Accession Number

2023-9-9

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

53 photographs : b&w and col. ; 25 x 18 cm or smaller

Date

1977-1996

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting United Israel Appeal of Canada. Included are photographs of various sites in Israel (many under construction), including: Kibbutz Yuron, a student centre in memory of Norman Ratner located in the Old City of Jerusalem, the Arthur Fuchs Youth Centre located in Kiryat Shmona, the Leo Baeck School, the Boxer Sports Hall located in Yesud HaMa'ala, and a kindergarten in Gderot Nahanya Hospital. In addition to these photographs, there is a small amount of correspondence and several newspaper clippings.

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

Language: Some of the material is in Hebrew.

Subjects

Charities

Name Access

United Israel Appeal

Places

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds

Toronto Holocaust Museum series

Special events and projects sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

67

Series

28-18

File

50

Material Format

textual record

Date

1995

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of a flyer promoting the 1995 Gathering in Israel commemorating the fiftieth anniversary of the liberation of the concentration camps.

Subjects

World War, 1939-1945--Concentration camps--Liberation

Places

Israel

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds

Level

Series

Fonds

103

Series

1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

[192-?]-1993

Physical Description

1.5 m of textual records

35 photographs

Admin History/Bio

The Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel, originally called the Canadian Federation of Polish Jews (CFPJ), was established in 1933 to assist Jews in Poland who were victims of anti-Semitism as expressed in economic boycotts and political discrimination. The CFPJ provided political action and advocacy on behalf of Polish Jews, as well as social help, moral strength and material support. It was a constituent member of the World Federation of Polish Jews, established in 1935, which provided relief and economic assistance to Jews in Poland, and coordinated the assistance given to Jewish communal organizations in Poland. In addition, the CFPJ assisted Canadian landsmanshaften (mutual benefit societies) which were giving support to those communities from which their members had emigrated.

In 1939, following the outbreak of the Second World War, the CFPJ was among those Canadian Jewish organizations which founded the United Jewish Refugee and War Relief Agencies, the purpose of which was to assist in the war effort and to aid war victims. At the conclusion of the war, the UJRWR was renamed the United Jewish Relief Agencies, with an aim to assist refugees in their effort to settle in Canada.

The scope and mandate of the CFPJ has changed over time as new challenges and projects have emerged. In January 1950, its activities expanded to include building homes in Israel for Polish Jewish immigrants, providing local relief to newly arrived Polish Jewish immigrants in Canada, locating relatives and providing legal advice on matters related to passports and visas, contributing to and participating in memorials honouring lost Jewish communities, and maintaining contact with its sister Farbands across the world.

In December 1951, the name of the organization was officially changed to Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel, and as of March 1953, its priorities had shifted to focus increasingly on providing support to Israel.

Scope and Content

Series consists of records documenting the activities of the Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel. Many records provide insight into the relief efforts carried out to assist Jews in Poland and Israel. Included are meeting minutes, agendas, reports, correspondence, speeches, newspaper articles, financial records, conference material, a ledger book, posters and invitations, membership and donation lists, scrapbooks, leaflets, photographs of important events, letters of appeal, visa and identification applications, property claims applications, and letters from individuals requesting aid.

Name Access

Canadian Federation of Polish Jews

Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel

Subjects

Jews--Israel

Jews, Polish

Access Restriction

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

Places

Israel

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2010-11-15

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

2 photographs (tiff)

1 cm of textual records (jpg)

Date

1946-2009

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs and textual records that document Boris' service in the Soviet Union's military during the Second World War. Included are two military portraits of Boris, letters from the Russian government to commemorate various anniversaries of the military's victory, Boris' Soviet Union travel pass (1990), and Boris' membership renewal booklet for the Association of Second World War Veterans Newkomers from USSR in Israel (1992–2000).

Administrative History

Boris was born in Belarus but moved to Israel later in his life. He was fourteen when the Second World War began. He served in Frontier Troops, NKVD (predecessor of KGB). Boris was a student in a military college until 1952. He began his military service as a private soldier but later became an officer. In 1944, he participated in the battles of Eastern Prussia, Latvia, and Belarus. He earned the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and the Order of Patriotic War, 2nd Class for his war service.

Descriptive Notes

Language: Most of the material in Russian.

Location of originals: The originals are in the possession of the donor. They were loaned to the archives for copying and returned to the donor on the same day as part of the Russian-Jewish war veteran oral history program.

Subjects

Soviet Union--Armed Forces

Veterans

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Kravitz, Boris

Places

Israel

Russia

Soviet Union

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

2015-10-4

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

ca. 250 photographs (3 albums) : b&w and col. ; 53 x 43 cm and smaller

9 cm of textual records

Date

[191-]-[197-], 1992

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the Title, Samuels and Fishman families. Included are family photographs, and photos related to involvement with philanthropy and industry, materials related to Reliable Toy Company, Forest Hill Collegiate "Forester" year books, a land deed for the Ansheir Yoisher Misrachi Synagogue in Welland, news clippings relating to Alex Samuels death, a Holy Blossom "Tempelite" year book, a Crown Bakery Bread promotional item, a wedding menu from the marriage of Molly Fishman and Harry Title, Molly Fishman's high school diplomas and JNF certificates. There are a number of photos of the Fishman and Title families in Welland and the United States, photos of the Crowland Volunteer Fire Department with Sam and Frank Fishman, Turk family albums with Moishe Turk and Eva Fishman, an album of a sefer torah dedication to Baycrest Hospital in memory of Leah Fishman, photos of the Samuels family, their trip to Israel, promotional photos from the Reliable Toy Company, Beth Tzedec founding board photos, and B'nai Brith Women photos.

Administrative History

Samuel (ca. 1882-1929, Russia) and Gussie (nee Moscovitz) (b. ca.1884, Romania) Fishman, immigrated to Welland Ontario from Romania. Both arrived to the USA as teenagers sometime around the turn of the century. Samuel and Gussie were married in the USA and by 1920 immigrated with their young family to the historic township of Crowland in Welland County. Here they opened and operated a men's clothing store. Together they had six children, Molly (b. 1909, USA), Abe (b. 1911, USA), Morris (b. 1916, USA), Ruth (b. 1915, USA), Ann (b. 1920, Ontario) and Ethel. Morris married Pauline and lived in St. Catherines, Ruth married Nate Oelbaum and lived in Tucson Arizona, Anne married Alec Rothman and lived in Port Colborne, Ethel married Eddie Matchtinger and lived in Toronto and Abe never married. Yeva Fishman, the niece of Samuel Fishman married Morris Turk. Her father was (Frank Fishman?) and her mother was Sara Leah Fishman. Molly Fishman married Harry Title (Teitelebaum) (b. ca. 1903). They had three children, Greta (nee Title) Greisman, Sandra (nee Title) Samuels and Stephen (m. Carole Hillman, niece of Ben Hillman). Harry Teitelbaum is the son of Israel and Frumeth Teitelbaum. He was born in Gdansk Poland (b. ca., 1903). Harry Title had four younger siblings Lloyd, Birdie (m. Witlin), Arthur and Lorelle (Lieba) the youngest who was born in Toronto. Harry arrived to Canada shortly after the first world war and worked in the garment industry. He and his brother Arthur founded the Title Dress Company in the late 1920s and operated the business out of 355 Adelaide St. West. In the late 1980s, the business moved from this location to Adelaide and Bathurst. Sandra Title (b. Oct 27, 1936, Toronto), the middle daughter of Molly Fishman and Harry Title, married Lawrence Samuels. Together they had five children Joanna, John, Noah, Tom and Caroline. Lawrence was the eldest son of Alex Samuels (d. 1966) and Kate (nee Goldberg) Samuels. He had two younger siblings Herbie and Florence (m. Bill Goodman). Lawrence's father Alex Samuels immigrated to Canada from Dubrovna, White Russia (present day Dubrouna, Belarus). He immigrated to Canada with his parents Samuel and Chana Samuels and his younger siblings Sol, Ben, Riva and Polly. Alex and his brothers Sol and Ben established Reliable Toy Company in (ca. 1929) on Carlaw Ave. They sold the company in 1990.

Subjects

Business

Charities

Families

Places

Welland, Ont.

Toronto, Ont.

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2017-2-13

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

ca. 150 photographs : b&w and col ; 21 x 27 cm or smaller

1 photograph : negative print on transparency

1 scrapbook

1 folder of textual records

Date

1925-1996

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs documenting the family life of Henry and Bella Rosenbaum. Included are photos from Poland, Italy, Israel, and Canada. In addition, there is a scrapbook of photos prepared by their daughter Brenda on Henry and Bella's thirtieth wedding anniversary in 1976. In addition, there is a more comprehensive biography written by Henry and Bella's son-in-law Eric Bornstein.

Administrative History

Henry "Hanoch" Rosenbaum (1925-2015) was born in Radom, Poland. He was the seventh of eight children born to Rachel Rosenbaum (née Katz) and Moshe Rosenbaum. Henry learned the fate of his parents, two siblings and their families, after the war. All were innocent victims murdered during the Holocaust. Most of Radom's Jews were murdered in Treblinka following the August 1942 liquidation of its ghettos.

Henry Rosenbaum met his Bella Rotbard (1925-2012) in Italy in the aftermath of the Second World War. Although Bella was also from Radom, she did not know the Rosenbaum family. Bella's parents, her sixteen-year-old sister and four-year-old brother along with most of her parents' extended families were murdered in the Holocaust.

While in Italy, the Joint Distribution Committee funded 'mock' kibbutzim, preparing Holocaust survivors for immigration to Palestine and kibbutz life. Bella, a one-time member of the secular Jewish youth movement Hashomer Hatzair in Poland, believed that she was destined to be a kibbutznik. Henry would follow.

Bella and Henry were part of the illegal immigration to Palestine in 1946 and spent their first few days in Atlit, a British Mandate detainee camp. Soon Bella settled on a kibbutz but soon after married Henry. In 1946, Bella and Henry married in their apartment in Ramat Gan. At the time, Henry was serving in the IDF’s motor pool. Finding the weather exasperating her migraine symptoms, Bella, Henry, and their toddler daughter Brenda (b. 1949) immigrated to Toronto in 1952.

With the assistance of a relative, Henry gained employment in a print shop sweeping floors. Shortly thereafter, he advanced to machine operator and, in 1961, he opened his own print shop. Bella found employment in the garment industry sewing collars onto shirts and earning her wages by piece work. Bella stopped working when their son Murray (b. 1961) was born. Henry served as editor for the quarterly Yiddish and English journal the Voice of Radom and was an active life-long member of the Radom Society.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Expo 67 (Montréal, Québec)

Rosenbaum, Henry, 1925-2015

Places

Canada

Israel

Italy

Poland

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2017-6-5

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

ca. 30 cm of textual records

89 photographs : b&w and col. (7 negatives) ; 18 x 13 cm or smaller

1 CD-ROM (textual record)

19 videocassettes (ca. 22 hr.)

Date

[19--?]-2008

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Abe and Margot Zukerman, their family, and the Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society. Included are: awards, identity documents, legal documents, letters, photographs, publications, videocassettes, and vital records.

Photo Caption (015): Abe Zukerman's father, [19--?]. Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre, accession 2017-6-5.

Custodial History

Mel Perlmutter, stepson of Abe Zukerman and son of Margot Zukerman, donated the records to the Ontario Jewish Archives.

Administrative History

Abe Zukerman (1914-2009) was born in Wierzbnik, Poland in 1914. He was the only member of his family to survive the Holocaust. In 1948, he came to Canada, where he became involved in the Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society and married. His first wife, Esther, predeceased him. In 1975, he married his second wife, Margot, who had two children from a previous marriage. In addition to serving as a senior executive member of the Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society for over 50 years, Abe volunteered with United Jewish Appeal and State of Israel Bonds. He passed away 8 Feb. 2009. Margot Zukerman (née Rubin) was born in Berlin, Germany on 31 December 1922. Still a child when the National Socialists came to power, she was denied schooling. She arrived in Toronto in 1939 never having received a formal education. Despite this, she was able to learn English and operate her father's small ladies' wear store in Hamilton for at least a dozen years. In 1944, she married her first husband Alexander Perlmutter, with whom she had two children: one in 1945 and another in 1948. In 1970, she moved to Toronto, where she acted as caregiver to her father. In 1974, she met Abe, whom she married on 14 February 1975. Like her husband, Margot was an active member of Toronto's Jewish community.

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.

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

Descriptive Notes

ASSOCIATED MATERIALS: Other records relating to Abe Zukerman can be found in Accession 2017-9-1.

Subjects

Families

Societies

Name Access

Wierzbniker Friendly Mutual Benefit Society

Zukerman, Abe, 1914-2009

Zukerman, Esther, 1912-1972

Zukerman, Margot, 1922-

Zukerman family

Places

Canada

Israel

Poland

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2017-12-1

Material Format

moving images

Physical Description

8 videocassettes : Betacam SP and Digital Betacam

Date

1998-2006

Scope and Content

Accession consists of 8 videocassettes that belonged to UJA Federation of Greater Toronto's Creative Department. Cassettes include: United Jewish Appeals The Campaign for Fifty (1998), UJA Federation Symposium of Hope (2003), UJA Federation 2004 "What Will Tomorrow Hold?" Canvasser Training (2003), UJA Federation Tomorrow Campaign "End Video" (2004), UJA Federation Tomorrow Campaign "Tomorrow Campaign" (2004), UJA "Israel Emergency Campaign" (2006)

Custodial History

Amit Louis and Amy Krasin of the Creative Department were cleaning out an old desk in the summer of 2017 and found the tapes. Amit suggested bringing the tapes to the archives, which Amy did sometime thereafter.

Administrative History

UJA Federation's Tomorrow Campaign is Canada’s largest non-profit community development project. It is Federation's response to the need for new facilities and services brought about by the growth of Toronto’s Jewish community.

Subjects

Charities

Name Access

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Places

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-1-6

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

20 photographs : col. ; 10 x 15 cm

1 plaque

Date

1978, 2016-2017

Scope and Content

Accession consists of two thank-you notes addressed to Morley Wolfe from Supreme Court Justice Rosalie Abella, as well as a plaque in appreciation presented to Wolfe for inspiring the genesis of CASTS (Canadians Against Slavery and Torture in Sudan), which led to a larger coalition in Canada against the genocide in Darfur. There is also an accompanying photo on printer paper of Wolfe receiving the plaque from Dr. Norman Epstein alongside C. Arthur Dowes. Finally, there is photo scrapbook compiled by Arnold Lipshitz documenting the Advocates Society's trip to Israel. The Advocates Society was made up of judges and lawyers in Ontario. Identified in the photographs are Franz Bowman; Barbara Bowman; Kathy Parkinson; Sandra Newman; Douglas Caruthers; Cecile Goldenberg and Morley Wolfe.

Administrative History

Morley S. Wolfe was born in Winnipeg in 1928 to Cecil (b. 1895) and Betty (nee Davidow) Wolfe. He spent his early childhood in various cities in Saskatchewan and Manitoba until moving to Toronto in 1940. Soon after graduating from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1955 he started his own practice as a senior member of the law firm Burt, Burt, Wolfe and Bowman. In 1971 he was appointed Queen’s Council, and from 1973 to 1977 he served as counsel for B’nai Brith Canada. After his retirement from practice in 1993, the Province of Ontario appointed him presiding Justice of the Peace for Ontario and Deputy Judge in Small Claims Court. His first marriage was to Sandra Newman in 1958 and they had three children together: Leslie, Lee, and Melanie. He later married Joan and became the step-father to her daughter, Erin. Throughout his life Morley was passionate about fighting prejudice and discrimination and became involved with organizations, such as the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews and the Urban Alliance on Race Relations. He was also a member of the Toronto Police Services Board Committee on Race Relations, served as Chair of the North York Committee on Community, Race and Ethnic Relations, and was appointed to the Canadian Multiculturalism Council. In addition, he was the founding president of Toronto Residents in Partnership (TRIP) from 2003 to 2006. His involvement extended to Jewish organizations. He served as national president of B’nai Brith Canada (BBC) from 1982 to 1983 and was a founding member of its League for Human Rights. He was also president of BBC’s Toronto Regional Council and Wilson Heights Lodge No. 1998, and of the Jewish Camp Council of Toronto as well as many other organizations. Morley’s hard work and involvement in the community earned him many awards, including, City of Toronto’s William P. Hubbard Race Relations Award, the YMCA Canada Peace Medal, B’nai Brith Canada Service Award, and the Province of Ontario’s Senior Achievement Award. Around 2002, Wilson Heights Lodge No. 1998 began filing a series of appeals with B’nai Brith International (BBI) over concerns that BBC’s national executive was governing undemocratically. Morley played a key role in filing these appeals and was the centre of one appeal filed after BBC censured him without advance notice or the opportunity for a hearing. These appeals were not all successful. Around 2006, Morley became involved in another appeal against BBC that was filed by a group of members who called themselves the Concerned Members of B’nai Brith Canada (CMOBBC). They alleged that BBC’s national executive had too much centralized power, was not governing transparently, failed to provide members with audited financial statements at multiple annual general meetings (AGMs), passed a constitution that members had defeated at the 2005 AGM, and was threatening and harassing some members. BBI’s appeal court rendered its verdict in 2007 in favour of BBC. Soon after this judgment was made BBC took steps to expel all the members of CMOBBC. In response, Morley resigned from the organization. Morley currently resides in Brampton.

Descriptive Notes

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: See accession record for page numbers of identified individuals.

Subjects

Lawyers

Name Access

Wolfe, Morley S., 1928-

Places

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-3-4

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

3 photographs : b&w and col. ; 10 x 15 cm and 12 x 11 cm and 9 x 9 cm

Date

1950, [196-], 1982

Scope and Content

Accession consists of 3 photographs of Henry Weingluck. Included is Weingluck's wedding photo to Rae Simon in 1950, a photo of Henry and Rae at Simon's Restaurant on their 32nd anniversary on 26 March 1982, and a photograph of Weingluck riding a camel in Israel, possibly in the late 1960s.

Subjects

Wedding anniversaries

Portraits

Name Access

Weingluck, Henry, 1902-1987

Places

Israel

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-7-2

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

20 cm of textual records

Date

1979, 1989-2005

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Shoel Silver's involvement with various committees, including: Project Renewal, NECHAMA. Keren Hayesod, Israel Center for Treatment of Psychotrauma and The Jewish Agency for Israel, UJA and others. Included are reports, correspondence, proposals, a 1979 edition of the Jewish Standard, first edition of the Children's Newspaper in Kfar Gvirol and assorted research material.

Use Conditions

Conditional Access. Researchers must receive permission from the donor prior to accessing the records. Please contact the OJA for more information.

Descriptive Notes

Language: Most of the items are in English, with some items partially or fully in Hebrew.

Subjects

Charities

Israel

Name Access

Jewish Agency for Israel

Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto

Project Renewal (Israel)

Silver, Shoel

Toronto Jewish Congress

Places

Israel

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-7-20

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

120 cm of textual records (4 boxes)

Date

1987-2011

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material involving Shoel Silver's involvement with various Jewish organizations including B'nai Brith Canada (BBC), the Canada-Israel Committee (CIC), the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), UJA Federation of Greater Toronto (UJA), and the United Israel Appeal (UIA). Included are meeting minutes, reports, memoranda, correspondence, budgets, discussion documents, resource material, newspaper clippings, photocopies of newspaper articles, briefing papers, resolutions.

Custodial History

Records remained in the custody of Shoel Silver until 27 July 2018 when the OJA acquired the records from the former.

Administrative History

Shoel Silver is a Toronto businessman. He formerly co-chaired the Unity of the Jewish People Committee with Natan Sharansky. Prior to that, he was the scholar in residence for the first Federation Shabbaton.

