Accession Number

2010-3-1

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 300 photographs and other material

Date

1906-1983

Scope and Content

The accession includes records documenting the family of Sharon Abron Drache. This includes both sides of her family: the Abramowitz/Abrons and the Levinters. The material consists of two beta home movie tapes, three DVDs, several photo albums, four artifacts (as well as newspaper clippings), correspondence, certificates, and other material. The donation also includes a book entitled Window on Toronto, a certificate for the Jewish Colonial Trust, examples of Murray Abron's photographs, and a recording of a speech Abba Eban gave at the UN.

Custodial History

The records were in the custody of Sharon Abron Drache. She has interherited the family photos and documents from both sides of her family.

Administrative History

Murray Abramowitz was born in 1912 in Toronto. His parents were David Abramowitz (1884-1963) and Sarah Abramowitz (née Winfield) (1885-1955). David arrived in Toronto in 1906. Sarah and her parents, Jacob and Anna, settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania around 1880. Jacob worked as a grocer and relocated his family to Toronto around 1894. Sarah and David were married at the McCaul Street Synagogue in Toronto on March 6, 1906. They resided at 159 York Street after their nuptials. The couple had three children: Rose (1907-2001), Oscar (1910-1986), and Murray (1912-2005). David's father, Shevach, served as the lay cantor at the First Roumanian Hebrew Congregation (now Adath Israel). David owned the men’s shop in Union Station. His sister, Sophie Abramowitz, ran the ladies' shop. The shops were located on the east end of the Great Hall, beneath the composite glass windows. Rose Abron Lahman became a physician, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. Initially, she practised in Toronto; later, she practiced in Atlanta, Georgia. Rose graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto when there were quotas for both women and Jews.

Murray married Edythe Levinter (m. Abramowitz) on June, 8, 1941. The event took place at the bride's family's home above their furniture store, J. Levinter Ltd, at 1169 Bloor Street West. The couple had one child, Sharon Abron Drache. Murray began using the Abron surname during the 1940s, changing it legally in the 1950s.

During his life, Murray worked as an hotelier and ran several businesses. These included the Rex Hotel in Toronto, Tent City at Lake Simcoe (ca. 1935-1945), and the St. Lawrence Hotel in Port Hope (1949-1955). When Murray managed the Rex Hotel he was a fifty-fifty partner with his mother's brother-in-law, Leo Hertzman. Leo owned and managed the store, United Clothing, which fronted the Rex Hotel on Queen Street at the south side of the beverage room. When Leo’s son Harold Hertzman returned from military service in 1945, Leo bought out Murray’s share in the business for Harold. Jack Ross and Morris Meyers purchased the hotel from the Hertzmans in 1951. Murray was also a co-owner of the Tent City business with his father, David Abramowitz, coinciding with his Rex Hotel years. During the late 1950s he worked as a real estate broker in Toronto and Florida. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, he worked in his mother-in-law’s furniture business, J. Levinter Ltd. After Murray retired from the furniture business, he became a stock broker. His hobbies included fishing, photography, and storytelling. He died on October 10, 2005.

The Levinter family was headed by Samuel Levinter and Rebecca Levinter (née Godfried). They were both born in Austria (Galicia) and came to Canada in their teens. After their marriage in 1890, they resided in St. John's Ward. The couple had seven children: Jacob (b. 1892), Etta (b. 1894), Manny (b. 1895), Isadore (b. 1898), Molly (b. 1900), Rose, and Dolly. Isadore became a prominent Toronto lawyer and was the first Jew appointed as a bencher at the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Samuel established Levinter Furniture in 1890. The business was initially located at 401-405 Queen Street. By 1925 Samuel had relocated his store to 287 Queen Street West, and his son Jacob had opened a second location at 1169 Bloor Street West. Jacob later expanded his location to 1171 Bloor Street West. Samuel died on April 30, 1942. Rebecca died in 1952. Jacob married Sara Kamin (b. 1894, Lodz, Poland) on June 25, 1916. They had six children: Edythe (1918 -2011), Alfred (1919-1919), Evelyn (1922-2006), Murray (1925-), Molly (1926 -), and Florence (b. 1930-). Jacob died of a heart attack in 1944. After his death, Sara took his place as owner and manager of the family business, grooming her son Murray to succeed her. Sara’s daughter Molly had an early career as a concert pianist in Toronto and New York. Sara died in Toronto in 1990.

Sharon Abron Drache attended Forest Hill Collegiate, graduating in 1962, and then completed an undergraduate degree and post-graduate diploma in psychology at the University of Toronto, the latter from the Institute of Child Study. She was enrolled as a special student in the Department of Religion at Carleton University from 1974-78. She has published four books of adult fiction: the Mikveh Man, Ritual Slaughter, the Golden Ghetto, and Barbara Klein Muskrat – Then and Now. She has also published two children's books: the Magic Pot and the Lubavitchers are Coming to Second Avenue. She has also worked as a literary journalist and book reviewer for several newspapers and journals including the Globe and Mail, the Ottawa Citizen, Books in Canada, the Glebe Report, and the Ottawa and Western Jewish Bulletins.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Includes 4 objects, 2 videocassettes (beta-tapes), 3 DVDs, 1 book, and 1 folder of textual records.

ASSOCIATED MATERIAL NOTE: Please see Sharon Drache's fonds at Library and Archives Canada and at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto for material related to her literary career. Please see Sharon Drache's fonds at the Ottawa Jewish Archives for material related to her journalism career. Finally, for additional material related to Sharon's family please see her fonds at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto.

RELATED MATERIAL NOTE: See accessions #2010-12/8 and # 2013-7/15 for addtional records donated by Sharon Abron Drache.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-7-15

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

13 film reels (ca. 3 hrs.) : b&w and col., si. ; 16 mm and other material

Date

[ca. 1938]-1965, 2013

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting both sides of Sharon Abron Drache's family: the Abramowitz's/Abron's and the Levinter's. Included are film reels with footage of both the Abramowitz and Levinter families as well as an album documenting a Jewish National Fund Negev tribute dinner in honour of David Abramowitz's 70th birthday. The album includes congratulatory letters and telegrams, photographs, newspaper clippings, and one vinyl recording entitled "Great Moments of Beth Tzedec". Identified in the photographs are David Abramowitz and Nathan Phillips.

Accession also includes a copy of an oil painting of Jacob Levinter that was by Kenneth Forbes, a wedding portrait of Sharon Abron Drache (1965) by Al Gilbert, and Sharon's curriculum vitae (2013).

Custodial History

Sharon found these records in her home. She inherited them from her parents. The film reels had been stored in an old suitcase in her building's storage locker.

Administrative History

Murray Abramowitz was born in 1912 in Toronto. His parents were David (1884-1963) and Sarah (nee Winfield) (1885-1955). David arrived in Toronto in 1906. Sarah and her parents, Jacob and Anna, settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania around 1880. Jacob worked as a grocer and relocated his family to Toronto around 1894. Sarah and David were married at the McCaul Street Synagogue in Toronto on 6 March 1906. They resided at 159 York Street after their nuptials. The couple had three children: Rose (1907-2001); Oscar (1910-1986); Murray (1912-2005). David's father, Shevach, served as the lay cantor at the First Roumanian Hebrew Congregation (now Adath Israel). David owned the Men’s shop in the Union Station and his sister, Sophie Abramowitz, ran the Ladies shop. The shops were located on the east end of the Great Hall beneath the composite glass windows. Rose Abron Lahman became a physician, specializing in obstetrics and gynecology. Initially she practised in Toronto and then in Atlanta, Georgia. Rose graduated from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto when there were quotas for both women and Jews.

Murray married Edythe (née Levinter) on 8 June, 1941. The event took place at the bride's family's home above their furniture store, J. Levinter Ltd, at 1169 Bloor Street West. The couple had one child, Sharon Abron Drache. Murray began using the Abron surname during the 1940s, changing it legally in the 1950s.

During his life, Murray worked as an hotelier and ran several businesses. They included the Rex Hotel in Toronto and Tent City at Lake Simcoe (ca. 1935-1945) and the St. Lawrence Hotel in Port Hope (1949-1955). When Murray managed the Rex Hotel he was a 50/50 partner with his mother's brother-in-law, Leo Hertzman. Leo owned and managed the store, United Clothing, which fronted the Rex hotel on Queen Street at the south side of the beverage room. When Leo’s son Harold Hertzman returned from military service in 1945, Leo bought out Murray’s share in the business for Harold. Jack Ross and Morris Meyers purchased the hotel from the Hertzmans in 1951. Murray was also a co-owner of the Tent City business with his father, David Abramowitz, coinciding with his Rex hotel years. During the late 1950s he worked as a real estate broker in Toronto and Florida. From the 1960s to the early 1970s he worked in his mother-in-law’s furniture business, J. Levinter Ltd. After Murray retired from the furniture business he became a stock broker. His hobbies included fishing, photography and storytelling. He died on 10 October 2005.

The Levinter family was headed by Samuel and Rebecca (née Godfried). They were both born in Austria (Galicia) and came to Canada in their teens. After their marriage in 1890, they resided in St. John's Ward. The couple had seven children: Jacob (b. 1892); Etta (b. 1894); Manny (b. 1895); Isadore (b. 1898); Molly (b. 1900); Rose and Dolly. Isadore became a prominent Toronto lawyer and was the first Jew appointed as a bencher at the Law Society of Upper Canada.

Samuel established Levinter Furniture in 1890. The business was initially located at 401-405 Queen Street. By 1925 Samuel had relocated his store to 287 Queen Street West and his son Jacob had opened a second location at 1169 Bloor Street West. Jacob later expanded his location to 1171 Bloor Street West. Samuel died on April 30, 1942; Rebecca died in 1952. Jacob married Sara Kamin (b. 1894, Lodz, Poland) on 25 June 1916. They had six children: Edythe (1918 -2011); Alfred (1919-1919); Evelyn (1922-2006); Murray (1925-); Molly (1926 -); Florence (b. 1930-). Jacob died of a heart attack in 1944. After his death, Sara took his place as owner and manager of the family business grooming her son Murray to succeed her. Sara’s daughter Molly had an early career as a concert pianist in Toronto and New York. Sara died in Toronto in 1990.

Sharon Abron Drache attended Forest Hill Collegiate (g. 1962) and then completed an undergraduate degree and post-graduate diploma in Psychology at the University of Toronto, the latter from the Institute of Child Study. She was enrolled as a special student in the Department of Religion at Carleton University from 1974-78. She has published four books of adult fiction, The Mikveh Man, Ritual Slaughter, The Golden Ghetto, Barbara Klein Muskrat – then and now, and two children's books, The Magic Pot and The Lubavitchers are coming to Second Avenue. She has also worked as a literary journalist and book reviewer for several newspapers and journals including, The Globe and Mail, Ottawa Citizen, Books in Canada, the Glebe Report and the Ottawa and Western Jewish Bulletins.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: includes 1 album, 1 painting, 1 photograph, and 1 folder of textual records

Associated Material Note: please see Sharon Drache's fonds at Library and Archives Canada and at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto for material related to her literary career. Please see Sharon Drache's fonds at the Ottawa Jewish Archives for material related to her journalism career. Finally, for additional material related to Sharon's family please see her fonds at the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library at the University of Toronto.

Related Material Note: see accessions #2010-12/8 and #2010-3/1 for addtional records donated to the OJA by Sharon Abron Drache.

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

National Council of Jewish Women of Canada fonds

National history research and subject files series

Level

File

Fonds

38

Series

5

File

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

1993-1994

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence with Sophie Drache, archivist at the Vancouver section, to various council members asking for their assistance during her quest to put together a contemporary living document of NCJWC.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

National Council of Jewish Women of Canada fonds

International Council of Jewish Women series

Level

File

Fonds

38

Series

6

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

[1993?]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of a response from Ann Harris to Dr. Geula Solomon's report, an "International Conference at Basel" pamphlet, a history of ICJW and other miscellaneous information.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sharon Chapter of Hadassah fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

90

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1918-1981, predominant 1952-1973

Physical Description

22 cm of textual records (4 v.)

16 microfiches of textual records

2 photographs

Admin History/Bio

Canada’s third chapter of Hadassah was organized in Brantford on January 2, 1918 by Mrs. Anna Selig (m. Raginsky) and sponsored by Mrs. Leah Lazarus primarily to assist with Canada’s war effort. In 1919, it joined with other Canadian chapters to form the Hadassah Organization of Canada. By 1921, Hadassah Canada had merged with the Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO) and changed its name to Hadassah-WIZO. In 1929, the Brantford chapter adopted the name Rose of Sharon, but abbreviated it to the Sharon Chapter of Hadassah.

As a member of Hadassah-WIZO, the Sharon Chapter shared its mandate of financially and socially supporting the peoples of Israel and promoting Jewish culture and ideals in Canada. Following the national organization’s mandate, its administration consisted of two levels: a general membership and an executive committee. The general membership voted on all issues and activities, while the executive committee ensured all tasks were completed. Although the chapter initially only elected one president, it began electing three presidents in 1943.

Mrs. Sam Fox served as the chapter’s first president over the charter membership of 30 women. Membership initially remained fairly constant, but grew to 92 members by 1962. All members paid annual dues, of which a small portion was used to pay the chapter’s expenses with the remainder being forwarded to the regional Hadassah council to pay administrative costs and donations.

Some of the fundraising activities Sharon Chapter organized include an annual birthday party (started in 1925), an annual bazaar (started in 1952), sewing circles, pot lucks, tea and garden parties, rummage and auction sales, and showers. The funds and other goods accumulated from these events were forwarded to the regional Hadassah council to support various Hadassah-WIZO projects, such as Youth Aliyah and the Acco Baby Creche. The Sharon Chapter also supported local projects, such as, assisting new immigrants, and entertaining servicemen at the local canteen during the Second World War.

The population of Brantford’s Jewish community began declining after the 1960s as younger generations moved to larger cities and were followed by their parents after retirement. By 1999, the Sharon Chapter’s membership had fallen to 24 women and meetings were being held only once a year. The Sharon Chapter likely closed around 2001; the same year that dwindling resources and membership forced the closure of Brantford’s synagogue, Congregation Beth David.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting the activities, finances, special programs and fundraising events of Brantford’s Sharon Chapter of Hadassah-WIZO. Included are meeting minutes, correspondence, photographs, ledgers, annual budgets, remittance forms, financial bulletins, financial statements, certificates, invitations, lists, notebooks, programmes, reports, recipes, speeches, news clippings, an auditorium lease, a contract, a theatrical script, and pledge cards.

Fonds has been arranged into five series: 1. Meetings; 2. Special projects and events; 3. Annual Bazaar; 4. Finance and accounting; and, 5. Administration. One item and one file are attached to the fonds-level.

Notes

Physical extent note: fonds was reduced from ca. 50 cm to 22 cm. See accession 2001-10-3 for further information about the culled material.

Name Access

Sharon Chapter

Hadassah-Wizo

Brantford

Subjects

Charities

Children

Related Material

For additional OJA records documenting the Sharon Chapter, see Sadie Stren fonds 78 and the Congregation Beth David fonds 88.

For additional OJA Hadassah-WIZO records, see Toronto Hadassah fonds 71, accessions 1996-11-1, 2008-3-3, and 2009-8-6.

For additional OJA records related to Brantford families and other Jewish organizations, such as the B'nai Brith lodge, please see accession #2001-10-3; #2009-7-1, 1978-11-4, 1977-8-16, 1992-8-3, 1980-1-14, 1978-1-2, 2008-7-1, photo# 109, photo# 755, and photo #758.

See also the Hadassah-WIZO Organization of Canada fonds at Library and Archives Canada, reference #R3454-0-7-E.

Accession Number

2001-10-3

1979-9-21

Source

Archival Descriptions