Accession Number

1993-11-4

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of texual records

Date

1943

Scope and Content

This accession consists of one postcard to the War Efforts Committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress, dated Nov. 2, 1943, signed David ?, RCAF, India Command, expressing thanks for receiving a message of cheer from Canada during the war.

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress

Moscoe, Sydney

Source

Archival Accessions

Level

Item

Item

2344

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1945

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative)

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

1980-9-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Samuel Posluns fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

70

Material Format

cartographic material

graphic material

textual record

Date

1925-1984

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

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

1 map : 46 x 65 cm

Admin History/Bio

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

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

Samuel Posluns died in Toronto in 1994.

Scope and Content

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

Name Access

Bergen-Belsen (Concentration camp)

Canadian Jewish Congress

Enkin, Max E.

Jewish Labour Committee

Popular Cloak Company

Posluns, Samuel, 1910-1994

Subjects

Clothing trade

Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)

Immigrants--Canada

Access Restriction

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

Creator

Posluns, Samuel, 1910-1994

Places

Germany

Accession Number

1997-7-6

2004-5-79

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

John J. Glass fonds

Documents series

Level

File

Fonds

109

Series

2

File

27

Material Format

textual record

Date

1937-1972

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence relating to John Glass' battle against discrimination based on race and religion in Ontario and society in general. Included are commentaries on his newspaper article proposing amendments to the Ontario Libel and Slander Act, his correspondence with the Canadian Jewish Congress, and the prime minister (premier) of Ontario regarding offensive "Gentiles Only" signs on highways, at country resorts, and in parks. In addition there is a report on the operation of Nazi-affiliated groups in the province and a telegram expressing support from a "Negro Youth Group," as well as an impassioned speech delivered by Glass in the Ontario legislature, in which he pleads for human rights and the end of intlolerance and bigotry.

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress

Ontario Libel and Slander Act

Ontario. Premier

Subjects

Antisemitism

Discrimination

Human rights

Physical Condition

Several of the letters are in fagile condition and are enclosed in plastic.

Places

Ontario

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

John J.Glass fonds

Documents series

Level

File

Fonds

109

Series

2

File

28

Material Format

textual record

Date

1935-1943

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of material pertaining to Bill 24 of the Ontario legislature, An Act to Prevent Discrimination Because of Colour, Race, Creed, or Religion. Its shorter title was the Discrimination Prevention Act 1943. It was tabled by John Glass. In addition to a draft and memorandum on the bill there is correspondence expressing approval from organizations such as the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Ontario Religious Education Council, the Canadian Congress of Labour, and a representative of the black community. The is also an antisemitic notice that was circulated to workers in a wage dispute at a factory in Newmarket, Ontario. The notices were subsequently taken down and sent to Glass' office for disposal.

Finally, there are copies of acts on similar themes, such as antidiscrimination and civil rights, that were produced in other jurisdictions such as New Jersey, Ohio, Wisconsin, New York, and Manitoba from 1935 to 1942.

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress

Ontario Religious Education Council

Subjects

Discrimination--Law and legislation

Physical Condition

Several of the letters are in poor condition and are enclosed in plastic.

Places

Manitoba

New Jersey

Ohio

Ontario

Wisconsin

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

John J.Glass fonds

Documents series

Level

File

Fonds

109

Series

2

File

31

Material Format

textual record

Date

1937-1952

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of material pertaining to the Zionist Organization of Canada and associated organizations such as the Toronto Zionist Council, Arbeiter Ring, Jewish National Fund, Habonim, Hadassah and Junior Hadassah, and the Hebrew Liberal Club. Many of these organizations were housed in the Zionist Building at 651 Spadina Avenue.

Included are correspondence with the Zionist Institute on Beverley Street, the Toronto Zionist Council regarding insurance matters for the Spadina building, the Zionist Council of Canada tax filing with the provincial secretary, and letters patent reincorporating the Toronto Zionist Council. As well there are minutes of the Toronto Zionist Council executive and a list of officers of that organization, as well as a memoranda submitted by the Canadian Jewish Congress and the Zionist Organization of Canada to a United Nations conference in San Francisco.

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress

Toronto Zionist Council

Zionist Organization of Canada

Physical Condition

Some of the docments are in poor condition and are housed in plastic.

Source

Archival Descriptions