Part Of

Cowan family fonds

Level

File

Fonds

102

File

62

Material Format

textual record

Date

1984-2005

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Admin History/Bio

Max Altshuller was the great-grandfather of Saul Cowan's first wife Lillian Rosenthal.

Scope and Content

File consists of corrspondence between family members concerning reminiscences and genealogy, a family tree of Saul Cowan's parents Harris and Annie Cohen, two descendant family trees of Mayer Gollom (father of Annie Gollom Cohen), and a memoir titled "Altshuller Family Tree". Included in this document are photocopies of photographs, maps, a report on a 2005 reunion in Pontypool, Ontario, and a memoir of Belle Ewart by Al Sherman, which mentions the activities of the Rosenthal, Altshuller, Goldman, and Aiken families, as well as a 24-page descendant family tree of Max Altshuller.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

1992-7-1

Material Format

sound recording

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

1.5 cm of textual records

2 audio cassettes

1 audio disc

12 photographs (6 negatives)

Date

[ca. 1922]-1992

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records created and collected by Marc Bernstein. Included are the following records: audio cassettes; a Sacred Service record by Ernest Bloch with Leonard Bernstein conducting; and some individual scrapbook pages, photographs, and textual files from Cantor Bernstein's Summer Hotel at Lake Shore House and Cabins in Orillia.

The audio cassettes contain recordings of Cantors Akiba Bernstein, Pinchos Borenstein, and Haynach Borenstein; a recording of Mary Simmons in early broadcasts; plus Cantors Akiva, Haynach, Hershal, and Archie Borenstein.

Photographs include some portraits of family members and several group portraits

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

Availability of other formats: Digitized material.

Subjects

Cantors (Judaism)

Name Access

Bernstein, Akiva

Places

Orillia (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1994-12-5

Material Format

object

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

Artifacts

Photographs

1 folder of textual records

Date

1884-1986

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs, textual records, and artifacts documenting the Sadowski family from Massey, Ontario. Records include family photographs, family correspondence, geneological information, and business records. Of note are photographs of the Sadowski General Store in Massey, a meal token from the store, a notebook documenting animal fur transactions (1920-1922), and a land survey of the Sadowski family property (1893).

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1991-6-1

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1991

Scope and Content

Accession consists of Nana's Memoirs, a book by Mina Sprachman (1900-1991) transcribed from audio tape recordings made between approximately 1978 and 1986 and a Sprachman family tree compiled by Carol Bleiwas.

Use Conditions

See donation record

Name Access

Sprachman, Mina

Bliewas, Carol

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2008-6-10

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

graphic material

textual record (electronic)

textual record

Physical Description

3 photographs : b&w and sepia (2 jpg) ; 14 x 9 cm

1 textual record (7 jpg files)

1 folder of textual records

Date

[ca. 1870]-2008

Scope and Content

This accession consists of records documenting the Posluns family of Toronto. They include two scanned copies of photographs and one original, depicting various members of the Posluns family such as the family patriarch, Yosef ben Abraham and a copy photograph of the Tip Top Tailors building under construction in 1928.

The textual records consist of one electronic copy of a short history of the Posluns family, taken from Samuel Bernstein's biography, as well as a copy of a YMHA bulletin cover page from June 15, 1934, featuring a message from the president, Louis Posluns.

Custodial History

The records were loaned to the OJA on June 17, 2008 to be copied and returned to the donor.

Administrative History

A history of the Poslaniec (Posluns) family can be found online at: http://www.posluns.com/tree/pdfs/poslaniec.pdf

Use Conditions

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.

Name Access

Posluns, Wilfred, 1932-2010

Source

Archival Accessions

• 
• 
• 

Accession Number

2009-2-5

Material Format

object

textual record

Physical Description

30 cm of textual records

1 artifact

Date

1902-1981

Scope and Content

The records consist of material produced by Rabbi Saul Gringorten and his son I. M. Gringorten. They include certificates and identification for Rabbi Gringorten and his wife, along with his son I. M. Gringorten. In addition, the accession includes a great deal of correspondence in both English and Yiddish from the father and son during the 1940s, particularly during the period when the rabbi resided in the United States. Some material also documents I. M. Gringorten's involvement in the United Zionists organization during the 1940s. Finally, this accession includes a chuppah (marriage canopy) that was first used in 1910 by Saul Wolf Gringorten in Brantford, Ontario. The chuppah is made out of a tallis with embellishments sewn into the centre. The chuppah was subsequently used by various members of the Gringorten family.

Administrative History

Saul Wolf Gringorten and his wife Rachel Gringorten (nee Melnick) were born in Poland in 1876 and 1881 respectively. They moved to Canada in 1910 with their eldest child Morris. They subsequently had five more after their arrival. Their children included: Israel Morris (I. M.), Jennie, Jacob, Esther, Louis and Isaac.

Rabbi Gringorten served as spiritual leader, teacher, shochet and mohel for the Brantford Jewish community after his arrival for thirteen years. He would also be on call in northern and western Ontario where the communities were too small to support a rabbi. He then moved to Toronto during the early 1920s and became the principal of a Jewish school. The family lived at 26 Cecil Street at that time and then moved to 393 Markham Street during the late 1920s or early 1930s. He became active in the Jewish community, serving as vice-president of the Sons of Jacob, a board member of the Folks Farein and the first Trustee of the Old Folks Home.

Rabbi Gringorten and his wife moved to California during the mid-1940s in order to live in a climate that was better for their health. Rachel passed away in 1947 and the Rabbi followed in 1959.

Their oldest son, Israel Morris Gringorten, was born in Poland in 1904. He was educated in Brantford and later graduated from the University of Toronto. He served during the Second World War from 1943 until 1945. After his discharge, he spent his career working as an auto parts manufacturer with Canada Motor Products Ltd. He was an ardent Zionist who served as president of the United Zionists - Revisionists of America during the 1940s. He and his wife had four children.

Use Conditions

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.

Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.

Descriptive Notes

Language: Records are in Yiddish and English.

Access restriction: One file contains medical information and is closed.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Gringorten, Saul Wolfe

Gringorten, Rachel

Gringorten, Israel Morris

Places

Brantford (Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2009-11-4

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

2 photographs : b&w ; 9 x 14 cm and 9 X7 cm

1 matchbook

Date

1928-2009

Scope and Content

Accession consists of mementos, family documents and clippings from Nancy Draper (née Frankel). The records include a birth announcement card for Nancy in 1928 and a matchbook party favour from her wedding to Darrell Draper in 1949. There is also a scholarship application letter from the donor's granddaughter, Haley Draper, to UJA. Other records include a staff list from Camp Wabi-Kon in 1946; a Globe and Mail obituary of Dr. Martin Wolfish, a past volunteer of OJA; a photograph of David Steinhauer; a clipping about an Inuit sculpture inspired by the experience of Holocaust survivor Leon Kahn; and three eulogies for Patricia Drevnig Goldstein (1940-2005) (née Jacobs). Patricia was the granddaughter of Rabbi Solomon Jacobs of Holy Blossom, and her mother, Edna, was a Frankel. Finally, the accession includes a photocopy of a photograph of members of the Siglen family of Meaford with Maurice Frankel, the great-uncle of the donor, and Irwin Rosen, ca. 1928.

Administrative History

Nancy Frankel (b. 1928) is the daughter of Carl and Dorothy Jacobs Frankel, past prominent members of the Toronto Jewish community and members of Holy Blossom Temple. Nancy attended Camp Wabi-Kon, a Jewish camp in northern Ontario near Temagami, and then worked there as a teenager. She married Darrell Draper on December 10th, 1949. Nancy is a longtime volunteer at the OJA.

Subjects

Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)

Camps

Families

Letters

Obituaries

Name Access

Draper, Nancy

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Ida Lewis Siegel fonds

Level

File

Fonds

15

File

5

Material Format

textual record

Date

1924-1980

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of family correspndence including letters, cards, postcards and 2 newspaper articles featuring Sair Lee. The correspondence is between Ida Lewis Siegel and family members between the years 1924 and 1980.

Access Restriction

Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing the records.

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

Genealogical research series

The Rotenberg family file

Level

File

Fonds

138

Series

3

File

6

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1908-2011

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

3 photographs : b&w ; 19 x 13 cm and 10 x 7 cm and 7 x 12 cm

Scope and Content

File consists of records documenting the Rotenberg family. Included are an invitation to Morris Rotenberg’s bar mitzvah, two letters sent from Morris Rotenberg to David Pinkus, and three photographs of Louis Rotenberg. One of the photographs was taken shortly after Louis arrived in Canada in 1908; the other two were taken in the 1940s, and one of them features Louis and his wife, Sarah Rotenberg, on vacation. Morris was the son of Louis and Sarah Rotenberg.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Pinkus fonds

Genealogical research series

The Bossin family file

Level

File

Fonds

138

Series

3

File

15

Material Format

textual record

Date

1921-[200-?]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of records documenting the Bossin family. Included are a 2004 newspaper clipping documenting the Bossin family celebrates its one hundred years in Canada; a postcard printed with a 1921 photograph depicting Zussman Bossin in front of his store at 185 York Street; and documents pertaining to the Bossin family’s history, including a document, which was likely written by a Bossin family member or someone who knows the family well, and David Pinkus’ genealogical research notes. Also included is a document that might be used in a funeral; it reads, “In loving memory of Rose Bossin, dearly beloved wife, loving mother, and devoted daughter.”

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Pinkus fonds

The Pinkus family series

Family correspondence file

Level

File

Fonds

138

Series

4

File

9

Material Format

textual record

Date

1961-1987

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2011-6-6

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 photo album

12 cm of textual records

Date

1963-2004

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the involvement of Itshe Meyer Korolnek and his children in the Eitz Chaim Talmud Torah and Jewish education in Toronto. Eitz Chaim records include a graduation programme (1968), an annual dinner book honouring Harry and Max Korolnek (1992), and a dedication journal (1963). Also included are anniversary dinner programmes for the Beth Jacob High School and the Beth Avraham Yoseph of Toronto Congregation, a memorial breakfast booklet for the Toronto Cheder (2003), a publication by Mayer S. Abramowitz titled "Toronto's Sages," and a CJC book commemorating seventy years of Jewish life in Canada. Finally, the accession also includes a photo album documenting a testimonial dinner for Itshe Korolnek and issues of the Jewish Times (1983), the Canadian Jewish Review (1950), and the Hebrew Journal (Yiddisher Zhurnal) (1972).

Subjects

Education

Name Access

Bais Yaakov High School (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2012-6-7

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

58 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 25 cm or smaller

Date

[190-]-2003

Scope and Content

Accession consists of original and photocopies of photographs related to the Lyons, Agranove, Rotenberg, Pollock families from Toronto and Hamilton. Included are family portraits, wedding portraits, the family likely at community events, and a photo of the family at Crystal Beach. There is also a photocopy of a story in the Canadian Jewish News about a Rotenberg family reunion in 2003.

Administrative History

William Agranove was active in Keiltzer Society and was in the furniture manufacturing business. He was also a major fundraiser for the UJA, a close friend of Sam Kronick. He is mentioned in Hesh Troper's book "None is Too Many" as helping Jews come to Toronto from Europe.

Rotenberg Family were a large family with 10 children. Saul Rotenberg raised horses and was partners with Lyons in the furniture business that had many locations, one on Yonge Street.

Descriptive Notes

Donor's cousin Judy will be in touch with OJA to provide more information.

Subjects

Families

Places

Hamilton (Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-1-1

Material Format

moving images

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

3 film reels (ca. 12 min.) : col., si. ; 8 mm

7 photographs

1 folder of textual records

Date

1939-1993, predominant 1939-1962

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the activities of Cyrel Troster and her family. Included is a Coronet Club invitation to an annual charity ball in aid of German refugees (1939), a fyler advertising the 100th anniversary of Beth Tzedec synagogue, a brochure for a Jewish Women's Voices conference (1993), and photographs of a Brownie group celebrating Purim at Clanton Park synagogue, a talent show at Camp Timberlane, and campers at Camp New Moon and Camp Shalom. Also included are home movies of a Jewish Cub Scout parade featuring Joel Troster and visiting day at Camp Tamarack and Camp Shalom. Identified in the photographs are: Cyrel Troster and Larry Troster. The home movies were filmed by Cyrel's father, Jack Troster.

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.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-2-3

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

20 cm of textual records

ca. 100 photographs

Date

[190-]-2012

Scope and Content

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

Custodial History

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

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

Descriptive Notes

To be integrated into the Ladovsky family fonds 83.

Subjects

Families

Restaurants

Name Access

Ladovsky, Herman

Ladovsky, Aaron

United Bakers Dairy Restaurant (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-11-2

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

6 photographs : b&w and col. ; 15 x 20 cm and 9 x 15 cm and 11 x 8 cm

1 photograph (electronic) : jpg

Date

1930-2007

Scope and Content

Accession consists of three colour photographs from the reunion of the Baldwin Club, a young men's club from the 1940s based in Kensington Market. The reunion took place in 2006 at the Steeles Deli (the time stamps on these photographs indicate 2007). The photographs feature: Pearl Godfrey with Rose Simon Zand and her husband David Zand (Rose Simon Zand grew up in the market and her family owned a grocery store); Jack Gelman (founder of the Baldwin Club. His parents owned P. Gelman Fruit and Groceries at 174 Baldwin Street). To his right is his wife. Seated are Rose Simon and Pearl Godfrey; Left to right: Solly Raykeff, Jackie Gelman, Mel Lastman.

Also included are three black and white photographs depicting 1) Three women in front of 172 Baldwin, left to right: Sandy Shabinsky, Katie Lottman Grossman, Ruth Berman; 2) Two girls in front of 172 Baldwin: left to right: Bella Tichberg (Judy Lottman Tichberg's daughter) and her cousin Henry; 3) Jake Lottman and his father Sam Lottman at 181 Baldwin shown cracking eggs for a photo taken for Queen Elizabeth's visit to Toronto.

Also included is one electronic photo of three women working at Lottman's bakery (Helen Wiseman who worked at the bakery for 50 years, Katie Lottman Grossman's mother in law Brancha Loffman, and Gertie who also worked at the bakery for many years)

There is also a small amount of textual records including two newspaper articles entitled "From Humble Beginnings in Kensington" (National Post, 2006) and "Demise of Lottman's Bakery mounred by all" (CJN, Thursday, November 29, 1984); a cookbook of recipes by Rose Simon entitled Recipes by Rose (2001); as well as five photocopies of photos of the Baldwin Street Boys (1940s).

Administrative History

Pearl Godfrey's father was Sam Lottman, owner of Lottman's Bakery which opened in the 1920s and was originally located at 172 Baldwin Street. It had a brick oven and on Friday nights women would bring their pots to keep the chollent warm for the Sabath. Sam Lottman was born in Poland and arrived in Toronto when he was 12 years old. He arrived with nothing but soon got a job as a baker. Sam's first wife Bella died in the 1920s. They had two children Judy Tichberg and Joe Lottman. There was also another daughter that died. Sam was a founder of the Hebrew Loan Society (Axia), where members donated 25 cents per week.

Pearl's mother was Emma (Birkin) Lottman. She arrived from Poland with her sister and mother in 1919 and was a wig maker. Emma Lottman mother would go with neighbours to collect household items for new immigrants. She also worked alongside Sam in the bakery. They lived on top of the bakery until Pearl was 12 years old. Emma and Sam had three children: Jake Lottman, Katie Grossman and Pearl Godfrey. Pearl went to Ryerson Public School and then to Harbord Collegiate for a year before transferring to Forest Hill.

The family lived on top of the store until 1947 when they moved to 50 Ava Road in Forest Hill. They built a new store at 191 Baldwin. It had a traveling oven which was very rare at the time, which allowed for the baked goods to move along a conveyer belt through the heat.

Jake who had built the business alongside his father moved to California. Joe Lottman took over the business when Sam retired. Joe died at the age of 60 in 1981 and his daughter Bonnie Lottman and son Terry Lottman ran the business.

The bakery closed in 1984.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Business

Name Access

Lottman, Sam

Lottman, Emma

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Accession Number

2014-6-4

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

ca. 40 photographs

3 CDs

Date

1919-2013, predominant 1919-1974

Scope and Content

Accession consists of scanned photographs and textual records that document the Natanson family. Photographs include images of the Lazar and Muriel Natanson's wedding, family portraits, portraits inside and in front of the store, class portraits and Lazar in his military uniform, Textual records consist of the eulogies for Lazar and Muriel Natanson, and copy of a summary of the history of the Weinstein family, and scanned copies of letters from Muriel Natanson to Eileen Bellan (nee Natanson) while Eileen was at Camp B'Nai Brith. Of note is the brief description of Muriel as an eyewitness to the Christie Pitts riot in 1933. CDs consist of digital copies of the photo reproductions in this accession.

Administrative History

Lazar Natanson (1918-1984) was born to Benjamin and Rose (nee Gratz) Natanson. He had five siblings, Albert (b. 1900), Freida (b. 1902), Celia (b. 1905), Nathan (b. 1909) and Ida (b. 1916). Soon after the end of the Second World War Lazar took ill and went to Montreal to recover and returned to Toronto several years later. Muriel Natanson (nee Weinstein) (1923-2013) was born in Bucharest, Romania, to Solomon (Shlomo) and Sylvia Weinstein. She had two brothers, David (1924-2010) and Albert (b.1933). Solomon was a housepainter and wallpaper hanger. Muriel left school at the age of 16 to help support her family, working at Tip Top Tailors and later Reader Mail. She went to night school to obtain her high school diploma. Muriel worked for her father when he opened a confectionary store in 1950. Lazar married Muriel in 1951 and they opened a store, Moffat's North York Bargain House, at 1291 Wilson Avenue that same year. They later changed the store's name to Les and Muriel's. They were likely one of the first Jewish families to move to the Downsview area, and lived above the store. Lazar and Muriel had two children, Eileen and Bob. While caring for their their children Muriel worked alongside Lazar at Les and Muriel's, and when he suffered a stroke in 1968 they sold the store. Eileen Natanson married Stanley Bellan and they had two children, Chad and Renee. Bob Natanson became a stockbroker. Lazar died in 1984 after suffering from a long-term illness. Murial passed away in 2013.

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

Donor provided photo identification on the back of reproduced photos.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Natanson family

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2014-8-12

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

7 photographs : b&w and col. (tiff)

Date

[1970?]-2011

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs of Ben and Carrie Grossman and their family at family gatherings. Identified in the photographs are: Carrie Grossman, Ben Grossman, Jack Grossman, Warren Grossman, Rita Bergstein, Borris Litman, Ruth Malka Grossman, Miriam (Mimi) Grossman, Lillian Rose, Martha Sud, Hilda Grossman, and David Sud.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Bergstein, Rita

Grossman, Ben

Grossman, Carrie

Grossman, Hilda

Grossman, Jack

Grossman, Miriam

Grossman, Ruth

Grossman, Warren

Litman, Borris

Rose, Lillian

Sud, David

Sud, Martha

Source

Archival Accessions

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
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Accession Number

2014-5-8

Material Format

textual record

moving images

graphic material

Physical Description

2 m of textual records

10 film reels : 8mm

ca. 300 photographs

Date

[192-]-[200-]

Scope and Content

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

Custodial History

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

Subjects

Diaries

Families

Synagogues

Name Access

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Steinberg, Elise, 1955-2005

Steinberg, Irving, 1919-2011

Steinberg, Miriam, ?-2011

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-1-7

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

30 cm of textual records

ca. 20 photographs

Date

1929-1982

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the Heaps family. Included are general letters and postcards, wartime correspondence, political materials, photographs, and newsclippings. Of note is a 1948 letter written (but perhaps not sent) to David Ben-Gurion describing various issues he was finding with the Israeli army. There is also a great deal of correspondence between Leo, David and A. A. during the war, including some letters describing his escape from Arnhem and a letter describing the Bergen-Belsen Concentration Camp in 1945.

Administrative History

Leo Heaps (1923-1995) was born in Winnipeg in 1923, the son of A. A. Heaps and Bessie Morris. His father A. A. was a founder of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation, the forerunner of the New Democratic Party. Leo Heaps was raised in Winnipeg and received an education at Queen's University, the University of California, and McGill University. During the Second World War, at the age of 21, Heaps was seconded to the British Army and found himself commanding the 1st Battalion's Transport. He participated in the Battle of Arnhem as a paratrooper.

Leo Heaps was awarded the Royal Military Cross for his work with the Dutch Resistance. His brother, David, had also achieved the same distinction, thereby making them the only Jewish brothers during the Second World War to win the decoration. After the war, Heaps went to Israel and aided their army in the establishment of mobile striking units. Whilst there, he met his wife-to-be, Tamar (1927-). Together they had one son, Adrian, and three daughters, Karen, Gillian, and Wendy.

During the Hungarian Revolution he led a special rescue team to bring refugees out and across the border. In the mid-1960s he returned to Britain where he dabbled in various entrepreneurial projects as well as writing several books, notably "The Grey Goose of Arnhem", telling his own story of Arnhem, the aftermath of the battle, and also the stories of other Arnhem evaders and their dealings with the Resistance.

Leo Heaps spent most of his life in Toronto, Canada, and was amongst the forty Canadian veterans who returned to Arnhem in 1994 to mark the 50th anniversary. He died in 1995.

Descriptive Notes

Availability of other formats: Digitized material.

Subjects

Concentration camps

World War, 1939-1945

Zionism

Name Access

Heaps, Leo, 1923-1995

Heaps, David

Heaps, A. A.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-2-3

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

15 cm of textual records

ca. 100 photographs

Date

1938-2006

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the Max and Anne Tanenbaum and Wolf families. Included are photographs of family, trips and missions to Israel, the establishment of the John Bassett Sports Centre in Israel and other events; certificates; documents related to Anne and Max's philanthropic work and giving to the Baycrest Centre, the University of Toronto, CHAT and the United Jewish Appeal; newsclippings; and photographs and an invitation documenting the honourary doctorate degree bestowed on Anne Tanenebaum by the Ben Gurion University of the Negev.

Administrative History

Max (1909-1983) and Anne (1909-2009) Tanenbaum were notable philanthropists in Toronto, best known for their support of the Jewish community in the areas of medicine and education.

Max Tanenbaum was born in Poland to Abraham and Chippa Sura Tanenbaum in 1909. He immigrated to Canada with his mother and brother, Joseph, in 1914, three years after his father's arrival in 1911. Max began work in the family steel business at the age of 13 and later went on to found his own steel company; York Steel. Max had two additional siblings, sisters Sarah (m. Sam Kates) and Esther (m. Simon Gottlieb).

Anne Tanenbaum was born in New York in 1909 to Herman and Minnie Wolf. Anne had three siblings: Molly (m. ? Raphael), Dorothy (m. Max Roher) and Jack (m. Ann Korolnek). At the age of 10, Anne's mother passed away and her father remarried. Her father and step-mother had three additional children: Bill (m. Sylvia), Noah (m. Marilyn), and Esther (m. Carmen). The family moved from New York to Montreal and then to Toronto.

Max and Anne met in Toronto and married in 1930. Together they had seven children: Harold, Joey (m. Toby), Howard (m. Carol), Larry (m. Judy), Tauba (m. Sol Spiro), Minda (m. Les Feldman), and Carol.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Anne's stepmother was affectionately referred to by the Tanenbaum grandchildren as "Bubbie from Palestine."

Subjects

Families

Philanthropists

Name Access

Tanenbaum, Anne, 1909-2009

Tanenbaum, Max, 1909-1983

Wolf family

Places

Israel

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2015-3-1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

30 cm of textual records

7 photographs : b&w ; 23 x 36 cm or smaller

Date

1928-2014

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the life and cantorial career of Rev. Alexander Steinberg, and to a lesser extent his son, Ben Steinberg. Included are photographs of Cantor Steinberg, fellow cantors and the Shaarei Shomayim cheder class; Cantor Steinberg's scrapbook; hand-copied solo and choral music books; correspondence; and materials relating to Ben Steinberg's cantata Echoes of Children memorializing the children who perished in the Holocaust.

Students identified in Cheder class include: Avrom Buckstein, Arnie Morrison, Reuvein Landsberg, Jack Geller, David Satok, Norman Rasky, Leon Gasner, Gerry Benson, Harvey Kofman, Leo Snowbell, Ben Steinberg, Earl Farber, Albert Strauss, Jerome Levine, and Saul Goodman (sitting third from the front against the wall).

Administrative History

Chazzan Alexander Steinberg was born Eliyahu Steinberg in Zhitomeir, Ukraine in 1893 to Chava and Chaim Steinberg. His father was the owner and operator of a lumber yard and, as a devout Jew, brought his son Eliyahu regularly to the synagogue where he developed a love of chazzanut and, in the then traditional apprenticeship method, studied the skills which would lead him eventually to a lifetime career in the music of the traditional synagogue.

At the age of 15 he emigrated to Winnipeg, Canada and worked in a men's clothing store until he could find employment as a cantor. He began his professional life as a visiting cantor in the 1920s, travelling to smaller communities in Alberta and Saskatchewan, officiating at services for Shabbat, High Holy Days and the Fesitvals, as well as presenting concerts of Hebrew and Yiddish song.

By the 1930s, he officiated regularly at the Atereth Yisrael Synagogue in Winnipeg and appeared as a concert cantor throughout the western Canadian provices (Lethbridge, Regina, Prince Albert, Edenbridge, Melville, Edmonton, Calgary, etc.) as well as Ontario (London, Hamilton, Kitchener, Sarnia, Ottawa, Fort William and Toronto) and as far away as St. Louis, Missouri and Detroit, Michigan.

He was appointed cantor of Atereth Yisrael Congregation of Winnipeg in 1930 and maintained a relationship with that Shul throughout his time in Toronto, visiting regularly to daven and present concerts.

After the death of his first wife, he married Polly Shapiro in 1928, and in 1933 he moved his family including four children (three, Sam, Ida and Laurie from his previous marriage) to Toronto, where for a time he served as cantor at Goel Tzedec Congregation.

In Toronto, Cantor Steinberg became renowned for his beautiful tenor voice and his knowledge of the liturgy. He was much sought after and officiated througout the Toronto area in synagogues such as the Hebrew Men of England, Ostrovtzer, Beth Jacob, Kiever, Goel Tzedec, Palmerston, Anshei Minsk and Lubavitcher. All this activity brought him to the attention of various synagogues in the United States as well and he travelled to Detroit and Rochester on several occasions.

In 1941, he was appointed Cantor at Shaarei Shomayim on St. Clair Ave., a congreation he served until 1950. He continued to serve outlying congregations in Hamilton, London and Sarnia until he was invited in 1953 to establish the King David Congregation in Toronto, to serve the unaffiliated during the High Holy Days. His cantorial career came to an end in April 1960 when he experienced a heart attach in London, Ontario while leading that community's Pesach service. He died at home in Toronto two days before Yom Kippur in 1960.

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Benjamin Steinberg is a composer, conductor, organist, and teacher. He was born in Winnipeg on 22 January 1930 and received his Bachelor of Music from the University of Toronto in 1961. He and his wife Mildred have two children.

A soloist at age 8 in the synagogue choir conducted by his father, Cantor Alexander Steinberg, he began conducting choirs himself at age 12. At the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto from 1948-1951 and 1957-1960 he studied composition with John Weinzweig, piano with Samuel Dolin, and voice with Weldon Kilburn. After teaching from 1953-1958 in public schools in the Toronto area and studying music education at the University of Toronto, he served from 1961-1964 as head of the music department at Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute and from 1961-1964 and in the same capacity at Forest Hill Collegiate Institute from 1964-1986. He was director of school music (1950-1960) and music director (1960-1969) at Holy Blossom Temple, and in 1970 he became music director at Temple Sinai. His method for youth choirs, "Together Do They Sing" (New York 1961), was commissioned and published by the Union of American Hebrew Congregations.

Steinberg's music includes five sacred services (four published - 1963, 1969, 1969, and 1990 - by Transcontinental Music); works for choir and/or soloist and organ or orchestra (some published by Transcontinental Music and Israeli Music Publications); The Vision of Isaiah (1970) for tenor, choir, and organ or instrumental ensemble; Yerushalayim (1973) for soprano, choir, and orchestra; Echoes of Children (1979), a cantata for soloist, narrator, chorus, and orchestra (which won the International Gabriel Award and has twice been televised on PBS); and instrumental works including a suite for flute and string trio based on Israeli folksongs. Steinberg was invited by the city of Jerusalem to be an artist-in-residence in 1978 and 1980; he received the Kavod (Honour) Award of the Cantor's Assembly in 1983, and that same year received a composer's award from the American Harp Society for his Suite for Flute, Viola and Harp (1981, commissioned by Suzanne Shulman). A number of temples, synagogues, and congregations in the USA commissioned some 18 works from Steinberg between 1980 and 1991. He has also received commissions from Paul Brodie (Suite Sephardi 1980), the Chamber Players of Toronto (Suite for String Orchestra 1983), and Lawrence Cherney (Invocations 1990). Baritone Richard Allen recorded several of Steinberg's works on the cassette A Ben Steinberg Concert. (ca 1989, Transcontinental unnumbered).

Of Steinberg's music Michael Isaacson wrote, 'While conservative, pragmatic and always well-mannered, it is also gratefully mindful of its tradition in a deeply lyrical way' (Journal of Synagogue Music, June 1973). Steinberg has presented Jewish music on the CBC, has published articles on it, and has given many lecture-recitals on it in Australia, Canada, Japan, and the USA. He is a contributor to EMC, a member of the CLComp, and an associate of the Canadian Music Centre.

Descriptive Notes

Biographical Note: Further biographical information on Ben Steinberg is available with the accession record.

Subjects

Cantors (Judaism)

Families

Heder

Name Access

Steinberg, Alexander, 1893-1960

Steinberg, Ben

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-3-3

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

34 photographs (tiff)

Date

[between 1914 and 1916?], 1986-1998

Scope and Content

Accssion consists of photographs documenting the Levine family's immigration to Canada and activities in Saskatchewan and Ontario. Included are images of Mark and Bev during their first few years in Melford, Saskatchewan; family holiday celebrations (Hanukkah and Passover dinners); Shabbat dinners; the Edenbridge synagogue; trips to Niagara Falls; and images taken during trips Elfreda and Alec made to Canada from South Africa to visit Mark. Of note are images taken of Mark and Bev with other South African immigrants at a ski hill in Saskatchewan and at Shabbat dinners in Melford. Also included is a Sweiden family portrait taken in South Africa in the early 1900s.

Photo Captions: 001: Romi’s birthday party at Green Lane school, [1993?]. 002: Isaac (Mark’s father-in-law), Mark and Romi in Toronto, [1991?] 003: Sweiden family portrait taken in South Africa, [between 1914 and 1916?]. Back row (left to right) Dora, Israel. Front row (left to right): Fanny, Becky, and Harry. 004: First Friday night that Elfreda and Alec were in Melford to visit son and daughter-in-law, Aug. 1987. At a Shabbat dinner with six other South African doctors who were in Melford. 005: Pesach dinner in Toronto at the Levine’s, [1993?]. Man on right is Robert Kahn (pharmacist), woman is Ruth Falkstein. Man on left is Sydney Flax (optometrist). Romi is seated at table. 006: First Friday after the birth of Jade, McKee Ave., Toronto, 1998. 007: First Friday night that Elfreda and Alec were in Melford to visit son and daughter-in-law, Aug. 1987. Shabbat with six other South African doctors who were in Melford. 008: Mark at a local ski hill, [1986 or 1987]. Inscription on back of photo reads “Mark in his ski-ing regalia proving he does know how to ski” 009: Mark and Bev standing on the middle of a frozen lake in Melford, Saskatchewan, [1986 or 1987] 010-011: Seder at the Silberbergs 012: Mark and Bev’s flat in Melford (bottom-right apartment), [1987?] 013-014: Group of South African doctors and their wives at a South African party at the local ski hill in Melford, [between 1986-1988]. 015: Mark in Niagara Falls, [ca. 1987]. 016: Mark and Bev at Saskatchewan hospital with newborn daughter Romi, 1987. 017: Mark, Bev, Romi, 1987. 018-023: Shul in Edenbridge, Saskatchewan, Aug. 1987. 024: Jewish cemetery in Edenbridge, Saskatchewan, Aug. 1987. 025-026: Interior of Shul in Edenbridge, Saskatchewan, Aug. 1987. 027:First Friday night that Elfreda and Alec were in Melford to visit son and daughter-in-law, Aug. 1987. Shabbat with six other South African doctors who were in Melford.

Administrative History

Leible and Esther Sweiden moved from Lithuania to Capetown in 1890. Leible's brother, Jacob followed him to Capetown around 1902. In 1906, Jacob and his wife Fanny (nee Vickers) immigrated with a small group of other Jewish South Africans to Edenbridge, Saskatchewan. Leible remained in South Africa. Leible's son Israel married Edith (Eadie) in 1934. Israel and Edith's daughter Elfreda (b. 1936) married Alec Levine in 1958. Elfreda was a bookkeeper for various companies and Alec worked for his family's plumbing business. They had three children together: Mark (b. 1959), Carol (b. 1962), and Adrian ( b. 1966).

Mark Levine married Beverley in 1983. They immigrated to Melford, Saskatchewan in 1986. Mark did not know at the time that his great grandfather's brother had immigrated to a nearby area decades earlier and only learned of his story and the Edenbridge Jewish community soon after arriving there. Mark worked as a physician at a local hospital. Beverley had been a pharmacist in South Africa, however, her qualifications were not recognized in Canada and she focused on raising her family. Mark and Bev's daughter, Romi, was born in August 1987. After 18 months in Melford, they moved to Toronto after Mark found work as a pediatric anesiologist at Sick Kids Hospital. In 1998, thier second daughter, Jade, was born. Mark's parents, Elfreda and Alec, immigrated to Toronto in 1999. Mark and other relatives encouraged them to immigrate due to the increasingly dangerous political situation in South Africa. Mark is also an assoicate professor at the University of Toronto. Alec and Elfreda's daughter Carol lives in England and their son Adrian remains in South Africa.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Families

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Levine, Mark

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-2-5

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

2 folders of textual records

10 photographs

21 photographs (tiff)

Date

1957-2015, predominant 1987-2015

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the activities of Colin and Brenda Baskind. Included are family photographs, such as a wedding portrait of Colin and Brenda, images of family events, graduation portraits of Colin's children, family holiday celebrations, Colin and Brenda running marathons, and the family at a baby naming ceremony for Colin's granddaughter at Darchei Noam Synanagoue. Textual records include thank you letters Colin received from individuals he assisted as President of SAJAC and in other capacities, the CV that Colin used to look for work in Toronto while preparing to immigrate from South Africa, a speech Brenda delivered to a cancer support group regarding her fight with breast cancer and marathon running, newsclippings, certificates, and letters of reference for both Colin and Brenda.

Identified in the photographs are: Colin Baskind, Brenda Baskind, Alan Sandler, Ian Sandler, Lorraine Sandler, Cliff Baskind, Stacey Baskind, Audrey Weinberg, Gerald Weinberg, Solly Simmons, Renee Simmons, Lily Shaie Baskind, Alana Baskind, and Refton Blair.

Administrative History

Colin Baskind was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, on April 20, 1943. As a child, he attended an all boys' school and played a wide variety of sports including, soccer, cricket and rugby. He studied commerce at the University of South Africa and completed a business course through a school in England. While in school he met his future wife, Brenda, on a blind date and they married in 1967. Together they had three children: Stacey, Alana and Cliff.

Colin worked in an import business and Brenda was a nursery school teacher. For a short period of time they cared for the nephew of their maid, whose daughter gave birth at a young age and was still in school. They raised him with their children until his mother was finished school.

Around 1976, Colin and Brenda started to think about leaving South Africa due to the worsening violence and political situation. After first considering Australia, they eventually immigrated to Toronto in 1987. Colin found work in the importing business and Brenda found work at Holy Blossom Temple school. Soon after arriving in Toronto, Colin became involved in the Southern African Jewish Association of Canada. He attended a meeting that had been called to resuscitate SAJAC (the organization, which was formed in 1977, had ceased functioning and there was a need to bring it back to help a new large wave of immigrants). At the meeting Colin was nominated as President and he has held this role ever since. Colin also volunteered with a variety of organizations including, JIAS and JVS. He continued with his athletic pursuits in Canada and jogged, hiked, and cycled in all weather. Around 1998, Brenda started to join Colin and his running group on jogs. Around 2000 they both began running in marathons. By 2015, they had participated in 11 marathons. In 2010, their granddaughter Lily Shaie was born to their daughter Stacey.

Use Conditions

Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.

Subjects

Families

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Baskind, Colin

Places

Johannesburg

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2015-3-8

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

18 photographs : tiff

Date

1969, 1974-2014

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the Cohen family, their immigration to Canada from South Africa, and life in Toronto. Textual records include photocopies of correspondence and paperwork relating to the Cohen's immigration, certificates, and a typed document containing humorous stories their South African friends shared at a "10 Years Out Of Africa" party relating to their adjustment to Canadian life. Also included are family portraits and photographs documenting family celebrations such as weddings and bar mitzvahs. Of note is an image of Vivien and John at the "10 Years Out of Africa" party.

Administrative History

John Cohen was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1944 to Phil and Flora Cohen. Vivien Cohen (née Lehwess) was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, in 1947 to Henry Lehwess and Isle Lehwess (née Wronsky). John's cousin was in physiotherapy school with Vivien, and they were introduced to each other. They married on 3 December 1969 and had three children together: Nicole (b. 1972), Steven (b. 1974), and Jeremy David (1979). Vivien was a physiotherapist, and John was a textile sales agent. Due to the unstable political situation in South Africa, they immigrated to North York in March 1977. For the first few weeks, they lived in a rental apartment in North York. They soon moved into a townhouse nearby. In 1980, they bought their first house in Thornhill. They were both able to continue in their professions after immigrating to Canada. Both of their mothers and many of their friends also moved to Toronto. John and Vivien were members of Shaarei Shalom synagogue for twenty-five years and are now members of Darchei Noam.

Subjects

Families

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Cohen, John

Places

Johannesburg, South Africa

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2014-9-5

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record (electronic)

textual record

Physical Description

4 cookbooks (pdf)

1 folder of textual records (pdf and tiff)

1 folder of textual records

ca. 1000 photographs (jpg)

Date

[ca. 1950]-2014

Scope and Content

Accession consists of scanned and photocopied material documenting the Hotz family's activities in South Africa and Canada. Included are family photographs, correspondence, invitations, programmes, school report cards, passports, newsclippings, a wedding speech, and certificates. Also included are copies of four South African Jewish cookbooks: Passover "Palatables", International Goodwill Recipe Book (1951 and 1969), and K.D.S. Recipe Book (1964).

Custodial History

Barbara Weisberg is the wife of Darrel Hotz. The material was either inherited by them after Darrel's parents passed away or created by Barbara and Darrel.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Language: English and Afrikaans.

Subjects

Cookbooks

Families

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Hotz, Darrel

Wiseberg, Barbara

Places

South Africa

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-8-7

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 70 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1928-2013

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the activities of Ben Zion Shapiro and his family. The bulk of the records document the Shapiro family's involvement in Young Judaea. The Young Judaea material includes: yearbooks, photographs, correspondence, meeting minutes, event programmes, song books, newsletters, and two Camp Biluim flags made by Bunny Shapiro. One flag contains Camp Biluim's crest (1951) and the other one was created for Camp Biluim's colour war and contains the text "We will try and we will succeed Camp Biluim" (1954?). Also included is a VHS tape containing a copy of the Toronto Zionist Council's video about Camp Shalom (1991?). Of note are minute books maintained by Roy Shapiro for the Toronto Young Judaea Administrative Board (1928-1934) and for the Leadership Club (1940-1948).

Accession also contains material relating to Roy and Ben Zion's involvement with the following organizations: the Coordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly (Circle of Care), B'nai Israel Beth David Congregation, Beth Tzedec's Mispacha Program, Beth Tzedec's Israel Action Program, Congregation Beth Haminyan, and Holy Blossom Temple's Department for Jewish Living. These records include, minutes, correspondence, newsletters and publications, evaluation reports and other reports. Also included is a demographic report entitied "Rapid Growth and Transformation: Demographic Challenges Facing the Jewish Community of Greater Toronto" (1995), material from a conference at the University of Toronto on the university's partnership with Israel, CHAT alumni directories, and a CHAT book entitled, "Voices: Jewish Teens of the 90's". Of note are buttons, photographs, reports and correspondence documenting Bunny and Ben Zion's trip to the Soviet Union on behalf of the CJC's Committee for Soviet Jewry.

Finally accession includes material documenting family activities of the Shapiro and Sherman family. Included is a transcript of Bessie Sherman telling her life story (1978), haggadot, PowerPoint presentations created by Ben Zion for his grandchildren and for a family reunion outlining the family history of his family and Bunny's family. There is also a video of Ben Zion presenting his PowerPoint at the Michalski / Cohen family reunion. Also included are family films and videos containing footage of Bunny and Ben Zion's wedding and honeymoon, Camp Biluim, Young Judaea events, Bunny on Machon, family wedding anniversaries and birthday parties, trips to Israel, the United States, and Europe as well as footage of the Cousin's Club. Also included is a VHS tape containing a recorded segment from CityPulse News featuring the family's Pesach festivities in 1995.

Photo identification: Back row, left to right: Ray Markus, Michelle Landsberg, Menachem ?, Frank Narrol. Front row, left to right: Gilda Mitchell, Bunny Shapiro, BenZion Shapiro, Malka Rabinowitz.

Administrative History

Ben Zion Shapiro was born in Toronto in 1931 to Roy Shapiro and Beck Shapiro (née Cohen). He has a younger brother, Morden "Mort" Shapiro (b. 1940). His father worked as an office manager at Rotstein Furniture and Maple Leaf Cleaners, and his mother worked as a legal secretary until marriage. Roy was active in a number of organizations including: Young Judaea, Sons of Jacob Society, Toronto Camera Club, a founding member of Beth David Synagogue, Coordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly (Circle of Care) and president of the Association of Jewish Seniors. Beck was active in Young Judaea and Pioneer Women (president of the Golda Meir Club).

Ben Zion received a master of social work degree from the University of Toronto and attended the Jewish Agency Institute for Youth Leaders from Abroad in Jerusalem (1951-1952). He has worked for a number of organizations throughout his career, including: Young Judaea (he was director of both Camp Shalom [1962-1969] and Camp Biluim [1954-1956]), B'nai Brith Youth Organization, University Settlement, St. Christopher's House and director of the Novomeysky Centre in Jerusalem (1957-1961). He was also professor and associate dean of social work at the University of Toronto and three times visiting professor at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

Ben married Bunny "Bernice" Shaprio in 1955. Bunny was born in 1934 in Noranda, Quebec to Irving Sherman and Bessie (née Consky). Bunny attended public school in Noranda, Noranda High School and Forest Hill Collegiate in Toronto, University of Toronto (BA), the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (M.Ed. in special education), and the Jewish Agency Institute for Jewish Leaders from Abroad (1952-1953).

Bunny graduated from the first Camp Biluim Institute for leadership training in 1951 and worked with Ben Zion at Camp Shalom as Camp Mother in 1962 and from 1964-1969. She also worked at Camp Biluim from 1955-1956. In 1983, Bunny and Ben Zion went to the Soviet Union to visit refuseniks on behalf of the Soviet Jewry Committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region.

Bunny and Ben have two children: Ayala and Ilan. Since Ben Zion's retirement in 1996, he and Bunny have been living in Jerusalem for half of each year. In 2015, they moved full-time to Jerusalem.

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 ca. 300 photographs (256 tiff), 2 PowerPoint presentations, 1 textual record (doc), 4 buttons, 2 flags, 5 VHS tapes, and 18 film reels (8 mm).

Subjects

Camps

Youth

Zionism

Name Access

Shapiro, Ben Zion, 1931-

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2015-9-2

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 8 cm of textual records and other material

Date

[ca. 1938]-[ca. 2009]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Silberg family's immigration to Ontario, family life in South Africa and Ontario, education, communal involvement in Hamilton, and pharmacy businesses. Included are photographs, correspondence, ephemera from the pharmacy businesses (such as bags and a name tag), newspaper clippings, certificates, invitations, flyers, school transcripts, architectural drawings for Night-Day Pharmacy on Ryman Road East, cookbooks, and photo albums. Also included is a JNF book for a Negev dinner honouring Hilton and Shirley Silberg as well a copy of Beth Jacob Synagogue's 125th anniversary book (the Beth Jacob Family Album).

Administrative History

Hilton Silberg was born in Durban, South Africa in 1951 to Sam and Brina Silberg. Sam worked in the retail furniture business and Hilton has three siblings: Sheryl, Lynn and Brett. Hilton was very active in sports and played soccer, cricket and swimming. At age 11, he started competing in ballroom dancing with his sister Lynn. At age 16, he and Lynn were the South African Juvenile Ballroom Champions and runners up in the Latin American Championship. In highschool, Hilton started his own DJ business which he continued through his first years of pharmacy school.

Shirley (nee Gitlin) Silberg was born in Durban in 1951 to Max and Isabel Gitlin. Max was a physical medicine specialist and Isabel ran his practice. Shirley has two siblings: Brian and Barbara. Shirley was very active in her school's netball, field hockey and swimming teams.

Hilton and Shirley met at the Natal Pharmacy School in Durban and married in 1974. After marriage, Hilton completed his one-year mandatory service in the South African army as an officer. After his service, he and Shirley went on a ten month long backpacking trip which ended at the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. This trip was an eye-opener for them and they realized that they no longer wanted to live in a country with apartaid politics. They didn't want to raise children in South Africa. They chose Canada as their destination and applied three times for entry. Thier application was rejected all three times, but Hilton staged a "sit-in" at the Canadian embassy in Pretoria and an immigration officer eventually met with him and overturned thier rejection. They arrived in Canada in August 1977.

They went to the University of Toronto School of Pharmacy for two years to re-license in Canada. In the evenings they worked in a pharmacy owned by their Canadian sponsor. In 1981, Hilton and Shirley partnered with their Canadian sponsors and opened the Amhurst Pharmacy in Dundas. In 1982 the pharmacy's name was changed to Hilton's Pharmacy. In 1987 Shopper's Drug Mart purchased Hilton's Pharmacy. The Silberg's stayed on to operate two of the franchises in Dundas. In 1992, Hilton and Shirley left Shppers Drug Mart to open the DayNight Pharmacy on the east Hamilton Mountain. This was the first pharmacy in Hamilton to remain open until midnight. Their pharmacy eventually expanded to include five stores. In 2007, they sold their business to Rexall Pharma Plus.

Hilton and Shirley have three children: Mark, Maxine and Brad. Hilton and Shirley were very active in Hamilton's community. Hilton was involved in a variety of organizations including, Beth Jacob synagogue, Shalom Village, and Jewish National Fund Hamilton. Shirley has volunteered with various Hamilton JCC programs, the Hamilton North End Breakfast Program, the 'Out of the Cold' Program, Goldie's Place day program for adults at Shalom Village, and the Jewish National Fund Hamilton.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: includes ca. 80 photographs, 4 cookbooks, 1 architectural drawing, 3 bags, and 1 name tag.

Related material note: oral history #419.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Families

Occupations

Societies

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Silberg, Hilton

Silberg, Shirley

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-5-8

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

1 photograph : col. ; 20 x 25 cm

Date

1982-1990, 2015

Scope and Content

Accession consists of graphic and textual records documenting the Judelman family and Alan Judelman's involvement with the Men’s Service Group at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. Documents include a family photograph (Jan. 2015); two issues of the Baycrest News (December 1982 and May 1990); and an invitation to the 1990 Men’s Service Group at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Annual Dinner and Installation of Officers.

Custodial History

Material was in possession of Alan and Lin Judelman. The Judelmans donated it to the OJA.

Administrative History

Alan (b. 1939) and Linda (b. 1945, nee Galland) Judelman were born in Johannesburg, South Africa. They were married on January 5th, 1965. Alan was trained as a chartered account and Lin completed a B.A. degree at Witwatersrand University and teacher training. The Judelmans have three children who were all born in SA: Andrew, Vanessa and Greg.

In 1978, political unrest in SA prompted the Judelmans to emigrate. Upon immigration to Canada, the family settled in North York. Alan graduated as a chartered accountant in Canada and eventually went on to start an environmental services company (Diproinduca Canada). Lin re-trained as a teacher and pursued a B.Ed. at York University. She specialized in ESL, history and guidance over the course of her 21 year career at the TDSB.

Alan was actively involved with the Men’s Service Group at Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care in his capacity as the organization’s president. He volunteered with HAIT (organization that promotes head injury awareness and knowledge) and served on the Bernard Betel Centre for Creative Living Board of Directors. The Judelmans are members of the Beth Tikvah synagogue and Alan has also volunteered with the congregation.

Use Conditions

Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Societies

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Synagogues

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-6-1

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

217 photographs : b&w and col. (197 slides, 20 prints) ; 19 x 23 cm or smaller

1 folder of textual records

Date

[ca. 1900]-1982

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs and slides of the Farber family. The slides were displayed at a family reunion in 1982. Photographs include members of the extended Farber, Spencer, Harris, Gallander, Rosen, and Nisker families. The images document family members, friends, and business associates; Harold Gallander's participation with the Lizzies basketball team and the AAC baseball team during his youth; Helaine and Harold Gallander's social life as a couple and involvement with bowling leagues; and the 1982 Farber family reunion. Also included is a biographical sketch of Harold Gallander that his granddaughter Stacey Wintre wrote as part of a USDS grade-school project.

Use Conditions

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

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2016-4-1

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

object

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

17 photographs : b&w and col. ; 30 x 25 cm or smaller

1 napkin

Date

1963-2003, predominant 1975-2003

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic materials documenting the Sandler family's life and communal involvement in South Africa and Toronto. Included are photographs documenting family life and community work; Alan and Lorraine's marriage certificate; a commemorative napkin from the Sandler's wedding; correspondence from South African community organizations wishing the Sandlers well as they immigrate to Canada; the September and October 1989 issues of the Central African Zionist Digest; and newspaper clippings. The May 1992 Federation News clipping features Alan's role as chairman of the elder services sub-committee and the September 1989 CJN articles highlight Alan's involvement in planning settlement services for Russian Jews in the immediate post-Soviet years and the growing popularity of the Holy Blossom Temple nursery school.

Custodial History

Material was in possession of Lorraine Sandler. Lorraine donated it to the OJA.

Administrative History

Lorraine Sandler (nee Weinstock) was born in Rhodesia (Zimbabwe). Alan Maurice Sandler was born to Aaron Morris and Stella Sandler in Cape Town, South Africa (SA). In her early years, Lorraine was involved with Habonim, the Zionist Youth Movement. Alan and Lorraine married on December 15th, 1963 at the Bulawayo Hebrew Congregation and resided in Cape Town. Their involvement in the communal life of the SA Jewry grew during their early adulthood years. Lorraine and Alan worked at the Herzlia School (Southern Suburbs) Jewish Day School in Cape Town for 3.5 years in the mid-1970s before leaving for Canada. Alan was vice-chairman of the PTA and on the Governing Body of the school. He was also involved with the SA Zionist Federation Israel Jewish Appeal and the United Communal Fund for SA Jewry.

The Sandlers immigrated with their two sons, Robert and Ian, to Toronto in 1976. Lorraine continued her work as an early childhood educator upon arrival and became Director of the Holy Blossom Temple Preschool for eighteen years. Alan and Lorraine continued their strong involvement in Jewish communal life in Toronto and both took on leadership roles. Alan became president of the UJA Federation of Toronto. Lorraine is the past chair of the Women's Campaign and past chair of the Holocaust Centre of Toronto.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Voluntarism

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-6-13

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

3 DVDs

112 photographs : col. (tif)

Date

[ca. 1955]-2005, predominant [ca. 1982]-2005

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic records documenting the history of the Lurie family. Included are a wide variety of photographs documenting family activities such as Lynne and David's wedding; Jewish holiday celebrations; outdoor activities (such as skating and tobogganing); vacations; the Bat Mitzvahs of Danielle, Lisa and Shira and Asher's Bar Mitzvah at Shaar Shalom Synagogue. Also included are speeches and certificates from the children's Bar and Bat Mitzvahs.

Custodial History

Material was in the possession of Lynne and David Lurie. Lynne donated it to the OJA.

Administrative History

David Lurie was born in Klerksdorp, North West Province, South Africa (b. 1955). He was born to Rose (b. 1924-) and Victor (b. 1920–d. 1997). Victor was born in Capetown, South Africa (Grandfather’s family immigrated to South Africa from Latvia after the First World War. Grandmother’s family is of British origin, immigrated in the pre-1880s). Rose was born in Poland and joined her father in Klerksdorp in 1936. Victor and Rose retired to Capetown in 1980 and then Rose moved to Israel after Victor passed away. David attended dental school at Witz University in Johannesburg. He was subsequently conscripted to the army for two years and practiced dentistry. He then had a private practice in Johannesburg.

Lynne was born in Harare, Zimbabwe (b. 1958). Her parents Patricia (b. 1927) and Harry (b. 1923–d. 2012) were both born in South Africa. Pat was a speech pathologist and Harry was in the milling business for 30 years in Australia before retiring to South Africa in 1980-1. Also, Harry had been detained as a POW during the Second World War. Lynne studied drama. She did freelance directing and stage managing for children’s theatre.

Lynne and David were introduced through mutual friends at Witz University and shared a mutual interest in musical theatre and had both been involved in Habonim. They were married in December 1979 and now have four children: Danielle (b. 1982 in South Africa, is married with two children); Lisa (b. 1984 in South Africa); Asher (b. 1987 in South Africa), and Shira (b. 1990 in Canada).

The Luries considered leaving South Africa for many years and eventually emigrated in 1989 because it was becoming increasingly dangerous in the area where David’s practice was located. After completing the National Board Examinations of Canada in 1989 he joined the partnership at Uptowne Dental Centre and Amberwood Dental Centre. David immigrated in May 1989 and then Lynne followed in July 1989. They settled in Thornhill and Lynne now teaches at a drama school for children.

Lynne and David were members at Shaar Shalom Synagogue. Lynne was on the board as VP and secretary. They are Block Parents. David has been involved as a coach, coaching children’s teams, with the Thornhill Soccer Club.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Lurie, David, 1955-

Lurie, Lynn, 1958-

Places

South Africa

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2016-8-1

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

9 cm of textual records

25 photographs : col., sepia and b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

1 crayon enlargment portrait : col. ; 12 x 19 cm

Date

1925-2003

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a colour crayon enlargement portrait of Bessie and Joseph Brown, "A Tribute to Bessie Brown" photograph album (Beth Jacob Synagogue and Sisterhood, Kitchener Ontario, 1976), photographs of Joseph, Bessie and Phillip Brown and [Beth Jacob Congregation's Sisterhood?] in 1964, a certificate of service and affiliaton at Beth Jacob for Bessie Brown, and newsletters from Beth Jacob and Beth Tikvah in Montreal (1980-2004).

Custodial History

Materials were donated by Cantor Avraham Fisher, who served at Beth Jacob from 1985-1994 and was a friend of the Brown family.

Administrative History

Bessie and Joesph Brown lived in Kitchener, Ontario. They had two children: Harry (b. 1926-?) and Phillip (1930-1939).

Descriptive Notes

ASSOCIATED MATERIAL NOTE: Bessie, Joseph and Harry Brown appear in Beth Jacob membership lists in accession 2008-6-7

Subjects

Families

Synagogues

Name Access

Beth Jacob Congregation (Kitchener, Ont.)

Brown, Bessie

Brown, Harry

Brown, Joseph

Brown, Phillip, 1930-1939

Places

Kitchener (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2017-11-7

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

2 photographs : col. ; 13 x 10 cm or smaller

1 folder of textual records

3 photographs : b&w (jpg)

Date

1913, 1954-1984

Scope and Content

Accession consists of two photographs from a 1984 Salsberg family reunion, photo copies of Irving Salsberg's birth registration, and a Canadian Jewish News article reviewing Gerry Salsberg in his role of Tevye in the 1994 production of Fiddler on the Roof. In addition, there are colour photo copies of the Salsberg siblings, Gerry Salsberg and cast from the 1972 production of Godspell and another of Gerry with what appears to be an acting troupe in celebration of "Neigbours" at Burks Falls arena in 1976. In addition, there are two photos of Sammy Salsberg, who was a famous pitcher in the sand lot leagues in Toronto in the early 1930s, throwing the opening pitch at the 2012 opening game at the Rogers Centre on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

Photo Captions:

001: Salsberg family reunion with J. B. Salsberg (centre) distributing "I am a Salsberg" t-shirts, 51 Cliftwood, (Toronto, ON), 23 Jun. 1984.

002: Salsberg family reunion with J. B. Salsberg (centre) viewing the distribution of "I am a Salsberg" t-shirts, 51 Cliftwood, (Toronto, ON), 23 Jun. 1984.

003: Celebration of [performance] at Burks Falls Arena, August 1976. Standing right Gerry Salsberg.

004: Siblings Karen, Stan, Gerry and Barry Salsberg at the wedding of their cousin Marjorie Rose to Malcolm Swartz, Beth Shalom, (Toronto, ON), ca. 1954

005: Cast from 1972 Godspell production at the Royal Alexander Theatre. Pictured from left to right are Jayne Eastwood, Martin Short, Andrea Martin, Avril Chown, [Derek McGrath], [unidentified], Eugene Levy, Gilda Radner, Gerry Salsberg and Rudy Webb. 006: Original cast of Toronto's Second City with Gilda Radner (holding Honest Ed's shopping bag), Brian Doyle-Murray, Gerry Salsberg, Dan Aykroyd, Joe Flaherty, Jane Eastwood and Valri Bromfield, (Toronto, ON), June 1973. 007: Barry, Gerry and Sammy Salsberg, Blue Jay's opening pitch, Rogers Centre, Toronto, 2012. 008: Sammy Salsberg's 90th birthday, Blue Jay's opening pitch, Rogers Centre, Toronto, 2012.

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: All textual records donated are photo copies.

Associated Material: Second City Chicago Archives (digital record donation)

Subjects

Arts

Theater

Name Access

Salsberg, Gerry, 1949-2010

Salsberg, J. B.,1902-1998

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2018-3-1

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

object

Physical Description

26 cm of textual records

ca. 300 photographs : b&w and col. ; 35 x 28 cm or smaller

2 objects

Date

1912-2009

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Glen Eker's family, particularly the Hurowitz/Horwitz and Strachman/Strathman family lines.

Included are: ca. 300 photographs, mostly of friends and family, but also including numerous photographs of Banff, Alberta; certificates issued to members of the Horwitz family; family trees; letters from Elizabeth Gordon to Glen containing family history; a Pride of Israel Sick Benefit Society member badge; a kiddush cup commemorating Pride of Israel's golden jubilee; print and microform copies of Glen's Jews Resident in ... series of indexes; medical records; a glass measuring cup with the logo of Bayview Pharmacy; and other assorted material.

Photo Caption (001): Joseph Horwitz and Rebecca Strachman, [ca. 1920]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.

Photo Caption (058): [Alice Moon?], 1944. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.

Photo Caption (189):Wanda Louise Gordon, 2 May 1942. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.

Photo Caption (190): [Unknown girl, 194-?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.

Photo Caption (199): Rosh Hashanah card featuring portrait of Joseph Horwitz, [ca. 1920]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.

Photo Caption (200): Irving Howard, [19--]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2018-3-1.

Administrative History

Glen Eker was born in Toronto, Ontario to Paul Eker and Dorothy Horwitz. He grew up in the Forest Hill neighbourhood of Toronto before moving with his family to Hamilton. He received two master’s degrees (one in sociology, the other in political science) from McMaster University and a third master’s degree (in library science) from the University of Toronto.

Glen's wife, Deborah Pekilis, was born in Montreal and lived there until her parents moved to Toronto. She was the librarian for the Jewish Genealogical Society and sat on the Hamilton Historical Board. She is currently a writer.

Glen has worked as a research assistant and a teaching assistant at McMaster and has taught at Ryerson University and Mohawk College. At present, he works as an estate and genealogy researcher.

Glen has published a book on Karl Marx, five indexes of Jews in Canada, and one index of Amish and Mennonites in Canada. His genealogy articles have appeared in various magazines and his short stories and poems have appeared in print as well.

Glen has worked on his family genealogy for a number of years. His paternal family line derives from Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland while his maternal line derives from Byelorussia and Romania. He is descended from the Horwitz and Strachman families on the latter.

Descriptive Notes

Associated materials: Other accessions donated by Glen Eker include 2018-4-1, 2018-4-2, 2018-4-16, and 2018-5-1.

Subjects

Genealogy

Rosh ha-Shanah cards

Vacations

Name Access

Eker (family)

Eker, Glen

Horwitz (family)

Hurowitz (family)

Strachman (family)

Strathman (family)

Places

Banff (Alta.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2018-4-1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

ca. 40 photographs : b&w and col. ; 17 x 13 cm or smaller

1 folder of textual records

Date

1921-2017

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Glen Eker's family. Included are: ca. 40 photographs of family and friends; biographical information for Benjamin Eker, Glen's grandfather; a genealogy article by Deborah Pekilis, Glen's wife, on the Issenmans of Montreal; and a copy of Glen's grandparents' marriage certificate.

Administrative History

Glen Eker was born in Toronto, Ontario to Paul Eker and Dorothy Horwitz. He grew up in the Forest Hill neighbourhood of Toronto before moving with his family to Hamilton. He received two master’s degrees (one in sociology, the other in political science) from McMaster University and a third master’s degree (in library science) from the University of Toronto.

Glen's wife, Deborah Pekilis, was born in Montreal and lived there until her parents moved to Toronto. She was the librarian for the Jewish Genealogical Society and sat on the Hamilton Historical Board. She is currently a writer.

Glen has worked as a research assistant and a teaching assistant at McMaster and has taught at Ryerson University and Mohawk College. At present, he works as an estate and genealogy researcher.

Glen has published a book on Karl Marx, five indexes of Jews in Canada, and one index of Amish and Mennonites in Canada. His genealogy articles have appeared in various magazines and his short stories and poems have appeared in print as well.

Glen has worked on his family genealogy for a number of years. His paternal family line derives from Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland while his maternal line derives from Byelorussia and Romania. He is descended from the Horwitz and Strachman families on the latter.

Descriptive Notes

Associated materials: Other accessions donated by Glen Eker include 2018-3-1, 2018-4-2, 2018-4-16, and 2018-5-1.

Subjects

Families

Genealogy

Name Access

Eker (family)

Eker, Glen

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-4-16

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

[199-]-2004

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Glen Eker's work as a genealogical researcher. Included are articles of Glen's that were published in a number of newsletters including Shaviv (the Spark), Generations, Ancestry Magazine, Family History News, Families, the Association of Jewish Libraries Newsletter, and the Jewish Genealogical Society of Hamilton and Area Newsletter. The accession also includes reviews of Glen's books.

Administrative History

Glen Eker was born in Toronto, Ontario to Paul Eker and Dorothy Horwitz. He grew up in the Forest Hill neighbourhood of Toronto before moving with his family to Hamilton. He received two master’s degrees (one in sociology, the other in political science) from McMaster University and a third master’s degree (in library science) from the University of Toronto.

Glen's wife, Deborah Pekilis, was born in Montreal and lived there until her parents moved to Toronto. She was the librarian for the Jewish Genealogical Society and sat on the Hamilton Historical Board. She is currently a writer.

Glen has worked as a research assistant and a teaching assistant at McMaster and has taught at Ryerson University and Mohawk College. At present, he works as an estate and genealogy researcher.

Glen has published a book on Karl Marx, five indexes of Jews in Canada, and one index of Amish and Mennonites in Canada. His genealogy articles have appeared in various magazines and his short stories and poems have appeared in print as well.

Glen has worked on his family genealogy for a number of years. His paternal family line derives from Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland while his maternal line derives from Byelorussia and Romania. He is descended from the Horwitz and Strachman families on the latter.

Descriptive Notes

Associated materials: Genealogical articles can also be found in MG 9 (Shem Tov). Other accessions donated by Glen Eker include 2018-3-1, 2018-4-1, 2018-4-2, and 2018-5-1.

Subjects

Genealogy

Name Access

Eker (family)

Eker, Glen

Places

Canada

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-6-1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Physical Description

2 folders of textual records and other material

Date

[194-?]-[195-?], [199-?]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the Hazza family and their connected branches, the Cohen and Cainer families. Included are photographs of Marshall Cainer and Ruth Cohen, and certificates for donations made in the memory of David Israel Cainer. Also included is material documenting the Flea-Free Pet Comb, which was patented by John Hazza and Sidney Marcus. Family lore maintains that Reuben Hazza is the comb's actual inventor. This material includes British and American patent applications, correspondence, two combs with one of the boxes in which they were packaged, advertisements, newspaperclippings relating to the comb's promotion at the CNE, use instructions, and printing plates (one metal and one paper) for an advertisement. Also included is one photograph of the comb being demonstrated at the CNE. This photograph appeared in the Globe and Mail newspaper.

Administrative History

Mark Hazza was one of the earliest Jewish immigrants to settle in Toronto. He was born in Russian Poland in 1845. To escape the draft he was smuggled into Holland and later went to England in 1866. He finally settled in Toronto around 1871. Soon after arriving in Toronto, Miriam (Marion or Mary) Barnett from Bristol, England joined him here and they were married in the small hall where Holy Blossom Synagogue's services were being conducted at the time. They settled in Yorkville and Mark ran a tailoring business in what was the north end of the city. Mark and Miriam had nine children together, one of whom was stillborn and two of whom died as toddlers. The other six were Racheal (Rae), Annie, Phillip, John (Hyman or Imy), Reuben (Rubin or Bun), and Sadie. Reuben went to to become a sports trainer, Phillip worked in the film business as a general manager for Famous Players, and John opened the Rocky Mountain Polo Pony Ranch in Alberta and was the first manager of Capitol Theatre in Calgary. Mark passed away in 1918.

Annie married Sam Cohen and they had a daughter named Ruth. Ruth worked in the Toronto office for Famous Players and won the Irish Sweepstakes with 12 of her colleagues. She suffered from Multiple Sclerosis and ran a nursing agency from her home.

Sadie married David Cainer. David worked for the Gelber Brothers. Their son, Marshall Cainer, was a salesman for a variety of companies, predominantly in the furniture business, and also worked as an accountant. He was a member of the Toronto Humber Yacht Club Limited.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description: Includes 5 photographs, 2 combs, and 2 printing plates

Associated material: Accession 2012-11/5

Related material: John Hazza fonds at the Glenbow Archives in Calgary

Subjects

Advertising

Dogs

Pets

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-8-12

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

sound recording

Physical Description

4 folders

2 audio discs (ca. 82 min.) : vinyl

Date

1903-1986

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Nirenberg family. Included are four folders of textual and graphic material documenting folk singer Miriam Nirenberg (née Goldberg), her husband Eliezar Nirenberg, and their two sons, Les and Harvey Nirenberg. Included also are two copies of Miriam Nirenberg's Folksongs in the East European Jewish Tradition on vinyl.

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

Availability of other formats: Access copies (jpg) have been created for the photographs; preservation copies (tif) have been created for the most fragile documents.

Finding aids: Caption table available for photographs.

Asssociated material: Records of Mariam Nirenberg's niece, Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett,are located in the YIVO Archives and Library, including Kirshenblatt-Gimblett's field recordings of Mariam Nirenberg.

Accruals: Further accruals are expected.

Subjects

Families

Folk singers

Name Access

Nirenberg (family)

Nirenberg, Mariam

Places

Europe, Eastern

Ontario

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2018-10-3

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

7 cm of textual records and graphic material

1 photo album

Date

1942-1986

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Strauss family. Included are: an invitation to a testimonial dinner in honour of Carl Strauss (1965), family photographs, interviews with Nathan Strauss (1983 and 1986), family trees, certificates for Naomi Fay Strauss, and a photo album made by Irene Strauss for her father.

Custodial History

Records were donated by Aviva Shiff Boedecker, the daughter of Naomi Fay Shiff (née Strauss).

Administrative History

Nathan Strauss was born on 8 July 1906 in Brooklyn, New York to Carl and Rose Strauss (née Rosen). In 1910, Nathan and his family immigrated to Toronto. The family lived on Benale Street for a short time before moving to Manning Avenue.

Nathan attended Manning Avenue Public School from 1911-1918. In 1918, he began attending Parkdale Collegiate Institute. In 1921, he began his postsecondary studies at University of Toronto, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 1925. From 1925-1928, he trained as a lawyer at Osgoode Hall Law School.

Nathan began practicing law soon after graduating from Osgoode Hall. He founded a law firm and was active in the profession until his retirement in 1994.

Nathan also volunteered in the legal field. In 1961, he was elected president of the County of York Law Association. One year later, in 1962, he became bencher of the Law Society of Upper Canada. Sixteen years later, in 1978, he became life bencher.

Nathan married twice. His first wife, Lena Fisher, died in 1952. His second wife was Dr. Lilly Offenbach Strauss. He had two children: Albert and Irene. Nathan died on 22 November 1999.

Descriptive Notes

Availability of other formats: JPEG and TIFF copies are available for many of the photographs.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Strauss (family)

Places

Ontario

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-10-5

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

7 cm of graphic material and textual records

1 folder (oversize) of graphic material and textual records

1 scrapbook ; 37 x 31 cm

Date

1916-2008, predominant 1940-1998

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Rother family, in particular Irving and Florence Rother. Included are: three of Irving Rother's Second World War letters; professional and educational certificates for Irving Rother; service records for Irving Rother; records documenting the sale of the family's Rother Cigar Store; a letter to Dr. and Mrs. Rother from Lester C. Sugarman welcoming the couple and their family to Holy Blossom Temple; records (including group portraits) of Hadassah-WIZO Rishon Chapter, which Florence Rother belonged to; and an Alpha Phi Pi scrapbook.

Administrative History

Florence Rother (née Warshavsky) was born in 1919. In 1998, she was honoured for her service to the Rishon Chapter of Toronto Hadassah-WIZO. She died at home on 9 July 2016.

Dr. Irving Rother was born in 1919. He studied at the University of Toronto, where he was part of the Phi Delta Epislon Fraternity. He graduated in January 1943 with a Doctor of Medicine degree. During the Second World War, he held the rank of captain in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC) and served in Canada, the United Kingdom, and continental Europe. After the war, Rother moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where he served on the house staff of Sinai Hospital first as assistant resident on the pathology service and then as intern and assistant resident on the medical service.

In 1953, Dr. and Mrs. Rother and their family became members of Holy Blossom Temple in Toronto.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Families

Physicians

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Rother (family)

Rother, Florence

Rother, Irving, 1919-2018

Places

Baltimore (Md.)

England

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2018-10-10

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

7 cm of graphic material and textual records

Date

1925-1980

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Kirschner family, in particular Maurice and Gertrude Kirschner. Included are family photographs, wedding telegrams, marriage certificates, certificates of naturalization, and passports. Individuals identified in the photographs include: Ann Kirschner, Chaim Kirschner, Gertrude Kirschner (née Taylor), Hannah Kirschner, Helen Kirschner, Joseph Kirschner, Maurice Kirschner, Shlomo Kirschner, Ruth Lowe, Bernice Taylor, Leah Taylor, and Saul Taylor.

Administrative History

Gertrude Kirschner (née Taylor) was born on 29 November 1907 in Toronto, Ontario. She lived with her parents at 770 Markham Street and finished high school. On 3 July 1932, she married Maurice Kirschner, with whom she had two daughters: Helen (b. 1934) and Elaine (b. 1942). The couple lived at 770 Markham Street until they bought their first home at 46 Gloucester Grove. They became founding members of Beth Sholom Synagogue on Englinton Avenue. Gertrude died 7 June 1982.

Maurice Kirschner was born on 13 August 1904 in Lyck, Germany. He was trained as a watchmaker and opened a watch repair shop on Bay Street, just north of Queen. The shop was demolished to make way for the new city hall. Maurice subsequently went to work for Sayvette, where he remained for the rest of his career. He died on 15 February 1980.

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

Availability of other formats: Digital copies (jpg, tif) have been created for thirty-one documents.

Subjects

Families

Immigrants--Canada

Married people

Name Access

Kirschner (family)

Kirschner, Gertrude

Kirschner, Maurice

Places

Germany

Ontario

Soviet Union

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-11-6

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

4 folders

Date

1949-2015, predominant 1949-1976

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Glen Eker and his family. Included are: birth certificates and an expired passport for Dorothy Horwitz, certificates of marriage (including a ketubah) for Dorothy Eker and Paul Eker, a true copy of a change of name order for Isadore Maxwell Eker/Paul Maxwell Eker, and a Valentine's Day-themed photograph of Glen and Deborah "Debbie" Eker taken on 9 February 2015.

Administrative History

Glen Eker was born in Toronto, Ontario to Paul Eker and Dorothy Horwitz. He grew up in the Forest Hill neighbourhood of Toronto before moving with his family to Hamilton. He received two master’s degrees (one in sociology, the other in political science) from McMaster University and a third master’s degree (in library science) from the University of Toronto.

Glen's wife, Deborah Pekilis, was born in Montreal and lived there until her parents moved to Toronto. She was the librarian for the Jewish Genealogical Society and sat on the Hamilton Historical Board. She is currently a writer.

Glen has worked as a research assistant and a teaching assistant at McMaster and has taught at Ryerson University and Mohawk College. At present, he works as an estate and genealogy researcher.

Glen has published a book on Karl Marx, five indexes of Jews in Canada, and one index of Amish and Mennonites in Canada. His genealogy articles have appeared in various magazines and his short stories and poems have appeared in print as well.

Glen has worked on his family genealogy for a number of years. His paternal family line derives from Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland while his maternal line derives from Byelorussia and Romania. He is descended from the Horwitz and Strachman families on the latter.

Subjects

Birth certificates

Families

Marriage records

Name Access

Eker (family)

Eker, Glen

Places

Hamilton (Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-11-12

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

ca. 7 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1930-[200-?]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Wahl family. Included are: certificates, clippings, correspondence, graduation exercises, ephemera, invitations, and photographs. Individuals documented in the records include: Carole Rohold, Charis Wahl, John "Jack" Wahl (1907-1994), Michael Wahl, Pauline Wahl, Stephen Wahl, and Sydney Wahl (1913-2015).

Administrative History

John "Jack" Wahl was born on 29 December 1907; Sydney Wahl (née Katzman) was born on 14 August 1913. The couple had three children: Pauline Willis (née Wahl), Stephen "Steve" Wahl, and Charis Wahl. Jack was a lawyer while Sydney was a homemaker. Jack died on 22 December 1994; Sydney died on 8 August 2015.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Wahl (family)

Places

Ontario

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-12-6

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

19 cm of graphic material and textual records

Date

1931-1999

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Brown family. Included are: business records, clippings, correspondence, eulogies, notes, an issue of the LIFE Institute's L.i.f.e.lines newsletter, photographs, résumés and cover letters, school records, and vital statistics. A significant amount of the material documents the donor's father, Jack Brown, a community leader in Brantford, Ontario, and friend of Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Of note are autographed pictures of Former Prime Ministers Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Jean Chrétien.

Administrative History

The son of Rose and William Brown, Jack Irving Brown was born in Toronto on January 4, 1926. His family moved to Brantford, Ontario when he was a boy. Upon graduating from high school, Jack went to work at his father's retail store. When he eventually bought the store, he renamed it Brown's of Brantford. In addition to running his business, Jack held leadership positions with the Beth David Congregation, Brant Liberal Association, and the Rotary Club of Brantford. Upon moving to Toronto, he became president of the LIFE Institute at Ryerson University.

Jack and Joy Brown (née Greenberg) had four children: Andrew, Marlene (1952-2007), Holli (b. 1954), and Harriette (b. 1958). Later in life, Jack and Joy separated. For the final years of his life, Jack's companion was Rheta Rhosen. Jack died on September 23, 1999.

Subjects

Businesspeople

Families

Stores, Retail

Name Access

Brown (family)

Brown, Andrew, 1950-

Brown, Harriette, 1958-

Brown, Jack, 1926-1999

Brown, Rose

Brown, William

Chrétien, Jean, 1934-

Katzman, Marlene, 1952-2007

Trudeau, Pierre Elliott, 1919-2000

Verkade, Holli, 1954-

Places

Brantford (Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-12-2

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 painting : col. ; 35 x 28 cm

1 poster : b&w ; 45 x 30 cm

Date

[195-]-1985

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Grimson family. Included is a painting of the donor's grandfather; a theatre poster for a 1985 Yiddish/English production of Neil Simon's Come Blow Yourn Horn, in which Sylvia Grimson starred; and a an issue of Our Own Words, to which Sylvia Grimson contributed two poems.

Descriptive Notes

General note: According to the donor, the painting is "actually a hand coloured photo that my father painted."

Subjects

Families

Poets

Theatrical posters, Yiddish

Name Access

Grimson (family)

Grimson, Sylvia

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-1-6

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

2 folders

Date

1911-1987

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting two generations of the Singer family. Included are: a College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario certificate for Bessie Thelma Pullan (1911), a Law Society of Upper Canada certificate for Burrell Milton Singer (1937), a Department of National Defense (Army) certificate for Burrell Milton Singer (1946), a Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons (RAM) of Canada constitution (1952), a Mount Sinai Chapter RAM by-law booklet (1952), a Mount Sinai Chapter RAM invitation to its sixty-first convocation (1954), and a Law Society of Upper Canada certificate for Burrell Milton Singer (1987).

Custodial History

Records were donated by Burrel and Carolyn Singer's son Tom.

Administrative History

Louis Michael Singer, K.C. was born in Austria in 1885. When he was three, Louis and his family immigrated to Canada. In Toronto, he attended Jarvis Collegiate Institute. He went on to study law at Osgoode Hall Law School, graduating in 1908. Afterwards, he set up the Singer and Singer law office. In 1914, Louis ran for Toronto City Council, representing Ward 4, and became Toronto's second Jewish alderman. He was re-elected in 1915, 1916, and 1917 only to be defeated in the 1918 election. Thereafter, he returned to his law practice full-time. Louis died on September 23, 1959.

Dr. Bessie Thelma Singer (née Pullan) was born in Russia on June 5, 1888. On July 6, 1911, she married Louis Singer. Two days later, on July 8, 1911, the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario admitted her as a member, entitling her to practice physic, surgery, and midwifery in the province. Bessie never practiced medicine; instead, she became a homemaker. She died on January 4, 1947, surived by her husband, Louis, and two sons, Burrell and Ralph.

Burrell Milton Singer, Q.C. was born in Toronto on November 1, 1912. On September 7, 1937, the Law Society of Upper Canada called him to the bar. Burell and his wife Carolyn had two sons: Jeff and Tom. Burrell died on September 26, 1989.

Descriptive Notes

Conservation: Certificates deframed.

General: An annotated copy of Burrell M. Singer's Handbook of Canadian Military Law, which the former co-authored with Lieutenant-Colonel R. J. S. Langford, is available in the OJA's library.

History/Bio note: Bessie Singer's tombstone lists her birth date as July 28, 1890, however, JewishGen has her birth registration as June 5, 1888 and the 1901 Census lists it as July 14, 1888. Bessie's youngest brother Sydney, Harry Pullan was born on Aug. 11, 1890 and therefore the July 28, 1890 date is likely erroneous.

Subjects

Lawyers

Physicians

Politicians

Name Access

Singer (family)

Singer, Bessie Thelma, 1890-1947

Singer, Burrell M., 1912-1989

Singer, Louis, 1885-1959

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-4-2

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

ca. 3 cm. of textual records 1 photograph

Date

1976-1990

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Glen Barry Eker. Included are university diplomas including graduation certificates from McMaster University, the University of Waterloo, and the University of Western Ontario. There is also an undated graduation photograph of Mr. Eker and a card given to Dorothy Eker, Glen Eker's mother, by her husband, Paul Eker.

Administrative History

Glen Eker was born in Toronto, Ontario to Paul Eker and Dorothy Horwitz. He grew up in the Forest Hill neighbourhood of Toronto before moving with his family to Hamilton. He received two master’s degrees (one in sociology, the other in political science) from McMaster University and a third master’s degree (in library science) from the University of Toronto.

Glen's wife, Deborah Pekilis, was born in Montreal and lived there until her parents moved to Toronto. She was the librarian for the Jewish Genealogical Society and sat on the Hamilton Historical Board. She is currently a writer.

Glen has worked as a research assistant and a teaching assistant at McMaster and has taught at Ryerson University and Mohawk College. At present, he works as an estate and genealogy researcher.

Glen has published a book on Karl Marx, five indexes of Jews in Canada, and one index of Amish and Mennonites in Canada. His genealogy articles have appeared in various magazines and his short stories and poems have appeared in print as well.

Glen has worked on his family genealogy for a number of years. His paternal family line derives from Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, and Poland while his maternal line derives from Byelorussia and Romania. He is descended from the Horwitz and Strachman families on the latter.

Subjects

Married people

Portraits

Postsecondary education

Name Access

Eker (family)

Eker, Glen

Places

Hamilton (Ont.)

London (Ont.)

Waterloo (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-5-6

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

20 photographs : b&w

Date

[19--]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs documenting the Freiman family. Pictured in the photographs are Geniek Freiman, Jack Freiman, Ruzia Freiman, Shloime Nizzenszweig, and other individuals.

Administrative History

Gerry Freiman was born on 20 June 1910 in Poland. Rose Freiman was born on 4 November 1914. After the Second World War, Freiman found himself at the Föhrenwald displaced persons camp in Bavaria, Germany. On 13 September 1948, Gerry, Rose, and their son Jack departed Germany on the USS General Heintzelmann for Canada.

Upon arriving in Canada, the Freimans stayed with a family they met in Föhrenwald. (The name of the family has, unfortunately, been lost.) This family offered Gary and Rose employment in the shoe manufacturing trade. The Freimans subsequently moved to 348 Northcliffe Boulevard, where they bought a fourplex and lived in one of the units on the ground floor. Gary and Rose remained at this address until their deaths: Gerry died on 8 November 1960; Rose Freiman died on 13 June 1983.

Jack Freiman attended Rawlinson Community School and then Vaughan Road Collegiate. He did his postsecondary studies at the University of Toronto, where he studied pre-medicine and medicine. After graduating, he went on to specialize and practice as an internist in a hospital in Brampton, Ontario. Jack died on 6 November 2016.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Freiman (family)

Source

Archival Accessions