referred to as "Gives Relief" in Toronto.
Custodial History
The records were originally donated to the Jewish Genealogical Society of Canada (Toronto section) by Bella's daughter Ann Sharpe. JGS Toronto donated the material to the OJA a few months later with her consent.
Administrative History
Bella (nee Goldbach) Wilder was born on May 12, 1910 in Opatow, Poland to Chaim Shlomo Goldbach and Shifra Frimeth Schatz Goldbach. Bella's older brothers, Victor, Jack and Hymie began immigrating to Toronto in the 1920s and had saved enough money by 1936 to bring Bella and her mother to Toronto. After arriving in Toronto Bella found work sewing in a factory.
Bella married Max Wilder on September 29, 1939. Max worked at Superior Men's Tailoring where he sewed zippers into men's pants. They had two children together: Ann (born 5 April 1940, married Norman Sharpe) and Stan (born 21 Jan. 1945, died June 1974). Max passed away in 1999 and Bella passed away in 2002.
Descriptive Notes
Availability of other formats: Photographs have been digitized and are available as digital images.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Families
Name Access
Goldbach, Shifra
Sharpe, Ann
Wilder, Bella, 1910-2002
Wilder, Max, ?-1999
Places
Poland
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
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
2014-1-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-1-4
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
May 1999, Jan. 2001
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Included are two directories created by the Jewish Information Service.
The first directory is the Jewish Community of Greater Toronto, which was updated in May 1999. The directory was divided into seven sections: Introductory pages; Community Agencies; Education and the Community; Israel/Zionist; Organized Community Life; Religious Community Life; and Back Index.
The second directory is the Greater Toronto Jewish Singles Directory: A Listing of Groups and Services, which was published in January 2001. The directory includes Jewish singles and matchmaking groups in the community.
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.
Descriptive Notes
Availability of other formats: Also available as PDF.
Subjects
Charities
Directories
Single people
Name Access
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-2-6 [Processed]
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-2-6 [Processed]
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
2.7 m of textual records
Date
2002-2010
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to the operations and activities of the Koffler Center of the Arts. Records include programming and exhibitions materials and catalogues; records related to the Jewish Book Awards; prombotion material in print and AV and assembled into media binders; meeting minutes and general correspondence.
Custodial History
These records were left for the Archives when Koffler moved from the Prosserman JCC to the Artscape Youngplace.
Subjects
Arts
Name Access
Koffler Centre of the Arts
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-12-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-12-6
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
ca. 200 photographs and other material
Date
[193-]-[2007?]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the personal life and family of Myra Merkur. The bulk of the accession consists of photographs and home movies documenting family activities and an outing to High Park and the Toronto Zoo, holiday celebrations (such as Hanukkah Purim, Passover, and New Year's Eve costume parties), milestones (such as, Myra's wedding and graduation), cottage life at Gamebridge Beach and Camp Wishiwami, and family holidays and travel (such as to Israel, Blue Mountains in Collingwood, and Grossingers in New York).
Also included are sound recordings of a speech made by David Merkur to Nomi Tepperman at her bat mitzvah (17 May 1998) and of an interview with David Merkur who explains to his tweleve year old granddaughter what life was like when he was twelve (1 Nov. 2000).
Finally, accession includes a photocopy of a tribute Myra wrote for her late mother Lena Charlotte Gula documenting Lena's life and Myra's memories of her.
Administrative History
Myra Merkur (née Gula) was born to Lena Gula (née Neimen) and Jack Gula in Toronto in 1933. She had one sister, Elaine Wolfish. As a child, Myra and her family lived with her maternal grandmother, Betty "Brindel", at 234 Markham Street. They later moved into their own home at 1 Enid Crescent in 1949. Myra's father initially worked as a tailor but later went into the sales business selling furniture and insurance. Myra's mother initially stayed at home but obtained work in the mid-1950s as a saleswoman at Morgan's department store.
Myra married David Israel Merkur in 1954. David was a civil engineer and lawyer. He later started a family real-estate business that involved buying, selling, and maintaining properties. Myra and David had three children together: Shauna Tepperman (b. 1956), Lorne Merkur (b. 1957), and Jordan Merkur (b. 1962).
Myra completed her undergraduate degree from Atkinson College (York University) around 1975. She obtained her master of education from OISE in 1982. Myra worked as an ESL teacher with the Toronto Public School Board and was involved as a volunteer and leader with the National Council of Jewish Women, JF&CS, and the Jewish Women's Federation (Women's Philanthropy).
Descriptive Notes
Physical description: includes 1 folder of textual records, 2 sound recordings (wav), and 7 DVDs
Subjects
Families
Vacations
Fasts and feasts--Judaism
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
New York (State)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-2-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-2-3
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
15 cm of textual records
ca. 100 photographs
Date
1938-2006
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the Max and Anne Tanenbaum and Wolf families. Included are photographs of family, trips and missions to Israel, the establishment of the John Bassett Sports Centre in Israel and other events; certificates; documents related to Anne and Max's philanthropic work and giving to the Baycrest Centre, the University of Toronto, CHAT and the United Jewish Appeal; newsclippings; and photographs and an invitation documenting the honourary doctorate degree bestowed on Anne Tanenebaum by the Ben Gurion University of the Negev.
Administrative History
Max (1909-1983) and Anne (1909-2009) Tanenbaum were notable philanthropists in Toronto, best known for their support of the Jewish community in the areas of medicine and education.
Max Tanenbaum was born in Poland to Abraham and Chippa Sura Tanenbaum in 1909. He immigrated to Canada with his mother and brother, Joseph, in 1914, three years after his father's arrival in 1911. Max began work in the family steel business at the age of 13 and later went on to found his own steel company; York Steel. Max had two additional siblings, sisters Sarah (m. Sam Kates) and Esther (m. Simon Gottlieb).
Anne Tanenbaum was born in New York in 1909 to Herman and Minnie Wolf. Anne had three siblings: Molly (m. ? Raphael), Dorothy (m. Max Roher) and Jack (m. Ann Korolnek). At the age of 10, Anne's mother passed away and her father remarried. Her father and step-mother had three additional children: Bill (m. Sylvia), Noah (m. Marilyn), and Esther (m. Carmen). The family moved from New York to Montreal and then to Toronto.
Max and Anne met in Toronto and married in 1930. Together they had seven children: Harold, Joey (m. Toby), Howard (m. Carol), Larry (m. Judy), Tauba (m. Sol Spiro), Minda (m. Les Feldman), and Carol.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
Anne's stepmother was affectionately referred to by the Tanenbaum grandchildren as "Bubbie from Palestine."
Subjects
Families
Philanthropists
Name Access
Tanenbaum, Anne, 1909-2009
Tanenbaum, Max, 1909-1983
Wolf family
Places
Israel
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-18
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-18
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
85 cm of textual records
184 photographs : b&w and col. (tif and jpg)
ca. 200 photographs : b&w and col.
14 moving images : mov and mp4
Date
[192-]-2015, predominant 1983-2015
Scope and Content
Accession consists of the records related to the activities and operations of the First Narayever Congregation. Included are board and general meeting minutes (1984-1996); general correspondence, high holiday tickets and membership lists (1970s-1990s); membership and dues ledger (1929-1983); Ritual Committee meeting minutes (1984-1988); Implementation Committee records (1970s-1980s); constitutions (1980s); newsletters (1983-2004); a blank seat deed (1920s); a cemetery map (1950s?); records regarding burial rights for the Owen Sound Hebrew Congregation (1966-1980); records regarding a court case filed by members of the congregation surrounding the egalitarian changes being planned; an album documenting SHTICK! A Celebration of Jewish Playwrights (2005-2006); an album documenting the congregation's participation in a UJA Mission to Israel (2003-2004); a binder of material containing photocopied and original records in support of the research for the congregation's 100th anniversary celebrations (1970s-2014); photographs and a video recording of the 100th Anniversary exhbition opening at the Miles Nadal JCC; photographs of events hosted by the congregation; and 9 video interviews with individuals connected to the shul conducted by Sharoni Sibony, Peter Gold, and Harry Schachter for the anniversary celebrations. Interviewees are: Peter Gold, Sharon Weintraub, Murray Teitel, Rosalyn Katz, Julia Gluck, Shaya Petroff, Stuart Schoenfeld, Sylvia Solomon and Ben Rothman. Also included are family photographs and written transcripts of oral interviews conducted with members of the Hersh Petersiel family, who lived in Hastings, Ontario and had early connections to the Narayever Congregation.
Custodial History
The records related to Hersh Petersiel were given to the First Narayever by Marsha Beck for their upcoming one-hundredth anniversary. Marsha agreed to donate them to the OJA along with the Narayever records.
Administrative History
In 1914, Jews from eastern Galicia (now in modern Ukraine) established the First Narayever Congregation in Toronto as a landsmanshaf, i.e. a society of Jewish immigrants from the same town or region. The synagogue takes its name from the small market town of Narayev, which is located in eastern Galicia. The synagogue's founders belonged to the working class and many worked in Toronto's garment industry.
Initially, congregation members met in different locations, but by 1923 their numbers and financial means had grown such that they were able to rent a small house at 70 Huron Street at the corner of Huron and Dundas. This house served as the congregation's home for twenty years.
The congregation's first president was Israel Chaim Katz and its first meeting was held at the Katz home at 156 William Street. The congregation's first rabbi was Solomon Langner, who was hired by the congregation in 1923. He retained this affiliation despite serving the Kiever Synagogue as a full-time rabbi from 1929 until he died in 1973.
In 1943, the congregation purchased property at 187-189 Brunswick Avenue from Bethel Church. This is where the the synagogue is located today. In 1950, Henry Young became president of the congregation. He occupied that position until his death in 1976. Shalom Langner, the son of Rabbi Solomon Langner, succeeded Young as president.
As Toronto's Jewish population began to move north, the First Narayever continued to serve Orthodox Jews living downtown. In the 1980s, the congregation struggled to balance the needs of this older generation with the young generation's desire to make the synagogue more egalitarian with respect to gender. In 1983, the congregation's new leadership team successfully advanced a proposal to allow the full participation of women in traditional services. This innovation led to several long-standing members taking legal action, but their case was dismissed on the grounds that it was not a matter for civil law.
The First Narayever's identity continued to evolve. In 2009, its membership voted to allow its rabbi, Edward Elkin, who began serving the congregation in 2000, to officiate at same-sex marriages.
Subjects
Synagogues
Name Access
First Narayever Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)
Petersiel, Hersh
Places
Hastings (Ont.)
Owen Sound (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-4-14
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-4-14
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
moving images
Physical Description
ca. 35 cm of textual records
ca. 5 cm of photographs : b&w and col. ; 45 x 30 cm or smaller
1 VHS : col. ; 43 min.
Date
1905-2007
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the family history and publishing career of Alvin Abram. The records include a scrapbook created by Alvin’s father Herman "Harry" Joseph Abramovitz, managing editor of the Canadian Jewish Weekly. The scrapbook documents Abramovitz’s Canadian national lecture tour entitled “The Jews in Two World Wars,” in which he spoke on the plight of the Jewish people during the First World War and the ongoing destruction of the Jewish people in the Second World War. Abramovitz also lectured on the heroism of Jews participating in the Allied armed forces and the importance of the Tehran Declaration. The same scrapbook also includes newspaper clippings, rail tickets, and programs related to his 1944 tour and subsequent 1945 tour “From Destruction to Reconstruction.” A second scrapbook created by Alvin Abram shares the Abramovitz family tree and includes several early family photographs of Alvin and his siblings and his parents’ marriage certificate. A third scrapbook, also created by Alvin Abram, is oversized and includes a few personal items, such as a page from his high school yearbook, caricature sketches of Alvin, and photos and flyers from the book launch of “The Light After The Dark.” There are a number of miscellaneous items including a copy of Louis Epstein (Alvin Abram's father-in-law)’s immigration card, condolence cards for Annie Ruth Abramovitz (née Schwartz), and personal items such as a 1935, Yiddish-language, ten-page, anti-communist booklet portraying Herman Abramovitz as a barber (Herman’s trade) and Stalin in his barber shop chair, as well as a personal Yiddish-language diary (1941).
In addition, there is a signed poster of Dubi Arie’s The Mission: Under The Wings of God and The Shadow of Amalek, a broadside of The Light After The Dark, associated newspaper clippings, a Leonard Mayzel-Ontario B’nai Brith Lodge Charter Certificate (1949), a fiftieth-anniversary video prepared for the Leonard Mayzel Lodge #1800 B'nai Brith celebration (1998), a video-and-photograph compilation that includes a slideshow with a brief history of the lodge, and a tribute to Leonard Mayzel.
Lastly, the accession includes published book titles On The Shoulders of Giants by Alvin Abram, Toronto Street Names by Leonard Wise and Allan Gould, and The Light After the Dark by Alvin Abram.
Administrative History
Alvin Abram (1936–2021) was a storyteller, writer, printer, and graphic designer. He was born on 11 May 1936 in Toronto to Herman Joseph Abramovitz (1905–1954) and Annie Schwartz (1903–1994).
Alvin's father, Herman ("Harry"), was born in Ataki, Bessaravia (Moldova). He immigrated to Canada in 1927 at the age of twenty-two and married Annie Schwartz (of Romania) in Hamilton, Ontario on 23 December 1928. Together, they had three children, Murray (b. 1929), Alvin (b. 1936), and Morton (b. 1938). Herman, a professionally-trained barber, was active in the union and worked as a journalist, lecturer, and editor of the Canadian Jewish Weekly.
Alvin Abram married Marilyn in [1961]. They had three children, Lisa, Lori, and Jason. Alvin ran a successful printing business and, upon completing several creative writing courses in the 1990s, he launched his accomplished writing career publishing dozens of short stories and several books.
Alvin was very involved in community work and volunteered his to time to many Jewish causes including B'nai Brith Canada, where he served on the executive of its Leonard Mayzel Ontario Lodge.
Subjects
Authors
Name Access
Abram, Alvin
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-8-8
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-8-8
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
18 photographs : b&w and col ; 14 x 22 cm or smaller
1 folder of textual records
Date
1937-2007
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to the personal history of Cyril Shenker and family. The records include Cyril's birth certificate, marriage certificate, South African passports for Cyril, his wife Denise and his 3 daughters. Each passport has a Canadian landed immigrant status report attached, dated 1975. Also included are Certificates of Canadian Citizenship for each. In addition, there are family photographs including 4 photos of Cyril as a young child in South Africa and his children and grandchildren in Canada. Finally, accession includes a short personal history written by Cyril about his life.
Administrative History
Cyril Bernard Shenker was born in 1936 in Sea Port Cape Town to Sonia (nee Feldman) and Harry Shenker. He had two older siblings: Doreen and Lionel. Harry ran a kosher deli in Sea Port called Spotless Foods. Cyril moved to Johannesburg in 1954 and found work as an order picker at Stanley Electrical Wholesales. In 1962 he bought company shares and by 1967 he owned a controlling interest in the company. After the company was sold in 1968, Cyril started two additional businesses before leaving South Africa in 1975: SA Lighting (1969-1971) and Viceroy Hardware (1971-1974).
Cyril married Denise Weinberg in 1960. They had three daughters together: Michelle Hilary (b. 1961), Lauren Ruth (b. 1963), and Gayle Anne (b. 1968). Cyril and Denise decided to move the family to Toronto in 1975 since they did not see a future for their daughters in South Africa because of the political situation.
After working initially as a manager at a screw manufacturing plant in Milton, Cyril embarked on a series of additional business ventures in Canada. In 1977 he bought Irwin Hardware Store with two partners. In 1979, he sold his shares in the business and started Allied Agencies (an import and distribution business of household and kitchen wares) with his business partner Eric Gilbert. In 1988, they sold this business and started Port Style Enterprises in 1991 with Jackie Milner and Harvey Rachman. In 2014, Cyril sold his shares and retired.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Name Access
Shenker, Cyril, 1936-
Places
South Africa
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-9-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-9-1
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
7 photographs : col. ; 41 x 51 cm
Date
2009
Scope and Content
Accession consists of seven oversized colour photographs of seven mikvahs in Toronto taken by photographer Alona Yeshayav.
First image from Sephardic Kehilla Centre, 7026 Bathurst, Thornhill. Image features tiles in Greek key styling around inside perimeter, black tiled flooring, greenery along two sides of pool. Four decorative columns.
Second image from Chabad Gate Mikvah North, 770 Chabad Gate, Thornhill. Image features blue stone tiled flooring, white tiled walls with floral tiled arrangement on two walls.
Third image from Beth Avaham Yosef of Toronto, 613 Clark Ave. West, Thornhill. Image features flooring and tiles in a brown and bronze tone.
Fourth image from Chabad Flamingo, 8001 Bathurst, Thornhill. Image features decorative image of stylized female in front of lit shabbat candles, encased on one wall. Her head is covered and she is preparing to pray. Crystal or glass chandelier with hanging pendants is suspended from ceiling.
Fifth image from The Village Shul, 1072 Eglinton Ave. West, Toronto. Image features white tiled decking. Lower portion of walls have green square tiles, above which is ribbon border of white, followed by large square grey tiles. Cornice moulding at ceiling. Four wall sconces.
Sixth image from Ner Israel Yeshiva, 8950 Bathurst St., Thornhill. Image features beige square tile floor and walls. Single band of blue tiles run horizontally along two walls.
Seventh image from Chabad Lubovitch of Markham, 83 Green Lane, Thornhill. Border of grey and white tiles in diamond pattern along three sides of mikvah. Lower two-thirds of walls are tiled, upper third painted in marble pattern. A single wall sconce is mounted on one wall. Ceiling has skylight image.
Administrative History
Alona Yeshayav was born in Israel, July 3, 1988. She moved to Toronto in 1998 where she studied photography as part of the Image Arts program at Ryerson University. Alona works as a nutritionist. Photography is her hobby.
Use Conditions
Conditional Access. If photos are published, credit donor as photographer.
Subjects
Mikveh
Name Access
Village Shul and Aish HaTorah Learning Centre (Toronto, Ont.)
Yeshayav, Alona
Places
Thornhill (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-7-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-7-1
Material Format
textual record
moving images
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records and other material
Date
1987, 1998-2009
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the history and events of the Kehillat Shaarei Torah. Included are event invitations, programs, and booklets. Of note is the synagogue's 18th anniversary booklet. Also included are VHS tapes and DVDs of the following events: a Purim celebration featuring a mock wedding (2007), the farewell tribute dinner to Rabbi and Rebbetzin Reuven and Joyce Tradburks and family (2009), the Flo Urbach tribute dinner, the synagogue's 18th anniversary celebrations (1999) and an event honouring Margaret Klompas (2004). Finally, accession includes a CD with images from the Abe Goldberg Torah Dedication (2006).
Administrative History
Kehillat Shaarei Torah is a modern Orthodox congregation that was founded in Toronto in 1980. Most of the early founders and members were recent immigrants from South Africa who had settled in the Bayview-Leslie-York Mills-Shepard area. Unable to find a congregation in their area that reflected their Orthodox traditions from South Africa, they formed their own minyan. They initially met in living rooms and basements and in 1987 opened the synagogue's building at 2640 Bayview Avenue.
Descriptive Notes
Physical description note: Includes 3 videocassettes (VHS), 2 DVDs, and 1 CD (103 photographs)
Subjects
South Africa--Emigration and immigration
Synagogues
Name Access
Kehillat Shaarei Torah of Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-2-12
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-2-12
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
45 cm of textual records and other material
230 photographs : sepia and b&w ; 23 x 30 cm and smaller
8 sound recordings (50 wav files; 1 microcassette)
1 artifact
Date
1937-2004
Scope and Content
Accession consists of textual records, photographs and audio recordings documenting the lives of Dick Steele, his wife Esther, and friend Bill Walsh. The materials are mostly correspondences between Dick and Esther during his internment at the Don Jail and Ontario Reformatory in Guelph, and from Dick and Bill's military service overseas during the Second World War. They also include correspondences between Esther and Bill, Bill and Anne Walsh, "Jack" and Esther, and other family and friends. Some of the letters show evidence of being censored. There are news clippings in English and Yiddish about the family from various newspapers including the Canadian Tribune (a Communist Party paper). There is a letter Esther wrote to campaign for Dick's release from internment, part of women's activism in this period. There is also a photocopy of a memoir written by Moses Kosowatsky and Moses Wolofsky "From the Land of Despair to the Land of Promise" ca. 1930s.
The photographs include Dick and Bill in the army during the Second World War, a signed picture of Tim Buck addressed to Esther and the twins and a photo of Dick delivering a speech related to the Steel Workers. Also included is a recording of edited sound clips of Bill and Esther talking about Dick, Esther speaking about the letters, (how she received letters and flowers from Dick after he had already been killed), Bill reading a letter Dick wrote to Esther that he left with friends in England to send her in the case that he was killed (which he was), recordings of "Bill Walsh Oral history" Vols.1 and 2 compiled by Leib Wolofsky's (Bill's nephew), and 5 audio recordings by Adrianna Steele-Card with her grandparents Bill and Esther. There is also a microcassette labelled "Joe Levitt."
The accession also includes the stripe of a German corporal that Bill captured as a prisoner, peace stamps and an early copy of Cy Gonick's A Very Red Life: The Story of Bill Walsh, edited by Bill.
Administrative History
Richard "Dick" Kennilworth Steele is the name adopted by Moses Kosowatsky. He was born in 1909 in Montreal to Samuel Kosowatsky and Fanny Held. He lived in a laneway off Clark Street, below Sherbrooke, where his father collected and recycled bottles. He grew up with his siblings, Joseph, Mortimer, Matthew, Gertrude, and Edward.
Bill Walsh (birth name Moishe Wolofsky) was born in 1910, to Sarah and Herschel Wolofsky, the editor of the Keneder Adler (Montreal's prominent Yiddish newspaper). He attended Baron Byng and then Commercial High School, where he met Dick Steele. Bill recalled that Dick denounced militarism in the school when a teacher tried to recruit students to be cadets.
Bill moved to New York City in 1927. His brother, who was living there, helped him get a job as a messenger on Wall Street. He also worked in the drug department at Macy's while attending courses at Columbia University in the evening. Dick worked on a ship for a year and then joined Bill in New York City in 1928. Dick worked at a chemical plant called Linde Air Products while also studying in the evenings at Columbia University.
In 1931, Dick and Bill boarded a ship together in New York bound for Copenhagen. Together, they travelled across Europe, witnessed a Nazi demonstration in Breslau, Germany, and found work in Minsk and Moscow, Russia. This trip inspired them to become Communists. In 1933, Bill's father was on a Canadian trade mission to Poland, which he left to "rescue" his son from the Bolsheviks. Bill agreed to return to Canada after being advised to do so by the Comintern. He then changed his name to Bill Walsh to protect his family.
In 1934, Bill moved to Toronto. He worked as the educational director for the Industrial Union of Needle Trade Workers and the Communist Party, where he met Esther Slominsky/Silver, the organization's office manager. Dick joined Bill in Toronto soon after. Bill introduced Dick and Esther, who then married. In 1940, Esther gave birth to twin sons, Michael and John Steele. Esther was born in Toronto in 1914 to Joseph Slominsky and Fanny (Blackersany?). Her siblings were Bella, Eileen, Morris, and step-sister Eva. Her father, Joseph, was a cloak maker and Esther also worked in the garment industry. Her mother Fanny passed away in 1920 at the age of twenty-six from tuberculosis.
Dick was a metal worker and became a union organizer in the east end of Toronto. He was the head organizer of the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO) and the Steel Workers Organizing Committee of Canada (SWOC) until 1940, when he was dismissed for being a Communist. Bill helped organize Kitchener's rubber workers into an industrial union and was also an organizer for the United Auto Workers of Windsor, Ontario.
Jack Steele, an alias for Dick's brother Mortimer, fought with the Mackenzie-Papineau Brigade in the Spanish Civil War. Jack Steele was recalled to Canada in October 1937 to rally support for the efforts in Spain, returned to the front in June 1938, and was killed in action in August. Some of Dick's letters to his wife, Esther, are signed "Salud, Jack" and were likely written in 1940 when the Communist Party (CP) was banned by the Canadian government under the War Measures Act.
In November 1941, after Mackenzie King's call for enlistment, Dick wrote to the Department of Justice to ask permission to join the army. He never received a reply. On 1 April 1942, Dick's home was raided and he was interned at the Don Jail until September 1942, when he was moved to the Ontario Reformatory in Guelph. Esther wrote a letter to the minister of justice, Louis St. Laurent, to appeal on his behalf.
Major public campaigning by Communists and the wartime alliance with the USSR after 1941 shifted public opinion toward the CP, and the Canadian government slowly began releasing internees in January 1942. Dick was released in October 1942 and enlisted at the end of the month. Dick died on 17 August 1944 in Normandy, France. He was a tank driver in the Canadian Army.
Bill was similarly arrested in 1941, spending time in jail and then an internment camp with other members of the CP. He joined the Canadian Army in 1943 and fought in Holland and Belgium. Bill was first married to Anne Weir who died of a brain hemorrhage in 1943, just before he enlisted. The family believes this may have been due to drinking unpasteurized milk. Encouraged by Dick Steele to take care of his family should he pass in the war, Bill married Esther Steele in 1946. They had a daughter named Sheri and were members of the United Jewish People's Order. For twenty years, Walsh worked for the Hamilton region of the United Electrical Workers (UE). Bill remained a member of the CP until 1967, when we was expelled for criticizing another union leader. He died in 2004. Esther passed away in 2010 at age ninety-six.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
RELATED MATERIAL NOTE: Library and Archives Canada has the William Walsh fonds and MG 28, ser. I 268, USWA, vol.4, SWOC Correspondence, has various letters from Dick Steele ca. 1938. Museum of Jewish Montreal has an oral history with Leila Mustachi (daughter of Max Wolofsky, Bill's brother) where she speaks about Bill, Dick and Esther. USE CONDITION NOTES: For "Bill Walsh Oral history" Vols.1 and 2, some contributors stipulate that recordings are restricted to personal use only and must not be used for any commercial purpose.
Subjects
World War, 1939-1945
Politics and government
Labour and unions
Name Access
Steele, Michael
Steele, Dick
Walsh, Bill
Walsh, Esther Steele
Places
England
Fort William (Ont.)
Germany
Guelph (Ont.)
Hamilton (Ont.)
Montréal (Québec)
Netherlands
Oshawa (Ont.)
Ottawa (Ont.)
Thunder Bay (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-7-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-7-5
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
41 photographs : b&w and col. (1625 kb jpgs) ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller
Date
1932-2013
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the Latchman Triplets. Included are family photographs of Donald, Marvin and Victor Latchman, a family portrait taken at the wedding of Philip and Sally Latchman, class photos, summer camp photos, and images of the triplets' 75th and 80th birthdays (5 November 2013).
Identified in photographs are: Donald and Annette Latchman, Victor and Rosalie Latchman, Marvin and Shirley Latchman, Philip and Sally Latchman, Morris Latchman, Vera Latchman Berrin, Mari Latchman Lipton, Irv Lipton, and Belle Latchman.
Textual records include Beth Sholom Bulletin June-August 1997, Beth Sholom Brotherhood Ball and Installation 1971, photocopies of news paper articles about the triplets, class photos and letter regarding payment of King's Bounty.
Administrative History
Philip and Sally (Sugarman) Latchman were married in 1932. In November 1933, Sally gave birth to identical triplets Donald, Marvin and Victor. In celebration, they were sent the King's Bounty of 3 British pounds. The boys were interviewed every year on their birthday by Toronto newspapers until they decided to stop the publicity. The family lived in the Bloor-Markham area until the boys were 11. The family then moved to Montclair Avenue where the boys attended Forest Hill Public School. They had their bar-mitzvahs at the Hebrew Men of England Synagogue. The triplets' father, Philip Latchman was a founding members of Beth Sholom Synagogue. Donald Latchman was on the board and Rosalie Latchman was active in the congregation.
Philip and his younger brother Morris Latchman started Federal Farms Limited in 1948 on 150 acres of Holland March in Brantford, Ontario. They grew vegetables: potatoes, carrots, celery and rutabegas. They also had a potato chip company Mad Hatter Snack Foods which was Kosher for Passover. Federal Farms Ltd. went public in 1961 and Loblaws bought 51% of the shares.
Donald attended Ryerson business school and founded Latchman Insurance Brokers. He married Annette Bachst, a Holocaust survivor who grew up in New York.
Marvin attended Ryerson business school then worked for Federal Farms at the Ontario Food Terminal. Later he became a real estate broker. He married Shirley Wolkofsky.
Victor worked on the family farm and at Federal Fruit Company at the Ontario Food Terminal. Victor took a business course at Shaw's Business School. In 1966 he bought Taylors shoes, a business at 2934 Dundas Street. West started in 1920 by Sid Taylor. Victor helped start the Junction Business Improvement Association and was twice pesident of Junction Gardens BIA. He retired in 2009. Victor and Rosalie Greenspan (d. 2014) were married at Beth Sholom in 1958 by Rabbi David Monson. Their children are Howard, and Faith and Mitchell Sherman. Their grand-children are Matthew, Jennifer and Russell Sherman. Victor and Rosalie were honoured at Beth Sholom Synagogue on 26 October 2013 for their 55th wedding anniversary.
In 2012 at age 78, the triplets believed themselves to be the oldest male identical triplets alive in Canada.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
RELATED MATERIALS NOTE: Federal Farms Limited fonds at Simoce Country Archives. ASSOCIATED MATERIALS NOTE: See accession 2016-12\45 (Victor Latchman) and 2002-10\66 (Morris Latchman).
Subjects
Agriculture
Families
Name Access
Latchman, Donald
Latchman, Marvin
Latchman, Victor
Places
Brantford (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-12-45
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-12-45
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
3 photographs : b&w ; col. ; 8 x 11 cm
1 folder of textual records
Date
1958-2010
Scope and Content
Accession consists of family photos of Victor Latchman and textual records about Victor's business Taylors Shoes. Identified in the photos are: Victor Latchman and Rosalie Greenspan, Donald and Annette Latchman and Victor and Rosalie in Miami (1960s). Textual records include a business card for Taylors Shoes and an article about Latchman's retirement published in the Bloor West Town Crier (February 2010).
Administrative History
Philip and Sally (Sugarman) Latchman were married in 1932. In November 1933, Sally gave birth to identical triplets Donald, Marvin and Victor. In celebration, they were sent the King's Bounty of 3 British pounds. The boys were interviewed every year on their birthday by Toronto newspapers until they decided to stop the publicity. The family lived in the Bloor-Markham area until the boys were 11. The family then moved to Montclair Avenue where the boys attended Forest Hill Public School. They had their bar-mitzvahs at the Hebrew Men of England Synagogue. The triplets' father, Philip Latchman was a founding members of Beth Sholom Synagogue. Donald Latchman was on the board and Rosalie Latchman was active in the congregation.
Philip and his younger brother Morris Latchman started Federal Farms Limited in 1948 on 150 acres of Holland March in Brantford, Ontario. They grew vegetables: potatoes, carrots, celery and rutabegas. They also had a potato chip company Mad Hatter Snack Foods which was Kosher for Passover. Federal Farms Ltd. went public in 1961 and Loblaws bought 51% of the shares.
Donald attended Ryerson business school and founded Latchman Insurance Brokers. He married Annette Bachst, a Holocaust survivor who grew up in New York.
Marvin attended Ryerson business school then worked for Federal Farms at the Ontario Food Terminal. Later he became a real estate broker. He married Shirley Wolkofsky.
Victor worked on the family farm and at Federal Fruit Company at the Ontario Food Terminal. Victor took a business course at Shaw's Business School. In 1966 he bought Taylors shoes, a business at 2934 Dundas Street. West started in 1920 by Sid Taylor. Victor helped start the Junction Business Improvement Association and was twice pesident of Junction Gardens BIA. He retired in 2009. Victor and Rosalie Greenspan (d. 2014) were married at Beth Sholom in 1958 by Rabbi David Monson. Their children are Howard, and Faith and Mitchell Sherman. Their grand-children are Matthew, Jennifer and Russell Sherman. Victor and Rosalie were honoured at Beth Sholom Synagogue on 26 October 2013 for their 55th wedding anniversary.
In 2012 at age 78, the triplets believed themselves to be the oldest male identical triplets alive in Canada.
Descriptive Notes
ASSOCIATED MATERIALS NOTE: See accession 2016-7-5 (Victor Latchman) and 2002-10-66 (Morris Latchman). RELATED MATERIALS NOTE: Federal Farms Limited fonds at Simcoe County Archives.
Subjects
Business
Families
Name Access
Latchman, Annette
Latchman, Donald
Latchman, Rosalie
Latchman, Victor
Places
Miami (Fla.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-4-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-4-7
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
8 cm of textual records
1 photograph : col. ; 13 x 18 cm
Date
2004-2010
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a photograph of Ted Sokolsky and textual records that include: Centre Square Seniors' Centre Program and Design Brief (2004), Israel Emergency Campaign Fact Finding Trip by Ted Sokolsky and Adam Minsky (2007), Israel Emergency Campaign Proposal Draft 1 (2007) and a photo scrapbook of the Hatzor Ha'Glilit Early Childhood Centre (2010) thanking the UJA for its contribution to the construction of its new building.
Custodial History
Donated by Adam Minsky's office.
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
Charities
Israel
Older people
Name Access
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-7-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-7-4
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
object
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
1 artifact
1 commemorative coin
2 photographs : b&w and col. ; 35 x 28 cm or smaller
Date
1955-[2005?]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the career of Canadian TV producer Stan Jacobson. Records include: theatre programs for stage productions Jacobson was involved in (1955-1958); a signed photograph of Sammy Sales addressed to Stan Jacobson and Mervyn Rosenzveig (1956?); a small amount of correspondence pertaining to Johnny Cash including a letter to the U.S. Consulate in Toronto from Cash commending Jacobson (1964-1968); one photocopy of a photograph of Frances Jacobson, Stan Jacobson, June Carter Cash, Johnny Cash, and three other individuals (197-?); a photograph of Jacobson with Arte Johnson (1973); a photocopy of an article that appeared in the Globe and Mail and that quotes Stan about Burton Cummings (1979); a commemorative coin from the Winter Olympic Games (1988); an artifact recognizing Stan Jacobson's participation in Alberta's Rocky Mountain Salute to the XV Olympic Winter Games (1988); and theatre/television credits for Jacobson (2005?).
Custodial History
Frances Jacobson, Stan Jacobson's widow, mailed the records that constitute the accession to Annie Matan who is responsible for Jewish Life and Family Engagement at Miles Nadal Jewish JCC. Annie in turn got the records to Dara Solomon who passed them to Michael Friesen to accession.
Administrative History
Stan Jacobson (1968-2015) was a Canadian television producer known for his work on the Wayne & Shuster Comedy Show 1965-1967), The Johnny Cash Show (1969-1971), the 1988 Winter Olympics, and the opening of the SkyDome (1989).
Stanley Jacobson was born in Saint John, New Brunswick on 23 June 1930 to Joseph and Sadie Jacobson. When Stan was young, the family moved to Montreal, which was his mother's hometown. Upon graduating high school, he attended Sir George Williams University, which, upon merging with Loyola College, eventually became Concordia University.
For a time, Stan worked in the rag trade, but eventually got involved in theatre. An early hit came in the form of Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter? Stan succeeded in negotiating the rights to produce the stage comedy outside of New York while it was still running on Broadway, which he regarded as his proudest achievement. Not long after, he began working for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation as a writer for several variety programs and even wrote and directed a documentary on the Battle of Britain that was released in 1966.
When Johnny Cash was invited to sing at the White House, he brought along Stan and his wife Frances as two of his guests.
When The Johnny Cash Show ended its run in 1971, Stan and his wife moved to Los Angeles only to return to Toronto a short time later. Thereafter, he commuted back and forth between LA and Toronto and worked on several programs for CTV. He also worked on a sitcom for ABC called Viva Valdez, but it was not a success.
Stan died in North York, Ontario on 1 Dec. 2015. He left behind his wife Frances; a sister-in-law, Grace; two nephews; two grand nephews; and one grand niece.
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
Musicians
Television personalities
Television producers and directors
Name Access
Cash, Johnny, 1932-2003
Jacobson, Stan, 1968-2015
Johnson, Arte, 1934-
Olympic Winter Games (15th : 1988 : Calgary, Alta.)
Places
Alberta
Toronto (Ont.)
United States
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-8-13
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-8-13
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
object
Physical Description
45 photographs (tif) : b&w and col.
2 objects : 7 x 38 or smaller
Date
[192-?]-2015
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Gary Wagman and his family. Included are: a commemorative key commemorating the grand opening of the Apter Centre on 13 Mar. 1949, a key to the Apter Centre, and 45 photographs in TIF format. The photographs are largely of members of the extended Gold-Wagman family including Gary Wagman, Gary's brother Howard "Hushy" Wagman, Gary's mother Ann Wagman (née Gold), and Gary's father Sollie Wagman along with various cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles. The photographs also depict several unidentified individuals who may be related to Gary.
Photo Caption (007): Ann Gold, [194-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-8-11.
Photo Caption (008): Jack Gold with friends, [194-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-8-11.
Photo Caption (010): Howard “Hushy” Wagman and Gary Wagman waiting for their grandparents at Union Station, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, [195-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-8-11.
Photo Caption (013): Leonard Walker, Mrs. Leonard Walker, Bryan Davidson, Rosalie, Charles Davidson, Aaron Miller, and Marry Miller (née Davidson), [197-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-8-11.
Photo Caption (014): Ann Gold, [193-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-8-11.
Administrative History
Gary Irving Wagman (1951-) was born 19 March 1951 and is the youngest son of Ann Wagman (née Gold, 1926-2017) and Sollie Wagman (1921-2014). His older brother Howard, known as Hushy (1947-2001), was born 9 October 1947. Gary is the grandson of David and Rose Gold (his maternal grandparents) and Celia and Jacob Wagman (his paternal grandparents).
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
Associated materials: Other records relating to the Wagman family can be found in accessions 2009-11-1 and 2017-7-6.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Apter Friendly Society (Toronto, Ont.)
Gold family
Wagman, Gary, 1951-
Wagman family
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-9-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-9-4
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
38 cm of textual records
6 photographs : b&w and col. ; 10 x 15 cm or smaller
Date
1914-2017
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records relating to labour and the garment industry in Toronto, Montreal, and Hamilton. Newspaper clippings, book chapters, scholarly articles, lecture notes, book reviews, short stories, statistical and demographic records, records relating to Queen's University, and records relating to Beth Israel Congregation in Kingston, Ontario are included. Organizations mentioned are the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA). Some personal family records are also included. Records printed on pink paper are photocopies from the ILGWU and ACWA archives at Cornell University.
Administrative History
Dr. Gerald Tulchinsky was Professor Emeritus at Queen's University, Department of History, and author of several books on the history of Canadian Jewry and labour issues in Canada. His books include: Shtetl on the Grand (2015); Joe Salsberg: A Life of Commitment (2013); Canada's Jews: A People's Journey (2008); Branching Out: The Transformation of the Canadian Jewish Community (1998); Taking Root: The Origins of the Canadian Jewish Community (1992); and The River Barons: Montreal Businessmen and the Growth of Industry and Transportation, 1837-53 (1977). Tulchinsky was born in Brantford, Ontario in 1933 to Harry and Anne Tulchinsky. He resided in Kingston, Ontario until his death on 13 Dec. 2017.
Use Conditions
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.
Descriptive Notes
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: This accession also includes numerous books, some of which don't relate to our mandate. The books that we have retained have been integrated into the OJA's library holdings. USE CONDITION NOTE: Access restricted until ten years after the donor's death, at the donor's request. Records will reopen on Dec. 14, 2027. LANGUAGE NOTE: Some of the material is in French.
Subjects
Labour and unions
Fashion and clothing
Name Access
Tulchinsky, Gerald, 1933-2017
Places
Hamilton (Ont.)
Montréal (Québec)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-3-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-3-1
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
object
Physical Description
26 cm of textual records
ca. 300 photographs : b&w and col. ; 35 x 28 cm or smaller
2 objects
Date
1912-2009
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Glen Eker's family, particularly the Hurowitz/Horwitz and Strachman/Strathman family lines.
Included are: ca. 300 photographs, mostly of friends and family, but also including numerous photographs of Banff, Alberta; certificates issued to members of the Horwitz family; family trees; letters from Elizabeth Gordon to Glen containing family history; a Pride of Israel Sick Benefit Society member badge; a kiddush cup commemorating Pride of Israel's golden jubilee; print and microform copies of Glen's Jews Resident in ... series of indexes; medical records; a glass measuring cup with the logo of Bayview Pharmacy; and other assorted material.
Photo Caption (001): Joseph Horwitz and Rebecca Strachman, [ca. 1920]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.
Photo Caption (058): [Alice Moon?], 1944. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.
Photo Caption (189):Wanda Louise Gordon, 2 May 1942. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.
Photo Caption (190): [Unknown girl, 194-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.
Photo Caption (199): Rosh Hashanah card featuring portrait of Joseph Horwitz, [ca. 1920]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.
Photo Caption (200): Irving Howard, [19--]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.
Administrative History
Glen Eker was born in Toronto, Ontario to Paul Eker and Dorothy Horwitz. He grew up in the Forest Hill neighbourhood of Toronto before moving with his family to Hamilton. He received two master’s degrees (one in sociology, the other in political science) from McMaster University and a third master’s degree (in library science) from the University of Toronto.
Glen's wife, Deborah Pekilis, was born in Montreal and lived there until her parents moved to Toronto. She was the librarian for the Jewish Genealogical Society and sat on the Hamilton Historical Board. She is currently a writer.
Glen has worked as a research assistant and a teaching assistant at McMaster and has taught at Ryerson University and Mohawk College. At present, he works as an estate and genealogy researcher.
Glen has published a book on Karl Marx, five indexes of Jews in Canada, and one index of Amish and Mennonites in Canada. His genealogy articles have appeared in various magazines and his short stories and poems have appeared in print as well.
Glen has worked on his family genealogy for a number of years. His paternal family line derives from Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland while his maternal line derives from Byelorussia and Romania. He is descended from the Horwitz and Strachman families on the latter.
Descriptive Notes
Associated materials: Other accessions donated by Glen Eker include 2018-4-1, 2018-4-2, 2018-4-16, and 2018-5-1.
Subjects
Genealogy
Rosh ha-Shanah cards
Vacations
Name Access
Eker (family)
Eker, Glen
Horwitz (family)
Hurowitz (family)
Strachman (family)
Strathman (family)
Places
Banff (Alta.)
Toronto (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
2018-4-15
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-4-15
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
8 photographs : b&w and col. (hand-tinted) ; 21 x 26 or smaller
Date
1885-2003
Scope and Content
Accession consists of the records of Pearl "Pesh" and Solly Zucker. Included is Jennie Davis' birth certificate (1885), the invitation to the marriage of Jennie Davis and Simon Sidman (1910), Jennie and Simon's ketubah from the New Synagogue and Beth-Hamidrash, Cheetham Hill Rd (1910), Simon Sidman's burial card (1928), Pearl's birth certificate (1914), Solly's birth certificate (1908), Pearl and Solly's ketubah from the United Synagogue in Manchester (1934), marriage certificate of Jennie Sidman and Myer Cohen (1956), British passports for both Jennie Cohen and Pearl and Solly Zucker, Canadian citizenship certificates for Solly and Pearl, and photos of Simon Sidman, Solly and Pearl, Solly, Gerald and Simon, Pearl's wedding portrait, and two portraits of Esther and Isaac Sugar. Also included are writings by Pearl, mostly written after the passing of Solly in 2001, and typed by her daughter-in-law, Jan Zucker.
Administrative History
Pearl Miller Zucker (née Sidman) was born on 18 Jan. 1914 in Manchester, England to Jennie Sidman Cohen (née Davis) (b. 5 May 1885, Russia-d. 31 Dec. 1983, Toronto) and Simon Sidman. Miller was the middle name given to Pearl at birth by her father. Pearl's mother Jennie had married Simon Sidman on 21 Aug. 1910. Simon died on 10 Dec. 1928 at age 45. Jennie then married Myer Cohen on Feb. 15, 1956 in Manchester, who died sometime between 1956 and 1959. Jennie became a landed immigrant in Canada in 1959.
Moses Solomon "Solly" Zucker (Sugar) (b. 6 Feb. 1908, County of Gateshead, England-d. 22 Jan. 2001, Toronto) was born to Isaac and Esther Sugar (née Greenbaum). He married Pearl "Pesh" Sidman on 20 June 1934. Miller was Pearl's given middle name. The couple had two sons: Gerald Zucker (b. 5 July 1936) and Simon Zucker (b. 15 Nov. 1937). Solly served with the fire brigade in Manchester during the Second World War.
The couple immigrated to Canada from England in June 1952 for economic reasons. Pearl had a cousin named Mark Gilbert already living in Canada. The couple and their two sons first landed in Montreal, but only stayed a year before moving to Toronto. Upon arrival in Canada, Solly got a job with the Canadian Government, possibly with the RCAF at Downsview. Pearl worked for Bell Canada. The family belonged to Shaarei Tefillah Synagogue and lived in the Bathurst and Eglinton area.
Pearl died on 20 February 2018 at the age of 104.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Zucker, Pearl, 1914-2018
Places
England
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-5-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-5-6
Material Format
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
1 textual record (electronic)
Date
1 Dec. 2003
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a letter written by Rabbi Edward Elkin and addressed to members of the First Narayever Congregation, of which he was the rabbi. In the letter, Rabbi Elkin describes his purpose as follows: "I would like to cover what I see as the salient grounds in Jewish law (halakha) which led me to the point where I can comfortably say that I am prepared to officate at a same-sex marriage."
The letter was written ahead of a congregational meeting and vote on same-sex marriage set for the end of January 2004.
Administrative History
In 1914, Jews from eastern Galicia (now in modern Ukraine) established the First Narayever Congregation in Toronto as a landsmanshaf, i.e. a society of Jewish immigrants from the same town or region. The synagogue takes its name from the small market town of Narayev, which is located in eastern Galicia. The synagogue's founders belonged to the working class and many worked in Toronto's garment industry.
Initially, congregation members met in different locations, but by 1923 their numbers and financial means had grown such that they were able to rent a small house at 70 Huron Street at the corner of Huron and Dundas. This house served as the congregation's home for twenty years.
The congregation's first president was Israel Chaim Katz and its first meeting was held at the Katz home at 156 William Street. The congregation's first rabbi was Solomon Langner, who was hired by the congregation in 1923. He retained this affiliation despite serving the Kiever Synagogue as a full-time rabbi from 1929 until he died in 1973.
In 1943, the congregation purchased property at 187-189 Brunswick Avenue from Bethel Church. This is where the the synagogue is located today.
In 1950, Henry Young became president of the congregation. He occupied that position until his death in 1976. Shalom Langner, the son of Rabbi Solomon Langner, succeeded Young as president.
As Toronto's Jewish population began to move north, the First Narayever continued to serve Orthodox Jews living downtown. In the 1980s, the congregation struggled to balance the needs of this older generation with the young generation's desire to make the synagogue more egalitarian with respect to gender. In 1983, the congregation's new leadership team successfully advanced a proposal to allow the full participation of women in traditional services. This innovation led to several long-standing members taking legal action, but their case was dismissed on the grounds that it was not a matter for civil law.
The First Narayever's identity continued to evolve. In 2009, its membership voted to allow its rabbi, Edward Elkin, who began serving the congregation in 2000, to officiate at same-sex marriages.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Jewish law
Rabbis
Same-sex marriage
Name Access
Elkin, Ed
First Narayever Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-5-13
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-5-13
Material Format
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
4.15 MB of textual records
Date
2003-2009
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the First Narayever Congregation. Included are five textual records pertaining to the issue of same-sex marriage at the congregation: a report of the Committee on Inclusion submitted to the congregation's board of governors in 2003; a resolution put forward by the Ritual Committee in 2009; a motion on same-sex marriage for the congregation's annual general meeting on June 14, 2009; an agenda for the same meeting; and minutes for the same meeting.
Administrative History
In 1914, Jews from eastern Galicia (now in modern Ukraine) established the First Narayever Congregation in Toronto as a landsmanshaf, i.e. a society of Jewish immigrants from the same town or region. The synagogue takes its name from the small market town of Narayev, which is located in eastern Galicia. The synagogue's founders belonged to the working class and many worked in Toronto's garment industry.
Initially, congregation members met in different locations, but by 1923 their numbers and financial means had grown such that they were able to rent a small house at 70 Huron Street at the corner of Huron and Dundas. This house served as the congregation's home for twenty years.
The congregation's first president was Israel Chaim Katz and its first meeting was held at the Katz home at 156 William Street. The congregation's first rabbi was Solomon Langner, who was hired by the congregation in 1923. He retained this affiliation despite serving the Kiever Synagogue as a full-time rabbi from 1929 until he died in 1973.
In 1943, the congregation purchased property at 187-189 Brunswick Avenue from Bethel Church. This is where the the synagogue is located today.
In 1950, Henry Young became president of the congregation. He occupied that position until his death in 1976. Shalom Langner, the son of Rabbi Solomon Langner, succeeded Young as president.
As Toronto's Jewish population began to move north, the First Narayever continued to serve Orthodox Jews living downtown. In the 1980s, the congregation struggled to balance the needs of this older generation with the young generation's desire to make the synagogue more egalitarian with respect to gender. In 1983, the congregation's new leadership team successfully advanced a proposal to allow the full participation of women in traditional services. This innovation led to several long-standing members taking legal action, but their case was dismissed on the grounds that it was not a matter for civil law.
The First Narayever's identity continued to evolve. In 2009, its membership voted to allow its rabbi, Edward Elkin, who began serving the congregation in 2000, to officiate at same-sex marriages.
Subjects
Same-sex marriage
Synagogues
Name Access
Elkin, Ed
First Narayever Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-6-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-6-7
Material Format
textual record
sound recording
Physical Description
30 cm of textual records
6 cassette tapes
Date
1973-2005
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Cyrel Troster's involvement with various Jewish committees and organizations. Included are: transcripts of oral histories with prominent Jewish Torontonians that were conducted as part of an oral history project in 1973; correspondence between Cyrel Troster and interviewees; index cards listing the dates of the oral history interviews; promotional materials for Jewish arts festivals; public proposal document for the new Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue; and documents and records from Cyrel's involvement in various Jewish organizations. Also included are Local Initiatives Program application forms (1973), lists of presidents of various Jewish organizations, a map of the Jewish York Region (1999), issues of Exodus Magazine in both English and Russian from May 2018, and two issues of the Wilson Heights High School yearbook The Torch (1962-63).
The six tape cassettes are as follows: Cantor Paul Kowarsky Live in Concert (no date); Highlights from the 1994 Toronto Jewish Storytelling Festival; interview with Esther Volpe (two cassette tapes); interview with Samuel Harris; and one cassette marked "Dov Noy copy of Library tape" (Dov Noy was a Jewish folklorist).
The accession contains transcripts for the following interviewees: Mrs. Arbus, David Biderman, Benjamin Brown, Benjamin Sherman, Arthur Cohen, Mrs. Draimin, Max Federman, Morris Flicht, Joshua Gershman, Samuel Harris, Ben Heisel, Rose Heisel, Mr. Lean, Mary Levy, Harry Pullan, J. B. Salsberg, Yekil Silverman, A. S. Socol, Nathan Strauss, Esther Volpe, and Annie Zeidman.
The accession contains records related to Cyrel's involvement in the following committees and organizations: Committee for Yiddish (1997-2004); Cultural Services and Planning Committee (1990-2005), Jewish Public Library (2005); Canadian Jewish Congress, Orthodox Division (1982-1984); Holocaust Centre (1979-2004); Limmud (2000); Ontario Jewish Archives (1973-2004); Jewish Theatre (1996-2002); Jewish Arts Council (2000-2004); Jewish Toronto Tomorrow (1994-2004); Ashkenaz (1997-2004); UJA Federation (1978, 1984, 1990-2004).
Use Conditions
Credit to be given to Susan Cohen and Cyrel Troster—coordinators of the Local Initiatives Project project in 1973—and to interviewer(s) and transcribers when using tapes or transcribed interviews.
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
RELATED MATERIAL NOTE: See accession 2017-4-6 for related sound recordings. Some may be duplicates.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Committee for Yiddish (Toronto, Ont.)
Limmud Toronto
Ontario Jewish Archives
Troster, Cyrel
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-6-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-6-10
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
14 cm of textual records
Date
[2003?]-2017
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Limmud Toronto. Included are: filled-out presenter forms for the year 2007, flyers and pamphlets, legal mandate, volunteering notes and materials, project charters, organizational documents, research materials, meeting notes, miscellaneous notes of Sharoni Sibony, planning for the 2017 Tikkum Leit Shavuot, a UJA staff training document from 2009, and a document assigning tasks for the 2009 conference.
Administrative History
Alastair Falk, Michael May, Jonathan Benjamin, and Clive Lawton founded Limmud (Hebrew for "learning") in Britain in 1980. The first Limmud conference was held at Carmel College in Oxfordshire. Over the next two decades, Limmud grew to become Europe's largest Jewish learning event.
In December 2001, Peter Sevitt attended the Limmud conference at Nottingham University with his family. Inspired, he made the decision to bring Limmud to Canada, which he did in 2004. The first Limmud conference in Canada was held on 21 November 2004 at York University's Founders College. Initially slated to run every two years, Limmud Toronto went on hiatus after holding conferences in 2007 and 2009 but returned in 2015. As of 2018, it was still active.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Subjects
Education
Name Access
Limmud Toronto
Sibony, Sharoni
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-2
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
20 cm of textual records
Date
1979, 1989-2005
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Shoel Silver's involvement with various committees, including: Project Renewal, NECHAMA. Keren Hayesod, Israel Center for Treatment of Psychotrauma and The Jewish Agency for Israel, UJA and others. Included are reports, correspondence, proposals, a 1979 edition of the Jewish Standard, first edition of the Children's Newspaper in Kfar Gvirol and assorted research material.
Use Conditions
Conditional Access. Researchers must receive permission from the donor prior to accessing the records. Please contact the OJA for more information.
Descriptive Notes
Language: Most of the items are in English, with some items partially or fully in Hebrew.
Subjects
Charities
Israel
Name Access
Jewish Agency for Israel
Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto
Project Renewal (Israel)
Silver, Shoel
Toronto Jewish Congress
Places
Israel
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-9
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-9
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
7 albums of photographs ; 29 x 26 cm
1 binder of textual records ; 26 x 30 cm
1 envelope of textual records
6 photographs : col. ; 10 x 14 cm or smaller (sight) in mat 45 x 40 cm
Date
1957-2018
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Teme Kernerman and her involvement in Israeli folk dancing. Included are: seven photo albums of different dance performances Kernerman was involved with as well as one binder (plus envelope) worth of textual records relating to dance festivals she contributed to.
Administrative History
Teme Kernerman (née London) was born in Toronto on 8 July 1932 to Ann Mandel and Harry London. She grew up with a younger sister Corrine ("Cookie").
Kernerman became involved in Israeli dance through Habonim, a Zionist youth movement. Upon graduating high school, she spent a year at Geva, a kibbutz in Israel's Jezreel Valley. There, she learned Hebrew and benefited from increased exposure to Israeli dance.
Upon returning to Canada, she continued to be active in Israeli dance and, after a period of working in government and Jewish nursery schools, made the decision to pursue dance fulltime.
In 1955, Kernerman moved to New York City, where she studied modern dance in the day and international and Israeli folk dance at night. Through a connection to Jewish dance instructor/educator Dvora Lapson, Kernerman became involved in children's dance festivals, which would inspire her Rikudiyah festival years later.
In 1957, Kernernman returned to Toronto. There, she was active teaching students, training teachers, and leading dance workshops. She created and also served as the directress/choreographer of the Nirkoda Israeli dancers. The troupe aimed to bring Israeli folk dance not only to Jewish communities throughout Ontario, but to the general public as well.
In 1960, Kernerman's husband became director of a gallery in Tel Aviv and she made the decision to make aliyah. In 1967, the couple along with their two children, Doron Noam and Varda Rifka, moved back to Canada, where she reestablished the Nirkoda Isreali Dance Troupe. The troupe continued until 1985.
Kernerman directed the first Rikudiyah festival in 1968. Initially made up of only forty children, it was held at the Jewish Community Centre on Spadina Avenue. From there, it moved to Northview Heights Secondary School in North York. When Kernerman saw that parents were sitting on the floor due to lack of seating, she brought it to York University, where it remained for twenty-five years.
When York underwent construction, Kernerman brought the Rikudiyah to Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto and divided it into programs: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. The Rikudiyah continues to be active and since 2015 has been held at the Schwartz/Reisman Centre: Jewish Community Centre Lebovic Campus.
In 1969, Kernerman was instrumental and establishing the Ontario Folk Dance Association and the Ontario Folk Dance Teachers Association, for which she served as chairperson.
Kernerman's involvement in the community was not limited to dance. Between 1985 and 2000, she served as the director of the Fifty-Five Plus Department of Adult Services at the Bathurst Jewish Community Centre.
Kernerman was twice honoured by the Ontario Folk Dance Association. She was the recipient of the Ontario Arts Council Choreographers Award in 1978 and the Ontario Folk Arts Recognition Fellowship Award in 1991. In 2007, she was honoured at the Toronto IsReal Dance Festival.
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
Dance festivals
Folk dancers
Folk dancing, Israeli
Name Access
Kernerman, Teme
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-10
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
7 folders
Date
1977-2006
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Cyrel Troster's involvement in the Jewish community.
Included are: a copy of Jewish Life in Greater Toronto: leadership development materials (197-?), materials pertaining to the Second Encounter Holocaust-themed event series (ca. 1977-ca. 1979), a folder of source material for Jewish exhibitions (1979-1987), a copy of the 1992 Jewish Directory of Greater Toronto, a copy of The Jewish Community of Toronto: Part I Basic Demographics (2001), a copy of The Jewish Community of Toronto: Part III the Jewish Elderly (2001), and a copy of A Survey of the Attitudes and Behaviours of Greater Toronto's Jewish Community (2006).
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Subjects
Exhibitions
Population
Name Access
Troster, Cyrel
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-8-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-8-2
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder
Date
1931-2001
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Lagover Mutual Benefit Society. Included are: seven black and white photographs, a past member list, a special section on Lagow from the Kielce-Radom SIG Journal, and a clipping about the society's dedication of one of the twenty stained glass windows in the Baycrest synagogue.
Custodial History
Recording secretary Frances Jacobson donated the records for the Lagover Mutual Benefit Society.
Subjects
Fraternal organizations
Name Access
Lagover Mutual Benefit Society
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-8-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-8-1
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
7 cm of textual records
Date
[197-]-2003
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Cyrel Troster's involvement in the Jewish community, especially her involvement in the Canadian Jewish Congress Central Committee/Toronto Jewish Congress Archives.
Included are: A copy of a Brief Guide to Pesach by Rabbi A. Y. Bartfield (197-?); archives-related press releases (197-?); materials pertaining to the Toronto Jewish Historical Society's Kensington Market walking tour (1974?); a copy of Fraternally Yours: Official Publication of the New Fraternal Jewish Association Vol. 19 No. 4(161) (Nov. 1978); a study of Toronto's Jewish population (Jan. 1979); a list of the officers and board of directors of the Israel Frankel Jewish Public Library of Toronto (Jan. 1979); archives-related ephemera (1979-1984); a report regarding program, budget, and priority process for the archives (Aug. 1981); member lists for the archives committee (1983), archives-related correspondence (1983-1986, 2002), archives budgets (1983-1985, 2003); meeting minutes for the archives committee (1984); a directory of local synagogue artists (1999); and a programme for a Frances Mandell tribute dinner (1999).
Subjects
Archives
Name Access
Troster, Cyrel
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-1-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-1-4
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
22 cm of textual records
Date
[ca. 1928]-[200-?]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records relating to labour and the garment industry in Toronto, Montreal, and Hamilton. Included are research leads as well as copies of relevant records held at various repositories in Canada and the United States including Library and Archives Canada, Archives of Ontario, Queen's University and the International Ladies Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) and the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA) archives held at Cornell University. Also included are newsclippings, journal articles and correspondence from Tulchinsky to various individuals associated with the clothing trade asking for interviews or information for his research on the garment industry in Canada. Finally, there are copies of a few PhD dissertations on the subject.
Administrative History
Dr. Gerald Tulchinsky was Professor Emeritus at Queen's University, Department of History, and author of several books on the history of Canadian Jewry and labour issues in Canada. His books include: Shtetl on the Grand (2015); Joe Salsberg: A Life of Commitment (2013); Canada's Jews: A People's Journey (2008); Branching Out: The Transformation of the Canadian Jewish Community (1998); Taking Root: The Origins of the Canadian Jewish Community (1992); and The River Barons: Montreal Businessmen and the Growth of Industry and Transportation, 1837-53 (1977).
Tulchinsky was born in Brantford, Ontario in 1933 to Harry and Anne Tulchinsky. He resided in Kingston, Ontario until his death on 13 Dec. 2017.
Use Conditions
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.
Subjects
Labor unions
Clothing trade
Name Access
Tulchinsky, Gerald, 1933-2017
Places
Hamilton (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Montréal (Québec)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-9-1
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
2018-9-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-9-4
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
42 cm of textual records
Date
2001-2017
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records created and accumulated by Director, Capacity Building for the Social Services Sandi Pelly. Included are: reports, including annual reports; strategic plans; and studies for agencies funded by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Agencies documented in the records include: Bernard Betel Centre, Circle of Care, Chai-Tikvah Foundation, JACS, Jewish Family & Child, JIAS Toronto, JVS Toronto, Kehilla Residential Programme, Reena, and Zareinu Educational Center.
Custodial History
Shortly after Pelly left UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, her records were transferred to the office of Viola Dessanti, vice president of measurement analytics and evaluation. On September 9, 2018 the archivist went through the records, selected those that had archival value, and brought them back to the archives.
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
Charities
Name Access
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-11
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-11
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
14 cm of textual records
Date
1948-2005
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to the operation of the Jewish Public Library. Included are newsletters, meeting minutes of the board and various committees, reports and recommendations, in particular the Silver and Diamond reports and their outcomes, general correspondence, marketing and promotional materials, fundraising materials, budget requests made to the Toronto Jewish Congress, and Toronto Jewish Library Association materials.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of a former staff member of the library.
Subjects
Libraries
Name Access
Jewish Public Library (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-10-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-10-5
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
7 cm of graphic material and textual records
1 folder (oversize) of graphic material and textual records
1 scrapbook ; 37 x 31 cm
Date
1916-2008, predominant 1940-1998
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Rother family, in particular Irving and Florence Rother. Included are: three of Irving Rother's Second World War letters; professional and educational certificates for Irving Rother; service records for Irving Rother; records documenting the sale of the family's Rother Cigar Store; a letter to Dr. and Mrs. Rother from Lester C. Sugarman welcoming the couple and their family to Holy Blossom Temple; records (including group portraits) of Hadassah-WIZO Rishon Chapter, which Florence Rother belonged to; and an Alpha Phi Pi scrapbook.
Administrative History
Florence Rother (née Warshavsky) was born in 1919. In 1998, she was honoured for her service to the Rishon Chapter of Toronto Hadassah-WIZO. She died at home on 9 July 2016.
Dr. Irving Rother was born in 1919. He studied at the University of Toronto, where he was part of the Phi Delta Epislon Fraternity. He graduated in January 1943 with a Doctor of Medicine degree. During the Second World War, he held the rank of captain in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC) and served in Canada, the United Kingdom, and continental Europe. After the war, Rother moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where he served on the house staff of Sinai Hospital first as assistant resident on the pathology service and then as intern and assistant resident on the medical service.
In 1953, Dr. and Mrs. Rother and their family became members of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto.
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
Families
Physicians
World War, 1939-1945
Name Access
Rother (family)
Rother, Florence
Rother, Irving, 1919-2018
Places
Baltimore (Md.)
England
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-8-14
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-8-14
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
17 cm of textual records
Date
1916-2013
Scope and Content
Accession consists of Anne Dublin's research papers for her book 44 Hours or Strike! Included are newspaper clippings and articles, scholarly articles, primary sources gleaned from various repositories, and other printouts and photocopies. The material relates to the sites and events of the garment industry, Kensington Market and the Ward, Toronto in the 1930s, the labour union movement and the dressmaker's strike, and prisons and reformatories. Also included is a programme for Tramvay Lider (Streetcar Songs), a performance by Charles Heller and Brahm Goldhamer of the Yiddish poems by Shimen Nepom.
Subjects
Labor
Children's literature
Name Access
Dublin, Anne
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-5-11
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-5-11
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
moving images
Physical Description
15 cm of textual records and graphic material
1 U-matic 3/4" videocassette
Date
1939-2006
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the life of Ellen Shirley Cole (née Robins) and her husband Albert (Tubby Cole). Included are elementary and high school records belonging to Ellen and Tubby Cole, and photographs of Ellen and Tubby and their parents and children. Also included are: newsclippings and photographs of UJA events featuring Tubby Cole as Man of the Year in 1977, as UJA Chairman in 1978, Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin and Pierre Trudeau; Ellen's community activities; actress Toby Robins (Ellen's sister), and brothers Carl and Jack Cole of Cole's bookstores. Also included are programs and invitations to UJA yearly campaign events, a speech presented by Joe Clark, M.P., to Beth Emeth Bais Yehudah Synagogue, a scrapbook of Harbord Collegiate newsclippings featuring outstanding athlete Albert Cole, a possible UJA event donor list, and a 50th birthday poem written to Ellen from her sister Toby Robins.
Administrative History
Ellen Shirley Cole (née Robins) was born in 1929 in Toronto. Ellen and her husband Albert (Tubby) Cole were active and dedicated members of the Toronto Jewish community. She was a member of Hadassah and the UJA Women's Campaign where she had the opportunity to meet with dignitaries such as Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin and Pierre Trudeau. Ellen was the sister of the late actress Toby Robins and sister-in-law of Carl and Jack Cole of Cole's bookstores. Ellen enjoyed her role as homemaker and was noted for being an outstanding hostess and cook. Ellen passed away March 22, 2018.
Subjects
Philanthropists
Politicians
Name Access
Cole, Ellen
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-13
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-13
Material Format
moving images
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
ca. 7 cm of textual records
6 photographs : b&w and col.
2 videocassettes : Betacam
approx. 153 videocassettes : VHS
47 videocassettes : U-matic
Date
1977-1980, 1983-1998, 2000
Scope and Content
Accession consists of audiovisual materials and textual records related to the film and television career of Harvey Atkin. The records are primarily VHS and U-matic tapes of his various performances on television series, commercials, and films, as well as interviews. Also included are news clippings featuring reviews of Atkin’s work, interviews, and biographical sketches. As well, there are promotional materials for Meatballs and Pet Peeves, and several photographs of Atkin.
Custodial History
The records were gathered together by Celia Atkin for a retrospective of Harvey's career in 2018 by the Toronto Jewish Film Festival. Stuart Hands then put Celia in touch with the OJA as a repository for donation.
Administrative History
Elliot Harvey Atkin (1942-2017) was born and lived his entire life in Toronto. He was the son of Ida and Murray Atkin, and his grandparents had immigrated to Canada from Russia in the early twentieth century. After high school he joined his father’s construction business, and in 1963 married Celia Tessler. The couple raised two children, Lisa Atkin and Danny Atkin.
In 1969, he joined friend Larry Goldhar’s talent agency, The Character’s Talent Agency, as a partner and in the 1970s began featuring in Canadian television shows and American movies filmed in Toronto. Following breakout success in the 1979 comedy Meatballs, Atkin had a prolific career in television and voice work. He continued to live in Toronto throughout his career, flying to the US to film series such as Cagney and Lacey in the 1980s and Law & Order: SVU in the 2000s. He was also a voice performer who contributed to a number of animated television series, as well as an estimated 3,000 television and radio commercials. Larry Goldhar remained Atkin’s agent throughout his career.
In addition to his facility with languages and accents, he was known for his mechanical abilities, and hosted a handyman feature, “Help Yourself,” on CTV.
Atkin never fully retired, and passed in 2017 from cancer. In 2018, the Toronto Jewish Film Festival presented an archival screening series in his honour, The Harvey Atkin Tribute to Canadian Media.
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
USE CONDITION NOTE: It is believed that copyright for most of the material belongs to the production companies and/or broadcasters of Harvey's work. Researchers will need to determine the copyright owner prior to use.
Subjects
Actors
Name Access
Atkin, Harvey, 1942-2017
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-10-14
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-10-14
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
7 cm of textual records
Date
1964-2018
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting different public and Jewish organizations in Toronto. Included are: 1964 and 1965 issues of the William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute's Advocate yearbook; a record of the Eglinton chapter of B'nai Brith Women of Canada's opening meeting on 16 September 1992; a booklet with short profiles of the 1998-99 UJA Federation Board of Directors; a 2013 commemorative booklet celebrating Darchei Noam's fortieth anniversary and Rabbi Tina Grimberg's ten-year anniversary at the synagogue; a program for the 8th Annual Symposium in Germanic Studies University of Toronto, which was titled Global Yiddish Culture, 1938-1948; various materials from the 2018 Ashkenaz Festival; newspaper clippings; and informational material for the Canadian Jewish Congress/Toronto Jewish Congress' Heritage-in-a-Box project
Subjects
Festivals
Public schools
Synagogues
Name Access
Ashkenaz Festival
B'nai Brith Women of Canada
Canadian Jewish Congress. Central Region
Congregation Darchei Noam (Toronto, Ont.)
Grimberg, Tina
Toronto Jewish Congress
Troster, Cyrel
University of Toronto
William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-10-16
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-10-16
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
moving images
Physical Description
14 cm of textual records and graphic material
1 optical disc
Date
2003-2018, predominant 2003-2009
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Limmud Toronto. Included are: an application for charitable status; an article by Emma, James, and Peter Sevitt; general correspondence; flyers; a grant application; meeting minutes; one notebook; press releases; program books; programming and presenters guidelines; reference materials; photographs; speeches; volunteer orientation materials; and a DVD recording of the first Limmud event held in Toronto on 21 November 2004.
Administrative History
Alastair Falk, Michael May, Jonathan Benjamin, and Clive Lawton founded Limmud (Hebrew for "learning") in Britain in 1980. The first Limmud conference was held at Carmel College in Oxfordshire. Over the next two decades, Limmud grew to become Europe's largest Jewish learning event.
In December 2001, Peter Sevitt attended the Limmud conference at Nottingham University with his family. Inspired, he made the decision to bring Limmud to Canada, which he did in 2004. The first Limmud conference in Canada was held on 21 November 2004 at York University's Founders College. Initially slated to run every two years, Limmud Toronto went on hiatus after holding conferences in 2007 and 2009. It returned in 2015 and as of 2018 was still active.
Descriptive Notes
Availability of other formats: Photographs also available as JPEG and TIFF files.
Subjects
Festivals
Name Access
Limmud Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-11-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-11-5
Material Format
textual record
graphic material (electronic)
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
7 cm of textual records
285 MB of photographs and textual records
Date
[188-]-2018
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the From Latkes to Laffa exhibition that was held at Beth Tzedec Congregation in 2017. Included are textual records organized into the following files: Planning, Introduction, The Ward, Kensington, Eglinton, Dairy/bagels, Delis, Kosher, and New trends. There are two additional files without names that contain additional material related to the exhibition. Also included are electronic records, primarily graphic, that relate to the exhibition. The latter have been organized into two folders: Photographs and USB.
Administrative History
From Latkes to Laffas was an exhibition at Beth Tzedec Congregation's Reuben & Helene Dennis Museum that explored the history of Toronto's Jewish restaurants. The exhibition opened on Wednesday the 6 September 2017.
Descriptive Notes
Source of supplied title proper: Title based on a label on the side of the binder.
Subjects
Ethnic restaurants
Name Access
Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)
Rothstein, Gella
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions