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

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

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

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

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

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

2018-7-6

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

62 photographs : b&w and col. ; 10 x 15 cm or smaller

4 cm of textual records

Date

1920-2018

Scope and Content

Accession contains material documenting Gabriella Szanto and her family. Included are family photographs, vital records, correspondence, and a 2018 Baycrest calendar that features a portrait and short biography of Gabriella.

Custodial History

Shirley Worth served as the executor of Gabriella Szanto's estate. Following Gabriella's death, Shirley donated the records that make up the accession to the Ontario Jewish Archives.

Administrative History

Gabriella "Gabi" Szanto (née Lazlo) was born in Budapest, Hungary on 26 January 1916. Gabriella's parents, Arnold and Ilonka Lazlo (née Diamenstein), were women's clothing manufacturers who employed twenty-five people. Their skills complemented each other: Arnold had studied design in Berlin for two years while Ilonka was a dressmaker. On 18 May 1919, Arnold and Ilonka had their second child, George.

During the Second World War, Gabi and her mother moved to the outskirts of Budapest where they passed as Catholics, rarely leaving their house. Miklos Szanto—the man Gabriella married after the war—was sent to the Mauthausen concentration camp. Gabriella's brother, George, was sent to a camp in Siberia and did not survive. It is not known where or how Gabriella's father survived the war.

After the war, Gabriella, her mother and father, and her husband Miklos reunited in Budapest. The four lived in the family apartment near the city opera house.

During the period of Communist rule, Gabriella and Miklos bribed their way out of Hungary and travelled to Vienna. From Vienna, they travelled to Australia, where they lived for five or six years, working as a short order cook and a seamstress respectively.

At some point, Gabriella and Miklos made the decision to immigrate to Canada. Their first stop—most likely in the 1950s—was Montreal. There, Gabriella worked for a high-end retailer before moving with her husband to Toronto one year later. In Toronto, Miklos worked again as a short order cook at the Noshery Restaurant on Eglinton, holding this job until he retried. Gabriella, meanwhile, worked as a seamstress until she was in her mid-80s.

In their retirement, Gabriella and Miklos spent two months each winter in Florida. Gabriella died in 2018.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

LANGUAGE NOTE: English, Hungarian, German.

Subjects

Families

Holocaust survivors

Immigrants--Canada

Name Access

Szanto, Gabriella, 1916-2018

Places

Australia

Austria

Canada

Hungary

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2018-8-15

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

27 photographs : b&w and col. ; 10 x 15 cm or smaller

1 folder of textual records

Date

[192-?]-[2003?]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting William Ladner's family in Europe and his immigration to Canada. Included are photographs of his family, his immigration identification card, certificate of Canadian citizenship, and a fax from he received from his paternal uncle in the United States.

Administrative History

William Ladner is a Holocaust survivor, born en route from Austria to Antwerp, Belgium in 1940. As a child, William Ladner and his mother fled to Belgium from their home in Austria following the arrest of his father by the Nazis. Will's parents had attempted to immigrate to Switzerland but were turned away. Both of Will's parents perished during the Holocaust. William's father was an [electrician] and his mother a nurse. At the time of their immigration, Belgium was occupied by Germany having capitulated on the terms of unconditional surrender on May 28, 1940. Germany invaded Belgium and Holland on May 10, 1940 (Plan Yellow). Desperate for work, Mrs. Ladner reported to an employment office but was quickly discovered to be Jewish and deported to Malines. Deportation trains from Malines to Auschwitz began on August 4, 1942. Will has records documenting the movement of his parents during the war up until their deaths. Will's mother arranged for his safekeeping during the war by placing him in an orphanage operated by a Catholic Convent before she was deported to Auschwitz where she was murdered. After the war, arrangements were made by a cousin [Schindler] who worked for the British Intelligence in Birmingham, as well as William's mother's sister, who resided in Birmingham, England. Will Ladner immigrated to England in January 1946 to join his aunt. He then moved to Canada.

Photo captions

001: Kurt Ladner and Willie Ladner reunite, (Dedham, Massachusetts), ca. 2003

002: Willie Ladner (back) reunites with his paternal uncle Kurt Ladner, and Kurt’s wife Elizabeth Newman, (Dedham, Massachusetts), ca. 2003

003: Passport photo of Willie Ladner, (Willowdale, ON) 25 Apr. 1997

004:J Portrait of Berta Berger, (Vienna, Austria), ca. 1938. Written on reverse “Bertha Berger married Ladner, born 30. May 1919 in Vienna Austria.”

005: Willie Ladner in orphanage attire, (Antwerp, Belgium), ca. 1945. Written in German on the reverse: “Meinem Liebsten Groszmutterchen, Millionen Kusse, Harry William Ladner.”

006: Willie Ladner (right) holding hands with another child at the orphanage, (Antwerp, Belgium), ca. 1945

007: Portrait of Berta Ladner with her infant son Willie Ladner, (Antwerp, Belgium), 1940.

008: Portrait of Berta Ladner, (Vienna, Austria), [1935?].

Descriptive Notes

Related groups of records external to the unit being described: Other records relating to William Ladner and his family can be found in Accession 2018-8-5.

Subjects

Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)

Orphans

Places

Belgium

Austria

Source

Archival Accessions

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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

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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

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Accession Number

2017-8-14

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

multiple media

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records ca. 2cm of textual records

12 photographs : b&w and col ; 30 x 35 cm or smaller

1 scrapbook

Date

1900-1950, [196?], 1970-1995

Scope and Content

Accession consists of 12 photographs (ca. 1900-1930, 196?) of members of the Schönberger family, including family portraits, class portraits, and a group photograph of the United Cloth Hat & Cap Makers Union Local No. 41. Accession also contains a scrapbook (ca.1937-1945) kept by Walter Schoenberger consisting of ca. 90 photographs and other graphic materials (eg. cigarette cards, photographic postcards) documenting his life in Vienna, England, Quebec and Toronto. This scrapbook includes photographs of Schoenberger's internment at a Kitchener Camp in Kent, England, as well as photographs of a parade at Old City Hall in Toronto.

Accession also consists of 1 folder of textual records, including Canadian citizenship and naturalization documents, a Vienna drivers license, one postcard, wedding invitations and certificates, newspaper clippings, personal writings, and a death certificate. There are also a number of documents ca. 1939-1942 relating to Walter Schoenberger's time at the Kitchener Camp in England, including letters from the Red Cross, the American Embassy to Vienna, the American Consulate General in London, the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society, the Central Council for Jewish Refugees Agricultural Committee, and Tip Top Tailors.

Accession also includes Victory Bonds certificates (1943-1945), an issue of the Toronto Star from December 3, 1992, a Toronto Transit Commission map, a program for a "Life Begins at 65" celebration for George Burns, and a book entitled "Collective Poems - The Terrace Holocaust Survivors Group" consisting of poetry by Holocaust survivors. Also included are documents relating to the Schwab family.

Ancestor chart of Mindy Schönberger

Custodial History

Collection of Walter Schoenberger, donated by daughter Mindy Pollishuke.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Tailors

Immigrants--Canada

Labor unions

Clothing workers

Postcards

Refugee camps

Refugees

World War, 1939-1945

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

England

Austria

Germany

Source

Archival Accessions

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Level

Item

Item

4235

Material Format

graphic material

Responsibility

Duncan McLaren

Date

1985

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Copy photograph of Congregation Anshei Minsk, St. Andrews Street, Toronto, August 1985. Notice on door indicates that the High Holiday services conducted by the well-known cantor Rubien Schwebel.

Name Access

Anshei Minsk Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Schwebel, Rubien

Subjects

Architecture

Cantors (Judaism)

Synagogues

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Saint Andrew Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1986-3-8

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

4236

Material Format

graphic material

Responsibility

Duncan McLaren

Date

1985

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Copy photograph of Baum's Fruit Market on Kensington Avenue, Toronto, August 1985.

Name Access

Baum'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

Kensington Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1986-3-8

Source

Archival Descriptions

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