Accession Number

2010-6-17

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 6 cm

Date

[ca. 1944] - [ca. 2003]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of one photograph of Norman Gulko that was taken in Holland near the end of the Second World War and Norman's unpublished war memoir entitled "A Toronto Boy Goes to War."

Administrative History

Norman Gulko was born in Toronto on 4 March 1923. He was conscripted into the Royal Canadian Army in late 1942 and joined Canada's active service in 1944. Norman was initially stationed in Italy but was moved to various other cities in France, Holland, and Germany. After the war, Norman received a bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto and worked as a social worker in Toronto from 1952 until his retirement in 1988.

Use Conditions

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

Descriptive Notes

Availability of other formats: Digitized material.

Subjects

Portraits

Veterans--Canada

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Gulko, Norman

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2014-5-2

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

15 cm of textual records

8 architectural drawings

2 CDs

Date

1960-2011, predominant 2011

Scope and Content

Accession consists of architectural drawings for the construction of the Northern YM-YWHA at 4600 Bathurst Street (1960) as well as floor plans for the proposed re-development of the site in 1999. Also included are submissions for the competition to design and build the Jewish War Veterans of Canada memorial at the Sherman Campus (2011).

Use Conditions

UJA Federation meeting minutes and general correspondence are closed for 10 years from date of creation. Contracts and donor agreements are permanently closed.

Subjects

Architecture

Charities

Veterans--Canada

Name Access

Young Men's Hebrew Association (Toronto, Ont.)

Bathurst Jewish Community Centre

Jewish War Veterans of Canada

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-3-29

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

2015

Scope and Content

Accession consists of one document created by the Adath Israel Congregaion honouring the synagogue's past and present members who are veterans of the Second World War. The document lists approximately 180 names, most of whom are deceased.

Subjects

Synagogues

Veterans--Canada

World War, 1939-1945

Name Access

Adath Israel Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-5-11

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w and sepia ; 114 x 25 cm and 54 x 21 cm

Date

1918, 1934

Scope and Content

Accession consists of two photographs: a panoramic of veterans and synagogue members standing in front of Goel Tzedec Synagogue, University Avenue, Toronto to mark the consecration and dedication of branch banners and flags; and a panoramic portrait featuring soldiers making up the 4th Draft of the Jewish Unit at the Imperial Recruits Depot in Halifax Nova Scotia.

Subjects

Canada--Armed Forces

Synagogues

Veterans--Canada

Name Access

Hoffman, Sam

Places

Halifax, N.S.

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-7-24

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

3 photographs : b&w and col. ; 25 x 20 cm or smaller

Date

1988-2016

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Gerald "Jerry" Rosenberg and his involvement with the Royal Canadian Legion's General Wingate Branch 256. Included are General Wingate Branch 256 meeting agendas (2013-2015), Royal Canadian Legion correspondence (2014), two General Wingate Branch newsletters (October 2015 and March 2016), an annual branch inspection report form (27 September 2015), a branch regulations and clubhouse rules submission form (2012), financial statements and receipts (2013-2015), certificates of merit and appreciation from the Royal Canadian Legion (2002-2009), and a document in Hebrew commemo

In addition to the above documents, there are three photographs for which identification is missing: one of a funeral, one of a demonstrators carrying signs urging recognition of China, and a portrait of an unknown veteran.

Finally, the accession contains an undated letter to the editor of an unspecified newspaper that outline Jerry's views of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Custodial History

At the time of his death, Jerry Rosenberg was living with his partner Frances Cohen. Frances' daughter Ronda "Rhonnie" Cohen took possession of the records following Jerry's death. Rhonnie subsequently gave the records to author Ellin Bessner who donated them to the Ontario Jewish Archives.

Administrative History

Jerry Rosenberg grew up in Hamilton, Ontario along with his twin sister, two brothers, and older sister. When he was seventeen years old, Rosenberg lied about his age in order to fight in the Second World War. He joined the Royal Canadian Navy and served for the duration of the war.

After the war, Rosenberg approached the Canadian Zionist Organization about volunteering in Palestine. After a circuitous journey that first took him from Montreal to New York to France, he arrived in Haifa in February or March 1948. Rosenberg was part of Machal, a group of overseas volunteers who fought alongside Israeli forces during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. Rosenberg joined the Haganah and fought in the 52nd Givati Regiment. As part of this unit, he participated in battle in the Arab village of Bashshit.

After the war, Rosenberg made preparations to leave Israel. Upon arriving in Canada, he worked with Jewish organizations and started a family. He became president of the Royal Canadian Legion's Wingate Branch 256. He died on 23 August 2017.

Descriptive Notes

Language: English, French

Subjects

Arab-Israeli conflict

Veterans--Canada

Name Access

Bessner, Ellin, 1961-

Rosenberg, Jerry

Royal Canadian Legion

Places

Canada

Israel

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-10-6

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1937

Scope and Content

Accession consists of one souvenir programme produced by the Jewish Veterans' Branch 256 of the Royal Canadian Legion. This branch was later renamed Wingate. The programme celebrates the First annual benefit dance by the Ladies Auxiliary of Branch 256 and includes a brief history of the branch, which formed in 1934, a list of officers, a report on the year's activities and a number of sponsored advertisements.

Custodial History

Item was donated by the Royal Canadian Legion Brach 187 in Port Colborne.

Subjects

Veterans--Canada

Name Access

Royal Canadian Legion. General Wingate Branch 256

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2017-7-5

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

45 cm of textual records (6 vol.)

ca. 1000 photographs : b&w and col. ; 25 x 20 cm or smaller

5 drawings

2 ribbons

Date

1976-2007

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs and textual records that document the activities of the General Wingate Branch 256 from 1976-2007. Also included in the accession are 6 albums dated 1976, 1984, 1985-1986, 1998-2002, 2002-2004, and 2002-2007.

The album for 1976 consists of material related to the First World Assembly of Jewish War Veterans held in Jerusalem. Included are photographs, correspondence, a contact list for branch officers, executive committee and chaplains for 1976/77, newsclippings and general memorabilia related to the First World Assembly in Israel. Of note is a photograph of Moshe Dayan at a lecture of the First World Assembly and of Ephraim Katzir, Israel's fourth president.

The album for 1984 consists of material related to the unveiling of the Canadian Jewish War Veterans's Cenotaph at Mt. Sinai Cemetery, Toronto. Included are photographs of the Cenotaph, Mt. Sinai cemetery, the annual Remembrance Day parade, newsclippings, drawings and political cartoons. Of note are letters of congratulations from members of Parliament to the General Wingate Branch for their efforts in making the Cenotaph possible.

The album for 1985-1986 consists of material related to the annual memorial service dedicated to the men and women who lost their lives in World War II and in particular the 430 Jewish men and women slain in the Canadian Forces. Included are photographs and newsclippings related to the annual memorial service at Mt. Sinai cemetery, Remembrance Day parade and fundraising events.

The album for 1998-2002 consists of material related to the memorial service dedicated to 50th anniversary of the end of WWII. Included are photographs of the memorial service, articles related the Wingate Branch donations to Baycrest and Sunnybrook Hospitals, the CNE Warrior Day parade, the annual Veterans' seder and poppy campaign and the Jewish military exhibit held at Toronto's Lipa Green Building. Of note is a letter from Jean Chretien paying tribute to war veterans.

The album for 2002-2004 consists of material related to the 70th anniversary of the General Wingate Branch 256. Included is a 70th anniversary commemorative soft cover booklet, photographs, newsclippings, general meeting newsletters, correspondence, letters from members of Parliament and the 2004-2005 report to the community.

The album for 2002-2007 consists of material relating to the Wingate Branch annual memorial services held at Mt. Sinai cemetery. Included are photographs of the annual memorial services, community and fundraising events, newsclippings concerning the diminishing membership of the Canadian Legion, letters from members of Parliament, a Portraits of Bravery: Canadian Jewish War Veterans brochure and photo negatives of 2003-2006 events.

Administrative History

The Jewish Brigade was a member of the Great War Association in the 1920s. After its first president was installed in the early 1930s, the Royal Canadian Legion granted a charter for a Jewish Veteran’s Branch. The brigade was renamed the General Wingate Branch in the mid-1940s after the British army officer Major General Orde Charles Wingate, D.S.O. Although Major Wingate was not Jewish, he was a passionate Zionist. At first, the branch met at a veteran’s hall at Crawford and College Street in Toronto, but later purchased its own house at 1610 Bathurst Street. In 1968, the branch moved to Eglinton Avenue West. It is currently located at the Zionist Centre on Marlee Avenue. The Branch holds an annual memorial march and service at the Mt. Sinai Cemetery where there stands a Cenotaph funded and maintained by the branch. The Cenotaph memorializes Jewish servicemen who died and are buried overseas, as well as those who fought in Israel's War of Independence and partisans who fought the Nazis. Once a year veterans distribute poppies and the funds raised are disbursed to assist veterans and their families, hospitals, medical research and charitable causes in the community. In 2018, after more than eight decades of operation Toronto's General Wingate Branch 256 of the Royal Canadian Legion voted to close its doors and give up its charter.

Subjects

Veterans--Canada

Name Access

Royal Canadian Legion. General Wingate Branch 256

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

General Wingate Branch 256, Royal Canadian Legion fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

74

Item

10

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[194-?]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 13 x 18 cm

Scope and Content

Photograph documents First World War veterans on parade. At the front is Jack Aaron; at the far left with crutches is Joe Moscoe.

Name Access

Royal Canadian Legion

Subjects

Parades

Veterans--Canada

World War, 1914-1918

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

University Avenue (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1976-9-1

Source

Archival Descriptions