Accession Number
2009-6-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-6-5
Material Format
graphic material
sound recording
moving images
textual record
object
Physical Description
187 photographs : b&w and col. ; 24 x 20 cm or smaller
20 audiocassettes
10 videocassettes
1 folder of textual records
1 object
Date
[193-]-2006
Scope and Content
Accession consists predominantly of records collected by Bess Shockett in her work with UJA Federation's Committee for Yiddish and Friends of Yiddish. The accession also contains some personal family records. The photographs document programmes of the Committee for Yiddish in the late 1980s and 1990s, including an outdoor Yiddish concert, several International Conferences of Yiddish Clubs (1995, 1998, 1999), Sunday morning Yiddish classes, and a 1993 Hanukah concert. There are also three photographs of the New Fraternal Jewish Association and its celebration of J. B. Salsberg's eightieth birthday in 1980. The videocassettes contain recordings of other events including a storytelling workshop, Purim Mystery Night, a farewell for Miriam Waddington and several Sof Vokh (weekend retreat) programmes of 1993.
The twenty cassette tapes feature panel discussions, lectures and interviews, including "Yiddish education," "Yiddish and the Media," "Yiddish and the Younger Generation," "Yiddish and the Performing Arts," and "Yiddish Language and Translation." There are several interviews with Yiddish poet Avrom Sutzkever, as well as two Toronto Yiddish concerts. Other tapes contain radio interviews with [Aaron?] Lansky; "Chava Rosenfarb--Book Fair", 1988; "Plenary reports and presentations"; and an episode of the program The Forward Hour on Peretz Miransky, an influential Polish writer in the inter-war years.
Personal records in the accession consist of family snapshots dating from the 1930s and 1940s. These were taken in Israel and include images of farming, landscapes, travel, a canal, groups of people, city buildings, and processions. These photos all have Yiddish writing on the back. There is one formal portrait, ca. 1890s, of an elderly Jewish man. As well, there is a folder of original and photocopied poetry (in Yiddish) written by a Jack Shockett.
Accession also includes a Yiddish typewriter, in case, that Bess used in the late 1960s/early 1970s when the Committee for Yiddish was under Congress.
Custodial History
Records were entrusted to the estate of Bess Shockett after her death, and given to her Committee for Yiddish colleague Ethel Cooper, who brought them to the archives.
Administrative History
Bess Shockett was born in the Ukraine in 1919. Her father, Solomon Maltin, was the mayor of the town and helped establish a number of Jewish community institutions. He and his wife had two sons along with Bess: Sam and Ben. In 1925, the family moved to Montreal. As an adolescent, Bess became very active in the Jewish community and joined the United Jewish People's Order. She helped organize a union for workers in the knitting industry and later did the same for fur workers. She also travelled to Winnipeg to organize a laundry workers union. She met her husband, Barry Shockett, in Toronto and they married in 1952 and had three children: Michael, Elka and Eric. Bess eventually became very active in the Toronto Jewish community, particularly in regards to supporting and launching several innovative Yiddish programs. She staffed the office of CJC's Committee for Yiddish in its early years, and was Director from 1974 to 1989. She helped found the Friends of Yiddish in 1985 and served as executive vice-president until her death on August 27, 2007.
Descriptive Notes
There is little written material; what there is (captions and poetry) is mostly in Yiddish; some captions are in English.
Subjects
Committees
Yiddish language
Name Access
Committee for Yiddish (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 2; File 126
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
2
File
126
Material Format
textual record
Date
1997
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Subjects
Yiddish language
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Accession Number
2005-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 2; File 263
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
2
File
263
Material Format
textual record
Date
1998
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Subjects
Yiddish language
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Accession Number
2005-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 2; File 345
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
2
File
345
Material Format
textual record
Date
1995
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Subjects
Yiddish language
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Accession Number
2005-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 2; File 1240
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
2
File
1240
Material Format
textual record
Date
1980 - 1981
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Subjects
Yiddish language
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Accession Number
2005-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 2; File 1305
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
2
File
1305
Material Format
textual record
Date
1996
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Subjects
Yiddish language
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Accession Number
2005-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Accession Number
2016-1-9
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2016-1-9
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
11 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 12 cm or smaller
Date
1943-2016, predominant 1943-1966
Scope and Content
Accession consists of personal records and photographs relating to Miriam Beckerman née Dashkin. Textual records include correspondence with Miriam's childhood friend Bea Madger, Bialik School reports belonging to her son Dan Beckerman (1962-1966), Dan Beckerman's YM & YWHA swim badge (1968), seven Jewish National Fund (JNF) certificates (1956-65); Toronto Happening Brochure listing Dan Beckerman's performance at the St. Lawrence Centre (1978); Newspaper clipping of death notice for Miriam's father David Dashkin (1976); Yiddish newspaper clipping of death notice for Miriam's grandmother Malka Yadashkin (Dashkin) Cohen; Yiddish correspondence; typed letter by Miriam Beckerman's mother Ethel Dashkin describing the Toronto Yiddish theatre scene; and photocopies of photographs documenting Miriam's trip to Palestine as part of the Habonim, a Jewish Labour Zionist youth movement (1945-47).
Administrative History
Miriam Beckerman (née Dashkin) is an award-winning Yiddish literature translator. She was raised in a Yiddish-speaking home, surrounded by Yiddish books and newspapers, and attended the Farband Folkshule in Toronto in the 1930s. An ardent Zionist in her teens, she trained at the Smithville Hachsharah farm to prepare for making aliyah. She later worked as a bilingual secretary (Yiddish and English) at the Ontario region, Canadian Jewish Congress.
In 1946, she travelled to Israel where she met her husband, Moshe Beckerman, at a kibbutz. The couple and their children emigrated from Israel to Toronto in 1952. Beckerman continues to work as a Yiddish translator. She has a number of published translations, including her recent collaborative work "A Thousand Threads: A story through Yiddish letters."
Beckerman received a 1998 prize from the Dora Teitelbaum Foundation Inc. in Choral Gables, Fla., for her accomplishments in translation. She said if it were not for translations, "many things would be lost to future generations. Moshe passed away in 1993.
Subjects
Yiddish language
Name Access
Beckerman, Miriam Dashkin
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-6-4
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1926-1990
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs of Esther and Jack Gelman, as well as of a sports team at the YMHA and the "Afro Communitee Negro Fliers" sports team. In addition, two copies of Yiddish dictionary books written by Jack Gelman and one copy of a book about Kensington Market by Jean Cochrane. Also included are two pieces of poetry by Jack Gelman, one about Toronto (1974) and one about Terry Fox (1981).
Accession also consists of a number of original and photocopied newspaper clippings regarding the history of Kensington Market in Toronto (ca. 1988-2010). In addition, two booklets of self-guided tours and the history of Kensington Market are included in accession.
Custodial History
Donated by Esther Gelman. Clippings about the history of Kensington Market are from the collection of husband Jack Gelman.
Administrative History
Jack Gelman was born in Toronto, ON on October 28, 1929. Jack's parents emigrated to Canada from Eastern Europe in 1926. In the 1930s, the Gelman family lived at 105 Denison Street in Toronto, south of Dundas and near Spadina. His father, Philip Gelman, owned a horse and wagon that would stable at Sarah Kegerman's house, 26 Nassau St. Philip operated a vegetable stall at 206 Baldwin St. weekly from Thursday to Saturday. Jack attended Ryerson Public School in Alexander Park, and would often fight back at his peers that would beat and bully him for being Jewish.
Esther Gelman (nee Davidson) was born August 18, 1934. In 1950 she worked at Homebread, and had her Sweet Sixteen party at Club Elgamour on Bloor Street. In 1951, after meeting at the YM-YWHA, Jack Gelman and Esther Davidson married.
In 1953, Jack became a truck driver for Canadian Paper and Specialties. Esther and Jack's son Alan was born in 1953. The family lived above Jack's parents' shop on Baldwin Street. The couple had three other children: Sharon, Glenn (b. 1960), and Mandy. The children attended Camp Northland and Camp B'nai Brith.
In 1959, the family moved from Baldwin Street to Bathurst Manor (235 Pannahill Road), as a group of Esther's friends had moved to the neighbourhood. Son Alan had his bar mitzvah at Beth Emeth Bais Yehudah in 1966.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Yiddish language
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)--Tours
Sports
Places
Bathurst Manor (Toronto, Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-3-12
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-3-12
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
2 folders of textual records
7 photographs : col
2 photographs : b&w
Date
1949-2011
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Miriam Beckerman's work as a translator. Included are correspondence, English translations with corresponding Yiddish texts, awards, and some promotional materials relating to published translations. Also included are several photographs of Miriam.
Subjects
Yiddish language
Yiddish literature
Name Access
Beckerman, Miriam
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-7-8
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-7-8
Material Format
textual record
sound recording
graphic material
Physical Description
15cm of textual records
11 audio cassettes
27 photographs : col ; 15 x 10 cm
Date
ca. 1986-2005
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Friends of Yiddish organization including audio recordings of guest lectures and study groups, photographs of Eda Schiff's retirement party and photogaphs of a special event honouring Bess Shockett. The event included performances by Cantor Louis Danto, folk singer Jenny Eisenstein, and Mitch Smolken.
Accession also includes promotional material related to Der Yiddisher Mikado consisting of original poster and programs and photocopies of newspaper clippings, and photographs of the production. In addition there is a poster for the Klezmer Conservatory Band concert and assorted event flyers, programs and newspaper clippings concerning activities of Friends of Yiddish, specifically their Yiddish Mikado event.
The accession also includes meeting minutes (2000-2004) and issues of the newsletter Dos Bletl (1986-2005), as well as separate copies of recipes created and assembled by "Kokhlefl" Etke Patt. All receipes were published in Dos Bletl. Each issue of Kokhlefl includes a recipe and local event listing section titled "Vos Tut Zikh In Shtot".
Custodial History
Materials from Friends of Yiddish. Donated by former persident Eda Schiff.
Administrative History
Friends of Yiddish is a Toronto-based organization founded in order to "promote the artistic and authentic expression of Mameloshn and Yiddish culture by offering and co-sponsoring concerts, lectures, films, Freylekhs, conversation groups, scholarships with community–wide frayndshaft". Friends of Yiddish was founded in 1984.
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
Theatrical posters, Yiddish
Theater, Yiddish
Yiddish language
Ashkenazic cooking
Jews--Ontario--Toronto
Klezmer music
Name Access
Friends of Yiddish
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 2; File 414
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
2
File
414
Material Format
textual record
Date
1991
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Subjects
Yiddish language
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Accession Number
2005-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 2; File 471
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
2
File
471
Material Format
textual record
Date
1994
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Subjects
Yiddish language
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Accession Number
2005-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
ID
Fonds 17; Series 2; File 932
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
General office subject and correspondence files series
Level
File
Fonds
17
Series
2
File
932
Material Format
textual record
Date
1992
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Subjects
Yiddish language
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Accession Number
2005-2-2
Source
Archival Descriptions