Accession Number
2003-5-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2003-5-5
Material Format
multiple media
Date
[192-?]-1975
Scope and Content
The records in this accession document the Raxlen family and the Raxlen Clinic and Doctor's Hospital that was set up by the Raxlen brothers. The records also include personal correspondence between Katie Cherney and her mother, family photographs, greeting cards, press clippings and a booklet of articles written by Rabbi Fine of Peterborough. This booklet includes translated documents that he produced as rabbi from 1926 to 1934. Finally, there are three historic postcards documenting Holy Blossom's building on Bond Street, Jarvis Collegiate, and the Doctor's Hospital
Custodial History
Records were collected by Karen Fejer, the daughter of Alexander Raxlen.
Administrative History
The Raxlen brothers were born in Toronto in Cabbagetown, where their father operated a grocery store. The four brothers were Saul, Benjamin, Alexander, and Sam. All of the brothers graduated in medicine during the 1930s, except for Sam, who became a dentist. Together, they opened up the Raxlen Clinic in 1937, which was located on Carleton Street.
In 1953, the brothers opened their own private hospital, the Doctor's Hospital, which was located on Brunswick Avenue. The hospital started in a ninety-year-old building that was owned by a religious order. The brothers modernized and expanded it from a facility accomodating 59 patients to one that could hold up to 168 beds by 1955. It soon became the largest privately-held, non-profit hospital in North America. By the time the brothers sold it during the late 1970s, it had 554 full-time staff and five hundred hospital beds.
The other family documented in this accession is the Cherney family from Peterborough. The patriarch and matriarch were Abraham and B. Cherney. They had two children, Katie ("Kaye") and Meyer. Abraham and B. divorced, and Abraham remarried and had three more kids: Harry, Helen, and Louis. The family remained in Peterbough, but the ex-wife moved to Toronto. Kaye married Dr. Alexander Raxlen, and they had three children. Karen Fejer, their daughter, is the donor.
Use Conditions
Correspondence is restricted. Researchers must contact donor for permission to access them. The rest of the collection is open.
Descriptive Notes
Restrictions on access, use, reproduction, and publication: Some of the photographs are the property of the City of Toronto Archives.
Subjects
Families
Hospitals
Rabbis
Name Access
Doctor's Hospital (Toronto, Ont.)
Fine, Abraham
Places
Peterborough (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1974-001
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1974-001
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
6 photographs : b&w
Date
1907-1971
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the activities of the Ostrovtzer Congregation and Society. Records include a 40th Anniversary Jubilee Book produced for its fortieth anniversary event held at the Beth Haknesseth Hagodol (Anshei Ostrovtze) on 19 February 1950. In addtion, there is a booklet for a testimonial dinner held in honour of Joshua J. Barsht (arranged by the Ostrowcer Synagogue and Society), notes from the meetings of the subcommittee on 58 Cecil Street to discuss the future of the building, and a ticket for Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur services.
Also included are documents for the Leranbaum-Nisker family including a marriage certificate (1907), correspondence regarding verification of ages of the bride and groom for old age security (1953), a Canadian certificate of naturalization, a death certificate, and several obituaries.
This accession also includes phtographs of Mr. and Mrs. Zelig Nisker, Yukel Nesker, Isidore and Sylvia Rayman, and the Ostrovtzer Mutual Benefit Society Ladies Auxiliary.
MG_RG
MG3A22
MG6K
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Nisker (family)
Places
Cecil Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1997-4-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1997-4-1
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
27 photographs : b&w ; 25 x 20 cm or smaller
Date
[ca. 1900]-[ca. 1938]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of family photos including wedding and other formal portraits, and group photos. There is an immigration passport for Mindles Plecuto (born 1883) to Canada from Romania in 1928. There are 2 additional passports (probably Romanian) for other individuals who immigrated in 1910. Both are stamped on the back page with Canada Old Age Security numbers (one in 1957). In addition there are 4 immigration documents including an Inspection Card for Immigration Officer at Port of Arrival in Canada issued to Hodess Morkewicz on August 30, 1913.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records
Subjects
Families
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1991-3-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1991-3-4
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 20 x 25 cm and 10 x 12 cm
Date
[ca 1921]-1978
Scope and Content
This accession consists of one photograph and negative of (L-R) Molly, Anne, and Harold Haberman posing with their musical instruments in Toronto ca. 1921-23; a photocopy of the photo, identifying the children in the photo; and a pamphlet from Adath Israel Congregation regarding the consecration of the new cemetery, Pardes Shalom Memorial Park, 8 October 1978.
Administrative History
Harold Haberman was adopted by the Haberman family as a Russian war orphan when he was 11 years old in 1921 after their son Jack Haberman, a well-known Toronto saxophone player, drowned in the lagoon at Centre Island in Toronto on July 15, 1920, at 18 years old.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Haberman, Jack
Haberman, Harold
Haberman, Anne
Haberman, Molly
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1994-1-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1994-1-2
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 21 x 26 cm and 10 x 13 cm
Date
[ca. 1922]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a copy photograph of Joe Nesker, Bella Nesker and their son, Manny Nesker, standing in the doorway of Nesker & Co. Wholesale and Retail Produce, located at 193 1/2 Baldwin Street, Toronto.
Subjects
Families
Small business
Name Access
Nesker, Joe
Nesker, Bella
Nesker, Manny
Nesker & Co.
Places
Baldwin Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1976-6-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1976-6-3
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
6 photographs : b&w
Date
[ca. 1912]-1930
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs documenting the Collis family of Oshawa, Ontario.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Berg, Helen
Berg, Morris
Collis, Anne
Collis, Ben
Collis, Eva
Collis family
Collis, Mac
Collis, Sam
Places
Oshawa (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1978-12-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1978-12-4
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
1921
Scope and Content
Accession consists of the 1921 registration of the birth of Isak Eisen in November 1891, an invitation to the wedding of Rebecca Gelbwachs and Isador Eisen on December 11, 1921 at the First Russian Congregation on Bellevue Avenue (The Kiever Synagogue), a portion of their certificate of marriage, and a letter written by David Eisen of Toronto in German.
Subjects
Birth certificates
Families
Letters
Marriage records
Name Access
Eisen, David
Eisen, Isak
Eisen, Rebecca
Eisen, Isador
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2004-5-14
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2004-5-14
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
object
Physical Description
10 cm of textual records
1 medallion
2 coins
2 lapel pins
8 photographs
Date
1921-1971
Scope and Content
This accession consists of photographs and textual materials relating to the Shefsky and Magerman family; immigration and naturalization papers for Max and Toba Shefsky; photographs depicting the Toronto textile trade; Hungarian currency; school yearbooks from Harbord Collegiate, Toronto Normal School, Borochov School and Kindergarten, and Vaughan Road Collegiate Institute; newsclippings; and several Baycrest Centre lapel pins and coins. Also included is a photo of the Ray-Magerman wedding party (8 May 1948). The records origianlly belonged to Esther (Magerman) Ray.
Custodial History
The materials were kept by Leslie Gales, wife of Keith Ray
Administrative History
Abe Magerman was the assistant manager for the International Ladies Garment Workers' Union for many years. He was married to Jennie (nee Shefsky) Magerman and had two children, Esther and Alfred. Esther attended Toronto Normal School and Harbord Collegiate while both Esther and Alfred attended the Borochov School and Kindergarten.
Jennie (nee Shefsky) Magerman was the daughter of Myer and Toba Rayzel (nee Nusynovitch) Shefsky. The Baycrest pins and coins once belonged to her.
The donor, Keith Ray, is the son of Esther (nee Magerman) Ray and Gerald (Jerry) Ray. Gerald Ray attended Vaughan Collegiate Institute and later went on to the University of Toronto for chemical engineering
Subjects
Families
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1975-12-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1975-12-1
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
13 photographs : b&w
Date
[ca. 1916]-[ca. 1960]
Scope and Content
This accession consists of twelve copy photographs and one original photograph of the Lofsky and Penzner families in Toronto.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Lofsky (family)
Penzner (family)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2004-5-89
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2004-5-89
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
15 photographs : b&w and sepia ; 25 x 18 cm or smaller
Date
[ca. 1900]-[ca.1925]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs of Lawrence Richmond's family, most of which are formal portraits. Some are in folders and on mattes.
Subjects
Families
Portraits
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1976-6-13
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1976-6-13
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
22 photographs : b&w and sepia (5 negatives) ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller
Date
[ca. 1900]-1942
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs documenting the Moldaver and Rovinsky families of Brantford, Ontario.
Subjects
Families
Places
Brantford (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-5-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-5-7
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
19 photographs : b&w (jpg)
Date
[ca. 1908-1961]
Scope and Content
This accession consists of digitized photographs depicting four generations of the Rabovsky family of Owen Sound, from the early 1900s to 1961.
The photographs are as follows:
01. Goldie & Nathan Rabovsky, [ca. 1908].
02. Goldie Rabovsky (9) and Gail (9) in summer of 1961 in front of cottage at Sauble Beach, July 1961.
03. Bar mitzvah of Stan Rabovsky, at Beth Ezekiel Synagogue, Owen Sound, [ca. 1953].
04. Rose Rabovsky, Stan Rabovsky & Irving Rabovsky at bar mitzvah of Stan Rabovsky, Owen Sound, [ca. 1953].
05.Rabovskys at Sauble Beach, 1957.
06. Marsha Rabovsky at Harrison Park, Owen Sound, 1957.
07. Group in suits in front of building, [before 1944]. Back row L to R: Lillian Rabovsky, Goldie [Cadesky] Rabovsky, Rose [Schecter] Rabovsky, Nathan Rabovsky, Max Rabovsky, Celia [Gordon] Rabovsky, Sadie Rabovsky, Irving Rabovsky. Front row L to R: Mike [Meyer] Rabovsky, Stan Rabovsky (on shoulders), Moe [Moses] Rabovsky, Bertha Rabovsky
08. Sauble Beach, Ontario, [1954]. Celia Rabovsky, Marsha Rabovsky, Max Rabovsky.
09. Sadie Rabovsky, Miriam Levison Rabovsky, Celia Rabovsky, Marsha Rabovsky, Molly Cadesky, Max Rabovsky, [1954].
10. Joel Cadesky, Debbie Cadesky, Marsha Rabovsky, Goldie Rabovsky (toddler) Sauble Beach, 1954.
11. Nathan Rabovsky & Goldie Rabovsky in front of their furniture store, Owen Sound, [193-?].
12. L to R: Moses (Moe) Rabovsky, Bertha Rabovsky, Max Rabovsky, Nathan Rabovsky, Owen Sound, [ca. 1940].
13. Max Rabovsky & Celia (Gordon) Rabovsky, Owen Sound, [193-?].
14. Ezekiel Cadesky, Owen Sound, [194-?].
15. Max & Celia Rabovsky, Owen Sound, [193-?].
16. Four young men in suits; second from left is Max Rabovsky, [ca. 1930].
17. Max Rabovsky & Nettye Podnick, Owen Sound, [ca. 1930]
18. Rabovsky family downtown Owen Sound, [before 1944]. Back row L to R: Lillian Rabovsky, Rose Rabovsky, Nathan Rabovsky, Irving Rabovsky, Goldie Rabovsky, Max Rabovsky, Celia Rabovsky, Sadie Rabovsky. Front row L to R: Meyer (Mike) Rabovsky, Stanley Rabovsky (on shoulders), Pvt. Moses (Moe) Rabovsky, Bertha Rabovsky (hugging).
19. Isaac Ezekiel Cadesky, [195-?].
Administrative History
The Rabovsky family is one of the oldest in the Owen Sound Jewish community. Nathan Rabovsky arrived with his brother in 1907; his marriage to Goldie Cadesky in 1909 was the first Jewish wedding in Owen Sound, for which a rabbi was brought in from Toronto. Goldie was the eldest daughter of Ethel Lewisky and Isaac Ezekiel Cadesky, for whom the Beth Ezekiel Synagogue is named. Nathan and Goldie had seven children: Sadie, Meyer (Mike), Irving, Lillian, Moses (Moe), Bertha and Max. Moses, a pilot in the Second World War, was killed in 1944. Max married Celia Gordon, and their granddaughter is donor Julie Gonik.
Use Conditions
None
Descriptive Notes
Related records: 2007-5-5, 2007-6-37
Subjects
Communities
Families
Name Access
Rabovsky family
Places
Owen Sound (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-6-33
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-6-33
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
9 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg)
1 document (jpg)
Date
[191-]-1980
Scope and Content
This accession consists of nine electronic copies of original photographs documenting the Nash family of St. Catharines, Ontario. Included are studio portraits and snapshots, taken in St. Catharines and Port Dalhousie. Also included is one electronic copy of a typwritten remembrances of Buncie Nashman written by Harold Nash and Rhonda Applebaum.
The photographs are as follows:
1. Rose Nash and Tzeine (sister) – two young women in photo, possibly before marriage to Jack.
2. Clara Cohen with baking at cottage at Port Dalhousie (not Rose as suspected) perhaps 1940s.
3. Jack and Rose Nash
4. Nash children, ca. 1930. Top, left to right: Molly, Maurice. Bottom, left to right: Dorothy, Ruth.
5. Nash family, 21 May 1929.
6. Maurice Nash in uniform (air force) with cousin, Henry Wexler, in US Army early 1940s.
7. Maurice Nash in uniform (air force) with cousin, Henry Wexler, in US Army, and unidentified woman, early 1940s.
8. Nash women at Harold’s 50th birthday party, 1980.
9. Harold and Eleanor in Port Dalhousie with cousins, ca. 1935.
Custodial History
The original photographs are in the possession of the donor. The OJA was granted permission to scan the photos in June 2007, as part of the Ontario Small Jewish Communities initiative. These copies were then donated to the Archives on 2007-06-05.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Nash family
Places
St. Catharines (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-9-8
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-9-8
Material Format
textual record
graphic material (electronic)
graphic material
Physical Description
8 photographs : b&w and col. (7 jpg)
1 naturalization paper
Date
1910-1960
Scope and Content
Records include the 1911 naturalization certificate of Solomon Waiser; a 1948-1949 class composite photograph of the North Bay Hebrew School; and 7 scanned copies of original photographs. The photographs include images of Sol Waiser, his wife Essie, and children; the wedding of Mary Waiser and Milton Cossaver; Sol Waiser's house in North Bay; and two North Bay streetscapes outside Sol Waiser's clothing store.
Photographs are as follows:
01. Esther and Jake Kizell (Cynthia Flesher's grandparents) dancing at Sol and Essie Waiser’s 50th wedding anniversary.
02. Right to left: Sol Waiser and Essie, Zelda and William and Ceritta and Arthur, bound for Europe, 1927.
03. Sol Waiser and Silverstein shops in North Bay, 1940s.
04. Sol Waiser and wife standing outside store on parade route, 1910.
05. Sol Waiser’s house at 133 Main Street West.
06. Sol Waiser walking new torah to shul after son returned from war, ca. 1945.
07. Wedding of Mary Waiser and Milton Cossever, March 26 1950. Front row, left to right: Frances Waiser, Michael Waiser, Cynthia Waiser, Rifka Wiseman, Lillian Wiseman, Bona Wiseman, Milton Cossaver, Mary Waiser Cossaver, Sylvia Black, Mrs. Cossaver, Bessie Waiser, Rae Black, Peter Schacter, Geety Waiser, Mrs. Cosaver, unknown. Second row, left to right: Gary ?, Art Waiser, Bill Waiser, Henry Wiseman, unknown, Louis Ritter, unknown, Sol Waiser, unknown, unknown.
08. North Bay Hebrew School 1948-49. Identified are, top left: Henry Wiseman (father of Ricky Pasternak), Nathan Rivilis, Jack Stoller. Middle left: Rifkay (Ricky) Pasternak, Faegi Hoffman, Michael Cohen, Cynthia Waiser, Gloria Hockman. Bottom left: Irwin (Butch) Rivilis, Peter Brown, Bernice (Brooky) Himmel, Herbie Herman, Sandra Hockman.
09. Soloman Waiser naturalization papes.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Communities
Families
Name Access
Waiser, Solomon
Places
North Bay (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-2-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-2-4
Material Format
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
5 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg)
1 photograph : col.
2 documents : col. (jpg)
Date
[1910?]-2008
Scope and Content
Accession consists of six photographs of the Greenspoon family of Sudbury, Ontario. There are also two scanned documents: Moe Greenspoon's 1918 birth certificate and his statement of service in the Canadian Armed Forces, issued in 1990.
Photographs include the following:
01. Benjamin and Fanny Greenspoon ca. 1910. (photograph was a reprint of a scanned original)
02. Paul Allan Greenspoon with grandfather Benjamin and his second wife at bar mitzvah, ca. 1966.
03. Greenspoon family gathering ca. 1942. L to R (back): Nathan, Doris, Moses (Moe), Max, Sydney, Irving, Bill, Ruth, Louis. L to R (front): Dave, wife Ann, Ben, Fanny, Harry, wife Millie.
04. Greenspoons at the Nahala dedication plaque in Israel, Oct. 1972. L to R: Rose (married to Max), daughter Elaine, Max, son Ira, Ira's wife Merle, and Ben in front.
05. Zady's Boyz - basketball team of all the grandsons with Moe, 2008.
Use Conditions
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Canada--Armed Forces
Communities
Families
Name Access
Greenspoon, Moe
Places
Sudbury, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-9-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2007-9-7
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
9 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg)
Date
[ca. 1925]-[ca. 1975]
Administrative History
Accession consists of scanned photographs of Goldie Barth's (nee Greenspoon) family in Sudbury, Ontario, including pictures of her parents Mary and Samuel, their backyard with scrap metal, and their general store. Other images include Mary Singer, Ghital Halman, a children's event in the basement of the synagogue, a group of Young Judea youth, and a group of young children.
Photographs include:
01. Children outside shul, early 1940s.
02. Event in basement of synagogue, late 1930s or early 1940s.
03. Greenspoons inside shul, nd.
04. Left to right: Mary Greenspoon and Mary Singer at Jewish community camp.
05. Left to right: Ghital Halman, Mary Greenspoon, unidentified. Unidentified man behind.
06. Mary Greenspoon in backyard with chickens, late 1930s.
07. Mary Greenspoon with children in front of her grocery store, 1930s.
08. Samuel Greenspoon in backyard with chickens and scrap metal.
09. Young Judea event, February 1964. Far left Goldie Barth. Other children are Jewish and Catholic.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Communities
Families
Name Access
Barth, Goldie
Places
Sudbury (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-7-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-7-2
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
42 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg)
1 folder of textual records
Date
1902-[ca. 1990]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of electronic photographs of the Levison family from Owen Sound, Ontario. Included in the photos are Rabbi Manfred Levison and his wife Rega, their daughters Miriam and Lottie and their son Benny. Also pictured are Miriam's husband Mike Rabovsky and daughter Goldie; Lottie's husband Ralph Glass and their daughters Rochelle and Janice. The photographs depict the family in China, Medicine Hat, Owen Sound, Sauble Beach, Belle Ewart, and Toronto after the family moved to Palmerston Avenue in 1952.
The textual records consist of a German birth certificate for Rabbi Levison, a marriage certificate for Rabbi Levison and Rega Wolf and a marriage certificate for his parents Leib Levisohn and Josefine (née Kaufmann) Levisohn.
Photo Captions:
001: Rochelle Glass and Janice Glass with their grandfather Manfred Levison, (Toronto, ON), ca. 1979.
002: Goldie Ronald, Miriam Rabovsky, Bruce Ronald and Mike Rabovsky (front), (Owen Sound, ON), ca. 1982
003: Goldie Ronald, Bruce Ronald, Miriam Rabovsky, and Mike Rabovsky at the wedding of Craig Levinson, (Toronto, ON), ca. 1990.
004: Mike Rabovsky, Miriam Rabovsky (née Levison), Lottie Glass (née Levison) & Ralph Glass, (Owen Sound, ON), ca. 1989.
005: [Unidentified], Lottie Levison, [unidentified] and Miriam Levison, China, ca. 1940.
006: Benny and Lottie Levison, China, ca. 1940
007: Rega Levison (née Wolf), (Medicine Hat, AB), ca. 1948
008: Miriam Levison, (Medicine Hat, AB), ca. 1948
009: Benny and Lottie Levison, (Owen Sound, ON), 1949.
010: Mike Rabovsky, Miriam Levison, [unknown Cadesky], [unknown Cadesky] and Benny Levision (front), Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.
011: Mike Rabovsky and Miriam Levison, Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.
012: Siblings Lottie, Miriam and Benny Levison, Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.
013: Miriam and Lottie Levison, Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.
014: Mike Rabovsky and Lottie Levison, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.
015: Rega Levison (née Wolf), (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.
016: Lottie Levision, (Owen Sound, ON), 1951.
017: Rega and her daughter Lottie Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.
018: Lottie Levison, Palmerston Avenue, (Toronto, ON), 1952.
019: Rega Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.
020: Benny Levison, (Toronto, ON), 1952.
021: Benny Levison, (Owen Sound, ON), 1952.
022: Benny Levison, Mike Rabovsky and Lottie Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.
023: Rega and Manfred Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.
024: Manfred, Rega, Lottie and: Studio portrait of Ralph Glass, ca. 1935. Benny Levison (front), (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.
025: Lottie and Benny Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.
026: Levison family at Sauble Beach. Back row: Manfred Levison, Rega Levison and Mike Rabovsky. Front row: Lottie and Benny Levison, (Sauble Beach, ON), 1952.
027: Goldie Rabovsky held by her grandmother Rega Levison, Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1953.
028: Mike Rabovsky, Goldie Rabovsky, Rega Levison and Miriam Rabovsky (née Levison),Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1953.
029: Lottie Levison, Goldie Rabovsky, Rega Levison , Benny Levison and Miriam Rabovsky (née Levison),Harrison Park, (Owen Sound, ON), 1953.
030: Goldie and Mike Rabovsky, Victoria Day Weekend, Palmerston Avenue, (Toronto, ON), 1954.
031: Miriam and Goldie Rabovsky, Victoria Day Weekend, Palmerston Avenue, (Toronto, ON), 1954.
032: Lottie Levison, Glass family cottage, (Belle Ewart, ON), June 1955.
033: Ralph Glass, Glass family cottage, (Belle Ewart, ON), June 1955.
034: Lottie Levison, Ralph Glass and Arlene Glass (front), Glass family cottage, (Belle Ewart, ON), June 1955.
035: Arlene and Ralph Glass, Glass family cottage, (Belle Ewart, ON), June 1955.
036: Ralph Glass, Glass family cottage, (Belle Ewart, ON), June 1955.
037: Sally White and Lottie Levison, Palmerston Avenue, (Toronto, ON), November 1955.
038: Lottie Levison and Ralph Glass, Palmerston Avenue, (Toronto, ON), November 1955.
039: Miriam, Mike and Goldie Rabovsky, (Owen Sound, ON), August 1959.
040: Goldie Rabovsky, backyard garden, (Owen Sound, ON), August 1959.
041: Goldie Rabovsky, (Owen Sound, ON), August 1959.
042: Studio portrait of Ralph Glass, ca. 1935.
Administrative History
Lottie Glass is the daughter of Rabbi Manfred Levison and Rega (née Wolf) Levison. The Glass family including Lottie's siblings Miriam (m. Rabovsky) and Benny moved to Canada in 1947. They emigrated from China where they had been living since 1939. In Canada, the family first settled in Medicine Hat, Alberta and moved to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1949. In 1950 they settled in Ontario first moving to Welland and then Owen Sound (1950-1952). In the summer of 1952, the family moved to Toronto and lived on Palmerston Avenue. Miriam and her husband Mike Rabovsky remained in Owen Sound. In 1954 after the death of his wife Rega, Rabbi Levison travelled to the United States in search of work and eventually settled in Brooklyn, New York.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Levison, Rabbi Manfred
Levison, Rega (née Wolf)
Levison, Benny
Glass, Lottie
Glass, Ralph
Glass, Rochelle
Glass, Janice
Rabovsky, Miriam
Rabovsky, Mike
Ronald, Goldie (née Rabovsky)
Ronald, Bruce
Places
Owen Sound, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-8-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-8-3
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
3 photographs : b&w and col. (jpg)
Date
1890-[ca. 1935]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of three electronic scans of original photographs of Nathan Phillips' father Jacob, his mother Mary (nee Rosenbloom) and a group portrait of Nathan with his first son Lewis, his mother Mary and an unidentified older woman.
Custodial History
The original photographs are in the possession of the donor. They were loaned to the OJA for copying and then returned on Aug. 18, 2008.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Subjects
Families
Places
Cornwall (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-8-26
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-8-26
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
8 photographs : b&w and col. ; 10 x 15 cm or smaller
Date
[ca. 1920]-1994
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs pertaining to the Salit family and the Jewish community of Niagara Falls, Ontario. There is a newspaper clipping, an advertisement for Myer Salit Limited and a fiftieth-anniversary commemorative book for Congregation B'Nai Israel, St Catharines, Ontario (1975).
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Subjects
Communities
Families
Synagogues
Places
Niagara Falls (Ont.)
St. Catharines (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-6-13
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-6-13
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
38 photographs (jpg) : b&w and col.
Date
[190?-1990]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs documenting the Chana and Mayer Wisotsky family as well as Dora (Sherr) and her husband Morris Isen. Included are wedding and family portraits, photos of family members in military uniform during the Second World War, images of family celebrations, photos of family businesses, and images of Morris Isen performing with his orchestra. Identified in the photographs are: Anne Sillen, Jack Sillen, Ben Sherr, Dora Wisotsky, Marvin Wain (Wisotsky), Abe Benson, Dora (Sherr) Isen, and Morris Isen.
Administrative History
The Wisotsky family were Ukrainian immigrants who came to Canada around 1908. Chana and Mayer Munny Wisotsky had 13 children, seven of whom remained in Ukraine. Three of their five children and a grandchild (Jack Sillen), came with them in 1908, with two other children, Ben and Annie, following in 1912. The Wisotskys lived originally in Toronto. Ben Wisotsky eventually married Dora Wetstein and moved to the United States in the 1930s. Annie Wisotsky married Abe Benson, who ran a successful auto paint/gas station on Dufferin near Dupont during the 1920s and 1930s.
Morris Isen had a successful career as a trumpet player in the 1930s and 1940s; he was involved in radio orchestra, CBC television and the Toronto Symphony Orchestra.
Use Conditions
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Families
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-9-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-9-2
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
7 photographs : b&w (jpg)
Date
[ca. 1895]-1943
Scope and Content
Accession consists of seven electronic copies of original photographs depicting various members of the Miller family of Cornwall, Ontario. Included is a photograph of Nathan Miller with his eyeglass testing machine, golden and diamond anniversary gatherings for Nathan and Dubby, a studio portrait of Abe Miller, a photo of Ben Miller in an army tent with fellow soldiers and two photos of Nathan Miller holding his grandson, Jack.
Custodial History
The original photographs are in the possession of the donor, Jack Miller. The scans were produced by the donor for the Archives' Small Jewish Communities project.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Subjects
Families
Places
Cornwall (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-9-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-9-10
Material Format
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
51 photographs : b&w and col. (45 negatives) ; 10 x 12 or smaller
Date
1918-1977
Scope and Content
This accession consists of fifty-one photographs and negatives depicting various members of the Rosenberg family and the North Bay Jewish community. The images include Hanukkah and Father's Day celebrations at the Sons of Jacob Synagogue, a Lag B'Omer picnic, Joe Rosenberg inside his menswear store, and a community parade in North Bay.
Identified individuals in the photographs include: Leah Brown, Abe Brown, Philip Cait, Fae Cait, Morley Daiter, Chaim Edery, Amalia Edery, Harry Freeman, Adele Freeman, Sam Heisler, Rae Heisler, Ben Herman, Sonny Herman, Marv Himmel, Shirley Hockman, Marvin Hockman, Rose Hoffman, Joe Hoffman, Bill Klieman, Arnie Maizen, Evelyn Maizen, Alex Metz, Jean Metz, Jean Noek, Peggy Pachner, John Pachner, Harry Reiss, Nathan Rivelis, Ida Rivelis, Brooky Robins, Mr. and Mrs. Allen and Beverley Rosenberg, Gordon Rosenberg, Joe Rosenberg, Pearl Rosenberg, Marcia Rosenberg, Eleanor Sherman, Sam Sherman, Eckie Weisman, and Millie Weisman.
Administrative History
Allen Rosenberg was born in North Bay in 1930. His grandfather Moishe Rosenberg was from Russia and was the first to arrive in 1910. He opened a convenience store and pool hall in town. His grandmother Esther (nee Brown) followed soon after. HIs father Joe was married to Pearl Brown, who grew up in North Bay. Joe owned a successful men's and boys' wear store. Allen and his wife Beverly eventually moved to Toronto.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Subjects
Communities
Families
Synagogues
Name Access
Rosenberg, Allen, 1930-
Places
North Bay (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-11-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2008-11-1
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
5 cm of textual records
6 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 16 cm or smaller
Date
1905-1949
Scope and Content
This accession consists of textual records and photographs documenting members of the Agranove and Lyons families, specifically the donor's grandfather, William Agranove, as well as his mother and father, Frances and Irwin Lyons. The textual records consists mainly of correspondence, however, there are also school report cards and certificates, greeting cards and a souvenir programme. The photographs are group and individual portraits of family members including Avrum Rotenberg, Sarah Rotenberg, Saul Lyons, Mary Agranove, Irwin Lyons, Frances Lyons, Bill Agranove, Anna Lyons, Shirley Lyons, Sam Rotenberg, Nate Rotenberg, Sol Rotenberg, Sam Pollock and Harry Rotenberg.
Custodial History
The records were in the possession of the donor before they were donated to the Archives on November 3, 2008.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Subjects
Families
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-2-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-2-5
Material Format
object
textual record
Physical Description
30 cm of textual records
1 artifact
Date
1902-1981
Scope and Content
The records consist of material produced by Rabbi Saul Gringorten and his son I. M. Gringorten. They include certificates and identification for Rabbi Gringorten and his wife, along with his son I. M. Gringorten. In addition, the accession includes a great deal of correspondence in both English and Yiddish from the father and son during the 1940s, particularly during the period when the rabbi resided in the United States. Some material also documents I. M. Gringorten's involvement in the United Zionists organization during the 1940s. Finally, this accession includes a chuppah (marriage canopy) that was first used in 1910 by Saul Wolf Gringorten in Brantford, Ontario. The chuppah is made out of a tallis with embellishments sewn into the centre. The chuppah was subsequently used by various members of the Gringorten family.
Administrative History
Saul Wolf Gringorten and his wife Rachel Gringorten (nee Melnick) were born in Poland in 1876 and 1881 respectively. They moved to Canada in 1910 with their eldest child Morris. They subsequently had five more after their arrival. Their children included: Israel Morris (I. M.), Jennie, Jacob, Esther, Louis and Isaac.
Rabbi Gringorten served as spiritual leader, teacher, shochet and mohel for the Brantford Jewish community after his arrival for thirteen years. He would also be on call in northern and western Ontario where the communities were too small to support a rabbi. He then moved to Toronto during the early 1920s and became the principal of a Jewish school. The family lived at 26 Cecil Street at that time and then moved to 393 Markham Street during the late 1920s or early 1930s. He became active in the Jewish community, serving as vice-president of the Sons of Jacob, a board member of the Folks Farein and the first Trustee of the Old Folks Home.
Rabbi Gringorten and his wife moved to California during the mid-1940s in order to live in a climate that was better for their health. Rachel passed away in 1947 and the Rabbi followed in 1959.
Their oldest son, Israel Morris Gringorten, was born in Poland in 1904. He was educated in Brantford and later graduated from the University of Toronto. He served during the Second World War from 1943 until 1945. After his discharge, he spent his career working as an auto parts manufacturer with Canada Motor Products Ltd. He was an ardent Zionist who served as president of the United Zionists - Revisionists of America during the 1940s. He and his wife had four children.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
Language: Records are in Yiddish and English.
Access restriction: One file contains medical information and is closed.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Gringorten, Saul Wolfe
Gringorten, Rachel
Gringorten, Israel Morris
Places
Brantford (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-4-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-4-2
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
5 photographs : b&w ; 10 x 12 cm
Date
1918-[ca. 1940]
Scope and Content
This accession consists of five copy photographs of the Pearlman family of Lucknow, Ontario and the Levinson family of Toronto. Included is:
Photo 001: Louis and Rose Levinson, ca. 1930s.
Photo 002: Sophy and Ben Pearlman in front of B. Pearlman's Ladies' and Men's ready to wear store, 1940s.
Photo 003: B. Pearlman's Ladies' and Men's ready to wear store, 1940s.
Photo 004: Ada and Sol Lewis (Levinson) with son Austin, mid-1930s.
Photo 005: Rosa and Louis Levinson and extended Levinson family, 1918.
Administrative History
The Pearlman family were the only Jewish family in Lucknow, Ontario. They owned a men's and ladies' ready to wear store, which opened in 1923, was sold to new owners in 1945 and remained in operation until the 1970s. Through family connections in Toronto, the Pearlman's were founding members of both the Roumanian Shul on Centre St. (now Adath Israel Synagogue) as well as the Bais Yehuda Synagogue on Dovercourt (now Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue in North York).
The Levinson family were in-laws of the Pearlman family and were also founding members of Bais Yehuda Synagogue. The family owned an ice cream parlour on Terauley St. (Bay St.) in Toronto. Their son Sol Lewis was a soloist at Sheas Theatre in Toronto and his wife Ada was a pianist. During the 1930s and 1940s, they would perform during film screenings in between the changing of the reels.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Levinson, Rosa
Levinson, Louis
Lewis, Sol
Lewis, Ada
Lewis, Austin
Pearlman, Ben
Pearlman, Sophy
Places
Lucknow (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-6-9
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-6-9
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
1 photograph (jpg)
Date
1926
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one scanned family photograph of Eve's family shortly before their emigration from Russia to Canada.
Back row, left to right: Raizel Rosen, Yisroel Rosen. Front, left to right: Pesa Rosen holding Edith Rosen, Eve Rosen and Avraham Rosen.
Administrative History
Eve Rosen Gordon was born in Russia in 1923. When she was three years old, her parents and paternal grandparents came to Canada with Eve's sister and brother. Her uncle Aaron Rosen had been in Kitchener, Ontario since 1903. His business was scrap metal, and Eve's father joined him in the work to pay off their tickets from Russia. Following that, he peddled with a horse and buggy. In 1933 he launched his own business, clearing and filling the swampy land by hand to build a multi-generation business, Rosen and Sons, which eventually moved into industrial waste.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Subjects
Families
Immigrants--Canada
Places
Kitchener (Ont.)
Russia
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-8-8
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-8-8
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
6 photographs : b&w : 12 x 17 cm on matte 18 x 25 cm or smaller
Date
1912-1983
Scope and Content
The accession consists of six photographs of the Rosen family of Kitchener. The pictures are all portraits involving multiple generations of the family taken between 1912 and 1944. The people pictured include Aaron J. Rosen, his parents, his children, and one with his brother Israel Rosen. There is also a Certificate of Canadian Citizenship issued to Aaron Rosen. It is dated 1951, however it makes reference to his naturalization in 1911. Later documents include a copy of the Rosen-Shpizel family tree, and a letter written by the donor recounting her mother's reminiscences of life in Kitchener. The letter was written to accompany photographs that the donor loaned to Mr. Donald Bierstock in Kitchener, who was compiling a history of Beth Jacob congregation for its 75th anniversary.
Custodial History
The photographs belonged to Aaron Rosen's daughter Mary until she passed them on to her son in the early 1990s. He gave them to his sister Phyllis, the donor, in July 2009.
Administrative History
Aaron J. Rosen (1879-1973) was born in Checholia, Russia, the son of Avraham Zvi Rosen and Pesa Cohn. He was the first of his family to come to Canada, in 1903. He came ahead of his wife Sima Leah (1873-1948), and their son Irving (d. 1962). In Kitchener, Aaron established himself in the peddling business, founding Rosen Rag & Metal. After his wife and son joined him, they had two more children, Mary (1908-1996) and Joseph (1906-1916). Joseph died of diphtheria at the age of ten. He was one of the first to be buried in the Beth Jacob Cemetery.
Aaron Rosen was one of the founders of Beth Jacob Congregation in 1908, and was among those who signed the mortgage for the synagogue in 1924. The family rented a house at 156 Church Street, and later lived next to the Rosen Rag & Metal warehouse at 123 Strange Street. In 1927, Aaron brought over his brother Israel with his family and their parents.
In 1938, Aaron's daughter, Mary Rosen, married Ben Coles. They settled in Toronto. They had two children, Alan and Phyllis (the donor). Irving Rosen married Tillie Minsky and his children (in the photos) are Estelle and Gerry.
Sima Leah Rosen predeceased Aaron, and when he was 70 he remarried, wedding Rebecca (usually called Bayla) Kaplan (grandmother of Robert Kaplan, MP and Attorney General). The marriage was religious but not civil. Aaron Rosen died at the age of 93 in 1973. He is buried next to his first wife at Roselawn Cemetery in Toronto.
Subjects
Communities
Families
Name Access
Rosen, Aaron, 1879-1973
Rosen, Sima Leah, 1873-1948
Places
Kitchener (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-9-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-9-2
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
2 photographs (jpg) : b&w
Date
[ca.1925]-[ca.1932]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of two scanned photographs. The first image is an early photograph of the Tomarin family. Identified from left to right: Geraldine Woolfson, Rhona Tomarin, Rachael Shube, Millie Tomarin (née Rudolph), Harry Tomarin, Tillie Revzen, and Benjamin Newman. The second photograph is of Samuel and Millie Tomarin.
Administrative History
The individuals in the photograph were all members of the St. Catharines’ Jewish community.
The Tomarin, Revzen, and Newman families were junk dealers whose plants flourished during the war, and the three families, who were related by marriage, became leading Canadian steel manufacturers.
Abraham Newman emigrated to St. Catharines from Russia in 1909, living with his aunt and uncle and helping them with their junk business. His wife, Mary, arrived in 1914, and later their two children, Rhoda and Harry, arrived in 1919. They had four children in Canada: Norman, Benjamin, Rebecca, and Gordon. Benjamin took over the company after Abe’s retirement and turned it into one of the largest steel manufacturers in Canada.
Abraham was also responsible for bringing many of his family members to Canada from Russia, including Morton Revzen in 1914; his orphaned niece, Geraldine Woolfson, in 1926; his mother, Rachael Shube; and his in-laws, the Tomarin family.
Aided by Abe Newman, Samuel and Millie Tomarin, their children Harry and Rhona, and Geraldine Woolfson, all moved to St. Catharines in 1926. Harry later married Adele Slepkov, and Rhona married Max Alexandroff. Rhona and Max’s son, Alan Alexandroff, donated the photographs.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Subjects
Families
Places
St. Catharines (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-8-9
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-8-9
Material Format
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
48 photographs : b&w and col. (1 jpg) ; 21x 25 cm or smaller
Date
[ca. 1910]-[ca. 1980]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of family snapshots and portraits of members of the Zet family of St. Catharines. They include images of the donor's grandmother, Sadie (Hyatt) Zet, and grandfather Morris Zet, their friends, children and grandchildren. Among the events documented are the wedding of Bernice Zet to Albert Shecter in 1946 at the Congregation B'nai Israel, officiated by Rabbi Herschel Shapiro (who officiated weddings from 1931-1956), and summer scenes at Crystal Beach including Bernice Zet, Freda Caplan, Claire Zet and Deborah Caplan. There are several photographs of a group of high school girls, including Anne Granek, Minnie Lefstein, Ann Caplan, Ethel Friedman, Sylvia and Frieda Greenberg, Rae Rosenberg, and Eve Luntz. There is also an image of twenty little girls dressed in white holding British flags on the occasion of the opening of the shul in 1925, and one of Celia Taube with her children. As well, there are pictures of "the gang" of couples at social occasions in the 1950s. Persons pictured include Bayla Katzman, Joel Zeldon, Anne Granek, Abe Herzog, Margaret Zeldon, Jenny Katzman, Joe Katzmean, Gert Granek, Bea Magder, Dave Kates, Sybil Cowitz, Elsie Kates, Chippie (Helen) Feldman, [unknown man], Syd Magder, Dolly Cooperman, Eleanor Lambert, Sarah (Sookie) Slepkov, and Sheila Newman.
Finally, there is a ca. 1908 portrait of Berel and Nachama Kaplan, great-aunt and uncle of the donor.
Administrative History
Morris Zet (Zatulove) immigrated to Toronto in 1913 at age 18. In Romania his family enjoyed prosperity as dairy farmers, but after being conscripted into the Russian army, he left, walking from Russia to Austria. After a year in Toronto, Morris moved to St. Catharines, where he boarded with the Adelsteins. There, he made a living peddling to the many workers building the Welland Canal. In 1917, Morris married Sadie Hyatt (her brother changed the family name to Goldberg in Canada), who had come to Toronto in 1914. Morris opened a men’s wear store on St. Paul’s Street in St Catharines called Zet’s Clothing. Ten years later in 1929, he closed this store and opened Zet’s Men’s Wear in nearby Thorald, though the family continued to live in St Catharines. In 1935, Sadie opened Zet’s Ladies Wear across the street in Thorald. Morris and Sadie Zet had 3 daughters whom they raised in St Catharines: Anne, Clare and Bernice. Anne is the donor's mother. She married Kelley Granek in St. Catharines in 1939. Clare married Sam Kranitz in 1940; Bernice married Albert Schecter of Toronto, also at the St. Catharines shul, in 1946.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Descriptive Notes
Physical Desription note: two of the photographs are colour copies.
Subjects
Communities
Families
Name Access
Zet, Morris
Zet, Sadie
Places
St. Catharines (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-11-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-11-1
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
13 photographs : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm or smaller
Date
1903-[ca.1960]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of thirteen photographs documenting the Wagman family as well as wedding photographs of Charlotte Wagman and Martin Levene at the Goel Tzedec Synagogue. There is also a programme for the Goel Tzedec Religious School graduation exercises of 1944, with Charlotte Wagman as a graduate.
The photographs are as follows:
1. Goel Tzedec Religious School graduation exercise program, 1944.
2. Tel Aviv Hadassah Chapter in Garden, ca. 1957.
3. State of Israel Bond Information Service reception in honour of the Toronto Israel Bond Oheh Regel Tour, at the home of the Canadian Ambassador, Margaret Meagher, in Ramat Gan, ca. 1960
4. Goel Tzedec Sunday School class, 1941.
5. El Al flight in Israel, ca.1961. The image features Mayor Nathan Phillips and his wife.
6. Portrait of the Wagman family, 1903. Includes from bottom row, left to right: Charles, Joseph, Zelic, Etta, Ceril (seated). Top row includes: Myer (nephew), Peter, Isadore and William.
7. Paskowitz family, ca. 1940. Includes Mary, Sadie, Hilda and Fanny.
8. Wedding photograph of Charlotte Wagman and Martin Levene taken in Goel Tzedec, 14 June 1947.
9. Martin and Charlotte under the chuppah at their wedding at Goel Tzedec, 14 June 1947.
10. Goel Tzedec graduation class in robes with Rabbi Sachs (centre), 1944. Front row (left to right): [unidentified], [unidentified], Selma Green, Selma Stone, [unidentified], Hoodis Sidonsky, Charlotte Wagman, Estelle Yolles, Rhea Tishler. Back row (left to right): [unidentified], Murray Mendelson, David Buckstein, Richard Greisman, Sheldon Kert, [unidentified], [unidentified], Austin Cooper, [unidentified].
11. Israel trip with David Ben-Gurion (centre), ca. 1952.
12. Trip to Israel with Nathan Philips at far right and Ambassador Meagher, taken in desert, ca. 1960.
13. Ladies Auxiliary from the Henry Street Synagogue, ca. 1908.
Custodial History
The photographs were donated by Charlotte Levine (née Wagman). She is the daughter of Charles Wagman.
Administrative History
The family patriarch, Zelick (also known as Zelig) Wagman, emigrated from Lodz, Poland to Canada around 1903. The following year, his wife Ceril and six children joined him. They included: Charles, Joseph, Etta, Peter, Isadore, and WIlliam. He arrived penniless and earned a living as a peddler. The family lived in the east end of Toronto at 34 Gerard Street.
Zelick founded Z. Wagman & Sons and Toronto Cadmium Plating. Joseph took over his father's business. Charles became a supplier of electrical products, establishing Revere Electric. William and Isadore in turn ran Industrial Wire & Cable and owned the Fashion Building on Spadina Avenue. Finally, Peter owned his own business called P. Wagman & Sons and later Junior Maid Garment Company.
The family became extremely successful over the years. They also were very active in the Jewish community. Zelick was one of the founders of the Henry Street Synagogue, Beth Jacob. William was the co-founder of the YMHA and the Talmud Torah. His brother Joseph was also involved in many Jewish organizations such as Mount Sinai Hospital, Baycrest and the Primrose Club. Joseph and his wife Minnie were also major philanthropists, funding the Joseph E. and Minnie Wagman Centre at Baycrest.
Descriptive Notes
ASSOCIATED MATERIALS: Other records relating to the Wagman family can be found in Accessions 2017-7-6 and 2017-8-13.
Subjects
Families
Weddings
Name Access
Goel Tzedec Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Israel
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-11-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-11-4
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
object
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
2 photographs : b&w ; 9 x 14 cm and 9 X7 cm
1 matchbook
Date
1928-2009
Scope and Content
Accession consists of mementos, family documents and clippings from Nancy Draper (née Frankel). The records include a birth announcement card for Nancy in 1928 and a matchbook party favour from her wedding to Darrell Draper in 1949. There is also a scholarship application letter from the donor's granddaughter, Haley Draper, to UJA. Other records include a staff list from Camp Wabi-Kon in 1946; a Globe and Mail obituary of Dr. Martin Wolfish, a past volunteer of OJA; a photograph of David Steinhauer; a clipping about an Inuit sculpture inspired by the experience of Holocaust survivor Leon Kahn; and three eulogies for Patricia Drevnig Goldstein (1940-2005) (née Jacobs). Patricia was the granddaughter of Rabbi Solomon Jacobs of Holy Blossom, and her mother, Edna, was a Frankel. Finally, the accession includes a photocopy of a photograph of members of the Siglen family of Meaford with Maurice Frankel, the great-uncle of the donor, and Irwin Rosen, ca. 1928.
Administrative History
Nancy Frankel (b. 1928) is the daughter of Carl and Dorothy Jacobs Frankel, past prominent members of the Toronto Jewish community and members of Holy Blossom Temple. Nancy attended Camp Wabi-Kon, a Jewish camp in northern Ontario near Temagami, and then worked there as a teenager. She married Darrell Draper on December 10th, 1949. Nancy is a longtime volunteer at the OJA.
Subjects
Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.)
Camps
Families
Letters
Obituaries
Name Access
Draper, Nancy
Source
Archival Accessions
Level
Item
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Material Format
graphic material
Date
28 Jul. 1929
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 24 x 74 cm
Scope and Content
Item is a copy panoramic photograph of the Weber family on a picnic in Scarborough. The individuals have been identified on the photograph.
Subjects
Families
Picnics
Portraits, Group
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
Scarborough (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
1986-10-10
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Material Format
graphic material
Date
1922
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 10 x 13 cm
Scope and Content
This item is a copy portrait of the Rosen family of Kingston, Ontario. Pictured are:
Back row, left to right: Jennie (née Rosen?) Cohen, Clara (née Rosen) Shapiro.
Front row, left to right: Fruma Basha Rosen, Harold Shapiro, Moshe Velvel Rosen.
Name Access
Cohen, Jennie
Rosen, Clara
Rosen, Fruma Basha
Rosen, Jennie
Rosen, Moshe Velvel
Shapiro, Clara
Shapiro, Harold
Subjects
Families
Portraits, Group
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
Kingston (Ont.)
Accession Number
1986-3-5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1921]
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 13 x 18 cm
Scope and Content
This item is a copy portrait of the Tevan family of Kingston, Ontario.
Name Access
Tevan family
Subjects
Families
Portraits, Group
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
Kingston (Ont.)
Accession Number
1986-3-5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 3366
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
3366
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[192-]
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 13 x 11 cm and 10 x 12 cm
Scope and Content
This item is a copy print and corresponding negative of the Moses family. Pictured are:
Standing, left to right: Annie, Rita (m. Mink), Bunny (m. Phillips), Ida (m. Shapiro), Wolfe, Malca (m. Kagan Muskin), Hascal.
Seated, left to right: aubey, Sid, Nathan.
Subjects
Families
Portraits, Group
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
Sudbury (Ont.)
Accession Number
1982-10-1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 3368
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
3368
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[192-]
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 13 x 11 cm and 10 x 12 cm
Scope and Content
This item is a copy print and corresponding negative of the Moses family of Sudbury, Ontario. The family are standing on the front porch of their house at 175 Spruce Street. Pictured are:
Back row, left to right: Rita (m. Mink), Annie, Ida (m. Shapiro), Bunny (m. Phillips).
Front row, left to right: Sidney, Aubey, Malca (m. Kagan Muskin), Nathan.
Subjects
Families
Portraits, Group
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
Sudbury (Ont.)
Accession Number
1982-10-1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 2526
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
2526
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1925]
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 13 x 18 cm and 10 x 12 cm
Scope and Content
This item is a copy studio portrait and corresponding negative of the Dubinsky family of Kirkland Lake, Ontario. Pictured are:
Back row, left to right: Morris, Min.
Front row, left to right: Carl, Eli, Ann, Tillie.
Name Access
Dubinsky, Al
Dubinsky, Carl
Dubinsky, Eli
Dubinsky family
Dubinsky, Tillie
Morris, Mis
Subjects
Families
Portraits, Group
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
Kirkland Lake (Ont.)
Accession Number
1981-2-1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 2522
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
2522
Material Format
graphic material
Date
1928
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 21 x 26 cm and 10 x 12 cm
Scope and Content
This item is a copy print and corresponding negative of the Dubinsky family with other members of the Kirkland Lake Jewish community, seated around the seder table in the Dubinsky home during Passover.
Pictured clockwise from the left: Min Dubinsky, Pearl Vellus, Ann Dubinsky, Tillie Dubinsky, Eli Dubinsky, Rabbi Rabinowitz, Mrs. Rosenberg, Mrs. Rosenberg, [obstructed child], Barry Blitstein, Faye Rosenberg, Carl Dubinsky.
Name Access
Blitstein, Barry
Dash, Joe
Dubinsky, Ann
Dubinsky, Carl
Dubinsky, Eli
Dubinsky family
Dubinsky, Min
Dubinsky, Tillie
Rabinowitz, Rabbi
Rosenberg, Faye
Vellus, Pearl
Subjects
Families
Portraits, Group
Seder
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
Kirkland Lake (Ont.)
Accession Number
1981-2-1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
William Stern fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 33
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
William Stern fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
33
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Date
[ca. 1913]-1984
Physical Description
264 photographs (98 negatives) : b&w and col. ; 28 x 35 cm or smaller
2 folders of textual records
Admin History/Bio
William (Bill) I. Stern (1921-2007) was born Izick Stern in Toronto on 24 February, 1921, to Moishe (Morris) Shternshis (ca. 1893-1976) and Fanny Rumianek (ca. 1896-1991). He was an active and respected member of both the Toronto and Hamilton Jewish communities.
Bill began his education in Toronto at Grace Street and Givens Street elementary schools. He later attended the Central Technical Institute for chemistry. In the late 1930s, Bill left Central Tech to work for his father, but eventually returned to school until the start of the Second World War. At this time, Bill enlisted in the Royal Canadian Airforce and served as a Leading Aircraftsman for three years in France, Belgium and Germany. At the end of the war, he returned to Central Tech and completed his junior matriculation (grade 12) in January of 1946. In December 1946, Bill married his first wife, Toronto-born Laura Rubinstein (1923-1963). The couple had two children, Hershel (1953-) and Sheila (1957-1996).
From 1946 to 1951, Bill studied social work at the University of Toronto through a government sponsored program for war veterans. When he graduated, he practiced social work at several community institutions such as the Children's Aid Society, the University Settlement House and St. Christopher House, in Toronto. In 1956, he was offered a position as director of activities for the Hamilton Jewish Community Centre (JCC). He remained in Hamilton at this post until 1960 and then returned to Toronto as a divisional director of the United Jewish Welfare Fund, where he initiated the fund's Social Planning Department. In 1963, upon the death of his wife Laura, Bill returned to Hamilton as the director of the JCC, and later the executive director of the Hamilton Council of Jewish Organizations (CJO), a position which he held for nine years from 1964 until 1973.