Use Conditions

Accession is closed for 25 years from date of donation.

Subjects

Israel

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

B'nai Brith Canada

Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

Jewish Agency for Israel

Silver, Shoel

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

United Israel Appeal

Places

Canada

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-7-24

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

3 photographs : b&w and col. ; 25 x 20 cm or smaller

Date

1988-2016

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Gerald "Jerry" Rosenberg and his involvement with the Royal Canadian Legion's General Wingate Branch 256. Included are General Wingate Branch 256 meeting agendas (2013-2015), Royal Canadian Legion correspondence (2014), two General Wingate Branch newsletters (October 2015 and March 2016), an annual branch inspection report form (27 September 2015), a branch regulations and clubhouse rules submission form (2012), financial statements and receipts (2013-2015), certificates of merit and appreciation from the Royal Canadian Legion (2002-2009), and a document in Hebrew commemo

In addition to the above documents, there are three photographs for which identification is missing: one of a funeral, one of a demonstrators carrying signs urging recognition of China, and a portrait of an unknown veteran.

Finally, the accession contains an undated letter to the editor of an unspecified newspaper that outline Jerry's views of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Custodial History

At the time of his death, Jerry Rosenberg was living with his partner Frances Cohen. Frances' daughter Ronda "Rhonnie" Cohen took possession of the records following Jerry's death. Rhonnie subsequently gave the records to author Ellin Bessner who donated them to the Ontario Jewish Archives.

Administrative History

Jerry Rosenberg grew up in Hamilton, Ontario along with his twin sister, two brothers, and older sister. When he was seventeen years old, Rosenberg lied about his age in order to fight in the Second World War. He joined the Royal Canadian Navy and served for the duration of the war.

After the war, Rosenberg approached the Canadian Zionist Organization about volunteering in Palestine. After a circuitous journey that first took him from Montreal to New York to France, he arrived in Haifa in February or March 1948. Rosenberg was part of Machal, a group of overseas volunteers who fought alongside Israeli forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Rosenberg joined the Haganah and fought in the 52nd Givati Regiment. As part of this unit, he participated in battle in the Arab village of Bashshit.

After the war, Rosenberg made preparations to leave Israel. Upon arriving in Canada, he worked with Jewish organizations and started a family. He became president of the Royal Canadian Legion's Wingate Branch 256. He died on 23 August 2017.

Descriptive Notes

Language: English, French

Subjects

Arab-Israeli conflict

Veterans--Canada

Name Access

Bessner, Ellin, 1961-

Rosenberg, Jerry

Royal Canadian Legion

Places

Canada

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-8-8

Material Format

moving images

Physical Description

2 videocassettes (180 min.)

Date

1986-1997

Scope and Content

Accession consists of two videocassettes.

The first videocassette is titled Anguish to Hope: May 1-19, 1997 and records the travels of forty Canadian university students to Hungary, Poland, and Israel. During their travels, the students visited the birthplace of Theodor Herzl in Budapest, took part in the March of the Living from Auschwitz to Birkenau on Holocaust Remembrance Day, and celebrated Yom Ha'atsmaut in Jerusalem. Anguish to Hope was sponsored by the United Israel Appeal of Canada and local UJA/CJA Federations. Participants included: Gary Abenaim, Lesley Arbus, Andrew Bloom, Jessica Blumberger, Aaron Bockner, Shelly Brenner, Jason Brookman, Neshama Carlebach, Jennifer Cohen, Judy Cohen, Shoshana Cohen, Aliza Dwoskin, Alison Engel, Elissa Flagg, Cindy Goldbenberg, Henry Goldstein, Sarah Gonshor, Itai Hammer, Judy Heilik, Jocelyn Heisel, Daniel Hertzman, Gideon Hess, Naomi Hirshberg, Chaim Indig, Muki Jankelowitz, Andy Koltai, Yonina Machlis, Deborah Mervitz, Marla Munk, Oren Ognigwicz, Marla Pinsky, Bryan Rappaport, Eli Rubenstein, Lauren Schwartz, Ilana Sernick, Tammy Sitcoff, Elan Sloim, Noah Solomon, Julie Stevens, Rachel Stys, Nicole Sussman, Andrea Syrtash, Simone Vigod, and Laura Weinrib. The recording, which ends abruptly, is two hours in length.

The second videocassette is a recording of a Rogers Cable 10 special presentation: The Official Opening of the Baycrest Hospital Ben & Hilda Katz Building. The opening took place on 4 May 1986, where it was broadcast live from the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care in North York. The recording is one hour in length.

Custodial History

The videocassettes were donated to the Ontario Jewish Archives by Elissa Flagg, one of the participants in the Anguish to Hope trip. She is also the great-niece of Ben and Hilda Katz, the couple honoured in the Baycrest opening.

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

Availability of other formats note: Available as DVD reference copies.

Subjects

Hospitals

Name Access

Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care

Flagg, Elissa

Jewish Federations of Canada – UIA

Rogers TV

Places

Canada

Hungary

Israel

Poland

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-5-9

Material Format

object

Physical Description

2 flags

Date

[between 1940 and 2019]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of two flags that belonged to Royal Canadian Legion General Wingate Branch 256. The first is a flag of Israel. The second is a blue ensign bearing the name of the branch. (The blue ensign is a blue flag with the Union Jack in the top corner next to the flagpole; it is similar to the red ensign, which was the flag of Canada until 1965, when it was replaced by the maple leaf.)

Administrative History

The Jewish Brigade was a member of the Great War Association in the 1920s. After its first president was installed in the early 1930s, the Royal Canadian Legion granted a charter for a Jewish veterans' branch. The brigade was renamed the General Wingate Branch in the mid-1940s after the British army officer Major General Orde Charles Wingate, DSO. Although Major Wingate was not Jewish, he was a passionate Zionist, hence the name.

At first, the branch met at a veteran’s hall at Crawford and College Streets in Toronto, but later purchased its own house at 1610 Bathurst Street. In 1968, the branch moved to Eglinton Avenue West. It was then located at the Zionist Centre on Marlee Avenue.

The branch held an annual memorial march and service at the Mt. Sinai Cemetery, and distributed poppies to raise funds for veterans and their families, hospitals and medical research. Members also gave speeches at schools on Remembrance Day. It closed in September 2018 after more than eighty years.

Descriptive Notes

Availability of other formats: Photographs of the flags are available as JPEG files.

Subjects

Flags--Canada

Flags--Israel

Veterans

Name Access

Royal Canadian Legion. General Wingate Branch 256

Places

Canada

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-11-1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Physical Description

ca. 7 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1958–1995

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting David Marks. Included are photographs and correspondence, as well as three UJA Walk with Israel pins. Identified in the photographs are Golda Meier, Menachem Begin, Pierre Elliott Trudeau, and others.

Administrative History

David Marks was born in Toronto and was the youngest of three brothers. He moved to Hamilton after marrying his wife Helen during the 1950s and opened up a shoe store. They had two children together, Irving and Anita. After eight years, they returned to Toronto. In 1962, he accepted a position as manager of shelter workshops for Jewish Vocational Services (JVS). He then started working for UJA and in 1968 became its campaign director. He served in that capacity for fourteen years. During that time, he helped raise millions of dollars through the campaign and lead some of the earliest UJA missions to Israel. He travelled to Israel more than thirty times and organized the visits of Israeli leaders to Toronto including David Ben-Gurion, Golda Meier, Menachem Begin, Moshe Dayan, and others.

In 1982, he left his position as campaign director and became the director of development at Mount Sinai Hospital. He then opened up a consulting business with three other community professionals, which provided help to other organizations with their fundraising efforts.

In 2004, David passed away after battling cancer. He left behind his wife, two children and four grandchildren.

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: Photographs are available as JPEG and TIF files.

Name Access

Marks, David, 1927-2004

Places

Canada

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-11-7

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

73 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1963–2018

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Nate Leipciger. Included are records documenting Nate's involvement with the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Holoaust Remembrance Committee, and the March of the Living, as well as thank you letters from students whom Nate addressed.

Administrative History

Nate Leipciger was born in Chorzów, Poland, in 1928. He survived the Sosnowiec Ghetto and the camps of Auschwitz-Birkenau, Funfteichen, GrossRosen, Flossenberg, Leonberg, and Dachau. Nate and his father were liberated in May 1945, and immigrated to Canada in 1948. In Toronto Nate attended high school and eventually obtained a university degree in engineering. He later established an engineering firm with several partners. In 1982, Nate chaired the Toronto Holocaust Remembrance Committee, later becoming an executive member of the Canadian Jewish Congress National Holocaust Remembrance Committee. Nate was a member of the International Council to the Museum of Auschwitz-Birkenau for fifteen years and has been an educator on March of the Living trips to Poland and Israel for fifteen years. In 2015, The Azrieli Foundation published Nate's 280-page memoir "The Weight of Freedom" as part of their series of Holocaust memoirs by survivors in Canada. In 2016, Mr. Leipciger guided Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on a tour of Auschwitz-Birkenau.

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

Holocaust survivors

Name Access

Leipciger, Nate, 1928-

Places

Canada

Israel

Poland

Source

Archival Accessions

Level

Item

Item

6022

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1988

Physical Description

1 photograph

Scope and Content

Large format photograph.

Subjects

Charities

Places

Israel

Accession Number

1991-8-4

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

6014

Material Format

graphic material

Date

May 1990

Physical Description

1 photograph

Notes

Aquired May 1990.

Name Access

Nemal ha-te ufah Ben-Guryon

United Jewish Appeal

Subjects

Airports

Immigrants--Israel

Jews--Soviet Union

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Israel

Accession Number

1991-9-1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

6015

Material Format

graphic material

Date

May 1990

Physical Description

1 photograph

Notes

Acquired May 1990.

Name Access

Nemal ha-te ufah Ben-Guryon

United Jewish Appeal

Subjects

Airports

Immigrants--Israel

Jews--Soviet Union

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Israel

Accession Number

1991-9-1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

6016

Material Format

graphic material

Date

May 1990

Physical Description

1 photograph

Notes

Acquired May 1990.

Name Access

Nemal ha-te ufah Ben-Guryon

United Jewish Appeal

Subjects

Airports

Immigrants--Israel

Jews--Soviet Union

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Israel

Accession Number

1991-9-1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

6017

Material Format

graphic material

Date

May 1990

Physical Description

1 photograph

Notes

Acquired May 1990.

Name Access

Nemal ha-te ufah Ben-Guryon

Subjects

Airports

Immigrants--Israel

Jews--Soviet Union

Places

Israel

Accession Number

1991-9-1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

6018

Material Format

graphic material

Date

May 1990

Physical Description

1 photograph

Notes

Acquired May 1990.

Name Access

Nemal ha-te ufah Ben-Guryon

United Jewish Appeal

Subjects

Airports

Immigrants--Israel

Jews--Soviet Union

Places

Israel

Accession Number

1991-9-1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Henry Rosenbaum fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

121

Material Format

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

textual record

Date

1928-2015

Physical Description

247 photographs : b&w and col. (1 negative); 20 x 25 or smaller

13 cm of textual records

Admin History/Bio

Henry "Hanoch" Rosenbaum (1925-2015) was born in Radom, Poland. He was the second youngest of eight children born to Rachel Rosenbaum (née Katz) and Moshe Rosenbaum.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, Herny learned the fate of Radom's Jewish civilian population. Two thirds of Radom's Jewish population were victims of mass murder and perished in the extermination camp Treblinka, immediately following the first liquidation of Radom's large ghetto in August 1942. Henry's parents, two siblings, and their families were among the innocent victims murdered during the Holocaust.

Henry Rosenbaum met his wife Bella Rotbard (1925–2012) while living in an Italian DP camp after the war. Although Bella was also from Radom, she did not know the Rosenbaum family. Bella's parents, her sixteen-year-old sister, and four-year-old brother, as well as most of her parents' extended families, were also victims of the Holocaust.

While in Italy, the Joint Distribution Committee funded "mock kibbutzim," preparing Holocaust survivors for immigration to Palestine and kibbutz life. Bella, a one-time member of the secular Jewish youth movement Hashomer Hatzair, believed that she was destined to be a "kibbutznik," a member of a kibbutz.

In 1946, Bella and Henry immigrated to Palestine as part of the Bricha. The Bricha supported the illegal immigration of Holocaust survivor refugees to Palestine. They spent their first few days in Atlit, a British Mandate detainee camp and soon settled on kibbutz. Bella married Henry in 1946 and moved to an apartment in Ramat Gan. During this time Henry served in the IDF’s motor pool.

Henry, Bella, and their young daughter Brenda (b. 1949) immigrated to Toronto in 1952. With the assistance of a relative, Henry gained employment in a print shop sweeping floors. Henry soon advanced to machine operator and in 1961 opened his own print shop, Trio Press Limited.

Bella worked in the garment industry, sewing collars onto shirts and earned her wages through piece work. She continued working in manufacturing up until the birth of her second child Murray (b. 1961).

Henry Rosenbaum was an active life-long member of the Radom Society and served as editor for their quarterly Yiddish and English journal the Voice of Radom.

Custodial History

Material was in possession of Henry Rosenbaum's daughter Brenda Bornstein.

Scope and Content

Fonds illustrates the family history of Henry Rosenbaum and the life he and his wife Bella Rosenbaum rebuilt in Canada. Photographs document: early life in Poland, displaced persons camp in Italy, immigration to Palestine, military service in the Israel Defense Forces, family life in Israel, immigration and settlement in Canada and many milestone events and celebrations in Toronto, Ontario. Additional photographs of the Radom Society in Toronto. The majority of the photographs were assembled in a scrapbook created by their daughter Brenda Bornstein in celebration of her parents' thirtieth wedding anniversary (1976). In addition, there is a more comprehensive biography written by Henry and Bella's son-in-law Eric Bornstein.

Fonds consists of records relating to Henry Rosenbaum and his affiliation with B’nai Radom. Included are programs and souvenir booklets from the 1962 unveiling of a monument in memory of the Jewish Martyrs and Heroes of Radom and Vicinity (Poland), annual Holocaust remembrance (Yizkor) events published in 1987 and 2010; and a 50th Anniversary of Liberation publication. Books include a Yiddish language bound copy of the Voice of Radom from 1963-1965, an English language bound copy of the Voice of Radom 1983–1989 and Henry Rosenbaum’s personal memoir published in 1995. In addition, there are eight photographs of Henry's great-grandchildren, and a photo of Henry with his daughter Brenda.In addition there is a collection of speeches written by Henry Rosenbaum primarily for family milestone events such as weddings, birthdays, bar mtizvahs, and bat mitzvahs. In addition there is a copy of a presentation made to the Radom Congregation on the occasion of Israel's twenty-fifth year of independence, a Hebrew-language letter of congratulations, and several personal letters written by Murray Rosenbaum (the latter are addressed to his parents while travelling to Israel and Europe). The personal speeches written and delivered by Henry were in honour of the following relatives: Rivi Anklewicz, Marshall Lofchick, Murray Rosenbaum, Elana Aizic, Regina Goldstein, Brenda Rosenbaum, Eric "Ricky" Bornstein, Murray Severin, Robin Severin-Weingort, Rachel Bornstein, Susan Szainwald, Daniel Bornstein, Sholom Rosenbaum, Bella Rosenbaum, Linda Goldstein, and Leon Aizic.

Subjects

Holocaust survivors

Creator

Rosenbaum, Henry, 1925-2015

Places

Poland

Italy

Palestine

Israel

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

2015-10-5

2017-2-13

2019-7-1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Henry Rosenbaum fonds

Photograph series

Level

Item

Fonds

121

Series

1

Item

3

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1988

Physical Description

1 photograph ; col ; 15 X 10 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a colour photograph taken in Israel. The trip was a gift in honour of grandson Michael Daniel Bornstein’s bar mitzvah, which took place in November 1988. Identified from left: Henry Rosenbaum, Bella Rosenbaum, Mrs. Glick, Leora Glick, and Mr. Glick. It is presumed that Daniel took the photo.

Subjects

Bar mitzvah

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Israel

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Association for Ethiopian Jews fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

125

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1980-1993

Physical Description

ca 97 cm of textual records

3 audiocassettes

1 poster

Admin History/Bio

The Canadian Association for Ethiopian Jews was a non-profit organization established in 1980 for the sole purpose of assisting Ethiopian Jews. To this end, CAEJ (pronounced "cage") cooperated with other bodies such as the American Association for Ethiopian Jews.

Initially, CAEJ worked with the Canadian Jewish Congress Sub Committee for Ethiopian Jewry, but the two severed ties early on. The divorce was driven by a difference in strategy: The CJC subcommittee preferred quiet diplomacy while CAEJ wanted to make noise. CAEJ was prepared to criticize Israel in the media, for example, for failing to do enough for Ethiopia's Jews—something that provoked disagreement within the Jewish community.

Apart from advocating for Ethiopia's Jews, CAEJ's main work consisted of rescue and relief. Rescue took the form of a visa program, in which Jewish students in Ethiopia were issued visas so that they could attend Canadian universities; once out of Ethiopia, they were able to immigrate to Israel. Relief took the form of an Adopt-a-Family program, which delivered monthly stipends to Ethiopians in need. According to Cathy Himelfard, past president of CAEJ, at least five hundred individuals received stipends from the organization.

In 1980, CAEJ established a Pacific chapter in Vancouver, which undertook education and rescue programs. CAEJ later opened chapters in Montreal, Ottawa, Winnipeg, and Calgary.

In 1984, CAEJ received a $15,000 Wintario grant to produce a videotape on the black Jews of Ethiopia. Susan Fish, provincial minister of citizenship and culture, awarded CAEJ the grant. CAEJ was one of sixteen that were given that year.

In 1986, the organization sent a five-person team to Ethiopia's Gondar province, the home of many of Ethiopia's Jews. The team included CAEJ's executive director, Susan Schechtman, and its assistant administrative director, Donna Finkelstein. The team visited five villages, bringing relief and conducting a fact-finding mission, the findings of which were disseminated in the press upon the team's return.

In 1987, the CAEJ held a benefit concert at the EI Mocambo, a live music venue in Toronto, to aid the Jews stranded in Ethiopia.

In 1990, 15,000 Jews moved from their villages in the northern regions of Ethiopia to Addis Ababa, under the impression that they would be able to emigrate without delay. With immigration to Israel greatly reduced, these Jews founded themselves living in terrible conditions, with reports of several hundred individuals, mostly children, dying of malnutrition and disease. In response to these developments, the CAEJ redirected its Adopt-a-Family funds to the mass relief. This involved sending doctors and medication as well as launching projects to provide clothing, food supplements, and more medical supplies.

The association's final project, conducted after Operation Solomon, involved persuading two-hundred-and-fifty Jews in Sudan to return to Addis Ababa. Once there, they were flown to Israel.

In 1992, after twelve years of operation, CAEJ shut down. Former president Jack Hope told the CJN, "We've fulfilled our mandate."

Scope and Content

The fonds consists of material documenting the Canadian Associate for Ethiopian Jews. Included are letters, artifacts, meeting minutes and agendas, newspaper clippings, reference materials, audio recordings, an office manual, and a poster.

The fonds is divided into six series: Rescue and relief letters, Administrative records, Clippings and reference materials, Artifacts, Audiovisual materials, and Posters.

Notes

Related groups of records external to the unit being described: A CAEJ advertisement that appeared in the Toronto Star can be found in the Larry Becker fonds.

Name Access

Canadian Association for Ethiopian Jews

Subjects

Associations, institutions, etc

Jews, Ethiopian

Nonprofit organizations

Access Restriction

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

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Canada

Ethiopia

Israel

United States

Accession Number

1993-1-2

Source

Archival Descriptions