Accession Number

2007-6-33

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

9 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg)

1 document (jpg)

Date

[191-]-1980

Scope and Content

This accession consists of nine electronic copies of original photographs documenting the Nash family of St. Catharines, Ontario. Included are studio portraits and snapshots, taken in St. Catharines and Port Dalhousie. Also included is one electronic copy of a typwritten remembrances of Buncie Nashman written by Harold Nash and Rhonda Applebaum.

The photographs are as follows:

1. Rose Nash and Tzeine (sister) – two young women in photo, possibly before marriage to Jack.

2. Clara Cohen with baking at cottage at Port Dalhousie (not Rose as suspected) perhaps 1940s.

3. Jack and Rose Nash

4. Nash children, ca. 1930. Top, left to right: Molly, Maurice. Bottom, left to right: Dorothy, Ruth.

5. Nash family, 21 May 1929.

6. Maurice Nash in uniform (air force) with cousin, Henry Wexler, in US Army early 1940s.

7. Maurice Nash in uniform (air force) with cousin, Henry Wexler, in US Army, and unidentified woman, early 1940s.

8. Nash women at Harold’s 50th birthday party, 1980.

9. Harold and Eleanor in Port Dalhousie with cousins, ca. 1935.

Custodial History

The original photographs are in the possession of the donor. The OJA was granted permission to scan the photos in June 2007, as part of the Ontario Small Jewish Communities initiative. These copies were then donated to the Archives on 2007-06-05.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Nash family

Places

St. Catharines (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2007-6-30

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

17 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg)

1 document : col. (jpg)

Date

[ca. 1955]-[2003?]

Scope and Content

Accession is comprised of family and community photographs of two generations of the Albert family of Belleville. Images include rabbis Moses Lewin and Walter Seligman, friends, events such as bar mitzvahs, Ethnic Day and a Purim Party, and the Trenton Airbase Jewish Servicemen memorial. People pictured are identified in the finding aid. There is also one electronic copy of a newsclipping about Rabbi Moses Lewin.

The photographs are as follows:

01. Joe Burke far right Norman Albert in middle Ruth Goldberg far right, 1950s.

02. Belleville Community Picnic at the Albert's Summer House.

03. David Albert, 1960.

04. David Albert bar mitzvah with Rabbi Seligmann and wife.

05. Ethnic Day at the Shul, mid-1970s.

06. Florence Yannover.

07. Jacob Albert with grandsons, 1958.

08. Left to right: Ruth Lear and Becky Shulmann and Sarah Lightstone in back.

09. Left to right: Selma Bochnek, Shirley Osborne, Ethel Burke, Walter and Mrs Seligmann at synagogue dinner dance.

10. Mark and Michelle and David Albert, March 20 1971, bar mitzvah.

11. Norm and Lil and Jacob Albert and Rose.

12. Purim Party, 1957.

13. Purim Party. Joe Burke and Mynra Crystal of Peterborough, April 1957.

14. Rabbi Moses Lewin.

15. Shulman Departure, May 1985.

16. Trenton Airbase Jewish Servicemen Memorial, ca. 2003.

17. Ted and Eleanor Schwab.

Subjects

Communities

Families

Name Access

Albert, Carole

Albert, Norm

Places

Belleville (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2008-2-4

Material Format

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

5 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg)

1 photograph : col.

2 documents : col. (jpg)

Date

[1910?]-2008

Scope and Content

Accession consists of six photographs of the Greenspoon family of Sudbury, Ontario. There are also two scanned documents: Moe Greenspoon's 1918 birth certificate and his statement of service in the Canadian Armed Forces, issued in 1990.

Photographs include the following:

01. Benjamin and Fanny Greenspoon ca. 1910. (photograph was a reprint of a scanned original)

02. Paul Allan Greenspoon with grandfather Benjamin and his second wife at bar mitzvah, ca. 1966.

03. Greenspoon family gathering ca. 1942. L to R (back): Nathan, Doris, Moses (Moe), Max, Sydney, Irving, Bill, Ruth, Louis. L to R (front): Dave, wife Ann, Ben, Fanny, Harry, wife Millie.

04. Greenspoons at the Nahala dedication plaque in Israel, Oct. 1972. L to R: Rose (married to Max), daughter Elaine, Max, son Ira, Ira's wife Merle, and Ben in front.

05. Zady's Boyz - basketball team of all the grandsons with Moe, 2008.

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

Canada--Armed Forces

Communities

Families

Name Access

Greenspoon, Moe

Places

Sudbury, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2008-7-2

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

42 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg)

1 folder of textual records

Date

1902-[ca. 1990]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of electronic photographs of the Levison family from Owen Sound, Ontario. Included in the photos are Rabbi Manfred Levison and his wife Rega, their daughters Miriam and Lottie and their son Benny. Also pictured are Miriam's husband Mike Rabovsky and daughter Goldie; Lottie's husband Ralph Glass and their daughters Rochelle and Janice. The photographs depict the family in China, Medicine Hat, Owen Sound, Sauble Beach, Belle Ewart, and Toronto after the family moved to Palmerston Avenue in 1952.

The textual records consist of a German birth certificate for Rabbi Levison, a marriage certificate for Rabbi Levison and Rega Wolf and a marriage certificate for his parents Leib Levisohn and Josefine (née Kaufmann) Levisohn.

Photo Captions:

001: Rochelle Glass and Janice Glass with their grandfather Manfred Levison, (Toronto, ON), ca. 1979.

002: Goldie Ronald, Miriam Rabovsky, Bruce Ronald and Mike Rabovsky (front), (Owen Sound, ON), ca. 1982

003: Goldie Ronald, Bruce Ronald, Miriam Rabovsky, and Mike Rabovsky at the wedding of Craig Levinson, (Toronto, ON), ca. 1990.

004: Mike Rabovsky, Miriam Rabovsky (née Levison), Lottie Glass (née Levison) & Ralph Glass, (Owen Sound, ON), ca. 1989.

005: [Unidentified], Lottie Levison, [unidentified] and Miriam Levison, China, ca. 1940.

006: Benny and Lottie Levison, China, ca. 1940

007: Rega Levison (née Wolf), (Medicine Hat, AB), ca. 1948

008: Miriam Levison, (Medicine Hat, AB), ca. 1948

009: Benny and Lottie Levison, (Owen Sound, ON), 1949.

010: Mike Rabovsky, Miriam Levison, [unknown Cadesky], [unknown Cadesky] and Benny Levision (front), Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.

011: Mike Rabovsky and Miriam Levison, Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.

012: Siblings Lottie, Miriam and Benny Levison, Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.

013: Miriam and Lottie Levison, Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.

014: Mike Rabovsky and Lottie Levison, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.

015: Rega Levison (née Wolf), (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.

016: Lottie Levision, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.

017: Rega and her daughter Lottie Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.

018: Lottie Levison, Palmerston Avenue, (Toronto, ON), 1952.

019: Rega Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.

020: Benny Levison, (Toronto, ON), 1952.

021: Benny Levison, (Owen Sound, ON), 1952.

022: Benny Levison, Mike Rabovsky and Lottie Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.

023: Rega and Manfred Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.

024: Manfred, Rega, Lottie and: Studio portrait of Ralph Glass, ca. 1935. Benny Levison (front), (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.

025: Lottie and Benny Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.

026: Levison family at Sauble Beach. Back row: Manfred Levison, Rega Levison and Mike Rabovsky. Front row: Lottie and Benny Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.

027: Goldie Rabovsky held by her grandmother Rega Levison, Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1953.

028: Mike Rabovsky, Goldie Rabovsky, Rega Levison and Miriam Rabovsky (née Levison),Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1953.

029: Lottie Levison, Goldie Rabovsky, Rega Levison , Benny Levison and Miriam Rabovsky (née Levison),Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1953.

030: Goldie and Mike Rabovsky, Victoria Day Weekend, Palmerston Avenue, (Toronto, ON), 1954.

031: Miriam and Goldie Rabovsky, Victoria Day Weekend, Palmerston Avenue, (Toronto, ON), 1954.

032: Lottie Levison, Glass family cottage, (Belle Ewart, ON), June 1955.

033: Ralph Glass, Glass family cottage, (Belle Ewart, ON), June 1955.

034: Lottie Levison, Ralph Glass and Arlene Glass (front), Glass family cottage, (Belle Ewart, ON), June 1955.

035: Arlene and Ralph Glass, Glass family cottage, (Belle Ewart, ON), June 1955.

036: Ralph Glass, Glass family cottage, (Belle Ewart, ON), June 1955.

037: Sally White and Lottie Levison, Palmerston Avenue, (Toronto, ON), November 1955.

038: Lottie Levison and Ralph Glass, Palmerston Avenue, (Toronto, ON), November 1955.

039: Miriam, Mike and Goldie Rabovsky, (Owen Sound, ON), August 1959.

040: Goldie Rabovsky, backyard garden, (Owen Sound, ON), August 1959.

041: Goldie Rabovsky, (Owen Sound, ON), August 1959.

042: Studio portrait of Ralph Glass, ca. 1935.

Administrative History

Lottie Glass is the daughter of Rabbi Manfred Levison and Rega (née Wolf) Levison. The Glass family including Lottie's siblings Miriam (m. Rabovsky) and Benny moved to Canada in 1947. They emigrated from China where they had been living since 1939. In Canada, the family first settled in Medicine Hat, Alberta and moved to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1949. In 1950 they settled in Ontario first moving to Welland and then Owen Sound (1950-1952). In the summer of 1952, the family moved to Toronto and lived on Palmerston Avenue. Miriam and her husband Mike Rabovsky remained in Owen Sound. In 1954 after the death of his wife Rega, Rabbi Levison travelled to the United States in search of work and eventually settled in Brooklyn, New York.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Levison, Rabbi Manfred

Levison, Rega (née Wolf)

Levison, Benny

Glass, Lottie

Glass, Ralph

Glass, Rochelle

Glass, Janice

Rabovsky, Miriam

Rabovsky, Mike

Ronald, Goldie (née Rabovsky)

Ronald, Bruce

Places

Owen Sound, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2008-8-19

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

10 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg)

Date

[193-]-1995

Scope and Content

This accession consists of ten electronic copies of photographs documenting the Laskin family and the Jewish community of Thunder Bay. The photographs depict a 1937 royal coronation parade float created by the Jewish community, as well as a portrait of Saul Laskin and members of the Laskin family and some photos of Saul during his political election campaign and during a store giveaway. Also included is the sod turning ceremony of the new synagogue and the street naming of Saul Laskin Drive in Thunder Bay. Also identified in the photographs are: Murray Stitt, Rabbi Sternberg, and Mayor Norman Wilson.

Custodial History

The original records are in the possession of the donor. They were loaned to the OJA for the small Jewish communities project for copying.

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

Communities

Families

Places

Thunder Bay (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2008-8-26

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

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

Date

[ca. 1920]-1994

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs pertaining to the Salit family and the Jewish community of Niagara Falls, Ontario. There is a newspaper clipping, an advertisement for Myer Salit Limited and a fiftieth-anniversary commemorative book for Congregation B'Nai Israel, St Catharines, Ontario (1975).

Use Conditions

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Subjects

Communities

Families

Synagogues

Places

Niagara Falls (Ont.)

St. Catharines (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2008-6-13

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

38 photographs (jpg) : b&w and col.

Date

[190?-1990]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs documenting the Chana and Mayer Wisotsky family as well as Dora (Sherr) and her husband Morris Isen. Included are wedding and family portraits, photos of family members in military uniform during the Second World War, images of family celebrations, photos of family businesses, and images of Morris Isen performing with his orchestra. Identified in the photographs are: Anne Sillen, Jack Sillen, Ben Sherr, Dora Wisotsky, Marvin Wain (Wisotsky), Abe Benson, Dora (Sherr) Isen, and Morris Isen.

Administrative History

The Wisotsky family were Ukrainian immigrants who came to Canada around 1908. Chana and Mayer Munny Wisotsky had 13 children, seven of whom remained in Ukraine. Three of their five children and a grandchild (Jack Sillen), came with them in 1908, with two other children, Ben and Annie, following in 1912. The Wisotskys lived originally in Toronto. Ben Wisotsky eventually married Dora Wetstein and moved to the United States in the 1930s. Annie Wisotsky married Abe Benson, who ran a successful auto paint/gas station on Dufferin near Dupont during the 1920s and 1930s.

Morris Isen had a successful career as a trumpet player in the 1930s and 1940s; he was involved in radio orchestra, CBC television and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.

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

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2009-2-5

Material Format

object

textual record

Physical Description

30 cm of textual records

1 artifact

Date

1902-1981

Scope and Content

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

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

Use Conditions

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

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

Descriptive Notes

Language: Records are in Yiddish and English.

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

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Gringorten, Saul Wolfe

Gringorten, Rachel

Gringorten, Israel Morris

Places

Brantford (Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2009-8-8

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

6 photographs : b&w : 12 x 17 cm on matte 18 x 25 cm or smaller

Date

1912-1983

Scope and Content

The accession consists of six photographs of the Rosen family of Kitchener. The pictures are all portraits involving multiple generations of the family taken between 1912 and 1944. The people pictured include Aaron J. Rosen, his parents, his children, and one with his brother Israel Rosen. There is also a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship issued to Aaron Rosen. It is dated 1951, however it makes reference to his naturalization in 1911. Later documents include a copy of the Rosen-Shpizel family tree, and a letter written by the donor recounting her mother's reminiscences of life in Kitchener. The letter was written to accompany photographs that the donor loaned to Mr. Donald Bierstock in Kitchener, who was compiling a history of Beth Jacob congregation for its 75th anniversary.

Custodial History

The photographs belonged to Aaron Rosen's daughter Mary until she passed them on to her son in the early 1990s. He gave them to his sister Phyllis, the donor, in July 2009.

Administrative History

Aaron J. Rosen (1879-1973) was born in Checholia, Russia, the son of Avraham Zvi Rosen and Pesa Cohn. He was the first of his family to come to Canada, in 1903. He came ahead of his wife Sima Leah (1873-1948), and their son Irving (d. 1962). In Kitchener, Aaron established himself in the peddling business, founding Rosen Rag & Metal. After his wife and son joined him, they had two more children, Mary (1908-1996) and Joseph (1906-1916). Joseph died of diphtheria at the age of ten. He was one of the first to be buried in the Beth Jacob Cemetery.

Aaron Rosen was one of the founders of Beth Jacob Congregation in 1908, and was among those who signed the mortgage for the synagogue in 1924. The family rented a house at 156 Church Street, and later lived next to the Rosen Rag & Metal warehouse at 123 Strange Street. In 1927, Aaron brought over his brother Israel with his family and their parents.

In 1938, Aaron's daughter, Mary Rosen, married Ben Coles. They settled in Toronto. They had two children, Alan and Phyllis (the donor). Irving Rosen married Tillie Minsky and his children (in the photos) are Estelle and Gerry.

Sima Leah Rosen predeceased Aaron, and when he was 70 he remarried, wedding Rebecca (usually called Bayla) Kaplan (grandmother of Robert Kaplan, MP and Attorney General). The marriage was religious but not civil. Aaron Rosen died at the age of 93 in 1973. He is buried next to his first wife at Roselawn Cemetery in Toronto.

