Accession Number

2002-10-3

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

30 cm of textual records

Scope and Content

Accession consists of the records of the Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees, responsible for the maintenance and operations of the Dawes Road Cemetery. The Trustees reported to the Canadian Jewish Congress Central Region.

Subjects

Cemeteries

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1982-7-1

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1939-1947

Scope and Content

Accession consists of Canadian Jewish Congress records related to a study carried out by Saul Hayes and Jacob Finkelman on discriminatory employment practices in Ontario. The title of the resulting report is "Evidence of Unequal Opportunity in Employment and a Suggested Fair Employment Practices Legislation". Included are reports, memorandi, correspondence, sample applications from different employers, and a booklet by Gurston Allen entitled "Jewish Occupational Difficulties" (1939).

Subjects

Antisemitism

Name Access

Hayes, Saul

Finkelman, Jacob

Allen, Gurston

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1977-4-3

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1926-1965

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material relating to the Associated Hebrew Schools, including correspondence and a certificate awarded to the school choir. In addition there is a Canadian Jewish Congress Central Region timeline of the history of the Toronto Jewish Community (1954), a CJC abstract of the proceedings of the Sixth Regional Conference on Jewish Education (1957), as well as editions of the Jewish Herald, the Jewish Standard, and the Canadian Jewish News. In addition, there is material documenting the activities of the Kehillah of Toronto, a religious organization of synagogues and organizations, such as mutual benefit societies. Included are correspondence, a ballot page listing congregations and organizations, a financial report, and a legal document in the form of an agreement between the Kehilla of Toronto and shochtim regarding the ritual slaughter of beef.

Administrative History

Samuel Kurtz was the executive vice president of the Associated Hebrew Schools.

MG_RG

MG3A5

Name Access

Kurtz, Samuel A.

Associated Hebrew Schools

Kehilla of Toronto

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1976-5-1

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1943-1944

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records relating to the work of the JPRC Summer Resorts Sub-Committee, which Hart D. Wintrob chaired. Material includes advice offered to Jews on appropriate behaviour at resorts frequented by non-Jews and efforts to have "Gentiles only" signs removed from resorts and other businesses. Also included is a list of JPRC members from which the members of the subcommitte were chosen and an agenda for a meeting of this group.

Subjects

Antisemitism

Resorts

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Ontario

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2004-6-12

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

3.3 m of textual records

Date

[ca. 1970]-[ca. 1990]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of the records created or accumulated by the Committee for Yiddish, which operated under the auspices of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region and later, the Toronto Jewish Congress (UJA Federation of Greater Toronto).

Use Conditions

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

Name Access

Committee for Yiddish (Toronto, Ont.)

Toronto Jewish Congress

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1988-10-1

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1.2 m of textual records

Date

1986-1987

Scope and Content

Accession consists of the Executive Director files of the CJC, Central Region. The files were created and accumulated by E. Y. Lipsitz.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1990-5-3

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

12 m of textual records

Date

[197-]-[199-]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting various activities of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region, including the small communities, regional committees, eduction and culture. The records appear to have originated with E. Y. Lipsitz.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2005-2-2

Material Format

textual record

sound recording

Physical Description

ca. 92 m of textual records and sound recordings

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records created by the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region. The records cover a variety of topics but primarily consist of general office files from E. Y. Lipsitz.

Also included are audio recordings, including one of Golda Meir's visit to Toronto in 1970, and a community meeting following the Allen Gardens open-air speech by William John Beattie in 1965.

Audio cassette recordings (4) of Saul Hayes attending National Executive Officers Meeting, 19 Jun. 1971 & 20 Jun. 1971.

Use Conditions

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

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2005-7-3

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

ca. 300 slides : col. ; 35 mm

Date

1977-1978

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs taken during visits by CJC Central Region officers to Ontario Jewish communities, and at Canadian Jewish Congress events and meetings in various communities. Accession also includes photos of Jewish interest in Italy.

Subjects

Communities

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Friedman, Morris

Markish, Esther

Eisenberg, Joe

Wexler, Boris

Acker, Abe

Brownstone, Sam

Klafter, Gershon

Rosen, Marty

Fackenheim, Emil

Rosensweig, Philip

Saiger, Norman

Sadowski, David

Gryfe, Mark

Hillel (Kingston, Ont.)

Frey, Marcus

Horowitz, Shlomo

Katz, Stan

Pliscow, Morris

Places

Cambridge (Ont.)

Chatham (Ont.)

Sudbury (Ont.)

Kirkland Lake (Ont.)

Thunder Bay (Ont.)

Sault Ste. Marie (Ont.)

North Bay (Ont.)

Oshawa (Ont.)

Belleville (Ont.)

Windsor (Ont.)

Pembroke (Ont.)

Peterborough (Ont.)

Guelph (Ont.)

Hamilton (Ont.)

London (Ont.)

Kitchener (Ont.)

Owen Sound (Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Barrie (Ont.)

Orillia (Ont.)

Kingston (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2005-11-9

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1934-1956

Scope and Content

Accession consists of historical material collected by the CJC Central Region Centenary Committee or Historical Committee (both committee names appear in the file). These materials include several CJC Ontario Division documents dating from 1934. The bulk of the accession consists of reports of interviews conducted in 1956 with members of Holy Blossom as part of a Holy Blossom Centennial research project.

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2009-5-5

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

3.3 m of textual records

Date

2001-2003

Scope and Content

This accession consists of the files of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Regions' Community Relations Committee. Included are meeting minutes and agendas, correspondence, incidence reports and complaints, interventions, newsclippings and a small amount of other reference material.

Custodial History

The records were created and used by Len Rudner, former director of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region Community Relations Committee. They were donated to the Archives by the CJC's executive assistant, Cindy Osheroff on 4 May, 2009.

Use Conditions

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

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2009-6-4

Material Format

object

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

M6 artifacts

1 postcard

1 textual record

Date

[193-?]-[195-?]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a Tip Top Tailors wall clock and five tzedakah boxes from Israel. Also included is a postcard of the Mossington Park resort on Lake Simcoe featuring a Gentiles Only sign, several copies from the mid-1940s of the CJC Committee on Social and Economic Studies Information and Comment bulletins, as well as a programme for the twenty-seventh anniversary celebrations for the Soviet Union, held at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1944. The program included a message from the prime minister, W. L. MacKenzie King, and a broadcast from Paul Robeson. The master of ceremonies was Lorne Greene. The content of the CJC studies include: research projects of the CJC (1946), racial discrimination and public policy (1946), the use of the terms "racial origin" and "religion" in the Canadian census (1946), opinion polls and social control (1946), intermarriage and children of intermarriages (1946), prejudice and Canadian unity (1946), comparative occupational distribution (1947), community action versus racial prejudice (1947), audience reaction analysis to the film "Don't Be a Sucker" (1947), Fair Employment Practices Laws for Canada (1947), age distribution of Jewish population in Ontario (1949), Immigration of Jews to Canada (1948), Saskatchewan Bill of Rights Act (1949), Jews in the professions in Canada (1949), answering the bigot: a summary of the Incident control project (1949), Canadian public opinion on racial restrictive covenants (1949), anti-minority discrimination and the law: a Canadian progress report (1950), immigration to Canada 1945 to 1949: official figures, refugee industries in Canada: latest available statistics (1947), and from juvenile immigrant to Canadian citizen (1950). Authors of CJC reports include Dr. A. F. Citron, Dr. J. Harding, Dr. Louis Rosenberg, Dr. Manfred Saalheimer, Professor F. R. Scott and Dr. Morris C. Shumiatcher.

Custodial History

The items were bought by Morris Norman, a collector of Judaica, and donated to the archives on 3 June 2009.

Subjects

Human rights

Discrimination in employment

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Tip Top Tailors

Source

Archival Accessions

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

General office subject and correspondence files series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

2

File

25

Material Format

textual record

Date

1975

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Access Restriction

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

Accession Number

2005-2-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

General office subject and correspondence files series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

2

File

26

Material Format

textual record

Date

1975

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Access Restriction

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

Accession Number

2005-2-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gordon Mendly fonds

Portraits series

Level

Item

Fonds

18

Series

1

Item

20

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1960]

Physical Description

1 negative : b&w ; 18 x 13 cm

Admin History/Bio

Benjamin Gershon Kayfetz was born in Toronto on 24 December 1916, the son of Max and Leah Kayfetz. He graduated with a B.A. in modern languages from the University of Toronto in 1939, and a B.E.D. from the Ontario College of Education in 1940. In 1955, he married Eva (née Silver) and had three daughters: Zena (Tanenbaum), Tamara (Kingston) and Rebecca (Hamill).

Between the years 1941 and 1943, he worked as a high school teacher in Huntsville and Niagara Falls. In 1943, he joined the war effort, working for the Department of National Defense in Postal Censorship and was responsible for reviewing prisoner of war mail. After the war, Kayfetz traveled to British-occupied Germany, where he worked as a censor of telecommunications with the Control Commission until 1947.

Upon returning to Toronto, he was hired as the national director of Community Relations by the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), and the national executive director of the Joint Community Relations Committee (JCRC), a CJC - B'nai B'rith cooperative organization. He also served as the central region executive director of the CJC between 1973 and 1978. During his tenure, he worked with various churches, unions and minority groups to develop anti-discrimination laws and for the protection of minority and religious rights.

Kayfetz was also actively involved in promoting the welfare of Jewish communities worldwide, and made visits to Cuba in 1962 and 1965, and Russia in 1985. After his retirement in 1985, he was awarded the Samuel Bronfman Medal by the Canadian Jewish Congress. In recognition of his efforts to promote human rights, he was also awarded the Order of Canada in 1986.

In addition to his professional activities, Kayfetz was a prolific writer, and wrote articles for various Jewish publications under both his own name and the pseudonym, Gershon B. Newman, and gave a weekly radio address on various contemporary Jewish issues on CHIN radio. He was also actively involved in the Toronto Jewish Historical Society, serving as its president, the Canadian Jewish Historical Society and the Yiddish Luncheon Circle. Ben Kayfetz died on 15 February 2002, at the age of 85.

Scope and Content

Item is a portrait of Ben Kayfetz.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

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

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

General office subject and correspondence files series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

2

File

1020

Material Format

textual record

Date

20 Nov. 1978

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Access Restriction

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

Accession Number

2005-2-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

907

Material Format

graphic material

Date

25 Jan. 1962

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

This item is an original print of a Canadian Jewish Congress meeting in Brantford, Ontario. The photograph depicts a group of men and women standing behind a banquet table, which is situated at the front of the room. Pictured from left to right are:

Mrs. J. Hyman, Rabbi A. Hartman, Louis Henkle, S. B. Spiegel, Ben Kayfetz, L. Kwitko, D. Noble, M.G., Minna Levitas, D. Henkle, Mrs. L. Rotberg.

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Subjects

Congresses and conventions

Portraits, Group

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.

Places

Brantford (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

William Stern fonds

Toronto Jewish community photographs series

Level

Item

Fonds

33

Series

4

Item

20

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1970]

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 18 x 13 cm and 10 x 12 cm

Admin History/Bio

Benjamin Gershon Kayfetz was born on December 24, 1916 in Toronto, graduating from the University of Toronto in 1939, with a B.A. in modern languages. Between the years 1941 and 1943, he worked as a high school teacher in Huntsville and Niagara Falls. In 1943, he joined the war effort, working for the Department of National Defense in Postal Censorship and was responsible for reviewing prisoner of war mail. After the war, Kayfetz traveled to British Occupied Germany where he worked as a censor of telecommunications with the Control Commission until 1947.

Upon returning to Toronto, he was hired as the National Director of Community Relations by the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), and as the Executive (National) Director of the Joint Community Relations Committee (JCRC), a CJC - B'nai B'rith cooperative organization. He also served as the Central Region Executive Director of the CJC between 1973 and 1978. During his tenure, he worked with various churches, unions and minority groups to develop anti-discrimination laws and for the protection of minority and religious rights. Kayfetz was also actively involved in promoting the welfare of Jewish Communities worldwide, and made visits to Cuba in 1962 and 1965, and Russia in 1985, to study and report on the state of these Jewish Communities. After his retirement in 1985, he was awarded the Samuel Bronfman Medal by the Canadian Jewish Congress. In recognition of his efforts to promote Human Rights, he was also awarded the Order of Canada in 1986.

In addition to his professional activities, Kayfetz wrote articles for various Jewish publications under both his own name and the pseudonym, Gershon B. Newman, and gave a weekly radio address on CHIN radio addressing various contemporary Jewish issues. He was also actively involved in the Toronto Jewish Historical Society (serving as its president), Canadian Jewish Historical Society and Yiddish Luncheon Circle. Ben Kayfetz died in 2002 and is survived by his wife Eva.

Scope and Content

This item is a portrait of Ben Kayfetz.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Subjects

Portraits

Repro Restriction

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

Accession Number

2004-5-96

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

Research Records sub-series

Advocacy, General sub-sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-4-9

File

53

Material Format

textual record

Date

1965

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of miscellaneous correspondence and other material from and to Ben Kayfetz.

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

Research Records sub-series

Advocacy, General sub-sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-4-9

File

78

Material Format

textual record

Date

1967

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of a copy of a magazine article by Ben Kayfetz describing the previous century of Jewish life in Canada.

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

Research Records sub-series

Advocacy, General sub-sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-4-9

File

127

Material Format

textual record

Date

1973

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence from and to Ben Kayfetz related to various issues.

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

20

Material Format

textual record

Date

1960-1964

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence to and from Ben Kayfetz related to various topics.

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

21

Material Format

textual record

Date

1962

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence with Ben Kayfetz related to various topics.

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

22

Material Format

textual record

Date

May-Dec.1962

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence with Ben Kayfetz related to various topics.

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

23

Material Format

textual record

Date

June-Sept. 1963

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of reports by and to, and correspondence with, Ben Kayfetz related to various topics.

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

27

Material Format

textual record

Date

1964-1965

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence from or to Ben Kayfetz on various issues

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

39

Material Format

textual record

Date

1967

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of personal correspondence from and to Ben Kayfetz related to varous subjects.

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

64

Material Format

textual record

Date

1971

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of general correspondence from and to Ben Kayfetz

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

67

Material Format

textual record

Date

1972

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of general correspondence from and to Ben Kayfetz

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

73

Material Format

textual record

Date

1975

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence from and to Ben Kayfetz

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

80

Material Format

textual record

Date

1981

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of a letter from Ben Kayfetz describing a negative experience with a phone-in program

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Ida Lewis Siegel fonds

Level

File

Fonds

15

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

[196-], 1975

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of two biographies, one written by Ben Kayfetz on the occasion of Ida Siegel's 90th birthday.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2010-11-6

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

sound recording

Physical Description

ca. 60 cm of textual records and other material

Date

[ca. 1930] - 2002

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the personal and professional activities of Ben Kayfetz. Personal records include correspondence with family and friends, including letters home while serving overseas, Kayfetz's marriage and high school certificates, Kayfetz's memoirs, tributes and obituaries written about Kayfetz, as well as a portrait of him. Personal records also include audio cassettes of Yiddish music by Toronto musicians Honey Novick and Faye Kellerstein.

Professional records include articles, book reviews and newspaper clippings written by Kayfetz, event invitations, correspondence, lecture notes, and speeches. Professional records also include an Order of Canada membership book and event programme, meeting minutes for various organizations Kayfetz was involved in, such as, the Association for Canadian Jewish Studies, photographs of Kayfetz receiving various awards, and photographs of various Canadian Jewish Congress and B'Nai Zion Club events. Finally, professional records include sound recordings of interviews, lectures given at various events, and the meeting minutes of various organizations, such as, CJC, JCRC and the Yiddish Dialects in Toronto.

Administrative History

Benjamin Gershon Kayfetz was born on December 24, 1916 in Toronto, graduating from the University of Toronto in 1939, with a B.A. in modern languages. Between the years 1941 and 1943, he worked as a high school teacher in Huntsville and Niagara Falls. In 1943, he joined the war effort, working for the Department of National Defense in Postal Censorship and was responsible for reviewing prisoner of war mail. After the war, Kayfetz traveled to British Occupied Germany where he worked as a censor of telecommunications with the Control Commission until 1947. Upon returning to Toronto, he was hired as the National Director of Community Relations by the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), and as the Executive (National) Director of the Joint Community Relations Committee (JCRC), a CJC - B'nai B'rith cooperative organization. He also served as the Central Region Executive Director of the CJC between 1973 and 1978. During his tenure, he worked with various churches, unions and minority groups to develop anti-discrimination laws and for the protection of minority and religious rights. Kayfetz was also actively involved in promoting the welfare of Jewish Communities worldwide, and made visits to Cuba in 1962 and 1965, and Russia in 1985, to study and report on the state of these Jewish Communities. After his retirement in 1985, he was awarded the Samuel Bronfman Medal by the Canadian Jewish Congress. In recognition of his efforts to promote Human Rights, he was also awarded the Order of Canada in 1986.

In addition to his professional activities, Kayfetz wrote articles for various Jewish publications under both his own name and the pseudonym, Gershon B. Newman, and gave a weekly radio address on CHIN radio addressing various contemporary Jewish issues. He was also actively involved in the Toronto Jewish Historical Society (serving as its president), Canadian Jewish Historical Society and Yiddish Luncheon Circle. Ben Kayfetz died in 2002 and is survived by his wife Eva.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: includes ca. 20 audio cassettes, 1 audio reel, and ca. 25 photographs (4 negatives)

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2010-12-11

Material Format

textual record

textual record (electronic)

sound recording

Physical Description

1 box of textual records

1 audio cassette

1 CD

Date

1932-2001

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the personal and professional activities of Ben Kayfetz. Personal records include correspondence with family and friends, Kayfetz's high school examination reports, and speeches, invitations and other material relating to a tribute dinner for Kayfetz. Personal records also include correspondence about the Ben Kayfetz Scholarship Fund at the University of Toronto.

Professional records include articles, book reviews and newspaper clippings written by Kayfetz, correspondence, lecture notes, speeches and transcripts for Kayfetz's CHIN Radio broadcasts. Professional records also include notes from Kayfetz's interview of Arthur Gelber, obituaries written by Kayfetz for Frank Shuster and Ben Lappin, and early teaching contracts with the Huntsville Board of Education. Finally, professional records include a CD that contains records transferred over from Kayfetz's old computer floppy disks and one audio recording of a CBC Radio broadcast featuring the Yiddish Luncheon Club.

Administrative History

Benjamin Gershon Kayfetz was born on December 24, 1916 in Toronto, graduating from the University of Toronto in 1939, with a B.A. in modern languages. Between the years 1941 and 1943, he worked as a high school teacher in Huntsville and Niagara Falls. In 1943, he joined the war effort, working for the Department of National Defense in Postal Censorship and was responsible for reviewing prisoner of war mail. After the war, Kayfetz traveled to British Occupied Germany where he worked as a censor of telecommunications with the Control Commission until 1947. Upon returning to Toronto, he was hired as the National Director of Community Relations by the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), and as the Executive (National) Director of the Joint Community Relations Committee (JCRC), a CJC - B'nai B'rith cooperative organization. He also served as the Central Region Executive Director of the CJC between 1973 and 1978. During his tenure, he worked with various churches, unions and minority groups to develop anti-discrimination laws and for the protection of minority and religious rights. Kayfetz was also actively involved in promoting the welfare of Jewish Communities worldwide, and made visits to Cuba in 1962 and 1965, and Russia in 1985, to study and report on the state of these Jewish Communities. After his retirement in 1985, he was awarded the Samuel Bronfman Medal by the Canadian Jewish Congress. In recognition of his efforts to promote Human Rights, he was also awarded the Order of Canada in 1986.

In addition to his professional activities, Kayfetz wrote articles for various Jewish publications under both his own name and the pseudonym, Gershon B. Newman, and gave a weekly radio address on CHIN radio addressing various contemporary Jewish issues. He was also actively involved in the Toronto Jewish Historical Society (serving as its president), Canadian Jewish Historical Society and Yiddish Luncheon Circle. Ben Kayfetz died in 2002 and is survived by his wife Eva.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Language note: some records are in Yiddish.

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2012-7-7

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

9.3 m of textual records

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the Canadian Jewish Congress, in particular, their committees dealing with Israel affairs and Jews in Arab lands.

Custodial History

There is no acquisition information for this material. The accession number has been assigned by the archivist.

Use Conditions

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

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2012-7-10

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

37.8 m of textual records

Date

1958-[199-]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of general office files of the CJC as well as records related to the Education and Culture Committee, the Toronto Jewish Cultural Committee, Planning and Priorities/Assimilation, the Youth Committee, CJC plenaries, small communities, Chaplaincy, Orthodox Division, Political Liaison Committee, community services, the Audit Committee, Joint Community Relations Committee, Camp Massad and Moess Chitton.

Custodial History

There is no acquisition information for this material. The accession number has been assigned by the archivist.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-12-4

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

moving images

Physical Description

11.1 m of textual records and other material

Date

[ca. 2000]-[ca. 2010]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the operations of the CJC Ontario Region. Included are records related to the activities of the Community Relations Committee, reports, correspondence, political affairs records, communications, meeting minutes and agendas, photographs, and moving images of various events.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: Includes graphic material and audio-visual records

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-6-7

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1956-1962

Scope and Content

Accession consists CJC correspondence and conference notes, Ottawa JCC building campaign materials, a Beth David congregation of Brantford report and the Mizrachi Women's Work report.

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Beth David Congregation (Brantford, Ont.)

Ottawa Jewish Community Centre

Mizrachi Women (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Brantford, Ont

Ottawa, Ont

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-6-7

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

30 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1964-2003

Scope and Content

Accession consists of Canadian Jewish Congress Joint Community Relations Committee files pertaining to incidents of antisemitism in Canada. Files include examples of material distributed by neo-Nazi groups, clippings documenting hate crimes trials and antisemitism in scholarship, and JCRC correspondence.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Antisemitism

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-4

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1973-1977

Scope and Content

Accession consists of the Rules and Conditions for the Morris Black Memorial Essay Contest, essays submitted, correspondence from the Board of Jewish Education and the vote casting process for the 1976 contest.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Administrative History

The Morris Black Memorial Essay Contest was established by the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region's Department of Education and Culture. The rules and conditions stated in a booklet dated 1973 was that the 'prize or prizes for the best essay or essays or oral address or addresses on men famous in Jewish history...'. The Contest was open to 'All Jewish children in the Province of Ontario outside of Metropolitan Toronto and Ottawa.' The essays submitted in 1973 appeared to follow the Rules and Conditions. However, in the 1976 contest, now sponsored by The Board of Jewish Education, there were no restrictions on where the Jewish children lived or on the gender of the person in Jewish history being written about.

Subjects

Education

Children

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Board of Jewish Education (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-6

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1950-1972

Scope and Content

Accession consists of letters to and from Dr. Joseph Klinghofer, the Educational Director of Canadian Jewish Congress. The correspondence relates to the search for ritual and educational leaders for placement in Jewish communities outside of Toronto such as St. Catharines, Timmins, Belleville, Peterborough, Kirkland Lake, Guelph, Hamilton, Bramalea, North Bay, Windsor, Maritimes, Manitoba and the USA.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Subjects

Education

Religion

Communities

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Klinghofer, Joseph

Places

St. Catharines (Ont.)

Timmins (Ont.)

Belleville (Ont.)

Peterborough (Ont.)

Kirkland Lake (Ont.)

Guelph (Ont.)

Hamilton (Ont.)

Bramalea (Brampton, Ont.)

North Bay (Ont.)

Windsor (Ont.)

Manitoba

United States

Maritime Provinces

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-8

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1950-1953

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a letter from Rabbi Slonim convening a meeting and minutes of meetings of the Rabbinical Welfare Committee over the period.

Custodial History

There is no information on the aquisition of the documents. However, the first letter in the textual records is from Rabbi Reuben Slonim and his name is included on all of the documents in the textual record.

Administrative History

The purpose of the Rabbinical Welfate Committee was (quoting from a document dated March 22, 1950) 'to consider matters that are strictly religious in nature. In matters of a community or public relations nature, the Committee will work closely with Congress.'

Subjects

Committees

Meetings

Religion

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-12

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual material

Date

1973-1974

Scope and Content

Accession file consists of letters, posters, press releases, minutes of meeting and policy statements regarding Israeli prisoners of war in Syria. The documents are from many organizations such as the Labor Zionist Alliance, National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council, Toronto Jewish Youth Council, and the Canada-Israel Committee.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Subjects

Demonstrations

Israel--Armed Forces

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-24

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

[195-?]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of an undated document 'Rules and Regulations Concerning the Organization of the Hebrew Schools in Ontario'.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material

Subjects

Education

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-25

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1945-1968

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a bound document on Religious Instruction in Public Schools of Ontario, presented by Rabbi Abraham Feinberg to the Royal Commission on Education and a fact and discussion sheet of similarities and contrasts between Canadian and US Jewries and Judaism.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Subjects

Education

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-28

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1973

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a Kashruth Directory of kosher products and services issued by the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Subjects

Religion

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-31

Material Format

sound recording

Physical Description

2 audiotapes

Date

1969

Scope and Content

Accession cosists of two audiotapes of a Regional Executive Meeting of January 1969 and a Community Town Hall Meeting of February 1969. The second tape may be of speeches at a plenary session.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-3-69

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1950-1991

Scope and Content

Accession consists of interviews with various persons concerning their link with Goel Tzedec and its successor synagogue, Beth Tzedec. The interviews were primarily conducted by Ben Keyfetz and Jack Orenstien, the latter serving as the executive director of Beth Tzedec at that time. Persons interviewed included Carl Keyfetz, N. N. Levine, Meyer Axler, and Bert Godfrey. There is also other information in the file concerning cantors and rabbis who served at Goel Tzedec, including Julius Price, Bernard Wladowsky, Jacob Gordon, and Samuel Sachs. There is a document from Bert Godfrey—undated but with a reference to 1950—titled "Report of Construction Sub-Committee." This presumably preceded the construction of the building housing the Beth Tzedec Synagogue on Bathurst Street. Also included is a 1955 publication of the Ne'ilah Service of Beth Tzedec to take place on 6 February 1955, concluding a half century of worship at the synagogue on University Avenue. Lastly, there are several pages of notes concerning the synagogue and its history.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Subjects

Committees

Synagogues

Rabbis

Name Access

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Places

Toronto, Ontario

Source

Archival Accessions

Level

Item

Item

787

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1960]

Physical Description

1 photograph

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Dr. Julius Ennis, B. G. Kayfetz, and Meyer W. Gasner.

Notes

Acquired June 1976.

Name Access

Ennis, Dr. Julius

Gasner, Meyer W.

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Subjects

Portraits, Group

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

Level

Item

Item

568

Material Format

graphic material

Responsibility

Graphic Artists Photographers, Toronto

Date

1975

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Photograph of officials examining model at dedication of Pardes Shalom Cemetery, Toronto, Oct. 12, 1975. From left to right: Owen Scott (Landscape Architect), Ben Kayfetz, Robert Eisen, [unknown], [unknown], Sidney Freedman, [unknown], [unknown], and Harry Elkind.

Notes

Acquired in Oct. 24, 1975.

Name Access

Eisen, Robert

Elkind, Harry

Freedman, Sidney

Kayfetz, Benjamin, 1916-2002

Pardes Shalom Cemetery

Scott, Owen

Subjects

Consecration of cemeteries

Cemeteries

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions