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

Montague Raisman

Number

OH 64

Subject

Nonprofit organizations

Human rights

Antisemitism

World War, 1939-1945

Zionism

Interview Date

11 Jul. 1982

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Jack Lipinsky

Total Running Time

39:42 minutes

Conservation

Copied August 2003

Notes

Low sound volume

Use Restrictions

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

Biography

Montague Raisman came to Canada from England in 1926. He was actively involved in B'nai Brith Toronto Lodge and held positions of office. He served as the commanding officer for the B'nai Brith Air Cadet Squadron in Toronto during the Second World War. He was instrumental in the formation of the Joint Public Relations Committee, a united Jewish voice in response to pro-Nazi activity.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Raisman, Montague

B'nai Brith

Lipinsky, Jack

Canadian Jewish Congress

Geographic Access

Toronto

Calgary (Alta.)

Montréal (Québec)

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 64 - Raisman\OH64_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Montague describes the formation of the B'nai Brith Air Cadet Squadron during the Second World War. He discusses the recruitment and training of the officers and cadets. He explains how this squadron was instrumental in changing recruitment qualifications to allow entry of new immigrants and Black cadets.

In this clip, Montague Raisman discusses the events leading up to an association between B

Name

Rabbi Dr. David Monson

Number

OH 70

Subject

World War, 1939-1945

Religion

Interview Date

1 Dec. 1982

Quantity

1

Interviewer

(not stated, likely Jack Lipinsky)

Total Running Time

OH70_001: 27 minutes OH70_002: 11 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

Rabbi David Monson came to Toronto from Ottawa in June 1939 to serve as the rabbi of the Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue. He served on the board of the Brusnswick Talmud Torah. He was a member of B'nai Zion and B'nai Brith and was the long-serving rabbi of Beth Shalom.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Monson, David

Canadian Jewish Congress. Ontario Region

Shaarei Shomayim Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Lipinsky, Jack

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 70 - Monson\OH70_001_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 70 - Monson\OH70_002_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Rabbi Monson discusses his early positive working relationships with rabbis within the Toronto Jewish community and explains how sectionalization became a post-war phenomenon.

In this clip, Rabbi Monson discusses the role and responsibilities of the Canadian Jewish Congress in Toronto from 1939 to 1948.

Name

J. B. Salsberg

Number

OH 71

Subject

Labor movement

Labor unions

Women

Demonstrations

Interview Date

Sep. 1985

Quantity

1

Total Running Time

OH71_001: 44:50 minuets OH71_002: 35:55 minuets

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

Joseph Baruch Salsberg (1902–1998) was a labour leader, political activist, politician, newspaper columnist, and a man who dedicated his life to Yiddishkeit and the advancement of social justice. He was active in various Jewish organizations, including the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto, and the New Fraternal Jewish Association. In 1938, he was elected as alderman on Toronto’s City Council; in 1948, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. He is well remembered by contemporaries, such as Sam Lipshitz, as a "champion of the people," committed to social justice, the plight of the working-class, and the preservation of Jewish culture.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union

Salsberg, J. B.,1902-1998

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 71 - Salsberg\OH71_001_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 71 - Salsberg\OH71_002_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Joseph Salsberg discusses the events that led to the birth of the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union (ILGWU) in America and the ILGWU's influence on the Canadian garment industry.

In this clip, Joseph Salsberg discusses the first sit down strike by tailors in Canada in recognition of women

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

Ben Himel

Number

OH 135

Subject

Communism

Education

Fraternal organizations

Labor unions

Zionism

Interview Date

24 Jan. 1983

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Stephen Speisman

Total Running Time

OH135_001: 26.40 minutes OH135_002: 29.20 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

Ben Himel was vice president and founder of the Borochov School and Kindergarten. Himel was affliated with the Poale Zion Jewish National Workers Alliance (Farband), the Independent Workers Circle, and the Board of Jewish Education.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Himel, Ben

Speisman, Stephen

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 135 - Himel\OH135_001_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 135 - Himel\OH135_002_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Benjamin Himel discusses the ideologies of Canada's labour Movements during the 1930s and 1940s.

In this clip, Benjamin Himel discusses the Zionist movement within the Toronto Jewish community during the 1930s and 1940s.

Name

Tobie Taback

Number

OH 136

Subject

Immigrants--Canada

Nonprofit organizations

Interview Date

23 Feb. 1983

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Jack Lipinsky

Total Running Time

34 minutes 58 secons

Conservation

Copied November 2006

Use Restrictions

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

Biography

Tobie Taback was the long-time secretary for the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society in Toronto. She retired in 1982.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (Toronto, Ont.)

Taback, Tobie

Lipinsky, Jack

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Tobie Taback discusses the helplessness faced by the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society in bringing immigrants out of Europe during the period of Canada's strict no immigration policy.

In this clip, Tobie Taback discusses the activities of Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (JIAS) employees during the years 1937–1939, the obstacles they faced vis-à-vis immigrant applications and the "parcels to Russia and Poland" aid program run by JIAS.

Name

Dr. Alexander Brown

Number

OH 140

Subject

Education

Interview Date

4 May 1977

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Stephen Speisman

Total Running Time

Side 1: 46 minutes 22 seconds Side 2: 41 minutes 13 seconds good

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

Dr. Alexander Brown was a leader in the field of Jewish education in Toronto. He held various positions with Toronto's Board of Education and the Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto. He was actively involved with other Jewish organizations, such as the Canadian Jewish Congress and the United Jewish Welfare Fund. Dr. Brown was born in the Ukraine in 1909 and was the son of Louis and Bessie Brown.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

Brown, Alexander

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Board of Jewish Education (Toronto, Ont.)

United Jewish Welfare Fund (Toronto, Ont.)

Associated Hebrew Schools (Toronto, Ont.)

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Dr. Brown describes his tenure as executive secretary of the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), its organizational structure, and the CJC's position within the Toronto Jewish community.

In this clip, Dr. Brown discusses the Board of Jewish Education, the Welfare Fund, and the Canadian Jewish Congress in relation to the subsidization of Associated Hebrew Schools.

Name

Rabbi Elimelech Ittamar

Number

OH 141

Subject

Education

Immigrants--Canada

Rabbis

Synagogues

Zionists

Interview Date

11 May 1976

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Doris Newman

Total Running Time

Side 1: 46 minutes Side 2: 19 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

Rabbi Ittamar was born in Poland. He came to Toronto in 1923. He attended Landsdowne and Ryerson Public Schools in Toronto for one year and then continued his education at a theological seminary in New York, which later became Yeshiva University. Throughout his life, Rabbi Ittamar was an ardent Zionist. From 1930 until June 1932, Rabbi Ittamar served as rabbi of Beth Jacob and Adas Yisroel Synagogues in Hamilton. He then worked as principal of the Seattle Talmud Torah and attended graduate school at the University of Washington for three and a half years. He served for twenty years in Detroit as rabbi and president of Yeshiva. He made aliyah in 5715 (1955), when he was invited by Chief Rabbi Herzog to become secretary of the chief rabbinate. He was married (nee Unger) in 1936 and had two children, Tamar and Yehoshua.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

Ittamar, Elimelech

Geographic Access

Toronto

Hamilton

Detroit

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 141, Rabbi Elmelech Ittamar\OH 141 notes.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Rabbi Ittamar shares some of his early memories as a boy in Toronto.

While attending Yeshiva in New York, Rabbi Ittamar headed the debating team. In this clip he describes his first English-speaking public presentation while representing the debating team in 1930 at the Jewish People’s Institute in Chicago.

Name

Dora Till

Number

OH 151

Subject

Immigrants--Canada

Families

Labor

Labor unions

Women

Occupations

Interview Date

4 May 1983

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Stephen Speisman

Total Running Time

46 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

Dora Till (née Tobias) was born in New York City in 1896. She came to Toronto in 1900. She married Morris Till in 1918. They had one daughter, Cecile. As a youth, Dora was involved with Herzl Girls and the Boot and Shoe Society. Dora was active in community service and contributed greatly to social service work. She was co-founder and first president for the Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home, vice president of the Hebrew Maternity Aid Society, a board member for the Jewish Family and Child Services, an executive for the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, honorary vice president of United Jewish Welfare Fund, on the board of Canadian Jewish Congress and past president of the Naomi Chapter of Hadassah-WIZO.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

Herzl Girls Boot and Shoe Society, 1920

Mothers and Babes Summer Rest Home

Baycrest Hospital

United Jewish Welfare Fund

Beth Tzedec Synagogue

Timothy Eaton Company

Till, Dora

Geographic Access

Toronto

Bronte

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Dora Till discusses some of the services provided by Hebrew Maternity Aid.