After two years with the United Jewish Welfare Fund of Buffalo, Bill returned to Toronto in 1975 and briefly served two years as the executive director of the Canadian Zionist Federation, Central Region. He then returned to private practice, working as a community consultant and later as a job placement coach at the University of Toronto's School of Social Work.
Bill was an active supporter of the Toronto Jewish Film Festival and the author of "You Don't Have to Be Jewish", a book on Jewish film. He held several positions with philanthropic organizations such as the United Jewish Welfare Fund, the Jewish Home for the Aged and Baycrest, and the Canadian Society for the Weizmann Institute of Science. He was also a volunteer at the Ontario Jewish Archives. Bill lived in Toronto with his second wife of more than thirty years, Elizabeth Uptegrove (1952-), until his passing on 18 April 2007.
Custodial History
Records were in the possession of Bill Stern until they were donated to the Archives.
Scope and Content
This fonds consists of photographs documenting the Stern and Rumianek families, individuals and organizations from the Hamilton and Toronto Jewish communities, as well as Bill Stern and his fellow servicemen during the Second World War.
The fonds has been arranged into the following series: Family photographs; Military photographs; Hamilton Jewish community photographs; Toronto Jewish community photographs; and Camp photographs. The photographs have been described at the item level and have been arranged chronologically. The textual material consists of two files containing records related to Bill Stern's professional and philanthropic career, as well as some family invitations.
Name Access
Stern, William, 1921-2007
Subjects
Communities
Families
World War, 1939-1945
Related Material
See "Stern family" clipping file
Creator
Stern, William, 1921-2007
Accession Number
1980-2-1
1981-9-4
1985-6-6
1986-1-8
1991-5-5
1991-5-6
1994-1-4
2004-5-96
2004-5-135
2004-5-141
2005-5-2
2005-5-9
2006-2-8
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Life cycle and family events sub-series
Level
Sub-series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 1-5
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Personal series
Life cycle and family events sub-series
Level
Sub-series
Fonds
4
Series
1-5
Material Format
multiple media
Date
[ca. 1900]-2000
Physical Description
37 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell had a large family and a large circle of friends and aquaintenances. Consequently, he was invited to many circumcisions, weddings and bar and bat mitzvahs. He also set up several memorial funds in memory of his sister and wives.There are also documents in this sub-series that relate to family members.
Scope and Content
Sub-series consists of correspondence, receipts, diplomas, photographs and films documenting various family celebrations, vacations and home life. There is a selection of invitations, cards and benchers sent by the Edell, Weinstock and Hoffman families as well as ones that they received from family and friends. In addition, there are newspaper clippings and notices of the deaths of Edell family members and friends as well as correspondence and receipts relating to memorial funds set up in their memory. The sub-series also contains films of family and friends taken at home, on vacation and at family celebrations.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 10 photographs, 7 film reels, and 1 audio reel.
Name Access
Hoffman family
Weinstock family
Edell, Dolly
Edell, Celia
Subjects
Families
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 138
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
David Pinkus fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
138
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
architectural drawing
philatelic record
sound recording
cartographic material
object
Date
1854-2021
Physical Description
ca. 2.4 m of textual records
ca. 600 photographs : b&w and col. (ca. 90 negatives); 30 x 35 cm or smaller
other material
Admin History/Bio
David Pinkus (1924-2021) was born on May 11, 1924, at the Toronto General Hospital to Isadore Pinkus (1887-1947) and Molly (Mollie) Pinkus (née Parelstein) (1892-1990). Isadore was born in Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire; Molly was born in Podolia Gubernia of the Russian Empire and later moved to Ukraine with her family. Isadore and Molly met and married in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1910 and moved to Toronto in 1911. The Pinkus family settled in Kensington Market in around 1914 and was one of the first Jewish settlers to the Kensington neighbourhood. David spent his entire life living in the Kensington Market area. He lived on 83 Huron Street until 1927 when the Pinkus family moved to 34 Nassau Street, which has been the house of the Pinkus family ever since. David had two siblings: brother Max and sister Goldie.
In his childhood, David attended the Brunswick Talmud Torah daily and learned Hebrew. He had his bar mitzvah at the Kiever Shul. David attended William Houston School until 1930 and Ryerson Public School until grade eight. Later, he attended Harbord School for high school and was also involved with sports at Harbord Collegiate and YMHA. In 1947, David obtained his Bachelor of Applied Science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Toronto. After graduation, he worked at Goodyear for one year and returned to the University of Toronto as an instructor of engineering drawing and machine design. Later, he worked at various places such as Canadian Industries Limited in Maitland, Toronto Iron Works, and Avro Aircraft Limited.
David’s father, Isadore, was one of the founders of the Kiever Synagogue. David’s involvement with the Kiever Synagogue started in 1947, following Isadore’s death. David served as president and held positions on the executive of the Kiever Shul and played a principal role in the restoration of the shul. He also served on Toronto’s Board of Health as well as the boards of the Toronto General Hospital, Toronto Western Hospital, and St. Christopher House. In addition, David was an active community leader and local historian. He did genealogical research for many Toronto Jewish families. David had been recognized by the National Jewish Federation of North America as a Jewish community hero in 2011. He passed away on May 6, 2021.
Custodial History
Records received after the death of David Pinkus through Joseph Solomon, the executor of David Pinkus’ estate. Records have been selected by archivists following a site visit at David’s home at 34 Nassau Street, Toronto.
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records, graphic material, sound recordings, architectural drawings, artifacts, and a small number of philatelic records, most of which document David Pinkus’ career and personal life, the Pinkus family, the Kiever Shul, the Kiever Cemetery, as well as Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Mount Sinai Memorial Park) and the Dawes Road Cemeteries (Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees), of which the Kiever Congregation is a member organization. Also included are documents and photographs of other individuals and families, which David collected for his genealogical research, and those that are pertaining to Kensington Market and other congregations and cemeteries.
Textual records include correspondence; scrapbooks; education records; identification documents; research notes and clippings relating to David’s genealogical research; documents pertaining to his Kensington Market activism and community work; files on David’s engineering career and his role as president of the Kiever Shul; and files documenting the Pinkus family members, such as funeral documents, notebooks, family correspondence, voters’ lists, and records relating to Pinkus Fruit Co. and 34 Nassau Street. Also included are records documenting the Kiever Shul, which include meeting minutes, ledger books, financial documents, legal documents, membership lists and application forms, address books, high holiday service cards, and historic papers dating from the 1920s and 1930s. Textual records documenting the Kiever Cemetery, Mount Sinai Memorial Park, and the Dawes Road Cemeteries are mainly comprised of cemetery maps, burial plot cards, burial record books, by-laws and regulations, and meeting minutes. Also present are records pertaining to other congregations and cemeteries, such as constitution books, brochures, booklets, and copies of legal documents.
Photographs mainly feature David Pinkus and the Kiever Cemetery, with a small number featuring the Pinkus family members, the Junction Synagogue (Congregation Knesseth Israel), the Great Choral Synagogue of Kyiv, and those that David collected for his genealogical research.
Architectural drawings of this fonds include the restoration and renovation plan for the Kiever Shul and the alteration plan for Mount Sinai Cemetery Administration Building.
Also present are sound recordings, including cassettes and microcassettes of David Pinkus; and artifacts, including felt patches, pin back buttons, medals, Toronto foot-pedlar registration badges, and a wooden gavel of the Kiever Shul.
Fonds has been arranged into the following series: David Pinkus’ personal records; Kensington Market; David Pinkus’ genealogical research; the Pinkus family; the Kiever Shul; the Kiever Cemetery; Mount Sinai Memorial Park; the Dawes Road Cemeteries; and other associations, congregations, and cemeteries.
Notes
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 22 architectural drawings, 7 maps, 4 audio cassettes, 2 microcassettes, 1 optical disc, 8 drawings, 2 prints, 1 photo collage, 34 pinback buttons, 15 Toronto padler-on-foot registration badges, 8 felt patches, 3 medals, 3 brooches, 1 wooden gavel, 2 tax tokens, 2 postage stamps, 1 sales tax stamp, and 9 revenue stamps.
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: Books that were initially included in this fonds have been removed and incorporated into the OJA’s library collection. These books are: Spadina Avenue by Rosemary Donegan with an introduction by Rick Salutin, Toronto No Mean City by Eric Arthur revised by Stephen A. Otto, Canadian Jewish Directory edited by Edmond Y. Lipsitz, The Toronto Jewish Directory, and The Canada Year Book 1905 (second series).
HISTORY/BIO NOTE: Information is sourced from OH 413 and the content of the fonds.
Name Access
Pinkus, David, 1924-2021
Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Mount Sinai Cemetery Association (Toronto, Ont.)
Mount Sinai Memorial Park (Toronto, Ont.)
Dawes Road Cemetery (Toronto, Ont.)
Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees (Toronto, Ont.)
Subjects
Families
Synagogues
Genealogy
Cemeteries
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Repro Restriction
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Related Material
See accessions 2004-1-5, 2004-1-6, 2004-2-1, 2008-11-9, 2016-3-48, and 2021-10-1 for additional information on the Kiever Shul; and OH 413 for more information on David Pinkus and the Pinkus family.
Arrangement
Records came into the OJA with no discernible order. Arrangement has been imposed by the archivist.
Creator
Pinkus, David, 1924-2021
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
2021-7-3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Accession Number
2010-6-14
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2010-6-14
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
16 photographs : b&w (jpg)
2 textual records (pdf)
Date
[ca. 1910] - [ca. 1955]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of scanned photographs and textual records that document the professional activities of members of the Natanson family and their family life. Photographs include images of the family's pickle business (ca. 1910) and store Moffat's North York Bargain House (ca. 1955), portraits of Nathan Natanson with his violin (ca. 1925) and Albert Natanson in his tap dancing outfit (ca. 1925), as well as images of Ida Natanson as a nurse (1938) and childhood photographs of Lazar and Bob. Textual records include a brochure for Nathan's dancing school and a notice announcing the employment of Albert at Helwig & Leitch, Inc.
Administrative History
Originally from Romania, Benjamin and Rose (nee Gratz) Natanson immigrated to Ottawa in 1902 and eventually settled in Toronto in 1905. Benjamin owned a pickle company at 3242 Dundas Street West which he operated until it was destroyed in a fire on August 13, 1930.
Benjamin and Rose had six children together: Albert (b. 1900), Freida (b. 1902), Celia (b. 1905), Nathan (b. 1909), Ida (b. 1916) and Lazar (b. 1918). Three of their children were involved in the arts; Celia and Nathan were both musicians and Albert was a tap dancer. At 15 years of age, Nathan won a scholarship at the Institute of Musical Art (now known as the Julliard School) and moved to New York with Celia and Freida. As a child, Albert was a tapdancer in Showboat on Broadway and later operated his own dancing school in Montreal; Nat Anson's Dancing School.
Ida became one of the first Jewish nurses in Ontario. She moved to Saskatchewan after marrying Doctor Nathan Jacks. Lazar married Muriel Weinstein (b. 1923) in 1951 and they opened a store, Moffat's North York Bargain House, at 1291 Wilson Avenue that same year. They were likely one of the first Jewish families to move to the Downsview area. Lazar and Muriel had two children: Eileen and Bob.
Use Conditions
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Families
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2010-6-18
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2010-6-18
Material Format
graphic material
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
222 photographs (negatives, prints, jpg) : col. and b&w ; 18 x 13 cm and smaller
Date
[191-]-[ca. 1970]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs which document the Gilbert family and Gilbert Studios. Photographs of the Gilbert family are predominately portraits of Nina and the children during the 1920s and 1930s. The Gilbert Studios material largely consist of portraits of members of the Jewish community and fashion and wedding photographs. Also included in the accession are both negatives and a print of the Elite Studios storefront taken in 1923. Other notable photograph subjects in the accession include the B. Sherman Hardware storefront, Lou and Nat Turofsky, Harry Sonshine, Leon Weinstein, J. Irving Oelbaum, and Alex Levinsky. All images in the accession are black and white except for a print of Nathan Phillips.
Custodial History
The photographs were donated in 2008 and notes indicate that the archivist was awaiting documentation from Jack Gilbert. Since that time, some materials have been returned to the donor upon request. Previous archivists placed the negatives in acid-free envelopes and scanned a portion of the material. The original conservation report for the glass negatives completed in 2008 evaluated 42 glass negatives, but only 26 remain in this accession.
Administrative History
Nachman "Nathan" Gittelmacher was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1898, the son of Shloima and Mattie Gittelmacher. Suffering terribly during the pogroms of 1918 and 1920, he fled from place to place and then emigrated to Canada in 1921. Trained as a photographer in Europe, he opened his own photography studio in Toronto in 1922, called Elite Studios. First located at 513 Queen Street West, he soon moved to 615 Queen Street West. Nathan serviced a largely Jewish clientele, photographing weddings, bar mitzvahs, as well as Jewish community events.
Nathan was married to Nina Sokoloff and they had three sons and a daughter: Louis ("Lou"), Albert ("Al"), Jack, and Ruth.
During the early 1940s, the family legally changed their name from Gittelmacher to Gilbert and subsequently altered the name of the business to Gilbert Studios. When Nathan moved to the United States, Al, who had been working there since a young age, took over the business and under his management it thrived. In order to accommodate his growing clientele, he moved the studio to Eglinton Avenue and later to 170 Davenport Road, where it is situated today.
Al made a name for himself as a portrait photographer, using natural light in innovative ways to create more natural looking portraits. Al’s primary work involved producing portraits of families, weddings, bar mitzvahs, special events, and dinners. Most of his early clients were from the Jewish community. In turn, he also was paid to produce portraits of local entrepreneurs, and his multi-year contract with the city gave him sole responsibility for the production of portraits of the mayors and councilmen and women. He later branched out beyond the Jewish community, and began to produce images of businessmen and leaders from the Italian community in Toronto.
In addition to the paid contracts involving local personalities and groups, Al Gilbert has produced many artistic portraits of local, national, and international celebrities as well as artists and leaders such as Wayne and Shuster, Howie Mandel, Oscar Peterson, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Robertson Davies, several Canadian prime ministers, Prince Charles, Israel's prime ministers (these portraits were made into stamps by Israel's government), and, finally, the last pope. Gilbert’s work therefore captures a huge range of individuals from the ordinary bride to extraordinary world leaders.
Al has won many awards as well as accolades from his peers throughout his career. He is the three-time recipient of the prestigious Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC) Photographer of the year honour. He has been named Fellow of the photographic societies in Canada, Britain and the United States. In 1990, he was awarded the Order of Canada. In January 2007, the Professional Photographers of America presented him with their Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is the highest honor PPA can bestow on a person for their body of work and influence on professional photography.
Use Conditions
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
Related material note: see fonds 37 and accessions 2007-12-17, 2007-12-18, 2008-4-7, 2008-6-12, 2009-5-2, 2009-7-8
Subjects
Commercial photography
Families
Name Access
Gilbert Studios
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2012-6-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2012-6-7
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
58 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 25 cm or smaller
Date
[190-]-2003
Scope and Content
Accession consists of original and photocopies of photographs related to the Lyons, Agranove, Rotenberg, Pollock families from Toronto and Hamilton. Included are family portraits, wedding portraits, the family likely at community events, and a photo of the family at Crystal Beach. There is also a photocopy of a story in the Canadian Jewish News about a Rotenberg family reunion in 2003.
Administrative History
William Agranove was active in Keiltzer Society and was in the furniture manufacturing business. He was also a major fundraiser for the UJA, a close friend of Sam Kronick. He is mentioned in Hesh Troper's book "None is Too Many" as helping Jews come to Toronto from Europe.
Rotenberg Family were a large family with 10 children. Saul Rotenberg raised horses and was partners with Lyons in the furniture business that had many locations, one on Yonge Street.
Descriptive Notes
Donor's cousin Judy will be in touch with OJA to provide more information.
Subjects
Families
Places
Hamilton (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2012-8-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2012-8-1
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
ca. 18 cm of textual records and other material
Date
1884-1985
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the Coppel and Cooper families of Galt (now Cambridge) and Toronto respectively. Coppel family records include family correspondence, photocopies of Moses Kappel's discharge papers from the Austro-Hungarian military (1884), B'nai Israel Synagogue sisterhood meeting minutes, financial records, photographs, Hadassah booklets and programmes, and a photo album documenting the closing of B'nai Israel Synagogue in 1985. Also included are records relating to Elizabeth Cooper (née Coppel)'s involvement in Canadian Young Judaea and her work as a camp counselor at a Jewish day camp near Kitchener-Waterloo (Judaean Day Camp/Camp Ruach). These records include correspondence, publications, activity schedules, lists of camp counselors, and a Young Judaean scarf. Coppel family records also include marriage and burial records of Aaron Coppel, audio cassettes of an oral history interview conducted with Cy Coppel in 1976, and military records documenting Max David Simonoff's service in the Canadian Navy during the Second World War. Finally, included is a Farband Shule (Folks School) program book (1927) and class photo (ca. 1931). Identified in the photograph is Ethel Raicus (first row, third from the right).
Cooper family records include digital photographs of Sam Cooper and the weightlifting club at the YMHA in Toronto (1930s), portraits of Jacob Cooper (Cooperberg), a school photo of Sam and Max Cooper, and a photo of Hilda Cooper.
Finally accession consists of program books for various events, including a Canadian Jewish Congress song book, an Israel Dance Theatre at the Royal Alexandra, and a Queen Esther Purim play.
Administrative History
Aaron Selig (Archie Aaron) Coppel (Kappel / Koppel / Cappell / Kappele) was born to Moses Kappel and Perl (nee Pistenfeld) in Galicia in 1882. He came to Canada in 1903 and lived with a landsmen family, the Siegels. Mr. Siegel was a horse dealer who took Aaron under his wing and taught him the horse trade. Aaron married Mr. Siegel's daughter, Chaya Geitel (Gertrude) Seigel, in 1905. Aaron and Geitel had seven children: Helen, Rose, Newt, Cyrus ("Cy," born in 1911), Les, George, and Harry. After marrying, Aaron and Geitel remained in Galt, and Aaron continued dealing in livestock. Although he was eager to assimilate into Canadian society (he gave his children British names and spoke with no accent), the family kept kosher and Aaron hired itinerant Hebrew teachers for the children.
Cyrus Coppel married Channa "Anna" Simonoff on 25 August1946. Anna was born in Russia to Avraham Dov and Chashe Bryna Tzaitzeck. Anna had three siblings: Sarah Merle, Faigle (died en route to Canada), and Mordecai Doved. She immigrated to Ottawa in 1914 with her family. An uncle already living in Ottawa had changed his last name to Simonoff and the family decided to change their name to Simonoff as well. Avraham worked as a tailor in Russia and likely continued in this profession in Canada. The family moved to Toronto sometime after 1919 and was actively involved in the Labour Zionist movement. Anna was in the milliner's union and two of her aunts, Slaava Raicus and Esther Cohen, were members of Club One (Pioneer Women). Anna and Cyrus had two children together: Bryna (24 February 1949-12 January 2006) and Elizabeth (b. 16 Dec. 1950). Cyrus initially worked as a mechanic, but later worked in the office of an auto shop and traded in auto parts. He also traded in livestock as a hobby. Cyrus was one of the founders of the B'nai Israel Synagogue in Galt. Initially, synagogue services were held in the homes of local residents, such as the Spring family; however, a building was finally purchased in 1946. After the synagogue closed, the Torahs and plaques went to the synagogue in Kitchener. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Jacob Cooperberg (Kupferberg, Cooper) came to Canada around 1910 from Kielce, Poland. His wife and children (Max, Sam, and Aidel or Ida) remained in Poland, waiting for Jacob to earn enough money for them to come to Canada as well. His family was unable to join him until after the First World War had ended, arriving in 1920. Jacob and Sarah had three more children in Canada: Irving, Joey, and Hilda. Jacob worked as a peddler in Toronto and later opened a scrap yard, Cooper Iron and Medal. The family lived on Oxford Street in the Kensington Market area.
Sam Cooper married Kay Gernstein in 1948. They had two children together: Neil and Donna (married name is Speigel). Sam initially worked as a tailor, but later worked as a scrap dealer. Neil married Donna Coppel and also works in the scrap trade. Donna is a librarian.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Descriptive Notes
Includes 1 photo album, 7 photographs (tiff), 3 photographs, 2 audio cassettes, and 1 scarf.
Subjects
Families
Places
Galt (Cambridge, Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2012-11-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2012-11-5
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
ca. 20 photographs
1 folder of textual records
Date
[190-?]-1963
Scope and Content
Accession consists of graphic and textual material documenting Mark Hazza and his family. Included are family and individual portraits, unidentified school and sports team photographs, and a Rocky Mountain Polo Ranch greeting card. Of note are promotional sight-seeing photographs for Toronto and a photograph of Bob Hope at a Paramount Theatre event in Toronto. Also included are obituaries and other genealogical information that was collected by Nessa Herman.