Subjects

Communities

Families

Name Access

Rosen, Aaron, 1879-1973

Rosen, Sima Leah, 1873-1948

Places

Kitchener (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2009-8-9

Material Format

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

48 photographs : b&w and col. (1 jpg) ; 21x 25 cm or smaller

Date

[ca. 1910]-[ca. 1980]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of family snapshots and portraits of members of the Zet family of St. Catharines. They include images of the donor's grandmother, Sadie (Hyatt) Zet, and grandfather Morris Zet, their friends, children and grandchildren. Among the events documented are the wedding of Bernice Zet to Albert Shecter in 1946 at the Congregation B'nai Israel, officiated by Rabbi Herschel Shapiro (who officiated weddings from 1931-1956), and summer scenes at Crystal Beach including Bernice Zet, Freda Caplan, Claire Zet and Deborah Caplan. There are several photographs of a group of high school girls, including Anne Granek, Minnie Lefstein, Ann Caplan, Ethel Friedman, Sylvia and Frieda Greenberg, Rae Rosenberg, and Eve Luntz. There is also an image of twenty little girls dressed in white holding British flags on the occasion of the opening of the shul in 1925, and one of Celia Taube with her children. As well, there are pictures of "the gang" of couples at social occasions in the 1950s. Persons pictured include Bayla Katzman, Joel Zeldon, Anne Granek, Abe Herzog, Margaret Zeldon, Jenny Katzman, Joe Katzmean, Gert Granek, Bea Magder, Dave Kates, Sybil Cowitz, Elsie Kates, Chippie (Helen) Feldman, [unknown man], Syd Magder, Dolly Cooperman, Eleanor Lambert, Sarah (Sookie) Slepkov, and Sheila Newman.

Finally, there is a ca. 1908 portrait of Berel and Nachama Kaplan, great-aunt and uncle of the donor.

Administrative History

Morris Zet (Zatulove) immigrated to Toronto in 1913 at age 18. In Romania his family enjoyed prosperity as dairy farmers, but after being conscripted into the Russian army, he left, walking from Russia to Austria. After a year in Toronto, Morris moved to St. Catharines, where he boarded with the Adelsteins. There, he made a living peddling to the many workers building the Welland Canal. In 1917, Morris married Sadie Hyatt (her brother changed the family name to Goldberg in Canada), who had come to Toronto in 1914. Morris opened a men’s wear store on St. Paul’s Street in St Catharines called Zet’s Clothing. Ten years later in 1929, he closed this store and opened Zet’s Men’s Wear in nearby Thorald, though the family continued to live in St Catharines. In 1935, Sadie opened Zet’s Ladies Wear across the street in Thorald. Morris and Sadie Zet had 3 daughters whom they raised in St Catharines: Anne, Clare and Bernice. Anne is the donor's mother. She married Kelley Granek in St. Catharines in 1939. Clare married Sam Kranitz in 1940; Bernice married Albert Schecter of Toronto, also at the St. Catharines shul, in 1946.

Use Conditions

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Descriptive Notes

Physical Desription note: two of the photographs are colour copies.

Subjects

Communities

Families

Name Access

Zet, Morris

Zet, Sadie

Places

St. Catharines (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2009-11-4

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

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

1 matchbook

Date

1928-2009

Scope and Content

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

Administrative History

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

Subjects

Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)

Camps

Families

Letters

Obituaries

Name Access

Draper, Nancy

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

William Stern fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

33

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Date

[ca. 1913]-1984

Physical Description

264 photographs (98 negatives) : b&w and col. ; 28 x 35 cm or smaller

2 folders of textual records

Admin History/Bio

William (Bill) I. Stern (1921-2007) was born Izick Stern in Toronto on 24 February, 1921, to Moishe (Morris) Shternshis (ca. 1893-1976) and Fanny Rumianek (ca. 1896-1991). He was an active and respected member of both the Toronto and Hamilton Jewish communities.

Bill began his education in Toronto at Grace Street and Givens Street elementary schools. He later attended the Central Technical Institute for chemistry. In the late 1930s, Bill left Central Tech to work for his father, but eventually returned to school until the start of the Second World War. At this time, Bill enlisted in the Royal Canadian Airforce and served as a Leading Aircraftsman for three years in France, Belgium and Germany. At the end of the war, he returned to Central Tech and completed his junior matriculation (grade 12) in January of 1946. In December 1946, Bill married his first wife, Toronto-born Laura Rubinstein (1923-1963). The couple had two children, Hershel (1953-) and Sheila (1957-1996).

From 1946 to 1951, Bill studied social work at the University of Toronto through a government sponsored program for war veterans. When he graduated, he practiced social work at several community institutions such as the Children's Aid Society, the University Settlement House and St. Christopher House, in Toronto. In 1956, he was offered a position as director of activities for the Hamilton Jewish Community Centre (JCC). He remained in Hamilton at this post until 1960 and then returned to Toronto as a divisional director of the United Jewish Welfare Fund, where he initiated the fund's Social Planning Department. In 1963, upon the death of his wife Laura, Bill returned to Hamilton as the director of the JCC, and later the executive director of the Hamilton Council of Jewish Organizations (CJO), a position which he held for nine years from 1964 until 1973.

After two years with the United Jewish Welfare Fund of Buffalo, Bill returned to Toronto in 1975 and briefly served two years as the executive director of the Canadian Zionist Federation, Central Region. He then returned to private practice, working as a community consultant and later as a job placement coach at the University of Toronto's School of Social Work.

Bill was an active supporter of the Toronto Jewish Film Festival and the author of "You Don't Have to Be Jewish", a book on Jewish film. He held several positions with philanthropic organizations such as the United Jewish Welfare Fund, the Jewish Home for the Aged and Baycrest, and the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science. He was also a volunteer at the Ontario Jewish Archives. Bill lived in Toronto with his second wife of more than thirty years, Elizabeth Uptegrove (1952-), until his passing on 18 April 2007.

Custodial History

Records were in the possession of Bill Stern until they were donated to the Archives.

Scope and Content

This fonds consists of photographs documenting the Stern and Rumianek families, individuals and organizations from the Hamilton and Toronto Jewish communities, as well as Bill Stern and his fellow servicemen during the Second World War.

The fonds has been arranged into the following series: Family photographs; Military photographs; Hamilton Jewish community photographs; Toronto Jewish community photographs; and Camp photographs. The photographs have been described at the item level and have been arranged chronologically. The textual material consists of two files containing records related to Bill Stern's professional and philanthropic career, as well as some family invitations.

Name Access

Stern, William, 1921-2007

Subjects

Communities

Families

World War, 1939-1945

Related Material

See "Stern family" clipping file

Creator

Stern, William, 1921-2007

Accession Number

1980-2-1

1981-9-4

1985-6-6

1986-1-8

1991-5-5

1991-5-6

1994-1-4

2004-5-96

2004-5-135

2004-5-141

2005-5-2

2005-5-9

2006-2-8

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Hoffman family fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

6

Material Format

textual record

architectural drawing

moving images

Date

1946-1981

Physical Description

17 cm of textual records

10 architectural drawings

ca. 9 film reels : 16 mm

Admin History/Bio

Max and Celia Hoffman were married in 1958 in Hamilton and had two sons. Max was the owner of Hamilton Plumbing and Heating Supplies. Both were active in a number of Jewish community organizations in Hamilton such as the Council of Jewish Organizations, Adas Israel synagogue and the Union of Jewish Congregations of America, Ontario Region. They were also involved in fundraising on behalf of Yeshiva University, which is located in New York City. Max Hoffman died in 1964 and Celia moved to Toronto in 1966 when she married Sol Edell.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of correspondence, ledgers, publications, home movies and architectural drawings relating to the family life, business and community activities of Max and Celia Hoffman. There are three series: Business Series, Community Activities Series and Personal Series.

Name Access

Adas Israel Congregation (Hamilton, Ont.)

Council of Jewish Organizations

Federation

Hoffman (family)

Subjects

Families

Creator

Hoffman family

Places

Hamilton (Ont.)

Accession Number

2002-12-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Personal series

Life cycle and family events sub-series

Level

Sub-series

Fonds

4

Series

1-5

Material Format

multiple media

Date

[ca. 1900]-2000

Physical Description

37 cm of textual records and other material

Admin History/Bio

Sol Edell had a large family and a large circle of friends and aquaintenances. Consequently, he was invited to many circumcisions, weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs. He also set up several memorial funds in memory of his sister and wives.There are also documents in this sub-series that relate to family members.

Scope and Content

Sub-series consists of correspondence, receipts, diplomas, photographs and films documenting various family celebrations, vacations and home life. There is a selection of invitations, cards and benchers sent by the Edell, Weinstock and Hoffman families as well as ones that they received from family and friends. In addition, there are newspaper clippings and notices of the deaths of Edell family members and friends as well as correspondence and receipts relating to memorial funds set up in their memory. The sub-series also contains films of family and friends taken at home, on vacation and at family celebrations.

Notes

Physical description note: includes 10 photographs, 7 film reels, and 1 audio reel.

Name Access

Hoffman family

Weinstock family

Edell, Dolly

Edell, Celia

Subjects

Families

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Hoffman family fonds

Personal series

Level

Item

Fonds

6

Series

3

File

5

Material Format

textual record

Date

1981

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Admin History/Bio

Meyer Hoffman was born in Poland in 1894, immigrated to Israel in 1933 and died in 1979. He was both a writer and a teacher.

Scope and Content

Item consists of a tribute book in memory of Meyer Hoffman and includes a family history, Meyer Hoffman's writings and tributes from family and friends.

Subjects

Families

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Pinkus fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

138

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

architectural drawing

philatelic record

sound recording

cartographic material

object

Date

1854-2021

Physical Description

ca. 2.4 m of textual records

ca. 600 photographs : b&w and col. (ca. 90 negatives); 30 x 35 cm or smaller

other material

Admin History/Bio

David Pinkus (1924-2021) was born on May 11, 1924, at the Toronto General Hospital to Isadore Pinkus (1887-1947) and Molly (Mollie) Pinkus (née Parelstein) (1892-1990). Isadore was born in Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire; Molly was born in Podolia Gubernia of the Russian Empire and later moved to Ukraine with her family. Isadore and Molly met and married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1910 and moved to Toronto in 1911. The Pinkus family settled in Kensington Market in around 1914 and was one of the first Jewish settlers to the Kensington neighbourhood. David spent his entire life living in the Kensington Market area. He lived on 83 Huron Street until 1927 when the Pinkus family moved to 34 Nassau Street, which has been the house of the Pinkus family ever since. David had two siblings: brother Max and sister Goldie.

In his childhood, David attended the Brunswick Talmud Torah daily and learned Hebrew. He had his bar mitzvah at the Kiever Shul. David attended William Houston School until 1930 and Ryerson Public School until grade eight. Later, he attended Harbord School for high school and was also involved with sports at Harbord Collegiate and YMHA. In 1947, David obtained his Bachelor of Applied Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto. After graduation, he worked at Goodyear for one year and returned to the University of Toronto as an instructor of engineering drawing and machine design. Later, he worked at various places such as Canadian Industries Limited in Maitland, Toronto Iron Works, and Avro Aircraft Limited.

David’s father, Isadore, was one of the founders of the Kiever Synagogue. David’s involvement with the Kiever Synagogue started in 1947, following Isadore’s death. David served as president and held positions on the executive of the Kiever Shul and played a principal role in the restoration of the shul. He also served on Toronto’s Board of Health as well as the boards of the Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, and St. Christopher House. In addition, David was an active community leader and local historian. He did genealogical research for many Toronto Jewish families. David had been recognized by the National Jewish Federation of North America as a Jewish community hero in 2011. He passed away on May 6, 2021.

Custodial History

Records received after the death of David Pinkus through Joseph Solomon, the executor of David Pinkus’ estate. Records have been selected by archivists following a site visit at David’s home at 34 Nassau Street, Toronto.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of textual records, graphic material, sound recordings, architectural drawings, artifacts, and a small number of philatelic records, most of which document David Pinkus’ career and personal life, the Pinkus family, the Kiever Shul, the Kiever Cemetery, as well as Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Mount Sinai Memorial Park) and the Dawes Road Cemeteries (Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees), of which the Kiever Congregation is a member organization. Also included are documents and photographs of other individuals and families, which David collected for his genealogical research, and those that are pertaining to Kensington Market and other congregations and cemeteries.

Textual records include correspondence; scrapbooks; education records; identification documents; research notes and clippings relating to David’s genealogical research; documents pertaining to his Kensington Market activism and community work; files on David’s engineering career and his role as president of the Kiever Shul; and files documenting the Pinkus family members, such as funeral documents, notebooks, family correspondence, voters’ lists, and records relating to Pinkus Fruit Co. and 34 Nassau Street. Also included are records documenting the Kiever Shul, which include meeting minutes, ledger books, financial documents, legal documents, membership lists and application forms, address books, high holiday service cards, and historic papers dating from the 1920s and 1930s. Textual records documenting the Kiever Cemetery, Mount Sinai Memorial Park, and the Dawes Road Cemeteries are mainly comprised of cemetery maps, burial plot cards, burial record books, by-laws and regulations, and meeting minutes. Also present are records pertaining to other congregations and cemeteries, such as constitution books, brochures, booklets, and copies of legal documents.

Photographs mainly feature David Pinkus and the Kiever Cemetery, with a small number featuring the Pinkus family members, the Junction Synagogue (Congregation Knesseth Israel), the Great Choral Synagogue of Kyiv, and those that David collected for his genealogical research.

Architectural drawings of this fonds include the restoration and renovation plan for the Kiever Shul and the alteration plan for Mount Sinai Cemetery Administration Building.

Also present are sound recordings, including cassettes and microcassettes of David Pinkus; and artifacts, including felt patches, pin back buttons, medals, Toronto foot-pedlar registration badges, and a wooden gavel of the Kiever Shul.

Fonds has been arranged into the following series: David Pinkus’ personal records; Kensington Market; David Pinkus’ genealogical research; the Pinkus family; the Kiever Shul; the Kiever Cemetery; Mount Sinai Memorial Park; the Dawes Road Cemeteries; and other associations, congregations, and cemeteries.

Notes

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 22 architectural drawings, 7 maps, 4 audio cassettes, 2 microcassettes, 1 optical disc, 8 drawings, 2 prints, 1 photo collage, 34 pinback buttons, 15 Toronto padler-on-foot registration badges, 8 felt patches, 3 medals, 3 brooches, 1 wooden gavel, 2 tax tokens, 2 postage stamps, 1 sales tax stamp, and 9 revenue stamps.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: Books that were initially included in this fonds have been removed and incorporated into the OJA’s library collection. These books are: Spadina Avenue by Rosemary Donegan with an introduction by Rick Salutin, Toronto No Mean City by Eric Arthur revised by Stephen A. Otto, Canadian Jewish Directory edited by Edmond Y. Lipsitz, The Toronto Jewish Directory, and The Canada Year Book 1905 (second series).

HISTORY/BIO NOTE: Information is sourced from OH 413 and the content of the fonds.

Name Access

Pinkus, David, 1924-2021

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Toronto, Ont.)

Mount Sinai Memorial Park (Toronto, Ont.)

Dawes Road Cemetery (Toronto, Ont.)

Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Families

Synagogues

Genealogy

Cemeteries

Access Restriction

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

Repro Restriction

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

Related Material

See accessions 2004-1-5, 2004-1-6, 2004-2-1, 2008-11-9, 2016-3-48, and 2021-10-1 for additional information on the Kiever Shul; and OH 413 for more information on David Pinkus and the Pinkus family.

Arrangement

Records came into the OJA with no discernible order. Arrangement has been imposed by the archivist.

Creator

Pinkus, David, 1924-2021

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

2021-7-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

Anti-Semitism cases sub-series

Level

Item

Fonds

17

Series

5-3

File

298

Item

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

10 Jan. 1985

Physical Description

2 newspaper clippings

Scope and Content

Item is a newspaper clipping with photographs about Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel's trial. The article was written by Paul Lungen.

Notes

Availabilty of other formats: Also available as a PDF file.

Name Access

Zündel, Ernst, 1939-2017

Subjects

Holocaust deniers

Trials

Repro Restriction

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

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

Anti-Semitism cases sub-series

Level

Item

Fonds

17

Series

5-3

File

298

Item

6

Material Format

textual record

Date

1 Mar. 1985

Physical Description

3 newspaper clippings

Scope and Content

Item consists of newspaper clippings with photograph from the 1 March 1985 edition of the Winnipeg Sun about the outcome of Holocaust denier Ernst Zundel's trial.

Notes

Availabity of other formats: Also available as a PDF file.

Name Access

Zundel, Ernst, 1939-

Subjects

Holocaust deniers

Trials

Repro Restriction

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

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2010-5-14

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

27 photgraphs : b&w and col. (jpg)

Date

1940-[2004?], predominant 1940-1945

Scope and Content

Accession consists of scanned photographs documenting Esther Mager's experience serving in the Canadian Air Force during the Second World War. Also included is one wedding portrait of her husband and one photograph of Esther with her children and grandchildren. The verso of scanned photographs were also scanned to show annotations and dates on the originals.

Administrative History

Esther (nee Mendelson) Mager was born in Montreal on December 3, 1917 to Max and Lillian Ray (nee Bloomfield) Mendelson. Her mother passed away nine months after her birth, duing the flu epidemic of 1918, and her father remarried Sarah Wallman. Max had six additional children with Sarah. From the age of tweleve to about the age of eighteen, Esther worked in her father's jewellery store, Thompson's Jewellery, located on Philips Square. There she performed various jobs such as, polishing jewellery and assisting customers. Around the age of eighteen she began work as an assistant bookkeeper for a company that manufactured refrigerators where she was paid $25 per week.

In 1941, Esther joined up with the Canadian Air Force, where she performed motor transport and was paid $28 per week. She met her husband, Saul Mager, on a blind date in Montreal while on leave from her post in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. Saul was in the dress manufacturing business in Toronto. They married in 1945 and had two sons together; Mark (b. 1946) and Howard (b. 1949).

Use Conditions

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Subjects

Families

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Canada. Royal Canadian Air Force

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2011-5-5

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 album

2 cm of textual records

25 photographs : b&w

Date

1930-2006

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the Shaffer family of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Records include photographs of Sam Shaffer and his family, wartime letters written by Sam to his mother, correspondence related to Sam's bid to serve on the Thunder Bay Port Authority as well as the bar mitzvah album for Martin Feld Shaffer from April 3, 1971. The album includes greeting cards and telegrams from relatives and friends as well as several photographs.

Subjects

World War, 1939-1945

Families

Bar mitzvah

Name Access

Shaffer, Nancy, 1929-2013

Shaffer, Martin, 1958-2012

Shaffer, Samuel, 1925-2011

Places

Thunder Bay (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

2012-6-7

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

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

Date

[190-]-2003

Scope and Content

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

Administrative History

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

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

Descriptive Notes

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

Subjects

Families

Places

Hamilton (Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2012-8-1

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 18 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1884-1985

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the Coppel and Cooper families of Galt (now Cambridge) and Toronto respectively. Coppel family records include family correspondence, photocopies of Moses Kappel's discharge papers from the Austro-Hungarian military (1884), B'nai Israel Synagogue sisterhood meeting minutes, financial records, photographs, Hadassah booklets and programmes, and a photo album documenting the closing of B'nai Israel Synagogue in 1985. Also included are records relating to Elizabeth Cooper (née Coppel)'s involvement in Canadian Young Judaea and her work as a camp counselor at a Jewish day camp near Kitchener-Waterloo (Judaean Day Camp/Camp Ruach). These records include correspondence, publications, activity schedules, lists of camp counselors, and a Young Judaean scarf. Coppel family records also include marriage and burial records of Aaron Coppel, audio cassettes of an oral history interview conducted with Cy Coppel in 1976, and military records documenting Max David Simonoff's service in the Canadian Navy during the Second World War. Finally, included is a Farband Shule (Folks School) program book (1927) and class photo (ca. 1931). Identified in the photograph is Ethel Raicus (first row, third from the right).

Cooper family records include digital photographs of Sam Cooper and the weightlifting club at the YMHA in Toronto (1930s), portraits of Jacob Cooper (Cooperberg), a school photo of Sam and Max Cooper, and a photo of Hilda Cooper.

Finally accession consists of program books for various events, including a Canadian Jewish Congress song book, an Israel Dance Theatre at the Royal Alexandra, and a Queen Esther Purim play.

Administrative History

Aaron Selig (Archie Aaron) Coppel (Kappel / Koppel / Cappell / Kappele) was born to Moses Kappel and Perl (nee Pistenfeld) in Galicia in 1882. He came to Canada in 1903 and lived with a landsmen family, the Siegels. Mr. Siegel was a horse dealer who took Aaron under his wing and taught him the horse trade. Aaron married Mr. Siegel's daughter, Chaya Geitel (Gertrude) Seigel, in 1905. Aaron and Geitel had seven children: Helen, Rose, Newt, Cyrus ("Cy," born in 1911), Les, George, and Harry. After marrying, Aaron and Geitel remained in Galt, and Aaron continued dealing in livestock. Although he was eager to assimilate into Canadian society (he gave his children British names and spoke with no accent), the family kept kosher and Aaron hired itinerant Hebrew teachers for the children.

Cyrus Coppel married Channa "Anna" Simonoff on 25 August1946. Anna was born in Russia to Avraham Dov and Chashe Bryna Tzaitzeck. Anna had three siblings: Sarah Merle, Faigle (died en route to Canada), and Mordecai Doved. She immigrated to Ottawa in 1914 with her family. An uncle already living in Ottawa had changed his last name to Simonoff and the family decided to change their name to Simonoff as well. Avraham worked as a tailor in Russia and likely continued in this profession in Canada. The family moved to Toronto sometime after 1919 and was actively involved in the Labour Zionist movement. Anna was in the milliner's union and two of her aunts, Slaava Raicus and Esther Cohen, were members of Club One (Pioneer Women). Anna and Cyrus had two children together: Bryna (24 February 1949-12 January 2006) and Elizabeth (b. 16 Dec. 1950). Cyrus initially worked as a mechanic, but later worked in the office of an auto shop and traded in auto parts. He also traded in livestock as a hobby. Cyrus was one of the founders of the B'nai Israel Synagogue in Galt. Initially, synagogue services were held in the homes of local residents, such as the Spring family; however, a building was finally purchased in 1946. After the synagogue closed, the Torahs and plaques went to the synagogue in Kitchener. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jacob Cooperberg (Kupferberg, Cooper) came to Canada around 1910 from Kielce, Poland. His wife and children (Max, Sam, and Aidel or Ida) remained in Poland, waiting for Jacob to earn enough money for them to come to Canada as well. His family was unable to join him until after the First World War had ended, arriving in 1920. Jacob and Sarah had three more children in Canada: Irving, Joey, and Hilda. Jacob worked as a peddler in Toronto and later opened a scrap yard, Cooper Iron and Medal. The family lived on Oxford Street in the Kensington Market area.

Sam Cooper married Kay Gernstein in 1948. They had two children together: Neil and Donna (married name is Speigel). Sam initially worked as a tailor, but later worked as a scrap dealer. Neil married Donna Coppel and also works in the scrap trade. Donna is a librarian.

Use Conditions

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Descriptive Notes

Includes 1 photo album, 7 photographs (tiff), 3 photographs, 2 audio cassettes, and 1 scarf.

Subjects

Families

Places

Galt (Cambridge, Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2013-2-3

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

20 cm of textual records

ca. 100 photographs

Date

[190-]-2012

Scope and Content

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

Custodial History

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

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

Descriptive Notes

To be integrated into the Ladovsky family fonds 83.

Subjects

Families

Restaurants

Name Access

Ladovsky, Herman

Ladovsky, Aaron

United Bakers Dairy Restaurant (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-3-1

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

2013-7-7

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

7 cm of textual records

Date

1923-2012, predominant 1923-1945

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual records documenting Paula Epstein's family, particularly her parents Benjamin Gorman and Lillie Goldstein. Included are passports, Ben Gorman's high school transcripts, Ben and Lillie's marriage certificate (ketuba), Lillie's high school graduation program (1931, Central High School of Commerce), and records related to Ben's company, Gorman Knitting Mills Limited, including sock patterns. Also included are letters that were sent to Ben and Lillie before and during the Second World War from Ben's parents, brother (Jack) and cousins (the Stencil family) who were living in Poland. Finally accession includes one family memoir written by Paula's husband, Stanley Epstein. This memoir predominantly traces the history of the Epstein family (Nova Scotia), but also includes information about the Goldstein family (Toronto) and Gorman family (Toronto).

Administrative History

Benjamin Gorman was born in Rypin, Poland on 12 Oct. 1909 to Shmuel Pesach and Michla Gorman (nee Stencil). He came to Canada in 1928 after finishing high school matriculation in Poland. He was the first person in his town to ever pass the matriculation exam held in Warsaw. In Toronto, he married Lillian (Lillie) Goldstein on 1 Sept. 1939. They had three children together: Paula, Samuel, and Alvin. In 1953, Ben founded and operated a sock manufacturing company called Gorman Knitting Mills Limited. It's original location was 955 Eastern Avenue, but it re-located in 1963 to 1360 Birchmount Road in Scarborough.

Lillie Goldstein was born in Toronto on 10 Feb. 1914 to Harry and Rachel Goldstein. She was a medical secretary for many years and later worked in the family business as a bookkeeper. She was a member of the Karen Or Group where money was raised for muscular dystrophy with an annual card night that was held at the community centre at Eglinton Park.

Descriptive Notes

Language note: English, Yiddish, Hebrew, and Polish.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Gorman, Benjamin

Gorman, Lillie

Epstein, Paula

Epstein, Stanley

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-7-13

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

moving images

Physical Description

ca. 100 photographs (jpg)

1 DVD

3 film reels (ca. 25 min.) : col., sd. ; 16 mm and super 8 mm

Date

[ca. 1938]-1982

Scope and Content

Accession consists of scanned photographs and home movies taken by Dr. John E. Ackerman, which document his personal and professional activities. Included are photographs of family gatherings, the grocery store owned by Ackerman's mother, Jarvis Collegiate, Dr. Ackerman's dental practice, the military involvement of Dr. Ackerman and his brother Al, beach activities, families living in North Bay and Sudbury, and individuals living in Dr. Ackerman's Toronto neighbourhood of Dundas and Elizabeth. Of note are photos taken by Al Ackerman of his military service overseas as well as an image of him arriving back in Toronto in uniform in front of Union Station. Also of note is an image of Dr. Ackerman in military uniform standing in front of Anshel Wise's cigar store at 100 Dundas Street West and images likely of the Hudson Street Tennis Club.

The Home movies include footage of a Jewish War Veterans parade and service in front of a monument at Earl Bales Park (ca. 1980), a Beth Tzedec Sukkot service with the children of its Hebrew school (ca. 1978), other unidentified events at Beth Tzedec (one in its banquet hall), a family seder, and a family trip to Israel. Also included is footage of the seventy-fifth anniversary parade of the Boy Scouts, performances at Camp Shalom for visitor's day (1982), and a film with footage of a trade fair attended by Larry Grossman.

Administrative History

Dr. John E. Ackerman was born in Toronto on December 16, 1921 to Jacob and Mindel Ackerman. John was one of four children. Jacob initially worked as a presser in a factory. Mindel opened and ran a small grocery store at Dundas and Elizabeth Street. Jacob died around the age 57.

Dr. Ackerman went to school at Jarvis Collegiate and later enrolled in dentistry school at the University of Toronto. As part of the school's program, Dr. Ackerman had to enlist in the Canadian Army's General Corp. While in school, he also met his future wife, Frances, at a Hillel lecture on campus. Frances was a graduate student studying psychology. Dr. Ackerman graduated from university in 1946. He initially worked as a dental intern at the Toronto General Hospital, but after a few years he opened his own practice above the Royal Bank at Dundas and Elizabeth Street.

Dr. Ackerman married Frances on September 12, 1954. They had three children together: Martin (b. 1959), Penina (b. 1963), and David (b. 1965).

As a young teenager, Dr. Ackerman took up photography as a hobby and remained passionate about it for the remainder of his life. He took many photographs of family life, Toronto, his military involvement, and other activities. He also shot many family films and even converted part of his house into a darkroom.

Dr. Ackerman became involved in the Jewish Boy Scouts after his son Martin became a cub. He was active in Troop 166 out of Beth Tzedec. Frances initially worked in the outpatient department of the Toronto Psychiatric Hospital, but later worked with the Toronto District School Board until her retirement. Dr. Ackerman retired his practice in 1995 or 1996. He passed away on December 13, 2008.

Use Conditions

Credit Dr. John E. Ackerman for all photos and films

Contact donor for permission to publish footage of the family seder and family trips. OJA has copyright of other film footage.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Ackerman, John, 1921-2008

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-6-4

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

ca. 40 photographs

3 CDs

Date

1919-2013, predominant 1919-1974

Scope and Content

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

Administrative History

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

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Donor provided photo identification on the back of reproduced photos.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Natanson family

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2014-8-12

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

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

Date

[1970?]-2011

Scope and Content

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

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Bergstein, Rita

Grossman, Ben

Grossman, Carrie

Grossman, Hilda

Grossman, Jack

Grossman, Miriam

Grossman, Ruth

Grossman, Warren

Litman, Borris

Rose, Lillian

Sud, David

Sud, Martha

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2014-5-8

Material Format

textual record

moving images

graphic material

Physical Description

2 m of textual records

10 film reels : 8mm

ca. 300 photographs

Date

[192-]-[200-]

Scope and Content

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

Custodial History

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

Subjects

Diaries

Families

Synagogues

Name Access

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Steinberg, Elise, 1955-2005

Steinberg, Irving, 1919-2011

Steinberg, Miriam, ?-2011

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-10-2

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

40 cm of textual records and other material

Date

[192-]-[200-]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the life and career of David Green and the Jaffey family. Records include sound and video recordings of events, Goodwill Sales accounting ledgers, meeting minutes from the Jewish Canadian Military Archives and Museum, David Green's military ephemera, manuals and reports of the Jewish Federation Board of Trustees and Bequest and Endowment Fund, and Jaffey family correspondence and photographs. Records also include certificates of appreciation awarded to David Green, mainly from UJA Federation.

Administrative History

David Green (1919-2014) was born in the Junction in west Toronto. He served as a private in the Canadian army as part of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. He was captured and designated MIA when he was held as a POW in Belgium. He became a member of General Wingate Branch 256 Jewish Canadian Legion. In the mid-1940s he married his wife, Sylvia (nee Jaffey) (d. 2010) and they had a daughter, Miriam. He was a longtime volunteer for the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. In 1990, he was one of the first individuals to establish an Endowment Fund at the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto.

The Jaffey family consisted of Kaby Jaffey, his wife, Nellie, and their children Sylvia, Jess and Albert.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: Accession also consists of photographs and textiles.

Subjects

Canada--Armed Forces

Charities

Families

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Green, David, 1919-2014

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-12-6

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 200 photographs and other material

Date

[193-]-[2007?]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the personal life and family of Myra Merkur. The bulk of the accession consists of photographs and home movies documenting family activities and an outing to High Park and the Toronto Zoo, holiday celebrations (such as Hanukkah Purim, Passover, and New Year's Eve costume parties), milestones (such as, Myra's wedding and graduation), cottage life at Gamebridge Beach and Camp Wishiwami, and family holidays and travel (such as to Israel, Blue Mountains in Collingwood, and Grossingers in New York).

Also included are sound recordings of a speech made by David Merkur to Nomi Tepperman at her bat mitzvah (17 May 1998) and of an interview with David Merkur who explains to his tweleve year old granddaughter what life was like when he was twelve (1 Nov. 2000).

Finally, accession includes a photocopy of a tribute Myra wrote for her late mother Lena Charlotte Gula documenting Lena's life and Myra's memories of her.

Administrative History

Myra Merkur (née Gula) was born to Lena Gula (née Neimen) and Jack Gula in Toronto in 1933. She had one sister, Elaine Wolfish. As a child, Myra and her family lived with her maternal grandmother, Betty "Brindel", at 234 Markham Street. They later moved into their own home at 1 Enid Crescent in 1949. Myra's father initially worked as a tailor but later went into the sales business selling furniture and insurance. Myra's mother initially stayed at home but obtained work in the mid-1950s as a saleswoman at Morgan's department store.

Myra married David Israel Merkur in 1954. David was a civil engineer and lawyer. He later started a family real-estate business that involved buying, selling, and maintaining properties. Myra and David had three children together: Shauna Tepperman (b. 1956), Lorne Merkur (b. 1957), and Jordan Merkur (b. 1962).

Myra completed her undergraduate degree from Atkinson College (York University) around 1975. She obtained her master of education from OISE in 1982. Myra worked as an ESL teacher with the Toronto Public School Board and was involved as a volunteer and leader with the National Council of Jewish Women, JF&CS, and the Jewish Women's Federation (Women's Philanthropy).

Descriptive Notes

Physical description: includes 1 folder of textual records, 2 sound recordings (wav), and 7 DVDs

Subjects

Families

Vacations

Fasts and feasts--Judaism

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

New York (State)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-2-3

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

15 cm of textual records

ca. 100 photographs

Date

1938-2006

Scope and Content

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

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

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

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

Subjects

Families

Philanthropists

Name Access

Tanenbaum, Anne, 1909-2009

Tanenbaum, Max, 1909-1983

Wolf family

Places

Israel

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2015-3-2

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

2015-3-1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

30 cm of textual records

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

Date

1928-2014

Scope and Content

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

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Descriptive Notes

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

Subjects

Cantors (Judaism)

Families

Heder

Name Access

Steinberg, Alexander, 1893-1960

Steinberg, Ben

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-3-3

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

34 photographs (tiff)

Date

[between 1914 and 1916?], 1986-1998

Scope and Content

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

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

Administrative History

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

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

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Families

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Levine, Mark

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-2-5

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

2 folders of textual records

10 photographs

21 photographs (tiff)

Date

1957-2015, predominant 1987-2015

Scope and Content

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

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

Administrative History

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

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

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

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Families

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Baskind, Colin

Places

Johannesburg

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2015-3-8

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

18 photographs : tiff

Date

1969, 1974-2014

Scope and Content

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

Administrative History

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

Subjects

Families

Immigrants--Canada

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Cohen, John

Places

Johannesburg, South Africa

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2014-9-5

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

textual record (electronic)

textual record

Physical Description

4 cookbooks (pdf)

1 folder of textual records (pdf and tiff)

1 folder of textual records

ca. 1000 photographs (jpg)

Date

[ca. 1950]-2014

Scope and Content

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

Custodial History

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

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Language: English and Afrikaans.

Subjects

Cookbooks

Families

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Name Access

Hotz, Darrel

Wiseberg, Barbara

Places

South Africa

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-10

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1930-1989

Scope and Content

Accession consists of various lettters, one in Polish and others in Hebrew and Yiddish. One of the letters appears to have been addressed to Rabbi Shemen's mother (Gitl), although undated, it appears to be from the late 1920s or early 1930s. A letter in Yiddish is addressed to the Boimoil family of Chodel, Poland. Boimol was the original last name of Rabbi Shemen.

Custodial History

It appears that the documents came directly from Rabbi Nachman Shemen

Administrative History

Rabbi Shemen was a Rabbinic scholar, author and Jewish civil servant. He held the following positions: Executive secretary of the Canadian Federation of Polish jews (1940-1993), Director of Orthodox Division of CJC, Ontario (1950-1992). Rabbi Shemen died in 1993.

Subjects

Families

Letters

Rabbis

Name Access

Shemen, Nachman, Rabbi, 1912-1993

Places

Toronto, Ont.

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

2015-10-4

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

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

9 cm of textual records

Date

[191-]-[197-], 1992

Scope and Content

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

Administrative History

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

Subjects

Business

Charities

Families

Places

Welland, Ont.

Toronto, Ont.

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

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

2015-12-1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1.2 m of textual records

ca. 250 photographs : b&w and col.

Date

1776, [191-]-2012

Scope and Content

Accession consists of the records related to the life and career of Dr. Fred Wienberg. Included are textual and photographic records documenting his personal and family life, his medial career, scholarly activities, involvement with the Jewish community, his collecting of Judaica, medical antiques and art, and his synagogue involvement. Other items include the Ostrovtzer Mutual Benefit Society minute book and a 1776 letter from Jonas Phillips, a veteran of the American Revolutionary War and an American merchant in New York City and Philadelphia.

Administrative History

Fred Weinberg (1919-2003) was born in Ostrawiec, Poland on July 6, 1919 to Rose and Israel Weinberg. Israel immigrated to Canada in 1920 and his wife and children joined him several years later in March of 1924. The family settled in Toronto where Israel worked in the fur manufacturing business. Israel was a supporter and aficionado of cantorial music as well as a founder of the Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto and the Ostrovtzer Synagogue on Cecil Street.

Fred completed his primary and secondary education at Clinton Street Public School and Harbord Collegiate. He also attended the Brunswick Talmud Torah, celebrating his bar mitzvah in 1932. Fred decided to pursue a medical career, graduating from the University of Toronto’s medical school in 1944. During his studies he enlisted in the army and completed officers’ training in April 1945, attaining the rank of Captain. During his military career he served in the RCAMC at Camp Borden, Christie St. Hospital and at the Stanley Barracks in Toronto. Towards the end of the war he served as Officer in charge of repatriation of the POWs.

After the war Fred pursued his post-graduate work at Seaview and Bellevue hospitals in New York City from 1946 to 1947 and then moved on to the Children’s and Washington University hospitals in St. Louis, Missouri the following year. He was subsequently accepted as a resident at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto and was ultimately appointed Chief Resident under the supervision of the internationally renowned paediatrician, Dr. Alan Brown. In 1950, Dr. Weinberg was hired as a physician in paediatrics at Sick Kids Hospital, making him the first Jewish doctor on staff. In addition to his staff responsibilities, he also lectured and was a faculty member at the University of Toronto’s Medical School for many years.

By the mid-point of his career, Dr. Weinberg went on to specialise in Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), delivering lectures and publishing articles in medical journals. He also ran his own practice, which operated from 1950 to 1976, and later become Associate Medical Director of the Child Development Clinic, Neurology Division of Sick Kids until his retirement in 1984. He later continued his service at Sick Kids as a senior staff consultant and ran a specialized practice in Developmental Pediatrics for close to twenty years, which was later situated at 208 Bloor Street West.

Fred married Joy Cherry on December 16, 1952 at Goel Tzedec Synagogue. The couple had four children: Joel (b. 1953), Barry (b. 1955), Sari (b. 1956) and Deena (b. 1961). Throughout his life, Fred was actively engaged in Jewish communal work in a variety of capacities: assisting with the establishment of the United Synagogue Day School during the 1950s; as a fundraiser for the United Jewish Appeal (UJA); and as a participant in two of UJA’s early study missions to Israel in 1960 and 1961. He was also an influential figure within his synagogue, joining the Board of Directors of Beth Tzedec Synagogue during the late 1960s and serving as president from 1972 to 1975.

Fred and his wife Joy also collected Judaica, antiques and artwork. As a physician, Fred developed a passion and expertise in the area of medical antiques. He published articles in both the mainstream and Jewish press on subjects related to Jewish rituals, Judaica and art. He also had a regular column in the Canadian Journal of Diagnosis from 1998 to 2002 entitled “Antique instruments”. Over time, the Weinberg’s assembled a world-class collection of Judaica and became increasingly active in the museum world. Fred assisted in the establishment of Beth Tzedec’s Helene and Rubin Dennis Jewish Museum, contributing items from the couple’s Judaica collection and securing the acquisition of the renowned Cecil Roth collection for the Museum during the early to mid-1960s. As a result of his significant contributions, he was bestowed the title of honourary curator to the Museum. Dr. Weinberg later branched out and assisted with the Koffler Gallery’s Lifecycle exhibition in 1984 as guest curator. The following year, he served as a special presenter and instructor to the docents at the “Precious Legacy” Czech Judaica exhibition at the ROM. The Weinberg’s most significant contribution to the museum world, however, was marked in September of 2000, when they were honoured at the opening of the Dr. Fred and Joy Cherry Weinberg Gallery of Judaica at the ROM, featuring some of their most valuable and treasured pieces.

Dr. Fred Weinberg passed away on October 30, 2003 at 84 years of age. The Weinberg Endowment Fund was established by the family at the University of Toronto’s Jewish Studies Program to honour Fred’s passion for Jewish history, rituals and artefacts. That year the Weinberg family also set up a fund in Fred’s name in support of the Therapeutic Clown Program, a highly visible and successful program within Sick Kids’ Pediatric Division.

Use Conditions

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

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

Descriptive Notes

Use Conditions Note: Records contain patient names and medical information.

Subjects

Families

Physicians

Societies

Name Access

Weinberg, Fred, 1919-2003

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-11-11

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Physical Description

14 photographs : col. (jpg)

Date

[1981?]-2009

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs documenting various trips Nicole Cohen took to South Africa as a child and adult. Photographs predominatly document Nicole visiting sites around Johannesburg, particularly her family's old apartment building. Also included are photographs of Nicky visiting her grandparents as a child, reconnecting with her family's maid, and visiting the Nelson Mandela Square with her children. Also included is one photograph of Nicole's brother, Jeremy David Cohen, in front of the Cohen family home in Thornhill (1984?).

Administrative History

Nicole (Nicky) Cohen was born in Johannesburg, South Africa to John Cohen and Viviane (nee Lehwess) Cohen in 1972. She has two siblings: Steven (b. 1974), and Jeremy David (1979). Viviane worked as a physiotherapist and John as a textile sales agent. Due to the unstable political situation in South Africa, the family 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. Both John and Viviane were able to continue in their professions after immigrating to Canada. The family regularly visited South Africa.

Nicole is a clinical psychologist in Toronto. She married Jordan Kerpinsky on May 16, 1999. They have three children together: Hayley, Justin, and Ryan.

Descriptive Notes

Related Material Note: for an oral history interview with Nicole Cohen see AC 422, for other Cohen family material see accession #2015-3/8.

Subjects

Families

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Vacations

Name Access

Cohen, Nicole

Places

South Africa

Thornhill (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

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Accession Number

2016-2-7

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

60 cm of textual records

Date

1966-2015

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records reflecting the academic, personal and literary life of Dr. Gerald Tulchinsky. Included are the final manuscript, research notes, edits and anciliary materials related to Tulchinsky's book on J. B. Salsberg; a large amount of general research and many unpublished articles on Canada's clothing industry and the Jewish involvment, particularly in Montreal and Toronto; correspondence to various granting bodies; folders of story ideas; genalogical research notes and an unpublished family history; research into a 1950 fatal fire at a garment factory at 447 Richmond St. W in Toronto; a unpublished poem; lecture notes; and personal records related to the lease of his home and the purchase of a Heinzman piano, which was dropped off the truck during delivery.

Of note is a memoir written by Ruth Talesnick documenting her parent's early involvment in the needle trade and a memoir by Anne Tulchinsky, Jerry's mother.

Administrative History

Dr. Gerald Tulchinsky was Professor Emeritus at Queen's University, Department of History, and author of several books on the history of Canadian Jewry and labour issues in Canada. His books include: Shtetl on the Grand (2015); Joe Salsberg: A Life of Commitment (2013); Canada's Jews: A People's Journey (2008); Branching Out: The Transformation of the Canadian Jewish Community (1998); Taking Root: The Origins of the Canadian Jewish Community (1992); and The River Barons: Montreal Businessmen and the Growth of Industry and Transportation, 1837-53 (1977).

Tulchinsky was born in Brantford, Ontario in 1933 to Harry and Anne Tulchinsky. He resided in Kingston, Ontario until his death on 13 Dec. 2017.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: This accession also includes numerous books, some of wihch don't relate to our mandate and others which are duplicates of our current holdings. The books that we have retained have been integrated into the OJA's library holdings.

USE CONDITION NOTE: Access restricted until ten years after the donor's death, at the donor's request.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Tulchinsky, Gerald, 1933-2017

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-2-1

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

ca. 300 photographs : b&w, sepia and col. (1 negative) ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller

40 cm of textual records

Date

[189-]-2007

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records created and accumulated by Bill Gladstone in the course of researching his book on the genealogical lineage of the Naftolin and Rubinoff families. Included are photographs of the Shmuel Chaim and Rachel Rubinoff branch, the Aaron Rubinowitz branch, the Benjamin Rubinoff branch, the Arnoff branch and the Naftolin branch. The photographs are in the form of family and individual portraits, candid snapshots, event photographs, Rubinoff store exteriors, and photographs of various life event celebrations. The textual records consist of research notes and copied material from various sources detailing the lives of individual family members.

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

FINDING AID NOTE: It is recommended that researchers consult the book "One Hundred Years in Canada: the Rubinoff-Naftolin Family Tree" for more context when viewing the material.

USE CONDITIONS NOTE: Donor retains copyright for all original research and writing. Donor wishes to be notified prior to publication. Publication requests must receive permission from donor, if possible.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Gladstone, Bill

Naftolin family

Rubinoff family

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-2-15

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 m of textual records

ca. 200 photographs

Date

[189-]-2013

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records created and collected by Bill Gladstone during the course of his research into the family history and genealogy of the Naftolin and Rubinoff families and their various branches. Included are Gladstone's extensive research files on each member of the family, which consist of hand-written research notes, correspondence with family members and government officials, newsclippings, copies of vital statistics, immigration and citizenship records, certificates, bereavement and sympathy cards, telegrams and congratulatory anniversary cards, invitations, and photographs.

Accession also consists of records related to the Agudas Hamishpocha, the family mutual benefit society and social club that was formed in 1928 by the Naftolin and Rubinoff families. These records include meeting invitations and flyers, anniversary and jubilee books, membership lists, photographs, loan society materials, newsclippings and articles, research notes, and a copy of the letters of incorporation.

Administrative History

Bill Gladstone is a direct decendent of the Naftolin-Rubinoff family. The five branches of the family as researched by Gladstone are the Rachel Rubinowitz and Shmuel Chaim Rubinowitz branch; Riva Rishe Rubinowitz and Itsha Maisha Naftolin branch; Binyamin (Benjamin) Rubinoff and Esther Dobin branch; Minya Rubinowitz and Elimelech Arnoff branch; and Aaron Rubinowtiz and Esther Cahansky branch. Rachel, Riva Rishe, Binyamin, Minya and Aaron were all siblings. Other family names include Cohen, Slovin, Rosensweig, Patlik and Alter.

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

FINDING AID NOTE: It is recommended that researchers consult the book "One Hundred Years in Canada: the Rubinoff-Naftolin Family Tree" for more context when viewing the material.

USE CONDITION NOTE: Donor retains copyright for all original research and writing. Donor wishes to be notified prior to publication. Publication requests must receive permission from donor, if possible.

Subjects

Families

Name Access

Gladstone, Bill

Source

Archival Accessions

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.

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Descriptive Notes

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Subjects

Business

Immigrants--Canada

Families

South Africa--Emigration and immigration

Source

Archival Accessions

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