Dora Till was co-founder and first president for Mothers and Babes Summer Rest Home. In this clip, Dora describes the efforts to solicit and fundraise on behalf of the Mothers and Babes Summer Rest Home.

Name

Kalmen Kaplansky

Number

OH 109

Subject

Antisemitism

Human rights

Immigrants--Canada

Labor

Labor unions

Refugees--Canada

Interview Date

20 Sep. 1985

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Phyllis Platnick

Total Running Time

109A: 60 minutes 109B: 6 minutes

Use Restrictions

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

Biography

Kalmen was born on 5 January 1912 in Poland. He worked in Montreal as a typesetter and linotype operator. He was active in the labour and human rights movements in Canada. Kalmen served as the director of the Jewish Labour Committee in 1945. In collaboration with the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Canadian government, and trade unions, the Jewish Labour Committee helped Jewish displaced persons immigrate to Canada by securing them employment. Kalman sat on the Refugee Status Advisory Committee for the federal government.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Kaplansky, Kalmen

Platnick, Phyllis

Jewish Labour Committee

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 109 - Kaplansky\OH109_001_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 109 - Kaplansky\OH109_002_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Kalmen Kaplansky discusses some of the obstacles to the relocation of displaced Jews to Canada after the Second World War. He describes a tripartite proposal involving consultation and cooperation among trade unions, management, and government, which enabled the immigration project.

In this clip, Kalmen Kaplansky explains that bribery, corruption, and perjury were a way of life after the Second World War. He relates anecdotes as an example.

Name

Max Enkin

Number

OH 113

OH 114

Subject

Antisemitism

Immigrants--Canada

Labor unions

Nonprofit organizations

Occupations

Refugees--Canada

Interview Date

13 Apr. 1986

Quantity

2

Interviewer

Phyllis Platnick

Total Running Time

OH113: 19:40 minuets

OH114:

Conservation

Copied August 2003

Digitized 11/28/2011

Use Restrictions

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

Biography

Max Enkin was founder and a leading member of the Jewish Vocational Service of Toronto. The original purpose of the organization was to help survivors of the Second World War find employment. In 1947, as associate administrator and representative for the men's clothing sector in Ontario, Max Enkin became involved in the Tailor Project. The project was designed to identify and select skilled tailors from the displaced persons camps of Europe and help to settle them in Canada.

Max Enkin was awarded the Order of the British Empire in recognition of services to the Wartime Prices and Trade Board.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

Enkin, Max

Platnick, Phyllis

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 113, OH 114 - Enkin\OH113_001_Log.docx

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Max Enkin discusses the organizations, government departments, and union representatives involved in the development and implementation of the Tailor Project.

In this clip, Max Enkin discusses the Liberal government

Name

Lillian Gollom

Number

OH 122

Subject

Families

Women

Occupations

Antisemitism

Hospitals

Interview Date

8 Dec. 1986

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Morris Silbert and Nancy Draper

Total Running Time

OH122_001: 31.05 minutes

OH122_002: 17.07 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

Lillian Gollom (née Slovens) was born in Russia in 1903. She came to Toronto around 1907. She attended Ogness Public School and Canada Business College. She married Nat Gollom in 1924. They had a son and a daughter. Lillian was actively involved with the "Sinai's" and served as president of the organization in 1939. The fund-raising efforts of the the "Sinai's", Ezrat Nashim and "Twigs" assisted with the establishment of the first Mount Sinai Hospital on Yorkville Avenue. Lillian was a volunteer at the hospital. She remained active with the Sinais and involved with the establishment of the second Mount Sinai Hospital on University Avenue. Afterwards, the organization's focus shifted to fundraising for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Mount Sinai Hospital

Dworkin, Dorothy

Canadian Cancer Society

Singer, E.F.

Gollom, Lillian

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 122 - Gollom\OH122_001_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 122 - Gollom\OH122_002_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Lillian Gollom discusses the establishment and early days of the first Mount Sinai Hospital. She describes the fundraising efforts of Ezrat Nashim, the Sinais, and the Twigs.

In this clip, Lillian Gollom relates anecdotes pertaining to the impact of the Great Depression on Jewish families in the early 1930s.

Name

Edna Jacobs

Number

OH 125

Subject

Families

Travel

Education

Occupations

Antisemitism

Girl Guides

Religion

Volunteers

Interview Date

Dec. 1985, Mar. 1986

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Nancy Draper

Total Running Time

Side 1: 36 minutes Side 2: 46 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

Edna Jacobs (née Frankel) was born on 20 March 1904 in Toronto. Her parents, Sigmund and Paula Frankel, were early immigrants from Germany. Edna attended Havergal from kindergarten through high school. She studied general arts for two years at the University of Toronto. She married Arthur Jacobs, the son of Rabbi Solomon Jacobs, in 1936. Together, they had one daughter, Patsy, and a baby who died during infancy. Edna was involved with the Girls Club and the Junior Council of Jewish Women.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Toronto Girl's Club

Toronto Council of Jewish Women

Geographic Access

Toronto

Germany

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 125 - Jacobs\OH125_001_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 125 - Jacobs\OH125_002_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Edna Jacobs shares memories from a trip she and her family took to Biblis, Germany to celebrate her grandparents’ golden anniversary.

In this clip, Edna Jacobs reminisces about several prominent Toronto Jewish families.

Name

Dr. Esther Volpe and Ida Siegel

Number

OH 161

OH 162

Subject

Immigrants--Canada

Families

Nonprofit organizations

Interview Date

4 Jan. 1971

Quantity

2

Interviewer

Eva Kayfetz and Stephen Spiesman

Total Running Time

OH161 Side 1: 47 minutes OH161 Side 2: 47 minutes

Conservation

Copied August 2003

Notes

Toronto Historical Society lecture

Use Restrictions

Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Biography

Esther Volpe (née Shulman) was born on 24 February circa 1898. As a child, she and her family briefly lived in Romington, Ontario and Havlock, Ontario. Her family later settled in Toronto. In her youth, she participated in the Herzl Girls' Club. She attended University of Toroonto in the Faculty of Arts. She married Dr. Aaron Volpe in 1921. Esther was involved in several Jewish organizations, including the old Mount Sinai Medical Auxillary, Council of Jewish Women, Hadassah, UJA Appeal, JIAS and BBYO and non-Jewish organizations, including Toronto Local Council of Women. She represented the Jewish community of Toronto on the Wartime Price and Trade Board and helped organize the Ontario Food Council.

Ida Siegel (née Lewis) (1885–1982) was born on 14 February 1885 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1894, Ida and her family moved to Toronto. On 14 February 1905, Ida married Isidore Hirsch Siegel. They had six children. An extremely active communal leader, Ida helped found Daughters of Zion in 1899, the Herzl Girls Club in 1904 and Hadassah in 1916. In the mid-1920s, Ida established the Mothers' and Babes' Rest Home,a camp for poor women with young children. She helped organize the first free Jewish dispensary in Toronto, which eventually developed into Mount Sinai Hospital. Ida was also very active in womens peace movements, the Toronto Board of Education and the Toronto Bureau (elected to board, 1930-36) of Jewish Education. In 1917, Ida helped to organize Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, which later became the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

Volpe, Esther

Siegel, Ida

Kayfetz, Eva

Speisman, Stephen

Hadassah-WIZO

National Council of Jewish Women

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Source

Oral Histories

In 1947, Esther Volpe was elected president of the National Council of Jewish Women. In this clip, Esther discusses how, with the support of the United Welfare Fund, the Canadian Jewish Congress, and JIAS, she helped make arrangements for groups of Jewish refugees who settled in Toronto.

In this clip, Esther Volpe explains her involvement in the creation of the Good Age Club, the first recreational program for Jewish seniors.

In this clip, Ida Siegel relates anecdotes from her childhood growing up in downtown Toronto.

Name

Ralph Weber

Number

OH 190

OH 191

Subject

Cemeteries

Hevra kaddisha

Synagogues

Interview Date

3 Feb. 1987

Quantity

3 cassettes (2 copies)

3 WAV files

Interviewer

Stephen Spiesman

AccessionNumber

1987-2-8

Total Running Time

OH190_001: 31.04 minutes OH190_002: 31.05 minutes OH191_001: 25 minutes

Conservation

Copied August 2003

Digitized November 2013

Use Restrictions

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

Biography

Samuel Weber was born 1875 in Vilna, Russia and immigrated to Toronto in 1899. He began his career working in real estate and clothing manufacturing. Sam became the largest real-estate owner of rental housing in Toronto and was one of first builders of roads in the city. He organized and was president of the Toronto Hebrew Burial Society (Chesed Shel Emes). In 1906, he purchased the property today known as the Roselawn Cemetery. Sam was a member of Goel Tzedec Synagogue's building committee.

Material Format

sound recording

Language

English

Name Access

Roselawn Cemetery

Weber, Ralph

Weber, Sam

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 190, OH 191 - Weber\OH190_001_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 190, OH 191 - Weber\OH190_002_Log.pdf

G:\Description\Oral Histories\OH 190, OH 191 - Weber\OH191_001_Log.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Ben Kayfetz

Number

OH 210

Subject

Antisemitism

Human rights

Law

Nonprofit organizations

Interview Date

4 Mar. 1984

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Phyllis Platnick

Total Running Time

46 minutes

Conservation

Copied August 2003

Notes

Christie Pits riot at approximately minute 16:00

Use Restrictions

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

Biography

Benjamin "Ben" Gershon Kayfetz was born on 24 December 1916 in Toronto. He married Eva Silver and had two children. Ben graduated from the University of Toronto in 1939, with a bachelor of arts in modern languages. He worked as a high school teacher in Huntsville, Ontario and Niagara Falls, Ontario between 1941 and 1943. In 1943, he joined the war effort, working for the Department of National Defense in postal censorship and was responsible for reviewing prisoner of war mail. After the war, Kayfetz traveled to British-occupied Germany, where he worked as a censor of telecommunications with the Control Commission until 1947. Upon returning to Toronto, he was hired as the national director of community relations by the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and as the executive (national) director of the Joint Community Relations Committee (JCRC), a CJC-B'nai B'rith cooperative organization. He also served as the central region executive director of the CJC between 1973 and 1978. He worked to develop anti-discrimination laws and for the protection of minority and religious rights. Kayfetz was also actively involved in promoting the welfare of Jewish communities worldwide. He was awarded the Samuel Bronfman Medal by the Canadian Jewish Congress in 1985 and the Order of Canada in 1986. In addition to his professional activities, Kayfetz wrote articles for various Jewish publications under both his own name and the pseudonym Gershon B. Newman. He also gave a weekly radio address on CHIN radio addressing various contemporary Jewish issues and was actively involved in the Toronto Jewish Historical Society (serving as its president), the Canadian Jewish Historical Society, and the Yiddish Luncheon Circle. He died in 2002.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

Balmy Beach Swastika Club

Canadian Jewish Congress

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Geographic Access

Toronto

Kew Beach

Christie Pits

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Transcript

G:\Description\Oral Histories\AC 210, Ben Kayfetz\AC 210 notes.pdf

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Ben Kayfetz describes the skirmish between antisemitic and Jewish youths at Kew Beach in July 1933.

In this clip, Ben Kayfetz discusses the laws that restricted “Jews or other objectionable races” from purchasing, owning, or renting properties in Toronto and summer resort areas. He describes the steps taken to change the law.

Name

Genya Intrator

Number

OH 223

OH 224

Subject

Antisemitism

Women

Human rights

Interview Date

26 Nov. 1990

Quantity

2

Interviewer

Mindy A. Skapinker

AccessionNumber

1993-9-1

Total Running Time

OH 223A: 46 minutes OH 223B: 46 minutes OH 224A: 16 minutes

Conservation

Copied August 2003

Use Restrictions

Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Biography

Genya Intrator was born in Moscow and moved as a child to Palestine in the 1930s. She was a member of the Israeli underground and served in the Israeli army during the War of Independence. She played a central leadership role in the Soviet Jewry movement in Canada. She founded Women for Soviet Jewry and served as chair of the National Soviet Jewry Committee. She helped with the creation of the Group of 35, a Soviet-Jewry activist group in Toronto. Genya had regular contact by phone with Soviet activists and relayed their information back to Israeli consuls. She was an advisor to B'nai Brith on Soviet Jewry. She started an inter-religious Task Force for Soviet Jewry in Canada.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

Intrator, Genya

Skapinker, Mindy A.

Canadian Jewish Congress

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, Genya Intrator discusses the formation of the Group of 35, a Soviet-Jewry activist group.

In this clip, Genya Intrator describes how information about Soviet Jews was passed on to the Israeli consulate in New York, who tracked all the data. She explains how she was appointed as a "secret agent" who would report information from her many phone calls to the Soviet Union.

Name

Arthur Gelber

Number

OH 241

Subject

Antisemitism

Arts

Charities

Interview Date

28 Nov. 1990

Quantity

2 cassettes (1 copy)

Total Running Time

1:6 minutes

Conservation

Copied August 2003

Digitized 2014

Use Restrictions

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

Biography

Arthur Gelber was born on 22 June 1915 in Toronto. He was educated at Upper Canada College. He married Esther Salomon and had four daughters. Arthur was actively involved in Jewish and general community activity. Among his accomplishments, Arthur served as chair of the National Arts Centre Corporation, chair of the Advisory Council Ontario Cabinet, past president of the Canadian Conference of the Arts, past president of the National Ballet, Board of Directors of the American Council for the Arts, Ballet Opera House, National Ballet, Stratford Festival, life director of the National Theatre School of Canada, governor of National Theatre School of Canada, former honorary chair of the Performing Arts Development Fund, and former governor of York University, trustee of the AGO, decorated with the Order of Canada, recipient of the Centennial medal in 1967, Diploma D’honneur 1978, Queen’s Jubilee Medal, vice-president of America-Israel Cultural Foundation, executive of Canadian Jewish Congress, president of Toronto Zionist Council, president of United Jewish Welfare Fund, second chair of the UJA in 1949, chair of the United Jewish Relief Agency, and chair of the United Jewish Appeal.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

United Jewish Relief Agency

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Ontario Arts Council

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Audio cassette

Digital file

Source

Oral Histories

Name

Bess Maltinsky Shockett

Number

OH 288

Subject

Committees

Labor

Labor unions

Interview Date

8 Nov. 2004, 7 Dec. 2004

Quantity

4

Interviewer

Jillian Gould

Total Running Time

OH 288A: 31 minutes

OH 288B: 31 minutes

Conservation

Copies made for Bess' son Michael on four ninety-minute tapes

Use Restrictions

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

Biography

Bess was born in the Ukraine in 1920. She immigrated to Montreal in 1925 with her parents and two brothers. She married Barry Shockett in 1952 and had three children. As an adolescent, Bess became very active in the Jewish community and joined the United Jewish People's Order. She helped organize a union for workers in the knitting industry and later did the same for fur workers. She also travelled to Winnipeg to organize a laundry workers union. She helped found the New Fraternal Jewish Association in 1960 and was actively involved in the organization. She became very active in the Toronto Jewish community, particularly in regards to supporting and launching several innovative Yiddish programs. She staffed the office of the Canadian Jewish Congress' Committee for Yiddish in its early years and was director from 1974 to 1989.

Material Format

sound recording

Name Access

United Jewish People's Order

New Fraternal Jewish Association

Committee for Yiddish

Geographic Access

Montreal

Toronto

Original Format

Audio cassette

Copy Format

Digital file

Source

Oral Histories

Bess became president of the Youth Division of the United Jewish People’s Order in Montreal in 1946. In this clip, Bess shares some of her memories and experiences as a representative to the First International Conference of Youth held in Prague in 1947.

In this clip, Bess discusses the events that led up to the formation of a new left-leaning organization, the New Fraternal Jewish Association, which broke away from the United Jewish People’s Order in 1960.

Name

Mel Lastman

Number

OH 290

Subject

Religion

Families

Interview Date

1 Jun. 2006

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Ellen Scheinberg

Total Running Time

60 min.

