Accession Number

2022-8-4

Material Format

architectural drawing

graphic material

object

textual record

sound recording

Physical Description

ca. 11 m of textual records and other material

Date

1930-2017

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the life and career of Rabbi Benjamin Friedberg. Included are subject files, eulogies, sermons, marriage records, funeral record cards, conversion certificates, gittin (Jewish divorce documents), addresses for High Holiday services, and photographs. Also include are a few artifacts, such as felt patches and medallions, as well as sound recordings. A large number of documents are relating to Rabbi Friedberg's rabbinical career at Beth Tzedec Congregation.

Administrative History

Rabbi Joseph Benjamin Friedberg (1927-2022) was born on June 26, 1927, in Toronto to Chaim (Chamel) and Rochel Rose Friedberg. Rochel Friedberg was born in Polaniec, Poland (Russian part of Poland), the daughter of Moshe and Sura Poss. Rochel had little formal education but learned Talmud from her father. In her youth, Moshe came to Toronto to make a living and had to leave the family behind; shortly thereafter, World War I broke out, and Rochel was sent to the town of Stopnitz. She was then sent to Crackow to work. Rochel married Chaim (Chamel) Friedberg from Patchenev, who was enlisted in Pilsudski’s army. Before the Great Depression, Rochel and Chaim immigrated to Canada. Later on, Chaim took ill and had to go to the Western Sanitarium; soon after that, he passed away in 1957. Rochel passed away in 1992.

Rabbi Benjamin Friedberg was a native of Toronto and received his basic religious and secular education there. He attended Harbord Collegiate in his youth. After spending a number of years at the Yeshiva University in New York, he returned home to attended the University of Toronto, from which he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1949. In 1950, Rabbi Friedberg entered the Rabbinical School of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He received his Master of Hebrew Letters degree and rabbinical ordination in 1954.

Rabbi Friedberg’s first pulpit was in Rochester, New York. He served as assistant rabbi at Beth Tzedec Congregation in 1955; and then as rabbi of B’nai Israel Congregation in London, Ontario. In 1959, he received his Master of Arts degree from the University of Western Ontario in Bible and Archaeology. As part of his doctorial program, he studied in the Department of Archaeology and Bible at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; he also spent several years studying in the Department of Religion at the University of Ottawa with special emphasis on the Samaritans.

In 1961, Rabbi Friedberg was called to the pulpit of Agudath Israel Congregation in Ottawa, Ontario, where he served for thirteen years until 1974.

In 1974, he was appointed senior rabbi at Beth Tzedec Congregation, Toronto. His major emphases in the congregation were the development of both child and adult education and emphasizing Israel as the dominant fact in Jewish life today. Much of the programming at Beth Tzedec that he instituted dealt with Israel.

Rabbi Friedberg’s interest in Jewish education was responsible for the founding of a Hebrew High School in Ottawa. His concern with Jewish youth prompted him to devote his time as counsellor to the Hillel Organization on the campuses of the University of Western Ontario, Carleton University, and the University of Ottawa. He taught Bible, Biblical Hebrew, and courses in Judaism at the University of Ottawa; and was an occasional lecturer at the University of Western Ontario in the Orientals Department. While living in Ottawa, he was active in a number of Jewish communal organizations. He was the founder and the organizer of the Ottawa Soviet Jewry Committee and was head of the Jews in Foreign Lands Committee and Canada-Israel Committee. Also, he was on the Social Welfare Council and was chairman of the Aliyah Committee in Ottawa.

Rabbi Friedberg was active with the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC) and the Canadian Zionist Federation (CZF). He worked actively on behalf of the CJC’s Educational Department. He was on the executive of the CJC Central and Eastern Regions and served as national chairman of the CJC’s International Affairs Committee. As an active Zionist, he served as national chairman of the Hasbara Committee of the CZF and was president of Mercaz Canada, the Zionist organization of the Masorti (Conservative) Movement. He also organized Israel tours and led Israel tour groups for a number of times. Rabbi Friedberg was the recipient of citations of the UJA, State of Israel Bonds, and various other awards in recognition of his communal work. In addition, he had also been invited to serve as a member of Teddy Kollek’s Jerusalem Committee.

Rabbi Friedberg was a contributor to Anglo-Jewish press, television work, and radio. He was chairman of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Religious Advisory Committee and hosted his own television program called “Focus.” He had written for the London Free Press, and the Ottawa Citizen, and a number of Jewish periodicals.

Rabbi Friedberg was married to the former Lola Constant of Montreal (1930-2022). They had three children together—Mark, Gilah, and Esther. Lola Friedberg had a degree from McGill University in Arts and Music. She had given two-piano recitals in conjunction with her twin sister, Miriam “Mitzi” Leboff, on a number of occasions. Lola had taught piano and conducted choirs in Montreal and Ottawa.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Rabbis

Sermons

Eulogies

Name Access

Friedberg, Benjamin, 1927-2022

Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Ottawa (Ont.)

London (Ont.)

Jerusalem

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1978-5-2

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

15 cm of textual records

Date

[ca. 1971]-[ca. 1976]

Scope and Content

This accession consists of newspaper clippings and correspondence relating to the dismissal of Rabbi Stuart Rosenberg by the Beth Tzedec Board and relating to the Rabbi Hollander case; copies of "The Committee of 10 Report" and "Setting the Records Straight: Analysis and refutation of The Committee of 10 report"; Beth Tzedec Board letters and Bulletins; Beth Tzedec Congregational School Education and Youth Committee minutes and newsletters; Beth Tzedec Congregation Constitution and By-Laws; a report on membership dues policy; and records relating to the Board elections.

Subjects

Synagogues

Name Access

Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Rosenberg, Stuart E., 1922-1990

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Gordon Mendly fonds

Events and organizations series

B'nai Brith lodges sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

18

Series

3-1

File

14

Material Format

graphic material

Date

17 Apr.1966

Physical Description

9 negatives : b&w ; 10 x 13 cm

Scope and Content

File consists of images taken at the B'nai Brith Toronto Lodge installation of officers banquet, held at Beth Tzedec Synagogue. The images depict a number of members accepting awards and plaques, speakers at the podium, as well as several images of lodge members and invited guests.

Name Access

Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

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

Gordon Mendly fonds

Events and organizations series

Level

File

Fonds

18

Series

3

File

49

Material Format

graphic material

Date

9 Sep. 1963

Physical Description

5 negatives : b&w ; 10 x 13 cm

Scope and Content

File consists of five images taken at the opening banquet for the thirteenth annual State of Israel Bonds drive. The banquet was held at Beth Tzedec Synagogue. The images include individuals seated around banquet tables and at the head table, and speakers at the podium. The banner behind the head table reads: build a better Israel with Israel Bonds in the bar mitzvah year.

Item 1: The woman seated on the far right facing the camera at the centre banquet table is Bertha Kaplan, who for many years was the treasurer at Adath Israel Synagogue.

Name Access

Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Dinners and dining

Repro Restriction

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

Source

Archival Descriptions

• 
• 
• 
• 

Accession Number

2018-1-9

Material Format

textual record

sound recording

Physical Description

10 cm of textual records

1 audio cassette

Date

1960-1997

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to Gordon Kushner's activities as music director of Beth Tzedec Congregation. The accession includes Kushner's compositions for V'al Kulam (1982), Mi Sheberach (1983), and Tikanta (1987) along with a collection of compositions by Srul Irving Glick, Paul Kowarsky, and Sid Robinovitch. Of particular note is a composition commissioned by the Canadian Jewish Congress for the Jewish Music Festival 1960. Recordings of selections from Robonvitch's compositions are included in an audio cassette. Also included are correspondence, meeting minutes, repertoire and music lists, and choir membership lists, and program books related to the activities of the Beth Tzedec choir and its performances, such as its participation in various Jewish music festivals. In addition, there are records related to Mel Sach's resignation from the Toronto Jewish Cultural Council as program coordinator; bulletins of Beth Tzedec Congregation, and Jewish Music Committee meeting minutes.

Administrative History

Gordon Kushner (1916-2007) was the music director of the Beth Tzedec Congregation (previously Goel Tzedec) in Toronto from 1948 to 1999. Born in Winnipeg, Kushner trained as a pianist under Gwendda Owen Davies and appeared with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra in 1940. After serving as a bandsman in the Royal Canadian Navy during the Second World War, he resumed his studies at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto under John Weinzweig in theory and conducting in 1946. As music director for Beth Tzedec Congregation, he composed several choral compositions for the synagogue and coordinated the Beth Tzedec Choir's participation in various concerts and events across Toronto, including the Jewish Music Festival sponsored by the Music Committee of the Toronto Jewish Cultural Council of Toronto Jewish Congress. Kushner was active in the cultural activities of the Toronto Jewish community. He was a member of the education and cultural committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress in 1950 and became co-chair of the central region music committee in 1967. Kushner was also a music educator and during the 1960s taught at the University of Toronto and the Royal Conservatory of Music Summer School, which he became director of in 1969. He served as the Principal and Vice-Principal of the Royal Conservatory of Music from 1978 to 1991.

Subjects

Music festivals

Synagogue music

Name Access

Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Kushner, Gordon, 1916-2007

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-11-5

Material Format

textual record

graphic material (electronic)

textual record (electronic)

Physical Description

7 cm of textual records

285 MB of photographs and textual records

Date

[188-]-2018

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the From Latkes to Laffa exhibition that was held at Beth Tzedec Congregation in 2017. Included are textual records organized into the following files: Planning, Introduction, The Ward, Kensington, Eglinton, Dairy/bagels, Delis, Kosher, and New trends. There are two additional files without names that contain additional material related to the exhibition. Also included are electronic records, primarily graphic, that relate to the exhibition. The latter have been organized into two folders: Photographs and USB.

Administrative History

From Latkes to Laffas was an exhibition at Beth Tzedec Congregation's Reuben & Helene Dennis Museum that explored the history of Toronto's Jewish restaurants. The exhibition opened on Wednesday the 6 September 2017.

Descriptive Notes

Source of supplied title proper: Title based on a label on the side of the binder.

Subjects

Ethnic restaurants

Name Access

Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Rothstein, Gella

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-2-8

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

2 folders

Date

1970-1973

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Airst family. Included are photographs of Malcolm Airst at his bar mitzvah in 1970 and Randall Airst at his bar mitzvah in 1973. The b'nai mitzvah took place at Beth Tzedec in Toronto where the family were members and Malcolm completed ninth grade at the United Synagogue Day School.

Subjects

Bar mitzvah

Name Access

Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-3-1

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

6 photographs : col. ; 21 x 15 cm or smaller

Date

[197-?]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Airst family. Included are five photographs taken at Malcolm Airst's bar mitzvah, which was held at Beth Tzedec in Toronto, and one photograph of Malcolm's sister, Lisa. Also depicted in the bar mitzvah photographs are: maternal grandfather Alexander Stolberg; parents Herman Airst and Faye Airst; and younger brother Randall Airst.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description: The five bar mitzvah photographs are glued to a matte board.

Subjects

Bar mitzvah

Families

Name Access

Beth Tzedec Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory

Date

1931

Publisher

International Advertising Agency

Format

Directory

Subject

City Directories

Genealogy

Language

English

Source

1931 Toronto Jewish Directory