Accession Number

2008-6-9

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

1 poster : col. ; 44 x 28 cm

6 photographs : col. ; 10 x 15 cm

Date

2008

Scope and Content

This accession consists of records related to the national historical designation of Kensington Market in Toronto, including materials from the unveiling ceremony, held on May 25, 2008. This includes the event package, media releases, formal invitations to politicians and guest speakers, the official invitation and programme, an historical backgrounder on the Market, Chair of UJA Federation David Koschitzky's speech, a poster, as well as six photographs taken at the event.

Custodial History

The records were in the possession of Cyrel Troster, who was a member of the Kensington Market National Historic Site Designation Working Group.

Subjects

Markets

Name Access

Koschitzky, David

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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

Accession Number

2009-12-8

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

moving images

Physical Description

98 photographs (jpg)

1 optical disc (5 mins.)

Date

[2000?]-2007

Scope and Content

Accession consists of ninety-eight photographs of the arrival in Israel of a Taglit-Birthright Israel group in May 2007. The trip celebrated Toronto's 10,000th participant in the programme, David Stein, and he is the subject of most of the photographs. The images are of the group's arrival at the airport in Israel and in front of their tour bus. Accession also includes a DVD video about Canadian youth's nifgashim (encounters) with soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces as part of the Taglit-Birthright Israel program.

Name Access

Canada Israel Experience

Stein, David

Places

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2010-11-15

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

2 photographs (tiff)

1 cm of textual records (jpg)

Date

1946-2009

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs and textual records that document Boris' service in the Soviet Union's military during the Second World War. Included are two military portraits of Boris, letters from the Russian government to commemorate various anniversaries of the military's victory, Boris' Soviet Union travel pass (1990), and Boris' membership renewal booklet for the Association of Second World War Veterans Newkomers from USSR in Israel (1992–2000).

Administrative History

Boris was born in Belarus but moved to Israel later in his life. He was fourteen when the Second World War began. He served in Frontier Troops, NKVD (predecessor of KGB). Boris was a student in a military college until 1952. He began his military service as a private soldier but later became an officer. In 1944, he participated in the battles of Eastern Prussia, Latvia, and Belarus. He earned the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and the Order of Patriotic War, 2nd Class for his war service.

Descriptive Notes

Language: Most of the material in Russian.

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

Subjects

Soviet Union--Armed Forces

Veterans

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Kravitz, Boris

Places

Israel

Russia

Soviet Union

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

2013-11-2

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

6 photographs : b&w and col. ; 15 x 20 cm and 9 x 15 cm and 11 x 8 cm

1 photograph (electronic) : jpg

Date

1930-2007

Scope and Content

Accession consists of three colour photographs from the reunion of the Baldwin Club, a young men's club from the 1940s based in Kensington Market. The reunion took place in 2006 at the Steeles Deli (the time stamps on these photographs indicate 2007). The photographs feature: Pearl Godfrey with Rose Simon Zand and her husband David Zand (Rose Simon Zand grew up in the market and her family owned a grocery store); Jack Gelman (founder of the Baldwin Club. His parents owned P. Gelman Fruit and Groceries at 174 Baldwin Street). To his right is his wife. Seated are Rose Simon and Pearl Godfrey; Left to right: Solly Raykeff, Jackie Gelman, Mel Lastman.

Also included are three black and white photographs depicting 1) Three women in front of 172 Baldwin, left to right: Sandy Shabinsky, Katie Lottman Grossman, Ruth Berman; 2) Two girls in front of 172 Baldwin: left to right: Bella Tichberg (Judy Lottman Tichberg's daughter) and her cousin Henry; 3) Jake Lottman and his father Sam Lottman at 181 Baldwin shown cracking eggs for a photo taken for Queen Elizabeth's visit to Toronto.

Also included is one electronic photo of three women working at Lottman's bakery (Helen Wiseman who worked at the bakery for 50 years, Katie Lottman Grossman's mother in law Brancha Loffman, and Gertie who also worked at the bakery for many years)

There is also a small amount of textual records including two newspaper articles entitled "From Humble Beginnings in Kensington" (National Post, 2006) and "Demise of Lottman's Bakery mounred by all" (CJN, Thursday, November 29, 1984); a cookbook of recipes by Rose Simon entitled Recipes by Rose (2001); as well as five photocopies of photos of the Baldwin Street Boys (1940s).

Administrative History

Pearl Godfrey's father was Sam Lottman, owner of Lottman's Bakery which opened in the 1920s and was originally located at 172 Baldwin Street. It had a brick oven and on Friday nights women would bring their pots to keep the chollent warm for the Sabath. Sam Lottman was born in Poland and arrived in Toronto when he was 12 years old. He arrived with nothing but soon got a job as a baker. Sam's first wife Bella died in the 1920s. They had two children Judy Tichberg and Joe Lottman. There was also another daughter that died. Sam was a founder of the Hebrew Loan Society (Axia), where members donated 25 cents per week.

Pearl's mother was Emma (Birkin) Lottman. She arrived from Poland with her sister and mother in 1919 and was a wig maker. Emma Lottman mother would go with neighbours to collect household items for new immigrants. She also worked alongside Sam in the bakery. They lived on top of the bakery until Pearl was 12 years old. Emma and Sam had three children: Jake Lottman, Katie Grossman and Pearl Godfrey. Pearl went to Ryerson Public School and then to Harbord Collegiate for a year before transferring to Forest Hill.

The family lived on top of the store until 1947 when they moved to 50 Ava Road in Forest Hill. They built a new store at 191 Baldwin. It had a traveling oven which was very rare at the time, which allowed for the baked goods to move along a conveyer belt through the heat.

Jake who had built the business alongside his father moved to California. Joe Lottman took over the business when Sam retired. Joe died at the age of 60 in 1981 and his daughter Bonnie Lottman and son Terry Lottman ran the business.

The bakery closed in 1984.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Business

Name Access

Lottman, Sam

Lottman, Emma

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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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

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Accession Number

2017-6-5

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

ca. 30 cm of textual records

89 photographs : b&w and col. (7 negatives) ; 18 x 13 cm or smaller

1 CD-ROM (textual record)

19 videocassettes (ca. 22 hr.)

Date

[19--?]-2008

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Abe and Margot Zukerman, their family, and the Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society. Included are: awards, identity documents, legal documents, letters, photographs, publications, videocassettes, and vital records.

Photo Caption (015): Abe Zukerman's father, [19--?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-6-5.

Custodial History

Mel Perlmutter, stepson of Abe Zukerman and son of Margot Zukerman, donated the records to the Ontario Jewish Archives.

Administrative History

Abe Zukerman (1914-2009) was born in Wierzbnik, Poland in 1914. He was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust. In 1948, he came to Canada, where he became involved in the Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society and married. His first wife, Esther, predeceased him. In 1975, he married his second wife, Margot, who had two children from a previous marriage. In addition to serving as a senior executive member of the Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society for over 50 years, Abe volunteered with United Jewish Appeal and State of Israel Bonds. He passed away 8 Feb. 2009. Margot Zukerman (née Rubin) was born in Berlin, Germany on 31 December 1922. Still a child when the National Socialists came to power, she was denied schooling. She arrived in Toronto in 1939 never having received a formal education. Despite this, she was able to learn English and operate her father's small ladies' wear store in Hamilton for at least a dozen years. In 1944, she married her first husband Alexander Perlmutter, with whom she had two children: one in 1945 and another in 1948. In 1970, she moved to Toronto, where she acted as caregiver to her father. In 1974, she met Abe, whom she married on 14 February 1975. Like her husband, Margot was an active member of Toronto's Jewish community.

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.

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

Descriptive Notes

ASSOCIATED MATERIALS: Other records relating to Abe Zukerman can be found in Accession 2017-9-1.

Subjects

Families

Societies

Name Access

Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society

Zukerman, Abe, 1914-2009

Zukerman, Esther, 1912-1972

Zukerman, Margot, 1922-

Zukerman family

Places

Canada

Israel

Poland

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2017-12-1

Material Format

moving images

Physical Description

8 videocassettes : Betacam SP and Digital Betacam

Date

1998-2006

Scope and Content

Accession consists of 8 videocassettes that belonged to UJA Federation of Greater Toronto's Creative Department. Cassettes include: United Jewish Appeals The Campaign for Fifty (1998), UJA Federation Symposium of Hope (2003), UJA Federation 2004 "What Will Tomorrow Hold?" Canvasser Training (2003), UJA Federation Tomorrow Campaign "End Video" (2004), UJA Federation Tomorrow Campaign "Tomorrow Campaign" (2004), UJA "Israel Emergency Campaign" (2006)

Custodial History

Amit Louis and Amy Krasin of the Creative Department were cleaning out an old desk in the summer of 2017 and found the tapes. Amit suggested bringing the tapes to the archives, which Amy did sometime thereafter.

Administrative History

UJA Federation's Tomorrow Campaign is Canada’s largest non-profit community development project. It is Federation's response to the need for new facilities and services brought about by the growth of Toronto’s Jewish community.

Subjects

Charities

Name Access

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Places

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-1-6

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

20 photographs : col. ; 10 x 15 cm

1 plaque

Date

1978, 2016-2017

Scope and Content

Accession consists of two thank-you notes addressed to Morley Wolfe from Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella, as well as a plaque in appreciation presented to Wolfe for inspiring the genesis of CASTS (Canadians Against Slavery and Torture in Sudan), which led to a larger coalition in Canada against the genocide in Darfur. There is also an accompanying photo on printer paper of Wolfe receiving the plaque from Dr. Norman Epstein alongside C. Arthur Dowes. Finally, there is photo scrapbook compiled by Arnold Lipshitz documenting the Advocates Society's trip to Israel. The Advocates Society was made up of judges and lawyers in Ontario. Identified in the photographs are Franz Bowman; Barbara Bowman; Kathy Parkinson; Sandra Newman; Douglas Caruthers; Cecile Goldenberg and Morley Wolfe.

Administrative History

Morley S. Wolfe was born in Winnipeg in 1928 to Cecil (b. 1895) and Betty (nee Davidow) Wolfe. He spent his early childhood in various cities in Saskatchewan and Manitoba until moving to Toronto in 1940. Soon after graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1955 he started his own practice as a senior member of the law firm Burt, Burt, Wolfe and Bowman. In 1971 he was appointed Queen’s Council, and from 1973 to 1977 he served as counsel for B’nai Brith Canada. After his retirement from practice in 1993, the Province of Ontario appointed him presiding Justice of the Peace for Ontario and Deputy Judge in Small Claims Court. His first marriage was to Sandra Newman in 1958 and they had three children together: Leslie, Lee, and Melanie. He later married Joan and became the step-father to her daughter, Erin. Throughout his life Morley was passionate about fighting prejudice and discrimination and became involved with organizations, such as the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews and the Urban Alliance on Race Relations. He was also a member of the Toronto Police Services Board Committee on Race Relations, served as Chair of the North York Committee on Community, Race and Ethnic Relations, and was appointed to the Canadian Multiculturalism Council. In addition, he was the founding president of Toronto Residents in Partnership (TRIP) from 2003 to 2006. His involvement extended to Jewish organizations. He served as national president of B’nai Brith Canada (BBC) from 1982 to 1983 and was a founding member of its League for Human Rights. He was also president of BBC’s Toronto Regional Council and Wilson Heights Lodge No. 1998, and of the Jewish Camp Council of Toronto as well as many other organizations. Morley’s hard work and involvement in the community earned him many awards, including, City of Toronto’s William P. Hubbard Race Relations Award, the YMCA Canada Peace Medal, B’nai Brith Canada Service Award, and the Province of Ontario’s Senior Achievement Award. Around 2002, Wilson Heights Lodge No. 1998 began filing a series of appeals with B’nai Brith International (BBI) over concerns that BBC’s national executive was governing undemocratically. Morley played a key role in filing these appeals and was the centre of one appeal filed after BBC censured him without advance notice or the opportunity for a hearing. These appeals were not all successful. Around 2006, Morley became involved in another appeal against BBC that was filed by a group of members who called themselves the Concerned Members of B’nai Brith Canada (CMOBBC). They alleged that BBC’s national executive had too much centralized power, was not governing transparently, failed to provide members with audited financial statements at multiple annual general meetings (AGMs), passed a constitution that members had defeated at the 2005 AGM, and was threatening and harassing some members. BBI’s appeal court rendered its verdict in 2007 in favour of BBC. Soon after this judgment was made BBC took steps to expel all the members of CMOBBC. In response, Morley resigned from the organization. Morley currently resides in Brampton.

Descriptive Notes

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: See accession record for page numbers of identified individuals.

Subjects

Lawyers

Name Access

Wolfe, Morley S., 1928-

Places

Israel

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

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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

2018-7-20

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

120 cm of textual records (4 boxes)

Date

1987-2011

Scope and Content

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

Custodial History

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

Administrative History

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

Use Conditions

Accession is closed for 25 years from date of donation.

Subjects

Israel

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

B'nai Brith Canada

Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

Jewish Agency for Israel

Silver, Shoel

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

United Israel Appeal

Places

Canada

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-7-24

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

3 photographs : b&w and col. ; 25 x 20 cm or smaller

Date

1988-2016

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Gerald "Jerry" Rosenberg and his involvement with the Royal Canadian Legion's General Wingate Branch 256. Included are General Wingate Branch 256 meeting agendas (2013-2015), Royal Canadian Legion correspondence (2014), two General Wingate Branch newsletters (October 2015 and March 2016), an annual branch inspection report form (27 September 2015), a branch regulations and clubhouse rules submission form (2012), financial statements and receipts (2013-2015), certificates of merit and appreciation from the Royal Canadian Legion (2002-2009), and a document in Hebrew commemo

In addition to the above documents, there are three photographs for which identification is missing: one of a funeral, one of a demonstrators carrying signs urging recognition of China, and a portrait of an unknown veteran.

Finally, the accession contains an undated letter to the editor of an unspecified newspaper that outline Jerry's views of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Custodial History

At the time of his death, Jerry Rosenberg was living with his partner Frances Cohen. Frances' daughter Ronda "Rhonnie" Cohen took possession of the records following Jerry's death. Rhonnie subsequently gave the records to author Ellin Bessner who donated them to the Ontario Jewish Archives.

Administrative History

Jerry Rosenberg grew up in Hamilton, Ontario along with his twin sister, two brothers, and older sister. When he was seventeen years old, Rosenberg lied about his age in order to fight in the Second World War. He joined the Royal Canadian Navy and served for the duration of the war.

After the war, Rosenberg approached the Canadian Zionist Organization about volunteering in Palestine. After a circuitous journey that first took him from Montreal to New York to France, he arrived in Haifa in February or March 1948. Rosenberg was part of Machal, a group of overseas volunteers who fought alongside Israeli forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Rosenberg joined the Haganah and fought in the 52nd Givati Regiment. As part of this unit, he participated in battle in the Arab village of Bashshit.

After the war, Rosenberg made preparations to leave Israel. Upon arriving in Canada, he worked with Jewish organizations and started a family. He became president of the Royal Canadian Legion's Wingate Branch 256. He died on 23 August 2017.

Descriptive Notes

Language: English, French

Subjects

Arab-Israeli conflict

Veterans--Canada

Name Access

Bessner, Ellin, 1961-

Rosenberg, Jerry

Royal Canadian Legion

Places

Canada

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-5-9

Material Format

object

Physical Description

2 flags

Date

[between 1940 and 2019]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of two flags that belonged to Royal Canadian Legion General Wingate Branch 256. The first is a flag of Israel. The second is a blue ensign bearing the name of the branch. (The blue ensign is a blue flag with the Union Jack in the top corner next to the flagpole; it is similar to the red ensign, which was the flag of Canada until 1965, when it was replaced by the maple leaf.)

Administrative History

The Jewish Brigade was a member of the Great War Association in the 1920s. After its first president was installed in the early 1930s, the Royal Canadian Legion granted a charter for a Jewish veterans' branch. The brigade was renamed the General Wingate Branch in the mid-1940s after the British army officer Major General Orde Charles Wingate, DSO. Although Major Wingate was not Jewish, he was a passionate Zionist, hence the name.

At first, the branch met at a veteran’s hall at Crawford and College Streets in Toronto, but later purchased its own house at 1610 Bathurst Street. In 1968, the branch moved to Eglinton Avenue West. It was then located at the Zionist Centre on Marlee Avenue.

The branch held an annual memorial march and service at the Mt. Sinai Cemetery, and distributed poppies to raise funds for veterans and their families, hospitals and medical research. Members also gave speeches at schools on Remembrance Day. It closed in September 2018 after more than eighty years.

Descriptive Notes

Availability of other formats: Photographs of the flags are available as JPEG files.

Subjects

Flags--Canada

Flags--Israel

Veterans

Name Access

Royal Canadian Legion. General Wingate Branch 256

Places

Canada

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-11-7

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

73 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1963–2018

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Nate Leipciger. Included are records documenting Nate's involvement with the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Holoaust Remembrance Committee, and the March of the Living, as well as thank you letters from students whom Nate addressed.

Administrative History

Nate Leipciger was born in Chorzów, Poland, in 1928. He survived the Sosnowiec Ghetto and the camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Funfteichen, GrossRosen, Flossenberg, Leonberg, and Dachau. Nate and his father were liberated in May 1945, and immigrated to Canada in 1948. In Toronto Nate attended high school and eventually obtained a university degree in engineering. He later established an engineering firm with several partners. In 1982, Nate chaired the Toronto Holocaust Remembrance Committee, later becoming an executive member of the Canadian Jewish Congress National Holocaust Remembrance Committee. Nate was a member of the International Council to the Museum of Auschwitz-Birkenau for fifteen years and has been an educator on March of the Living trips to Poland and Israel for fifteen years. In 2015, The Azrieli Foundation published Nate's 280-page memoir "The Weight of Freedom" as part of their series of Holocaust memoirs by survivors in Canada. In 2016, Mr. Leipciger guided Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

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

Holocaust survivors

Name Access

Leipciger, Nate, 1928-

Places

Canada

Israel

Poland

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Ladovsky family fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

83

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Date

[ca. 1890]-2012

Physical Description

3.5 cm of textual records

185 photographs : b&w and col. and sepia toned ( 10 negatives, 4 slides, 3 contact prints) ; 26 x 20 cm or smaller

Admin History/Bio

Aaron Ladovsky (1888-1960) was born in 1888 in Kielce, Poland. He immigrated to Toronto in 1906 at the age of 18. Soon after arriving, Aaron Ladovsky worked to help form a Jewish bakers’ union to advocate for collective rights among Jewish Bakers. In 1911 he married Sarah Eichler who was from his home town of Kielce, Poland. In 1912 he opened the United Bakers Dairy Restaurant at Dundas and Bay Streets (known then as Agnes and Terauley Streets respectively) in the heart of the Ward. That same year, the couple had twin sons, Herman and Samuel, who were born on September 23, 1912.

Only a short time later, in 1920, Aaron moved the location of his restaurant to 338 Spadina Avenue, just north of Dundas. He and his family lived in an apartment upstairs. Herman and Samuel attended Hester How Elementary School until 1919, Lord Lansdowne Public School once the family moved to Spadina, and later Central Commerce. The twins worked in the family business in the 1920s delivering fresh breads and buns by horse cart.

Aaron Ladovsky was involved in a number of community organizations. He was instrumental in founding the Kieltzer Society of Toronto in 1913, a community based immigrant-aid association extending aid to Kielcers in Poland and around the world. Ladovsky remained an active member of the organization until his death on April 5, 1960. His restaurant provided a welcome gathering place for the Jewish community, serving traditional dishes and maintaining a friendly open-door policy. Aaron Ladovsky was known for his generosity and claimed that no one, whether they had money or not, left his restaurant hungry. The United Bakers' menu was mainly based on Sarah’s original recipes, and continues to be so to this day.

During the Second World War, Herman served overseas as an electrician in the Canadian army show with comics Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster. After returning from the war, he married Dora Macklin in 1947, a registered nurse from Regina. He also began to take over management of the family business. Later, his son Philip and daughter Ruth would follow in his footsteps, helping to run the restaurant with him and later taking over managment. United Bakers remained on Spadina Avenue for 66 years, until 1986 when it moved to its current location at 506 Lawrence Avenue West, off of Bathurst Street. Herman was an active fixture in restaurant until his death on January 6, 2002. He also supported and was involved in the work of the Ontario Jewish Archives over the years. Today, Philip and Ruth carry on the family tradition of running United Bakers Dairy Restaurant. In May 2012 the restaurant celebrated its 100th anniversary.

Custodial History

The records were donated in multiple small accessions by Herman Ladovsky from 1977 until 2004.

It appears as though previous archivists integrated some materials into a manuscript group relating to Aaron Ladovsky and then later deconstructed a portion of this group into original accessions. Also, a number of periodicals and textual materials from these accessions were integrated into various other manuscript groups and remain there.

One item, a Lord Lansdowne School anniversary booklet which contains a photocopy of Herman's student record, remained in the Aaron Ladovsky manuscript group. This item could not be identified as part of a previous accession, but has been integrated into the fonds as it appears to have been donated by Herman.

Photo #3050 was not associated with an accession number, but documents United Bakers Dairy Restaurant and was likely donated by Herman Ladovsky.

Recent accruals have been donated by Ruth Ladovsky.

Scope and Content

The fonds consists of records documenting the Ladovsky family in Kielce, Poland and Toronto. It is primarily made up of photographs of Ladovsky family members in Kielce and Toronto, and of various organizations that Aaron and Herman were involved in. There are also a few textual records that document the Ladovsky family and their involvement in the Kieltzer Society.

Notes

Newspaper clippings were photocopied and placed in the Aaron Ladovsky vertical file.

Many photographs were originally cited with diifferent numbers. These numbers are mentioned below photo descriptions.

Name Access

Kieltzer Sick Benefit Society (Toronto, Ont.) (subject)

Ladovsky, Aaron, 1888-1960 (creator)

Ladovsky (family)

Ladovsky, Herman, 1912-2002 (creator)

United Bakers Dairy Restaurant (subject)

Related Material

Se MG 2B-1R

See vertical file on Aaron Ladovsky

Arrangement

Records have been organized by media and chronology due to low volume and disparate subject matter. Textual records have been arranged in 17 files. Photographs have been arranged chronologically and are largely described at the item level.

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1977-7-5

1978-12-7

1981-1-2

1983-11-6

1988-4-12

1993-10-1

1994-1-3

1999-11-4

2000-4-4

2004-5-21

2004-5-82

2008-4-9

MG 6 E6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Henry Rosenbaum fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

121

Material Format

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

textual record

Date

1928-2015

Physical Description

247 photographs : b&w and col. (1 negative); 20 x 25 or smaller

13 cm of textual records

Admin History/Bio

Henry "Hanoch" Rosenbaum (1925-2015) was born in Radom, Poland. He was the second youngest of eight children born to Rachel Rosenbaum (née Katz) and Moshe Rosenbaum.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, Herny learned the fate of Radom's Jewish civilian population. Two thirds of Radom's Jewish population were victims of mass murder and perished in the extermination camp Treblinka, immediately following the first liquidation of Radom's large ghetto in August 1942. Henry's parents, two siblings, and their families were among the innocent victims murdered during the Holocaust.

Henry Rosenbaum met his wife Bella Rotbard (1925–2012) while living in an Italian DP camp after the war. Although Bella was also from Radom, she did not know the Rosenbaum family. Bella's parents, her sixteen-year-old sister, and four-year-old brother, as well as most of her parents' extended families, were also victims of the Holocaust.

While in Italy, the Joint Distribution Committee funded "mock kibbutzim," preparing Holocaust survivors for immigration to Palestine and kibbutz life. Bella, a one-time member of the secular Jewish youth movement Hashomer Hatzair, believed that she was destined to be a "kibbutznik," a member of a kibbutz.

In 1946, Bella and Henry immigrated to Palestine as part of the Bricha. The Bricha supported the illegal immigration of Holocaust survivor refugees to Palestine. They spent their first few days in Atlit, a British Mandate detainee camp and soon settled on kibbutz. Bella married Henry in 1946 and moved to an apartment in Ramat Gan. During this time Henry served in the IDF’s motor pool.

Henry, Bella, and their young daughter Brenda (b. 1949) immigrated to Toronto in 1952. With the assistance of a relative, Henry gained employment in a print shop sweeping floors. Henry soon advanced to machine operator and in 1961 opened his own print shop, Trio Press Limited.

Bella worked in the garment industry, sewing collars onto shirts and earned her wages through piece work. She continued working in manufacturing up until the birth of her second child Murray (b. 1961).

Henry Rosenbaum was an active life-long member of the Radom Society and served as editor for their quarterly Yiddish and English journal the Voice of Radom.

Custodial History

Material was in possession of Henry Rosenbaum's daughter Brenda Bornstein.

Scope and Content

Fonds illustrates the family history of Henry Rosenbaum and the life he and his wife Bella Rosenbaum rebuilt in Canada. Photographs document: early life in Poland, displaced persons camp in Italy, immigration to Palestine, military service in the Israel Defense Forces, family life in Israel, immigration and settlement in Canada and many milestone events and celebrations in Toronto, Ontario. Additional photographs of the Radom Society in Toronto. The majority of the photographs were assembled in a scrapbook created by their daughter Brenda Bornstein in celebration of her parents' thirtieth wedding anniversary (1976). In addition, there is a more comprehensive biography written by Henry and Bella's son-in-law Eric Bornstein.

Fonds consists of records relating to Henry Rosenbaum and his affiliation with B’nai Radom. Included are programs and souvenir booklets from the 1962 unveiling of a monument in memory of the Jewish Martyrs and Heroes of Radom and Vicinity (Poland), annual Holocaust remembrance (Yizkor) events published in 1987 and 2010; and a 50th Anniversary of Liberation publication. Books include a Yiddish language bound copy of the Voice of Radom from 1963-1965, an English language bound copy of the Voice of Radom 1983–1989 and Henry Rosenbaum’s personal memoir published in 1995. In addition, there are eight photographs of Henry's great-grandchildren, and a photo of Henry with his daughter Brenda.In addition there is a collection of speeches written by Henry Rosenbaum primarily for family milestone events such as weddings, birthdays, bar mtizvahs, and bat mitzvahs. In addition there is a copy of a presentation made to the Radom Congregation on the occasion of Israel's twenty-fifth year of independence, a Hebrew-language letter of congratulations, and several personal letters written by Murray Rosenbaum (the latter are addressed to his parents while travelling to Israel and Europe). The personal speeches written and delivered by Henry were in honour of the following relatives: Rivi Anklewicz, Marshall Lofchick, Murray Rosenbaum, Elana Aizic, Regina Goldstein, Brenda Rosenbaum, Eric "Ricky" Bornstein, Murray Severin, Robin Severin-Weingort, Rachel Bornstein, Susan Szainwald, Daniel Bornstein, Sholom Rosenbaum, Bella Rosenbaum, Linda Goldstein, and Leon Aizic.

Subjects

Holocaust survivors

Creator

Rosenbaum, Henry, 1925-2015

Places

Poland

Italy

Palestine

Israel

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

2015-10-5

2017-2-13

2019-7-1

Source

Archival Descriptions