Identified in the photographs are: Mark Hazza, Mary Hazza, Phillip Hazza, John Hazza, Reuben Hazza, Racheal (nee Hazza) Harris, David Cainer, Sadie (nee Hazza) Cainer, Isadore Harris, Annie (nee Hazza) Cohen, Sam Cohen, Evelyn Cohen, Shirley Harris, Hershel Harris, Sidney Cohen, Ruth Cohen, and Theresa Harris.
Custodial History
Nessa Herman collected the material from various family members and donated it to the OJA.
Administrative History
Mark Hazza was one of the earliest Jewish immigrants to settle in Toronto. He was born in Russian Poland in 1845. To escape the draft he was smuggled into Holland and later went to England in 1866. He finally settled in Toronto around 1871. Soon after arriving in Toronto, Miriam (Marion or Mary) Barnett from Bristol, England joined him here and they were married in the small hall where Holy Blossom Synagogue's services were being conducted at the time. They settled in Yorkville and Mark ran a tailoring business in what was the north end of the city.
Mark and Miriam had six children together: Racheal (Rae), Annie, Phillip, John (Hyman or Imy), Reuben (Rubin or Bun), and Sadie. Reuben went to to become a sports trainer, Phillip worked in the film business as a general manager for Famous Players, and John opened the Rocky Mountain Polo Pony Ranch in Alberta and was the first manager of Capitol Theatre in Calgary.
Mark passed away in 1918.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Subjects
Families
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-2-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-2-3
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
20 cm of textual records
ca. 100 photographs
Date
[190-]-2012
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to three generations of the Ladovsky family and their restaurant, the United Bakers Dairy Restaurant. Also included is a small amount of material related to Jewish organizations in Toronto, such as the Kieltzer Society and B'nai Brith, as well as the Bakery and Confectionary Union. Records include family and business photographs, correspondence, newsclippings, UB menus and other ephemera, and records related to family simchas and celebrations.
Custodial History
The records were created and accumulated by Aaron Ladovsky, Herman Ladovsky and Ruthie Ladovsky.
Administrative History
Aaron Ladovsky was born in 1888 in Kielce, Poland. He immigrated with his wife Sarah to Toronto in 1906 at the age of 18. Soon after arriving, Aaron Ladovsky worked to help form a Jewish bakers’ union to advocate for collective rights among Jewish Bakers. In 1912 he opened the United Bakers Dairy Restaurant at Dundas and Bay Streets (known then as Agnes and Terauley Streets respectively) in the heart of the Ward. That same year, the couple had twin sons Herman and Samuel, who were born on September 23, 1912.
Only a short time later, in 1920, Aaron moved the location of his restaurant to 338 Spadina Avenue, just north of Dundas. He and his family lived in an apartment upstairs. Herman and Samuel attended Hester How Elementary School until 1919, Lord Lansdowne Public School once the family moved to Spadina, and later Central Commerce. The twins worked in the family business in the 1920s delivering fresh breads and buns by horse cart.
Aaron Ladovsky was involved in a number of community organizations. He was instrumental in founding the Kieltzer Society of Toronto in 1913; a community based immigrant-aid association extending aid to Kielcers in Poland and around the world. Ladovsky remained an active member of the organization until his death on April 5, 1960 . His restaurant provided a welcome gathering place for the Jewish community, serving traditional dishes and maintaining a friendly open-door policy. Aaron Ladovsky was known for his generosity and claimed that no one, whether they had money or not, left his restaurant hungry. The United Bakers' menu was mainly based on Sarah’s original recipes, and continues to be so to this day.
During the Second World War, Herman served overseas as an electrician in the Canadian army show with comics Johnny Wayne and Frank Shuster. After returning from the war, he married Dora Macklin in 1947, a registered nurse from Regina. He also began to take over management of the family business. Later, his son Philip and daughter Ruth would follow in his footsteps, helping to run the restaurant with him and later taking over managment. United Bakers remained on Spadina Avenue for 66 years – until 1986 when it moved to its current location at 506 Lawrence Avenue West, off of Bathurst Street. Herman was an active fixture in restaurant until his death on January 6, 2002. He also supported and was involved in the work of the Ontario Jewish Archives over the years. Today, Philip and Ruth carry on the family tradition of running United Bakers Dairy Restaurant.
Descriptive Notes
To be integrated into the Ladovsky family fonds 83.
Subjects
Families
Restaurants
Name Access
Ladovsky, Herman
Ladovsky, Aaron
United Bakers Dairy Restaurant (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-3-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-3-1
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
ca. 71 photographs
1 folder of textual records
Date
1919-1939, [ca. 2005]
Scope and Content
Accession consists primarily of photographs documenting the early life of Bella Wilder (née Goldbach) and her family in Poland. Included are images of Bella with her siblings and friends, group photos of Bella at her Jewish school in Poland, a group image of Victor in the Polish army, and other photographs of Bella's family and friends. Also included are two family histories documenting the story of Bella's mother, Shifra Frimeth Goldbach, and the story of Max and Bella Wilder, which was written by their granddaughter Sandee Sharpe. Of particular note is a 1925 school photograph of the Workers Evening School in Opatow (?), which has Yiddish writing suggesting that the school may have received aid from an organization referred to as "Gives Relief" in Toronto.
Custodial History
The records were originally donated to the Jewish Genealogical Society of Canada (Toronto section) by Bella's daughter Ann Sharpe. JGS Toronto donated the material to the OJA a few months later with her consent.
Administrative History
Bella (nee Goldbach) Wilder was born on May 12, 1910 in Opatow, Poland to Chaim Shlomo Goldbach and Shifra Frimeth Schatz Goldbach. Bella's older brothers, Victor, Jack and Hymie began immigrating to Toronto in the 1920s and had saved enough money by 1936 to bring Bella and her mother to Toronto. After arriving in Toronto Bella found work sewing in a factory.
Bella married Max Wilder on September 29, 1939. Max worked at Superior Men's Tailoring where he sewed zippers into men's pants. They had two children together: Ann (born 5 April 1940, married Norman Sharpe) and Stan (born 21 Jan. 1945, died June 1974). Max passed away in 1999 and Bella passed away in 2002.
Descriptive Notes
Availability of other formats: Photographs have been digitized and are available as digital images.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Families
Name Access
Goldbach, Shifra
Sharpe, Ann
Wilder, Bella, 1910-2002
Wilder, Max, ?-1999
Places
Poland
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-6-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-6-4
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
13 photographs : b&w (11 tif, 2 jpg)
Date
1909-[ca. 1952]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs documenting the Gryfe, Silverman, Saul and Greenberg families. The majority of the images are family portraits, however, also included is a school photograph of Sandy Greenberg at Charles G. Fraser School in Toronto, a photograph of Feda and Izzy Greenberg in Ottawa, a photograph of the Silverman family at Crystal Beach, and a photograph of a family celebration for Morris Silverman's birthday. Also identified in the photographs are: Sam Silverman, Bill Gryfe, Esther (Gryfe) Silverman, Lizzie Gryfe, Bayla Gryfe, Fae Silverman, Tillie Silverman, Sam Silverman, Bertha Silverman, Sam Saul, Joseph Saul, Ida Saul, Anna Saul, Rachel Saul, Nancy Silverman, Ruth Silverman, Lou Weitzman, and Ruth Weitzman.
Administrative History
Izzy Greenberg and Anna (nee Nathan) Greenberg immigrated to Ottawa from Romania around 1910. They had six children together: Freda, Harry, Joe, Anne, Helen, and Earl (b. 1920). Izzy likely worked as a peddler. When Anna passed away in 1923 all of the children, except for Freda, were sent to a Jewish orphanage in Montreal (the Montefiore orphanage). The orphanage closed in 1936 when Earl was 16 years old. He came to Toronto where he met Sandy (or Sylvia) Silverman. They were married in 1947. Earl initially worked as a shoe salesman, but later opened his own business, Sanmarcoda, where he bought and sold electronic surplus. He and Sandy had three children together: Marsha, Corey, and David. Sandy worked as a secretary with the provincial government and sold baby's clothing at flea markets on Sundays.
Joseph and Anna Saul came to Canada from Romania in the early 1900s. They had six children together: Sam (b. 1908), Rachel (Rae, b. 1910), Ida, Jeanette, Bonnie, and Dorothy. Joseph abandoned the family around 1923 and travelled to California to become an actor. Although his family never heard from him again, they later recognized him in movies under the name Maurice Samuels. Anna was deaf and mute and worked as a seamstress, making ladies clothing out of her own home. Rae obtained work in a hat factory when she was 13 years old and continued in this trade throughout the remainder of her life. Around 1950 she opened her own hat store at Eglinton and Dufferin called Rae's Hats. She briefly lived above the store with her husband, Sam Silverman.
Morris Silverman, Esther (Gryfe) Silverman, and their two daughters Fae and Tillie immigrated to Hamilton from Romania in 1907. Esther's sister, Lizzie Gryfe, was already living in Hamilton at the time. In 1909, Morris and Esther had another son together, Sam. By 1922, the family had moved to Nassau Street in Toronto where Morris worked as a tailor for Tip Top Tailors. They lived next door to the Saul Family. Sam married Rae Saul in 1927. Sam had had various jobs throughout his life including, cab driver, venetian blind salesman, and driver for a cleaner's.
Subjects
Families
Portraits
Name Access
Greenberg, Sandy
Places
Crystal Beach (Fort Erie, Ont.)
Ottawa (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-6-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-6-5
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (tiff)
Date
1920-1926
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs of Rae Saul and her relatives outside the Saul family homes on Elizabeth or Venaly Street and Nassau Street. Identified are Millie Aaron, Anna Saul, and Sam Saul.
Administrative History
Joseph and Anna Saul came to Canada from Romania in the early 1900s. They had six children together: Sam (b. 1908), Rachel (Rae, b. 1910), Ida, Jeanette, Bonnie, and Dorothy. Joseph abandoned the family around 1923 and travelled to California to become an actor. Although his family never heard from him again, they later recognized him in movies under the name Maurice Samuels. Anna was deaf and mute and worked as a seamstress, making ladies clothing out of her own home. Rae obtained work in a hat factory when she was 13 years old and continued in this trade throughout the remainder of her life. Around 1950 she opened her own hat store at Eglinton and Dufferin called Rae's Hats. She briefly lived above the store with her husband, Sam Silverman.
Use Conditions
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Aaron, Millie
Saul, Anna
Saul, Sam
Silverman, Rae
Places
Elizabeth Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Nassau Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions