Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 14
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
14
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
object
Date
1917-2011
Physical Description
2.82 m of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
As early as 1916 the Ezras Noshem Society (a mutual benefit society for Jewish women) started to raise funds to purchase and renovate what would become The Toronto Jewish Old Folks' Home (Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care’s forerunner) after its members recognized the need for a home in Toronto where the Jewish elderly could receive kosher meals and communicate with staff in their own language. Property at 31 Cecil Street was purchased in 1917 and sometime between September 1918 and January 1920 the Home officially opened there. The Home was run by a small staff and the women of Ezras Noshem who volunteered their time to make beds, cook kosher meals, do laundry and sponsor fundraising events. By 1938 the Home had expanded into its neighboring houses at 29, 33, and 35 Cecil Street and was caring for 115 residents. It provided residents with synagogue services, a hospital ward and social activities. At this time the Home also became a member of the United Jewish Welfare Fund.
In 1946, the need for a larger and more modern building prompted a fundraising campaign, which was headed by Abe Posluns, to purchase and build a new facility. In December 1954, the new building opened at 3650 Bathurst Street and consisted of two new institutions: The Jewish Home for the Aged and Baycrest Hospital. This location continued to expand over the years, including a new building for residents in 1968, an apartment building for seniors called the Baycrest Terrace in 1976, and a community centre known as The Joseph E. and Minnie Wagman Centre in 1977. These additions enabled Baycrest to expand its programs to include a day care program, recreational programs, and a Sheltered Workshop which was run in cooperation with the Jewish Vocational Service and provided residents with employment. In 1986 a new Baycrest Hospital was erected, and in 1989, the Rotman Research Institute, which is also affiliated with the University of Toronto, opened to create a research facility where top researchers could study and find new treatment methods for the elderly.
In recent years, Baycrest’s services and programs have continued to expand. In 2000, the Apotex Centre, the Jewish Home for the Aged and the Louis and Leah Posluns Centre for Stroke and Cognition opened to help residents with progressive dementia caused by vascular disorders. In 2001 a condominium building opened at 2 Neptune Drive for seniors, and in 2003 the Sam and Ida Ross Memory Clinic was established to provide out-patient services for seniors with memory disorders. Baycrest Centre also provides numerous cultural and religious programs for the inhabitants and the greater community, including a heritage museum, art exhibits and a Holocaust program.
Custodial History
Records were donated to the OJA in a series of accessions from a variety of sources, including the Baycrest Women's Auxiliary and the Multicultural Historical Society of Ontario.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting the history, governance, and activities of the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. Included are meeting notices, agendas and minutes, correspondence, reports, speeches, photographs, artifacts, constitutions, publications, press releases, financial records, event invitations, programs, a scrapbook, a poster, lists, theatrical scripts, newspaper clippings, brochures and booklets, flyers, a land deed, certificates, schedules, annual calendars, cards, questionnaires, and lists.
Fonds is arranged into eleven series: 1. Board of Directors and Executive Committee; 2. Annual General Meetings and Annual Reports; 3. Committees and meetings; 4. Women's Auxiliary; 5. Men's Service Group; 6. Toronto Jewish Old Folks Home; 7. Programs and services; 8. Religious services; 9. Fundraising; 10. Publications and publicity; and, 11. Events. Records are described to the file level with some item level descriptions.
Notes
Physical description note: Includes 1102 photographs, 4 coins, 2 posters, 1 badge, 1 pin, 1 key chain, 1 postcard, and 1 pen.
Associated material note: related material at Library and Archives Canada includes a small Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds, and the Eric Exton fonds. For architectural records see the Irving D. Boigon fonds 243 at the City of Toronto Archives (Boigon was an architect who designed many of Baycrest's buildings between the 1970s and 1990s). Contact Baycrest Centre's Heritage Museum for committee records from the 1930s, and consult Baycrest's website to access electronic copies of current issues of Baycrest's publications.
Name Access
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care
Baycrest Hospital
Ezras Noshem Society (Toronto, Ont.)
Jewish Home for the Aged (Toronto, Ont.)
Jewish Old Folks Home (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Hospitals
Old age homes
Related Material
See Gordon Mendly Fonds 18, series 3-4; Jewish Vocational Services of Toronto fonds 75; United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds 67; accession # 2009-6-2; Dora Till Fonds 52; J. Irving Oelbaum Fonds 24; Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds 61, series 1-1; Gilbert Studios fonds 37; Ben Kayfetz fonds 62, series 3, file 3; JFWB fonds 87, series 6, files 5 and 6; JIAS fonds 9, series 7, file 1; Harold S. Kaplan fonds 27, series 1-4, and Morris Norman fonds 22.
Creator
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care, 1917-
Accession Number
1982-11-1
1983-11-2
1988-2-7
1979-9-17
1979-9-23
1987-9-7
2004-5-50
MG 2 O 1A
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 17
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
17
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1936-1992
Physical Description
47 m of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
By 1919 the plight of post-war eastern European Jewry and the need for a united community voice for Canadian Jewry led to the creation of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Its founding meeting was held on March 16, 1919 in Montreal. Though it briefly maintained a tiny regional office in Toronto, the CJC remained inactive until 1933, when it fully reconvened by opening offices in Winnipeg, Montreal, and Toronto. Egmont L. Frankel was the first president of the new central division in Toronto. While the national office in Montreal focused on the overarching issues of the social and economic rights of European Jewry, assistance for Jewish immigrants, and combating prejudice in Canada, the Toronto office dealt with local, violent anti-Jewish demonstrations as well as continuing discrimination both in employment and in access to public recreational facilities. The structure was based on regular national biennial plenary conferences, at which policies were delineated and national and regional executives were elected. Between plenary sessions, national and regional councils were in charge. These were augmented by the following standing committees: administrative, officers, personnel, financial, publications, and educational and cultural. Special committees were created to deal with issues such as: youth, community loans, kashruth, fundraising, Israel, Russian Jewry, and various emergency issues such as refugees, immigration, and housing.
During the 1930s the central division office moved several times and occupied offices in the following locations: Yonge Street, the Bond Street Synagogue, Scheuer House, the Zionist Building, and its long-term home at 150-152 Beverley Street, where it remained until its July 1983 move to the Lipa Green Building in North York.
The CJC's activities expanded to include taking responsibility for Jewish educational standards, but by 1941 its main efforts shifted to support for Canada’s war effort. Immediately after the end of the war, the focus again shifted to Jewish immigration projects and the maintenance of Jewish identity in small communities. By 1950, the CJC’s use of the title “division” was changed to “region” to accommodate internal operational divisions within each region. Also, by then, the central region was busy expanding its programs for all Ontario Jewish communities, creating a province-wide council of youth groups, and working with the newly-created Bureau of Jewish Education (later Board of Jewish Education, now Mercaz). Standardization of kashruth rules in Ontario was implemented. As well, regular educational conferences and cultural events were held throughout the province, while province-wide fundraising efforts in support of Moess Chittin for relief projects in Israel and for local Congress activities were expanded. Many of its educational and cultural responsibilities necessitated working with other Jewish organizations such as the United Jewish Welfare Fund, Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (JIAS), Hadassah, the Canadian Legion, B’nai Brith, the World Jewish Congress, the American Jewish Congress, and the many landsmenshaften (Jewish mutual benefit societies, each formed by immigrants originating from the same Eastern European community).
During the 1960s, the central region began sending Moess Chittin relief shipments to Cuban Jews unable to acquire kosher foods for Passover. Its lobbying efforts included participation in the Royal Commissions on Hate Propaganda, and its greatest success came with the introduction and implementation of Ontario’s fair employment and fair accommodation practices legislation, an achievement in which Congress played a pivotal role.
From 1971 to 1989 the major focus became international and national lobbying for, and providing support to, Soviet Jewry. Virtually all local and Canadian efforts to assist the Soviet Jewish “refusniks” were organized and coordinated in Toronto by the Ontario region office, which provided staff and funding for the many lobbying activities and public demonstrations that characterized this successful effort.
As of November 1975, the central region’s responsibilities in Toronto were radically altered. To improve cost efficiency in Toronto, CJC educational and social service program activities were merged with similar programs already provided by Toronto’s United Jewish Appeal. The UJA assumed sole responsibility for these amalgamated programs in Toronto and was renamed Toronto Jewish Congress. The central region still retained province-wide responsibilities for Ontario’s smaller Jewish communities, and its office remained in Toronto. Also, following this reorganization, its name was changed to Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region. Although CJC no longer provided direct social and educational programs to Toronto, the TJC’s senior executive was, at the time, still obliged to continue to keep it notified about developments concerning previous Congress responsibilities.
From 1983, the Ontario Region's offices were located in the Lipa Green Building at 4600 Bathurst Street. It continued its work of financially supporting various Israeli institutions and fostering Canada-Israel relations. It also spearheaded the movement to support and protect Jews in Arab lands, especially in Syria. Funding for the CJC came from the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy, which restributed a portion of the funds raised by the local Jewish federations across Canada.
The CJC dissolved in 2011. Today, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) acts as the Jewish community's primary lobby group.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of the records of the Ontario Region office of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Of primary importance in documenting this organization’s history are its minutes of the Executive and Administrative Committees and the various standing, and short-term committees such as Community Organization, Finance, Fund Raising, Educational and Cultural, Research, Immigration, War Efforts, and Jewish Education. Most of these records are still managed all together within Fonds 17, Series 1. Fonds 17, Series 2 contains the general subject and correspondence files of these committees. Records in both series require further processing.
Records now found in Series 3 document the efforts of the Committee for Soviet Jewry in coordinating the activities of the many Toronto and Ontario organizations involved in assisting Soviet Jewry during the 1971 to 1989 period.
Series 4 consists of administrative and committee records of the United Jewish Refugee and War Relief Agencies in Toronto from 1938 through 1967. These document its work rescuing the survivors of European Jewish communities, settling as many as possible in Ontario, and providing assistance to those attempting to obtain restitution payments.
Series 5 consists of the records of the Community Relations Committee (1938-1976). Responding to depression-era anti-Semitism in Canada, the Canadian Jewish Congress and B’nai Brith together established in 1938 a new joint committee. Since then this Committee has documented racist threats in Canada; initiated advocacy activities to work for improved civil rights; promoted legislation combating hate; worked to ensure equality of access to employment, education and accommodation; and investigated specific incidents of discrimination. The Committee, for example, played a key role in achieving the Anti-Discrimination Act of 1944, and the Fair Employment Practices Act of 1951, key steps leading to Canada’s current Human Rights Code. Although originally named Joint Public Relations Committee in 1938, a series of name changes later occurred; s follows: Joint Community Relations Committee, Central Region (1962-1978), Joint Community Relations Committee, CJC, Ontario Region (ca. 1978-ca. 1991) Community Relations Committee, CJC, Ontario Region (ca. 1991-present) Records in this series were reorganized into 5 sub-series and a further 9 sub-sub-series during the 2009 to 2011 period. For further details please view the database records for Fonds 17, Series 5. Although this series will eventually hold all CRC records up to 1992, only those prior to 1979 are currently fully processed.
Notes
Physical description note: Includes 1839 photographs, 89 audio cassettes, 11 videocassettes, 4 drawings, and 6 microfilm reels (16 mm).
Processing note: Processing of this fonds is ongoing. Additional descriptive entries will be added in future.
Name Access
Canadian Jewish Congress. Ontario Region
Subjects
Pressure groups
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the Archivist prior to accessing some of the records
Arrangement
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the Archivist prior to accessing some of the records.
Creator
Canadian Jewish Congress. Ontario Region (1919-2011)
Places
Ontario
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Morris Norman collection
Level
Collection
ID
Fonds 22
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Morris Norman collection
Level
Collection
Fonds
22
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1856-1995
Physical Description
1.1 m of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Morris Norman (b. 1946) is a chartered accountant living and working in Toronto. He is an avid collector of Canadiana, specifically Judaica. He purchases lots at auction and donates them to the Ontario Jewish Archives, as well as other institutions.
Scope and Content
This collection consists of the individual items collected at auction by Morris Norman. The records relate to the Toronto Jewish community and Ontario Jewry and include textual documents, photographs, near-prints, publications, artifacts, posters and broadsheets, sound recordings, and ephemera. Most of the items relate to various Jewish organizations, businesses, synagogues and individuals, and to Christian missionary work in Toronto. The material has been described at the file level, or where appropriate, the item level.
There are also four distinct series of records which document Berul Sugarman, who was a concert violinist and orchestral leader; the Franklin family, who owned a large amount of property in Toronto in the late 1800s and early 1900s; radio and television scripts written by Wayne and Shuster, Henry Karpus and Russell Bradley; and a collection of Turofsky photographs.
Notes
Physical description note: Includes 49 objects, 25 photographs, 7 audio recordings and 4 prints.
Name Access
Norman, Morris
Norman, Jessie
Creator
Norman, Morris (1946-)
Accession Number
1995-9-3
1995-9-4
1995-9-8
1996-6-3
1996-7-3
1996-9-1
1997-7-1
1998-1-1
1998-3-44
1998-7-2
1999-10-1
2000-7-4
2000-12-3
2001-3-3
2001-4-3
2001-8-5
2001-10-6
2001-11-1
2002-4-1
2002-5-1
2002-7-1
2002-9-1
2002-10-5
2002-10-58
2002-12-3
2003-5-3
2003-10-6
2004-7-4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Publications and publicity series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 14; Series 10
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Publications and publicity series
Level
Series
Fonds
14
Series
10
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1957-2011
Physical Description
35 cm of textual records
1 postcard
Scope and Content
Series consists of textual records and graphic material documenting the Baycrest Centre's various publications and publicity activities. Included is a meeting notice and minutes, a memo, a postcard, articles, a news release, brochures, newsletters, magazines, and bulletins.
Series is arranged into four sub-series: 1. Baycrest News ; 2. Baycrest Bulletins; 3. Baycrest Breakthroughs; and, 4. Attach Your Name to Baycrest.
Related Material
See the Baycrest Centre's website for electronic copies of current issues of Baycrest's publications, including: Baycrest Matters newsletters, the Joseph E. and Minnie Wagman Centre newsletters, and Baycrest Bulletins. A link to the website is here: http://www.baycrest.org/publications-18.php
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Publications and publicity series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 14; Series 10; File 9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Publications and publicity series
Level
File
Fonds
14
Series
10
File
9
Material Format
textual record
Date
1982
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Admin History/Bio
The Multilingual Magazine was a creative project of the residents of Baycrest Terrace and members of the Jospeh E. and Minnie Wagman Centre. Published twice a year in four languages, the magazine contains stories and memories of the residents and members.
Scope and Content
File consists of the first issue of the Multilingual Magazine.
Name Access
Terraces of Baycrest (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 95
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
95
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1934-1982
Physical Description
58 cm of textual records
125 photographs
1 print
Admin History/Bio
Dr. Alexander Brown (1909-1984) was a leader in the field of Jewish education in Toronto. He held various positions with Toronto’s Board of Jewish Education (BJE) and the Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto, and was actively involved with other Jewish organizations, such as the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and the United Jewish Welfare Fund (UJWF).
Brown was born in the Ukraine on 14 February 1909 to Louis and Bessie Brown. The family immigrated to Canada in 1920. Brown attended the Simcoe Street Talmud Torah and studied under Rabbi Jacob Gordon. He continued his education at the Hebrew Theological College of Chicago and returned to Toronto in 1933. Between 1934 and 1936 Brown served as the first executive secretary of the CJC, Central Region. From 1936 to 1937 he was an announcer for the Jewish Radio Hour, where he read the News of the Week. In 1945 he graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA and then again in 1948 with an MA in Oriental languages. Brown was married to Dorothy Mercovitch (1912-2009) of London, Ontario, and together they had two children: Martin and Paul.
Brown entered the field of Jewish education as the principal of Shaarei Shomayim Hebrew School from 1942 to 1948, as a principal of the AHS of Toronto and as dean of the Midrasha L'Morim. From 1957 to 1964 he worked as a consultant with the BJE in Toronto and then became the BJE's associate director until the early 1980s. He also was a member of the UJWF’s Study Committee on Jewish Education, the National Council of Jewish Education, the Toronto Zionist Council, and the Educational and Cultural Committee of the CJC. In 1969, he received an honourary doctorate in Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois.
Dr. Brown died on 15 September 1984 at the age of 75.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of Paul Brown, Dr. Brown's son, until their donation to the OJA.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual and graphic material documenting the professional activities of Dr. Alexander Brown. The bulk of the material relates to his involvement with the BJE and the Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto. Included are meeting notices, agendas, and minutes, reports, studies, speeches, proposals, constitutions, correspondence, financial records, publications, questionnaires, photographs, booklets, articles, biographies, press releases, newspaper clippings, programmes, invitations, flyers, lists, applications, statistics, and a directory.
Records have been arranged into the following four series: 1. Board of Jewish Education; 2. Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto; 3. United Jewish Welfare Fund Study Committee on Jewish Education; and, 4. Jewish communal activities. Two files are attached directly to the fonds level. Records are described to the file level with a selection of item level descriptions.
Notes
Fonds was reduced from approximately 1.2 metres to 0.74 metres. Records that were culled include duplicate or damaged photographs, duplicate graduation programmes and invitations, duplicate UJWF Study Committee Interim reports that are located elsewhere in OJA's holdings, and other duplicated material. Also removed were American and other non-Canadian booklets.
Photographers and photography studios are identified on the photographs.
Name Access
Brown, Alexander, 1909-1984
Gordon, Jacob, Rabbi
Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto
Board of Jewish Education (Toronto, Ont.)
United Jewish Welfare Fund (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Education
Physical Condition
The photographs are in poor condition. They have begun to curl and have become stiff from being stored in a dry environment. They should be flattened through humidification and encapsulated in mylar to prevent re-curling.
Related Material
See: Oral history interview with Dr. Brown (AC 140), Board of Jewish Education fonds 48, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds 67, AHS of Toronto MG2 G-1E, accession 1981-11-4, United Synagogue Day School accession 1990-5-2, accession 1991-12-5, and accession 1988-11-3. For photographs of Jewish schools see Gordon Mendly fonds 18, series 3.
Arrangement
Arrangement has been created by the archivist since there was no discernable original order.
Creator
Brown, Alexander, 1909-1984
Accession Number
2009-7-9
2010-12-9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Jewish communal activities series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 95; Series 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Jewish communal activities series
Level
Series
Fonds
95
Series
4
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1934-1982, predominant 1958-1982
Physical Description
7 cm of textual records
37 photographs
Scope and Content
Series consists of textual records documenting Dr. Alexander Brown's various Jewish communal activities. Included are meeting minutes, speeches, publications, correspondence, invitations, flyers, photographs, biographies, newspaper clippings, brochures, a list, and a program.
Notes
Photographers and photography studios are identified on the photographs.
Physical Condition
A number of the photographs are starting to curl along the edges and have become stiff due to poor storage conditions.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Jewish communal activities series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 95; Series 4; File 16
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Jewish communal activities series
Level
File
Fonds
95
Series
4
File
16
Material Format
textual record
Date
29 Mar. 1981
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of an event flyer.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Shirley Baine fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Shirley Baine fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
3
Material Format
textual record
Date
1936-1991
Physical Description
8 cm of textual records
Admin History/Bio
Shirley (Gertzbein) Baine (1910-2005) was born in Lithuania in 1910. She came to Toronto to live with her extended family during the 1930s. She later married Arthur Baine, a widower who had two children. Together, they had three additional children of their own.
Soon after her arrival in Canada, Shirley Baine became very involved in the Mizrachi organization. She was first a member of the Bruria Girls, during the late 1930s, and then joined the Etzion women's chapter later in her life. The role of both groups was to raise funds and provide support for Palestine (and later Israel). In 1972, she was honoured by this chapter with an inscription of her name into their Golden Book. She died in Toronto in 2005.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting Shirley Baine's activites in the Mizrachi movement as well as other initiatives. The fonds includes minutes of meetings, a dance program, a list of members from the Etzion chapter, correspondence, speeches, and a yiskor book.
Name Access
Baine, Shirley, 1910-2005
Subjects
Religious Zionism
Related Material
For related material on the Mizrachi movement, please see MG2 J1A.
Arrangement
By activity and chronological
Creator
Baine, Shirley, 1910-2005
Accession Number
2003-3-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
4
Material Format
multiple media
Date
[ca. 1900]-2010
Physical Description
3.1 metres of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell (1919-2000) was a prominant member of the Toronto Jewish community who initially pursued a career as a pharmacist and was later founder and president of the property development company, Elmdale Investments. He held positions as board member or chair in a wide variety of religious, educational and social service organizations and institutions both in Canada and Israel. In Toronto, these included: Clanton Park Synagogue, Adas Israel Synagogue, Jones Avenue Cemetery, Canadian Jewish Congress and the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto (formerly Toronto Jewish Congress, and now the United Jewish Appeal Federation of Greater Toronto).
Edell was born in Toronto on 5 March 1919, the son of Pesach and Molly Edell. He attended Harbord Collegiate and graduated from the Toronto College of Pharmacy, University of Toronto, in 1943 while on leave of absence from the army. He was enlisted in the Canadian Armed Forces during the Second World War and served in the signal corps.
After he completed his army service, he opened Edell’s Drug Store at 1978 Queen Street in Etobicoke in 1948, the first shomer Shabbat drug store in the city. He operated a second store at 494 Spadina Avenue in the late 1940s. In 1955 the Queen Street location was expropriated by the City of Toronto. Subsequently, Edell founded Elmdale Investments, the company which built and managed the Elmhurst Plaza in Etobicoke. He reopened the drug store, which was renamed Elmhurst Drugs in the plaza. He also invested in two retail textile stores, Deltex Drapery and Dodd’s Drapery which had been founded by group of businessmen including his cousin Israel Edell.
In 1952 he married Dolly Weinstock, the daughter of Moishe and Sylvia Weinstock. They lived in the newly developed suburb of North York with their four children: Ethel, Simcha, Malka and Joseph. After 10 years of marriage, Dolly died and in 1966, he married Celia Rogen Hoffman.
Sol Edell was a founding member and first president of the Clanton Park Congregation. He was actively involved in the construction of the synagogue and its development. He continued to be affiliated with Shomrai Shabbos where his grandfather Rabbi Yosef Weinreb had been the rabbi. He was also involved with Adas Israel, the synagogue in Hamilton where his wife Celia had been an active member.
He was chair of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region -- Toronto Jewish Congress Archives Committee, which subsequently became the Ontario Jewish Archives. During his tenure, the archives was responsible for the reconstruction of the Kiever Synagogue which had been built in the early 1900s but had fallen into a state of disrepair by the 1960s.
Sol Edell was also involved in a number of Zionist organizations. He was the founding chair of the Aliyah Support Committee of the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto, whose mandate was to assist Torontonians who had moved to Israel and ease their transition into Israeli society. He was also an active member of the Mizrachi organization and its affiliated institutions. Another one of Sol Edell’s interests was ensuring the preservation of local cemeteries. He was president of the Jones Avenue Cemetery and on the board of Pardes Shalom and the Bathurst Lawn Cemetery, Clanton Park section.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting Sol Edell's business activities, community involvement and personal life. Included is correspondence, meeting minutes, photographs, financial records, legal records, publications, audio-visual material, invitations, newspaper clippings, artifacts, lists, reports, speeches, and architectural drawings.
The fonds is organized into the following eleven series: Personal; Edell's Drug Store and Elmhurst Pharmacy; Elmdale Investments; Deltex Drapery and Dodd's Drapery; Adas Israel Synagogue; Clanton Park Synagogue; Shomrai Shabbos; Aliyah; Cemetery and funeral home; Historical materials; and, Activities and organizations.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 739 photographs, 232 architectural drawings, 11 audio cassettes, 9 audio reels, 13 film reels, 7 videocassettes, 4 slides, 1 plaque, 4 badges, and 1 key.
Name Access
Edell Solomon, 1919-2000
Clanton Park Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Edell, Dolly
Edell, Celia
Edell's Drug Store
Elmhurst Pharmacy
Jones Avenue Cemetery
Canadian Jewish Congress/ Toronto Jewish Congress Archives
Aliyah Support Committee
Subjects
Business
Pharmacists
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Physical Condition
The bulk of the architectural drawings are currently being stored rolled up. They should be flattened and encapsulated in melinex.
Film and sound reels should be digitized.
Related Material
See fonds #5 for material related to Paul Edell.
See accession #2012-10/9 for material related to the Edell family.
Creator
Edell, Solomon, 1919-2000
Accession Number
2002-12-2
2008-8-29
2011-5-4
2012-10-9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Level
Series
Fonds
4
Series
1
Material Format
multiple media
Date
[ca. 1900]-2000
Physical Description
49 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell, the son of Paul and Mollie Edell, was one of five siblings. He and Dolly Weinstock, the daughter of Moishe and Sylvia Weinstock, had two daughters and two sons and lived in Toronto. After Dolly died in 1961, he married Celia (née Rogen) Hoffman, a widow, in 1966. He became the stepfather to the two sons of Max and Celia Hoffman who had been residents of Hamilton. Some members of the family remained in Toronto while others moved to other parts of Canada, the United States and Israel. Sol Edell was actively involved in or provided financial support to many educational, professional and religious organizations.
Scope and Content
Series includes correspondence, invitations, publications, photographs, family films and a sound recording. The series is made up of seven sub-series: Associations, Charities, Community Activities, Education and Extra-Curricular Activities, Life Cycle and Family Events, Religious, and Residence.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 12 photographs, 7 film reels, 1 audio reel, 1 plaque, 4 badges, and 47 architectural drawings.
Name Access
Hoffman, Max
Hoffman, Celia
Rho Pi Phi
Harbord Collegiate
Subjects
Education
Greek letter societies
Physical Condition
Film and sound reels should be digitized.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Shomrai Shabbos Synagogue series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 7
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Shomrai Shabbos Synagogue series
Level
Series
Fonds
4
Series
7
Material Format
textual record
architectural drawing
graphic material
Date
1913-1999
Physical Description
22 cm of textual records
4 architectural drawings
2 photographs
Admin History/Bio
Shomrai Shabbos is an orthodox congregation which was founded in 1896. Sol Edell’s grandfather, Rabbi Yosef Weinreb, served as rabbi of the congregation from 1900 until 1942. The synagogue was in several downtown locations until it moved to its present location on Glengrove Avenue in North York in 1966. The congregation has grown steadily over the years and now has a membership of over 350 families. Sol Edell’s family were members of the congregation when he was a child. Although he retained his membership in the congregation after his marriage, he rarely attended the services at the synagogue. However, he did continue to participate in fundraising on behalf of the synagogue.
Custodial History
The earlier records were collected by Sol's grandfather, Rabbi Yosef Weinreb, or his father, Paul Edell. After their deaths, Sol maintained his membership in the congregation and continued to receive material from the synagogue.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting the establishment, construction, membership and activities of the Shomrai Shabbos Synagogue. Included is correspondence, speeches, technical drawings, financial records, ledgers, a tribute book, legal records, flyers, bulletins, marriage certificate receipts, certificates, invitations, a photograph, and stationary.
Name Access
Felder, Gedalia, Rabbi
Yosef, Weinreb, Rabbi
Subjects
Architecture
Synagogues
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
General community activities series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 11
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
General community activities series
Level
Series
Fonds
4
Series
11
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1950-2010
Physical Description
77 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
In addition to his ongoing involvement with Clanton Park, the Canadian Jewish Congress Archives, the Aliyah Support Group, Jones Avenue Cemetery, Shomrai Shabbos and Adas Israel, Sol Edell undertook special projects on behalf of a wide array of Jewish organizations. These include cultural (Toronto Cantorial Scholarship Fund), educational (Netivot Hatorah and Yeshivat Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot), religious (Union of Jewish Orthodox Congregations), social welfare (Association of Jewish Seniors and Co-Ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly) and Zionist (Canadian Friends of Yeshivat Hakotel and State of Israel Bonds) organizations.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting Sol Edell's involvement with a wide variety of Jewish educational, social and religious organizations and institutions in Canada, the United States, and Israel. Included are meeting minutes, publications, reports, photographs, correspondence, invitations, programmes, financial records, an architectural drawing, and a sound recording. While many of these organizations such as Eitz Chaim, Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot (educational), Mizrachi Organization of Canada, Emunah Women (Zionist) and Beth Jacob V’Anshe Drildz (synagogue) are orthodox, others such as Associated Hebrew Day Schools (educational), State of Israel Bonds (Zionist) and Co-ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly (social welfare) have no religious affiliation.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 26 photographs, 1 audio cassette, and 1 architectural drawing.
Name Access
Eitz Chaim
Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot
Mizrachi Men’s Organization
Emunah Women
Beth Jacob V'Anshei Drildz (Toronto, Ont.)
Associated Hebrew Day Schools
State of Israel Bonds
Co-ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly
Camp Moshava
Harbord Collegiate
Netivot Hatorah
Union of Jewish Orthodox Congregations
B'Nei Akiva
Toronto Committee for Bikur Cholim Hospital
Subjects
Charities
Children
Education
Fund raising
Older people
Religion
Zionism
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Life cycle and family events sub-series
Level
Sub-series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 1-5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Life cycle and family events sub-series
Level
Sub-series
Fonds
4
Series
1-5
Material Format
multiple media
Date
[ca. 1900]-2000
Physical Description
37 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell had a large family and a large circle of friends and aquaintenances. Consequently, he was invited to many circumcisions, weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs. He also set up several memorial funds in memory of his sister and wives.There are also documents in this sub-series that relate to family members.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of correspondence, receipts, diplomas, photographs and films documenting various family celebrations, vacations and home life. There is a selection of invitations, cards and benchers sent by the Edell, Weinstock and Hoffman families as well as ones that they received from family and friends. In addition, there are newspaper clippings and notices of the deaths of Edell family members and friends as well as correspondence and receipts relating to memorial funds set up in their memory. The sub-series also contains films of family and friends taken at home, on vacation and at family celebrations.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 10 photographs, 7 film reels, and 1 audio reel.
Name Access
Hoffman family
Weinstock family
Edell, Dolly
Edell, Celia
Subjects
Families
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Religious sub-series
Level
Sub-series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 1-6
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Religious sub-series
Level
Sub-series
Fonds
4
Series
1-6
Material Format
textual record
Date
1962-1997
Physical Description
3 folders of textual records
Admin History/Bio
During his lifetime Sol Edell regularly attended or maintained membership in a number of different synagogues. As a child Sol Edell’s family were members of Shomrai Shabbos. After he married he became a founding member of Clanton Park. His second wife Celia was a member of Adas Israel prior to their marriage. The Edell’s also had a cottage in Belle Ewart and they attended the synagogue which the Jewish cottagers had established for the summer.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of correspondence, receipts and newspaper clippings relating to the religious activities of the Edell family. This includes dues and donations to Adas Israel, Clanton Park and Shomrai Shabbos synagogues. As well there are newspaper clippings about the synagogue in Belle Ewart. Also included are contracts for the sale of chametz for Passover.
Name Access
Shomrai Shabbos
Adas Israel Congregation (Hamilton, Ont.)
Clanton Park Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Ewart, Belle
Subjects
Religion
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Cowan family fonds
Level
File
ID
Fonds 102; File 73
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Cowan family fonds
Level
File
Fonds
102
File
73
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1905-1987
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
6 photographs : b&w and col. ; 13 x 18 cm or smaller
Admin History/Bio
Morris Rosenthal was the husband of Nessie (Celia) Soren Rosenthal, and the father of Liilian Rosenthal Cowan.
Scope and Content
File consists of photographs of Morris Rosenthal as a young man, with his wife in middle age, and in his later years. A colour photograph is mounted in a hardcover notebook with two of his poems translated from Yiddish by his daughter Lillian Cowan. Documents include "Memories of Bell Ewart" (Belle Ewart) by Al Sherman, which mentions Celia and Morris Rosenthal leasing and running a hotel in that area, letters in Yiddish which may be Morris' poems, and a letter to Saul and Libbie Cowan from Rivka Lieberman with translations of the same two poems mentioned above, which Rivka found among her papers.
Name Access
Rosenthal, Morris
Physical Condition
Two of the older photographs are torn in half, one taped together on the back
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 103; Series 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Level
Series
Fonds
103
Series
1
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
[192-?]-1993
Physical Description
1.5 m of textual records
35 photographs
Admin History/Bio
The Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel, originally called the Canadian Federation of Polish Jews (CFPJ), was established in 1933 to assist Jews in Poland who were victims of anti-Semitism as expressed in economic boycotts and political discrimination. The CFPJ provided political action and advocacy on behalf of Polish Jews, as well as social help, moral strength and material support. It was a constituent member of the World Federation of Polish Jews, established in 1935, which provided relief and economic assistance to Jews in Poland, and coordinated the assistance given to Jewish communal organizations in Poland. In addition, the CFPJ assisted Canadian landsmanshaften (mutual benefit societies) which were giving support to those communities from which their members had emigrated.
In 1939, following the outbreak of the Second World War, the CFPJ was among those Canadian Jewish organizations which founded the United Jewish Refugee and War Relief Agencies, the purpose of which was to assist in the war effort and to aid war victims. At the conclusion of the war, the UJRWR was renamed the United Jewish Relief Agencies, with an aim to assist refugees in their effort to settle in Canada.
The scope and mandate of the CFPJ has changed over time as new challenges and projects have emerged. In January 1950, its activities expanded to include building homes in Israel for Polish Jewish immigrants, providing local relief to newly arrived Polish Jewish immigrants in Canada, locating relatives and providing legal advice on matters related to passports and visas, contributing to and participating in memorials honouring lost Jewish communities, and maintaining contact with its sister Farbands across the world.
In December 1951, the name of the organization was officially changed to Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel, and as of March 1953, its priorities had shifted to focus increasingly on providing support to Israel.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting the activities of the Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel. Many records provide insight into the relief efforts carried out to assist Jews in Poland and Israel. Included are meeting minutes, agendas, reports, correspondence, speeches, newspaper articles, financial records, conference material, a ledger book, posters and invitations, membership and donation lists, scrapbooks, leaflets, photographs of important events, letters of appeal, visa and identification applications, property claims applications, and letters from individuals requesting aid.
Name Access
Canadian Federation of Polish Jews
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel
Subjects
Jews--Israel
Jews, Polish
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Places
Israel
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 103; Series 1; File 79
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
Fonds
103
Series
1
File
79
Material Format
textual record
Date
1980
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Access Restriction
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 103; Series 1; File 80
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
Fonds
103
Series
1
File
80
Material Format
textual record
Date
1981
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Access Restriction
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 103; Series 1; File 81
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
Fonds
103
Series
1
File
81
Material Format
textual record
Date
1982
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Access Restriction
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Zelda Young fonds
Ben Kayfetz segment series
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 135; Series 17; Item 5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Zelda Young fonds
Ben Kayfetz segment series
Level
Item
Fonds
135
Series
17
Item
5
Material Format
sound recording
Date
6 May 1984
Physical Description
1 audio reel (3 min., 39 sec.) : polyester, 7 1/2 ips, 1 track, mono ; 1/4 in.
Scope and Content
Item consists of a recording of Ben Kayfetz's segment. He gives a eulogy to Rabbi David [Grobart?], who had died earlier in the week; talks about a protest attended by 700 people against the proposed sale of West German munitions and armours to Saudi Arabia; gives his impressions of Holy Blossom's new rabbi, Doug [surname unintelligible], after his address at the Community Assembly on the Holocaust at Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue. There is also a section in Yiddish. Finally, Kayfetz briefly mentions the upcoming 36th anniversary of Israel.
Name Access
Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)
Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Repro Restriction
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Physical Condition
Tape is in good condition. Audio quality is good. No signs of mold or SBS.
Accession Number
1986-12-5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 138
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
138
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
architectural drawing
philatelic record
sound recording
cartographic material
object
Date
1854-2021
Physical Description
ca. 2.4 m of textual records
ca. 600 photographs : b&w and col. (ca. 90 negatives); 30 x 35 cm or smaller
other material
Admin History/Bio
David Pinkus (1924-2021) was born on May 11, 1924, at the Toronto General Hospital to Isadore Pinkus (1887-1947) and Molly (Mollie) Pinkus (née Parelstein) (1892-1990). Isadore was born in Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire; Molly was born in Podolia Gubernia of the Russian Empire and later moved to Ukraine with her family. Isadore and Molly met and married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1910 and moved to Toronto in 1911. The Pinkus family settled in Kensington Market in around 1914 and was one of the first Jewish settlers to the Kensington neighbourhood. David spent his entire life living in the Kensington Market area. He lived on 83 Huron Street until 1927 when the Pinkus family moved to 34 Nassau Street, which has been the house of the Pinkus family ever since. David had two siblings: brother Max and sister Goldie.
In his childhood, David attended the Brunswick Talmud Torah daily and learned Hebrew. He had his bar mitzvah at the Kiever Shul. David attended William Houston School until 1930 and Ryerson Public School until grade eight. Later, he attended Harbord School for high school and was also involved with sports at Harbord Collegiate and YMHA. In 1947, David obtained his Bachelor of Applied Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto. After graduation, he worked at Goodyear for one year and returned to the University of Toronto as an instructor of engineering drawing and machine design. Later, he worked at various places such as Canadian Industries Limited in Maitland, Toronto Iron Works, and Avro Aircraft Limited.
David’s father, Isadore, was one of the founders of the Kiever Synagogue. David’s involvement with the Kiever Synagogue started in 1947, following Isadore’s death. David served as president and held positions on the executive of the Kiever Shul and played a principal role in the restoration of the shul. He also served on Toronto’s Board of Health as well as the boards of the Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, and St. Christopher House. In addition, David was an active community leader and local historian. He did genealogical research for many Toronto Jewish families. David had been recognized by the National Jewish Federation of North America as a Jewish community hero in 2011. He passed away on May 6, 2021.
Custodial History
Records received after the death of David Pinkus through Joseph Solomon, the executor of David Pinkus’ estate. Records have been selected by archivists following a site visit at David’s home at 34 Nassau Street, Toronto.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records, graphic material, sound recordings, architectural drawings, artifacts, and a small number of philatelic records, most of which document David Pinkus’ career and personal life, the Pinkus family, the Kiever Shul, the Kiever Cemetery, as well as Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Mount Sinai Memorial Park) and the Dawes Road Cemeteries (Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees), of which the Kiever Congregation is a member organization. Also included are documents and photographs of other individuals and families, which David collected for his genealogical research, and those that are pertaining to Kensington Market and other congregations and cemeteries.
Textual records include correspondence; scrapbooks; education records; identification documents; research notes and clippings relating to David’s genealogical research; documents pertaining to his Kensington Market activism and community work; files on David’s engineering career and his role as president of the Kiever Shul; and files documenting the Pinkus family members, such as funeral documents, notebooks, family correspondence, voters’ lists, and records relating to Pinkus Fruit Co. and 34 Nassau Street. Also included are records documenting the Kiever Shul, which include meeting minutes, ledger books, financial documents, legal documents, membership lists and application forms, address books, high holiday service cards, and historic papers dating from the 1920s and 1930s. Textual records documenting the Kiever Cemetery, Mount Sinai Memorial Park, and the Dawes Road Cemeteries are mainly comprised of cemetery maps, burial plot cards, burial record books, by-laws and regulations, and meeting minutes. Also present are records pertaining to other congregations and cemeteries, such as constitution books, brochures, booklets, and copies of legal documents.
Photographs mainly feature David Pinkus and the Kiever Cemetery, with a small number featuring the Pinkus family members, the Junction Synagogue (Congregation Knesseth Israel), the Great Choral Synagogue of Kyiv, and those that David collected for his genealogical research.
Architectural drawings of this fonds include the restoration and renovation plan for the Kiever Shul and the alteration plan for Mount Sinai Cemetery Administration Building.
Also present are sound recordings, including cassettes and microcassettes of David Pinkus; and artifacts, including felt patches, pin back buttons, medals, Toronto foot-pedlar registration badges, and a wooden gavel of the Kiever Shul.
Fonds has been arranged into the following series: David Pinkus’ personal records; Kensington Market; David Pinkus’ genealogical research; the Pinkus family; the Kiever Shul; the Kiever Cemetery; Mount Sinai Memorial Park; the Dawes Road Cemeteries; and other associations, congregations, and cemeteries.
Notes
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 22 architectural drawings, 7 maps, 4 audio cassettes, 2 microcassettes, 1 optical disc, 8 drawings, 2 prints, 1 photo collage, 34 pinback buttons, 15 Toronto padler-on-foot registration badges, 8 felt patches, 3 medals, 3 brooches, 1 wooden gavel, 2 tax tokens, 2 postage stamps, 1 sales tax stamp, and 9 revenue stamps.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: Books that were initially included in this fonds have been removed and incorporated into the OJA’s library collection. These books are: Spadina Avenue by Rosemary Donegan with an introduction by Rick Salutin, Toronto No Mean City by Eric Arthur revised by Stephen A. Otto, Canadian Jewish Directory edited by Edmond Y. Lipsitz, The Toronto Jewish Directory, and The Canada Year Book 1905 (second series).
HISTORY/BIO NOTE: Information is sourced from OH 413 and the content of the fonds.
Name Access
Pinkus, David, 1924-2021
Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Toronto, Ont.)
Mount Sinai Memorial Park (Toronto, Ont.)
Dawes Road Cemetery (Toronto, Ont.)
Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Families
Synagogues
Genealogy
Cemeteries
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Repro Restriction
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Related Material
See accessions 2004-1-5, 2004-1-6, 2004-2-1, 2008-11-9, 2016-3-48, and 2021-10-1 for additional information on the Kiever Shul; and OH 413 for more information on David Pinkus and the Pinkus family.
Arrangement
Records came into the OJA with no discernible order. Arrangement has been imposed by the archivist.
Creator
Pinkus, David, 1924-2021
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
2021-7-3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
David Pinkus' personal records series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 138; Series 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
David Pinkus' personal records series
Level
Series
Fonds
138
Series
1
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
sound recording
object
philatelic record
Date
[ca. 1903]-2021
Physical Description
ca. 50 cm of textual records
ca. 120 photographs : b&w and col. ; 30 x 35 cm or smaller
other material
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting David Pinkus’ career and personal life. In addition to David’s education and employment, many records also provide insight into his active involvement with the Toronto Jewish community as well as his passion for sports and the City of Toronto.
Included are David’s secondary and post-secondary education records, certificates and awards, personal correspondence, invitations, greeting cards, scrapbooks, identification documents, licenses and permits, medical records, financial and insurance records, notes, newspaper clippings, address books, recommendation letters, application forms for jobs, and board appointments. Also included are records relating to his military service during the Second World War; his trips to Israel, Cuba, and the U.S.; and his collaborations with the Ontario Jewish Archives. Records that reflect his personal interests in sports and the Jewish community include historic photographs of sports teams, brochures and newspaper clippings pertaining to the Pavilion of Judaism at Expo 67, artworks featuring Jerusalem and synagogues, notated music of Yiddish-American songs, documents and historic letters in Yiddish and Hebrew, speeches and field-trip workbooks of Toronto’s Jewish community relationship building projects, and miscellaneous material such as personalized Hebrew New Year cards, tickets and promotional material of exhibitions, and the Handbook of Practical Cookery of Toronto Board of Education. Of note is his scrapbooks, which document the City of Toronto and the Ontario Jewish community. The scrapbooks are comprised mainly of photographs, postcards, newspaper clippings, postage stamps, wartime ration books, brochures, and historic TTC tickets. This series also contains David’s portraits, photographs featuring him at various events, cassettes and microcassettes, and artifacts of his personal collection such as one brooch, pinback buttons, felt patches, and medals. A small number of pinback buttons and felt patches are part of the scrapbooks.
Notes
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 4 audio cassettes, 2 microcassettes, 2 paintings, 2 prints, 34 pinback buttons, 8 felt patches, 1 brooch, 3 medals, 2 postage stamps, and 9 revenue stamps.
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Genealogical research series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 138; Series 3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Genealogical research series
Level
Series
Fonds
138
Series
3
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1908-2015
Physical Description
10 cm of textual records
115 photographs : b&w and col. (16 negatives) ; 20 x 25 cm or smaller
Scope and Content
Series consists of records pertaining to David Pinkus’ genealogical and biographical research. Included are photographs, research notes, postcards, legal documents, certificates, correspondence, invitations, newspaper clippings, thesis, daily logs, reports, articles, booklets, and printed copies of online sources and identification documents. Families being documented are the Stein family, the Greenberg family, the Smith family, the Rotenberg family, the Bader family, the Kofman (Kaufman) family, the Sokolsky family, and the Bossin family. Individuals being featured include Mr. and Mrs. Simon Cassels, Mr. and Mrs. Philip Morris, Sam Smith, Herbie Brodsky, Shaun Duffy, Sam Shiaman, Samuel Cass, Benjamin Swartz, David Wolgelernter, Meyer Wilson, Rabbi Solomon Langner, and others.
Notes
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: Series contains a small number of photographs that need further identification.
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Pinkus family series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 138; Series 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Pinkus family series
Level
Series
Fonds
138
Series
4
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
object
philatelic record
Date
1909-2013
Physical Description
10 cm of textual records
12 photographs : b&w and col. ; 10 x 15 cm or smaller
other material
Admin History/Bio
David Pinkus’ father, Isadore (Israel) Pinkus (1887-1947), was born in Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire. David’s mother, Molly (Mollie) Pinkus (née Parelstein) (1892-1990), was born in Podolia Gubernia of the Russian Empire and later moved to Ukraine with her family. David’s maternal grandfather, Eliezar Parelstein, was a manager of a royal estate, while his paternal grandfather was in the cattle business. Isadore and Molly met and married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on October 16, 1910, and moved to Toronto in 1911. At that time, the Pinkus family lived with Moshe [Morris?] Brodsky in The Ward at 94 Edward Street between Bay and Yonge Street. In around 1914, the Pinkus family settled in Kensington and was one of the first Jewish settlers to the Kensington neighbourhood. Isadore worked various jobs and finally became a fruit and vegetable wholesaler servicing merchants in Kensington Market. He and other fourteen merchants of Toronto established a joint stock company named “The Mutual Fruit and Produce Company Limited” in 1923. The Pinkus family lived at 83 Huron Street in the early 1920s and then moved to 34 Nassau Street in 1927. Isadore and Molly were co-founders of the Kiever Shul.
Molly’s brother, Myer Leib Parelstein (1885-1972), was born on January 15, 1885, in Kamianets-Podilskyi of the Russian Empire. He came to Canada in 1906 and obtained Canadian citizenship in 1909. Myer worked as a pedlar.
David had two siblings: Max Pinkus (1912-2013) and Goldie Pinkus (1915-1973). Max was born on July 6, 1912, at Grace Hospital (College Street and Huron Street). He attended Ryerson Public School, Ogden Public School, and Central Technical School. He served in military for a short period of time during the Second World War through an immediate call for military training; at that time, he was an employee at an insurance company named Murray and Company, a branch of the Prudential Assurance Company Limited of London, England. Max was an active member of the Kiever Synagogue. His involvement with the Kiever started in as early as 1927 when the building of the synagogue was built. He was also a toy collector. Max passed away on March 16, 2013, in his 101st year.
Goldie was born on February 13, 1915, at the Toronto Western Hospital, and handicapped from poliomyelitis from age three. She attended Ogden Public School and Wellesley School. David had a cousin also named Goldie Pinkus, known as Goldie Pinkus Michael. She was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1911 to Sadie Pinkus and married Sam Michael of Revere, Massachusetts. Goldie Pinkus is not to be confused with Goldie Pinkus Michael.
Ernie Pinkus and Melvin (last name not specified) are David’s cousins. Ernie attended William Lyon Mackenzie Collegiate Institute, the University of Windsor, and the University of Waterloo. He worked at Audio Magic Inc. from 1981 to 1998 and has been serving as president of Satel Distribution since 1998.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting the Pinkus family members—Isadore Pinkus, Molly (Mollie) Pinkus, Max Pinkus, Goldie Pinkus, Ernie Pinkus, Myer Leib Parelstein, Eliezar Parelstein, and Melvin (last name not identified). Included are constitution handbooks, licenses and permits, receipts, funeral records, sympathy cards, certificates, legal documents, mortgage records, postcards, correspondence, notebooks, education records, identification documents, application forms, birthday greetings, business cards, financial documents, voters’ lists, and historic papers pertaining to 34 Nassau Street. Series also contains a small number of photographs featuring Max Pinkus, Melvin, and the Pinkus family house at 34 Nassau Street. Also present are a prepaid sales tax stamp of the State of Ohio as well as artifacts, including two brooches of Molly Pinkus’ funeral, two tax tokens of the State of Washington, and fifteen pedlar-on-foot registration badges of Toronto.
Notes
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 15 Toronto pedlar-on-foot registration badges, 2 funeral brooches, 2 tax tokens, and 1 sales tax stamp.
HISTORY/BIO NOTE: The document indicating that Israel Pinkus was another name used by Isadore Pinkus was discovered on the Ancestry website and stored at S:\Collections\138-Pinkus
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Shul series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 138; Series 5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Shul series
Level
Series
Fonds
138
Series
5
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
architectural drawing
object
Date
1912-2016
Physical Description
ca. 76 cm of textual records
ca. 150 photographs : b&w and col. (29 negatives) ; 22 x 28 cm or smaller
other material
Admin History/Bio
The Kiever synagogue, also known as the Kiever Shul, is a Modern Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Toronto. It was founded in 1912 by a small congregation of Jewish immigrants from the Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire (now Ukraine) and formally incorporated in 1914 by the granting of the Letters Patent by the Provincial Secretary. The congregation’s formal name is "The First Russian Congregation of Rodfei Sholem Anshei Kiev." According to the earliest congregational records, Max Bossin was president in 1912. At first, services were held in members’ homes and later in a rented house on Centre Avenue in The Ward. Not being able to afford a rabbi, services were led by members, including Cantor Herschel Litvak.
In 1917, sufficient funds were raised to mortgage a house at 25 Bellevue Avenue on the outskirts of Kensington Market. The congregation relocated there, and the facilities were enlarged in 1921 with the acquisition of a second house. In 1927, a new synagogue, which was built on the site of the two houses and designed by a Jewish architect named Benjamin Swartz in the Byzantine Revival style, was completed to accommodate increasing number of congregants. During the construction from 1924 to 1927, religious services were conducted at the home of Mr. Silverman at 29 Wales Avenue. Equipped with a rabbi and a proper synagogue, the Kiever was able to play a larger role in the Toronto Jewish community. The shul offered Yiddish and bar-mitzvah lessons, a youth minyan led by Fischel Cooper, a credit society, as well as a women’s auxiliary.
Several decades later, the Kiever’s membership declined in the 1950s and 1960s due to demographic changes—Jews began leaving the downtown core for the north end of town. The synagogue building deteriorated. In 1973, the Archives Committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress Central Region decided to help preserve it, and by 1982, sufficient funds had been raised to restore the building. In 1979, the Kiever Synagogue became the first building of Jewish significance to be designated a historical site by the province of Ontario and has been protected under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act since then.
Some of the founders included: Molly and Isadore Pinkus, B. B. Smith, Yehudah Leib "Louis" Bossin, Isaac Mosten, Jake Dubin, Harry Cohen, and Wolf Ganz. The congregation's first and longest-tenured rabbi was Solomon Langner, who served from around 1929 until his death in 1973. Sheldon Steinberg served as rabbi from the time of Langner's death until the mid-1990s. David Pinkus served as president of the Kiever Shul from the late 1970s to 2011. As of 2022, the synagogue president is Adam S. Cohen.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting the administration and activities of the Kiever Synagogue. Included are financial documents, tax forms, insurance documents, receipts and invoices, the 50th jubilee book, accounting ledger books, address books, membership lists and application forms, printed copies of emails, correspondence, meeting minutes, by-laws and regulations, legal documents, certificates, cemetery deeds, funeral record books, files on construction and restoration, seats arrangement charts, raffle tickets, High Holiday service cards, artworks, and historic papers dating from the 1920s and 1930s. Also included are photographs featuring the Kiever Shul, two architectural drawings, and a wooden gavel.
Notes
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 9 architectural drawings, 1 photo collage, 4 sketches, 2 drawings, 1 wooden gavel, and 1 optical disc that contains 225 MB photographs.
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Cemetery series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 138; Series 6
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Cemetery series
Level
Series
Fonds
138
Series
6
Material Format
textual record
architectural drawing
graphic material
Date
1919-2016
Physical Description
ca. 27 cm of textual records
76 photographs : col. (27 negatives) ; 22 x 28 cm or smaller
1 architectural drawing
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting the cemeteries of the Kiever Synagogue located at Mount Sinai Memorial Park and the Dawes Road Cemeteries. Included are cemetery plot maps, cemetery record books, burial plot cards, occupant location lists, statements, financial documents, meeting minutes, correspondence, legal documents, photographs, and architectural drawings.
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Other societies and cemeteries series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 138; Series 9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Other societies and cemeteries series
Level
Series
Fonds
138
Series
9
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1914-2006
Physical Description
5 cm of textual records
66 photographs : b&w and col. ; 22 x 28 cm or smaller
Scope and Content
Series consists of records relating to other societies and cemeteries, which David Pinkus collected for research or out of personal interest. Included are photographs, constitution handbooks, booklets and brochures, bulletins, printed copies of newspaper clippings and legal documents, magazines, correspondence, prayers, and articles.
Societies and cemeteries being documented are: Pardes Shalom Cemetery, Sunnyside Cemetery Association, Holy Blossom Religious School, the First Narayever Congregation, Adath Israel Congregation, Beach Hebrew Institute, Pride of Israel Congregation, Beth Tzedec Congregation, the Junction Synagogue (Congregation Knesseth Israel), the Hebrew Men of England Synagogue, Beth David B’nai Israel Beth Am, Emunah Shleima Synagogue, Beth El (Windsor, ON), Shaar Hashomayim (Windsor, ON), Or Shalom (London, ON), the Great Choral Synagogue (Kyiv, Ukraine), Kollel Kovno and Kollel Beth Israel (New York, U.S.), Achdut Ha-avoda Poale Zion Toronto, the Lizzies Old Timers Association, Steeles College Memorial Chapel, St. Michael’s Hospital, Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim, Baycrest, and Herzl Zion Club.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
David Pinkus’ personal records series
Invitations file
Level
File
ID
Fonds 138; Series 1; File 5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
David Pinkus’ personal records series
Invitations file
Level
File
Fonds
138
Series
1
File
5
Material Format
textual record
Date
1940-2004
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of invitations that David Pinkus received. Included are invitations to various social events such as the 1973 Civic Luncheon in honour of the Queen, the 1982 Grossman Dinner with Premier Brian Peckford, and other individuals' bar/bat mitzvahs and wedding ceremonies.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Shul series
Membership ledger books (part 4 of 8) file
Level
File
ID
Fonds 138; Series 5; File 26
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Shul series
Membership ledger books (part 4 of 8) file
Level
File
Fonds
138
Series
5
File
26
Material Format
textual record
Date
1952-2001
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Shul series
Miscellaneous file
Level
File
ID
Fonds 138; Series 5; File 60
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Shul series
Miscellaneous file
Level
File
Fonds
138
Series
5
File
60
Material Format
textual record
Date
1941-[ca. 2004]
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of a Yiddish document, a statement written by David Pinkus on behalf of Goodman Levison, and a flyer of the Kiever Shul.
Notes
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: The content of the Yiddish document needs further identification.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Shul series
High Holiday tickets file
Level
File
ID
Fonds 138; Series 5; File 61
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Shul series
High Holiday tickets file
Level
File
Fonds
138
Series
5
File
61
Material Format
textual record
Date
1987-1998
Physical Description
5 cm of textual records
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Other societies and cemeteries series
Achdut Ha-avoda Poale Zion Toronto file
Level
File
ID
Fonds 138; Series 9; File 5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Other societies and cemeteries series
Achdut Ha-avoda Poale Zion Toronto file
Level
File
Fonds
138
Series
9
File
5
Material Format
textual record
Date
[ca. 1989]
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of a sixty-fifth anniversary dinner book of Achdut Ha-avoda Poale Zion Toronto. Also included are David Pinkus’ notes.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Cemetery series
Burial record books (part 1 of 4) file
Level
File
ID
Fonds 138; Series 6; File 5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Cemetery series
Burial record books (part 1 of 4) file
Level
File
Fonds
138
Series
6
File
5
Material Format
textual record
Date
[ca.1950]-[ca.1989]
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of a burial record book of the Kiever Cemetery located in Mount Sinai Memorial Park. Information being documented includes names of occupants, deed numbers, years in which the payments were made, and locations of burial plots in the cemetery park.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Cemetery series
Burial record books (part 4 of 4) file
Level
File
ID
Fonds 138; Series 6; File 8
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
The Kiever Cemetery series
Burial record books (part 4 of 4) file
Level
File
Fonds
138
Series
6
File
8
Material Format
textual record
Date
[ca. 1950]-[ca. 1995]
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of a burial record book of the Kiever Cemetery located in Mount Sinai Memorial Park. The second half of the notebook was used to document general meeting minutes.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Edelstein family fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 111
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Edelstein family fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
111
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
object
text
Date
1890-2005
Physical Description
2 m of textual records
30 photographs
4 posters
2 artifacts
12 books
1 CD
Admin History/Bio
Isaac Edelstein (1889-Dec. 1954) was born to Ronya Edelstein (née Silver) ([18--?]-June 1921) and Abraham Edelstein (1846-[19--?]). The family moved to Canada in 1913, arriving in Quebec before settling in Toronto. Isaac, the eldest, had five siblings: Archibald, Bessy, Lilian, Goldie, and Harry. Isaac married Ida (Hebrew name: Chaya) (1898-1978), who immigrated to Canada from Gomel district in Homiel Province, Belarus.
Isaac was a tailor and Ida was a dressmaker. Isaac and Ida had two children: Rony (nickname Renne) Rabassa (b. 4 Jan. 1931) and Albert (nickname Abi) Edelstein (26 Sept. 1925-1 May 2021).
After meeting through shared involvement in Habonim, Albert married Ruth (née Blumenstein) (15 Sept. 1928-30 Mar. 2023) on 2 Jan. 1949. They had 4 children, 11 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren.
Albert received vocational training as a watchmaker at Central Technical School, and spent the majority of his career as a retailer, operating a jewelry store with his wife Ruth. He was the president of the District Jewelers Association (1983-1984) and the chairman of the Queen Broadview Business Improvement Area in the 1990s. Ruth and Albert's children were educated in the Jewish day school system. Ruth was involved in the National Council of Jewish Women.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting the personal lives of members of the Edelstein family and their communal affiliations.
Name Access
Edelstein (family)
Subjects
Families
Creator
Albert Edelstein
Accession Number
2000-1-1
2000-2-2
2000-3-3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Ladovsky family fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 83
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Ladovsky family fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
83
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Date
[ca. 1890]-2012
Physical Description
3.5 cm of textual records
185 photographs : b&w and col. and sepia toned ( 10 negatives, 4 slides, 3 contact prints) ; 26 x 20 cm or smaller
Admin History/Bio
Aaron Ladovsky (1888-1960) was born in 1888 in Kielce, Poland. He immigrated to Toronto in 1906 at the age of 18. Soon after arriving, Aaron Ladovsky worked to help form a Jewish bakers’ union to advocate for collective rights among Jewish Bakers. In 1911 he married Sarah Eichler who was from his home town of Kielce, Poland. In 1912 he opened the United Bakers Dairy Restaurant at Dundas and Bay Streets (known then as Agnes and Terauley Streets respectively) in the heart of the Ward. That same year, the couple had twin sons, Herman and Samuel, who were born on September 23, 1912.
Only a short time later, in 1920, Aaron moved the location of his restaurant to 338 Spadina Avenue, just north of Dundas. He and his family lived in an apartment upstairs. Herman and Samuel attended Hester How Elementary School until 1919, Lord Lansdowne Public School once the family moved to Spadina, and later Central Commerce. The twins worked in the family business in the 1920s delivering fresh breads and buns by horse cart.
Aaron Ladovsky was involved in a number of community organizations. He was instrumental in founding the Kieltzer Society of Toronto in 1913, a community based immigrant-aid association extending aid to Kielcers in Poland and around the world. Ladovsky remained an active member of the organization until his death on April 5, 1960. His restaurant provided a welcome gathering place for the Jewish community, serving traditional dishes and maintaining a friendly open-door policy. Aaron Ladovsky was known for his generosity and claimed that no one, whether they had money or not, left his restaurant hungry. The United Bakers' menu was mainly based on Sarah’s original recipes, and continues to be so to this day.
During the Second World War, Herman served overseas as an electrician in the Canadian army show with comics Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster. After returning from the war, he married Dora Macklin in 1947, a registered nurse from Regina. He also began to take over management of the family business. Later, his son Philip and daughter Ruth would follow in his footsteps, helping to run the restaurant with him and later taking over managment. United Bakers remained on Spadina Avenue for 66 years, until 1986 when it moved to its current location at 506 Lawrence Avenue West, off of Bathurst Street. Herman was an active fixture in restaurant until his death on January 6, 2002. He also supported and was involved in the work of the Ontario Jewish Archives over the years. Today, Philip and Ruth carry on the family tradition of running United Bakers Dairy Restaurant. In May 2012 the restaurant celebrated its 100th anniversary.
Custodial History
The records were donated in multiple small accessions by Herman Ladovsky from 1977 until 2004.
It appears as though previous archivists integrated some materials into a manuscript group relating to Aaron Ladovsky and then later deconstructed a portion of this group into original accessions. Also, a number of periodicals and textual materials from these accessions were integrated into various other manuscript groups and remain there.
One item, a Lord Lansdowne School anniversary booklet which contains a photocopy of Herman's student record, remained in the Aaron Ladovsky manuscript group. This item could not be identified as part of a previous accession, but has been integrated into the fonds as it appears to have been donated by Herman.
Photo #3050 was not associated with an accession number, but documents United Bakers Dairy Restaurant and was likely donated by Herman Ladovsky.
Recent accruals have been donated by Ruth Ladovsky.
Scope and Content
The fonds consists of records documenting the Ladovsky family in Kielce, Poland and Toronto. It is primarily made up of photographs of Ladovsky family members in Kielce and Toronto, and of various organizations that Aaron and Herman were involved in. There are also a few textual records that document the Ladovsky family and their involvement in the Kieltzer Society.
Notes
Newspaper clippings were photocopied and placed in the Aaron Ladovsky vertical file.
Many photographs were originally cited with diifferent numbers. These numbers are mentioned below photo descriptions.
Name Access
Kieltzer Sick Benefit Society (Toronto, Ont.) (subject)
Ladovsky, Aaron, 1888-1960 (creator)
Ladovsky (family)
Ladovsky, Herman, 1912-2002 (creator)
United Bakers Dairy Restaurant (subject)
Related Material
Se MG 2B-1R
See vertical file on Aaron Ladovsky
Arrangement
Records have been organized by media and chronology due to low volume and disparate subject matter. Textual records have been arranged in 17 files. Photographs have been arranged chronologically and are largely described at the item level.
Places
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1977-7-5
1978-12-7
1981-1-2
1983-11-6
1988-4-12
1993-10-1
1994-1-3
1999-11-4
2000-4-4
2004-5-21
2004-5-82
2008-4-9
MG 6 E6
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 103; Series 1; File 83
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
Fonds
103
Series
1
File
83
Material Format
textual record
Date
1984
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Access Restriction
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 103; Series 1; File 84
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
Fonds
103
Series
1
File
84
Material Format
textual record
Date
1985
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Access Restriction
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 103; Series 1; File 85
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
Fonds
103
Series
1
File
85
Material Format
textual record
Date
1987
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Access Restriction
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 103; Series 1; File 82
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
Fonds
103
Series
1
File
82
Material Format
textual record
Date
1983
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Access Restriction
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 103; Series 1; File 169
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
Level
File
Fonds
103
Series
1
File
169
Material Format
textual record
Date
1980-1981
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Philip Givens fonds
Legal career series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 51; Series 8; File 3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Philip Givens fonds
Legal career series
Level
File
Fonds
51
Series
8
File
3
Material Format
textual record
Date
[195-], 1976-1984
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of correspondence and other textual records documenting Judge Phil Givens’ activities. Included are letters of reference for other judges, correspondence regarding the execution of wills and land ownership claims, and a master case file list.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 92
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
92
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1914-1993
Physical Description
1.2 m of textual records (2 v.) and other material
Admin History/Bio
Joseph Baruch Salsberg (1902-1998) was a labour leader, political activist, politician, insurance salesman, and journalist. He was also active in various Jewish organizations, including the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto, and the New Fraternal Jewish Association. 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.
J. B. was born in Lagow, Poland on November 5, 1902 to Abraham and Sarah-Gittel Salsberg. Abraham immigrated to Toronto in 1910 and J. B. followed with his mother and two younger sisters in 1913. They settled at 73 Cecil Street. Abraham and Sarah-Gittel had additional children in Canada: Nathan (b. 1915), Reuven (Bob or Robert, b. 1917), Betty, and Thelma. Abraham worked as a peddler in Toronto.
J. B. briefly attended Landsdowne Public School, but dropped out around 1916, against his parents' wishes, and took a job in a leather goods factory to contribute to his family’s income. J. B.’s parents had hoped he would become a rabbi and, despite his full-time employment, J.B. continued to study Torah with scholars at the synagogue on Centre Avenue.
In 1917, J. B. decided to pursue the ideas of Zionism and socialism and, abandoning his plans to become a rabbi, became involved in establishing the Young Poale Zion organization, a Labour Zionist youth group dedicated to secular aims. Around 1922, J. B. was made secretary general of the Young Poale Zion of America in New York, where he worked for one year. Shortly after returning to Toronto, he became the organizer for the Hat, Cap, and Millinery Workers Union of North America in Chicago. J. B. married Dora Wilensky in 1927.
In 1926, J. B. joined the Communist Party of Canada (CPC). He was an active member of the CPC for 30 years, serving as the head of its Trade Union Department for two decades. In 1929 he was suspended from the party for one year as a dissenter. In 1932, he became the Southern Ontario District union organizer for the Communist Workers' Unity League.
It was as a member of the CPC that J. B. entered electoral politics. After a series of failed bids in municipal and provincial elections between 1935 and 1937, J. B. was elected alderman of Ward 4 in Toronto in 1938. He only held the position for one year. He was re-elected to this position in 1943, beating out Nathan Phillips, before being elected to the Ontario Legislature as the representative for the St. Andrew riding. J. B. sat as member of provincial parliament for the Labor-Progressive Party (the provincial wing of the CPC) for 12 years. For several years, he was the only elected Communist in North America. As MPP, he helped create legislation banning discrimination in public places and introduced a bill that would ensure fair employment practices in the province. He lost his seat to Allan Grossman in 1955 and unsuccessfully ran in the federal election later that year. Remembered by journalist Gordon Sinclair as “one of the best debaters in the house," J. B. was well-respected by members of all political parties. Out of admiration for J. B., Conservative Premier Leslie Frost named Salsberg Township in Northern Ontario in his honour.
Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, J. B. had grown increasingly concerned about reports of Soviet antisemitism and privately urged party leaders to pursue the issue. In 1956, when Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev exposed the transgressions of Stalin’s regime, J. B. went to Moscow as part of a CPC delegation. After meeting with Khrushchev himself, it became clear to J. B. that antisemitism was indeed a problem in the USSR and that his efforts to probe the situation were being stonewalled.
J. B. publicly expressed his concerns about Soviet antisemitism in a series of articles published in the Vochenblatt from October 25, 1956 to December 13, 1956. He finally left the Communist Party in 1957. However, he remained a member of the United Jewish People’s Order (UJPO), a Communist Jewish fraternal organization.
Entering the business world, J. B. established the Model Insurance Agency Limited in 1957, where he served as president for several years. In 1959 J. B.’s wife, Dora, passed away. Around this time J. B. also resigned from the UJPO, along with other members who felt the organization needed to be more critical of the Soviet Union. They founded an alternative, non-Communist, left-wing Jewish organization, the New Fraternal Jewish Association, where J. B. served as president for several terms and edited its publication, Fraternally Yours.
In his later life, J. B. was active as an executive member of organizations, such as the CJC and the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. He was the first chairman for the CJC Ontario Region’s Soviet Jewry Committee and the Committee for Yiddish. He also began writing an award-winning weekly column for the Canadian Jewish News. J. B. was awarded the CJC’s Samuel Bronfman Medal for distinguished service, and the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto’s Ben Sadowski Award of Merit. A strong supporter of Israel, he was involved in the creation of two Israeli medical centres that are named in his honour. He also helped establish the J. B. and Dora Salsberg Fund and the J. B. Salsberg Fund for Yiddish at the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto. J. B. passed away in 1998.
Custodial History
The records were donated to the OJA in a series of accessions. Material from accessions 1991-5-4 and 1992-9-4 were donated by J. B. Salsberg. The remaining material was donated by his estate after his death.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of records documenting J. B. Salsberg's personal, professional and Jewish communal activities. The bulk of the records are textual and relate to his membership in the CPC (later LPP), election campaigns, and Jewish communal work. Included is correspondence; photographs; reports; political writings; certificates; agendas; pamphlets; brochures; booklets; flyers; campaign literature; campaign notes; posters; newspaper clippings; press releases; articles; transcripts; speeches; telegrams; political platforms, briefs and submissions; statements; constitutions; resolutions; newspapers; meeting minutes; bulletins; periodicals; notebooks; notes; course guides and outlines; medallions; pins; plaques; donation receipts; event invitations and programmes; lists; blank employment applications; a school test; a study; a coin; a drawing; a sketch; an audio cassette; and a delegate card.
Records are arranged into the following five series: 1. Personal ; 2. Labour Zionism and union activities ; 3. Political career ; and, 4. Jewish community involvement. There are also four files and one item attached directly to the fonds.
Notes
Physical Description Note: Includes 53 photographs, 7 medallions, 11 pins, 4 posters, 2 plaques, 1 sketch, 1 drawing, 1 audio cassette, 1 desk name plate, and 1 coin.
Physical Extent Note: Fonds was reduced from approximately 7 metres to 1.5 metres. The culled material consisted primarily of published books, periodicals and pamphlets that had been collected by J. B. Salsberg. For further details about what was culled please view the accession records.
Associated Material Note: Queen's University Archive also has a J. B. Salsberg fonds, 14 hours of interview tapes with J. B. Salsberg and records of the UJPO are held by the Multicultural Historical Society of Ontario (MHSO).
Name Access
Salsberg, J. B.,1902-1998
Subjects
Labor leaders
Politicians
Related Material
For additional records in OJA's holdings, see: Ben Kayfetz fonds 62, series 8, file 2 ; accession 2008-11-2 ; accession 2004-1-4 ; and oral histories AC 71 and AC 226.
Creator
Salsberg, Joseph Baruch, 1902-1998
Accession Number
1991-5-4
1992-9-4
1998-2-2
1998-12-5
2004-5-28
2010-4-1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Level
File
ID
Fonds 92; File 2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Level
File
Fonds
92
File
2
Material Format
textual record
Date
1939-1992, predominant 1981-1987
Physical Description
3 cm of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of J. B. Salsberg's personal and professional correspondence.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Labour Zionism and union activities series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 92; Series 2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Labour Zionism and union activities series
Level
Series
Fonds
92
Series
2
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
object
Date
1918-1981
Physical Description
5 cm of textual records (1 v.) and other material
Scope and Content
Series consists of records related to J. B. Salsberg's labour Zionism and union activities. Of note are records documenting Salsberg's early Poale Zion activities in New York. Included are photographs, correspondence, a medallion, pins, bulletins, newsletters, booklets, a book, and a pamphlet.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 11 b&w photographs (3 negatives), 3 pins, and 1 medallion.
Subjects
Labor Zionism
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Labour Zionism and union activities series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 92; Series 2; File 2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Labour Zionism and union activities series
Level
File
Fonds
92
Series
2
File
2
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Date
1923-1981
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
2 photographs : b&w ; 11 x 7 cm
Admin History/Bio
Poale Zion (Workers of Zion) was a Marxist Zionist Jewish workers movement that originated in the Russian Empire around 1900. This movement spread around the world and in late 1905 the Socialist Jewish Labour Party (Poale Zion) was formed in Canada.
In 1919, the Poale Zion Zionist labour movement split into two factions: Left Poale Zion (later Achdut Avodah Poale Zion) and Achdut Avodah (later Mapai). J. B. Salsberg affiliated with the Left Poale Zion, which was founded on the principals established by Ber Borochov and became known as the Borochov Movement. In Canada, the Borochov Movement consisted of various political, cultural and educational organizations. The political branch was the Achdut Avodah Poale Zion. It promoted Zionism and socialism both in Canada and Israel.
Scope and Content
File consists of records documenting J. B. Salsberg's involvement in the Achdut Avodah Poale Zion movement. Included is correspondence with the Jewish Socialist Labor Party Poale-Zion of America, Undzer Veg bulletins, Hashomer Hatzair newsletters, and a Yiddish booklet by Chaim Zhitlovsky entitled "From Assimilation to Labour Zionism" (published in New York, 1919). Also included are two photographs of J. B. Salsberg that were taken in Boston, likely at the second annual convention of the Poale-Zion of America (1923).
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.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Jewish community involvement series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 92; Series 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Jewish community involvement series
Level
Series
Fonds
92
Series
4
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
object
Date
1914-1993
Physical Description
11 cm of textual records (1 v.) and other material
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting J.B. Salsberg's involvement with various Jewish organizations, including: the I.L. Peretz School, the Canadian Jewish Congress, UJA Federation, the New Fraternal Jewish Association, the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care and the Canadian Zionist Federation. Included are medallions, pins, a coin, a poster, certificates, photographs, meeting minutes, a test, booklets, event programmes, a transcript, bulletins, notes, newspaper clippings, articles, reports, newsletters, a brochure, and a flyer.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 17 photographs, 4 pins, 4 medallions, 1 coin, 1 poster, and 1 certificate.
Related Material
For other records documenting the CJC's Committee for Soviet Jewry see also fonds 17, series 3.
For other NFJA records see MG 2B-1P and MG9 ("Fraternally Yours" publications).
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Jewish community involvement series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 92; Series 4; File 4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Jewish community involvement series
Level
File
Fonds
92
Series
4
File
4
Material Format
textual record
Date
[ca. 1961]-1970, Nov. 1990
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of records documenting J.B. Salsberg's involvement in the CJC's Committee for Yiddish. Included are handwritten notes regarding Yiddish secular culture, a list of Yiddish resources, correspondence, and a study entitled "Jews Reporting Yiddish as Mother Tongue in 1961". Also included is a CJC certificate honouring Salsberg for his work for Yiddish that is signed by Philip Givens.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Writing and lecturing series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 92; Series 5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds
Writing and lecturing series
Level
Series
Fonds
92
Series
5
Material Format
textual record
object
Date
[195-?]-[1990?]
Physical Description
4 cm of textual records
1 plaque
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting J.B. Salsberg's writing and lecturing activities. The bulk of the records are textual and include: correspondence, newspaper clippings, booklets, a Smolar Award plaque, notes, articles, transcripts, lists, and a course outline.
Source
Archival Descriptions