Accession Number
1998-3-30
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1998-3-30
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 18 x 13 cm and 10 x 13 cm
Date
[ca.1930]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a copy print and corresponding negative of Boruch Mordechai Himmel. Boruch also went by the name of Benjamin.
Administrative History
Boruch Himmel was the grandfather of Brooky Robins. He was a peddler who lived at 18 Kensington Avenue, Toronto. He was born in 1859 and died in December 1934. He is buried in Roselawn Cemetery, Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim section.
Subjects
Peddlers
Name Access
Himmel, Benjamin, 1859-1934
Himmel, Boruch, 1859-1934
Places
Kensington Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1994-9-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1994-9-3
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
1922
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a campaign postcard in Yiddish that reads: "Claude Pearce for Alderman- Ward 4". Ward 4 comprised Kensington Market and the Garment District and was known as "the Jewish Ward".
Administrative History
Claude Pearce ran for a positiion on the Toronto City Council in the Municipal Election of January 1, 1923. He came in third, losing to Ethel Small.
Subjects
Neighborhoods
Political campaigns
Name Access
Pearce, Claude
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
St. John's Ward (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1982-7-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1982-7-6
Material Format
object
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
1 poster
3 cm of textual records
Artifacts
Date
1928-[ca. 1944]
Scope and Content
This accession includes a Standard Theatre poster for the play Sheindele from Slabodke, staring Mischa and Lucy German (1928). This production was also known as Papirosn-makherin (Cigarette Maker) and Reizele from Slabodke and was staged in 1927 in the Hopkinson Theatre then in Philadelphia with Clara Young, Lucy German, and Vera Rosanka.
Also included are pages from a scrapbook with Jewish Standard editorial writings from the 1930s by Hye Bossin. Topics include life on Spadina Avenue and in Kensinton Market, Yiddish entertainers, Emma Goldman's visit to Toronto, Caplan's Cafe, athletes, and the Toronto Islands. As well, there is a metal plate for F. B. Harris, circa 1944, with an inscription on it in memory of Sgt. F. B. Harris who "died in his country's service 6 June, 1944."
Descriptive Notes
Availability of other formats: The Standard Theatre poster and Emma Goldman interview are available as digital files.
Subjects
Newspapers
Theatrical posters, Yiddish
Name Access
Bossin, Hye
Goldman, Emma, 1869-1940
Harris, Fred. B.
Standard Theatre (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2004-1-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2004-1-6
Material Format
architectural drawing
Physical Description
7 drawings : blueline prints ; 61 x 50 cm
Date
[ca. 1923]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Kiever Synagogue in downtown Toronto. Included are architectural drawings of south and west elevations, cross section, details of window frames and balcony basement, the ground floor, and roof and balcony plans. Benjamin Swartz was the architect.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Subjects
Synagogue architecture
Name Access
Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Swartz, Benjamin, 1899-1961
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2004-3-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2004-3-6
Material Format
textual record
architectural drawing
Physical Description
12 drawings: blueline and pencil: 111 x 77cm or smaller
1 folder of textual material
Date
1924-1981
Scope and Content
This accession consists of the original architectural plans of the Kiever Synagogue in Kensington Market as well as plans drawn by Martin Mendelow for the Synagogue's restoration in the early 1980s. Also included is a Mendelow drawing of the Minsk Synagogue and textual materials relating to the Kiever
Custodial History
Materials were kept by Martin Mendelow
Administrative History
Martin Mendelow is a well known architect working in the Toronto area. His professional association with the Kiever Synagogue began when he was hired as architect of the Synagogue's restoration, which was completed in the early 1980s
Subjects
Architecture
Synagogues
Name Access
Anshei Minsk Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)
Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Menedelow, Martin
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1977-11-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1977-11-1
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records (1 vol.)
Date
1953-1956
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one bound register documenting the students of the Toronto Hebrew Free School (Brunswick Talmud Torah) in Toronto from 1953 to 1956.
MG_RG
MG2G1E
Subjects
Schools
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Brunswick Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1985-11-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1985-11-2
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
1 slide : col.
Date
1983
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a coloured slide of the former UJA Federation Building at 152 Beverley Street.
Subjects
Architecture
Name Access
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Places
Beverley Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1999-6-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1999-6-4
Material Format
moving images
Physical Description
1 videocassette (ca. 10 min.) : col., si.
Date
1958
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one videocassette documenting the dedication of Sefer Torah scrolls held by the Shidlover Shul on D'Arcy Street in Toronto. The scrolls were brought to the shul from 3181 Bathurst Street by Jake and Esther Miltz and Rose and Nathan Weisblatt. They were transported to D'Arcy and Spadina Avenue and marched into the shul from Spadina Avenue going east. The celebration was held at the Weisblatt's home. Footage was originally filmed by Dr. Aaron Weisblatt on super 8 mm.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Torah scrolls
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
D'Arcy Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2006-1-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2006-1-3
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
3 photographs : b&w ; 9 x 12 cm
Date
Aug. 1956
Scope and Content
Accession consists of three photographs of Kensington Market taken by the donor. Depicted is the Augusta Fruit Market, Lottman's Bakery and an unidentified general store.
Custodial History
Photographs were in the possession of Wilfred Grosman.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Markets
Name Access
Augusta Fruit Market
Lottman's Bakery
Grosman, Wilfred
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-10-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-10-5
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
1977-2003
Scope and Content
Accession consists of materials documenting Congregation Iyr Hamelich, the Reform synagogue in Kingston. The records include the constitution, Sunday school minutes and policy documents, synagogue bulletins, correspondence and "Welcome to our Congregation" booklets.
Subjects
Religion
Name Access
Congregation Iyr Hamelich
Places
Kingston, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-6-9
Source
Archival Accessions
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
Name
Joseph Fremar
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
14 May 1974
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Joseph Fremar
Number
OH 21
Subject
Business
Food
Occupations
Interview Date
14 May 1974
Quantity
2 cassettes (1 copy)
1 MP3 file
Interviewer
Bess Shockett
Total Running Time
12:59 minutes
Conservation
Copied to cassette tape in August 2003.
Digitized in June 2010.
Use Restrictions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Biography
Joseph "Joe the Orange Man" Fremar was a produce merchant in Kensington Market and opened his location at 234 Augusta Avenue in 1938. Fremar, commonly referred to as the "Orange Man," was a member of the Kiever Synagogue.
Material Format
sound recording
Name Access
Fremar, Joseph
Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Shockett, Bess
Geographic Access
Augusta Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Digital file
Source
Oral Histories

In this clip, Joseph Fremar, also known as "Joe the Orange Man," talks about the social politics and financial expectations around belonging to certain Toronto synagogues versus others.

In this clip, Joseph Fremar, also known as "Joe the Orange Man," talks about the changing population of Toronto

Name
Jennie Goldstein and Mr. and Mrs. Boris Coopersmith
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
26 Jan. 1975
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Jennie Goldstein and Mr. and Mrs. Boris Coopersmith
Number
OH 147
OH 148
Subject
Theater, Yiddish
Interview Date
26 Jan. 1975
Quantity
2
Interviewer
Stephen Spiesman
Total Running Time
OH147A: 44. minutes
OH148B: 45. minutes
Conservation
Copied August 2003
Use Restrictions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Biography
Jennie Goldstein emigrated from Russia to Toronto in 1914. While living and working in the Ward, Jennie married Harry Goldstein, who was noted as both a "dresser" and an actor in Toronto's Lyric and Standard Theatres. After Harry's passing, Jennie became a supplier of costumes for the Yiddish theatre. In 1920, to help support the family, Jennie opened a deli stand alongside the original Shopsy's deli located in the area of Kensington Market. Jennie and Harry's daughter Bess married Boris Coppersmith whose parents, Yossel and Nessie, owned a variety store at Spadina Avenue and Baldwin Street.
Material Format
sound recording
Name Access
Coopersmith, Bess
Coopersmith, Boris
Goldstein, Jennie
Harris, Harry
Lyric Theatre
Pasternak, Chanina
Speisman, Stephen
Standard Theatre (Toronto, Ont.)
Geographic Access
St. John's Ward (Toronto, Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Digital file
Source
Oral Histories

In this clip, Jennie Goldstein describes the early years of Toronto's Yiddish theatres such as the Tivoli and the Standard and cantors such as Harry Harris and Chanina Pasternak.

In this clip, Jennie Goldstein describes the performances and cantors of the Lyric Theatre circa 1914.

Name
David Pinkus
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
10 Dec. 2013
Source
Oral Histories
Name
David Pinkus
Number
OH 413
Subject
Synagogues
Talmud Torah (Judaism)
Interview Date
10 Dec. 2013
Quantity
1 digital file
Interviewer
Dara Solomon
Total Running Time
1:15 min
Biography
David Pinkus (1924–2021) was born in 1924 in Toronto, the son of Molly and Isadore Pinkus, and spent his entire life living in the Kensington Market area. Pinkus, whose family were founding members of the Kiever Shul, held positions on the executive, served as president, and played a principal role in the shul's restoration. Pinkus served on the boards of the Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals. David was an active community leader and local historian. He passed away on 6 May 2021.
Material Format
moving images
Name Access
Salsberg, J. B.,1902-1998
Geographic Access
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
DVD
Transcript
00:15: David Pinkus was born on 11 May 1924 at the Toronto General Hospital. He comments that he later served on the boards for the Toronto General and Toronto Western Hospitals. 00:56: David’s mother, Machla ("Molly") (née Parlstein), was born in Podolya Gobernya in Komenesk Podolsk in 1892. The family likely moved to Ukraine. 2:33: David’s father was born in Chmelnyk, Ukraine in Kiever Gobernya in 1887. 3:20: David’s maternal grandfather was a manager of a royal estate. He describes the tragic end to his grandfather’s position. 4:32: David’s paternal grandfather was in the cattle business. 4:49: David’s parents met and married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on 16 October 1910. He describes how and when they came to Milwaukee. 6:06: David’s maternal grandmother’s name was ?Mazerovsky, later changed to Mazer. 7:01: David’s father moved to Toronto in 1911. His mother arrived soon after, also in 1911. They lived in the Ward on Edward Street between Bay and Yonge Streets. They lived with Moshe Brodsky. 8:18: David describes his father’s various jobs. His father finally became a fruit and vegetable wholesaler servicing merchants in Kensington Market. 9:04: David’s family was one of the first settlers to Kensington in about 1914. He discusses where they lived. 10:29: David explains that many lantzmen (fellow Jews from the same area) came to Kensingon. His father was one of the founders of the Kiever Synagogue. 11:32: David speaks fondly of his mother. 12:40: David describes their family’s religious observance. 14:04: David’s father belonged to Sons of Abraham, a sick benefit society. He describes the services of the society. 15:04: David’s brother, Max, was born on 6 July 1912. His sister, Goldie, was born in February 1916. 15:43: The language of the home was Yiddish, but kids answered in English. 16:00: David attended the Brunswick Talmud Torah daily. David learned Hebrew but not literate Yiddish. 16:50: David describes the area where he lived. He was born on 83 Huron Street. He mentions a water reservoir from D’Arcy to Dundas that was built in the 1800s for the fire department. 18:24:The Kielcer Shul was on the corner of Dundas Street, and the Narayaver Shul was across the street from David’s home. David describes his home. 19:10: David’s family moved to 34 Nassau Street in 1927. At the same time, the Kiever Shul was being built. 20:01: David explains that many Jews from Ukraine, including his father, initially were left-leaning and politically supportive of Joe Salsberg. 21:08: David shares some early memories of growing up in the Kensington Market district. 23:13: David attended the William (?)Houston School on 21 Nassau Street, which was built in 1924. He discusses the history of this building: institute of trades, a forerunner of Ryerson; then welfare outlet; then an air force base during the war; later became part of George Brown College; lofts were built. 24:40: David describes the ethnic make-up of the Kensington area. He mentions some of his friends from the neighbourhood: Leonard Brathwaite, the first Black member of Ontario legislature; Jack Allen, an alderman and reeve of East York; and Carl Cole of Cole’s books. 26:58: David had his bar mitzvah in the Kiever Shul. 27:20: David discusses his school history. William Houston School was a junior school where he stayed until 1930. He attended Ryerson Public School until grade eight. He mentions some of his teachers. 30:31: David discusses his involvement with sports at Harbord Collegiate and YMHA on Brunswick Avenue. 31:05: David attended Harbord School for high school until 1943. 32:14: David explains how he finished high school early in order to work on a farm to help during the Second World War. He describes the transportation. 34:36: David describes his four-year program in mechanical engineering with the School of Engineering at the University of Toronto commencing in September 1943. 36:52: David describes his career as an engineer. 37:16: David discusses the difficulties encountered by Jews in the field of engineering. 38:07: David shares an anecdote about a friend, Joe Berman, who struggled to find a job in engineering physics but later helped join up with F. Diamond to start Cadillac construction and joined with Fairview Corporation. 41:15: David discusses his work: Good Year for one year. He returned to the University of Toronto to teach engineering drawing and machine design. He found a job with CIL in ?Maitland. 43:58: David’s father died in 1947. David’s sister, Goldie, was handicapped from poliomyelitis from age three. 44:36: David returned to Toronto. He worked in Toronto Iron Works. He discusses his work. He describes how he became part of the engineering team for the Avro Aero from 1954–1958 and describes the design work. 51:49: David discusses his involvement with the Kiever Shul after his father’s death. 52:28: Goldie died in 1973. 53:30: David discusses his involvement with the executive of the Kiever Shul. 53:55 David speaks of the struggle of the shul in 1960s with the shift in Jewish population. David discusses the past membership: forty-to-fifty members in 1912, about 150 members in 1920s. With declining membership, they considered selling the shul and moving north in the 1960s. He mentions other shuls that sold their buildings. 56:30: The shul decided to remain but was in disrepair. 57:18: David discusses being approached in the early 1970s by members of the Archives Committee who proposed the creation of a tour called “Sense of Spadina,” featuring the architect Benjamin Swartz. David identifies some of the key players. 59:03: Mr. Sefton from the Jewish Historical Society suggested the restoration of the Kiever Shul to maintain historical heritage. David discusses the formation of a committee. He discusses how funds were raised to start the restoration project: joint funding between Ontario Historical Society and the Jewish community. 61:40: David reports that the project was cut back due to lack of funds. The shul continued to receive a stipend from Canadian Jewish Congress. 65:35: David discusses the stained glass windows and how they raise money for the ongoing projects. 66:50: David speaks of members, some of whom are original members. 68:20: David describes the shul as Modern Orthodox. 70:02: David speaks of his mother’s declining health for the last years of her life. His mother passed away in 1990. 72:15: David refers to chapter 6 of the book “Kensington” to highlight his non-vocational career that describes his community involvement (e.g., participating in saving the Kensington community, involvement with the Spadina Expressway, steward of Kiever Shul). 73:45: David has been recognized by the National Jewish Federation of North America as a Jewish community hero in 2011.
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Charna Galper
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
15 Aug. 2018
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Charna Galper
Number
OH 448
Subject
Immigrants--Canada
Synagogues
Camps
Musicians
Yiddish language
Yiddish literature
Interview Date
15 Aug. 2018
Quantity
1 MP4 file
Interviewer
Naomi Raichyk
Total Running Time
1:42 minutes
Biography
Charna Galper was born in 1921 in Bershet, Ukraine and immigrated with her family to Toronto in 1923. Charna grew up and lived in the Kensington Market area until 1955, when she moved north of the downtown core. Charna attended Landsdowne Public School and Harbord Collegiate, where she graduated as a legal secretary. She was a member of Hashomer Haztair and attended its summer camp at the Stroud, Ontario location. Charna married Abe Galper in 1947. Abe's career as a musician allowed them to travel to New York, Israel, and China. Charna has volunteered for Circle of Care and today spends her time pursuing her interest in Yiddish and attending programs at the Baycrest Centre.
Material Format
moving images
Geographic Access
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Transcript
0:40: Charna born in 1921 in Bershet, Urkaine, tells the story of how she her parents and siblings fled Ukraine for Canada. Sponsored by Joe and Philip Finkler her mother’s brothers, the family arrived in Toronto in 1923. 3:24: Charna describes the living conditions of the family’s first home at 237 Beverley St., Fitzroy Terrace in the Kensington area and Grange Ave. 4:55: Charna talks about her elder sister’s contracting diphtheria and the resulting quarantine her family had to endure 5:2: Charna talks her parents first home at 210 Robert St. and the family’s move to Albany Ave. 6:15: Charna describes in detail the family’s living conditions prior to their move to 210 Robert St. 7:15: Charna talks about some of the challenges her parents faced when they first came to Toronto. She describes the hardships her father endured working as a carpenter during the depression 9:40: Charna talks about Joe and Philip Finkler as instrumental in helping her parents buy the house on Robert St. in 1926, the year her brother Shloime was born 10:00: Charna recalls some memories of the Robert St neighborhood, a closely knit Jewish immigrant community with Yiddish spoken as the primary language and her experiences at the Landsdowne Public school 11:40: Charna recalls her grandmother as being a wonderful davener 13:00: Charna talks about the details of the Robert St. house mortgage 14:1: Charna talks about her first job working for Harry Grainer as a legal secretary and later with Lou Rasminsky, the first Jewish governor of the Bank of Canada. 15:33: Charna recalls the area around Rasminsky’s storefront at 418 Spadina Ave. Spadina was filled with many businesses, egg stores, Hyman’s bookstore and Goodmans on the corner of Oxford, “we all knew each other, it was a leibedik velt. 16:00: Charna talks in more detail about her job as a legal secretary for Lou Rasminsky 18.45: Charna describes her daily walk to Harbord Collegiate 19:30: Charna talks about not having enough money for carfare and riding the bus for free 20:33: Charna talks about her best friend Rose Ruskin 21:35: Charna talks about how as a child she was spoiled by her older sisters Nechama and Ethel 22:04: Charna talks about helping with the household chores 22:15: Charna describes family laundry day on Sunday. We had laundry tubs in the backyard, my sisters and I had scrubbing boards and my mother was good at wringing, it was a team effort 22:46: Charna talks about the Kosoys who owned a home laundry at Borden and Harbord St. They had what was called wet wash, they would bring the clean laundry back to us wet and we would hang it to dry. 23:27: Charna talks about getting their first refrigerator 23:41: Charna describes their first refrigerator 24:01: Charna describes their icebox and Katz the iceman who came once a week to deliver ice 24:44: Charna talks about buying groceries on credit 25:37: Charna talks about why her parents wanted her to go to school rather than working in a factory 25:50: Charna talks about helping with the shopping in Kensington market 26:05: Charna talks about going to Kensington market on Thursday morning to buy a big carp, bring it home, put it in the tub until Friday morning when her grandmother would kill it and turn it into gefilte fish 27:33: Charna describes her own gefilte fish recipe 28:35: Charna recalls going to the market on Friday to buy a live chicken for Shabbat and taking it to the Schoichet on Major St. to be killed and plucked 29:03: Charna describes how to hold a live chicken 29:23: Charna describes bargaining for goods in the market 30:41: Charna recalls the pickled crabapple treats from a delicatessen located at Dundas in Kensington Market 32:04: Charna recalls Tryman’s family run grocery store on Baldwin St., Little Eaton’s on Kensington that sold Eaton’s castoffs, Hyman’s bookstore on Spadina Ave that sold office supplies, religious books and had a registry for bar-mitzvahs and weddings. 34:45: Charna describes her brother Shloime’s bar-mitzvah held at their Robert St. home and catered by her grandmother 35:42: Charna recalls about the days when her grandmother was a caterer in Russia and also in Toronto 37:12: Charna describes her grandmother’s cooking 37:49: Charna talks about her grandmother as a very orthodox woman who wore both a sheitel and kerchief 38.22: Charna talks about the family’s traditional observance of Shabbos and Jewish holidays, the Russian Shul on Centre St, and her grandmother’s cooking for Rosh Hashanah 40:36: Charna talks about the Russian Shul’s move to Markham St. and describes its interior 42:39: Charna talks about Joe and Philip Finkler’s connection with the Kiever Shul 43:42: Charna talks about her grandmother’s passing in 1939 44:04: Charna talks about her sisters Elsie and Nechama 45:35: Charna talks about her surprise birthday party in celebration of her 95th year 46:08: Charna talks about her sister Nechama’s move to Palestine 46:34: Charna talks about her father in-law’s move to Palestine in 1930 47:30: Charna talks about her involvement with Hashomer Hatzair 49:24: Charna talks about Hashomer Hatzair’s summer camp locations in Keswick, Stroud, Parry Sound, and Lake Ooty in Perth, Ontario 50:25: Charna describes her camp experience at the Stroud location 52:05: Charna talks about accompanying her husband Abe, a clarinet teacher to camp Hashomer Hatzair in Perth, Ontario 52:59: Charna talks about her past and present affiliation with schlichim coming to Toronto 53:45: Charna talks about her affiliation with Pioneer Women, now known as Na’amat 54:32: Charna tells the story of how she met her husband Abe in 1947 57:18: Charna describes her first date with Abe 57:43: Charna talks about walking with Abe to the Tivoli theatre at Victoria and Shuter. “Who used cars, who used streetcars, we walked. On the way back I got the most terrible blisters, I was with new shoes, with high heels.” 58:26: Charna continues to describe her first date with Abe 59:01: Charna describes the inside of the Tivoli theatre 59:49: Charna talks about City Dairy where she and Abe went for ice cream on their first date. City Dairy was located at Spadina Crescent near College St. 1:00:36: Charna explains why she and Abe decided to get their marriage license in May 1948 1:02:08: Charna talks about the attraction she and Abe had for one another 1:02:42: Charna talks about her wedding held in the family’s backyard at Albany Ave. in August of 1948 1:04:47: Charna describes her wedding cake and how she preserved it in a tin box until her 25th wedding anniversary 1:06:04 Charna talks about her first apartment with Abe at College and Crawford 1:06:52: Charna talks the period following her marriage and her mother’s stroke 1:07:45: Charrna talks about her first pregnancy and birth of Batsheva in November 1949 1:07:54: Charna talks about moving into her parent’s home on Albany St. 1:09:25: Charna talks about thinking of buying their own home 1:10:16 Charna talks about why they waited a year before moving into their own home. She explains everything she needed was close by the house on Albany, including Starkman’s and Honest Ed’s. 1:11:28: Charna describes their first house as it looked when they moved in 1955 1:12:14: Charna talks about the shifting demographics of the neighborhood from primarily Gentile to Jewish 1:12:40: Charna talks about the neighborhood Daysbury public school her children attended 1:12:55: Charna talks about how life became easier for them when Abe’s work with the symphony increased from 26 weeks to 42 weeks a season 1:13:34: Charna talks about the death of her mother before the move to their own home and her father who moved in with them 1:13:50: Charna talks about Abe’s music students and his work with the Conservatory 1:14:26: Charna talks about her 2 youngest children attending the Bialik School 1:14:59: Charna gives the ages of her 5 children, Batsheva 69 years old, Chaya 68 years old, Devora 64 years old, Penina 56 years old, and Yanke 55 years old1:16:03 1:14:60: Break in interview as Charna speaks with her daughter Devora 1:17:40: Charna talks about Abe’s relationship with her parents 1:18:07: Charna talks about Abe’s career as a musician 1:19:02: Charna talks about Abe playing for the Israel Philharmonic in 1962 and their thoughts about making Aliyah 1:19:39: Charna talks about their return from Israel to Toronto, his work with the conservatory and some of his music students 1:20:36: Charna talks about Abe’s medical condition 1:20:51: Charna talks about how she and Abe worked as a team 1:21:11: Charna talks about accompanying Abe to New York when he played with the New York Philharmonic 1:22:08: Charna talks about Abe’s work following his heart attack 1:22:22: Charna talks about Abe giving a master class in Israel for Israeli clarinetists 1:24:00: Charna talks about Abe’s experience playing with the Palestine Symphony 1:26:25: Charna talks about how she came to know famous people such as Frank Shuster, John (Louie) Wayne, Sylvia and Ben Lennick, and pianist Leo Barkin 1:29:14: Charna talks about musicians from Israel who moved to Toronto 1:31:08: Break in conversation as Charna gets up from her chair 1:31:57: Charna talks about her children being what is most important to her 1:32:41: Charna talks about her son Jacob’s 25th wedding anniversary 1:33:15: Charna talks about her current interest in Yiddish, going to the Baycrest program and meeting interesting people 1:36:13: Charna talks accompanying Abe to China during a 3 week master class program 1:40:17: Charna talks about the evening’s upcoming anniversary party and invited guests 1:42:00: Charna talks about her service volunteering for Circle of Care and the Jewish elderly 1:42:33: Charna talks about learning to drive her first car, a blue and white chevy with wings
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Anne Stein
Material Format
moving images
Interview Date
10 Dec. 2018
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Anne Stein
Number
OH 450
Subject
Arab-Israeli conflict
Beauty operators
Canadian newspapers
Immigrants--Canada
Jewish neighborhoods
Refugees
Revisionist Zionism
United States--Politics and government
Interview Date
10 Dec. 2018
Interviewer
Naomi Raichyk
Total Running Time
1 hr. 25 min.
Biography
Anne Stein was born in Ostrowitz, Poland in 1919. She immigrated to Canada in 1936 and worked as a hairdresser in Toronto's Kensington Market. She married her husband in 1941. After the war, she had two children, the first born in 1945 and the second in 1950. It was in the 1950s that Anne moved to the Cedarvale area of Toronto. Anne continued to be involved in the Jewish community after the move.
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Abella, Irving, 1940-2022
Betar
Beth Sholom Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Clinton, Hillary Rodham
Hebrew Men of England Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Jabotinsky, Vladimir, 1880-1940
King, William Lyon Mackenzie, 1874-1950
Klein, Naomi, 1970-
Obama, Barack
Shaarei Tefillah (Toronto, Ont.)
Stein, Anne, 1919-
Trump, Donald, 1946-
Geographic Access
Augusta Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Chicago (Ill.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Israel
Poland
Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Source
Oral Histories
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 1; Item 42
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Portraits series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
1
Item
42
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1955]
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 18 x 13 cm
Admin History/Bio
Cantor Rubien (Reuben) Schwebel was a well-known cantor in Toronto. Most notably, he became the cantor of the Anshei Minsk Synagogue in Kensington Market in 1949, and led the congregation in Shabbat and holiday services for over fifty years.
Scope and Content
Item is a portrait of Cantor Rubien Schwebel.
Name Access
Anshei Minsk Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Schwebel, Rubien
Subjects
Cantors (Judaism)
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Events and organizations series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 3; Item 11
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Events and organizations series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
3
Item
11
Material Format
graphic material
Date
3 Oct. 1960
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 10 x 13 cm
Scope and Content
Item is a group image of the officers of the Cloakmakers' Union, taken at the Labour Lyceum at 348 Spadina Avenue.
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Events and organizations series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 18; Series 3; File 53
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Events and organizations series
Level
File
Fonds
18
Series
3
File
53
Material Format
graphic material
Date
Sept. 1960
Physical Description
19 negatives : b&w ; 10 x 13 cm
Scope and Content
File consists of images taken during a Cloakmakers' Union rally. The images depict garment workers arriving at and participating in the rally held at the Victory Theatre (Standard) on Spadina Avenue. Images include workers standing in front of 468 King Street West, also known as the Samuel and Benjamin Building, just west of Spadina Avenue, as well as in front of Lou Leed's Agencies in the Darling Building and in front of the Tower Building, both located on Spadina Avenue. The Title Dress building on the southwest corner can be seen in the background. Also included are photos of a group of workers walking up Spadina Avenue at Camden Street, workers getting off of chartered city buses stopped just below D'Arcy Street and the workers entering the Victory, seated inside the theatre and several images of officers of the union speaking on stage at the podium. There is also one photograph of workers walking along Spadina Avenue beneath the awning of the Victory (Standard) Theatre in which the Hebrew Men of England Synagogue can be faintly seen in the background.
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Related Material
Prints of a couple of these images are located in accession 1984-1-6.
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Events and organizations series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 18; Series 3; File 54
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Events and organizations series
Level
File
Fonds
18
Series
3
File
54
Material Format
graphic material
Date
28 Jun. 1961
Physical Description
5 negatives : b&w ; 10 x 13 cm
Scope and Content
File consists of images of members of the Cloakmakers' Union, taken at the Labor Lyceum on Spadina Avenue. The images depict several members signing cheques and the officers of the union addressing the crowd.
Name Access
Labor Lyceum (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Labor unions
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Businesses series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 2; Item 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Businesses series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
2
Item
1
Material Format
graphic material
Date
16 May 1959
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 10 x 13 cm
Scope and Content
Item is a negative of the exterior of F. Goldstien's (sic) butcher shop at the corner of Augusta and Baldwin Avenues in Kensington Market.
Name Access
F. Goldstien Butcher Shop
Subjects
Storefronts
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Places
Augusta Avenue (Toronto. Ont.)
Baldwin Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Businesses series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 18; Series 2; Item 2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Gordon Mendly fonds
Businesses series
Level
Item
Fonds
18
Series
2
Item
2
Material Format
graphic material
Date
16 May 1959
Physical Description
1 negative : b&w ; 10 x 13 cm
Scope and Content
Item is a negative of the exterior of Percy's Fruit Market, 232 Augusta Avenue, at the corner of Augusta Avenue and Nassau Street in Kensington Market.
Name Access
Percy's Fruit Market
Subjects
Markets
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Places
Augusta Avenue (Toronto. Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Nassau Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Jewish community building plans and drawings series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 49; Series 1; File 3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Jewish community building plans and drawings series
Level
File
Fonds
49
Series
1
File
3
Material Format
architectural drawing
Date
[ca. 1922]
Physical Description
1 architectural drawing : pencil and hand col., watercolour, on cardboard backed paper ; 90 x 73 cm
Admin History/Bio
The Brunswick Avenue Talmud Torah Day School was established in 1907 and was originally situated on Simcoe Avenue. In 1922 the school received a charter from the Province of Ontario and relocated to Brunswick Avenue the same year. The new school opened in 1925 as a non-denominational afternoon school. It was the precursor to the Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto.
Scope and Content
File consists of one drawing of the exterior of the Brunswick Avenue Talmud Torah.
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Related Material
See File 49-5-13 for plans of the Yorkville Talmud Torah Day School in New York, designed by Benjamin W. Levitan.
Places
Brunswick Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Commercial building plans and drawings series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 49; Series 3; File 35
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Commercial building plans and drawings series
Level
File
Fonds
49
Series
3
File
35
Material Format
architectural drawing
Date
1924
Physical Description
7 architectural drawings : blueprints ; 41 cm length or smaller and 8 cm diam.
Scope and Content
File consists of architectural drawings of an apartment building located on Beverley St. for Mr. Benjamin Brown (in trust). Floor plans, sections and elevation drawings are included.
Places
Beverley Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Residential building plans and drawings series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 49; Series 2; File 5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Residential building plans and drawings series
Level
File
Fonds
49
Series
2
File
5
Material Format
architectural drawing
Date
1923
Physical Description
5 architectural drawings : pencil, 1 hand col., watercolour, 2 on tracing paper ; 46 cm length or smaller and 5 cm diam.
Scope and Content
File contains architectural drawings of alterations to the two storey house, and a new garage for Mr. Frank S. Hutner. It is unknown whether the new garage was completed, since similar plans exist for a new garage to be shared by Mr. Hutner and Mr. Doidge at about the same time. Elevation drawings, a section, a block plan and watercolour drawings of windows and stairs are included.
Related Material
See File 49-2-12 for plans of garage to be shared by Mr. Hutner and Mr. Doidge.
Places
Brunswick Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Residential building plans and drawings series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 49; Series 2; File 12
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Residential building plans and drawings series
Level
File
Fonds
49
Series
2
File
12
Material Format
architectural drawing
Date
[ca.1924]
Physical Description
3 architectural drawings : blueprints ; 55 cm length or smaller and 4 cm diam.
Scope and Content
File consists of a block plan, floor plan and elevation drawings of a garage to be shared by Mr. Hutner and Mr. Doidge, at 410 and 412 Brunswick Avenue respectively. It is unknown if this structure was built, since Benjamin Brown created plans of a private garage for Mr. Hutner at approximately the same time.
Notes
Formerly listed as Commission 1.
Physical Condition
Material is torn.
Related Material
See File 49-2-5 for plans of alterations to Mr. Hutner's house and the plans for his private garage.
Places
Brunswick Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Residential building plans and drawings series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 49; Series 2; File 16
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Benjamin Brown fonds
Residential building plans and drawings series
Level
File
Fonds
49
Series
2
File
16
Material Format
architectural drawing
Date
1934
Physical Description
1 architectural drawing : pencil on tracing paper ; 47 cm length and 3 cm diam.
Scope and Content
File consists of floor plans of alterations to a dwelling to be converted into a duplex for Mr. S. Wineberg.
Name Access
Wineberg, S.
Places
Brunswick Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Men's Service Group series
Fundraising sub-series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 14; Series 5-4; File 9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Men's Service Group series
Fundraising sub-series
Level
File
Fonds
14
Series
5-4
File
9
Material Format
textual record
Date
1978
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of a meeting minutes, agendas, flyers, programs, a list of volunteers, and a newspaper clipping.
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 103; Series 1; File 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
Fonds
103
Series
1
File
1
Material Format
textual record
Date
1936
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of handwritten lecture notes and a newspaper clipping documenting Shemen's lecture on Polish Jewry and the struggle between existence and ruin. Shemen presented this lecture to the "Not to Worry!" Club (or "Be of Good Cheer!" Club) in Radomer Hall, 210 Beverley Street.
Subjects
Jews--Poland
Lectures and lecturing
Physical Condition
The lecture notes are rolled and difficult to unfurl.
Places
Beverley Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
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
216 Beverley Street
Source
Landmarks

The Apter Synagogue was formed by a group of people who came to Toronto from the area of Opatow (Apt) in Poland around the turn of the century. They first established a small synagogue on Centre Avenue near Dundas Street in the Ward. In 1918, in anticipation of more Apter immigrants coming to Toronto after the First World War, the synagogue was sold and a larger one purchased on Beverley Street. Both the synagogue members and the Apter Friendly Society met there.
Address
216 Beverley Street
Time Period
1918-unknown
Scope Note
The Apter Synagogue was formed by a group of people who came to Toronto from the area of Opatow (Apt) in Poland around the turn of the century. They first established a small synagogue on Centre Avenue near Dundas Street in the Ward. In 1918, in anticipation of more Apter immigrants coming to Toronto after the First World War, the synagogue was sold and a larger one purchased on Beverley Street. Both the synagogue members and the Apter Friendly Society met there.
History
In later years, a bitter controversy between the synagogue and society erupted and the building was sold.
Category
Political
Religious
Private Clubs
Source
Landmarks
Accession Number
2013-11-2
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
Accession Number
2017-3-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-3-1
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
cartographic material
Physical Description
ca. 12 cm of textual records and other material
Date
[1970?]-1986
Scope and Content
Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the literary and communal activities of Louis (Lou) L. Tepperman. The bulk of the material relates to an unfinished book Louis was writing called, The Kensington Market Establishment. This material includes Louis' handwritten and typed reminiscences regarding his life growing up in Kensington Market and the people, businesses and institutions that existed in the area. Some of the places he describes include the Labor Lyceum, Victory Theatre and La Salle Theatre. Of note are hand drawn maps of Kensington Market which outline the locations of people's homes, businesses, organizations, and synagogues. The map likely corresponds to the 1940s or early 1950s.
Accession also includes material relating to the Baldwin Club, particularly the Baldwin Club reunion in 1980. Included are photographs, speeches, writings on the club's history, newspaper clippings and the reunion ad-book. Also included is a membership list for Club Baldwin Juniors and three large presentation boards displaying reproduced pages from a photograph album. These were likely reproduced for the reunion.
Accession also includes material relating to the 100th anniversary of Ryerson Public School. Material includes an article Louis wrote for the Toronto Star newspaper, correspondence, and an event invitation and programme. Also included is a file of writings relating to Louis's experiences saying kaddish for his late father at various synagogues around Toronto.
Accession also consists of material collected by Louis relating to the 1980 Kensington Roots Festival. Included is a poster, newspaper clippings, a press release, event schedule, brochures and photographs. Finally, accession consists of two photographs of the B'nai Brith Circle Lodge and a newsclipping featuring an obituary for Louis written by Shelley Tepperman.
Custodial History
Material was in possession of Lenora Winer (Louis's widow) and Shelley Tepperman (Louis' daughter).
Administrative History
Louis (Lou) L. Tepperman was a chartered accountant and was active in the B'nai Brith Circle Lodge. He was born on December 6, 1934 to Hyman and Pearl (nee Stern) Tepperman in Toronto, ON. He grew up in the Kensington Market area, attended the Ryerson Public School and was a member of Club Baldwin, which was a group of mostly Jewish youth who lived in Kensington Market and began as part of YMHA's teen program of social clubs. Around 1953, Louis moved with his family to Davenport and Christie.
Louis married Lenora (nee Lewis) in 1959. Together they had two children: Shelley and Paul. Louis was active for many years on the Executive of B'nai Brith Circle lodge and often wrote for its publication, the Oracle. He had a passion for local history and at the time of his death, was working on a book called the Kensington Market Establishment. Louis passed away in 1981.
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
Physical Description Note: includes ca. 50 photographs, 11 maps (pencil on paper), 1 poster, and 3 presentation pieces.
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-12-25
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-12-25
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
5 photographs : col. (slides) ; 35 mm
Date
[ca. 1970]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of five 35 mm slides documenting Kensington Market, Toronto. Included is an image of N. Goldlist's poultry truck with an unidentified man holding chickens, Brodsky's Fruit Market, A. Litvak Hardware, and the street sign for Kensington Avenue.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Markets
Street vendors
Street signs
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-1-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-1-10
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
1953
Scope and Content
Accession consists of correspondence from the acting director of the Children's Aid and Infants' Homes of Toronto located at 32 Isabella Street to the executive director of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society located at 145 Beverly Street. The subject of the correspondence concerns a reference for an applicant for the position of investigator in the Protection Department of the Children's Aid and Infants' Homes.
Custodial History
Item was discovered while processing CJC Fonds 17 holdings.
Use Conditions
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.
Subjects
Orphanages
Name Access
Children's Aid and Infants' Homes of Toronto
Places
Beverley Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Isabella Street(Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-5-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-5-10
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 cm of textual records
Date
1945-[1990]
Scope and Content
Accession record consists of business cards from several Gwartzman family owned business first established on Baldwin Street by Moshe Aaron Gwartzman and his wife Bella (née Weinstock) as M. A. Gwartzman Silks and Wollens. In addition, there is a 1945 change of address card indicating that the business moved from 421 Spadina Avenue to 448 Spadina Avenue along with business cards from the 448 Spadina location for Gwartzman's Drapery Bargain Centre, Gwartzman's Canvas, Art and Graphic Supplies, and Masters, Fine Art and Stationary Products.
Subjects
Stores, Retail
Places
Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-5-15
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-5-15
Material Format
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
1 textual record (electronic)
Date
[Last saved 2012]
Scope and Content
Item is a document titled "Recollections of My Childhood in Kensington Market" that was written by a donor.
Administrative History
Sarah Teitlebaum (née Adelman) was born in Toronto in 1936. Her parents, Hymie and Esther Adelman, emigrated from Poland in the 1920s. Sarah's primary residence was 62 Kensington Avenue until 1953, when she moved to North York.
Subjects
Neighborhoods
Name Access
Teitlebaum, Sarah, 1936-
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-4
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1926-1990
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs of Esther and Jack Gelman, as well as of a sports team at the YMHA and the "Afro Communitee Negro Fliers" sports team. In addition, two copies of Yiddish dictionary books written by Jack Gelman and one copy of a book about Kensington Market by Jean Cochrane. Also included are two pieces of poetry by Jack Gelman, one about Toronto (1974) and one about Terry Fox (1981).
Accession also consists of a number of original and photocopied newspaper clippings regarding the history of Kensington Market in Toronto (ca. 1988-2010). In addition, two booklets of self-guided tours and the history of Kensington Market are included in accession.
Custodial History
Donated by Esther Gelman. Clippings about the history of Kensington Market are from the collection of husband Jack Gelman.
Administrative History
Jack Gelman was born in Toronto, ON on October 28, 1929. Jack's parents emigrated to Canada from Eastern Europe in 1926. In the 1930s, the Gelman family lived at 105 Denison Street in Toronto, south of Dundas and near Spadina. His father, Philip Gelman, owned a horse and wagon that would stable at Sarah Kegerman's house, 26 Nassau St. Philip operated a vegetable stall at 206 Baldwin St. weekly from Thursday to Saturday. Jack attended Ryerson Public School in Alexander Park, and would often fight back at his peers that would beat and bully him for being Jewish.
Esther Gelman (nee Davidson) was born August 18, 1934. In 1950 she worked at Homebread, and had her Sweet Sixteen party at Club Elgamour on Bloor Street. In 1951, after meeting at the YM-YWHA, Jack Gelman and Esther Davidson married.
In 1953, Jack became a truck driver for Canadian Paper and Specialties. Esther and Jack's son Alan was born in 1953. The family lived above Jack's parents' shop on Baldwin Street. The couple had three other children: Sharon, Glenn (b. 1960), and Mandy. The children attended Camp Northland and Camp B'nai Brith.
In 1959, the family moved from Baldwin Street to Bathurst Manor (235 Pannahill Road), as a group of Esther's friends had moved to the neighbourhood. Son Alan had his bar mitzvah at Beth Emeth Bais Yehudah in 1966.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Yiddish language
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)--Tours
Sports
Places
Bathurst Manor (Toronto, Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-4
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
ca. 550 photographs : b&w & col.
1 folder of textual records
Date
1939-1971, predominant 1965-1971
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material created and accumulated by Stephen Speisman during the course of his research into Jewish communities in Toronto. Included are photographs of Toronto synagogues and reproductions of photographs of St. John’s Ward and Kensington Market c. 1890s-1920s, as well as individual and group portraits. The photographs are accompanied by copies of excerpts of Robertson's Landmarks of Toronto and periodicals. There is also a photograph of the Trades Labour Congress in London, Ontario (1939).
Custodial History
Bill Gladstone acquired the materials contained in this accession from Stephen Speisman.
Use Conditions
Conditional Use. Researchers must receive permission from the donor prior to publication. Please contact the OJA for more information.
Subjects
Synagogue architecture
Synagogues
Name Access
Speisman, Stephen A., 1943-2008
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
St. John's Ward (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Part Of
United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds
Photographic and audiovisual collection series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 67; Series 27; File 313
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds
Photographic and audiovisual collection series
Level
File
Fonds
67
Series
27
File
313
Material Format
graphic material
Date
Nov. 1977
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (2 negatives) ; 28 x 28 mm
Scope and Content
File consists of two negatives depiciting a group of telethoners in the office at Beverley Street.
Notes
Photos by Graphic Artists Photographers, Toronto.
Places
Beverley Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 4169
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
4169
Material Format
graphic material
Date
Summer 1968
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 on mat 28 x 36
Notes
Photographer unknown.
Name Access
Light, Chaim
Subjects
Shehitah
Repro Restriction
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Places
Kensington Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Saint Andrew Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1987-1-3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 4032
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
4032
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[between 1920 and 1925]
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative)
Scope and Content
In back: Sam Silver (with hat); Moishe Barsht, son of Yehoshua Yekl and Golda Barsht.
Name Access
Barsht, Yehoshua Yekl
Barsht, Golda
Barsht, Moishe
Silver, Sam
Subjects
Portraits, Group
Repro Restriction
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Places
Baldwin Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1986-3-1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 650
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
650
Material Format
graphic material
Date
1956
Physical Description
1 photograph
Scope and Content
Identity of the couple in the photograph is unknown.
Subjects
Couples
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Oxford Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 5023
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
5023
Material Format
graphic material
Date
26 Oct. 1961
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
Scope and Content
Item is a photograph of Dick Shatto and Lou Agasee seated at a table with two deli sandwiches.
Name Access
Agasee, Lou
Shatto, Dick
Shopsy's
Subjects
Celebrities
Delicatessens
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Spadina Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1990-1-5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 5024
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
5024
Material Format
graphic material
Date
29 Oct. 1961
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
Scope and Content
Item is a photograph of Bobby Kuntz and Sam Shopsowitz standing in front of a chalkboard with football plays drawn on it. Sam Shopsowitz is handing Kuntz a very large salami.
Notes
Photo by Graphic Artists.
Name Access
Kuntz, Bobby
Shopsowitz, Sam
Shopsy's
Subjects
Celebrities
Football
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1990-1-5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 2636
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
2636
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1978]
Physical Description
1 photograph
Name Access
Toronto Hebrew Re-establishment Services
G'Milath Chassodim
Subjects
Charities
Signs and signboards
Places
Beverley Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1981-2-9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 2637-2638
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
2637-2638
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1978]
Physical Description
2 photographs
Name Access
Neuschul, Leon
Toronto Hebrew Re-establishment Services
G'Milath Chassodim
Subjects
Charities
Places
Beverley Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1981-2-9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 6128
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
6128
Material Format
graphic material
Date
1954
Physical Description
2 photographs : (1 negative)
Custodial History
The congregation was formed in 1909, and its first building was opened on Spadina Avenue in 1921. Around 1960, the congregation moved to the Bathurst and Sheppard area after the synagogue was damaged by fire. In 1975, the congregation merged with Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda.
Scope and Content
Item is a group photograph. Identified from left: Mr. Itzkowitz, David Newman, Leon Zelicki, Conductor A. Lutsky, Mr. Weiner, Cantor Jacob Zigelman, Mr. Shilit, [unknown], and Mr. Ber.
Notes
For identification, see accession record.
No restrictions on access.
Name Access
Hebrew Men of England Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Zigelman, Cantor
Subjects
Cantors (Judaism)
Choirs (Music)
Synagogues
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.
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1993-10-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 1902
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
1902
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[1910 or 1911]
Physical Description
3 photographs : b&w (1 negative)
Admin History/Bio
The congregation was formed in 1909 and operated out of a building on Simcoe Street. Its first synagogue building was opened on Spadina Ave. in 1921. Around 1960, the congregation moved to the Bathurst and Sheppard area after the Synagogue was damaged by fire. In 1975 the congregation merged with Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda.
Scope and Content
Photograph of Chevre Gemilas Chasodim Anshei England, Toronto, taken in the back yard of the Hebrew Men of England Synagogue, Toronto (Simcoe Street).
Identified in this photograph are:
Back row, left to right: [unidentified]; Jacob Fine; [unidentified]; [unidentified]; [unidentified]; [unidentified]; Greenberg; Shlomo Taub.
Second row, left to right: [unidentified]; [unidentified]; [unidentified]; [Max Landau]; [unidentified]; Solomon Blumstein, 1870-1931; Blumstein's son Charles, age 5; Rabbi [?]; [unidentified]; [unidentified].
First row, left to right: [unidentified]; Yanikoff; Yarmolinsky (child); [unidentified]; [unidentified].
Notes
11/30/2017: Max Landau identified by Marilyn Platnick Glass.
Name Access
Blumstein, Charles
Blumstein, Solomon
Chevre Gemilas Chasodim Anshei England
Fine, Jacob
Greenberg
Hebrew Men of England Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Landau, Max
Taub, Shlomo
Yanikoff
Yarmolinsky
Subjects
Synagogues
Repro Restriction
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Physical Condition
The original photograph is quite brittle and the upper right corner is cracked. It is in need of conservation work.
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Simcoe Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1979-11-8
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 2482-2486
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
2482-2486
Material Format
graphic material
Date
May 1967
Physical Description
2 photographs : col. (1 negative)
Notes
No restrictions on access.
Name Access
Anshei Libavitch Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Synagogues
Places
Denison Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1981-1-1
Source
Archival Descriptions