Conservation

Copied November 2006

Use Restrictions

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

Biography

Melvin Douglas Lastman was born in Toronto on 9 March 1933, the son of Rose and Louis Lastman. Raised in the Kensington Market area, he attended Ryerson Public School and Central High School of Commerce, where he was president of the school council. Lastman left high school to work at an appliance store and, in 1955, opened his own appliance store. By the late 1960s, he owned a chain of forty stores, Bad Boy Appliances, throughout Ontario. Lastman lived in North York and, in 1969, ran successfully for the North York Board of Control. In the 1972 municipal election, he was elected as mayor of North York, a position he held for twenty-five years until North York became part of the newly created City of Toronto on 1 January 1998. With the provincially-mandated creation of the new City of Toronto by the amalgamation of Metropolitan Toronto and the six local municipalities, Lastman decided to run for mayor against the other major contender, former City of Toronto mayor Barbara Hall. He won the 1997 election and was sworn in on 1 January 1998. Lastman was easily re-elected in the 2000 mayoralty election; however, in February 2003, Lastman announced that he would not be seeking re-election in the November municipal election.

In 1953, Mel Lastman married Marilyn Bornstein. They have two married sons and six grandchildren.

Material Format

moving images

Name Access

Anshei Minsk Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Lastman, Mel

Scheinberg, Ellen

Geographic Access

Toronto

Kensington Market

Original Format

Digital videocassette

Copy Format

DVD

Source

Oral Histories

In this clip, former Toronto mayor Mel Lastman remembers playing as a child at the Minsk Shul in Kensington Market.

Name

Michele Landsberg

Number

OH 294

Subject

Religion

Families

Buildings

Interview Date

Aug. 2006

Quantity

1

Interviewer

Ellen Scheinberg and Aviva Heller

Total Running Time

60 min.

Conservation

Copied November 2006

Use Restrictions

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

Biography

An award-winning columnist, staunch feminist, and tireless activist for social justice and progressive causes at home and abroad, Michele Landsberg was a well-known and prominent Torontonian during the mid-to-late twentieth century. According to a biography posted by the University of Windsor where Landsberg was a distinguished visitor in women's studies in October 2003, her "zest for wanting to change the world has its roots in her childhood: growing up as a Jewish girl in 1950s Toronto, where sexual stereotyping and objectification were rampant and overt antisemitism was acceptable." As a result, Ms. Landsberg tackled a wide-range of related issues, often grounding her columns in events, places, and issues of particular interest to Torontonians.

Born on 12 July 1939, Ms. Landsberg attended Toronto public schools, spent time on a kibbutz in Israel, and graduated from the University of Toronto with honors in English language and literature in 1962. She was dissuaded from pursuing a master's degree by her male professors and instead became a reporter at the Globe and Mail newspaper and launched a remarkable career as a journalist and writer. In addition to freelance and full-time stints with the Globe and Mail (1962–1965; 1985–1988), Chatelaine magazine (1965–1971), and the Toronto Star (1978–1983; 1989–2003), Ms. Landsberg frequently appeared on television and radio and wrote three best-selling books. She garnered awards, including the first National Newspaper Award for column-writing, the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award, and the 2002 Governor-General's Award in Commemoration of the 1929 Persons Case, and received honourary degrees from several Canadian universities. She also served on the boards of many community organizations, such as CARAL (Canadian Abortion Rights League) and Opportunity for Advancement.

After her retirement from the Toronto Star in 2003, Ms. Landsberg planned to pursue other writing projects and to spend more time at home in her garden and with her family: husband Stephen Lewis, three grown children, and two grandchildren. In September 2005, she was acclaimed as the new Chair of the Women's College Hospital Board when the Hospital ended its partnership with Sunnybrook Hospital.

Material Format

moving images

Name Access

Anshei Minsk Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Landsberg, Michele

Scheinberg, Ellen

Heller, Aviva

Geographic Access

Toronto

Original Format

Digital videocassette

Copy Format

DVD

Source

Oral Histories

Canadian author and journalist Michele Landsberg provides recollections of attending the Minsk Synagogue with her grandfather in the 1940s.

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

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

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