Accession Number
2007-6-16
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-6-16
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
9 photographs : col ; 15 x 10 cm
Date
1998-1999
Scope and Content
Accession consists of nine photographs of events at the Borochov Centre and the Toronto Heschel School. Seven of the photos are of childern observing Yom Hazikaron, one photo is of a Yom Ha'atz-Maul celebration, and one photo is a Yiddish Cultural Club group photo at the Borochov Centre.
Subjects
Religion
Education
Children
Name Access
Borochov Centre
Toronto Heschel School
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-11-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-11-7
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
3 cm of textual records
Date
1995
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one dinner invitation and journal entitled "From Tears to Triumph" presented by the Yeshiva Yesodei Hatorah at a testimonial dinner marking fifty years since the end of the Second World War. The dinner was in honour of the survivors of the Holocaust and their impact on religious life in Toronto. It was held at the Regal Constellation Hotel in Toronto on Sunday, April 2, 1995 and featured Rabbi Ezriel Tauber as guest speaker. The journal features stories of survivors and photographs depicting Jewish religious life in Europe during and after the Second World War.
Administrative History
Yeshiva Yesodei Hatorah was founded in 1945 as Shlomei Emunei Yisroel. It was founded as a school for boys by survivors of the Holocaust who immigrated to Canada with their children.
Descriptive Notes
Shlomei Emunei Yisroel
Subjects
Education
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
Name Access
Yeshiva Yesodei Hatorah (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 2; File 1256
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
2
File
1256
Material Format
textual record
Date
1996
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Name Access
Ontario Alliance of Christian Schools
Subjects
Education
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Accession Number
2005-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dora Till fonds
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Women's Auxiliary series
Events sub-series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 52; Series 2-5; File 8
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dora Till fonds
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Women's Auxiliary series
Events sub-series
Level
File
Fonds
52
Series
2-5
File
8
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
object
Date
30 June 1983
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
2 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
1 object
Subjects
Building
Hospitals
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dora Till fonds
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Women's Auxiliary series
Events sub-series
New Baycrest Hospital groundbreaking file
Level
Item
ID
Fonds 52; Series 2-5; File 8; Item 2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dora Till fonds
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Women's Auxiliary series
Events sub-series
New Baycrest Hospital groundbreaking file
Level
Item
Fonds
52
Series
2-5
File
8
Item
2
Material Format
graphic material
Date
30 June 1983
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
Scope and Content
This item is a photograph of Dora Till with Abe Posluns and an unidentified woman at the groundbreaking for the New Baycrest Hospital. All three are holding gold ceremonial shovels in the ground. Pictured on the far left is Sid Cooper.
Subjects
Building
Hospitals
Repro Restriction
Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Events series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 14; Series 11; File 15
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Events series
Level
File
Fonds
14
Series
11
File
15
Material Format
textual record
Date
30 June 1983
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
file consists of an invitation.
Subjects
Building
Hospitals
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Events series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 14; Series 11; File 17
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care fonds
Events series
Level
File
Fonds
14
Series
11
File
17
Material Format
textual record
object
Date
28 Aug. 1997
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
1 key chain : blue and gold ; 3 x 8 cm in box 2 x 17 x 2 cm
1 pen : blue and gold ; 14 cm long in box 2 x 17 x 2 cm
Scope and Content
file consists of an invitation, programme, agenda, and a commemorative key chain and pen. The key chain and pen are stored together in the same box.
Subjects
Building
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 95
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Dr. Alexander Brown fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
95
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1934-1982
Physical Description
58 cm of textual records
125 photographs
1 print
Admin History/Bio
Dr. Alexander Brown (1909-1984) was a leader in the field of Jewish education in Toronto. He held various positions with Toronto’s Board of Jewish Education (BJE) and the Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto, and was actively involved with other Jewish organizations, such as the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and the United Jewish Welfare Fund (UJWF).
Brown was born in the Ukraine on 14 February 1909 to Louis and Bessie Brown. The family immigrated to Canada in 1920. Brown attended the Simcoe Street Talmud Torah and studied under Rabbi Jacob Gordon. He continued his education at the Hebrew Theological College of Chicago and returned to Toronto in 1933. Between 1934 and 1936 Brown served as the first executive secretary of the CJC, Central Region. From 1936 to 1937 he was an announcer for the Jewish Radio Hour, where he read the News of the Week. In 1945 he graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA and then again in 1948 with an MA in Oriental languages. Brown was married to Dorothy Mercovitch (1912-2009) of London, Ontario, and together they had two children: Martin and Paul.
Brown entered the field of Jewish education as the principal of Shaarei Shomayim Hebrew School from 1942 to 1948, as a principal of the AHS of Toronto and as dean of the Midrasha L'Morim. From 1957 to 1964 he worked as a consultant with the BJE in Toronto and then became the BJE's associate director until the early 1980s. He also was a member of the UJWF’s Study Committee on Jewish Education, the National Council of Jewish Education, the Toronto Zionist Council, and the Educational and Cultural Committee of the CJC. In 1969, he received an honourary doctorate in Hebrew Letters from the Hebrew Theological College in Skokie, Illinois.
Dr. Brown died on 15 September 1984 at the age of 75.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of Paul Brown, Dr. Brown's son, until their donation to the OJA.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual and graphic material documenting the professional activities of Dr. Alexander Brown. The bulk of the material relates to his involvement with the BJE and the Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto. Included are meeting notices, agendas, and minutes, reports, studies, speeches, proposals, constitutions, correspondence, financial records, publications, questionnaires, photographs, booklets, articles, biographies, press releases, newspaper clippings, programmes, invitations, flyers, lists, applications, statistics, and a directory.
Records have been arranged into the following four series: 1. Board of Jewish Education; 2. Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto; 3. United Jewish Welfare Fund Study Committee on Jewish Education; and, 4. Jewish communal activities. Two files are attached directly to the fonds level. Records are described to the file level with a selection of item level descriptions.
Notes
Fonds was reduced from approximately 1.2 metres to 0.74 metres. Records that were culled include duplicate or damaged photographs, duplicate graduation programmes and invitations, duplicate UJWF Study Committee Interim reports that are located elsewhere in OJA's holdings, and other duplicated material. Also removed were American and other non-Canadian booklets.
Photographers and photography studios are identified on the photographs.
Name Access
Brown, Alexander, 1909-1984
Gordon, Jacob, Rabbi
Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto
Board of Jewish Education (Toronto, Ont.)
United Jewish Welfare Fund (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Education
Physical Condition
The photographs are in poor condition. They have begun to curl and have become stiff from being stored in a dry environment. They should be flattened through humidification and encapsulated in mylar to prevent re-curling.
Related Material
See: Oral history interview with Dr. Brown (AC 140), Board of Jewish Education fonds 48, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds 67, AHS of Toronto MG2 G-1E, accession 1981-11-4, United Synagogue Day School accession 1990-5-2, accession 1991-12-5, and accession 1988-11-3. For photographs of Jewish schools see Gordon Mendly fonds 18, series 3.
Arrangement
Arrangement has been created by the archivist since there was no discernable original order.
Creator
Brown, Alexander, 1909-1984
Accession Number
2009-7-9
2010-12-9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Level
Series
Fonds
4
Series
1
Material Format
multiple media
Date
[ca. 1900]-2000
Physical Description
49 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell, the son of Paul and Mollie Edell, was one of five siblings. He and Dolly Weinstock, the daughter of Moishe and Sylvia Weinstock, had two daughters and two sons and lived in Toronto. After Dolly died in 1961, he married Celia (née Rogen) Hoffman, a widow, in 1966. He became the stepfather to the two sons of Max and Celia Hoffman who had been residents of Hamilton. Some members of the family remained in Toronto while others moved to other parts of Canada, the United States and Israel. Sol Edell was actively involved in or provided financial support to many educational, professional and religious organizations.
Scope and Content
Series includes correspondence, invitations, publications, photographs, family films and a sound recording. The series is made up of seven sub-series: Associations, Charities, Community Activities, Education and Extra-Curricular Activities, Life Cycle and Family Events, Religious, and Residence.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 12 photographs, 7 film reels, 1 audio reel, 1 plaque, 4 badges, and 47 architectural drawings.
Name Access
Hoffman, Max
Hoffman, Celia
Rho Pi Phi
Harbord Collegiate
Subjects
Education
Greek letter societies
Physical Condition
Film and sound reels should be digitized.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Adas Israel Synagogue series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Adas Israel Synagogue series
Level
Series
Fonds
4
Series
5
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1958-2008
Physical Description
21 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Adas Israel is an orthodox congregation that was founded in the 1920s. The original building was on Cannon Street in downtown Hamilton. After the arrival of Rabbi Morton Green in 1958, a decision was made to move the synagogue to the western suburbs of Hamilton. The new building was built in 1961 and also included the Hamilton Hebrew Academy Day School. Since its move, synagogue membership has increased from 75 families to 350 families. Sol Edell became a member in 1966 after he married Celia Hoffman who was a member of the congregation. He did not attend the synagogue and had no regular involvement but did supervise a number synagogue renovation projects.
Custodial History
The material in this series was originally collected by the Hoffman family who were members of the congregation in the 1960s. Sol Edell became a member of the congregation after his marriage to Celia Hoffman in 1966. After her death in 1973, he inherited the material that she had collected and he continued to receive material from the congregation since he maintained his membership until his death in 2000.
Scope and Content
Series consists of correspondence, blueprints, photographs, audiotapes and films relating to the establishment and construction of the new synagogue in 1961. It also includes correspondence and anniversary books documenting a variety of synagogue activities such as the dedication of the synagogue and a tribute dinner honouring Rabbi Mordechai Green. Also included are synagogue bulletins from 1958 to 2000. The series is made up of 6 sub series: Building, Clergy, Religious, Programmes, Administration and Finance, and Publications.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 27 photographs, 3 audio reels, 1 film reel, 15 architectural drawings, and 1 key.
Name Access
Green, Morton, Rabbi
Hoffman, Celia
Hamilton Hebrew Academy Day School
Subjects
Architecture
Education
Synagogues
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
General community activities series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 11
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
General community activities series
Level
Series
Fonds
4
Series
11
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1950-2010
Physical Description
77 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
In addition to his ongoing involvement with Clanton Park, the Canadian Jewish Congress Archives, the Aliyah Support Group, Jones Avenue Cemetery, Shomrai Shabbos and Adas Israel, Sol Edell undertook special projects on behalf of a wide array of Jewish organizations. These include cultural (Toronto Cantorial Scholarship Fund), educational (Netivot Hatorah and Yeshivat Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot), religious (Union of Jewish Orthodox Congregations), social welfare (Association of Jewish Seniors and Co-Ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly) and Zionist (Canadian Friends of Yeshivat Hakotel and State of Israel Bonds) organizations.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting Sol Edell's involvement with a wide variety of Jewish educational, social and religious organizations and institutions in Canada, the United States, and Israel. Included are meeting minutes, publications, reports, photographs, correspondence, invitations, programmes, financial records, an architectural drawing, and a sound recording. While many of these organizations such as Eitz Chaim, Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot (educational), Mizrachi Organization of Canada, Emunah Women (Zionist) and Beth Jacob V’Anshe Drildz (synagogue) are orthodox, others such as Associated Hebrew Day Schools (educational), State of Israel Bonds (Zionist) and Co-ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly (social welfare) have no religious affiliation.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 26 photographs, 1 audio cassette, and 1 architectural drawing.
Name Access
Eitz Chaim
Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot
Mizrachi Men’s Organization
Emunah Women
Beth Jacob V'Anshei Drildz (Toronto, Ont.)
Associated Hebrew Day Schools
State of Israel Bonds
Co-ordinated Services to the Jewish Elderly
Camp Moshava
Harbord Collegiate
Netivot Hatorah
Union of Jewish Orthodox Congregations
B'Nei Akiva
Toronto Committee for Bikur Cholim Hospital
Subjects
Charities
Children
Education
Fund raising
Older people
Religion
Zionism
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Charities sub-series
Level
Sub-series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 1-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Charities sub-series
Level
Sub-series
Fonds
4
Series
1-2
Material Format
textual record
Date
1957-1997
Physical Description
3 cm of textual records
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell made charitable donations to a large number of Jewish organizations mainly ones located in Canada, Israel and the United States.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of correspondence, receipts and certificates from Canadian, American and Israeli educational, religious and welfare organizations and institutions that received charitable donations from the Edell family.
Subjects
Charities
Education
Israel
Religion
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Community activities sub-series
Level
Sub-series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 1-3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Community activities sub-series
Level
Sub-series
Fonds
4
Series
1-3
Material Format
textual record
object
Date
1968-1995
Physical Description
3 folders of textual records
1 plaque
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell was involved in a variety of religious, educational and cultural organizations. Not only did he make financial donations to organizations, but he also became personally involved and organized specific projects. As well, representatives of foreign institutions would stay at his home when they came to Toronto on speaking engagements or fundraising missions.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of awards that relate to Sol Edell’s fundraising efforts on behalf of “Yeshiva Hatalmid” and for hosting speakers and fundraisers who were visiting Toronto. Also included is a day book listing community meetings as well as family events. As well, there is correspondence relating to an item loaned to the Baycrest Heritage Museum, and a plaque.
Name Access
Yeshiva Hatalmid
Baycrest Heritage Museum
Subjects
Education
Fund raising
Religion
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Education and extracurricular activities sub-series
Level
Sub-series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 1-4
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Education and extracurricular activities sub-series
Level
Sub-series
Fonds
4
Series
1-4
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
object
Date
1921-1999
Physical Description
4 folders of textual records
1 photograph
4 badges
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell attended Harbord Collegiate and was an honours student winning awards in several extra curricular activities. His children and grandchildren also excelled scholastically while attending a variety various Jewish parochial schools in Toronto such as the Associated Hebrew Day Schools, Eitz Chaim, Netivot Hatorah and Yeshivat Bnei Akiva Or Chaim Ulpanat Orot.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of material relating to the educational and recreational activities of the Edell family. There are newspaper clippings relating to Sol Edell’s participation in the Harbord Collegiate’s First Aid team and a University of Toronto graduation photograph. Sub-series includes correspondence, notices and booklets from his sisters’ and children’s elementary, high school and university graduation commencement exercises. In addition, sub-series consists of correspondence with the Associated Hebrew Day Schools relating to a scholarship awarded in memory of Sol Edell's grandfather, Rabbi Yosef Weinreb.
Name Access
Harbord Collegiate
First Aid team
Rabbi Yosef Weinreb Scholarship
University of Toronto
Subjects
Education
Source
Archival Descriptions
Accession Number
2011-6-6
Source
Archival Accessions
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
2013-7-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-7-4
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
3 cm of textual records
Date
1950-1989
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to the Bureau of Jewish Education (later the Board of Jewish Education). Included is the inaugural meeting invitation, general correspondence, commencement and festival programmes, newsletters, a report on the schools of Beth Tikvah Synagogue and a BJE Dropouts' Study performed in 1989.
Custodial History
There is no acquisition information for these records. Cantor Stolnitz's stamp is visible on many of the records and some of the correspondence is addressed to him.
Subjects
Education
Name Access
Board of Jewish Education (Toronto, Ont.)
Stolnitz, Nathan
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-3-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-3-4
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
6 cm of textual records
Date
[ca. 1970]-[ca. 1999]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of various meeting minutes of the Masada Chapter, Farband of Lithuanian Jews. The minutes are written in Yiddish and document different meetings, such as, Chanukah meetings, closing meetings, luncheons, and teas. Also included is one Borochov School Nurseries brochure. Jennie Kernkraut is the teacher in the classroom pictured on the cover of the brochure.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of Jennie Kernkraut's daughter, Judy Kasman, unitl their donation to the OJA.
Administrative History
Jennie Kernkraut (nee Golomb) was born in 1916 in Vilno. She came to Canada in 1948 and worked as a nursery school and Yiddish teacher at the Borochov school in Toronto. She was an active member of the Masada Chapter, Farband of Lithuanian Jews and served on its executive for many years as Secretary.
Subjects
Societies
Education
Name Access
Kernkraut, Jennie
Farband of Lithuanian Jews (Toronto, Ont.)
Borochov School (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-1-15
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-1-15
Material Format
textual record
moving images
sound recording
Physical Description
ca. 3 m of textual records
ca. 20 video cassettes
ca. 5 audio cassettes
Date
[ca. 1970]-[ca. 2010]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of textual records, and audio-visual material documenting the operations of Hillel and its predecessor organization, the Jewish Students Federation.
Subjects
Education
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Hillel of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-8-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-8-7
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
ca. 30 cm textual records
Date
1995-2007
Scope and Content
Accession consists of documents related to Hillel of Greater Toronto. Types of materials include meeting minutes, flyers, correspondence employee manuals and financial statements.
Subjects
Education
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Hillel of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-9-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-9-4
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
1.2 m of textual records and other material
Date
[ca. 1936]-2012
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the activities of Eitz Chaim. Included are photographs, yearbooks, class lists and registers, teachers record books and student grade reports, curriculum materials, anniversary books and 2 DVDs from a gala dinner and fundraising event. Also included is the Beth Jacob High School dedication and founders dinner book.
Administrative History
Known then as the Poylishe Talmud Torah, Eitz Chaim began in 1915 with a few students in one classroom guided by one teacher. The school’s first premises were in the Elm Street Shul. Within a year, a second teacher, Reb Leibish Noble, was hired, and he remained actively involved in Eitz Chaim for 30 years. There were now 30 students in two classes. The four-hour nightly sessions were held at the end of the regular public school day with an additional six hours on Sunday. Classes continued throughout the summer as well.
The school’s first building on Chestnut Street was inaugurated in August 1916, with additional classes held at a branch on Simcoe Street. The second president of the school, Yosef Shidlowsky, in a move to be more inclusive of all Orthodox Jews, changed the name of the school to Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim.
In 1917, Mr. Shidlowsky, Itshe Meyer Korolnek, and Joseph Cooper managed not only to obtain a provincial charter to open a religious school, but were also instrumental in purchasing the Italian Club at 68 D’Arcy St. to accommodate the school’s growing enrollment.
In 1920, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Graubart arrived from Stashow, Poland, and assumed the post of spiritual leader of the Talmud Torah. He introduced more Hebrew instruction and a more intensive Torah curriculum.
In 1926, Rabbi Pinchas Ravad became the next principal, a position he retained for the next nine years. During that time, a separate girls’ class was formed and the first female teacher was hired. Although a fire in 1927 destroyed the wooden school building on D’Arcy St., a new, larger school was constructed on the same site and dedicated on December 30, 1927. After moving into the new building, student enrollment increased dramatically. Beginning with 300 students in 1929, the student body grew to 400 in 1931, 503 in 1933, and 600 in 1938.
After the passing of Rabbi Graubart, an evening high school yeshiva, the Maharil Graubart Yeshiva, was founded in 1939 to serve boys 14 years of age and up with Rav Yaakov Kamenetsky acting as rosh yeshiva beginning in 1941. The building next door to the Talmud Torah, at 80 D’Arcy Street, was purchased to provide space for the yeshiva and was connected via a walkway to the Talmud Torah. As the students of Eitz Chaim Talmud Torah graduated from the elementary school, they would eventually attend the Maharil Graubart Yeshiva. That same year, Rabbi Jacob I. Wohlgelernter became principal of the Talmud Torah and a kindergarten was added in 1942.
Seven years later, Rabbi Chaim Nussbaum officially assumed the role of principal of Eitz Chaim Schools. Beginning with only a grade 1, new grades were added every year until grades 1 through 9 were in place. Eitz Chaim gradually broadened its scope, welcoming Jewish students from many diverse backgrounds and establishing afternoon and day classes beginning in 1950 at a branch on Burnside Ave. To meet the growing demand for classes, the Torath Emeth Jewish Centre was established at 1 Viewmount Avenue in 1956.
By 1958, in response to the geographical shift of the Jewish population northward, the Tanenbaum Building was added to the complex, followed by the Korolnek Building in 1961, both at 1 Viewmount Avenue. By this time, Eitz Chaim had two principals: Rabbi Nussbaum, who oversaw Hebrew studies, and Rabbi Shlomo Jakubovitz, who oversaw general studies.
The two buildings on D’Arcy St. were sold in 1966 and the proceeds were designated toward purchasing a new school building to the north of the city. Rabbi Shlomo Jakobovits, Avraham Bleeman, Joe Goldwasser and Sam Wortsman led the way in persuading the Board of Directors to purchase the land at Patricia and Bathurst Streets. Patricia and Bathurst Streets served as the temporary location for portable units until the large, permanent building was completed in 1970. This location evolved into the boys’ campus, servicing students from all areas of the city.
Rabbi Shneur Weinberg succeeded Rabbi Nussbaum in 1969 and served as the Hebrew principal until his retirement in 1995, when Rabbi Aaron Levine took over. The position of Hebrew studies principal for the girls’ school was created in 1974 and was held by Rabbi Leibish Adler for 26 years. Rabbi Mordechai Gewirts succeeded Rabbi Adler in 2002 and was principal of the girls’ school until 2012. Eitz Chaim Schools developed rapidly and acquired an excellent reputation among North American day schools.
The female graduates of Eitz Chaim, for the most part, attended public high school. To counter this trend, Beth Jacob High School, with the guidance of Eitz Chaim, was launched in 1963, with classes conducted near the Viewmount branch. In 1966, the Beth Jacob High School and Teacher’s Seminary was completed on Lawrence Avenue, culminating in the opening of a girls’ high school that became completely independent of Eitz Chaim. Today, many female graduates of Etiz Chaim continue their education at Beth Jacob High School.
The Spring Farm campus, named for the farm formerly on that site, opened its doors in 1988. Currently, Eitz Chaim serves primarily as an elementary educational institute under the guidance of Rabbi Isser Pliner.
History from http://www.eitzchaim.com/index.php?page=history (viewed Oct. 6, 2014)
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
Physical Description note: Includes ca. 500 photographs, texts, 2 DVDs and 1 betacam cassette.
Use Conditions note: student grade reports are closed until 30 years after the death of the individual.
Subjects
Education
Children
Name Access
Eitz Chaim Schools (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-4-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-4-1
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
15 cm of textual records
Date
1988-1993
Scope and Content
Accession consists of six yearbooks from Solomon's school years at Bialik Hebrew Day School, CHAT and Forest Hill Collegiate Institute.
Administrative History
Dara Solomon was born in Toronto in 1975 to Joseph and Maureen (Kokotow) Solomon. Her sister is Alida Solomon. In 2004, she married Jay Rosenthal of Natick, MA in San Francisco, CA. Solomon attended Bialik Hebrew Day School (1980-89), Arlington Senior Public School (1989), CHAT (1990), and Forest Hill Collegiate Institute (1991-93). She went on to the University of Toronto where she received her BA and to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago where she received her Masters in Arts Administration. She worked in museums in the San Francisco Bay Area for 11 years before returning to Toronto with her family in 2012. Since 2012, she has been the director of the Ontario Jewish Archives. She has a daughter named Stella Rosenthal and a son named Cy Rosenthal.
Subjects
Children
Education
Name Access
Solomon, Dara, 1975-
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-8-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-8-10
Material Format
textual record
graphic material (electronic)
moving images (electronic)
Physical Description
10 cm of textual records
2240 photographs (jpg and gif)
8 moving images
Date
1944-2015 (predominent 2008-2015)
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to the activities of Alex Levin, a Jewish war veteran and Holocaust survivor. Records include letters written to Levin from school children following various speaking engagements; interviews with Crestwood School, CHAT, and Netivot Hatorah; a recording of the Saluting Our Italian Heroes commemorative event; recordings of Remembrance Day ceremonies hosted by the Canadian Jewish War Veterans (Toronto Post); and photographs documenting events attended by Levin including Holocaust remembrance events, Yom Hashoah, Remembrance Day ceremonies, March of the Living, Miracle Dinners and Proms, Azrieli Foundation events including the launch of Levin's book "Under the Yellow and Red Stars", school visits, JWV programs with Sunnybrook veterans, portraits of Levin through the years and various scanned images of Levin's family.
Administrative History
Alex Levin (1932-2016) was born in 1932 in Rokitno, Poland. In 1941, the Germans invaded Rokitno and established a ghetto and formed a Judenrat to carry out their orders. In 1942, the Ghetto was evacuated and the Jews were brought to the town's marketplace to be transported by train to be killed. Levin was ten years old when he escaped into the nearby forest with his brother Samuel where he lived for 18 months in a hole in the ground. He was twelve when he emerged from hiding to find that his parents and youngest brother Moishe had been murdered. In 1944, he joined the Soviet forces as a messenger boy. After the war, he was sent to the USSR and enrolled in cadet school, remaining in the Soviet army until forced out for being Jewish in the 1970s. An engineer by training, Alex came to Canada in 1975 via Austria and Italy, and now lives in Toronto where he regularly speaks about his experiences in the Holocaust.
Subjects
Education
Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)
World War, 1939-1945
Name Access
Levin, Alex, 1932-2016
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-12-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-12-4
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
24 photographs : col. ; 20 x 26 cm or smaller
Date
1988-2013
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs of the graduating classes of the Downtown Jewish Community School from the first class in 1988 through to 2013. Missing are the photographs from the years 1998, 1999 and 2011. Also included are identification keys as well as class lists detailing student names, addresses, home schools and parent names.
Subjects
Education
Children
Religion
Name Access
Downtown Jewish Community School (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-2-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-2-2
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
textual record
Physical Description
25 cm of textual records
1 photograph : col. (tif)
Date
[ca. 1921]-2000
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a Harbord Review (1946-1947), "A History of Harbord Collegiate Institute" (1992), and essays by Phyllis Platnick entitled: "Opening Doors: English Canada ponders immigration in the aftermath of World War II", "The Long, Hot Summer of 1933 - Toronto Jews through the Newspapers," and "Through the Back Door: The Canadian Garment Industry and Bulk Labour Immigration." Accession also includes textual documents related to the death of Dr. David Platnick including: a letter from David Platnick regarding a proposed research project on the History of Wind Energy Utilization in Canada (1982), a copy of Forum (a newspaper of the Information Services Department at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute) with an accompanying obituary for Dr. David Platnick (October 1982) and newspaper clippings of an obituary of David Platnick (1982). Other textual records include a memorial record from the funeral of Lillian Sandler Gordon (1993) and a letter to Phyllis Platnick from Clara ? in Holon, Israel regarding the death of Nahum ? and a donation to the Anne Edell Award at the University of Toronto (2000). Finally, accession also includes a digital scan of Lillian Sandler Gordon's class at Jarvis Collegiate Institute circa 1921.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of Marilyn Platnick-Glass, the sister-in-law of Phyllis Platnick (sister of Dr. David Platnick).
Administrative History
Phyllis Esther (née Sandler) Platnick was born in Toronto on 21 February 1932 to Michael and Clara Toby (née Edell) Sandler. Her brother's name was Martin Sandler. She was educated at Harbord Collegiate; University of Toronto, Bachelor of Arts; and Syracuse University, Master of Library Sciences. She married David Platnick on 22 June 1952 and had three children: Deborah, Howard and Brian. Anne Edell was Phyllis' aunt. Phyllis was an archivist at Glendon College, York University. Phyllis was married to Dr. David Platnick who was an engineer and professor in the Electrical Engineering Technology (EET) Department at Ryerson Polytechnical Institute from 1968-1982. He was born on Markham St. in Toronto, attended Harbord Collegiate Institute and the University of Toronto. He was active at Temple Har Zion in Thornhill. He passed away on October 19, 1982. Lillian Sandler Gordon (1908-1993) graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1931 and established a successful real estate and family law practice during the Depression in an inhospitable environment for women and Jews in her profession. She was married to Sandy Gordon (1914-1992) and they practiced law together. Lillian Sandler Gordon was Phyllis Platnick's aunt (Michael Sandler's sister).
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.
Descriptive Notes
ASSOCIATED MATERIAL NOTE: Several accessions related to Phyllis Platnick (1984-1-7, 1984-4-5, 1986-10-6, 1993-5-1). See also 2016-11-12 Platnick and Glass family. Serial Harbord Review (Shelf 52-4 2 boxes). Oral history of Lillian (Sandler) Gordon conducted by Phyllis Platnick AC 209. RELATED MATERIAL NOTE: Osgoode Society for Canadian Legal History holds an oral history with Lillian Sandler Gordon conducted in 1991. There are letters to Lillian Sandler at the Clara Thomas Archives, York University, F0151, Aplin Family Fonds.
Subjects
Education
Name Access
Platnick, Phyllis
Platnick, David
Harbord Collegiate Institute
Gordon, Lillian Sandler
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-5
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
4 m of textual records and other material
Date
[194-]-2017
Scope and Content
Accession consists of textual records, photographs, sound recordings, moving images, and several felt badges and crests. The textual records include strategic planning documents, pedagogical and curriculum documents, meeting minutes, capital planning documents, fundraising records, school yearbooks, graduation programs, newsletters to parents and internal newsletters, and other operational documents. Photographs document the building and classrooms; school classes; sports teams; class outings; special guests; Jewish holiday celebrations; and Bialik groundbreakings, galas, and anniversary celebrations. The audio recordings include the school choir and an interview with Pearl Meckler. Moving images include graduations.
Custodial History
Records were stored in the Viewmount location. A committee of past alumni and parents formed to sort the archival material in preparation for donation to the OJA.
Administrative History
Bialik Hebrew Day School was established by the Labour Zionist Alliance, which also operated the Farband Folks Shule and The Borochov School. In the 1950s, the Labour Zionist Alliance sold its property on Cecil Street in order to finance the purchase of the 12 Viewmount Avenue, which housed both the offices of the Labour Zionist Alliance and Bialik Hebrew Day School. The school was intended to fill a gap in Jewish education in Toronto, namely by teaching Yiddish as well as Hebrew and by promoting Zionism. The school was named for Chaim Nachman Bialik, Israel’s national poet.
Bialik Hebrew Day School began with 29 pre-school and first grade students in 1961, and by the mid-2000s had grown to over 800 students in kindergarten through grade 8. Several renovations and expansions took place over the intervening decades, and in 2003 a new school was opened at 2760 Bathurst Street. In 2013, the school opened a northern campus (Bialik North, or the Ben and Edith Himel Education Centre) on the Joseph & Wolf Lebovic Jewish Community Campus in Vaughan to serve students in the York Region.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Includes ca. 1000 photographs, sound recordings, moving images, and several objects.
Subjects
Education
Jewish day schools
Name Access
Bialik Hebrew Day School
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Address
33 Robert Street
Source
Landmarks

Lansdowne Public School at one time had a high concentration of Jewish students due to its close proximity to Kensginton Market. A 1944 study shows that 778 Jewish students attended Lansdowne Public School (now known as Lord Lansdowne Public School) in that year.
Address
33 Robert Street
Time Period
1888-
Scope Note
Lansdowne Public School at one time had a high concentration of Jewish students due to its close proximity to Kensginton Market. A 1944 study shows that 778 Jewish students attended Lansdowne Public School (now known as Lord Lansdowne Public School) in that year.
Category
Education
Source
Landmarks
Part Of
United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds
Photographic and audiovisual collection series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 67; Series 27; File 556
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds
Photographic and audiovisual collection series
Level
File
Fonds
67
Series
27
File
556
Material Format
graphic material
Date
27 Sep. 1981
Physical Description
14 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 21 x 26 cm and 28 x 28 mm
Scope and Content
File consists of one negative and thirteen photographs of the Lipa Green building groundbreaking ceremony on Sunday, Sept. 27, 1981. Identified in the photos are Wilf Posluns, Mr. and Mrs. Al Green, Ben Schneider, Irwin Gold, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Israeli, Mr. and Mrs. David Smuskovitz, J.B. Salsberg, Mel Lastman, David Rotenberg, Al Latner, Mr. and Mrs. Harold Green, and Jack Rose.
Notes
Photos by Graphic Artists Photographers, Toronto.
Availability of other formats: Also available as digital images.
Subjects
Building
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
National Council of Jewish Women of Canada fonds
Toronto Section series
Service Portfolio sub-series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 38; Series 7-11; File 24
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
National Council of Jewish Women of Canada fonds
Toronto Section series
Service Portfolio sub-series
Level
File
Fonds
38
Series
7-11
File
24
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1984-1987
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
59 photographs : b&w and col. (24 negatives) ; 18 x 13 cm or smaller
Scope and Content
File consists of two reports: a review of the support services for adults with physcial disabilites, and a Needs and Demand study and a newsclipping about the housing project. The photographs and negatives are of the housing project, featuring the ground breaking, and also activities within the home for residents.
Subjects
Building
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds
Toronto Holocaust Museum series
Christian Jewish Dialogue sub-series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 67; Series 28-11; File 1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds
Toronto Holocaust Museum series
Christian Jewish Dialogue sub-series
Level
File
Fonds
67
Series
28-11
File
1
Material Format
textual record
Date
1978, 1980-1984
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Scope and Content
File consists of program materials, meeeting minutes and correspondence of the Christian Education sub-committee.
Subjects
Education
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 48
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Board of Jewish Education fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
48
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1936-2001
Physical Description
21.5 m of textual records
ca. 180 photographs : col. and b&w (ca. 165 col. negatives) ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller
Admin History/Bio
Established in 1949 as the Bureau of Jewish Education, the Board of Jewish Education (BJE) is the central Jewish agency in Toronto whose mandate is to preserve, enrich, and promote Jewish education in the Greater Toronto area. Its primary tasks are to coordinate and provide leadership in teacher training and professional development, curriculum development, school administration, and inter-school activities, and also to allocate funds to affiliated Jewish schools raised through the annual UJA Federation fundraising campaign.
The BJE was established following the recommendations of a 1948 study of Jewish education in Toronto undertaken by Dr. Uriah Z. Engelman of the American Association for Jewish Education, and sponsored by the United Jewish Welfare Fund (UJWF; now, the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto) and the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), Central Region. In its constitution, the bureau was described as having the dual characteristics of being an autonomous agency of the UJWF and also as acting for the UJWF in the field of Jewish education. The bureau was governed by a board of governors with representatives from affiliated schools, the UJWF, CJC Central Region, and from the community at large. The inaugural meeting of the board took place on 20 March 1950.
The organizational structure of the Bureau of Jewish Education mirrored that of the UJWF, with a board of directors and executive committee, standing comittees, and a professional staff. Samuel Posluns was the first president of the BJE and Dr. Joseph Diamond was its first executive director, serving in this position for 18 years. In the 1950s, the staff consisted of the executive director, an administrative assistant, and a school consultant. Over time, the staff was expanded to meet the increased demand for BJE services as the number of affiliated schools grew. For example, the position of director of school finances was created in 1976 to oversee school budgets, monitor tuition fees and teacher salary profiles, and perform other duties relating to financial management.
The BJE's offices were located with those of the United Jewish Welfare Fund, first on Spadina Avenue and then on Beverley Street, until the 1960s, when the board moved to offices in the Jewish Public Library on Glen Park Avenue. The board remained there until 1983, when the BJE moved into the newly built Lipa Green Building, on Bathurst Street, along with the other departments of the Toronto Jewish Congress, as the UJWF was renamed in 1976.
During the 1950s and early 1960s, the BJE sponsored adult education programs in Toronto through the Institute for Jewish Studies, in collaboration with the Jewish Community Centre (JCC) and CJC. The BJE also provided assistance and advice to the CJC in support of Jewish education in the smaller Jewish communities in Ontario. The BJE's role in adult education diminished significantly after its reorganization in 1968, but this again became a responsibility for the BJE in the late 1990s.
The BJE has gone through several periods of reorganization since it was founded: in 1968, when the bureau became the Board of Jewish Education and its board was reduced in size significantly; in the late 1970s, with the implementation of recommendations of the 1975 UJWF Study Committee on Jewish Education; in the early 1990s, following the development of a strategic plan for the BJE; and in the late 1990s, following the recommendations of the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto Commission on Jewish Education (1996). The 1968 reorganization was the most significant of these, with the BJE Board of Directors reduced from over 80 members to just 20 members approved by the UJWF, and the number of standing committees was reduced to two. Stephen Berger was appointed as first chairman of the Board of Jewish Education in 1968, and in 1969, Rabbi Irwin E. Witty became the second executive director of the BJE. Later reorganizations typically involved alterations to the number and responsibilities of BJE committees.
Although its primary function is to support existing educational institutions, the BJE has also participated in establishing several new instititions in Toronto. In 1953, to meet the need for qualified teachers in affiliated schools, the BJE and CJC Central Region founded a Jewish teachers' seminary (Midrasha L'Morim) in Toronto, which was jointly funded by the BJE and CJC for many years. In 1960, the BJE and UJWF sponsored the establishment of a non-denominational Jewish high school, the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto (CHAT), with the BJE Executive Director as its director. In 1978, the Orah School for Jewish Children from the Soviet Union was established by the BJE, to meet the special needs of the large numbers of recent immigrants from the Soviet Union.
At its founding, the BJE served a total of 21 day and supplementary schools. When it ceased functioning in 2012, the BJE served more than 70 day and supplementary schools in the Greater Toronto area, with the position of chair held by Baila Lubek and the position of executive director held by Dr. Seymour Epstein. The Board was replaced by the Mercaz and later, the Centre for Jewish Education.
Custodial History
The BJE records in accession 1995-8-2 were in the possession of Harvey Raben, formerly a school consultant with the BJE, for several years prior to his donation in 1995, while Raben worked on his Doctor of Education thesis on the history of the BJE.
Scope and Content
The fonds documents the interactions of the BJE with affiliated schools, the UJWF and its successors -- the Toronto Jewish Congress (TJC), Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto (JFGT) and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto -- and the community in its work of facilitating and financing Jewish education in Toronto. The bulk of the records consist of the files of the executive director, associate director and director of school finances, and minutes of the BJE Board of Directors and its committees. As well as meeting minutes, these records include memoranda, correspondence, committee reports, budget and financial statements, and a small number of photographs of individuals and of BJE events.
The fonds is arranged into eighteen series defined by the BJE's organizational units, projects and programs, institutions established by the BJE or its officers, and by record form. These series are as follows: Board of directors and executive committee, Executive director, Director of school finances, Subject files, School files, Chronological correspondence and memoranda, Newsletters and other publications, Midrasha L'Morim, Bible contests, Canada-Israel Secondary School Program, Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto, Orah School for Russian Jewish Children, Dr. Abraham Shore She'arim Hebrew Day School, Toronto Jewish Media Centre, Meyer W. Gasner Memorial Scholarship Fund, Principals councils, Association of Jewish Day School Administrators, and Parents Council of Hebrew Day Schools
Name Access
Board of Jewish Education
Subjects
Education
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Related Material
The records of the Educational and Cultural Committee in the Canadian Jewish Congress Central Region fonds document the CJC's involvement in the establishment of the BJE and the operation and funding of the Midrasha L'Morim. The UJA Federation of Greater Toronto fonds, accessions 2002-10-54, 2004-6-4 and 2004-6-9 contain records on the establishment of the Bureau of Jewish Education, the appointment of UJWF representatives to its board, the reorganization of the bureau as the Board of Jewish Education in 1968, the various studies conducted of the BJE, and the annual review and approval of allotments for Jewish education in Toronto by UJA Federation and its predecessors. Accession 2004-6-4 also contains records on the funding of Jewish education in Toronto by the UJWF in the late 1930s and the 1940s, prior to the establishment of the BJE.
Arrangement
Files at the BJE were typically organized alphabetically by subject with no clear division by function or program. While some files were kept in a central filing system maintained by an administrative assistant and shared by all professional staff, staff members also kept their own series of alphabetical subject files. Since staff responsibilities for programs and support of board committees shifted over time, records relating to these programs and activities became dispersed across several sets of files. The archivist has extracted files relating to programs, committees, and areas of activity from these various sets of subject files and defined series according to these activities, programs and functions. The remaining alphabetical subject files have been integrated into one subject file series. File titles have been edited to bring together records relating to similar topics, events and activities within this series.
The other two common filing methods employed at the BJE were to store correspondence, memoranda and committee minutes chronologically (often in 3-ring binders), and in series of "School files" -- files organized alphabetically by school name, containing correspondence and other records relating to the school. The school files have been brought together into one school file series. The chronological series have been left in their original order.
Creator
Board of Jewish Education (1949-2007)
Source
Archival Descriptions