Part Of

Rebecca Kamarner fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

11

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

[ca.1900]-[196-?]

Physical Description

4.5 cm of textual records

24 photographs : b&w and sepia ; 21 x 13 cm or smaller

Admin History/Bio

Rebecca Kamarner (née Huenstein) (1882-1975) was born in Russia and lived there until her early adulthood. She married Harry Kamarner (1877- 1962) in 1902 and immigrated to Toronto around 1904. Mrs. Chava Kamarner (1847-1929), possibly Harry’s mother, may have immigrated at a later date and lived with the family in Canada. Rebecca and Harry had three children: Bessie (b. 1903), Anne (b. 1906?), and Jack (1907?-1986). Harry and Rebecca lived on 35 Bellevue Avenue in 1925 and later resided at 72 Barton Street.

From the date of her arrival as an immigrant to Canada, Mrs. Kamarner was involved in charitable work through such organizations as The Hebrew Women’s Convalescent Home established in 1936 (of which she was the President and founder), The Hebrew Maternity Aid Society, and The Women’s Auxiliary Toronto Hebrew Free School. During the First and Second World Wars she was actively involved in social aid and the sponsorship of orphans, and she worked as a nurse during the influenza pandemic that began in 1918 and had its greatest effect on the Jewish community in Toronto in 1919 and 1920. She was one of the earliest members of the Toronto Hadassah-Wizo (Schamira Levine chapter) and was also actively involved in fundraising for the Women’s Auxiliary of The New Mount Sinai Hospital, of which she was listed as a charter member. She served on the Board of Directors of The Jewish Home for the Aged and was a preeminent name in the promotion of convalescent care and social advocacy for the disadvantaged throughout her lifetime.

Harry, Nathan "Nutta" (d. 1956), and Louis Kamarnar were men’s clothing and furnishings retailers and owned the Merchant’s Clothing Co. store on 131 Queen Street West. Harry, his son Jack, and his son-in-law Harry Granger, were also affiliated with the Judean Knights of Pythias, a fraternal order.

Bessie Kamarner married Sam Robins (b.1893) in 1922 and they lived together at 273 Queen Street East. Anne Kamarner was married to Harry Graner (d. 1986) in 1931. Jack Kamarner lived in Toronto and married Jeanne (née Rubin). They had two daughters, Ann and Nancy.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of family photographs, a scrapbook, and other textual records, both of a personal nature and those relating to the volunteer work done by Rebecca Kamarner. These records document her community social work, her affiliation with the Women’s Auxiliary, and her fundraising efforts for the Hebrew Women’s Convalescent Home, later the Mount Sinai Convalescent Home, in Toronto.

Name Access

Kamarner, Rebecca, 1882-1975

Subjects

Immigrants--Canada

Volunteers

Related Material

see also clipping, re. photo #2503, from accession 1978-6-4

Arrangement

The fonds has been arranged in five files: the first file is of family photographs; the second contains one passport; the third contains institutional programmes; the fourth is of personal invitations and correspondence; and, the fifth file contains Rebecca Kamarner's scrapbook and clippings from that scrapbook. These are all kept together in one box and each file is housed in a separate folder.

Creator

Kamarner, Rebecca, 1882-1975

Places

Russia

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

1986-5-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Rebecca Kamarner fonds

Level

File

Fonds

11

File

1

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1900-1959

Physical Description

24 photographs : b&w ; sepia ; 21 x 13 cm or smaller

Arrangement

The file contains 24 photographs. The photos are all marked with two numbers on the back: one conforming to the original accession list, the other indicating the new database arrangement and indicated by the prefix of the fonds number "11". (e.g. "11-1" is the first photo in the chronological arrangement of the photographs, "11-2" the second, etc.).

Accession Number

1986-5-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Rebecca Kamarner fonds

Family photographs file

Level

Item

Fonds

11

File

1

Item

20

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1930]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 12 x 8 cm

Scope and Content

Jack Kamarner is standing on the far left. The others in the photo are not identified. The Delmonte Hotel may have been a northern Ontario resort hotel of some kind.

Accession Number

1986-5-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Rebecca Kamarner fonds

Family photographs file

Level

Item

Fonds

11

File

1

Item

21

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1930]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 12 x 8 cm

Scope and Content

The snapshot is of an unidentified co-ed group photo at the Delmonte Hotel. Some of the people appear to be the same friends as photographed in photo #20 of the same file. Jack Kamarner may be the individual moving on the steps to the right of the frame, as he is wearing a collared shirt that matches roughly the one worn in photo #20, however the face is blurred, preventing easy identification.

The age of the group appears to be fairly uniform, perhaps in their mid-twenties, suggesting a social organization group activity, or a professional affiliation.

Accession Number

1986-5-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Rebecca Kamarner fonds

Family photographs file

Level

Item

Fonds

11

File

1

Item

22

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[193-?]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 8 x 11 cm

Admin History/Bio

The Judean Knights of Pythias are a fraternal chapter, in Toronto, affiliated with the Knights of Pythias fraternal society, founded by Justus H. Rathborn in Washington in 1864. The principles of the charitable and social order are listed as: friendship, charity and benevolence. The Knights of Pythias have been in Ontario since 1872 and are still active.

Scope and Content

Photograph includes Harry and Jack Kamarner, and Harry Graner: identified as 4th, 5th and 6th from right to left in the front row. The other group members are not identified.

Accession Number

1986-5-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Rebecca Kamarner fonds

Level

File

Fonds

11

File

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

1934-1953

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

This file includes 3 textual records: a certificate marking the occasion of a Bazaar held in aid of The Toronto Hebrew Free School (20 Nov. 1934); the programme for the Festival of Confirmation of the Holy Blossom Congregation (16 May 1937); and, the programme for the 17th Anniversary of The Hebrew Women’s Convalescent Home celebration dinner in honour of Mrs. Kamarner (4 Jan. 1953).

Accession Number

1986-5-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Rebecca Kamarner fonds

Level

File

Fonds

11

File

4

Material Format

textual record

Date

1927-1968

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

This file includes 8 textual records: an invitation to the 25th anniversary of Harry and Rebecca Kamarner (11 Sep. 1927); invitation to tea in Anne’s honour (13 May 1931); invitation to the wedding ceremony for Harry Graner and Anne Kamarner (16 Jun. 1931); invitation to social event, Re-Mar Social Service League, from Vera Latchman, secretary (4 May 1941); a letter of congratulations on the occasion of Mr. and Mrs. Kamarner’s 60th wedding anniversary (14 Sep. 1962) from Mayor Nathan Phillips, Q.C.; an invitation to attend a “Gala Champagne Party” as “honoured guest” from The Women’s Auxiliary, New Mount Sinai Hospital (14 Nov. 1963); invitation to life membership, Women’s Auxiliary, Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care (10/06/68) ; and, a hand written resume of Rebecca Kamarner’s record of community service [author unidentified; no date].

Accession Number

1986-5-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Rebecca Kamarner fonds

Level

File

Fonds

11

File

5

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

[1927-196-?]

Physical Description

1 v.

Scope and Content

The scrapbook includes numerous press clippings about The 17th Anniversary of the Hebrew Women’s Convalescent Home celebration dinner in honour of Mrs. Kamarner and the 50th wedding anniversary of Harry and Rebecca Kamarner; photographs; notes of thanks and recognition from Lillian Freiman, Mrs. Samuel (Jimmie) Norris, Mrs. Israel (Ruth) Shapiro, Teme Shapiro, A. Posluns, Dora Till, David Croll and Ada Adelberg; and, other articles in English and Hebrew (mostly material from the 1950s). The file also includes four loose clippings pulled from the scrapbook and put into a separate file folder.

Subjects

Scrapbooks

Physical Condition

Some of the pages of the scrapbook have come apart from the binding.

Accession Number

1986-5-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gilbert Studios fonds

Jewish community events series

Level

Series

Fonds

37

Series

7

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1936-1979

Physical Description

8 negatives : b&w ; 11 x 13 cm

Scope and Content

Series consists of photographs taken by Al and/or Nathan Gilbert that document Jewish events held in the city of Toronto. The kind of events included are dedication ceremonies, groundbreaking ceremonies, city council meetings, dinners and walks.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Gilbert Studios fonds

Jewish community events series

Level

Item

Fonds

37

Series

7

Item

7

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1936]

Physical Description

1 negative : b&w ; 11 x 13 cm

Admin History/Bio

The Pride of Israel Sick Benefit Society was founded in 1905 to provide assistance to newly arrived immigrants and to promote a prosperous Jewish community. The Pride of Israel Sick Benefit Society's Ladies Auxiliary was founded in 1922 with Mrs. Sophie Torno as the first Chairlady. The Ladies Auxiliary assisted the Society in collecting funds for various philanthropic causes. Moreover, they organized lectures and entertainment.

Scope and Content

Item is a negative of the the Pride of Israel Sick Benefit Society's Ladies' Auxiliary parade. The image depicts a group of women walking down a street carrying a large banner with the inscription: "Pride of Israel Sick Benefit Society Ladies Auxiliary, Friendship, Established 1921." The women have sashes with Pride of Israel across them and 15th Jubilee.

Name Access

Pride of Israel Sick Benefit Society Ladies' Auxiliary

Subjects

Parade

Societies

Women

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.

Source

Archival Descriptions