- Part Of
- Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 103
- Series
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- [192-?]-1993
- Physical Description
- 1.5 m of textual records
- 35 photographs
- Admin History/Bio
- The Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel, originally called the Canadian Federation of Polish Jews (CFPJ), was established in 1933 to assist Jews in Poland who were victims of anti-Semitism as expressed in economic boycotts and political discrimination. The CFPJ provided political action and advocacy on behalf of Polish Jews, as well as social help, moral strength and material support. It was a constituent member of the World Federation of Polish Jews, established in 1935, which provided relief and economic assistance to Jews in Poland, and coordinated the assistance given to Jewish communal organizations in Poland. In addition, the CFPJ assisted Canadian landsmanshaften (mutual benefit societies) which were giving support to those communities from which their members had emigrated.
- In 1939, following the outbreak of the Second World War, the CFPJ was among those Canadian Jewish organizations which founded the United Jewish Refugee and War Relief Agencies, the purpose of which was to assist in the war effort and to aid war victims. At the conclusion of the war, the UJRWR was renamed the United Jewish Relief Agencies, with an aim to assist refugees in their effort to settle in Canada.
- The scope and mandate of the CFPJ has changed over time as new challenges and projects have emerged. In January 1950, its activities expanded to include building homes in Israel for Polish Jewish immigrants, providing local relief to newly arrived Polish Jewish immigrants in Canada, locating relatives and providing legal advice on matters related to passports and visas, contributing to and participating in memorials honouring lost Jewish communities, and maintaining contact with its sister Farbands across the world.
- In December 1951, the name of the organization was officially changed to Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel, and as of March 1953, its priorities had shifted to focus increasingly on providing support to Israel.
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of records documenting the activities of the Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel. Many records provide insight into the relief efforts carried out to assist Jews in Poland and Israel. Included are meeting minutes, agendas, reports, correspondence, speeches, newspaper articles, financial records, conference material, a ledger book, posters and invitations, membership and donation lists, scrapbooks, leaflets, photographs of important events, letters of appeal, visa and identification applications, property claims applications, and letters from individuals requesting aid.
- Name Access
- Canadian Federation of Polish Jews
- Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel
- Subjects
- Jews--Israel
- Jews, Polish
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Places
- Israel
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Level
- Fonds
- Fonds
- 148
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- object
- Date
- [1940?]-1952, predominant 1946-1947
- Physical Description
- 56 cm of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- Founded in 1924, the Ostrowtzer Hilfs Farein was a landsmanshaft society named after the town of Ostrowiec in Poland. Initially a function of the Ostrovtzer Shul, the society’s mission was to provide support to Ostrovtzers who had immigrated to Toronto, offering small loans and medical assistance and fostering a sense of community. The society began with thirty-eight members, offering assistance to Ostrovtzers arriving in Toronto. Over a decade, membership grew to one hundred, enabling the society to hire a doctor for medical services.
- While immigration policies and the outbreak of war slowed membership growth, it surged again with the arrival of Holocaust survivors. Postwar, the Ostrowtzer Society extended relief and aid to refugees in displacement camps, Europe, and Israel. Around this time, it became known as the United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee.
- In 1946, the society organized a landmark conference in Toronto, leading to the formation of the Central Committee of Ostrowtzer Hilfs Fareinen in North and South America. Max Hartstone served as the committee's executive secretary.
- The society expanded its reach, creating a young men's branch and evolving into the Ostrovtzer Independent Mutual Benefit Society. In recent years, it has provided support for Israel, the Baycrest Foundation, UJA Federation, and more. It also owns cemetery land, ensuring that each of its members receives a proper Jewish burial. The society also established an endowment fund through the Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto.
- Custodial History
- The records were donated by Nancy Freeman, Max Hartstone’s daughter, on 17 October 2017. A subsequent donation was made on 19 April 2022. Nancy recalls that the letters, received by her father Max Hartstone in his capacity as secretary of the United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee, were stored in large bakery boxes in their garage.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records documenting the activities of the United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee. The fonds primarily contains correspondence from other Ostrovtzer societies and Holocaust survivors from Ostrowiec, Poland, located throughout North and South America, Europe, and Palestine. Photographs are included with some of the correspondence. Other materials include minutes, notices of meetings, financial records, invitations, events memorabilia, speeches, and newspaper clippings. The materials document the efforts of the United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee, in collaboration with Ostrovtzer societies worldwide, to provide assistance and support to Holocaust survivors from Ostrowiec. These records also offer insight into the immediate, postwar experiences of Holocaust survivors
- The fonds is arranged into five series. The series are: 1. Letters from individuals; 2. Letters from organizations; 3. Administrative; 4. Events; and 5. Newspaper clippings.
- Name Access
- Hartstone, Max, 1907-1982
- Subjects
- Fraternal organizations
- Holocaust survivors
- Jews--Poland
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Physical Condition
- Some of the textual records are fragile and are enclosed in plastic.
- Arrangement
- Nancy Freeman had bundled the correspondence upon donation; however, given that there did not appear to be a specific order to the bundles, the archivist rearranged the materials to improve accessibility.
- Creator
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee
- Places
- Ostrowiec (Sokolów Podlaski, Poland)
- Accession Number
- 2017-10-5
- 2022-4-5
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from organizations series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1945-1950
- Physical Description
- 10 cm of textual records
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 6 x 6 cm
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of correspondence and related documents from Ostrovtzer societies in North and South America, Europe, and Palestine, as well as other organizations collaborating with Ostrovtzer societies to provide aid to Holocaust survivors from Ostrowiec, Poland. A photograph is included with one of the letters. Materials were created between 1945 and 1950 and document the activities of the various organizations, including efforts to assist with immigration, distribution of financial and material aid, coordination with other organizations, conference planning, and other relief activities. The materials also provide insights into the post-war challenges faced by the Ostrovtzer community.
- Series is arranged into eighteen sub-series: Aid Society of Landsleyt from Ostrowiec; American ORT Foundation; Beth Yehudah Center; Canadian Federation for Polish Jews; Canadian Jewish Congress; Committee of Ostrowtzer Jews in Szczecin; Committee of Ostrowtzers in Italy; District Committee, Ostrowiec; Eargun Yozei Ostrowceh in Palestine; Jewish Immigrant Aid Society of Canada; Ostrovtzer Aid Committee in Costa Rica; Ostrovtzer Aid Society Michigan; Ostrovtzer Friendship Association; Ostrowiec Aid Society of Chicago; Ostrowiec Mutual Aid Committee in Paris; Ostrowtzer Committee in Munich; Ostrowtzer Relief Committee Los Angeles; and Ostrowtzer Relief Committee New York.
- Arrangement
- The archivist imposed an alphabetical order on the sub-series within the series.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from organizations series
- Committee of Ostrowtzer Jews in Szczecin sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 2-6
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1946-1947
- Physical Description
- 2 folders of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The Committee of Ostrowtzer Jews in Szczecin, likely founded after the end of the Second World War, served as a representative body for Ostrovtzer Jews residing in Poland. Legitimized through the Central Committee of Polish Jews in Warsaw, it primarily represented Ostrovtzer Jews who returned from the Soviet Union and were residing in Szczecin, Lower Silesia, Lódz, and Warsaw.
- Functioning as a liaison between the Ostrovtzer community in Poland and North American Ostrovtzer societies, the committee played a key role in soliciting aid. They sought assistance, particularly in the form of money and clothing, to support the Ostrovtzer Jews living in Poland. Additionally, the committee acted as a conduit for communication by passing on letters written by Ostrovtzers. The committee also engaged in advertising to help locate and unite friends and family.
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series consists of correspondence documenting the activities of the Committee of Ostrovtzer Jews in Szczecin during the post-Second World War period, specifically focusing on their efforts to solicit aid and support for the Jewish community in Szczecin and Lower Silesia.
- Places
- Poland
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Organizations series
- Committee of Ostrowtzer Jews in Szczecin sub-series
- Committee of Ostrovtzer Jews in Szczecin and Hanke Kohn correspondence file
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 2-6
- File
- 2
- Item
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [1947]
- Physical Description
- 1 letter
- Admin History/Bio
- Hanke Kohn was from Ostrowiec, Poland. Her parents were Aron and Dyna (née Mincberg). In June 1940, Hanke left Ostrowiec for the Soviet Union, leaving her parents, younger brother, and grandmother behind. She was arrested at the border for crossing illegally and spent six months in prison until Moszek Klajman, whom she later married, arranged her release. They lived in Rowne in the early 1940s. After the war, they returned to Ostrowiec, only to discover that none of Hanke’s family had survived. Hanke and Moszek subsequently relocated to Szczecin, Poland where they were living in the mid-1940s with their son.
- Scope and Content
- Item is a letter from Hanke Kohn in Szczecin, Poland to Max Hartstone. In this letter, Hanke expresses her disappointment at not receiving a response to her letter and seeks an explanation for the lack of communication. She writes about needing someone to talk to and asks to hear from Max's father.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Organizations series
- Committee of Ostrowtzer Jews in Szczecin sub-series
- Committee of Ostrovtzer Jews in Szczecin and personal correspondence file
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 2-6
- File
- 1
- Item
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 19 Oct. 1946
- Physical Description
- 1 letter
- Admin History/Bio
- Hanke Kohn was from Ostrowiec, Poland. Her parents were Aron and Dyna (née Mincberg). In June 1940, Hanke left Ostrowiec for the Soviet Union, leaving her parents, younger brother, and grandmother behind. She was arrested at the border for crossing illegally and spent six months in prison until Moszek Klajman, whom she later married, arranged her release. They lived in Rowne in the early 1940s. After the war, they returned to Ostrowiec, only to discover that none of Hanke’s family had survived. Hanke and Moszek subsequently relocated to Szczecin, Poland where they were living in the mid-1940s with their son.
- Scope and Content
- Item is a letter from Hanke Kohn in Szczecin, Poland, to Max Hartstone, dated 19 October 1946. In this letter, Hanke introduces herself as the daughter of Aron and Dyna, expressing her desire to connect with Ostrovtzers in Toronto who remember her. She mentions finding no one left from her family upon returning from Russia. She also mentions her husband Moszek Klajman and their one-year-old son.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from individuals series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- [194-?]-1949, 1952
- Physical Description
- 26 cm of textual records
- 5 photograhs
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of correspondence, photographs, and related documents from Holocaust survivors from Ostrowiec, Poland, and other various individuals living in North and South America, Europe, and Palestine. The letters were primarily sent to Max Hartstone in his capacity as secretary for the United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee and included requests for financial and material aid, assistance with immigration, and requests to locate friends and family. Materials were created between 1940 and 1952, with the majority being produced between 1946 and 1947. They document the immediate postwar experiences of survivors from Ostrowiec and the ongoing challenges they faced in the aftermath of the Holocaust.
- Arrangement
- The files within the series are arranged alphabetically first, by surname of the letter writer, and chronologically second.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Letter from Ròzia and Sola Blumels to Max Hartstone and the United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 19
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [1946]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- Ròzia (b. 1925) and Sola Blumels were sisters born in Ostrowiec, Poland, to Jacob Moishe and Freyde Blumels. In 1946, they were living in the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) displaced persons camp in Bari, Italy, and later emigrated to Palestine in December 1946 aboard the SS Four Freedoms. Before settling in Holon, Palestine, they spent some time in the Rehovot hospital. They had two other sisters, Eva and Hana, who were living in Sweden in the mid-1940s.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a short letter from Ròzia and Sola Blumels in Bari, Italy, to Max Hartstone and the United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee. The writers express their gratitude for the committee's help in reuniting them with their sisters, Eva and Hana. They also provide a brief update about their current situation. Enevelope is included. File also contains a typed translation.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Letter from Ròzia and Sola Blumels to Max Hartstone and the United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 20
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [1947]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- Ròzia (b. 1925) and Sola Blumels were sisters born in Ostrowiec, Poland, to Jacob Moishe and Freyde Blumels. In 1946 they were living in the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) displaced persons camp in Bari, Italy and later emigrated to Palestine in December 1946 aboard the SS Four Freedoms. Before settling in Holon, Palestine, they spent some time in the Rehovot hospital. They had two other sisters, Eva and Hana, who were living in Sweden in the mid-1940s.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a letter from Ròzia and Sola Blumels in Holon, Palestine, to Max Hartstone and the United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee. The writers express their gratitude for money received and provide an update on their current situation, including recent health problems. They also pass on greetings from their sisters in Sweden. An envelope with multiple stamps and postmarks is included. File also contains a typed translation.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Letter from Josef Fachler to Max Hartstone and the United Ostrovzer Hilfs Committee file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 37
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 23 Aug. 1947
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- Josef Fachler was from Ostrowiec, Poland, and was living in Munich, Germany, in the mid-1940s.
- Records exists for a Josef Fachler (b. 1915) from Ostrowiec who emigrated to Cincinnati, Ohio, with his wife Belia (née Finkelstein) in January 1952.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a short letter from Josef Fachler in Munich, Germany, to Max Hartstone and the United Ostrovtzer Hilfs Committee. In this letter, Josef asks for help locating his cousin Nusyn David Fachler. Envelope is included. File also contains a typed translation.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Letter from the Frydrych brothers to Max Hartstone and the United Ostrowizer Hilfs Committee file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 44
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 23 Jun. 1946
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- Moses (b. 1905), Issacher “Sucher” Frydrych (b. 1914), and Dawid (b. 1923 or 1925) were born in Bedzin, Poland, to Icek and Perla (née Neuman). The brothers were imprisoned in the Bergen-Belsen camp during the Holocaust, and in 1945 were taken to a hospital in Sweden. They were living in Stråtenbo-Aspeboda, Sweden in the mid-1940s, and according to a letter from Dawid Marmselstein, immigrated to Palestine in early 1947.
- Alternate spellings of their surname include Friedrich, Fridrickh, and Fridrich.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a letter from the Frydrych brothers, Moses, Issauchar "Sucher," and David, in Stråtenbo-Aspeboda, Sweden, to the United Ostrowizer Hilfs Committee, dated 23 June 1946. The brothers write that they are living in a camp for convalescents, the conditions of which are very bad. They described their ongoing struggles with hunger, illness, and the lack of support from the local Jewish community. They enclose clippings depicting executions in Ostrowiec during the war. Envelope is included. File also contains a typed translation.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Abram Szlama Grosman and Shmuel Grossman correspondence file
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 55
- Item
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 10 Sep. 1946
- Physical Description
- 1 letter and 1 envelope
- Admin History/Bio
- Shmuel Grossman was likely from Ostrowiec, Poland, and was living in Munich in the mid-1940s.
- An alternate spelling of his first name is Samuel.
- Scope and Content
- Item is a letter from Shmuel Grossman in Munich, Germany, to Max Hartstone and family, dated 10 September 1946. In this letter, Shmuel expresses his disappointment at not having received any letters from Max for over three months. He asks Max to write to him and mentions that he hasn't heard from his uncle Samuel in over two months and asks Max to get in touch with him.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Letter from Hilary Grossman to Max Hartstone file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 63
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 23 Oct. 1946
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- Hilary Grossman (b.1922) was born in Ostowiec, Poland, to Saloman and Balbina (née Haberfeld). Before the Holocaust, he worked as a cook. He was taken to Dachau in 1944 and, after the war, was living in the Feldafing displace persons camp in Germany.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a letter from Hilary Grossman, in Feldafing, Germany, to Max Hartstone, dated 23 October 1946. In this letter, Hilary advises that he, with his wife and child, are experiencing very difficult conditions and receive very little help from the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). He requests assistance and provides his family's birthdates for immigration paperwork. An envelope is included, though it is possible that this envelope does not belong with this letter as the return address is different from the writer's name and address. File also contains a typed translation.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Julius P. Katz fonds
- Subject files series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 55
- Series
- 2
- File
- 33
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1940-1943
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of communication from the Canadian Jewish Congress. Included are: receipt for an ad in the Daily Hebrew Journal (1942), announcements of an upcoming lecture and list of lectures from the Institute of Jewish Studies (1940, 1942), periodical devoted to Jewish affairs (1942, in Polish), a poster published by the Union of Orthodox Rabbis, packet of ribbons with the insignia "I support United Jewish Welfare" (1942-1943), newspaper clipping (1942, in Yiddish), solicitation letter from High Rabbinical Jeshivah Sfath Emeth (1942), two wedding invitations (1942), invitation to honour Samuel Bronfman on the occasion of his fiftieth birthday (1941), printed speech presented by Samuel Bronfman, President of CJC (1941), communication with the Canadian Jewish Congress (e.g. announcements of meetings, meeting minutes, call to support the victory loan, a letter in support of the Greek War Relief Fund, a letter reporting vandalism of "Moncatta Library" at University College, London) and a list of delegates to the 5th Plenary Session.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Julius P. Katz fonds
- Subject files series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 55
- Series
- 2
- File
- 176
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1941-1942
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- This file consists of correspondence between Katz who served as President of the Federation of Polish Jews of Toronto with the head of the Polish Consulate in Montreal.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
- Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 103
- Series
- 1
- File
- 109
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [194-?]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of documents most likely related to relief efforts. The documents are in Polish.
- Access Restriction
- Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing the records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
- Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 103
- Series
- 1
- File
- 118
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1947-1949, 1958
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of copies of blank passport questionnaires, letters, disbursement lists, and correspondence regarding visa and passport forms for Polish Jews to enter Canada.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
- Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 103
- Series
- 1
- File
- 133
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1946-1949, 1953
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence with the Polish Legation, Consular Division in Ottawa regarding financial aid, documentation, and claiming property, and an invitation to the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising events. The division is now known as the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Ottawa.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
- Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 103
- Series
- 1
- File
- 148
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1953
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 9 x 7 cm
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a photograph, gift certificates, and correspondence regarding relief in Israel.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
- Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 103
- Series
- 1
- File
- 170
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1950-1954
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of lists and correspondence regarding packages sent for relief in Israel. The contributions sent in 1950 were for Pesach and Hanukkah. The contributions sent in 1954 (5715) were for Rosh Hashanah.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
- Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 103
- Series
- 1
- File
- 171
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1955-1959
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of lists of contribution recipients and correspondence regarding packages sent for relief in Israel. The contributions sent in 1955 (5715) and 1959 (5719) were for Pesach.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Rabbi Nachman Shemen fonds
- Canadian Federation to Aid Polish Jews in Israel series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 103
- Series
- 1
- File
- 173
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [195-]-[196-]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence regarding packages sent for relief in Israel. The contributions sent in 1950 were for Pesach and Hanukkah. The contributions sent in 1954 (5715) were for Rosh Hashanah. The contributions sent in 1955 (5715) and 1959 (5719) were for Pesach.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Letter and greeting card from Hilary Grossman to Max Hartstone file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 64
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1 Dec. 1946
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- 1 photograph : b&w ; 5 x 9 cm
- Admin History/Bio
- Hilary Grossman (b.1922) was born in Ostowiec, Poland, to Saloman and Balbina (née Haberfeld). Before the Holocaust, he worked as a cook. He was taken to Dachau in 1944 and, after the war, was living in the Feldafing displace persons camp in Germany.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a letter from Hilary Grossman to Max Hartstone, dated 1 December 1946. In this letter, Hilary expresses his gratitude for documents received and requests material aid. He inquires about Max's family and provides an update on his son. File also contains a typed translation.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Letter from Hanke Kohn to Max Hartstone file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 86
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [1946 or 1947]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- Hanke Kohn was from Ostrowiec, Poland. Her parents were Aron and Dyna (née Mincberg). In June 1940, Hanke left Ostrowiec for the Soviet Union, leaving her parents, younger brother, and grandmother behind. She was arrested at the border for crossing illegally and spent six months in prison until Moszek Klajman, whom she later married, arranged her release. They lived in Rowne in the early 1940s. After the war, they returned to Ostrowiec, only to discover that none of Hanke’s family had survived. Hanke and Moszek subsequently relocated to Szczecin, Poland, where they were living in the mid-1940s with their son.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a letter from Hanke Kohn in Szczecin, Poland, to Max Hartstone. In this letter, Hanke emphasizes her need for assistance, citing her husband's low income. She asks for individual's addresses and about life in America. She also mentions an upcoming letter from the Ostrowtzer Committee in Szcecin. Envelope is included (it is possible this envelope does not belong with this letter as the return address is for Germany). File also includes a typed translation.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Letter from Hanke Kohn file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 87
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [1946 or 1947]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- Hanke Kohn was from Ostrowiec, Poland. Her parents were Aron and Dyna (née Mincberg). In June 1940, Hanke left Ostrowiec for the Soviet Union, leaving her parents, younger brother, and grandmother behind. She was arrested at the border for crossing illegally and spent six months in prison until Moszek Klajman, whom she later married, arranged her release. They lived in Rowne in the early 1940s. After the war, they returned to Ostrowiec, only to discover that none of Hanke’s family had survived. Hanke and Moszek subsequently relocated to Szczecin, Poland, where they were living in the mid-1940s with their son.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a letter from Hanke Kohn, in Szczecin, Poland, to an unknown recipient, likely Max Hartstone. In this letter, the Hanke writes about her personal history, her decision to leave Poland in 1940 to go to the Soviet Union, and the challenges she faced, including being arrested at the border. She writes about returning to Ostrowiec after the war and discovering that none of her family had survived. She mentions that she has a fourteenth-month old son and that she and her family are now living in Szczecin. File also contains a typed translation.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Letter from Hanke Kohn to Max Hartstone file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 88
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 2 Apr. 1947
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- Hanke Kohn was from Ostrowiec, Poland. Her parents were Aron and Dyna (née Mincberg). In June 1940, Hanke left Ostrowiec for the Soviet Union, leaving her parents, younger brother, and grandmother behind. She was arrested at the border for crossing illegally and spent six months in prison until Moszek Klajman, whom she later married, arranged her release. They lived in Rowne in the early 1940s. After the war, they returned to Ostrowiec, only to discover that none of Hanke’s family had survived. Hanke and Moszek subsequently relocated to Szczecin, Poland, where they were living in the mid-1940s with their son.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a letter from Hanke Kohn in Szczecin, Poland, to Max Hartstone, dated 2 April 1947. Hanke expresses her gratitude for the package of clothes sent to her and her son, but conveys her dissapointment about not receiving the ten dollars sent to her. She asks for updates from Max regarding his wife's illness. An envelope with with multiple stamps and postmarks is included. File also contains a typed translation.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Notes from unknown senders file
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 197
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [194-?]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of notes and letters sent by various unknown individuals in Europe and Palestine to unknown recipients, likely Max Hartstone and the United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Notes from unknown senders file
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 197
- Item
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 4 Nov. 1946
- Physical Description
- 1 letter
- Scope and Content
- Item is a letter from an unknown author in Palestine to family members. In this letter, the writer discusses their experience moving to Palestine, including difficulties finding employment and accommodation. They write at length about a child left behind in Poland and requests assistance to retrieve the child. The writer also provides updates on family members and acquaintances in Palestine. The writer sends greetings and requests a response to their letter. A typed translation is included.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds
- Letters from Individuals series
- Notes from unknown senders file
- Level
- Item
- Fonds
- 148
- Series
- 1
- File
- 197
- Item
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [194-?]
- Physical Description
- 1 note
- Scope and Content
- Item is a note which lists the names and biographical information for a number of Ostrovtzers. The writer of this note is unknown. A typed translation is included.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Philip Givens fonds
- City of Toronto Mayor series
- Certificates and awards sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 51
- Series
- 4-7
- File
- 5
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1966, 1968
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of various certificated that were awarded to Phil Givens either during his mayoralship or in recognition of his services as Mayor. Included is a Municipality of Metropolitan certificate, an honorary membership to the St. George's Society of Toronto, and a Gold Cross of Honour certificate from the Government of Poland.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Philip Givens fonds
- Level
- Fonds
- Fonds
- 51
- Material Format
- multiple media
- Date
- [192-]-1990
- Physical Description
- 1.35 metres of textual records (20 vols.) and other material
- Admin History/Bio
- Philip (Phil) Gerald Givens, QC, (1922–1995) was a Canadian politician, judge, police commissioner, and active Jewish communal leader. He is is largely remembered as the fifty-fourth mayor of Toronto.
- Phil Givens was born in Toronto, the only son of Hyman and Mary Gevertz (Gewercz). As a youth, he attended Harbord Collegiate and graduated from the University of Toronto in political science and economics in 1945. In 1947, he married the former Minnie “Min” Rubin. They had two children together: Eleanor and Michael.
- Givens graduated as a lawyer from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1949; however, shortly thereafter, he decided to enter politics, running as a municipal school board trustee in 1950. In 1951, he was elected as alderman for Ward 5, serving in this capacity until 1960, when he was subsequently elected as a controller.
- Givens was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1962.
- Following the sudden death of Mayor David Summerville in 1963, Givens was appointed by City Council as the mayor of Toronto and was officially elected to the position in 1964, winning a close race against Allan Lamport. As mayor, Givens was automatically a member of the Metropolitan Toronto Executive and Council, the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission, the Consumer’s Gas Company Executive, the Toronto Hydro Commission and the governing boards of Toronto’s major hospitals.
- Givens was publicly seen as an affable and populist mayor, but his tenure was not without controversy. His support for the construction of the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts and his decision to acquire Henry Moore’s bronze sculpture The Archer for the new Nathan Phillips Square were both highly controversial during his term in office. In particular, the Moore sculpture sparked intense controversy and public debate amongst council members and citizens alike, because traditional and representational public art pieces were the norm in Toronto at the time and The Archer sculpture was considered expensive, bold, and unrelatable. The controversy surrounding the statue’s purchase was still partly to blame for Givens’ 1966 election defeat to William Dennison. Ultimately, the sculpture was purchased with privately solicited donations and has become one of Toronto’s beloved and recognized landmarks.
- Givens ran for the House of Commons of Canada in the 1957 and 1958 federal elections but was defeated in his bid to become member of Parliament for Spadina. In 1967, Givens entered national politics for the second time, winning a seat as a Liberal in Toronto’s York West riding. In 1971, he stepped down before the end of his term to campaign for a seat in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario. Again, running under the Liberal banner, Givens won his seat in York-Forest Hill. In the 1975 provincial election, he was re-elected as a member of Provincial Parliament in the Armourdale constituency.
- In 1977, Givens retired from politics and was appointed as a provincial court judge and chair of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission, serving in both capacities until 1985, when he left the Commission but continued in the judiciary as a civil trial judge until officially retired from public life in 1988.
- In addition to his political career, Givens also worked briefly as a current affairs commentator for local radio broadcaster CHUM 1050 AM.
- Givens was an ardent Zionist and a prominent leader of several Jewish communal organizations. He was the founder and first president of the Upper Canada Lodge of B’nai Brith and sat on the executives of the Canadian Jewish Congress, the United Jewish Welfare Fund, the Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim, the Zionist Organization of Canada, the Toronto Zionist Council, Jewish National Fund, State of Israel Bonds, and the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care. He was chair of the United Israel Appeal-Israel Emergency Fund in 1967 and the United Jewish Appeal-Israel Special Fund in 1968. From 1973 to 1985, he was the national president of the Canadian Zionist Federation. In the 1990s, he served as the national chairman of the Committee for Yiddish of the Canadian Jewish Congress.
- Givens was the honouree of the Jewish National Fund’s Negev Dinner in 1968. He received the Human Relations Award from the Canadian Council of Christians and Jews in 1969 and the Award of Honour from the Toronto Regional Council of B’nai Brith in 1972.
- Givens was also known to be a passionate sailor and was a member of both the Royal Canadian and the Island Yacht Clubs in Toronto.
- Custodial History
- The records were in the possession of Phil Givens until they were donated to the Archives in September 1990 by his wife.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of records documenting the personal, professional and communal activities of Phil Givens. The bulk of the material is graphic and most of the photographs relate to his tenure as Mayor of Toronto and to his Jewish communal work. The records also include general correspondence, speeches, campaign material, scrapbooks, cartoons, certificates and awards, biographical writings, audio and visual materials and artifacts. The records have been arranged into nine series representing Givens’ various roles and activities and have been described to the file level and item level when necessary. These series are: 1. Personal life; 2. City of Toronto Alderman; 3. City of Toronto Controller; 4. City of Toronto Mayor; 5. Metropolitan Toronto Police Commissioner; 6. Provincial politics; 7. National politics; 8. Legal career; 9. Jewish communal service.
- Notes
- Physical Description Note: Includes ca. 915 photographs, 14 drawings, 1 print, 1 presentation piece, 27 objects, 4 DVD’s, 4 videocassettes and 1 audiocassette.
- Physical Extent Note: Fonds was reduced from 5.5 m of records to 2.6 m of records. Please see accession record for further details regarding the records that were culled.
- General Note: Previously cited as MG6 B
- Associated material note: City of Toronto Archives: “Philip Givens fonds” (fonds 1301) and Series 363, Sub-series 2 “Mayor' Office journals” (fonds 200). Library and Archives Canada: “Correspondence and subjects” series (R4942-1-1-E) in the Stuart E. Rosenberg fonds (R4942-0-X-E); Henry S. Rosenberg fonds (R3946-0-9-E); Jewish National Fund of Canada fonds (R4347-0-1-E), “Subject series: Givens, Judge Philip G. – Toronto” (R4347-7-4-E); “Correspondence, memoranda, minutes, reports” series (MG31-H67), Zdzislaw Przygoda fonds (R6257-0-0-E) [Sir Casimir Gzowski monument committee records –chaired by Phil Givens]; B'nai Brith Canada fonds (R6348-0-9-E); Canadian Zionist Federation fonds (R9377-0-6-E).
- Name Access
- Givens, Phillip, 1922-1995
- Givens (nee Rubin), Min
- Subjects
- Law
- Politicians
- Related Material
- See Fonds 2: Benjamin Dunkelman fonds
- See Fonds 18: Gordon Mendly fonds
- See Fonds 28: Zionist Organization of Canada fonds
- See Fonds 37: Gilbert Studios fonds (Negev dinners series, Zionist Building series, Portraits series).
- Creator
- Givens, Philip, 1922-1995
- Accession Number
- 1990-9-7
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- United Jewish Relief Agencies, Toronto (UJRA) series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1938-1974
- Physical Description
- 6 m of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The United Jewish Refugee and War Relief Agencies (UJR&WRA) was formed on October 26, 1939 with the assistance of Samuel Bronfman. It was spurred by the persecution of Jews in Europe. In 1938 Canadian Jewish Congress had formed the Canadian Coordinating Committee for Refugees. This committee was extended in 1939 to form the UJR&WRA, joining with the Canadian Organization for Rehabilitation through Training (ORT Federation), the Federation of Polish Jews, the Jewish Peoples’ Relief Committee, and the Joint Distribution Committee. The UJR&WRA facilitated the entry into Canada of as many refugees as possible and provided assistance to those admitted. After the war came a massive effort to assist the millions of Displaced Persons in Europe, as the UJR&WRA provided food, medical care and rehabilitation services and assisted people emigrating to Israel and Canada. Following the war, the name of the organization was changed to the United Jewish Relief Agencies (UJRA).
- The UJRA operated as “an arm of Congress,” sharing a President and Director, submitting its budget to Congress’s Executive Committee, yet remaining an autonomous arms-length agency since its function was to oversee organizations rather than carry out the actual work, as other Congress committees did. Its role in the 1940s and 1950s was to coordinate the myriad agencies in Ontario involved in immigrant assistance, including the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society, Jewish Vocational Service, Jewish Child and Family Service, Mothers and Babes Rest Home, Young Men’s Hebrew Association, and United Restitution Organization. Though many of its committees were temporary in nature, others, such as the Loan Committee (whose cases were later taken over by the Toronto Jewish Free Loan Cassa), evolved into bodies that became independent of Congress but continued to carry out their functions.
- In 1967 the UJRA was incorporated with recognized status as a charitable organization whose main purpose was relief of poverty. By this time the organization's aid activities in Israel were extensive, including support for homes for the aged, technical and vocational training for newcomers, and hospitals. In Canada, UJRA continued to provide assistance to new immigrants, including the continuing loan program. A national Board of Directors worked in tandem with a committee of Canadians in Israel to manage, control and supervise the UJRA's activities and projects.
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of administrative and committee records of the United Jewish Relief Agencies in Toronto, spanning the years 1938 through 1974. Records include minutes, correspondence, reports, case files, agendas, notices of meetings, subject files, lists, and administrative forms. The series is arranged into 12 sub-series: 1-CJC Committee for Refugees (the precursor to UJRA); 2-Executive Committee; 3-Administrative and subject files; 4-Administrative committees; 5-Housing Committee; 6-Loan Committee; 7-European Youth Scholarship Committee; 8-Collections Committee; 9-Committee on Deportations; 10-Restitution Claims Committee; 11-Refugee case files; and 12-Immigration and Location Service case files.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Arrangement
- The series has been re-arranged by the archivist from former Record Groups 201, 286, 292, 293, 294, 295 and 296.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions