Search Results

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

52

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1921-1986

Physical Description

1.4 m of textual records and other material

Admin History/Bio

Dora Till (1896-1987) was a leading member of the Toronto Jewish community. She helped found and served on the executives and boards of many organizations, including the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto, the United Jewish Welfare Fund (UJWF), the Candian Jewish Congress Central Region, and the Baycrest Hospital Women's Auxiliary. She was honoured numerous times in her life with awards and tributes for her contributions to the Jewish community.

Till was born in New York City on 20 March 1896, one of six children of Max and Yeta Tobias. Her parents had emigrated from Poland prior to 1892. When Dora was four, the family moved to Toronto where Max Tobias worked as a tailor. In her teens, Till was an active member of two social clubs for girls, the Boot and Shoe Society (for mothers and children in need) and the Herzl Girls Club.

Dora Tobias married Morris S. Till on 21 May 1916, in Toronto. They had two children, Sigmund and Cecile, both of whom she outlived. Sigmund died tragically at the age of 11 after a sudden illness. Cecile married Frank Goldhar and they had two children, Sheila Anne and Meyer Garson.

In 1918, Till joined the Hebrew Maternity Aid Society and she served as its vice-president for the next fifteen years. This was the beginning of a lifetime career in family welfare, health care and services for the aged. Till helped found and was the first president of the Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home located in Bronte and then Tollandale, which provided mothers and children in need with a two-week holiday in the country.

From the 1920s until the 1940s, Till served on several boards including the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto, and the United Jewish Welfare Fund, as well as the Welfare Fund's Women's Division and Women's Service Council. In 1950, she became the first woman to be named honourary vice-president of the UJWF. In 1955, after many years affiliation with the Jewish Home for the Aged, Dora Till organized the newly built Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care's Women's Auxiliary, becoming its first president. She also served for 40 years on the executive board of the Family and Child Service Bureau, the precursor to Jewish Family & Child Services. Till was an active member of many other Jewish organizations, including the Naomi Chapter of Hadassah and the National Council of Jewish Women, B'nai Brith Women, the Mount Sinai Women's Auxiliary, the Jewish Camp Council, and Toronto United Community Appeal - Community Chest. She was also a member of Goel Tzedec Congregation and its successor, Beth Tzedec Congregation.

Dora Till was honoured with several awards and tributes in her lifetime for her contributions to Jewish life, health and welfare in Toronto. In 1956, the Dora and Morris Till Bungalow at the Mothers and Babes Summer Rest Home was dedicated. In 1969, she was the first woman to recieve UJWF's Ben Sadowski Award for Jewish Community Service. As well, in 1977, she received the Queen's Silver Jubilee medal for outstanding community service. In 1983 a Baycrest Centre tribute dinner was held in her honour and in 1984, the top floor of the Baycrest Centre was dedicated to her. This was the culmination of a lifetime devoted to social welfare and community service, and it came just a few years before Till's death, on 22 November 1987.

Custodial History

The records were in the possession of Dora Till's granddaughter, Mrs. Sheila Gottlieb, until they were donated to the OJA in 1987.

Scope and Content

This fonds consists of records documenting the personal and philanthropic activities of Dora Till, including her ongoing involvement with the Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home, the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Women's Auxiliary, the United Jewish Welfare Fund, and to a lesser extent other organizations that she was involved or affiliated with. Till's records of the Mothers' and Babes' Rest Home are some of the few to have survived from this important social service organization.

The organizational records in the fonds include minutes, correspondence, reports, speeches, financial records, newsclippings, pamphlets, brochures, invitations, architectural drawings, and photographs, primarily of the Mothers and Babes Rest Home and the Baycrest Centre. As well, there are two artifacts: a Baycrest Centre pin and a gold shovel from the groundbreaking ceremony. The personal records in the fonds include family photographs and portraits, writings, newsclippings and general correspondence.

The fonds has been arranged into eight series: 1. Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association. 2. Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Women's Auxiliary. 3. Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Heritage Museum Committee. 4. Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care Furnishings Committee. 5. Baycrest Centre for Geriatric Care : other committees. 6. United Jewish Welfare Fund. 7. Other organizations. 8. Personal. The records have been described to the file level, while a selection of photographs have been scanned and described at the item level.

Notes

Physical description note: includes 197 photographs (54 negatives), 9 architectural drawings, and 2 objects

Name Access

Till, Dora, 1896-1987

Access Restriction

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

Related Material

For related material on the Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home, please see: Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds 61, Federation of Jewish Philanthropies fonds 66, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds 67, Ida Lewis Siegel fonds 15, and the Rebecca Kamarner family fonds 11.

For related material on the Baycrest Centre Women's Auxiliary, please see: Pat Joy Alpert fonds 77 and fonds 14.

For related material on National Council of Jewish Women please see fonds 38.

Arrangement

This fonds had previously been arranged and described as MG6 H. The current arrangement was implemented by the archivist in 2010 and as a result, several files from the former MG were culled or merged. Therefore, the former MG finding aid is no longer accurate.

Creator

Till, Dora, 1896-1987

Accession Number

1987-1-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Level

Series

Fonds

52

Series

1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

architectural drawing

Date

[192-]-1977

Physical Description

46 cm of textual records

163 photographs (54 negatives)

9 architectural drawings

Admin History/Bio

The Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home was first organized in 1919 by Dora Till, Ida Siegel and Lillian Clavir, members of the Hebrew Maternity Aid Society. It was formed in order to provide convalescent care for victims of the influenza epidemic by offering a two week holiday to mothers and young children. First located in a home in Bronte, now Oakville, the Rest Home was officially brought under the auspices of the Hebrew Maternity Aid Society in 1921. By this time the Home had moved from being a convalescent home to being a place of respite in the country for women and children of modest means, although they continued to assist those with poor health. By the late 1930s, a search for a replacement location was underway, as the Bronte Rest Home became ill equiped to deal with the increased demand, primarily due to unsuitable grounds and facilities.

In 1941, after selling the home in Bronte, the Mothers' and Babes' Rest Home Committee built a second home on eleven acres of lakefront property in Tollandale, near Barrie. In 1948, the Rest Home was admitted into the Jewish Camp Council, which helped the Committee administer the camp and fill staffing vacancies. Following this move, the Hebrew Maternity Aid Society changed its name to the Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association, to better reflect the fact that the home was their only remaining activity.

In 1957, the camp expanded its mandate to include the addition of two new programs at its facitilites: Camp Family Fun for fathers, mothers, and children up to the age of nine and Camp Good Fellowship, a program for senior citizens over the age of 60.

Dora Till was the Rest Home's founding president for a total of 15 years and remained active with the home until it ultimately closed in 1977.

Scope and Content

This series consists of records documenting the operation of the Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Homes in Bronte and in Tollandale. The records include minutes, reports, speeches, correspondence, financial records, invitations, brochures and pamphlets, architectural drawings and photographs.

The records have been arranged into seven sub-series: Executive Committee, Operational functions, Finance and accounting, Building operations and grounds maintenance, Programming and events, Associated groups and General photographs. The records have been described at the file level while a selection of the photographs have been described at the item level and have been digitally scanned.

Access Restriction

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

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Executive committee sub-series

Level

Sub-series

Fonds

52

Series

1-1

Material Format

textual record

Date

[192-]-1974

Physical Description

7 cm of textual records

Scope and Content

This sub-series consists of records created by the Executive Committee of the Mothers' and Babes Summer Rest Home Association. They include minutes, reports and speeches.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Executive Committee sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-1

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1940-1972

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Executive Committee sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-1

File

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

1949, 1951

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Executive Committee sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-1

File

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

[192-]-1929

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Executive Committee sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-1

File

4

Material Format

textual record

Date

1930-1936

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Executive Committee sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-1

File

5

Material Format

textual record

Date

1941-[ca. 1947]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Executive Committee sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-1

File

6

Material Format

textual record

Date

1950-1958

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Executive Committee sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-1

File

7

Material Format

textual record

Date

[196-]-1967

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Executive Committee sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-1

File

8

Material Format

textual record

Date

1970-1974

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Executive Committee sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-1

File

9

Material Format

textual record

Date

1954-1957

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

Sub-series

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

Material Format

textual record

Date

1921-1977

Physical Description

7 cm of textual records

Scope and Content

This sub-series consists of records documenting the operational activities of the Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association. Included are general correspondence files, camper records and documents detailing the Association's name change, their inclusion into the Jewish Camp Council, the closing of the rest home in Bronte, the search for a new site in Tollandale and the subsequent closing of the camp in the late 1970s.

Access Restriction

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

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1949

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

1921-1961

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Access Restriction

Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

1927-1974

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

4

Material Format

textual record

Date

1945-1952

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

5

Material Format

textual record

Date

1951-1972

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

6

Material Format

textual record

Date

[192-]-[197-]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

7

Material Format

textual record

Date

1949, 1959-1969, 1971

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

8

Material Format

textual record

Date

[192-]-1958

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

9

Material Format

textual record

Date

1951

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

10

Material Format

textual record

Date

1941

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

11

Material Format

textual record

Date

1939-1941

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Operational functions sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-2

File

12

Material Format

textual record

Date

1977

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

Sub-series

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

Material Format

textual record

Date

1926-1972

Physical Description

11 cm of textual records

Scope and Content

This sub-series consists of records documenting the financial operations of the Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home. The records include correspondence, budgetary and allocation documents and audited finanical reports.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1951-1954, 1956

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

1926-1950

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

1959-1971

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

4

Material Format

textual record

Date

1951-1952

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

5

Material Format

textual record

Date

1950-1953

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

6

Material Format

textual record

Date

1941, 1951, 1955-1959

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

7

Material Format

textual record

Date

1961, 1966

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

8

Material Format

textual record

Date

1970-1972

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

9

Material Format

textual record

Date

1922

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

10

Material Format

textual record

Date

1941

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

11

Material Format

textual record

Date

1941

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

12

Material Format

textual record

Date

1942-1949

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

13

Material Format

textual record

Date

1950-1959

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

14

Material Format

textual record

Date

1960-1965

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

15

Material Format

textual record

Date

1921-1929

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

16

Material Format

textual record

Date

1940-1950

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

17

Material Format

textual record

Date

1951-1957

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

18

Material Format

textual record

Date

1940-1946

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

19

Material Format

textual record

Date

1927-1940

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

20

Material Format

textual record

Date

1944-1971

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Finance and accounting sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-3

File

21

Material Format

textual record

Date

1931-1964

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Building operations and grounds maintenance sub-series

Level

Sub-series

Fonds

52

Series

1-4

Material Format

textual record

architectural drawing

Date

1930-1968

Physical Description

14 cm of textual records

9 architectural drawings

Scope and Content

This sub-series consists of records documenting the facilities and grounds of the Mothers' and Babes' Rest Homes in Bronte and Tollandale. The records include correspondence, reports, inventory lists and architectural drawings.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Building operations and grounds maintenance sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-4

File

1

Material Format

architectural drawing

Date

1941-1962

Physical Description

7 architectural drawings : blueprint and blackline ; 43 x 86 cm or smaller

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Mothers' and Babes' Summer Rest Home Association series

Building operations and grounds maintenance sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

1-4

File

2

Material Format

architectural drawing

Date

1940-1941

Physical Description

2 architectural drawings : blueprint and blackline ; 54 x 47 cm and 53 x 44 cm

Source

Archival Descriptions