Accession Number

2021-10-11

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records and graphic material

1 oversized photograph

Date

1908-1985

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the family of Helen Marks. Included are two wedding three school photographs, school photographs, personal identity documents, a certificate of naturalization, a letter, a program for a gala evening, and a un untranslated document.

The first wedding photograph was taken at the wedding of Rose Miltz and Nathan Weisblatt on 29 December 1935. Rose and Nathan were part of Helen's father's family.

The second wedding photograph was taken at the wedding of Rose Nimon and Isadore Weisblatt. Rose and Nimon were Helen's parents.

Two school photographs were taken at John Fisher School in the 1930s. Helen attended the school from kindergarten until grade eight.

A third school photograph was taken at North Toronto Collegiate sometime around Christmas 1939. Helen attended the school for one year from 1939 to 1940.

There are several identity documents for Helen's father-in-law, Morris Marks. The first such document is a Romanian passport dated 24 May 1908. The second such document is a deed poll testifying to Morris' change of name dated 23 January 1933. The third document is a document certifying that the latter is a true copy.

The certificate of naturalization is for Harry Schnall. Helen believes Harry was her mother-in-law's father but is not positive.

The letter is from Max Niman and Moishe Fishbaum and is dated 15 August 1985. The letter regards the amalgamation of the Ostrovtzer Congregation and the Shaarei Tefillah Congregation. Helen's mother's family were founders of the congregation.

The program is for a gala evening presented by the Chinese community for the Mount Sinai Hospital Research Centre expansion, which was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on 22 June 1985.

Finally, there is a document in what appears to be Romanian but which has not been translated.

Descriptive Notes

Language: English, Romanian, French

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Ketubah

Public schools

Places

Romania

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2023-2-7

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

7 cm of textual records

Date

1933-1982

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material, mostly correspondence, documenting Willi Holtz. Included are: a letter to Willi from the German Metal Worker's Union (20 November 1933); Willi's German Reich passport (1936); a postcard from Palestine (1938); a confirmation regarding application for certificate of entry into Palestine (2 January 1938); a letter to the Reich Interior Ministry from Willi (15 April 1939); a certification of good character for Willi (6 June 1939); a letter to the American consul in Canada from Leon L. Berkowitz regarding Willi Holz's internment in Camp "N" (17 February 1941); and a letter to F. C. Blair, director of the Immigration Branch of the Department of Mines and Resources, from Willi (8 January 1943).

Custodial History

Records were in the possession of Camille Norton, Willi Holz's stepdaughter, prior to Camile donating them to the Ontario Jewish Archives.

Administrative History

Willi Israel Holz was born on 6 April 1912 in Breslau, Germany (today Wroclaw, Poland). From 1919–27, he attended elementary school in the same city. Starting in 1927, he attended technical high school. In 1929, he joined the Kommunistischer Jugendverband Deutschlands (Young Communist League of Germany). In 1931, he received his electrician's license. Apart from a period of unemployment in 1932, he worked from 1931–38 with several firms, acquiring experience in electrical installations. In 1933, he lost his membership in the German Metal Workers' Union (Deutscher Metallarbeiter-Verband) on racial grounds.

In 1938, Willi was put in a Nazi concentration camp. In January 1939, he was released from the concentration camp. He nevertheless had to report to the Gestapo headquarters on a monthly basis until he was able to leave Germany. This proved difficult, as Willi tried and failed to immigrate to a number of countries, including Palestine, Bolivia, and China. (In the latter case, the Republic of China granted Willi and his mother visas, but there were no ship tickets available.) In February, Willi applied to be accepted for a transit camp for Jewish emigrants that was located in Richborough, England; in July, he was accepted. He arrived in Richborough on 8 August 1939. Willi's mother was unable to come with him.

From Richborough, Willi was moved between several locations before departing from Liverpool, England, on the SS Ettrick. He arrived in Quebec, Canada, on 13 July 1940 at Internment Camp "L." From there, he was transferred to Internment Camp "N" in Sherbrook. In January 1941, he was provided with an affidavit for immigration to the United States, but he was unable to enter owing to an unspecified condition. In 1942, Willi's mother was deported to eastern Europe (she died in Auschwitz). In November of that same year, Willi was transferred to yet another camp.

In February 1943, Willi was released from internment for work at Stark Electrical Instrument Co. in Toronto, Ontario. In 1944, Willi started working as foreman of the machine shop for the same company. In 1946, the plant at which Willi was working ended up moving to a different location, and Willi started work on the production line. That same year, Willi appeared before a county court judge to take the oath of allegiance. He became a Canadian citizen on 4 May 1946.

Willi died on 10 October 1979. His funeral took place at Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel.

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: A significant portion of the material is in German.

Subjects

Electricians

Holocaust survivors

Immigrants--Canada

Name Access

Holz, Willi, 1912-1979

Places

Breslau (Germany)

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2009-3-5

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1980

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a report prepared by JIAS Canada detailing the situation of recent immigrant arrivals to various small communities in Ontario. The communities discussed are Cambridge, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Ottawa, St. Catharines and Windsor.

Custodial History

The custodial history for this item is unknown. The accession number has been assigned by the assistant archivist.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Communities

Name Access

Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Cambridge (Ont.)

Hamilton (Ont.)

Kitchener (Ont.)

London (Ont.)

Ottawa (Ont.)

St. Catharines (Ont.)

Windsor (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Harry Simon fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

23

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1931-[198-]

Physical Description

25 cm of textual records

17 photographs (6 negatives)

Admin History/Bio

Harry Simon (1909-1993) was born in Russia on 15 July 1909 and immigrated to Canada with his parents and two younger brothers in 1923. In 1930, he married Eva Millman and together they had two sons, Morris and Norman. Simon was involved in a number of labour unions and organizations during his lifetime, namely the Fur Workers' Union, the AFL-CIO, the Canadian Labour Congress and the Labour Zionist Movement.

In 1926, at the age of 17, Simon left his schooling in Toronto and went to work in a fur factory. He joined the International Fur Workers' Union and at the age of 20, Simon held the distinction of being the youngest business agent elected to a union in Canada. He joined the Canadian Commonwealth Federation (CCF) in 1933 and ran as a political candidate in the 1937 provincial election for the St. Andrew riding in Toronto.

Simon also served as the Canadian representative for the American Federation of Labour from 1944 to 1956. In 1956, he was appointed to the Canadian Labour Congress, becoming the CLC's Ontario regional director of organization until his retirement in 1974. Simon also held the position of national chairman of the Jewish Labour Committee of Canada and as president of the Labour Zionist Movement of Canada. He was also a member of the national executive of the Canadian Jewish Congress.

After his retirement Simon often spoke about labour issues at various functions and events when requested. He died on 22 December 1993 at the age of 84.

Scope and Content

This fonds consists of the records related to the professional career of Harry Simon. This includes meeting minutes, general correspondence, speeches, posters, flyers, booklets, programmes and photographs. The bulk of the material is in the form of correspondence sent to or from Harry Simon. There is also a small amount of biographical material and a number of photographs, which have been described at the item level.

Name Access

Simon, Harry, 1909-1993

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Labor leaders

Physical Condition

Some photographs require conservation work.

Arrangement

The files were originally arranged by Harry Simon according to organization. This original order has been maintained by the archivist.

Creator

Simon, Harry, 1909-1993

Accession Number

1988-5-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2010-11-16

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

45 cm of textual records

Date

1970-1997

Scope and Content

This accession consists of records related to Rolf Lederer's role with the Canadian Jewish Congress' Chaplaincy Services Committee, JIAS, and Congregation B'nai Torah. The records include meeting minutes and agendas, correspondence, reports, financial records, bulletins, invitations, and pamphlets, In addition, there is one document that lists the founders of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto.

Custodial History

The records were in the possession of Rolf Lederer until they were donated to the Archives on 22 November 2010.

Administrative History

Dr. Rolf Lederer was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1934. His family immigrated to South Africa in 1936 and Rolf remained there until 1961, earning his medical degree from Cape Town University. After completing his psychiatric training in Edinburgh and Boston, Rolf settled in Toronto in 1968. There he set up private practice as a General Psychiatrist.

After moving to Toronto, Rolf became actively involved in the Jewish community and served on a number of committees. He was on both the local and national board of directors of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (JIAS) as well as a number of JIAS sub-committees, including the South African Jewish Association of Canada (SAJAC), the Local Case File Committee and the Management Committee.

From 1985 to 1988 Rolf was chairman of the Canadian Jewish Congress’s (CJC) Chaplaincy Services Committee. He was also a member of other CJC committees; including, the Jewish Cultural Council and the Joint Adult Education Committee. In addition, Rolf co-founded the Jewish Genealogical Society (JGS) in 1985 and served as the society’s president from 1987 to 1991. Finally, he was an active member of B’nai Torah Congregation, serving as secretary and first vice-president in the early 1980s

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Lederer, Rolf, 1934-

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2011-6-4

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

ca. 25 cm of textual records

1 photograph

Date

1980-2000, predominant 1980-1990

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting Rolf Lederer's involvement with JIAS, the Canadian Jewish Congress's Chaplaincy Services Committee, the Toronto Jewish Congress Ontario Region Archives Committee, SAJAC, and the Jewish Genealogical Society. JIAS records make up the bulk of the accession and include; statistical reports; meeting notices; agendas and minutes for various committees, such as the Executive Committee, Immigrant Case Committee, Integration Committee and the Board of Directors; newsclippings, correspondence, programmes, reports, JIAS Information bulletins, and JIAS News newsletters.

Chaplaincy records include meeting notices, agendas and minutes, bulletins, invitations, brochures, and general correspondence. JGS records include one photograph of a plaque awarded to the agency and correspondence regarding its cemetery project. Archives Committee records include event invitations, correspondence, and documents related to the Sense of Spadina tour. Finally, accession also consists of SAJAC News publications (1989), correspondence with the Association of Orthodox Jewish Scientists and a Congregation B'nai Torah dedication banquet programme (1984).

Custodial History

The records were in the possession of Rolf Lederer until he donated them to the OJA on June 22, 2011.

Administrative History

Dr. Rolf Lederer was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1934. His family immigrated to South Africa in 1936 and Rolf remained there until 1961, earning his medical degree from Cape Town University. After completing his psychiatric training in Edinburgh and Boston, Rolf settled in Toronto in 1968. There he set up private practice as a General Psychiatrist.

After moving to Toronto, Rolf became actively involved in the Jewish community and served on a number of committees. He was on both the local and national board of directors of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (JIAS) as well as a number of JIAS sub-committees, including the South African Jewish Association of Canada (SAJAC), the Local Case File Committee and the Management Committee.

From 1985 to 1988 Rolf was chairman of the Canadian Jewish Congress’s (CJC) Chaplaincy Services Committee. He was also a member of other CJC committees; including, the Jewish Cultural Council and the Joint Adult Education Committee. In addition, Rolf co-founded the Jewish Genealogical Society (JGS) in 1985 and served as the society’s president from 1987 to 1991. Finally, he was an active member of B’nai Torah Congregation, serving as secretary and first vice-president in the early 1980s

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Lederer, Rolf, 1934-

Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto

Southern African Jewish Association of Canada

Canadian Jewish Congress. Ontario Region

Ontario Jewish Archives

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2011-4-3

Material Format

moving images

Physical Description

1 DVD

Date

July 1985

Scope and Content

Accession consists of one DVD copy of a July 1985 interview of Dr. Stephen Speisman by the donor, recorded at the TJC Archives. Dr. Speisman discusses his family's connections with the Gold family because of their common background in Ostrow, Poland. He also talks about the socialist views of many Jewish immigrants, the factors influencing their desire to emigrate in the First World War era, their early experiences learning English, the reasons for Anglicizing their names, and the cultural values that Polish Jews brought to Canadian life.

Custodial History

DVD copy created from original videocassette created by the donor.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Use Conditions: Any re-use requires written permission of the donor.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Families

Socialism

Name Access

Speisman, Stephen A., 1943-

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-3-1

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

ca. 71 photographs

1 folder of textual records

Date

1919-1939, [ca. 2005]

Scope and Content

Accession consists primarily of photographs documenting the early life of Bella Wilder (née Goldbach) and her family in Poland. Included are images of Bella with her siblings and friends, group photos of Bella at her Jewish school in Poland, a group image of Victor in the Polish army, and other photographs of Bella's family and friends. Also included are two family histories documenting the story of Bella's mother, Shifra Frimeth Goldbach, and the story of Max and Bella Wilder, which was written by their granddaughter Sandee Sharpe. Of particular note is a 1925 school photograph of the Workers Evening School in Opatow (?), which has Yiddish writing suggesting that the school may have received aid from an organization referred to as "Gives Relief" in Toronto.

Custodial History

The records were originally donated to the Jewish Genealogical Society of Canada (Toronto section) by Bella's daughter Ann Sharpe. JGS Toronto donated the material to the OJA a few months later with her consent.

Administrative History

Bella (nee Goldbach) Wilder was born on May 12, 1910 in Opatow, Poland to Chaim Shlomo Goldbach and Shifra Frimeth Schatz Goldbach. Bella's older brothers, Victor, Jack and Hymie began immigrating to Toronto in the 1920s and had saved enough money by 1936 to bring Bella and her mother to Toronto. After arriving in Toronto Bella found work sewing in a factory.

Bella married Max Wilder on September 29, 1939. Max worked at Superior Men's Tailoring where he sewed zippers into men's pants. They had two children together: Ann (born 5 April 1940, married Norman Sharpe) and Stan (born 21 Jan. 1945, died June 1974). Max passed away in 1999 and Bella passed away in 2002.

Descriptive Notes

Availability of other formats: Photographs have been digitized and are available as digital images.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Families

Name Access

Goldbach, Shifra

Sharpe, Ann

Wilder, Bella, 1910-2002

Wilder, Max, ?-1999

Places

Poland

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2014-3-2

Material Format

sound recording (electronic)

Physical Description

1 audio recording : mp3

Date

1975-[ca. 1982]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of one audio recording of an oral history interview conducted by Mike Culiner with his father Harry Culiner. The interview was conducted in San Francisco in the early 1980s. In the interview Harry describes his early life in Russia and in the Russian army, his immigration to Canada and early life here.

Custodial History

The original cassette tapes are in the possession of Jill Culiner, the granddaughter of Harry and niece of Mike. Jill is the daughter of Jack Culiner. She digitized the cassette tape and brought the digitial file into us.

Administrative History

Harry was born around 1885 in Privitnoye (Russia). Around 1904 he went into the Russian army and soon after immigrated to Ontario. He initially worked on the railway in South Porcupine and Cochrane. Around 1918 he moved to St. Catharines and eventually moved from there to the Junction area of Toronto. He opened a menswear shop at 2996 Dundas Street West and lived above the shop. He married Milder Culiner and they had four children together: Alex (b. 1911), Jack (or John) (1913-2013), Norman (b. around 1915), and Mike (b. around 1917). Harry passed away in 1985 or 1986.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Name Access

Culiner, Harry

Places

Russia

South Porcupine, Ont.

Cochrane, Ont.

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

• 

Accession Number

2014-12-2

Material Format

moving images

Physical Description

1 film reel (ca. 22 min.) : 16mm

1 videocassette

Date

[ca. 1980]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of one film reel and one videocassette copy of the JIAS film entitled "We Are Our Brother's Keeper".

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-3-2

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

ca. 100 photographs

1 folder of textual records

Date

1920-1980

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs of the Hersch family, a screenplay by Phillip Hersch, school certificates from Landsdowne School, Canadian naturalization certificates, thank you notes, a New Year's greeting card, and a Polish passport. Included are photographs of weddings, Europe vacations, class photos, houses in Toronto, bar mitzvah, Niagara falls, Channukah, Farms, studio sets, the beach, and snow scenes.

Custodial History

The records were in the possession of Norman Hersch until his death in the mid-1980s, at which point the donor took possession of the records and stored them until donating them to the OJA in March 2015.

Administrative History

Norman Hersch was a special effects technician for the CBC from the early 1950s until his retirement in the mid-1980s. He was married to a French woman from Western Canada named Margaret. He is buried in the Mount Albert area with his wife. He served in the Canadian military during the Second World War and graduated from Central Technical School upon his return. In later years, he started P & M Display in Yorkville. Norman's older brother Phillip was a screenwriter in Toronto. He wrote the CBC series Wojek. Their mother Lily (Polish) volunteered at Mount Sinai Hospital. Their father Alexander (Romanian) worked in stainless steel manufacturing. They lived around Cecil Street. Doug Wardle was a friend and colleague of Hersch's at CBC in the Special Effects Department.

Subjects

Bar mitzvah

Immigrants--Canada

Families

Name Access

Hersch, Norman

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-2-4

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

[ca. 1960]-1999

Scope and Content

Accession consists of Jewish cookbooks from South Africa and Zimbabwe that were collected and used by Denise Rootenberg and her mother Celia. Included are the following cookbooks: "The Traditional Sephardi recipe book" (cookbook by the Sephardic community in Zimbabwe), "Cooking With Confidence" (South African), "Cavalcade Golden Jubilee" (Zimbabwe), and "The Ambuya Nompi Smith Cookbook". Accession also includes two letters written to Denise from her mother-in-law shortly after her immigration to Canada in 1989. One letter includes a recipe.

Administrative History

Denise Rootenberg was born in 1958 in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) to Celia (nee Hofstein) and Harold Sydney Abrahamson. Her parents had both grown up in South Africa but moved to Rhodesia soon after they married. Harold was a pharmacist and Celia taught commercial subjects at a technical college. Denise moved to Cape Town to go the University of Cape Town. She married Lanny Rootenberg in 1981 and they had one son, Mark, born in 1988. Denise and Lanny moved to Toronto in 1989. Lanny's brother was already living here. They struggled initially, but Lanny eventually found work in customer relations management at Price Waterhouse and Denise initially found secretarial work. Denise eventually became an editorial assistant for the Financial Post. She currently does freelance writing for the web.

Subjects

Community cookbooks

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Rootenberg, Denise

Places

Zimbabwe

Cape Town

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-3-3

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

34 photographs (tiff)

Date

[between 1914 and 1916?], 1986-1998

Scope and Content

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

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

Administrative History

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

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

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Families

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Levine, Mark

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-2-5

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

2 folders of textual records

10 photographs

21 photographs (tiff)

Date

1957-2015, predominant 1987-2015

Scope and Content

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

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Families

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Baskind, Colin

Places

Johannesburg

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2015-3-8

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

18 photographs : tiff

Date

1969, 1974-2014

Scope and Content

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

Administrative History

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

Subjects

Families

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Cohen, John

Places

Johannesburg, South Africa

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2015-5-1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

6 cm of textual records

1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 9 cm

Date

1947-1991

Scope and Content

Accession primarily consists of records related to the immigration of Victor and Bayla Lejzerson from a DP camp in US-controlled West Germany. This includes a large block of correspondence between Victor and his cousins in Toronto, Deborah (Lejzersohn) and David Breslove who helped facilitate their immigration and work placement on a farm in Stouffville and in the garment trade. Also included are materials related to Max and Ethel Siegerman's community involvement including a Toronto Joint Board Cloakmakers Union Golden Jubilee book (1961), a Shaarei Shomayim graduation program (1958), two Adath Sholom Synagogue anniversary books (1986, 1991) and a photograph of Norman and Hinda (Richards) Tobias.

Administrative History

Celia Denov is the dauther of Max (1898-1995) and Ethel (Breslove) Siegerman (1891-1966). Max was a union leader and one of the founders of the Minsker Farband. The Minsker Farband was originally located on Cecil Street until it became the Adath Sholom Synagogue and moved north to Sheppard Ave, eventually merging with Beth Tikvah. Ethel's brother was David Breslove, a teacher, author and founder of the Toronto Jewish Historical Society. He was married to Deborah Lejzersohn and had one son. Hinda Richards was a member of the Breslove family and married her music teacher, Norman Tobias. Both were killed in a car accident in 1973. Victor and Bayla Lejerson were married in the DP camp. Both were successful in immigrating to Canada with the help of David and Deborah Breslove.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)

Refugees

Name Access

Breslove, David

Breslove, Deborah

Siegerman, Max, 1898-1995

Siegerman, Ethel, 1891-1966

Lejerson, Victor

Lejerson, Bayla

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-5-2

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record

Physical Description

98 photographs (tiff)

1 folder of textual records

Date

1932-2014, predominant 1947-1978

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the personal and professional activities of Percy Skuy. Photographs include: family portraits, school photographs, images of Percy as an apprentice pharmacist, images of Habonim camp in Vryheid, images of Frances as a child in Sudbury, images of Percy and Frances's honeymoon, images of Percy with his family in Toronto, images of trips back to South Africa, photos from the cottage, images of Percy receiving awards, and street scenes of Kensington Market (1978).

Also included is Percy's memoir entitled "My Story Unfolds", articles written by Percy for the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, and a book written by Percy entitled "Tales of Contraception."

Administrative History

Percy Skuy was born in Vryheid, South Africa on February 17, 1932 to Benjamin and Chana (nee Cilevitz) Skuy. Percy is the middle of three children. His siblings are Max (b. 1929) and Rita (b. 1942). At seventeen, Percy began his apprenticeship and education to be a pharmacist. After qualifying as a pharmacist in 1954, he worked for a year at a pharmacy near Johannesburg before starting his travels through Europe, Australia and the United States. He had planned to return to South Africa, however, he did not have enough money for the fare back. Although he did not originally intend to visit Canada, he headed to Toronto to find a job so he could earn money for the passage home. He eventually secured a job with Glaxo Pharmaceuticals as a Medical Sales Representative and decided to stay. In 1959 he completed his requirements to become a liscenced pharmacist in Ontario and was the first South African pharmacist registered in Ontario.

Percy met Frances Goodman in 1960 on a blind date and they married that same year. Frances was a nurse from Sudbury. They had two children together: Beth (b. 1961) and David (b. 1963).

In 1961, Percy began his thirty-four-year long career with the Johnson and Johnson Corporation. He had a variety of roles within the company and was president for twenty-two years with two Johnson & Johnson affiliate companies, namely Ortho Pharmaceutical (Canada) Ltd and Ortho-McNeil Inc. Percy is also the founder of the only museum devoted exclusively to the history of contraception located at the Dittrick Medical History Centre in Cleveland, Ohio.

Throughout his career, Percy has been appointed to a number of government and research councils including: the Premier's Council of Ontario, the Federal National Advisory Council on Pharmaceutical Research, and the Board of Governors of the Riverdale Hospital. In September 1995, Percy was inducted as a Candian Pioneer in Family Planning. He has also been an active member of the Rokeah Chapter of the Rho Pi Phi fraternity.

in 1977, Frances passed away. Percy eventually re-married to Elsa Ruth Snider on December 16, 1979.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Skuy, Percy, 1932-

Places

Vryheid, South Africa

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-6-3

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record

Physical Description

8 cm of textual records

140 photographs : tiff

Date

[194-?]-2015

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the activities of Ivor Simmons. Included is personal correspondence and photographs of Ivor's early life in South Africa and his family life and activities in Toronto. Of note are family portraits, Bialik Hebrew Day School class photos, Holy Blossom Temple Religious school images, images of the Toronto Island Yacht Club, images of Camp New Moon, Camp Ahmek, and Camp Walden, an image at Crystal Beach, and images of Ivor and his family visiting South Africa. Identified in the photographs are: Ivor Simmons, Milly Simmons, Jack Simmons, Renee Simmons, Gail Simmons, Alan Simmons, Eric Simmons, Anthony Giffard, Theo Wardaugh, Ruth Gold, Marlene Goldbach, Vicki Feraris, and Kim Bresge.

Administrative History

Ivor Simmons was born in Bloemfontein, South Africa in 1937 to Milly and Jack Simmons. He has two younger brothers: Michael (B. 1941) and David (b. 1945). Ivor's father owned a printing business. Ivor studied chemical engineering at the University of Capetown and found work at a petroleum refinery near Johannesburg soon after graduating. Around 1961, Ivor moved to London, England where he worked for the Lummus Company. He moved to Canada in 1963 and settled in Toronto. He worked for Union Carbide for a few years conducting industrial market research and then took a job performing the same work for Falconbridge Nickelmines. Around 1970, he opened his own business called A&A Liquid Waste Removal Company.

Ivor married Renee Rothman in 1966. Together they had three children: Alan, Eric, and Gail. Ivor sold his business in 1997. In his retirement, Ivor has volunteered with a variety of organizations including, animal and bird rehabilitations centres, Friends of Cedarvale, the Escarpment Biosphere Conservancy, and Trinity College (assisting with its annual book fair). Ivor is a member of Adath Israel Synagogue and was a member of B'nai Brith for many years.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Simmons, Ivor, 1937-

Places

Bloemfontein, South Africa

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2015-4-2

Material Format

textual record

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

14 photographs : tiff

Date

1961-[2014?]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the activities of Max Skuy. Included are photocopies of short stories and poems written by Max and photographs of Max and Glenda's wedding, portraits of Max and his family, Max at the closing of the synagogue in Vryheid, and the window displays at Max's pharmacy in South Africa.

Administrative History

Max Skuy was born in Karsava, Latvia in 1929 to Benjamin and Chana (nee Cilevitz) Skuy. In 1930, Max and his mother immigrated to Vryheid, South Africa. They joined Max's father who was already living there. Max is the oldest of three children. His siblings are Percy (b. 1932) and Rita (b. 1942). Max married Glenda Silverstone in 1961. They had three children together. Max owned his own pharmacy in Durban called Check Pharmacy.

Max and Glenda immigrated to Toronto soon after Max's mother passed away in 1985. Max's children and brother Percy had already immigrated here. Max found work managing a furniture store in Richmond Hill. He is a member of a short story club and regularly submits stories and poems to the SAJAC News for publication.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Skuy, Max, 1929-

Places

Vryheid, South Africa

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-6-2

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

39 photographs (tiff)

Date

1923, [1950?]-[2011?]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs documenting Martin Charney and his family. Included are portraits of Martin as a child and young man, wedding photographs of Martin's grandparents in Johannesburg (1923), images of Martin's bar mitzvah and weddings, photographs of Matin's family in London en route to Montreal, images of Martin and his family in Montreal, images of Camp Timberlands (New York), images of the Anglo-African Glass Company, images of Martin with his family in South Africa and images of Martin's family at weddings and bar mitzvah's in Toronto. Of note is an image from the dedication of Chabad Lubavitch in Thornill (2011). Identified in the images are: Martin Charney, Jack Frenkel, Doris Levinstein, Max Charney, Leah Charney, Candy Charney, Rabbi Gansberg, and Norman Charney.

Administrative History

Martin was born in Johannesburg in 1947 to Max and Joan Lena (née Frenkel) Charney. He has a younger brother, Norman. Max owned a glass manufacturing business called Anglo-African Glass. In 1963, the family left South Africa and immigrated to Montreal, Canada. They left South Africa because Max anticipated a future of political uncertainty. The family remained in Montreal for 7 years, before returning to South Africa in 1970. During this time, Martin graduated from high school and attended Sir George Williams University (now Concordia) where he studied for a 4 year Bachelor of Commerce Degree. Max built three office buildings in Sherbrooke, Kingston and Valleyfield and had six One Hour Martinizing laudromats. Joan was a Home Maker - never having done domestic work before.

Soon after returning to South Africa in 1970, Martin married Yaffa (née Franco). They had one daughter, Candyce Jasmine. They divorced in 1980. In 1982 Martin married his second wife, Basia (nee Sztrom). They had four children together: Candy, Leah, Avi Jack and Mirelle Feiga. All 5 children were born in Johannesburg. Martin worked as a real estate broker in South Africa and as a finance resource consultant concentrating on factoring accounts receivable in Toronto.

Due to the worsening violence in South Africa, Martin immigrated to Thornhill with his family in 1999. Martin and Basia divorced soon after immigrating here and Martin eventually re-married to a Canadian Judy Rosenberg. Martin continued in the same line of work once he arrived in Canada; however, he had to build his business back up again from scratch. Martin volunteers with a variety of organizations, including: Circle of Care, Tomchei Shabbos, HOD (Hebrew Order of David - Lodge Ramon) and Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel. He is a member of Chabad Lubavitch at 770 Chabad Gate in Thornhill.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Charney, Martin, 1947-

Places

Johannesburg, South Africa

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-2

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 8 cm of textual records and other material

Date

[ca. 1938]-[ca. 2009]

Scope and Content

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

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

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

Descriptive Notes

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

Related material note: oral history #419.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Families

Occupations

Societies

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Silberg, Hilton

Silberg, Shirley

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-10-6

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

2 photographs (tiff) : b&w

Date

1897-1960, 1993

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the activities of Eli Bloch. Included are photocopies of correspondence, newsclippings, Eli's Canadian certificate of naturalization, travel documents, South African licenses, and a genealogical family tree for the Bloch family. Also included are two photographs of Eli in his later years.

Custodial History

The original records are in the possession of Gerry Bloch, the grandson of Eli Bloch. Gerry is the son of Eli's son Norman.

Administrative History

Eli (Elias) Bloch was born in 1872 to Nokhum Tevel Rabinovitch in Kishinev Moldava. He had four siblings: Golda, Joseph, Samuel and Bertha. In the 1890s Eli and his siblings (with the exception of Golda) immigrated to South Africa. Bertha married Theodore Dissler (an importer/exporter). During the Boer War, Eli and his brother Joseph fought with the Dutch. After the war, Dissler employed Eli in his business. In 1907, Dissler sent Eli to sell ostrich feathers in various cities around the world, including: London (England), Montreal and Toronto. While in Toronto, Eli attended the First Roumanian Hebrew Congregation Adath Israel where he met his future wife Leah Madonik and chose to remain in Ontario, without completing his task of selling ostrich feathers in the remaining cities on his itinerary. He married Leah in 1909. From about 1911 until 1922, Eli and Leah lived in Gravenhurst and ran a general store on the main street. They had four children together: Harry (1912-1945), Rose (1914-1994), Rachel (Rae) (1916-2000), and Norman (1916-1989). Rachel and Norman were twins.

In 1922, Elias and Leah moved to Mactier and opened a general store. By 1926, Leah and the children were living in London, ON and Elias continued to operate the general store. He saw the family regularly. Around 1935, Elias left Mactier. He remained in London until he moved to Toronto in 1942. Elias passed away in Toronto in 1960.

Descriptive Notes

Language note: English, Yiddish, and Russian

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Families

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2015-11-12

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

60 cm of textual records

ca. 30 photographs

Date

1963-2014

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the career of Peter Held. Included is correspondence, letters of congratulations, event dinner menus, event programs, articles and writings by Held, annual reports, newsletters, reports, newspaper clippings and photographs. The material was originally organized into a series of binders. Original order of the material has been maintained.

Administrative History

Peter E. Held was born in Cape Town, South Africa in Dec. 1937 to Herbert and Hilde Held, Jewish immigrants from Germany. Following Hilde’s death, Herbert moved in with his own mother and stepfather who had also immigrated to South Africa. Speaking only German, Peter grew up trilingual, acquiring German fluency at home and speaking English and Afrikaans at school.

In 1960, after completing his education at the University of Witwatersrand, and five years of clerkship, in Johannesburg, S.A., Held passed the S.A. Public Accountants and Auditors Board Examination. As a newly minted Chartered Accountant, he worked for six months in London, England before arriving in Canada in 1961 as a tourist, intending to stay six months, work his way across North America then head for Australia.

With $24 in his pocket, Held arrived in Quebec and made his way to Toronto where he found work with Dunwoody & Company (now BDO Canada). He quickly proved himself, becoming a partner at the age of 26 years, one of the youngest ever at the firm. He became Toronto Region Managing Partner from 1981 to 1996, and Chief Executive Officer of BDO Dunwoody, where he was responsible for the overall management and leadership of the firm from 1997 to 2001. An employee at BDO Dunwoody for forty years, Held is recognized for his exemplary leadership as he guided it through a period of unprecedented growth and prosperity.

Held was Chairman of the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants from 1991-2. He was first vice-chairman, second vice-president, a member of the board of governors, and a participant on various committees for the Canadian Institute. He was also president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario in 1986-87, first and second vice-presidents, and served on various committees for the Ontario Institute. The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario awarded Held a Fellowship (F.C.A.) in 1976, Life Membership in 1987, and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ontario Award of Outstanding Merit in 1993, usually awarded to only one individual per year. Held travelled in Canada and abroad on behalf of the Canadian Institute and profession, speaking at various conferences.

Held was also Canada's representative of the International Federation of Accountants from 1995-7 and president of the Toronto Chartered Accountants Association in 1974. He was a Board or Committee member at several other organizations, some are: Ontario Chamber of Commerce, North York General Hospital, University of Waterloo, Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Club, YMCA, Donalda Club, the Royal Canadian Military Institute, and United Way.

Following training in mediation and conflict resolution, Held worked as a mediator and arbitrator at ADR Chambers, conducting mediations dealing with a variety of commercial disputes. He also mediated on professional negligence issues.

Held is married to Gyneth (nee Gordon) from South Africa, a Speech-Language Pathologist in private practice. They have two adult children, Heather (married to Gill) and Michael (married to Krista), and several grandchildren.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Language note: English and German.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-1-5

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 10 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1957-2015, predominant 1974-2015

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting Claude Heimann's immigration to Canada, career, involvement with Temple Har Zion and family life. Included are photographs, correspondence, newsletters and journals, writings and presentations by Heimann, certificates, newspaper clippings, event and conference programs, and business cards. Also included are documents with the text used for Totum Research's website.

Administrative History

Claude Heimann was born on 21 March 1944 in Johannesburg, South Africa to Wilhelm (Bill) Otto Heimann and Lotte Heimann (nee Rosenberg). He received a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Witwatersrand in 1966. In 1969, he married Adele Masail at the Pine Street Synagogue in Johannesburg. They lived in Windsor Park, Johannesburg and had two children together: Nicole Heidi (now married to Marshall Starkman) and Marc Steven.

Claude initially worked for Market Research Africa interviewing farm workers across the country. In 1971 he joined Reader's Digest in South Africa as a Research Director. Believing there would not be a peaceful solution to apartheid, Claude had decided at a young age that he would evenutally leave South Africa. He hoped that Reader's Digest was a company that might be able to transfer him to work in another country. Ten years later, in 1981, an opportunity came up with the Canadian edition of Reader's Digest in a similar role. Claude accepted the position and immigrated with his family to Toronto in May 1981. For their first few months they lived at Glengrove Manor on Yonge Street between Lawrence and Eglinton. In July, they moved into their home in Thornhill. Adele initially stayed home with the family, but eventually worked as a bookkeeper for a variety of different businesses.

Claude left Reader's Digest in 1990 to become a partner in Totum Research. Throughout his career, Claude has served on the Research Committee of PMB and has been a member of the Board of Directors of CARF for whom he served as Technical Director. He has also served on a number of other media research related committees, including the Technical Committee of AMPS and the Magazines Canada Research Committee. Claude was also active on the Board of Temple Har Zion, holding a variety of positions, including: regular Board member, vice president for worship, vice president, treasurer, president and past president for two years on the Executive. He also reported Board decisions for the THZ monthly bulletin.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: includes 2.3 MB of textual records, 6 photographs, 17 slides, and 26.3 MB of photographs.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Occupations

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Synagogues

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2015-12-7

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 10 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1986, 1991-2015

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the personal and professional activities of Janice Benatar. Personal records include a family tree, speeches Janice delivered at the Lipa Lippers Toastmaster's Group meetings, a Sephardic cookbook, immigration papers, and a Sharon School Reunion invitation for alumni living in Toronto. Also included are photographs of Janice with her family, performing in a ballet production with the Academy of Ballet and Jazz, with her newborn son, at her son's bar mitzvah at Chabad Flamingo, and with the keys to her first home in Thornhill. Also identified in photographs are: Elan Levitan, Viviane Benatar, Michael Benatar, Claudia Benatar, Rachel Pasternak, and Samuel Pasternak.

Also included are speeches, invitations, event programs, and video recordings of Book Of Life events as well as a bookmark that was designed by artist Enya Keshet for Book of Life honourees. Finally, accession also includes Professional Advisory Committee meeting minutes (2009-2015) and breakfast seminar presentations (2014-2015).

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: includes 7 photographs, 4 DVDs, 200 KB of textual records, and 1 bookmark.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Nonprofit organizations

Philanthropy and fundraising

Women

Name Access

Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-12-5

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

4 folders of textual records

ca. 94 photographs : b&w and col. (44 tiff.) ; 20 x 25 cm or smaller

1 plaque

Date

1936-1990, predominant 1951-1990

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the activities of Ronnie Roth. Included are textual and graphic materials relating to Ronnie's personal life and career such as, photographs of family milestones and events; Ronnie's youth and early adulthood in South Africa, his involvement with Betar; and time as a paratrooper with the Israeli Army; Ronnie and Sandra's wedding; travel; Ronnie's insurance broker license graduation; and condolence letters sent to the Roth family after his passing. Also included are records documenting Ronnie's communal involvement, particularly his involvement with B'nai Brith Raoul Wallenberg - Yorkdale Circle Lodge, Antibes-Torresdale Ratepayers Association, and Forest Hill Ratepayers Association . B'nai Brith material includes photographs of Ronnie's participation in B'nai Brith Canada's 1986 Mission to Israel; photographs of events honouring Ronnie and his work; and an issue of The Orbit that eulogizes Ronnie. Finally, the accession consists of a business card for Ronnie's film and video entertainment company in South Africa and a Prime Minister's Certificate of Appreciation from the Conservative Party of Canada.

Identified in the photographs are: Ronnie Roth, Sandra Roth, Chantal [Roth], Gavin Roth, Elana [Roth], Morris Flicht, Frank Dimant, Ralph Snow, Prime Minister Yitzchak Shamir, Harry Bick, Sam Pacht, Merv Rosenstein, Ralph Cohen, [?] Steinmetz, Colin Baskind, Dr. Meister, Esther Shiner, Peter Roth, Paul Roth, and Annie Guttman.

Custodial History

Material was in possession of Sandra Roth, Ronnie's wife. Sandra donated it to the OJA.

Administrative History

Ronnie Roth was born on December 24, 1938 to Mr. Dezso (Desmond) and Mrs. Erzsi (Elizabeth) Abraham of Johannesburg, South Africa. Throughout his youth, Ronnie was active in a variety of Zionist groups including: the Zionist Youth Movement of South Africa, Betar, the Zionist Revisionist Organization and the South African Zionist Federation. In his late teens, Ronnie went on Na[c]hal Tzonei-ach and joined the Tzanchanim, the elite paratrooper corps of the Israeli Army. Ronnie served in the military for three years. His time in Israel also included work on a kibbutz.

By the age of 25, Ronnie had returned to South Africa and was a director of the Tollman Group of hotels and manager of the famous Johannesburg restaurant, The Colony. Ronnie married Sandra Benn from Port Elizabeth, SA, in August 1964. Sandra was a singer, dancer and entertainer. After their marriage, they settled in Johannesburg where Ronnie continued to work as an hotelier. Their first daughter, Chantal, was born in 1966 followed by Gavin in 1969 and Elana in 1973. During this period, Ronnie’s community involvement grew as he became Executive Director of Tel Hai in 1968 and served in this role until 1970. He then joined the Jewish United Communal Fund and ran their fundraising campaign.

The Roth’s were unhappy with South Africa’s apartheid politics and were eager to emigrate. Ronnie sought employment opportunity abroad and was offered employment as a fundraiser for UJA Federation in Toronto in 1975. Ronnie accepted the position and immigrated to Toronto in 1976. Sandra followed him with their children a few months later. When he completed his UJA assignment, he became an insurance broker. After a year, he founded KRG Insurance Brokers with two partners in 1980.

Upon arriving in Canada, Ronnie became interested in immigration issues and co-founded the South African Jewish Association in Canada (SAJAC) to help other South Africans with immigration and adjustment to Canadian life. He was the organization’s first president from 1976 to 1981 and again from 1986 to 1987. Ronnie’s involvement in assisting newcomers extended to his roles as Member of the Board of Directors and Member of the Integration Committee of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society as well as Chairman of the Sherut Shalom Employment & Integration Assistance to African Jews.

Ronnie was also active in B’nai Brith Canada. He joined the Yorkdale Lodge in 1983 and went on to serve as both vice-president and president. During his tenure as president, he played a critical role in the integration of the Yorkdale and Circle Lodges into the unified Raoul Wallenberg Lodge. He also served in various positions at the National level with B’nai Brith Canada, including as National Chairman of the Israel Cabinet, Co-Chairman of the Fundraising Committee and a member of the National Executive and Board of Governors. In 1986, the National Leadership awarded him with the B’nai Brith Canada Achievement Award. In the same year, he and his wife and fellow lodge member Sandra (the lodge’s first female full member) were honoured recipients of the Israel Bonds Negev Award.

Ronnie also held important roles in the community at-large as president of the Antibes-Torresdale Ratepayers Association and Forest Hill Ratepayers Association; president and founder of the Rockford Community Summer Day Camp; Member of the City of North York Condominium Committee; Member of the Board of Directors of Baycrest’s Men’s Service Group; and Member of the Board of Directors of Bank Leumi (Canada).

Ronnie passed away on October 14, 1989 at the age of 50 years.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Societies

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2016-3-26

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

4 folders of textual records

ca. 10 photographs : col. ; 22 x 28 cm or smaller

Date

1980-2016, predominant 1982-1994

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Herman family's immigration to Ontario, family life in Thornhill, education, communal involvement in Hamilton, and their business endeavours with the Firwin Corporation and Simply Extraordinary. Included are photographs; a family history that was written in commemoration of Paul and Miriam's fiftieth wedding anniversary; a selection of annual family newsletters that detail their life in Canada; correspondence documenting Paul's involvement with Temple Anshe Sholom in Hamilton, Ontario; their childrens' school certificates, secondary school diplomas, and post-secondary convocation programs. Also included is business ephemera, such as, business cards and images documenting Simply Extraordinary corporate gift products.

Identified in the photographs are: Paul Herman, Miriam Herman, Brett Herman, and Adina Ward (nee Herman).

Administrative History

Paul Henry Herman was born on July 3, 1940 to Mr. Leslie Elkan and Mrs. Clare Herman (nee Emdon) of Dunkeld West, Johannesburg, South Africa. Paul is the eldest of five siblings. During his youth, Paul was involved in his synagogue and youth groups as well as the Boy Scouts. He attended Stellenbosch Afrikaans University where he earned a business degree and became fluent in Afrikaans. After university, he joined the family uniform business, H. J. Henochsberg, and was sent to England in 1962 for further clothing industry training.

Paul married Miriam Riva Herman from Wynberg, Cape Town, SA on February 6th, 1965. Miriam worked as a social worker at the Johannesburg General Hospital. Their first son, Stanley, was born in 1966 followed by Rael in 1968, Brett in 1970 and Adina in 1974.

The Herman’s were motivated to emigrate out of a desire to prevent their son from having to enlist in the South Africa army [and thereby become involved in military efforts that they did not support]. After the family business was sold, Paul worked as a quality manager at Edgars Stores while periodically travelling abroad with Miriam to seek out emigration opportunities.

The Herman family came to Canada in 1982 and settled in Thornhill, Ontario. Upon arriving in Ontario, Paul found work at a uniform manufacturer (Saint Hill Levine Uniforms) then at Lady Manhattan and Sunshine T-Shirts. In 1989, Paul and Miriam purchased Firwin Corporation, a high temperature insulation manufacturing company. During the family’s early years in Canada, Miriam started a corporate gift business called Simply Extraordinary.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Families

Occupations

Societies

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-3-60

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

ca. 5 cm of textual records

2 photographs : col. & b&w ; 10 x 15 cm and 5 x 4 cm

Date

1972-2010, predominant 1977-1983

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the Robinson family's immigration to Ontario and Morris Robinson's professional history and business activities with Libman and Company.

Included are family correspondence, the Robinsons' customs paperwork and travel documents, Morris' curriculum vitae, professional records and some documentation of his business activities, and genealogical accounts of the Robinson family (including a history by Lilian Henry). Of note is a letter Morris Robinson sent to Irma when he first arrived in Boston on his way to Toronto and letters Morris' parents hand delivered to Irma just before she left with the children to join Morris in Canada.

Identified in the photographs are: Morris Robinson and Phoebe Robinson.

Custodial History

Material was in possession of Morris Robinson. Morris donated it to the OJA.

Administrative History

Morris Robinson was born in Cape Town, South Africa, on 27 May 1948 and grew up in Benoni. He completed his bachelor of commerce degree at the University of Witwatersrand and graduated as a chartered accountant in 1973. On 25 February 1973, Morris married Irma Startz, who was born in Benoni, South Africa, on 10 December 1951. Irma earned a bachelor of arts degree at the University of Witwatersrand and went on to obtain a post-graduate higher teacher's diploma. The Robinsons have three sons. Their first son, Marc, was born in South Africa on 26 September 1976 (just a few months after the Soweto riots). Their sons Frank (b. 31 December 1980) and Daniel (b. 12 March 1985) were born in Toronto.

The Robinsons were motivated by political unrest, which manifested in the anti-apartheid Soweto uprising of June 1976, and the desire for a safe future for their family, to seek opportunity abroad and to emigrate. In February 1977, Morris heard through friends about an accounting job opportunity in Canada and was officially appointed to the post of comptroller at Libman and Company, then Canadas’ largest jewellery manufacturer. The Robinsons arrived in Toronto in early 1978 and settled in Thornhill, Ontario. In 1989, Morris became a partner of Libman and Company. During his career in the jewellery industry, Morris was involved with the Canadian Jewellers Association and served as the organization's chair. He was also a founding member and first treasurer of the Diamond Bourse of Canada. Irma pursued a teaching career with the Toronto District School Board, specializing in ESL and eventually becoming the principal at an ESL school for adults. The Robinsons were founding members of Shaar Shalom Synagogue. In 2012, the Robinsons sold the family home in Thornhill and moved into the city to be closer to their children and grandchildren.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Availability of other formats: Textual records available as PDF files and photographs available as JPEG files.

Subjects

Business

Immigrants--Canada

Families

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2016-2-4

Material Format

textual record

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

33.2 MB of textual records

Date

1969-2002

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual records documenting the history and professional activities of Cyril "Cy" Charney and his family. Included is an autobiographical family history entitled "My Story" and a variety of documents that trace Cy's career, including promotional materials from university courses that he taught, a curriculum vitae, copies of his university diplomas, management-related lecture programs, various certificates of achievement, and newspaper clippings.

Custodial History

Material was in possession of Cy Charney. Cy donated it to the OJA.

Administrative History

Cyril "Cy" Charney was was born on 21 November 1944 in Johannesburg, South Africa to Daniel and Dora Charney. His parents emigrated from Lithuania to South Africa before the Second World War. Cy's family moved to Bulawayo in 1950, where his father founded the Anglo African Glass company. The family was involved with the community and were members of the Weitzman Country Club. Cy’s family moved back to Johannesburg after the sudden passing of his father in November of 1954.

Throughout his youth, Cy was involved in South African Zionist organizations. During his early years and into young adulthood, he was part of Habonim, the Zionist-socialist movement. He then went on to join the Hebrew Order of David.

Cy married Rhona on 26 March 1967. Shortly after the Six-Day War, the couple went to make aliyah in Israel. They relocated to Kibbutz Givat Chaim Bet, close to Hadera, some fifty kilometres north of Tel Aviv. Their stay lasted six months, after which they returned to South Africa, where Cy worked in insurance. The Charneys had three chlidren who were all born in South Africa: Daneal (b. 6 February 1961), Thalia (b. 9 July 1970), and Davin (b. 28 May 1972). The Charneys have two granddaughters, Yael and Limona.

As the political situation in SA began to deteriorate in 1976, the Charneys decided to immigrate to Canada. Cy first arrived in London, Ontario, upon arrival to Canada and then chose to settle in Toronto in mid-1980. Rhona and the children arrived three months later, and, in the meantime, Cy had found work with Loblaws. After a year, Cy sought different work opportunities with the Thorne, Stevenson, and Kellogg management consulting group. He then went on to start his own consulting business. Rhona has a master's degree in social work and has pursued her profession.

The Charneys have been part of Temple Kol Ami since 1993.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Availability of other formats: "My Story" available as a PDF file.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Families

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Places

Canada

South Africa

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-5-8

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

1 photograph : col. ; 20 x 25 cm

Date

1982-1990, 2015

Scope and Content

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

Custodial History

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Societies

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Synagogues

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-6-10

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

12 photographs : b&w and col.

Date

[1969?], 1994-2004

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the activities of Paul and Chips Klein. Included are photographs, newspaper clippings and a report created by Chipco Canada Inc. regarding visits to a steel factory in Russia. Of note, is a page from a program book relating to the spanish dancing career of Chips (Chiquita) in South Africa.

Administrative History

Colleen (Chips) Klein was born in Johannesberg, South Africa in 1947 to Thea and Abe Abramson. Under the stage name of Chiquita Albeniz, Chips was a spanish dancer with the Mercedes Molina Spanish Dance Theatre in South Africa. She met her husband, Paul Klein, while she was on vacation in Margate, South Africa.

Paul was born in Johannesburg on October 1, 1945 to Dorothea Klein (nee Erlanger, born in Frankfurt Germany) and Horst Klein (born in Berlin, Germany). Paul received a BSc in Metalurgical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand BSc and an MBA at the University of South Africa. He found work in the field of Metalurgical Engineering.

Chips and Paul married in 1969 and had two children together: Lazar and Talia. The family immigrated to Guelph, ON in 1975. They were largely motivated to emigrate because they wanted to raise their children in a country without apartheid. Paul worked in engineering sales. Chips turned her focus to entrepreneurship. She designed and developed the Eye Maker line of mirrors. She also founded a business consultant company in 1982 called Chipco Canada Inc. One of her clients was the Women Inventors Project, which was founded in 1986 to support inventive, innovative and scientific projects. Chips has also delivered workshops and seminars to a variety of organizations. She has won numerous awards, including the South African Women for Women's Entrepreneurial Role Model award in 1998.

Around 1980, the parents of both Paul and Chips followed them to Ontario. Paul and Chips moved to Toronto with their children in 1991. After their move, they became involved in the Chabad Lubavitch of Markham and Paul is currently pesident of the congregation. The Klein family are involved in a variety of sports, including marathon running and water skiing.

Subjects

Habad

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-7-3

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

5 photographs (jpg)

Date

1953, 2010-2011

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs taken by Jessica Parker documenting the following individuals: Ivan Zarenda, Lucille and Aubrey Groll, and Lynne and David Ginsburg. Jessica took these images after interviewing these individuals for an oral history project related to Jewish immigrants from South Africa living in Kingston, ON.

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

Related Material note: AC 431, AC 432, AC 433.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2016-4-1

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

object

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

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

1 napkin

Date

1963-2003, predominant 1975-2003

Scope and Content

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

Custodial History

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

Administrative History

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

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

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Voluntarism

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-8-8

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

18 photographs : b&w and col ; 14 x 22 cm or smaller

1 folder of textual records

Date

1937-2007

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the personal history of Cyril Shenker and family. The records include Cyril's birth certificate, marriage certificate, South African passports for Cyril, his wife Denise and his 3 daughters. Each passport has a Canadian landed immigrant status report attached, dated 1975. Also included are Certificates of Canadian Citizenship for each. In addition, there are family photographs including 4 photos of Cyril as a young child in South Africa and his children and grandchildren in Canada. Finally, accession includes a short personal history written by Cyril about his life.

Administrative History

Cyril Bernard Shenker was born in 1936 in Sea Port Cape Town to Sonia (nee Feldman) and Harry Shenker. He had two older siblings: Doreen and Lionel. Harry ran a kosher deli in Sea Port called Spotless Foods. Cyril moved to Johannesburg in 1954 and found work as an order picker at Stanley Electrical Wholesales. In 1962 he bought company shares and by 1967 he owned a controlling interest in the company. After the company was sold in 1968, Cyril started two additional businesses before leaving South Africa in 1975: SA Lighting (1969-1971) and Viceroy Hardware (1971-1974).

Cyril married Denise Weinberg in 1960. They had three daughters together: Michelle Hilary (b. 1961), Lauren Ruth (b. 1963), and Gayle Anne (b. 1968). Cyril and Denise decided to move the family to Toronto in 1975 since they did not see a future for their daughters in South Africa because of the political situation.

After working initially as a manager at a screw manufacturing plant in Milton, Cyril embarked on a series of additional business ventures in Canada. In 1977 he bought Irwin Hardware Store with two partners. In 1979, he sold his shares in the business and started Allied Agencies (an import and distribution business of household and kitchen wares) with his business partner Eric Gilbert. In 1988, they sold this business and started Port Style Enterprises in 1991 with Jackie Milner and Harvey Rachman. In 2014, Cyril sold his shares and retired.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Shenker, Cyril, 1936-

Places

South Africa

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2016-6-13

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

3 DVDs

112 photographs : col. (tif)

Date

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

Scope and Content

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

Custodial History

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

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

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

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Lurie, David, 1955-

Lurie, Lynn, 1958-

Places

South Africa

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2018-7-6

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

62 photographs : b&w and col. ; 10 x 15 cm or smaller

4 cm of textual records

Date

1920-2018

Scope and Content

Accession contains material documenting Gabriella Szanto and her family. Included are family photographs, vital records, correspondence, and a 2018 Baycrest calendar that features a portrait and short biography of Gabriella.

Custodial History

Shirley Worth served as the executor of Gabriella Szanto's estate. Following Gabriella's death, Shirley donated the records that make up the accession to the Ontario Jewish Archives.

Administrative History

Gabriella "Gabi" Szanto (née Lazlo) was born in Budapest, Hungary on 26 January 1916. Gabriella's parents, Arnold and Ilonka Lazlo (née Diamenstein), were women's clothing manufacturers who employed twenty-five people. Their skills complemented each other: Arnold had studied design in Berlin for two years while Ilonka was a dressmaker. On 18 May 1919, Arnold and Ilonka had their second child, George.

During the Second World War, Gabi and her mother moved to the outskirts of Budapest where they passed as Catholics, rarely leaving their house. Miklos Szanto—the man Gabriella married after the war—was sent to the Mauthausen concentration camp. Gabriella's brother, George, was sent to a camp in Siberia and did not survive. It is not known where or how Gabriella's father survived the war.

After the war, Gabriella, her mother and father, and her husband Miklos reunited in Budapest. The four lived in the family apartment near the city opera house.

During the period of Communist rule, Gabriella and Miklos bribed their way out of Hungary and travelled to Vienna. From Vienna, they travelled to Australia, where they lived for five or six years, working as a short order cook and a seamstress respectively.

At some point, Gabriella and Miklos made the decision to immigrate to Canada. Their first stop—most likely in the 1950s—was Montreal. There, Gabriella worked for a high-end retailer before moving with her husband to Toronto one year later. In Toronto, Miklos worked again as a short order cook at the Noshery Restaurant on Eglinton, holding this job until he retried. Gabriella, meanwhile, worked as a seamstress until she was in her mid-80s.

In their retirement, Gabriella and Miklos spent two months each winter in Florida. Gabriella died in 2018.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

LANGUAGE NOTE: English, Hungarian, German.

Subjects

Families

Holocaust survivors

Immigrants--Canada

Name Access

Szanto, Gabriella, 1916-2018

Places

Australia

Austria

Canada

Hungary

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2018-10-10

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

7 cm of graphic material and textual records

Date

1925-1980

Scope and Content

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

Administrative History

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

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

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

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

Subjects

Families

Immigrants--Canada

Married people

Name Access

Kirschner (family)

Kirschner, Gertrude

Kirschner, Maurice

Places

Germany

Ontario

Soviet Union

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-11-13

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

7 cm of textual records

Date

1993-1998

Scope and Content

Accession consists of meeting minutes of the Southern African Jewish Association of Canada (SAJAC). The earliest minutes are from 8 May 1993; the latest minutes are from 12 January 1998.

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Name Access

Southern African Jewish Association of Canada

Places

Ontario

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2017-8-14

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

multiple media

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records ca. 2cm of textual records

12 photographs : b&w and col ; 30 x 35 cm or smaller

1 scrapbook

Date

1900-1950, [196?], 1970-1995

Scope and Content

Accession consists of 12 photographs (ca. 1900-1930, 196?) of members of the Schönberger family, including family portraits, class portraits, and a group photograph of the United Cloth Hat & Cap Makers Union Local No. 41. Accession also contains a scrapbook (ca.1937-1945) kept by Walter Schoenberger consisting of ca. 90 photographs and other graphic materials (eg. cigarette cards, photographic postcards) documenting his life in Vienna, England, Quebec and Toronto. This scrapbook includes photographs of Schoenberger's internment at a Kitchener Camp in Kent, England, as well as photographs of a parade at Old City Hall in Toronto.

Accession also consists of 1 folder of textual records, including Canadian citizenship and naturalization documents, a Vienna drivers license, one postcard, wedding invitations and certificates, newspaper clippings, personal writings, and a death certificate. There are also a number of documents ca. 1939-1942 relating to Walter Schoenberger's time at the Kitchener Camp in England, including letters from the Red Cross, the American Embassy to Vienna, the American Consulate General in London, the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society, the Central Council for Jewish Refugees Agricultural Committee, and Tip Top Tailors.

Accession also includes Victory Bonds certificates (1943-1945), an issue of the Toronto Star from December 3, 1992, a Toronto Transit Commission map, a program for a "Life Begins at 65" celebration for George Burns, and a book entitled "Collective Poems - The Terrace Holocaust Survivors Group" consisting of poetry by Holocaust survivors. Also included are documents relating to the Schwab family.

Ancestor chart of Mindy Schönberger

Custodial History

Collection of Walter Schoenberger, donated by daughter Mindy Pollishuke.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Tailors

Immigrants--Canada

Labor unions

Clothing workers

Postcards

Refugee camps

Refugees

World War, 1939-1945

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

England

Austria

Germany

Source

Archival Accessions

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Part Of

Jewish Vocational Services of Toronto fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

75

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

moving images

Date

1947-2006

Physical Description

5.1 m of textual records and graphic material

1 DVD

Admin History/Bio

The Jewish Vocational Services (JVS) was established on 16 June 1947. After the Second World War thousands of survivors arrived in Canada in search of homes, education for their children and jobs. The returning servicemen, in turn, were also in need of employment. For the first two years of its existence, JVS catered exclusively to these two groups. By 1949, it had expanded its mandate to become a community-wide agency.

Max Enkin, the founder of the post-war "tailor scheme" became its first president and chairman of the board. Under this scheme, he and other members of his delegation were able to bring over 2,200 displaced persons to Canada as skilled tailors. Other members of the JVS board included Lipa Green, Sydney Harris, Dr. Albert Rose and Louis Lockshin. The executive director was Norman Stack. He served for a few years and was replaced by Milton Freidman in 1949. Freidman was a social worker who relocated to Toronto from Buffalo and spent close to 40 years in this position, retiring in 1985.

JVS's early mandate was to serve as a placement service for applicants and employers and to provide individual counselling services to its clients. Its office was situated above the original Tip Top Tailors building at 455 Spadina Avenue. It later moved its office to 152 Beverley Street and then in the 1960s to Tycos Drive. By the 1960s, JVS began to expand its services to all segments of society including newcomers, people with disabilities and from all sectors of life. The staff included social workers, psychologists, job counsellors and clerical staff.

During the 1980s, Bernie Berger became the new executive director. He served in that capacity until 1991. He was replaced by Ed Segalowitz. During this period, JVS set up a seniors' program called ATLAZ on the grounds of the Baycrest Home for the Aged. It was funded by the Bick family and was intended to create programs to keep seniors engaged. Today, this program is called the Al Green Resource Centre and provides employment, placement, training and volunteer opportunities to adults of all ages and with developmental disabilities. JVS also launched a youth program called Youthinc and a women's program.

Karen Goldenberg became executive director in 1998 and was replaced by Frank Markel in 2011 after her retirement. JVS has expanded its clientele, helping people from all backgrounds with diverse needs to identify their strengths and goals, develop skills, and achieve success in school, work and life. By 2009, it offered an expansive range of over 40 employment-related support programs and services throughout the Greater Toronto Area to thousands of unemployed and underemployed individuals and served 23,000 people. They operated out of 12 locations and have approximately 200 professionals on staff.

Kim Coulter became president and CEO in 2013.

Custodial History

The case files were located in the vault with no accession number. They were likely transferred to the OJA during the 1970s or 1980s. They were assigned accession number 2002-10/34.

The remaining records were in the possession of Amanda Batchelor of JVS, who had acquired the material from various past board and committee members for the creation of the 60th anniversary book.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting the activities, programs, finances, operation and history of the Jewish Vocational Services. Included are meeting minutes, photographs, correspondence, surveys, reports, financial statements, certificates, bulletins, newsletters, newsclippings, press releases, anniversary books, and one DVD. The fonds is arranged into the following series: 1) Formation and history; 2) Board of Directors; 3) Executive board; 4) Annual general meetings; 5) Special and general meetings; 6) Committees; 7) Career, employment and training services; 8) Disability services; 9) Immigrant and newcomer services; 10) Women in New Roles (WINR); 11) Youth services; 12) Volunteer program; 13) Studies and reports; 14) Finance; 15) Personnel; 16) Planning and operations; 17) Publications and publicity; 18) Fundraising; 19) United Way; 20) Events; 21) Conferences and workshops.

Name Access

Jewish Vocational Services of Toronto

Subjects

Charities

Immigrants--Canada

Access Restriction

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

Creator

Jewish Vocational Services of Toronto (1947-)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

2002-10/34

2008-9/6

2010-11/7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sadie Stren fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

78

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

Date

[189-]-1997

Physical Description

15 cm of textual records

176 photographs : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm or smaller

2 photographs (jpg) : b&w

Admin History/Bio

Sadie Stren (1915-2014) was born on April 19, 1915 in Detroit, Michigan. Her father and mother had come from a small town in Russia. Samuel Goldberg, her father, arrived to stay with family in Brantford, Ontario in 1910 and began working as a peddler. He moved to Detroit, Michigan in 1912 where he worked for the Ford Motor Company and later owned a confectionary store. Emma, Sadie’s mother, came from Russia to reunite with Samuel after he began living in Detroit and the couple married and started a family there.

Sadie grew up in a predominately Jewish neighbourhood in Detroit with her parents and her sister Sarah. She graduated from what is now Wayne State University and worked as a social studies teacher in Detroit for approximately 10 years, until she married at age 31. Sadie first met her husband, Maurice "Maurie" Strenkovsky (1910-1995), while visiting relatives in Brantford. By the time the two had met, Maurie was going by the last name Stren, although it is not certain when he began to do so. He served in the Second World War and corresponded with Sadie during their courtship. The two married in 1947, five years after meeting. The couple initially lived in Detroit, where their son David was born on August 28, 1948, but soon moved to Brantford, where Sadie gave birth to a daughter, Patti, on August 8, 1949. Maurie became a manufacturer of surgical dressing and continued in this profession until his retirement.

When Sadie first moved to Brantford, she joined several Jewish women’s organizations, including Hadassah. She continued to be actively involved in both Jewish and non-Jewish community organizations for the remainder of her life. She ran and taught the Beth David Sunday school in Brantford for many years, and in 1976, was honoured for her work as Sunday school supervisor by the Beth David Sisterhood. During her time in Brantford, Sadie served on the board of directors for eight different organizations, and was the president of four. She was a member of the board of directors for the Family Service Bureau and was elected president in 1966. She was also a past president of the University Women’s Club and a former board member of the YM-YWCA. Her husband was quite active in the community as well. Maurie Stren’s commitments included serving as president of B’nai B’rith Brantford from 1965-1966 and as District Governor of the Lions Club from 1963-64, among other things.

Upon moving to Toronto, Sadie became a member of the Baycrest Women’s Auxiliary and volunteered at Mount Sinai Hospital and the Aphasia Institute.

Sadie was an amateur historian who served as the Brantford Jewish community's archivist and historian for a number of years. She had been collecting sources of Brantford Jewish history in her home since at least the 1970s in order to assemble the history of Brantford's community. Sadie was also an author who wrote about the history of the Brantford community, spoke at conferences, and was a contributor to the Canadian Jewish Historical Society Journal in 1981. She passed away on December 9, 2014.

Custodial History

The records were donated by Sadie Stren in five different transfers from 1976-2006. The first accession was received as a part of the small communities project in 1976 and included only photographs. Subsequent accessions included photographs and textual documents relating to both Sadie’s family and the Brantford community. Sadie is an author and she acquired some of the materials when researching the history of the Brantford community.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of material created and collected by Sadie Stren related to the Brantford Jewish community, as both a member of the community and an author researching its history. Among the records are newspaper and article clippings, correspondence, research notes, records of the Brantford Hebrew Association, miscellaneous printed and published material, Hadassah minutes, records related to Congregation Beth David and its Hebrew school and photographs.

The Brantford Hebrew Association records include 3 ledger books which span the years between 1909 to 1952, legal documents for the Association including the original letters patent incorporating the Brantford Hebrew Association in 1911.

Notes

Some of the photographs are modern copies of older photographs.

Some early accessions contained photocopies of orginal documents that were eventually donated in later transfers. These photocopies were culled.

Many photographs were described at the item level at the time they were accessioned, but there are quite a few photographs in the fonds which have not yet been described in detail.

Name Access

Stren, Sadie, 1915-2014

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Volunteers

Related Material

For additional material related to the Brantford Jewish community see also accession #1978-11-4, accession #2009-2-5, oral history #AC91, and accession #2004-5-71.

Creator

Stren, Sadie, 1915-

Places

Brantford (Ont.)

Accession Number

1976-6-9

1977-5-6

1978-11-3

2005-11-10

2006-12-1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

9

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1925-1989

Physical Description

31.8 m of textual records

319 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller

Admin History/Bio

The Jewish Immigrant Aid Society of Canada was established in 1920 by the newly-formed Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC). A Toronto branch was established in a storefront office on Spadina Avenue, but the organization was rudimentary. As the enthusiasm that spurred the founding of CJC died out, JIAS soon faltered. Then in 1922 it was taken over and reactivated under the cooperative support of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto, B'nai B'rith, and the Council of Jewish Women. JIAS was legally incorporated on 30 August 1922. It also operated under the moniker of the Emergency Jewish Immigrant Aid Committee, and it changed its name to Jewish Immigrant Aid Services in 1954.

Charged with organizing emergency relief for European Jews in distress, JIAS became the central agency of the Jewish community to facilitate the lawful entry of Jewish immigrants into Canada, and provided them with welfare services, transportation, and assistance with accommodation and employment after their arrival. In addition, JIAS offered consultation services for sponsors of potential immigrants, ran a competitive foreign remittance service, and campaigned to counter the activities of unscrupulous steamboat agents, lawyers, and influence peddlers, or “shtadlanim,” who often victimized immigrants and sponsors alike.

In conjunction with similar efforts by the CJC, JIAS was also actively engaged in negotiating for the increased admission of Jewish immigrants to Canada. In 1923, the federal government instituted a permit-based immigration program and JIAS competed with travel agents and solicitors in the private sector for these limited quota permits. After combating the anti-immigration policies of the Depression era, the outbreak of war in 1939 virtually closed the already limited avenues for immigration.

JIAS Canada was organized into a national office in Montreal and regional offices in Winnipeg (Western Region), Toronto (Central Region), and Halifax (Eastern Region). The Central Region covered Ontario, and established a full-time head office in 1935 at 399 Spadina Avenue in Toronto (hence the Central Region was sometimes called simply the Toronto Office). The office later moved to 265 Spadina Avenue. JIAS Toronto’s board of directors met on a regular basis at different locations in Toronto, including 206 Beverley Street and in the Talmud Torah building at 9 Brunswick Avenue. The first JIAS Toronto board included notable Toronto residents such as Henry Dworkin, Mrs. Draiman, Mr. Kronick, Dr. Brodey and Mrs. Willinsky. The role of the board was to oversee the operations of the Central Region. It rendered decisions on issues relating to finances, procedures and policies, negotiations with the federal Immigration Branch, as well as individual cases that required their attention.

General meetings of the Central Region membership were held annually. The 1943 JIAS constitution states that regional annual meetings were to be held for “receiving and considering reports,” holding nominations and elections for the executive, and discussing JIAS’s program and policies.

In the post-war era, JIAS shifted its focus to renewed efforts on behalf of individual claimants and community support, while the focus for lobbying for a reversal of Canada's immigration policy fell increasingly under the jurisdiction of the CJC. A boom in immigration between 1947 and 1952 saw the arrival of large numbers of Jewish immigrants to all parts of Canada and the Toronto Office of JIAS renewed its efforts to meet the needs of this new influx. Major world events also sparked other waves of immigration from Hungary, Czechoslovakia, North Africa, and Russia, to which JIAS responded in turn. JIAS worked in conjunction with other immigrant aid societies such as HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, in the United States, to facilitate immigration to the United States, and later to Israel, where many of the immigrants and refugees coming to Canada had family and ultimately settled.

Custodial History

Custody of these records was transferred to the Ontario Jewish Archives by JIAS in 1983, as preparations were under way for the move to a new facility in North York. Much of the material was in four-cubic-foot boxes and in file cabinets.

The accession was divided into three sections: files which were at the JIAS office and had been retained in their original order; files which had been retrieved from a flood in the basement of 152 Beverley St. and consequently had been thrown into dry boxes without regard to order; files discovered in the furnace rooms at 150 and 152 Beverley St., intact but covered in coal dust. The bulk of the records were stored off-site, with dirty files being isolated from the rest.

The dust-covered materials were cleaned at an off-site location, placed in temporary boxes and transferred to the Archives and restored, as far as was possible, to their original order.

Clips were removed and replaced as appropriate with archivally acceptable ones. All materials were transferred to acid-free folders and boxes.

Scope and Content

Fonds contains the records of the Toronto Office (Central region) of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada. The fonds consists primarily of textual records: minutes, correspondence, financial records, reports, immigration files, naturalization case files, social service case files and the records of attempts to trace missing individuals. There are also photographs of special events, speakers and arriving immigrants.

The fonds represents an important resource for the study of Canadian Jewry, especially when taken in conjunction with the JIAS National Office records at the Canadian Jewish Congress National Archives in Montreal, and those of the Western Office at the Library and Archives of Canada. It documents the means by which a particular Canadian ethnic community has dealt with the problems of rescue, settlement and government relations. These records also offer insight into the relationship between the Toronto Office and the other branches of JIAS, and invite comparison with similar agencies in the United States, as well as those of other ethnic groups in Canada.

The material collected includes information about the countries of origin, transportation routes, settlement and employment patterns of Jewish immigrants to Canada in the twentieth century. The documents also touch upon important related issues such as advocacy, sponsorship, admission processes, health and social problems.

These records cover several waves of immigration following the Second World War: Holocaust survivors in the late 1940s, Sephardic (North African) and Hungarian Jews in the 1950s, Russian and Czechoslovakian Jews in the 1960s, and additional Russians in the 1970s.

The records also contain significant information for those researchers looking to conduct genealogical research into Jewish immigrants and their descendents.

The fonds has been arranged with one sous-fonds, which contains the records of the National JIAS office in Montreal. In total there are 17 series. The Toronto office (main fonds) series are: 1. Board of Directors and Executive Committee Minutes; 2. Annual meeting proceedings; 3. Reports; 4. Legal ; 5. Administration; 6. JIAS Committees; 7. External committees; 8. Financial ; 9. Arrivals; 10. Immigration case files; 11. Social service assistance case files; 12. Photographs; 13. Miscellaneous. The National Office sous-fonds is divided into the following series: 1. National executive meeting minutes; 2. National annual meeting proceedings; 3. National annual reports; 4. Publications; and Photographs.

Notes

Physical description note: Physical extent is based on fully processed records. Additional accessions are not included (see Related Material note below).

Associated material note: The CJC National Archive, in Montreal, has additional JIAS records from 1920-1989 including 275 m of textual records and graphic materials (3250 photos): collection number I0037; alpha-numeric designation MA 4. The National Archives of Canada, Manitoba branch, in Winnipeg, has Jewish Historical Society of Western Canada JIAS textual records from 1923-1950 on 18 microfilm reels: Former archival reference number MG28-V114 (no replacement listed). The originals of these records are maintained by the Jewish Historical Society of Western Canada.

Name Access

Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Nonprofit organizations

Access Restriction

Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.

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

Related Material

Other OJA records relating to JIAS may be found in the following accessions: 1979-9-5; 1988-5-2; 1991-10-5; 2006-3-11.

Creator

Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto

Accession Number

1983-8-1

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto fonds

Level

Sous-fonds

Fonds

9-1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1926-1982

Physical Description

51 cm of textual records

14 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller

Admin History/Bio

The Jewish Immigrant Aid Society of Canada was organized into a national office in Montreal and regional offices in Winnipeg (Western Region), Toronto (Central Region) and Halifax (Eastern Region). The national office was responsible for directing and managing all the affairs of the organization, including defining national and international policy; administration of regional offices; national budget; fundraising; external relations with other organizations, such as the United Jewish Relief Agencies (UJRA) and Jewish Family & Child Services (JF&CS); and publicity. It also organized the annual meeting, special events and conventions.

Membership in JIAS was open to individuals, organizations or companies who paid an annual fee. General meetings of the membership were held at least once every two years, where reports were presented and considered, nominations and elections held for national officers and the national executive committee, policies, programs and problems discussed, and decisions taken.

The National Executive Committee of JIAS was composed of the following members: national president; three vice-presidents (the presidents of the Western, Central and Eastern regions), with the addition in the 1950s of a vice-president at large; three regional treasurers, eventually reduced to one national treasurer; secretary; and twelve members comprising four representatives from each region. In 1929 the ‘executive secretary’ position was renamed ‘executive director.’ According to the 1943 constitution, the executive was required to hold meetings at least three times a year, in alternate cities. In 1954 this was amended to twice a year.

During the early stages of JIAS's operations, it had to face the difficulty of being overstretched financially, as it sought to respond to and to change the often oppressive living conditions of new immigrants and the situation of those held in federal detention centres. The organization’s principled approach to immigrant welfare won JIAS much of its early success, as it became the preferred contact for government officials who had formerly dealt with numerous independent agencies, many of which had profited from the exploitation of desperate immigrants. This situation also profited the government, however, as the responsibility for establishing the priority of applications reverted increasingly to JIAS as it had to limit its appeals by the quotas imposed by the federal government.

JIAS was one of the founding organizations responsible for the establishment of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) in 1978, which has since operated as a non-profit umbrella organization to coordinate the efforts of immigrant and refugee advocacy groups. JIAS continues to operate offices across Canada in Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Hamilton, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor and Winnipeg. The JIAS National Office moved from Montreal to Toronto in 1989, with the appointment of Susan Davis to National Director, and is now located at 4580 Dufferin St., Suite 306, Toronto, Ontario.

Scope and Content

Sous-fonds consists of National Office records retained by the Toronto JIAS office as reference copies. Records include meeting minutes, speeches and reports from annual meetings, and the published annual reports produced from the annual meetings. The sous-fonds covers the years 1926 to 1982 and is divided into the following series: 1. National Executive meeting minutes; 2. National annual meeting proceedings; 3. National annual reports; 4. Publications; and 5. Photographs.

Name Access

Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada (creator)

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Nonprofit organizations

Access Restriction

Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Samuel Posluns fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

70

Material Format

cartographic material

graphic material

textual record

Date

1925-1984

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

91 photographs : b&w ; 25 x 20 cm or smaller

1 map : 46 x 65 cm

Admin History/Bio

Samuel Posluns (1910–1994) was born in Toronto to Abraham Isaac Poslaniec (1870–1922) and Sheindel Saltzman (1872–1960). He had three brothers and three sisters: Joseph, Louis, Abe, Gertrude Miriam, Anne, and Sarah. His father, Abraham, established the family-run clothing firm Superior Cloak Company in 1916. In 1934, it was bankrupted and closed after a lengthy strike. In 1936, Samuel opened his own business, Popular Cloak Company. In 1967, the Posluns family purchased Tip Top Tailors, in partnership with entrepreneur Jimmy Kay. A year later they incorporated their new venture under the name of Dylex as a holding company for the Tip Top chain of stores.

During the Second World War, Samuel Posluns served as a member of the air force reserves. After the war, he was elected president of the United Jewish Welfare Fund in 1947. That same year, in collaboration with the Canadian Jewish Congress and the Jewish Labour Committee, Posluns helped lead the Tailor Project along with Max E. Enkin, which was aimed at helping Jewish displaced persons immigrate to Canada by securing them employment as tailors. A committed advocate for Jewish education, Posluns also served as the first president and founding chair of the Board of Jewish Education (BJE) in 1949. He remained honorary president for life and continued to attend meetings until health problems held back his participation in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Posluns was also a founding board member of the North York General Hospital.

Samuel Posluns died in Toronto in 1994.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records related to the Posluns family and their clothing business, Popular Cloak Company. The records include correspondence, financial records, periodicals and newsletters, photographs, certificates and personal identification. The fonds also includes textual documents and photos documenting Samuel Posluns' involvement in the Tailor Project.

Name Access

Bergen-Belsen (Concentration camp)

Canadian Jewish Congress

Enkin, Max E.

Jewish Labour Committee

Popular Cloak Company

Posluns, Samuel, 1910-1994

Subjects

Clothing trade

Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)

Immigrants--Canada

Access Restriction

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

Creator

Posluns, Samuel, 1910-1994

Places

Germany

Accession Number

1997-7-6

2004-5-79

Source

Archival Descriptions