Hamilton Jewish Federation (Council of Jewish Organizations) [graphic material, textual record] – 1936-1983.
Accession Number
1986-7-9
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1986-7-9
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
13 m of textual records and graphic material
Date
1936-1983
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the operations of the Hamilton Jewish Federation, the United Jewish Welfare Fund of Hamilton, the Hamilton Talmud Torah, the Jewish Board of Education of Hamilton and the Hamilton Jewish Community Centre. Included are meeting minutes, subject files, correspondence files, newsletters, student files and photographs related to all areas of Jewish life in the city.
Shelf 84-4: Audio Reels (2); posters; ledger; reports
Map Cabinet 1, drawer 8: Chail Folk Ensemble Poster, (January 11, 1975)
Use Conditions
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
MG_RG
MG2 O2A
MG2 O2B
MG2 M2A
MG2 N2A
MG2 G2A
MG2 G2B
Name Access
Hamilton Jewish Federation
Hamilton Jewish Community Centre
Council of Jewish Organizations (Hamilton, Ont.)
United Jewish Welfare Fund (Hamilton, Ont.)
Jewish Board of Education (Hamilton, Ont.)
Places
Hamilton, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Hamilton Jewish Community Centre [textual record] – 1975.
Accession Number
1979-9-9
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1979-9-9
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
1975
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one 25th Anniversary book for the Hamilton Jewish Community Centre.
MG_RG
MG 2 N2A
Subjects
Anniversaries
Name Access
Hamilton Jewish Community Centre
Places
Hamilton, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Beth Jacob Congregation (Hamilton, Ont.) [textual record] – 1969.
Accession Number
1979-9-37
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1979-9-37
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
2 cm of textual records (1 vol.)
Date
1969
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a book entitled "History of Beth Jacob Congregation, 1896-1969", published in honour of the Hamilton congregation's 80th anniversary.
Administrative History
Beth Jacob Congregation was founded in 1886 by an Orthodox faction of the Reform Congregation Anshe Sholom, who withdrew from the congregation three years earlier to form an Orthodox minyan, due to differing views on the celebration of Rosh Hashanah.
Descriptive Notes
Beth Jacob Congregation.
Hamilton.
Multicultural History Society of Ontario.
Subjects
Anniversaries
Synagogues
Name Access
Beth Jacob Synagogue (Hamilton, Ont.)
Places
Hamilton, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Gryfe family [graphic material] – [between 1910 and 1915].
Accession Number
2007-6-22
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-6-22
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w ; 9 x 13 cm
Date
[between 1910 and 1915]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a photograph of Sam Gryfe with his family and the Silverman family, and a photo of Sam Gryfe with a horse and cart in Hamilton, Ontario.
Descriptive Notes
Related material note: See photo #4517 for another photo of Sam Gryfe with his horse and cart in Hamilton.
Name Access
Gryfe, Sam
Places
Hamilton, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Jack Shapiro - 1973
Name
Jack Shapiro
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
1973
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Jack Shapiro
Number
OH 31
Interview Date
1973
Quantity
1
Interviewer
Morris Silbert
AccessionNumber
1978-2-2
Conservation
Copied August 2003
Use Restrictions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Conditional access. Researchers must receive permission from the interviewee or their heir prior to accessing the interview. Please contact the OJA for more information.
Biography
Jack served as a private in the 4th Division Algonquin Tank Corps in the Canadian military in Holland. He worked as a pants presser in Toronto when he first emigrated from Poland in 1927. He lived in both Toronto and Hamilton.
Material Format
sound recording
Geographic Access
Toronto, Ont.
Hamilton, Ont.
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Digital file
Transcript
G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 31 - Shapiro\OH31_Log.doc
Source
Oral Histories
Apter Synagogue, 1918-unknown
Address
216 Beverley Street
Source
Landmarks

The Apter Synagogue was formed by a group of people who came to Toronto from the area of Opatow (Apt) in Poland around the turn of the century. They first established a small synagogue on Centre Avenue near Dundas Street in the Ward. In 1918, in anticipation of more Apter immigrants coming to Toronto after the First World War, the synagogue was sold and a larger one purchased on Beverley Street. Both the synagogue members and the Apter Friendly Society met there.
Address
216 Beverley Street
Time Period
1918-unknown
Scope Note
The Apter Synagogue was formed by a group of people who came to Toronto from the area of Opatow (Apt) in Poland around the turn of the century. They first established a small synagogue on Centre Avenue near Dundas Street in the Ward. In 1918, in anticipation of more Apter immigrants coming to Toronto after the First World War, the synagogue was sold and a larger one purchased on Beverley Street. Both the synagogue members and the Apter Friendly Society met there.
History
In later years, a bitter controversy between the synagogue and society erupted and the building was sold.
Category
Political
Religious
Private Clubs
Source
Landmarks
  View on the map
Michael Cohen [moving images, textual record, textual record (electronic)] – 1988-2001.
Accession Number
2014-1-16
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-1-16
Material Format
moving images
textual record
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
1 document (electronic)
4 DVDs
1 scrapbook
Date
1988-2001
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material relating to the Maccabees Royal Canadian Legion branch 343, including a 1998 membership register, poppy sale information, correspondence and notes regarding Ben Sussman's application for a lifetime membership, information about the ticket sales and a copy of the certificate from 1997 JNF tribute dinner that honoured Albert and Pearl Cohen, and planning notes for the 50th anniversary banquet of the Maccabees in 1995. The accession also contains the draft of Albert Cohen's speech that he presented at the 50th anniversary dinner, as well as newspaper clippings from the Hamilton Jewish News and the Canadian Jewish News relating to the Maccabees, two certificates from the Grand Order of Israel Benefit Society recognizing Albert Cohen's 40 years of membership and an award of merit, and a eulogy in Yiddish, with some translation, written by a father about the son he lost, Balinson, in the line of duty. The DVDs contain footage from the 1997 JNF dinner honouring the Cohens, including Pearl Cohen speaking about early Hamilton, one clip from 1994 of Albert Cohen telling the history of the Maccabees, and video from the 50th anniversary dinner of the Maccabees where there were various speakers including an address by the guest speaker, Commander Sam Pasternack, who spoke about the contribution of Jewish soldiers in WWII (DVD, Maccabees dinner part 3).
Custodial History
Michael Cohen is the son of Albert and Pearl Cohen, and was in possession of the records prior to donating them.
Administrative History
Albert Cohen (1918-2006) who also went by the nickname "Boomie," was born on November 12, 1918 in Hamilton, Ontario. Pearl Cohen (nee Chaunce) (1919-2008) was born in Hamilton on September 2, 1919. Albert and Pearl married in 1941. In the same year, Albert volunteered to serve in the army as a staff sargeant stationed in Hamilton. He was later discharged in May 1946 after the war. Albert then joined Hamilton's Maccabees, Branch 343 of the Royal Canadian Legion. The branch was founded in 1947 and had a membership of 150 people. The Maccabees' membership was made up of Jewish veterans of WWII, and some veterans of WWI. The branch held meetings in Hamilton's Jewish centre. Albert served as president of the branch for almost 20 years, from 1975 to around 2000. The Maccabees were quite active, and helped raise money by selling poppies for Remembrance Day. The money raised would be sent to general hospitals, veterans hospitals, and families of needy veterans. Albert passed away on August 7, 2006, and Pearl passed away April 18, 2008.
Subjects
Canada--Armed Forces
World War, 1939-1945
Name Access
Cohen, Albert, 1918-2006
Cohen, Pearl, 1919-2008
Places
Hamilton, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Nancy Levy [moving images] – 1957-1967.
Accession Number
2015-9-33
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-33
Material Format
moving images
Physical Description
2 VHS tapes
13 film reels : 8 mm
Date
1957-1967
Scope and Content
Accession consists of home movies documenting the Levy family of Hamilton, Ontario. Included is footage of birthday parties, children playing at their home and in parks, swimming, sailing, a football game at Ivor Wynne Stadium, a trip to Algonquin Park, family picnics, and trips to Quebec and New York.
Administrative History
Nancy Levy was born in 1951 to Corinne (née Cohn) and Edgar Levy. (Corinne and Edgar's name was originally Moshe Noss. He was born in the Ukraine and orphaned at an early age. Around 1921 he immigrated to Canada through the help of a Mr. Grafstein. Once in Canada, Edgar and his brothers were adopted into different families. The Levy family adopted Edgar and he took their name.
Edgar married Corrine Cohn in 1946. Edgar had a business in Hamilton called Piston Service, which was a wholesaler for car parts. Corrine drove a truck for this business and eventually became the bookkeeper for another firm. After marriage, they lived in Hamilton at 18 West Third.
Nancy had two younger siblings: Ann (1956–) and Lois (1958–2018). She married Wayne Greenberg in 1979 and they divorced around 1985. She studied medical lab technology at a community college and worked at various hospitals and businesses, including Henderson Hospital in Hamilton and Baycrest.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Levy family
Places
Hamilton, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions