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

Ethel Abramsky

Number

OH 42

Subject

World War, 1939-1945

Women

International Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE)

Interview Date

8 Nov. 1981

Quantity

2 cassettes (1 copy)

1 CD

4 WAV files

Interviewer

M. Feldman

Total Running Time

001: 30.53 minutes 002: 30.50 minutes 003: 31.25 minutes 004: 30.42 minutes

Conservation

Copied to cassette in August 2003.

Digitized in January 2015.

Notes

Sound quality poor in many sections.

Use Restrictions

Conditional access. Researchers must receive permission from the interviewee or their heir prior to accessing the interview. Please contact the OJA for more information.

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

Biography

Ethel Abramsky (née Levin) came to live in Kingston after her marriage to Harry Abramsky in 1927. Ethel remained an active member of the Queen Esther Chapter of Hadassah throughout her life. Harry, an industrialist and business man, was a generous benefactor of Queens University and was instrumental in establishing Hillel House at Queens. Ethel and Harry had three children and eight grandchildren.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Abramsky, Ethel

Abramsky, Harry

Canadian Hadassah-WIZO

International Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE)

Geographic Access

Kingston (Ont.)

Florida

Poland

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Digital file

Audio cassette

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 42 - Abramsky\OH42_001_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 42 - Abramsky\OH42_002_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 42 - Abramsky\OH42_003_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 42 - Abramsky\OH42_004_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Harry Abramsky

Number

OH 49

OH 50

Subject

Kingston

Interview Date

6 Jul. 1982

Quantity

2

Interviewer

Stephen Speisman and Marjorie Feldman

Total Running Time

OH49_001: 31.04 minutes

OH49_002: 31.00 minutes

OH50_001: 30.59 minutes

OH50_002: 1:09 minutes

Conservation

Copied August 2003

Notes

Poor audio quality in many sections. OH50_002 started in the middle of the story; cut at 1:09.

Use Restrictions

Conditional access. Researchers must receive permission from the interviewee or their heir prior to accessing the interview. Please contact the OJA for more information.

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

Biography

Harry Abramsky was born in Kingston on 29 September 1897. He and his wife, Ethel, were highly respected by citizens and business owners in Kingston. They were also loyal friends of Queen's University. Over the years, they have made many gifts to the university, including funds for the construction of a building that was completed in 1957. In 1974, the building was renamed as Abramsky Hall in their honour. (There is also Abramsky Laboratory in Botterell Hall.) An area within the Agnes Etherington Art Centre is dedicated to the memory of the Abramsky family. The Harry Abramsky Scholarship in the School of Business at Queen's University was also given by Harry Abramsky. Harry Abramsky was a life member of the Royal Kingston Curling Club. He died in February 1988, aged ninety.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Geographic Access

Kingston (Ont.)

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

CD

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 49, OH 50 - Abramsky\OH49_001_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 49, OH 50 - Abramsky\OH49_002_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 49, OH 50 - Abramsky\OH50_001_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 49, OH 50 - Abramsky\OH50_002_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Sarah Green

Number

OH 4

Subject

Families

Immigrants--Canada

Neighborhoods

Interview Date

7 Jan. 1975

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Sophie Milgram

Total Running Time

38 minutes 44 seconds

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

Sarah Green (née Patlik) grew up living in Toronto's Junction neighbourhood. The family home and scrap yard business were both located on Maria Street, which served as the centre for Jewish life in the Junction during the early 1900s. Sarah Patlik was involved with numerous charitable organizations including the Ontario Hospital School of Orilla and the Rubinoff and Naftolin Mishpocha.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Green, Sarah

Geographic Access

Kingston (Ont.)

Maria Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Portland Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Stanley Street (Toronto, Ont.)

West Toronto Junction (Toronto, Ont.)

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 4 - Green\OH4_Log.docx

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

Dr. H. Fenigstein

Number

OH 244

Subject

Warsaw (Poland)--History--Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, 1943

Jewish ghettos

World War, 1939-1945

United States--Armed Forces

Concentration camps

Interview Date

24 Feb. 1976

Quantity

2 cassettes (1 copy)

2 WAV files

Total Running Time

58 minutes

Conservation

Copied August 2003

Digitized in 2014

Biography

Dr. H. Fenigstein was born in Warsaw, Poland in 1913. He was raised in an affluent, assimilated neighbourhood. He entered the study of medicine at the University of Warsaw in 1931. He served three years with the Military Academy for Sanitary Officers (i.e., for medical and paramedical graduates) in the Polish army. At the outbreak of the Second World War on 1 September 1939, Dr. Fenigstein worked at a military hospital. In April 1940, he was sent to the Warsaw Ghetto and started to work as the head of the pathology department at the Jewish Hospital. In 1948, Dr. Feningstein published "The History of the Jewish Hospital in Ghetto Warsaw." Some of his research was published in "The Hunger Disease," a collection of research papers that were hidden during the war. With the final liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto, Dr. Fenigstein was transported to several labour camps and was liberated by the Americans on 30 April 1945. After the war, he moved to Munich, where he worked for UNRA and the University of Munich. Dr. Feningstein immigrated to Canada in September 1948. Dr. Feningstein died in 1993.

Material Format

sound recording

Geographic Access

Canada

Munich (Germany)

Warsaw (Poland)

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

Side 1 00:00: Dr. Fenigstein graduated from high school in 1931 in Warsaw, Poland and studied medicine at the University of Warsaw. 00:26: Dr. Fenigstein recounts some of his earliest childhood memories relating to Russian occupation of Warsaw. For example, he recalls seeing horse-drawn streetcars carrying wounded Russian soldiers, German soldiers coming to Warsaw in 1916, German soldiers confiscating valuables from his home, bad food, etc. 2:18: Dr. Fenigstein’s family lived in an assimilated part of Warsaw, not with the majority of Jews. 3:00: Dr. Fenigstein’s father was a professional electrical engineer, who graduated from university in France in 1909. 3:30: Dr. Fenigstein lists his education history. 4:48: Dr. Fenigstein recalls a military coup in Warsaw in 1926 by Józef Pilsudski. 6:07: Dr. Fenigstein notes that his personal life was not affected until 1939. In 1939, he had been practicing medicine for three years and had served three years with the Military Academy for Sanitary Officers (i.e., for medical and paramedical graduates) in the Polish army. 6:55: Dr. Fenigstein was mobilized to serve in a military hospital when Germans attacked Poland on 1 September 1939. 7:12: Dr. Fenigstein describes his experiences at the outbreak of the war. 8:00: Dr. Fenigstein was wounded on 25 September 1939. He remained hospitalized as a wounded prisoner of war until April 1940. 8:41: Following his discharge, Dr. Fenigstein started to work in the Department of Pathology at the Jewish Hospital in Warsaw. Dr. Fenigstein explains how the hospital functioned. Over time (i.e., by 1941/42 until liquidation in April 1943), the hospital was fully staffed by Jews, and all the patients were Jews under supervision of German military officers. 10:52: Dr. Fenigstein published a book in Yiddish in 1948, “The History of the Jewish Hospital in Ghetto Warsaw.” Copies are available in Yad Vashem. 11:44: Dr. Fenigstein describes the restrictions placed on activities of Jews in the Warsaw Ghetto. 12:43: Dr. Fenigstein explains his role in the hospital. He was the head of the Department of Pathology until the first liquidation in the summer of 1942. The chief of the hospital was Dr. Josef Stein. Dr. Fenigstein did teaching and research. Some of his work was published in a book, “The Hunger Disease,” a collection of research papers that were hidden during the war. 14:30: Dr. Fenigstein recounts the events that led up to the first liquidation in the summer of 1942. He mentions that, although they were told that the transports were evacuation from the ghetto, there evidence that came to light to support that the transports led to liquidation. 17:03: Dr. Fenigstein explains that, despite hearing stories about liquidation at the time, he did not want to believe the reports could be true. 18:53: Dr. Fenigstein describes the evolvement of the underground clandestine Jewish resistance. The group was able to resist attempts by the Germans to liquidate the ghetto in January 1943 and on 19 April 1943. 21:05: Dr. Fenigstein gives an account of the Jewish population in Warsaw at the outbreak of the war, at the peak of the Warsaw Ghetto, and after the first two liquidations. He suggests that, of those remaining in the ghetto, several hundred put up a brave, strong resistance against the Germans in April 1943. 24:40: Dr. Fenigstein describes his work in the hospital after the second liquidation. Additionally, he worked in conjunction with the underground military force by stockpiling medical supplies in order to look after the wounded. 26:20: Dr. Fenigstein relates what happened to him after the April 1943 liquidation. He was transported first from Warsaw to Budzyn, a camp near Lublin, and later to another camp, where he worked from 30 April 1943 to 23 May 1944. Side 2 00:43: Dr. Fenigstein continues to recount his personal history. He was transported to a camp in Radom on 25 May 1944, where he worked in a factory building small weapons. Moved by foot 29 July 1944 to a moved-in freight cars arrived 5 August 1944 in Auschwitz. The women and weak were removed from the group. The remainder got back on freight cars. Arrived in a camp in Vaihiengen 9 August 1944. 4:43: Dr. Fenigstein describes the harsh conditions of the camp in Vaihiengen. 6:28: Dr. Fenigstein was selected to be a physician on a transport on 14 October 1944. He became the chief physician at Hessental near Schwabish Hall. 8:30: Dr. Fenigstein describes an outbreak of a typhus epidemic. 10:20: Left Camp Hessental on 5 April 1945 by foot and horse-drawn wagon. Arrived on 11 Aplril 1945 in Allach, near Dachau. 25 April 1945 shipped in open freight cars. Liberated by the Americans on 30 April 1945. 13:23: Dr. Fenigstein recounts that one of the Americans approached them speaking Yiddish. 13:52: Dr. Fenigstein explains that he was able to maintain good relationships with some SS officers due to the fact that he was a physician with some military training who spoke German. As a result, he was allowed to keep a few personal belongings (e.g., a photo, pencil, paper) and have some special privileges. 16:00: Dr. Fenigstein’s first wife was killed by Nazis in Majdanek in November 1943. 16:35: Dr. Josef Stein was killed during the final liquidation of the Warsaw Ghetto. 18:05: Adam Czerniakow, head of the Jewish council in the Warsaw Ghetto, committed suicide when he found out that the German were going to liquidate the Jewish population. 18:53: Dr. Fenigstein was thirty years old in 1943. 19:15: Dr. Fenigstein attributes his survival to good luck. He provides some examples. 21:50: Dr. Fenigstein recounts a few examples of how he was able to send messages to his sister amd wife with the help of a few sympathetic Poles. 25:05: Dr. Fenigstein discusses the time of liberation and immediately following liberation. The liberated inmates were transported to SS barracks initially and later sent to stay in SS garrisons in Munich. Then were placed in DP camps. Dr. Fenigstein worked as a physician for UNRA. Worked at the University of Munich. Married his second wife in Munich. Came to Canada in September 1948.

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Mort Abramsky

Number

OH 322

Subject

Families

Rotary Club

retail business

Synagogues

B'nai Brith

Interview Date

17 Oct. 2007

Quantity

2 mini-DVs, 2 archival DVDs, 2 reference DVDs

Interviewer

Sharon Gubbay Helfer

Total Running Time

1 hr 45 mins

Notes

Part of Ontario Small Jewish Communities Project.

Use Restrictions

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

Biography

Mort Abramsky was born in Montreal but spent his life in Kingston. He inherited a family business empire started more than a century ago by his grandfather, Polish immigrant Joseph Abramsky, and his parents, Harry and Ethel.

Joseph Abramsky turned a door-to-door trade in clothes, sheets and towels into a business empire that at one time counted ten department stores spread across eastern Ontario. It was handed down through successive generations of family who gradually diversified into real estate and property management, as the margins in downtown general merchandise retailing shrank and then disappeared entirely. The flagship of that empire was Abramsky's general store, which closed in 1996, a victim of the poor economy of the time and increased competition from other retailers in the sector.

Abramsky also owned Mort Enterprises, which managed and developed properties and was responsible for initially bringing chains, including McDonald's Restaurant and Blockbuster Video, to downtown Kingston. He was a philanthropist and tireless booster of Kingston, active with local organizations including the Beth Israel Synagogue, the B'nai Brith and Jewish Council, the YMCA, the Rotary Club, St. John Ambulance, Kingston General Hospital, and the Masonic Order. The family's Abramsky Charitable Foundation has also helped hundreds of local organizations and families in causes large and small, ranging from Queen's campus construction to assisting local families who had been burned out of their homes.

Abramsky was married to Shirley, his wife of fifty-three years. The couple had three children, Jay, Karen and Leonard, and nine grandchildren. Abrahamsky died in November 2009, aged eighty-two.

Material Format

moving images

Geographic Access

Kingston (Ont.)

Montréal (Québec)

Original Format

Mini DV

Copy Format

DVD

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Morris Lazarus

Number

OH 367

Subject

Canada--Armed Forces

Canada--Prisoners of war

World War, 1939-1945

First Special Service Forces

Airbourne commandos

Interview Date

8 Jun. 2010

Quantity

1 reference DVD (WAV file)

1 archival DVD (Wav file)

Interviewer

Stephanie Markowitz

Total Running Time

37 minutes

Notes

This interview is part of the Memory Project event held at Lipa Green on 13 May 2010 in partnership with the Historica Dominion Institute.

http://www.thememoryproject.com/search/?query=morris+lazarus

Biography

Morris Lazarus was born in Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan and moved to Toronto in 1938. After enlisting in 1942 in the Canadian Forces, he served with the Airbourne Commandos and participated in Operation Mount La Difensa, part of the Italian Campaign. He was also stationed in Anzio, Italy. Lazarus was captured and taken prisoner by the Germans. Lazarus was awarded the Bronze Star Medal.

Material Format

sound recording

Geographic Access

Saskatchewan

Kingston (Ont.)

Italy

Original Format

DVD

Copy Format

DVD

Transcript

0.8-2.38 Morris Lazarus was born 1918 on a homestead in Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan. After living briefly in Regina, the family moved to Toronto in 1938. 2.40-3.00: Lazarus talks about his enlistment in the army. 3.00-3.28: Background noise interrupts conversation. 3.30-4.45: Lazarus talks about his enlistment in the army. 4.46-6.52: Lazarus talks about volunteering for the Canadian Para Battalion. 6.53-7.59: Lazarus talks about being sent to a military camp in Montreal. 8.00-9.30: Lazarus talks about his parachute training while stationed in Ethan Allen, Vermont. 9.31-13.49: Lazarus tells the story of his first parachute jump from a plane. 13.50-14.45: Lazarus talks about being sent overseas first to Algiers and then Naples. 14.46-15.06: Interviewer tells Morris she can hear him playing with a kleenex in his hand and to it. Morris apologizes. 15.20-16.25: Lazarus talks about his participation in Operation “Mount La Difensa.” 16.25-19.00: Lazarus describes the climb to reach the summit of Mount La Difensa. 19.01-19.24: Lazarus talks about his commanding officer. 19.25-21.00: Lazarus continues to talk about climbing the summit of Mount La Difensa. 21.01-21.47: Lazarus provides a humorous antecdote about what to do when you are in a foxhole and need to use the washroom. 21.48-22.47: Lazarus talks about the attack procedure to take Mount La Difensa. 22.48-23.16: Lazarus talks about an incident involving himself and his commanding officer during the attack to take Mount La Diefensa. 23.17-25.17: Lazarus talks about his relationship with his commanding officer. 25.18-26.00: Lazarus talks about volunteering in the field. 26.01-28.16: Lazarus talks about the most unusual thing that happened to him in his lifetime while on patrol at Anzio. 28.17-31.14: Morris tells the story of his capture by a German patrol. 31.15-32.33: Morris talks about his feelings as a Jew being taken prisoner by Germans. 32.34-34.20: Morris describes the ensuing fight between his platoon and the German patrol. 34.21-35.22: Morris talks about his survival during his capture and ensuing fight. 35.23-36.29: Morris talks about overcoming his fear of going on patrol. 36.30-36.58: Morris talks about the sixtieth reunion of the men with whom he served in Italy. 36.59-37.30: Morris talks about his present day involvement in Kingston’s Jewish community.

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Harry Waisglass

Number

OH 382

Subject

Canada--Armed Forces

World War, 1939-1945

Interview Date

10 Jun. 2010

Quantity

1 reference DVD (WAV file); 1 archival DVD (WAV file)

Interviewer

Shayla Howell

Total Running Time

29:26

Notes

Harry was interviewed as part of the Memory Project event held at Lipa Green on 13 May 2010 in partnership with the Historica Dominion Institute.

Biography

Harry served in the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1942 to 1945 as an air frame mechanic. He was stationed in Canada.

Material Format

moving images

Geographic Access

Canada

Original Format

DVD

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Esther Mager

Number

OH 388

Subject

Canada--Armed Forces

World War, 1939-1945

Interview Date

10 Jun. 2010

Quantity

1 reference DVD (WAV file); 1 archival DVD (WAV file)

Interviewer

Stephanie Markowitz

Total Running Time

27:17

Notes

Esther was interviewed as part of the Memory Project event held at Lipa Green on 13 May 2010 in partnership with the Historica Dominion Institute.

Biography

Esther served in the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1942 to 1945 in motor transport. She was stationed in Canada.

Material Format

moving images

Geographic Access

Canada

Original Format

DVD

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Earle Iverson

Number

OH 408

Subject

World War, 1939-1945

US Army

France

Europe

Field artillery

Infantry

Interview Date

30 Aug. 2010

Quantity

1 reference DVD (WAV file) ; 1 archival DVD (WAV file)

Interviewer

Stephanie Markowitz

Total Running Time

41:02

Notes

Earle was interviewed as part of The Memory Project which was undertaken in partnership with the Historica Dominion Institute.

Biography

Earle served in the US army from 1942 to 1945. He was in the infantry in the filed artillery and instrument and survey sections. His division went overseas to France in early 1945. Earle immigrated to Canada in 1960.

Material Format

moving images

Geographic Access

Canada

France

Original Format

DVD

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

Percy Skuy

Number

OH 416

Subject

Canada--Emigration and immigration

Jews--South Africa

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Interview Date

12 May 2015

Interviewer

Naomi Raichyk

Total Running Time

1 hr. 19 min.

Use Restrictions

NONE

Biography

The child of Latvian immigrants to South Africa, Percy grew up in the small town of Vryheid, South Africa with his parents and two siblings. Years later, when asked what the population of Vryheid was, Percy’s mother replied, “Forty Jewish families.” Those families formed a tight-knit community that was able to support not only a synagogue and a rabbi, but a Talmud Torah school and a butcher’s shop with a kosher section.

At seventeen years old, Percy began an apprenticeship to become a pharmacist. He qualified in 1954 and worked for a year before leaving South Africa to travel the world. He never planned on visiting Canada, but found himself in Toronto for a stopover and ended up liking the city so much he decided to stay. In 1959, Percy became the first South African pharmacist registered in Ontario.

Percy met his first wife, Frances Goodman, in 1960 on a blind date and married her that same year. Together, they had two children: Beth (born in 1961) and David (born in 1963). In 1961, Percy began his thirty-four-year career with Johnson and Johnson Corporation, taking on a number of roles in the company during that time. In 1977, Frances passed away. Two years later, he married his second wife, Elsa Ruth Snider.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Percy is the founder of the only museum devoted exclusively to the history of contraception. The museum is located at the Dittrick Medical History Centre in Cleveland, Ohio.

Material Format

moving images

Language

English

Name Access

Skuy, Percy, 1932-

Geographic Access

Canada

Europe

Israel

South Africa

United States

Original Format

Digital file

Copy Format

Digital file

Transcript

00:30 Percy was born in 1932 in Vryheid in northern Natal, South Africa.

00:41 Percy's parents emigrated from Latvia to South Africa in 1929.

00:53 Percy discusses his parents and their early lives in South Africa and the Jewish community in Vryheid.

04:10 Percy discusses his family's practice of Judaism while growing up.

05:02 Percy's father ran a small business. Later he worked with his brother-in-law to run a mill. At age fifty-nine, his father was killed in an automobile accident.

06:00 Percy discusses his mother. Percy has two siblings: an older brother, Max, and a younger sister, Rita.

07:19 Percy shares some of his childhood memories.

09:29 Percy was involved in the Habonim youth movement.

11:27 Percy reminisces about the establishment of the State of Israel.

13:23 Percy discusses his impressions of apartheid. He discusses his relationships with Black men and women.

15:15 Percy discusses his involvement with an anti-apartheid group.

17:19 Percy shares a story that illustrates his opposition to apartheid. His parents were not politically active.

19:06 Percy discusses how he became interested in pharmacy and the training for pharmacists.

21:21 Percy describes his two years of travel following graduation from pharmacy.

26:58 Percy relates how, en route to a pre-arranged job in the Arctic, he serendipitously secured a job with Glaxo as a medical sales representative on a stop-over in Toronto.

29:49 Percy describes his sales route.

30:46 Percy explains how he became the first South African registered pharmacist in Ontario.

32:31 Percy describes some of his early social/business pursuits in Canada.

34:12 Percy married his wife, Francis, originally from Sudbury. She graduated from the University of Toronto in nursing.

34:26 Following travel to Europe, Israel and South Africa, Percy and Francis decided to return to live in Canada.

35:35 Percy discusses the importance of maintaining family connection despite distance.

36:41 Percy describes the slow trickle of relatives who emigrated from South Africa. He notes that he has no close relatives remaining in South Africa and comments on the disappearance of the Jewish community in Vryheid.

38:39 Percy discusses some of the challenges he faced integrating socially into the Jewish community.

40:36 Percy explains how he became involved with working for the company Ortho.

45:15 Percy explains the factors that guided his integration into Canada.

47:08 Percy discusses his involvement in the Jewish community in Toronto.

48:30 Percy contrasts his own upbringing with how he raised his own children in Toronto.

52:00 Percy discusses his grandchildren.

52:26 Percy is the founder of a museum of the history of contraception. He explains how he developed an interest in the history of contraception and how he collected artifacts.

58:18 Percy describes his work history, his involvement in professional committee work, and his pursuits following his retirement in 1995.

1:00:11 Percy explains how he found a permanent location for the museum at the Dittrick Museum at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

1:02:50 Percy married Elsa in 1979. He discusses their range of hobbies.

1:03:38 Percy discusses the three documentaries he created. The topics included the formation of the Jewish pharmacy fraternity, the history of Jewish pharmacists in Canada, and the extracurricular involvement of Jewish pharmacists in Canada.

1:06:47 Percy addresses some of the issues faced by South African Jewish pharmacists who integrated to Canada.

1:09:20 Percy lists the languages he speaks.

1:10:00 Percy reminisces about his mother. He recalls his mother's relationship with their family servant.

1:13:14 Percy describes his training in pharmacy in South Africa.

1:15:27 Percy shares stories about their family's Black servants.

1:17:40 Percy reminisces about the opportunities that came his way since his arrival in Canada.

Source

Oral Histories

Becoming Canadian

The History of Contraception

40 Jewish Families

Not Long Before the Police Arrived

Name

Lynne and David Ginsburg

Number

OH 431

Subject

Canada--Emigration and immigration

Jews--South Africa

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Interview Date

19 Nov. 2010, 17 Dec. 2010

Interviewer

Jessica Parker

Total Running Time

South African Oral History 2, Part I: 1 hr. 34 min.

South African Oral History 2, Part II: 1 hr. 8 min.

South African Oral History 2, Part III: 1 hr. 9 min.

Biography

David and Lynne both come from medical families: All four of their parents were doctors and all four attended University of Cape Town Medical School at the same time. As for David and Lynne, they began dating while Lynne was in medical school and David was completing his residency program.

South Africa’s political situation was one of the main reasons David and Lynne began thinking about leaving as neither of them wanted to raise children under the apartheid regime. Their first son was born in 1965 and by 1967 they had left. The family spent a year in Glasgow before moving to Boston, where David worked at Harvard Medical School. It was during this time that they had their second child.

Because of the fact David was eligible to be conscripted if he immigrated to the United States, the couple took out student visas, which expired after three years. If the Vietnam War had not been taking place, it is conceivable that the family would have remained in the United States, David and Lynne having already adjusted to American culture and made friends in the area.

With their visas set to expire, the couple considered immigrating to a number of countries, but settled on Canada. After their arrival, their third child was born. Once David and Lynne were settled in Canada they were joined by several other family members.

David and Lynne are now retired and enjoying the best years of their life. Their son and two daughters live in Toronto and they have ten grandchildren ranging in age from twenty-four to ten years as of November 2018.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Ginsburg, David

Ginsburg, Lynne

Geographic Access

Boston (Mass.)

Cape Town (South Africa)

Durban (South Africa)

Glasgow (Scotland)

Kingston (Ont.)

London (England)

Pretoria (South Africa)

Original Format

Digital file

Copy Format

Digital file

Transcript

Part I:

00:27 Lynne discusses how she and David met, courted, and married.

00:46 David and Lynne and their respective parents graduated from medicine at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

01:45 Lynne and David's son Neil was born in Cape Town in 1965.

01:50 Lynne explains their reasons for leaving South Africa in February 1967.

02:25 Lynne and David spent one year in Glasgow and three years in Boston.

02:58 Lynne and David have a second child.

03:22 Lynne explains why they were forced to leave the United States.

05:07 Lynne explains how she and David moved to Canada, specifically Kingston.

08:48 Lynne and David discuss the warm community of Kingston.

09:00 David and Lynne describe the positive and negative features of living in Boston.

11:14 Lynne was born in Pretoria, moved to Durban, and then moved to Cape Town.

12:25 David and Lynne reminisce about Cape Town.

13:10 David's brother and sister and Lynne's sister emigrated. Lynne's brother left for a short time but returned to South Africa.

13:40 David and Lynne muse about some of the changes that have occurred in South Africa.

15:42 David's father's family was from Lithuania; his mother's family was from Latvia. Lynne's father's family was from Lithuania; her mother's family was from Latvia. Lynne cites a trip made by her sister to Lithuania.

16:47 Lynne and David discuss safety concerns and high level of crime in South Africa and how it affected them personally.

19:24 Lynne addresses the inefficiency of modern-day South Africa.

21:30 Lynne discusses some of her family's history, including her grandparents and parents. Her maternal grandfather came from Lithuania and married her South-African-born grandmother. They lived briefly in the United States, where her mother was born. Her maternal grandparents came from Lithuania but were married in Cape Town. Her father was born in Cape Town. She discusses the challenges faced by her father as well as his accomplishments in the field of medicine.

25:55 Lynne describes her family's experiences during the Second World War: her father's role as a surgeon enlisted with the British army and her pregnant mother evacuated out of London to South Africa.

28:24 Lynne addresses the role of living near a Jewish community impacted her family.

31:12 David discusses some of his family's history. He shares a colourful story of how his maternal grandparents fled from Russia (Lituhania). They settled in a small town, Sterksstroom, South Africa. David shares a few stories about his father and family.

34:15 David and Lynne reminisce about the apartheid situation in South Africa during their childhood. David discusses the link between the nationalists and Israel He notes that the current South African government is anti-Israel and anti-Jewish.

36:47 David and Lynne cite incidents of antisemitism during their childhood.

38:17 David discusses the risk of making political comments during his university years.

39:14 Lynne discusses some of the restrictions imposed by the apartheid regime.

42:43 Lynne comments that her family had minimal contact with Israel and Zionist movements.

46:50 Lynne's parents spoke Yiddish with one another. David's mother spoke Yiddish, not his father. Lynne and David speak Afrikaans.

52:33 Lynne discusses her family's practice of Judaism.

55:05 David discusses his family's practice of Judaism.

56:52 Lynne and David continue to discuss Jewish practices and the customs of their grandparents.

59:46 Lynne and David describe some of the struggles faced by their grandparents' generation and the sacrifices they made for their children. They relate some stories about David's grandfather.

1:04:44 Lynne and David recall some Jewish memories while living in Glasgow and Boston.

1:10:47 Lynne discusses her experience of becoming a bat mitzvah at age fifty-three.

1:15:26 Lynne describes their involvement with the Jewish community in Kingston.

1:18:52 Lynne and David describe some of the recent changes in practice in the Kingston synagogue.

1:20:59 Lynne and David describe their children's Jewish education and practice.

1:22:42 Lynne and David share some of their views about Judaism and practice.

1:28:48 Lynne and David relate a story involving a kiddush cup brought from Europe by David's grandfather.

1:30:16 Lynne's maiden name was Heselson.

1:30:32 Lynne presents and discusses her father's military service and medals.

1:32:20 David and Lynne list their and their parents' medical specialties.

Part II

00:00 David describes his family's religious practice, including his paternal grandfather and father. David describes his own observance.

07:50 Lynne discusses her family's practice of Judaism. She recalls celebrating Jewish holidays with neighbours, the Gelfands. David and Lynne reminisce about Jewish foods.

Source

Oral Histories

A Two-Cent Stamp

A Way to Meet People

Racial Segregation

Name

Aubrey and Lucille Groll

Number

OH 432

Subject

Canada--Emigration and immigration

Jews--South Africa

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Interview Date

28 Jun. 2011

Interviewer

Jessica Parker

Total Running Time

South African Oral History 1, Part I - 30 min.

South African Oral History 1, Part II - 21 min.

South African Oral History 1, Part III - 1 min.

Biography

Aubrey and Lucille both grew up Jewish in South Africa, but in many respects their experiences of Yiddishkeit were quite different. The son of Orthodox Eastern European parents, Aubrey grew up in a kosher household that took religion very seriously, even if his parents, who owned a small business, had to work Friday evenings in order to make ends meet. Lucille, on the other hand, was the daughter of German immigrants to South Africa who belonged to a Reform synagogue; as a result, she was less familiar with the nuances of kashrut. After meeting Lucille, Aubrey’s mother made several phone calls to verify that her future daughter-in-law was, in fact, Jewish.

Lucille tells a story related to her lack of familiarity with kashrut that illustrates several aspects of Jewish life under apartheid South Africa. When Aubrey was fourteen years old, his family employed a servant of the same age who went on to work for the family for decades. Years later, when Lucille was staying with Aubrey’s family, the servant, despite being non-Jewish, would inquire whether Lucille would be giving her child meat or milk that night and would then proceed to put out the food along with the appropriate plates. Immediately after doing so, he would tell Lucille not to touch anything until he returned in the morning lest she inadvertently violate kashrut!

Aubrey and Lucille left South Africa in 1965, ending up in Kingston after a two-year stay in Birmingham, Alabama. Aubrey became one of the first Jewish academics to teach at Queen’s University while Lucille found interesting jobs in social work, ending her career at Kingston General Hospital. Initially, they had some difficulty integrating into the local Jewish community, but the situation improved as they slowly became more integrated into the Jewish community and more Jewish academics settled in Kingston. Aubrey and Lucille have four children and are the proud grandparents of ten grandchildren. Aubrey passed away in February, 2018.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Groll, Aubrey

Groll, Lucille

Geographic Access

Kingston (Ont.)

South Africa

Original Format

Digital file

Copy Format

Digital file

Transcript

Part 1:

01:07 Lucille Groll (née Godfrey) shares some of her family history. Her parents were born in Germany. Her father (né Gothelf) came to South Africa in the late 1920s as an adult. Her mother came to Johannesburg as an infant and was educated in a convent.

02:36 Lucille describes her Jewish upbringing as Reform and liberal with minimal Zionism.

03:10 Lucille's brother attended a Reform summer camp with Zionist leanings.

03:34 Lucille discusses her Jewish education, practice of Jewish holidays, and her Jewish social life.

06:50 Lucille's parents and other elders spoke German at home.

07:14 Lucille recalls the German-style food eaten at her home.

09:34 Lucille's maternal grandfather came to South Africa in 1910, returned to Germany, and then returned to South Africa after the First World War.

10:41 Aubrey shares some of his family history. His parents were married in Lithuania and migrated to Furrow, a farming community. His parents ran a general store. He had two brothers.

13:38 Aubrey discusses his upbringing in Somerset West such as going to school and Jewish practices (Shabbat, kashrut, holidays, Zionism).

15:44 Aubrey discusses her father's affiliation with the Revisionist Zionism. He relates an anecdote involving a visit by Menachem Begin to their town.

16:35 Aubrey discusses her parents' involvement with the synagogue.

17:28 Aubrey reminisces about his education, bar mitzvah, foods, the Jewish community, synagogue life, Hebrew school, and keeping kashrut.

22:00 Aubrey notes that his parents did not discuss the Holocaust or their family's history, despite losing all of the family that remained behind in Lithuania.

23:20 Aubrey's parents spoke Yiddish with one another and friends but not with their children.

25:35 Lucille recalls first meeting Aubrey and his family.

26:45 Aubrey discusses antisemitism during his school years.

27:48 Lucille relates a humorous about Aubrey's mother confirming Lucille's Jewish background.

28:38 Lucille and Aubrey discuss how they met.

Aubrey explains how they ultimately moved to Kingston, Ontario in 1967 via Birmingham, Alabama.

Part 2:

01:36 Lucille discusses her work as a social worker in psychiatry.

02:10 Aubrey and Lucille discuss their relationships with Lynne and David Ginsburg and their role in helping David find work in Kingston.

03:24 Lucille explains how she assumed there would be a Jewish community in Kingston. She shares her impressions of the Jewish community when they arrived. Aubrey shares his impressions as well.

06:20 Aubrey and Lucille were the first Jewish South Africans in Kingston. Other South Africans came to Kingston in 1969 and the 1970s. Aubrey discusses the involvement of South African Jews in the Kingston Jewish community.

08:23 Lucille discusses her family's involvement in the Jewish community in Kingston.

09:22 Lucille discusses her children and grandchildren and their practice.

14:10 ?Joyce (Aubrey's relative?) relates an anecdote about finding and repairing some old candlesticks.

15:45 Lucille discusses changes in Jewish practice over time in Canada versus South Africa.

16:50 Aubrey shares comments about the strong sense of Zionism and Jewish identity in South Africa during his youth.

19:35 Lucille notes that most South African Jews in Toronto have been affiliated with an Orthodox synagogue on Bayview Avenue and the Reform Temple Emanu-El.

Part 3:

00:00 Aubrey briefly discusses the prominence of Zionist movements and camps in South Africa.

00:48 Mention some prayer books.

Source

Oral Histories

Holiday Celebrations

Not Marrying Jewish

Name

Ivan Zarenda

Number

OH 434

Subject

Canada--Emigration and immigration

Jews--South Africa

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Interview Date

21 Jul. 2011

15 Jun. 2012

Interviewer

Jessica Parker

Total Running Time

Part I: 46 min.

Part II: 1 hr. 4 min.

Biography

Ivan’s parents arrived in South Africa from Lithuania around 1930. Prior to immigrating, they knew each other from Klykoliai, a shtetl in northwestern Lithuania. Ivan’s father was the first to arrive, taking up work at a concession store in the mining town of Brakpan. As for Ivan’s mother, she came over with her mother after her siblings had prepared a home for them in Brakpan. After being sent to a convent in Rhodesia in order to learn English, she returned to Brakpan where she married Ivan’s father. Together, the couple raised two children, who grew up with their maternal grandmother, who only spoke Yiddish. Consequently, Ivan grew up speaking Yiddish as well as English. He even gave his bar mitzvah speech in Yiddish, causing his Lithuanian grandmother to beam with pride.

Although they were not well off, Ivan’s parents managed to send their two sons to university. As an undergraduate, Ivan studied pharmacy at Rhodes University in Grahamstown. He met his wife while visiting his parents in Kimberley, where they had moved and were managing a hotel. The two were introduced on a blind date and corresponded for well over a year when Ivan went to do a post-graduate degree in industrial pharmacy at the University of Michigan. When Ivan returned to South Africa to take up a job in Cape Town, the two dated, became engaged, and married. In 1990, they immigrated to Canada with their two children as part of a job transfer. After a short stay in Brockville, the family relocated to Kingston, where they were active in Jewish life. Ivan’s wife, Daphne, passed away in 2006. He moved from Kingston to Toronto in 2018, joining his children Marc and Shelley and families who live there.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Zarenda, Ivan

Geographic Access

Kingston (Ont.)

South Africa

Original Format

Digital file

Copy Format

Digital file

Source

Oral Histories

Friendship with Afrikaners

Name

Shane Teper

Number

OH 421

Subject

Canada--Emigration and immigration

Jews--South Africa

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Interview Date

3 Nov. 2015

Interviewer

Gail Freeman

Total Running Time

46 min.

Use Restrictions

Written consent is required prior to the publication of all or any portion of this video/oral history on the internet.

Material Format

moving images

Language

English

Name Access

Teper, Shane, 1965-

Geographic Access

Canada

South Africa

Original Format

Digital file

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

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

Name

Harvey Brownstone and Howard Levine

Number

OH 451

Subject

AIDS (Disease)

Homophobia

Judaism--Relations--Christianity

Same-sex marriage

Sexual minorities

Social movements

Synagogues

Interview Date

18 Oct. 2019

Interviewer

Michael Friesen

Total Running Time

1 hr. 18 min.

Notes

Associated material: Records of Chutzpah are located in the ArQuives: Canada's LGBTQ2+ Archives.

General note: The OJA has a copy of Harvey Brownstone's article "I Now Pronounce You Wife and Wife," which was originally published in the fall 2014 edition of Reform Judaism Magazine. The article mentions Chutzpah and may be of interest to researchers.

Use Restrictions

See administrative notes.

Biography

Harvey Brownstone was born on 24 July 1956 in Paris, France and raised in Hamilton, Ontario. His father was a social worker who worked at the Hamilton Jewish Community Centre for thirty-five years and was director for twenty-one years (from 1967–1988). Brownstone obtained his LLB degree from Queen's University and was appointed a provincial judge with the Ontario Court of Justice in 1995. He was the first openly gay judge appointed in Canada. He resides in Toronto.

Howard Levine was born in Toronto on 29 June 1947. He earned his bachelor of arts (political science with urban planning) from the University of Waterloo and his master in environmental studies (urban planning and public transportation) from York University. From 1973 to 1975, he worked as a consultant with Peat, Marwick and Partners. From 1976 to 1982, he worked as an area and general planner with the City of Toronto's Planning and Development Department. From 1982 to 1988, he was sole proprietor of HJL Consulting. From 1988 to 1994, he served as councillor for Ward 14. After serving his second term as city councillor, Levine returned to HJL Consulting.

Material Format

moving images

Language

English

Name Access

Bolton, Elizabeth

Brownstone, Harvey, 1956-

Canadian Jewish Congress

Canadian Jewish News

Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives

Casey House (Toronto, Ont.)

Cecil Community Centre (Toronto, Ont.)

Church of the Holy Trinity (Toronto, Ont.)

Chutzpah (Toronto, Ont.)

Congregation B'nai Kehillah of Toronto

Eggleton, Art, 1943-

Farber, Bernie

Hamilton JCC

Hawkes, Brent, 1950-

Hudson, Rock, 1925-1985

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Keshet Shalom (Toronto, Ont.)

Levine, Howard, 1947-

Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto

Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre

Primrose Club (Toronto, Ont.)

Queen's University (Kingston, Ont.)

Robinson, Svend, 1952-

Royal Ontario Museum

Slater, Ruth

Temple Emanu-El (Toronto, Ont.)

World Congress of Gay & Lesbian Jewish Organizations

York University (Toronto, Ont.)

Geographic Access

Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Hamilton (Ont.)

Kingston (Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Waterloo (Ont.)

Original Format

Digital file

Transcript

0:00.20 Harvey Brownstone and Howard Levine introduce themselves.

0:00:27 Harvey discusses what it was like coming of age as a gay Jewish man in Ontario. Harvey grew up in Hamilton, Ontario, where his father was the director of the Hamilton JCC. His mother had a French-imported ladies' wear store. After coming out to his parents in the 1970s, he moved to Kingston, Ontario, where he attended Queen's University.

0:03:13 Howard discusses how his experience was different. He was born and raised in downtown Toronto. His father died when he was a teenager; his mother got sick soon after. As a result, Harvey was largely on his own. He went off to Waterloo for university and then York for graduate school. It's around that time he came to terms with who he was.

0:05:05 Howard discusses a gay Jewish group, B'nai Kehillah, that existed before Chutzpah. It met at the Church of the Holy Trinity, an Anglican church in Toronto.

0:06:19 Harvey and Howard discuss what Chutzpah was, when it started, and how they became involved.

0:09:40 Harvey discusses a trip Chutzpah took to the Royal Ontario Museum, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were being exhibited. It was on this trip that Harvey "really met" Howard.

0:10:10 Harvey discusses how he and Howard came to the conclusion that Chutzpah could be more than "just a place to meet."

0:11:11 Harvey discusses the impact the AIDS epidemic had on Chutzpah's focus. Harvey explains that after American Actor Rock Hudson's death, AIDS was front page news in big cities like Toronto.

0:12:03 Harvey discusses the decision to have Friday night Oneg Shabbats in the late 1980s. Initially, these were held at the Cecil Community Centre on Cecil Street in Toronto. Howard used his position as city councillor to make this happen.

0:13:14 Harvey discusses why the Cecil Community Centre was not an ideal location for the group's services. Howard, therefore, approached the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre and got the group a room for Friday nights.

0:14:52 Harvey discusses Chutzpah’s decision to join the World Congress of Gay & Lesbian Jewish Organization (today, World Congress of GLBT Jews).

0:15:40 Harvey discusses the group's decision to attend a World Congress of Gay & Lesbian Jewish Organizations conference in Amsterdam.

0:17:40 Harvey relates an event hosted by the then mayor of Amsterdam, in which the mayor laid a wreath with a pink triangle to honour gay victims of the Holocaust. Harvey and Howard discuss being moved by this.

0:18:50 Harvey mentions some of the things that came out of the Amsterdam conference.

0:20:05 Harvey and Howard discuss Chutzpah's decision to host a conference in Toronto. The conference, which took place in 1990, was held at the Primrose Hotel.

0:23:16 Harvey and Howard discuss the decision to invite Svend Robinson, Canada's first openly-gay member of parliament, to speak at the conference.

0:23:38 Howard interjects to explain that he was never "out" while on city council. Despite this, he "did a number of things," including getting benefits for same-sex couples and proclaiming Pride Day in Toronto. Howard notes that Art Eggleton, Toronto's mayor at the time, was opposed to proclaiming Pride Day.

0:24:37 Harvey and Howard discuss the Toronto conference some more. Harvey discusses a group of five women cantors who performed at the banquet. The group included Elizabeth Bolton, a cantor at Temple Emanu-El, and Ruth Slater, a cantor at Temple Anshe Sholom.

0:26:50 Harvey and Howard discuss the lack of press coverage for the conference. An exception was the Canadian Jewish News.

0:28:30 Harvey and Howard discuss some of Chutzpah's other initiatives: having a booth at Pride, selling corned beef sandwiches to raise money, and selling rainbow yarmulkes. The group also marched in Pride with a banner.

0:28:56 Harvey discusses Chutzpah's support for Pflag (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays). He notes that many gay Jews found the most traumatic part of coming out to be the issue of the parents.

0:29:48 Harvey and Howard discuss the mainstream Jewish community's response to the AIDS crisis. Howard says it was in denial. He also discusses his involvement with the Canadian Jewish Congress' Community Relations Committee and Bernie Farber inviting him to join the committee.

0:31:15 Howard discusses how things have changed. He says Chutzpah dissolved because it wasn't needed anymore.

0:32:55 Harvey expands on Howard's point that there was no more need for Chutzpah.

0:33:30 Harvey and Howard clarify Chutzpah's timeline: Harvey joined the group in the mid-1980s. It lasted until the mid-1990s. At that point, it transformed into Keshet Shalom. That group became defunct in the early 2000s. That's when Howard donated his records to the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives (now the ArQuives).

0:34:14 Harvey and Howard discuss how they never agreed that Chutzpah should have become Keshet Shalom (a congregation). They discuss their reasons for not wanting to be a congregation.

0:35:43 Harvey and Howard discuss how many members Chutzpah had at its peak.

0:36:11 Harvey and Howard discuss Chutzpah's relationship with the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto and Brent Hawkes, one of the church's pastors. They also discuss an unnamed member of the church, a reverend, who identified as both Jewish and Christian and who attended several of Chutzpah's Friday night services.

0:39:28 Harvey and Howard discuss the lack of antisemitism they encountered in non-Jewish gay and lesbian communities.

0:40:28 Harvey and Howard discuss the presence (or lack thereof) of Chutzpah ads in the Jewish press. They note that the Canadian Jewish News did cover the Toronto conference.

0:41:59 Harvey and Howard discuss issues facing the Jewish LGBT community in 2019. Harvey mentions the ultra-Orthodox (Haredi) community as one area of concern. He also discusses elevated rates of suicide among gay youth.

0:45:56 Howard discusses the isolation of gay and lesbian Hasids.

0:46:22 Howard discusses the viewpoint of Toronto's established Jewish community today.

0:47:34 Harvey and Howard share their final thoughts.

Source

Oral Histories