Accession Number

1976-9-5

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

2 photographs

Date

[nd], 1966

Scope and Content

Accession consists of two photographs of sketches detailing former Holy Blossom Temple locations. The first is a sketch by an unknown artist of Coombe's Drugstore and the second is a sketch by artist Aba Bayefsky of the Richmond St. building.

Subjects

Synagogues

Name Access

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Bayefsky, Aba, 1923-2001

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1982-9-2

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

7 microfilm reels

Date

1856-1969

Scope and Content

Accession consists of seven microfilm reals documenting the early years of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto. Reels are as follows:

Reel 1: Minutes, 1856-1901; Building Committee, 1894-1897.

Reel 2: Minutes, 1894-1900; Collection Books, 1902-1919; By-laws and Minutes, 1939-1956; By-laws for Holy Blossom Cemeteries; Minutes, 1930-1947; Building Committee, 1937; New Synagogue, 1938.

Reel 3: By-laws and Minutes, 1939-1956.

Reel 4: Register of Toronto Hebrew Congregation; Births, 1857-1868; Marriages, 1851-1894; Burials, 1848 -1900; Large Marriage Register 1858 -1878; By-laws 1876-? (Handwritten), 1894, 1904, 1929, 1949,1955 (printed); By-laws Cemeteries ?-1921; Cash Books, 1900; Monthly Cash Books, 1919; Letterpress copy book and instructions for use; Records and letters from 1891; Letterbooks, 1891-1894; Aliyah Book (which is a small hard cover indexed book containing names of members in English and Hebrew, used for calling members to bless and read the Torah) ca. 1890; January 1921- Ecumenical Service; February 1928- first Canadian exchange of pulpits with Rev. E. Crossley Hunter of Carlton Street United Church and Rabbi Abraham Feinberg participating; Toronto Hebrew Ladies Sick and Benevolent Society Minutes instituted in January 1868, original charter 9 July 1877, later became Toronto Hebrew Benevolent Society; Centennial preparation, committee, service, memorials and interview reports with older members of the congregation.

Reel 5: Collection Books, 1884 -1919.

Reel 6: Officers' Minutes, 1952-1964; Board and Annual Meeting Minutes, 1964-1965; Board Minutes, 1966-1967; Board of Trustees Minutes, 1968-1969; Officers, Trustees & Committee Chairmen; Minutes, 1965-1969.

Reel 7: 11 May 1967 onward

MG_RG

MG 3 A1

Subjects

Synagogues

Name Access

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2005-11-9

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1934-1956

Scope and Content

Accession consists of historical material collected by the CJC Central Region Centenary Committee or Historical Committee (both committee names appear in the file). These materials include several CJC Ontario Division documents dating from 1934. The bulk of the accession consists of reports of interviews conducted in 1956 with members of Holy Blossom as part of a Holy Blossom Centennial research project.

Name Access

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

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Morris Norman collection

Holy Blossom Pulpit sermons by Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath file

Level

Item

Fonds

22

File

7

Item

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

[1931 or 1932]

Physical Description

1 sermon

Notes

Availability of other formats: Also available as a PDF document.

Name Access

Eisendrath, Maurice N., 1902-1973

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Sermons

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Morris Norman collection

Holy Blossom Pulpit sermons by Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath file

Level

Item

Fonds

22

File

7

Item

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

[1930 or 1931]

Physical Description

1 sermon

Notes

Availability of other formats: Also available as a PDF document.

Name Access

Eisendrath, Maurice N., 1902-1973

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Sermons

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Morris Norman collection

Holy Blossom Pulpit sermons by Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath file

Level

Item

Fonds

22

File

7

Item

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

[1930 or 1931]

Physical Description

1 sermon

Notes

Availability of other formats: Also available as a PDF document.

Name Access

Eisendrath, Maurice N., 1902-1973

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Sermons

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Morris Norman collection

Holy Blossom Pulpit sermons by Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath file

Level

Item

Fonds

22

File

7

Item

4

Material Format

textual record

Date

[1932 or 1933]

Physical Description

1 sermon

Notes

Availability of other formats: Also available as a PDF document.

Name Access

Eisendrath, Maurice N., 1902-1973

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Sermons

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2013-2-3

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

20 cm of textual records

ca. 100 photographs

Date

[190-]-2012

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to three generations of the Ladovsky family and their restaurant, the United Bakers Dairy Restaurant. Also included is a small amount of material related to Jewish organizations in Toronto, such as the Kieltzer Society and B'nai Brith, as well as the Bakery and Confectionary Union. Records include family and business photographs, correspondence, newsclippings, UB menus and other ephemera, and records related to family simchas and celebrations.

Custodial History

The records were created and accumulated by Aaron Ladovsky, Herman Ladovsky and Ruthie Ladovsky.

Administrative History

Aaron Ladovsky was born in 1888 in Kielce, Poland. He immigrated with his wife Sarah to Toronto in 1906 at the age of 18. Soon after arriving, Aaron Ladovsky worked to help form a Jewish bakers’ union to advocate for collective rights among Jewish Bakers. In 1912 he opened the United Bakers Dairy Restaurant at Dundas and Bay Streets (known then as Agnes and Terauley Streets respectively) in the heart of the Ward. That same year, the couple had twin sons Herman and Samuel, who were born on September 23, 1912.

Only a short time later, in 1920, Aaron moved the location of his restaurant to 338 Spadina Avenue, just north of Dundas. He and his family lived in an apartment upstairs. Herman and Samuel attended Hester How Elementary School until 1919, Lord Lansdowne Public School once the family moved to Spadina, and later Central Commerce. The twins worked in the family business in the 1920s delivering fresh breads and buns by horse cart.

Aaron Ladovsky was involved in a number of community organizations. He was instrumental in founding the Kieltzer Society of Toronto in 1913; a community based immigrant-aid association extending aid to Kielcers in Poland and around the world. Ladovsky remained an active member of the organization until his death on April 5, 1960 . His restaurant provided a welcome gathering place for the Jewish community, serving traditional dishes and maintaining a friendly open-door policy. Aaron Ladovsky was known for his generosity and claimed that no one, whether they had money or not, left his restaurant hungry. The United Bakers' menu was mainly based on Sarah’s original recipes, and continues to be so to this day.

During the Second World War, Herman served overseas as an electrician in the Canadian army show with comics Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster. After returning from the war, he married Dora Macklin in 1947, a registered nurse from Regina. He also began to take over management of the family business. Later, his son Philip and daughter Ruth would follow in his footsteps, helping to run the restaurant with him and later taking over managment. United Bakers remained on Spadina Avenue for 66 years – until 1986 when it moved to its current location at 506 Lawrence Avenue West, off of Bathurst Street. Herman was an active fixture in restaurant until his death on January 6, 2002. He also supported and was involved in the work of the Ontario Jewish Archives over the years. Today, Philip and Ruth carry on the family tradition of running United Bakers Dairy Restaurant.

Descriptive Notes

To be integrated into the Ladovsky family fonds 83.

Subjects

Families

Restaurants

Name Access

Ladovsky, Herman

Ladovsky, Aaron

United Bakers Dairy Restaurant (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-5-8

Material Format

textual record

moving images

graphic material

Physical Description

2 m of textual records

10 film reels : 8mm

ca. 300 photographs

Date

[192-]-[200-]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Steinberg family. The bulk of the material was collected and created by Elise Steinberg. Included are photographs and slides, family films, Israel and Miriam's wedding album and honeymoon scrapbook, correspondence and greeting cards, newsletters, Holy Blossom Temple bulletins, newsletters, certificates, Elise's school notebooks and assignments, and financial and legal records pertaining to the estate of Joseph Steinberg. Of particular note are Elise Steinberg's diaries which span the years from 1974 to 1984. Also of note is material documenting the family's resignation from Holy Blossom Temple.

Custodial History

The material came into the possession of Charles Levi and his parents after the death of Israel and Miriam Steinberg.

Administrative History

Irving (Israel) Steinberg was born to Joseph and Leah Steinberg (Schindermann) on January 16, 1919. Joseph and Leah had immigrated to Canada in 1914. They initially lived in Peterborough, but moved to Toronto by 1921. They lived in Toronto for a few years, but evetually settled in Sudbury and opened the Toronto Bargain Store.

Irving joined the Canadian army in 1942 and served in Canada. He married Miriam (from Philadelphia) and they lived in Toronto. They had one daughter, Elise, on September 25, 1955. Israel worked as an accountant and Miriam was a musician and patron of the arts. In her teen years, Elise developed an intellectual and physical disability (possibly scoliosis). Elise was an avid doll collector and volunteered for many years at Holy Blossom Temple's library. The family were members of Holy Blossom Temple for many years and tried advocating for better access to the synagogue for individuals with disabilities. They resigned their membership in the 1990s.

Elise passed away on April 5, 2005. Miriam passed away on February 28, 2011. Irving passed away the following day on March 1, 2011.

Subjects

Diaries

Families

Synagogues

Name Access

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Steinberg, Elise, 1955-2005

Steinberg, Irving, 1919-2011

Steinberg, Miriam, ?-2011

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2017-1-3

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm

Date

[before 1937]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photograph of Holy Blossom Synagogue on Bond Street, Toronto. It was located at this location from 1897-1937.

Name Access

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Level

Item

Item

1511

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[between 1930 and 1935]

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative)

Scope and Content

Item is a photo of the Kieltzer Sick Benifit Society. Pictured in the back row from left to right are: Gordon Mendly (1902-1998); [unknown]; Avrum Urman (?-1967) (president of Bakers' Union); Nathan (?) Rotfoge (?- 1964); Avromele Stancer (bakery on College St.); Getzel Tannenbaum (recording secretary); [?] Sugar (Sugar Bros. Tailors, College St.).

Seated left to right: Dovid Levy (worked at Eaton's); Aaron Ladovsky (United Bakers, called "Tate Fun Keltzer"); Noson Yasne (president); [?] Bader (vice-president); [unknown].

Notes

Photo by Famous Studios.

Name Access

Bader

Eaton's

Kieltzer Sick Benefit Society

Ladovsky, Aaron

Levy, Dovid

Mendly, Gordon, 1904-1998

Rotfogel

Stancer, Avromele

Sugar Bros. Tailors

Tannenbaum, Getzel

Urman, Avrum

United Bakers

Yasne, Noson

Subjects

Societies

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Places

College Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1978-3-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

4175

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1938]

Physical Description

2 photographs : sepia (1 negative)

Scope and Content

This is a copy photograph taken from the Holy Blossom Temple dedication book, 1938.

Name Access

Eisendrath, Maurice Nathan, 1902-1973

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Occupations

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Ladovsky family fonds

Photographs file

Level

Item

Fonds

83

File

9

Item

21

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1933]

Physical Description

4 photographs : b&w (2 negatives) ; 21 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

The Toronto Kielcer Maccabees Football and Sports Club was established following the First World War by Kielce landsmen in Toronto.

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of the Toronto Kielcer Maccabees taken by photographer Gordon Mendly. Aaron Ladovsky is in the second row, fourth from right. Fishel Bimko is also in the second row, third from left.

Notes

Photo by Famous Studios, Toronto.

The photograph was published in the Canadian Jewish News on September 23, 1987.

Originally cited as photo # 4503 (original) and photo # 6224 ( reference copy).

Name Access

Ladowksy, Aaron

Ladovsky, Aaron

Bimko, Fischel

Toronto Kielcer Maccabees Football and Sports Club

Subjects

Sports teams

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Accession Number

1988-4-12

1999-11-4

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dr. A. I. Willinsky fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

81

Item

18

Material Format

moving images

Date

[ca. 1936]-1938

Physical Description

1 film reel (ca. 19 min.) : original, b&w, si. ; 16 mm

1 film reel (ca. 19 min.) : duplicate, 16 fps, b&w, si. ; 16 mm

1 DVD (ca. 19 min.) : duplicate, digital, b&w, si.

Scope and Content

Item is a documentary film about the rationale for, the construction of, and the opening ceremonies of the Holy Blossom Synagogue. Seen are shots of the crowded and dim classrooms within the old Bond St. Synagogue, its predecessor. Also seen are scenes of the official sod turning, the laying of the corner-stone, and some of the construction work on Holy Blossom at its new location at the corner of Bathurst Street and Ava Road. These are followed by various scenes of the new building’s interior and exterior. The film ends with the May 16, 1937 official opening ceremonies of, and the transfer of the Torah scrolls to, the new facility. Identified in the footage is Edmund Scheuer.

Notes

In 1988 a dupe negative and new check print were struck from the original positive print. As part of the new print production, both the original magnetic and optical sound tracks were utilized. This work was commissioned by and paid for by the Toronto Jewish Congress for its Archives.

Previously reel # 12

Name Access

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Building

Synagogues

Torah scrolls

Physical Condition

Film has slight vinegar smell

Places

Ava Road (Toronto, Ont.)

Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Bond Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2024-2-2

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 scrapbook

1 commemorative book

1 bulletin

Date

1938-1939, 1964

Scope and Content

Accession consists of three items. The first item is a Beth El Synagogue Sisterhood scrapbook for the years 1962–64. The second item is a commemorative book released on the occasion of the 1938 dedication of Holy Blossom Temple. The third item is a Holy Blossom Temple bulletin dated 26 November 1939.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Synagogues

Women

Name Access

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions