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Don Mills Lodge, B'nai Brith

Don Mills Lodge, B'nai Brith [graphic material, textual record] – 1963-2019.
Accession Number
2019-5-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-5-2
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
30 cm of graphic material and textual records
Date
1963-2019
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Don Mills Lodge, B'nai Brith. Included are six issues of Planet Observer (2016, 2018--2019); seven issues of the Planet (1994-2008); a twenty-fifth anniversary publication (1982); a program for a fiftieth anniversary gala (2007); a bulletin (October 2015); a copy of the constitution and by-laws; three issues of 2131 News (March 1963, June 1963, and March 1964); a copy of the lodge's charter (1957); and seven albums containing letters, photographs, and printouts documenting events, achievements, and volunteer services (1977-2011).
Administrative History
In 1956, a group of men living in the newly developed area of Don Mills came together to establish a B'nai Brith lodge. On March 16, 1957, District Grand Lodge No. 1 granted a charter to Don Mills Lodge No. 2131 to operate in the city of Toronto. The lodge was one of several that belonged to B'nai Brith Canada; B'nai Brith Canada, in turn, belonged to B'nai Brith International.
An early accomplishment of the lodge was to raise funds for the purchase of North York's first ambulance, which provided the impetus for the development of the area's ambulance service. Other philanthropic endeavours over the years have included Monte Carlo nights, which raised funds for muscular dystrophy and multiple sclerosis associations, and an annual dinner draw run in cooperation with B'nai Brith Canada. Since the 1990s, the lodge has operated a bingo at two locations in Toronto to raise money for B'nai Brith and other communal activities. In addition, it has given thousands of dollars to a variety of organizations including Camp Oochigeas, the Canadian Association for the Riding Disabled, the Canadian International Scientific Exchange Program, CNIB, the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation, the International Schizophrenia Foundation, the Magen David Adom, the Pride of Israel Synagogue's Kosher Food Bank, Sheena's Place, and YouthLink.
In the mid-2010s, the Don Mills Lodge began operating with the Leonard Mayzel Ontario Lodge (LMOL) of B'nai Brith. Since beginning to operate jointly, the lodges have ceased to have their own presidents.
As of 2019, the lodge currently participates in and sponsors the following community programs: the Ride Programme, which delivers coffee and donuts to police vans; a Hanukkah party and summer picnic for the foster children of Jewish Family & Child (JF&CS); the Na-Me-Res Traditional Pow Wow; a Shabbat service for veterans at Sunnybrook Hospital; apple-picking for Kadima residents; the ALS walkathon; and the Out of the Cold program.
The lodge's first president was Manny Widman, who served from 1957-1958. Subsequent presidents have included: Herbert Liebman (1958-1959), Joseph Skolnik (1959-1960), Allan N. Lewis (1960-1961), Harold Chapman (1961-1962), Irwin Borins (1962-1963), Gerald Rafelman (1963-1964), Morley Torgov (1964-1965), Murray Page (1965-1966), Lowell Biderman (1966-1967), Earl Segal (1967-1968), Leon Tessler (1968-1969), Sam Brown (1969-1970), Joe Feller (1970-1971), Dave Sugarman (1971-1972), Marvin Cohen (1972-1974), Allen Werger (1974-1975), Murray Stitsky (1975-1976), Syd Feldman (1976-1977), Maurice Wesfield (1977-1978), Michael Brodsky (1978-1979), Shelly Goldstein (1979-1980), David Grader (1980-1981), Howie Cohen (1981-1982), Tom Kolin (1982-1983), Gerry Rowan (1983-1984), Andrew Stevens (1984-1985), Harold Bricks (1985-1987), Jerry Freud (1987-1988), Vic Blackman (1988-1989), Gary Feldman (1989-1990), Charles Bleier (1990-1991), Lou Ginsberg (1991-1992), Len Berk (1992-1994), Debby Goldstein (1994-1995), Esther Saxe (1995-1997), Joanne Bleier (1997-1998), Hermy Gimpel (1998-2000), Allen Burke (2000-2001), Eli Goldberg (2001-2002), Henry Gimpel (2002-2003), Ken Waldman (2003-2005), David Grader (2005-2006), Sheldon Saxe (2006-2008), Allan Wilson (2008-2009), Ava Brodsky (2009-2011), and Brenda Stevens and Robbi Wilson (2012-2013).
Descriptive Notes
Availability of other formats: One of the albums has been scanned and is available as a PDF file.
Name Access
L.M.O.L. Don Mills Lodge B'nai Brith
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions