Level

Item

Item

48

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Item consists of one black-and-white photograph of a sketch by Aba Bayefsky of the Kiever Synagogue.

Notes

Credit: Aba Bayefsky

Name Access

Bayefsky, Aba, 1923-2001

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Synagogues

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2016-3-48

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

15 photographs : b&w and col.

Date

[196-?]-1985

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs of the Kiever Synagogue. There are 12 images in black and white of both the exterior and the interior. These photos appear to be from the 1960s. There are also three colour photographs, two of which are of the exterior and one of which is of the interior during a service.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material. There is a name on the envelope that holds the photographs but the name cannot be deciphered.

Subjects

Synagogues

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ontario

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2021-10-1

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Physical Description

30 cm of textual records

5 photographs : b&w & col. ; 30 x 20 cm or smaller

2 metal award certificates : 28 x 21 cm

1 key : framed in a wooden box

Date

1913-2013

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the Kiever Synagogue or had been stored at the synagogue. Included are certificates (1930-[1961?]); a print of the 1913 Officers and Members of the Grand Order of Israel of Canada; a poster of Yitzhak Ben-Zvi (president of Israel) presented by National Committee for Labour Israel for Israel Histadrut campaign; National Synagogue Directory issued by Canadian Jewish Congress Charities Committee (2011-2012); The Jewish Magazine (2006); Baycrest Men's Service Group Honour Roll books (1993-1997, 1999); shabbat, wedding, and bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah benchers (1965-2013); newspaper clippings; blessing guides; and administrative material such as receipt books (1933-1934), Synagogue Laws and Customs (1976), and a memorandum of agreement (1920). Also included are photographs featuring David Pinkus, Nate Leipciger, students of Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim (1936), and the top view of bimah and chuppah of the Kiever Synagogue, which was taken at Samara Kaplan’s wedding (2004); and miscellaneous material such as raffle tickets (1928), invitation tickets from Chevra Kadisha (1928), and record books of Toronto Free Loan Association. This accession also includes the following artifacts: two metal certificates of Recognition of Service Award granted by State of Israel Bond and Canada-Israel Securities Limited (1964 and 1965) and a skeleton key framed in a wooden shadow box, which is possibly the original key to the building. People identified in the photograph of students of Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim (1936) are: Solly Speisman (second row, fourth from left), Myer Orzench (second row, far right), Hymie Reingewietz (second row, sixth from left), Mr. Hoffman (teacher, left-hand side), and Mr. Nobleman (teacher, right-hand side). Myer Orzench was the second vice-president of the Kiever Synagogue; Mr. Nobleman was father of Ben Nobleman, the municipal politician of York Region.

Custodial History

Records deposited by David Moyal of the Kiever Synagogue.

Administrative History

The Kiever synagogue, also known as the Kiever Shul, is a Modern Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Toronto. It was founded in 1912 by a small congregation of Jewish immigrants from the Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire (now Ukraine) and formally incorporated in 1914 by the granting of the Letters Patent by the Provincial Secretary. The congregation’s formal name is "The First Russian Congregation of Rodfei Sholem Anshei Kiev." According to the earliest congregational records, Max Bossin was president in 1912. At first, services were held in members’ homes and later in a rented house on Centre Avenue in the Ward. Not being able to afford a rabbi, services were led by members, including Cantor Herschel Litvak. In 1917, sufficient funds were raised to mortgage a house at 25 Bellevue Avenue on the outskirts of Kensington Market. The congregation relocated there and the facilities were enlarged in 1921 with the acquisition of a second house. In 1927, a new synagogue, which was built on the site of the two houses and designed by a Jewish architect named Benjamin Swartz in the Byzantine Revival style, was completed to accommodate increasing number of congregants. During the construction from 1924 to 1927, religious services were conducted at the home of Mr. Silverman at 29 Wales Avenue. Equipped with a rabbi and a proper synagogue, the Kiever was able to play a larger role in the Toronto Jewish community. The shul offered Yiddish and bar-mitzvah lessons, a youth minyan led by Fischel Cooper, a credit society, as well as a women’s auxiliary. Several decades later, the Kiever’s membership declined in the 1950s and 1960s due to demographic changes—Jews began leaving the downtown core for the north end of town. The synagogue building deteriorated. In 1973, the Archives Committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress Central Region decided to help preserve it, and by 1982, sufficient funds had been raised to restore the building. In 1979, the Kiever Synagogue became the first building of Jewish significance to be designated a historical site by the province of Ontario and has been protected under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act since then. Some of the founders included: B. B. Smith, Yehudah Leib "Louis" Bossin, Isaac Mosten, Jake Dubin, Harry Cohen, and Wolf Ganz. The congregation's first and longest-tenured rabbi was Solomon Langner, who served from around 1929 until his death in 1973. Sheldon Steinberg served as rabbi from the time of Langner's death until the mid-1990s. David Pinkus served as president of the Kiever Shul from the late 1970s to 2011. His parents, Molly and Isadore Pinkus, were co-founders of the shul. As of 2022, the synagogue president is Adam S. Cohen.

Descriptive Notes

LANGUAGE NOTE: material is in Yiddish, Hebrew, and English.

Availability of other formats: digital preservation copies for some documents have been created and are available in PDF, JPG, and TIF formats.

Subjects

Synagogues

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2004-1-5

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

86 photographs : col. (26 negatives) ; 10 x 15 cm or smaller

Date

1975-1982

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs of the synagogue interior during the restoration and one exterior view dated 1975.

Descriptive Notes

Photographs taken by Michael Shockett, for the Archives Committee.

Subjects

Architecture

Synagogues

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2004-1-6

Material Format

architectural drawing

Physical Description

7 drawings : blueline prints ; 61 x 50 cm

Date

[ca. 1923]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting the Kiever Synagogue in downtown Toronto. Included are architectural drawings of south and west elevations, cross section, details of window frames and balcony basement, the ground floor, and roof and balcony plans. Benjamin Swartz was the architect.

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

Synagogue architecture

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Swartz, Benjamin, 1899-1961

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Level

Item

Item

293-392

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Apr. 1974

Physical Description

198 photographs : b&w (99 negatives) ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller

Scope and Content

Interior and exterior views of Kiever Synagogue.

Photo #293: pictured leading services from the bimah are Michael David (taller boy) and Earl David (shorter boy).

Photo #306 includes Sam Ross, president of the congregation (left) and Cantor Federman (right).

Photos #353-358 are of Mr. and Mrs. Izekovitch (shammes) standing in the basement of the synagogue.

Notes

Photographs were acquired in November 1974.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Architecture

Synagogues

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

George Morrison fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

99

Item

100

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1978]

Physical Description

1 slide : col. ; 35 mm

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Architecture

Synagogues

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

1980-6-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

474-475

Material Format

graphic material

Responsibility

Kayla Armel

Date

1975

Physical Description

2 photographs : col. ; 9 x 8 cm

Scope and Content

Photographs of Kiever Synagogue, Toronto, during restoration and sandblasting.

Notes

Acquired June 11, 1975.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Architecture

Synagogues

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

• 

Level

Item

Item

535

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[194-]

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative); 21 x 26 cm and 4x 5 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a copy photograph of a procession at Kiever Synagogue, Toronto. Second from left is Isaac Belfer who was Gabbai of Kiever Shul for many years.

Notes

Credit Mr. Jack Belfer.

Name Access

Belfer, Isaac

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Processions

Synagogues

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

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

Acquired June 22, 1975.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress fonds

Level

Item

Item

71

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1974

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 neg.) ; 20 x 25 cm and 10 x 12 cm

Scope and Content

Item is an exterior photograph of the Kiever Synagogue.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Synagogue architecture

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2004-2-1

Material Format

graphic material

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

34 photographs : col. ; 26 x 21 cm and 10 x 15 cm

Date

1980

Scope and Content

Accession consists of 33 photographs of the interior of the Kiever Synagogue at 28 Denison Square, Toronto, and one exterior view of the shule, as well as a letter from the Toronto Historical Board to Dr Stephen Speisman, Director of the Ontario Jewish Archives.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Level

Item

Item

291

Material Format

graphic material

Date

16 Jun. 1974

Physical Description

2 photographs : col. (1 slide) ; 15 x 10 cm and 35 mm

Name Access

Brown, Benjamin, 1890-1974

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Architects

Doors

Synagogues

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

534

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[195-?]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Copy photograph of a reception at the Kiever Synagogue, Toronto. From left to right: Harry Bobrowsky, P. Balsky, Rabbi Solomon Langner, and Cantor Rosenberg.

Notes

Acquired June 22, 1975.

A 4 x 5 negative is available.

Name Access

Balsky, P.

Bobrowsky, Harry

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Langner, Solomon

Rosenberg, Cantor

Subjects

Cantors (Judaism)

Rabbis

Synagogues

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

290

Material Format

graphic material

Date

16 Jun. 1974

Physical Description

1 slide

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Synagogue architecture

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

585

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Oct. 1975

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 13 cm

Scope and Content

Photograph of Kiever Synagogue, Toronto, ground floor window, south wall, showing vandalsim, Oct. 1975.

Notes

Acquired Dec. 1975.

35 mm negative location: 7:7:20A.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Synagogues--Vandalism

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

587

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Oct. 1975

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 13 cm

Scope and Content

Photograph of Kiever Synagogue, Toronto, exterior, broken window, Oct. 1975.

Notes

Acquired Dec. 1975.

35 mm negative location: 8:1:16.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Synagogues--Vandalism

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

588

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1975

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 13 x 9 cm

Notes

Acquired Dec. 1975.

35 mm negative location: 8:1:17.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Synagogues--Vandalism

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

620-622

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Dec. 1975

Physical Description

6 photographs : (3 negatives)

Scope and Content

Left to right: Martin Mendelow (architect); Stephen Speisman (CJC archivist); Samuel Ross (president of the Kiever Synagogue).

Notes

Negative: 2:5:20A; 2:5:21A.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Mendelow, Martin

Ross, Samuel

Speisman, Stephen A., 1943-

Subjects

Meetings

Synagogues

Source

Archival Descriptions

• 
• 

Part Of

Gordon Mendly fonds

Events and organizations series

Level

File

Fonds

18

Series

3

File

31

Material Format

graphic material

Date

22 Sep. 1963

Physical Description

5 negatives : b&w ; 10 x 13 cm

Scope and Content

File consists of four group photographs of members of the Kiever Synagogue seated with Rabbi Solomon Langner and one image of a member standing next to the Aron Kodesh.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Langner, Solomon

Repro Restriction

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

Source

Archival Descriptions

• 
• 
• 
• 

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Heritage series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

10

File

33

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1979]

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 12 x 9 cm

Scope and Content

File consists of a photograph of the interior of the Kiever Synagogue.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

586

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Oct. 1975

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 13 cm

Scope and Content

Photograph of Kiever Synagogue, Toronto, exterior, showing broken windows, Oct. 1975.

Notes

Acquired Dec. 1975.

35 mm negative location: 8:1:15.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Synagogues--Vandalism

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

17

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1935

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Fischel Cooper with a group of children.

Notes

Acquired in 1974.

Name Access

Cooper, Fischel

Cooper, Ted

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Children

Portraits, Group

Synagogues

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

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

18

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[between 1935 and 1939]

Physical Description

2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 20 x 25 cm and 10 x 12 cm

Custodial History

Yisroel Sakowitch had a grocery store at the southwest corner of Major and Harbord Sts.

Scope and Content

Photograph is of a group of boys along with Fischel Cooper and Yisroel Sakowitch (Sacks) taken in High Park. One of the boys, seated second from the right in the second row, is Joe Berhowitz.

Notes

Acquired in 1974.

Name Access

Berhowitz, Joe

Cooper, Fischel

Cooper, Ted

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Sacks, Yisroel

Sakowitch, Yisroel

Subjects

Children

Portraits, Group

Synagogues

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

High Park (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

1437

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1941]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of a group of men associated with the Kiever Synagogue in Toronto. Left to right: Harry Trachter; [unknown]; [unknown]; Fischel Cooper; Israel Sakowick; [unknown]; [unknown].

Notes

Acquired on June 22, 1975.

Name Access

Cooper, Fischel

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Trachter, Harry

Sakowich, Israel

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

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

1977-6-10

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Heritage series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

10

File

20

Material Format

textual record

Date

1975-1981

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of meeting notices and a meeting agenda.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

583

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1975

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 13 cm

Notes

Acquired Dec. 1975.

35 mm negative location: 7:7:19.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Stained glass windows

Synagogues

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

584

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1975

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 13 cm

Notes

Acquired Dec. 1975.

35 mm negative location: 7:7:20.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Stained glass windows

Synagogues

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

589

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1975

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 9 x 13 cm

Notes

Acquired Dec. 1975.

35 mm negative location: 8:1:18.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Stained glass windows

Synagogues

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Morris Norman collection

Level

Item

Fonds

22

Item

97

Material Format

textual record

Date

[195-?]

Physical Description

1 item

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

618

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Dec. 1974

Physical Description

2 photographs : (1 negative)

Notes

Negative: 2:4:22A.

Acquired 1975.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Breakfasts

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds

Photographic and audiovisual collection series

Level

File

Fonds

67

Series

27

File

436

Material Format

graphic material

Date

24 July 1979

Physical Description

3 photographs : b&w (3 negatives) ; 28 x 28 mm

Scope and Content

File consists of three negatives of Martin Mendelow and Sol Edell examining a book outside in front of the Kiever Synagogue.

Notes

Photos by Graphic Artists Photographers, Toronto.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Mendelow, Martin

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

1386

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Jan. 1977

Physical Description

1 slide : col.

Scope and Content

Item consists of colour slide displaying termite damage in the basement of the Kiever Synagogue.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Basements

Termites

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

533

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[195-?]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

Rabbi Solomon Langner was the son of Rabbi Moishe Langner, the Strettiner rebbe of Toronto. His three brothers were Abraham, Isaac, and Mordecai, who all became rabbis as well.

Notes

Acquired June 22, 1975.

A 4 x 5 negative is available.

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Langner, Solomon

Subjects

Rabbis

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

424

Material Format

graphic material

Date

16 Jun. 1974

Physical Description

1 photograph

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Committees

Places

Kensington Market (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Benjamin Brown fonds

Jewish community building plans and drawings series

Level

File

Fonds

49

Series

1

File

8

Material Format

architectural drawing

Date

[ca.1920]

Physical Description

2 architectural drawings : pencil on tracing paper, 1 hand col. pencil crayon ; 54 cm length or smaller and 5 cm diam.

Scope and Content

File contains two drawings of synagogues drawn by Benjamin Brown. The first is a pencil and colour sketch of the front of a synagogue crowned by two small domes on the sides and one large dome in the centre; and the second is a pencil sketch of the front and side of a two storey synagogue.

Subjects

Synagogues

Physical Condition

One drawing has a portion torn out.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

The Shuls Project fonds

Quebec synagogues series

Level

Series

Fonds

64

Series

1

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1978

Physical Description

ca. 1350 photographs : col. slides and b&w prints and other material

Scope and Content

Series consists of the records of sixty-nine Quebec synagogues, fifty-nine of them in Montreal. The records include black-and-white Polaroid prints of the exterior and interior of synagogues and 35 mm colour slides of the same. Series also contains forms filled out for each synagogue for the Canadian Inventory of Historic Buildings. These forms detail the buildings' architectural details such as size, shape, construction, windows, doors, trim, stairs, etc. Series includes one audio cassette from Temple Emanu-el in Montreal, containing a recorded interview with Rabbi Stern.

The series is arranged alphabetically by city, then synagogue.

Notes

Physical description note: includes 28 cm of textual records, 1 audio cassette, and 1 architectural drawing.

Subjects

Synagogues

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Québec (Province)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

The Shuls Project fonds

Ontario synagogues series

Level

Series

Fonds

64

Series

2

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1979

Physical Description

5 cm textual records

ca. 3187 photographs : col. slides, b&w prints, b&w negatives

Scope and Content

Series consists of the records of 111 Ontario synagogues, sixty-seven of them in Toronto. The records include black-and-white Polaroid prints, some with negatives, of the exterior and interior of synagogues, including cornerstones and interior artifacts and furnishings; 35 mm colour slides of the same; and 35 mm black-and-white negatives with images of dedication, memorial, and donor plaques. Series also contains forms filled out (for some synagogues only) for the Canadian Inventory of Historic Buildings. These forms detail the buildings' architectural details such as size, shape, construction, windows, doors, trim, stairs, etc. As well, most files contain an inventory sheet of resources gathered (eg. articles, synagogue booklets), including a listing of photographs taken.

The series is arranged alphabetically by city, then synagogue.

Subjects

Synagogues

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Ontario

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Pinkus fonds

The Kiever Shul series

Level

Series

Fonds

138

Series

5

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

graphic material (electronic)

architectural drawing

object

Date

1912-2016

Physical Description

ca. 76 cm of textual records

ca. 150 photographs : b&w and col. (29 negatives) ; 22 x 28 cm or smaller

other material

Admin History/Bio

The Kiever synagogue, also known as the Kiever Shul, is a Modern Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Toronto. It was founded in 1912 by a small congregation of Jewish immigrants from the Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire (now Ukraine) and formally incorporated in 1914 by the granting of the Letters Patent by the Provincial Secretary. The congregation’s formal name is "The First Russian Congregation of Rodfei Sholem Anshei Kiev." According to the earliest congregational records, Max Bossin was president in 1912. At first, services were held in members’ homes and later in a rented house on Centre Avenue in The Ward. Not being able to afford a rabbi, services were led by members, including Cantor Herschel Litvak.

In 1917, sufficient funds were raised to mortgage a house at 25 Bellevue Avenue on the outskirts of Kensington Market. The congregation relocated there, and the facilities were enlarged in 1921 with the acquisition of a second house. In 1927, a new synagogue, which was built on the site of the two houses and designed by a Jewish architect named Benjamin Swartz in the Byzantine Revival style, was completed to accommodate increasing number of congregants. During the construction from 1924 to 1927, religious services were conducted at the home of Mr. Silverman at 29 Wales Avenue. Equipped with a rabbi and a proper synagogue, the Kiever was able to play a larger role in the Toronto Jewish community. The shul offered Yiddish and bar-mitzvah lessons, a youth minyan led by Fischel Cooper, a credit society, as well as a women’s auxiliary.

Several decades later, the Kiever’s membership declined in the 1950s and 1960s due to demographic changes—Jews began leaving the downtown core for the north end of town. The synagogue building deteriorated. In 1973, the Archives Committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress Central Region decided to help preserve it, and by 1982, sufficient funds had been raised to restore the building. In 1979, the Kiever Synagogue became the first building of Jewish significance to be designated a historical site by the province of Ontario and has been protected under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act since then.

Some of the founders included: Molly and Isadore Pinkus, B. B. Smith, Yehudah Leib "Louis" Bossin, Isaac Mosten, Jake Dubin, Harry Cohen, and Wolf Ganz. The congregation's first and longest-tenured rabbi was Solomon Langner, who served from around 1929 until his death in 1973. Sheldon Steinberg served as rabbi from the time of Langner's death until the mid-1990s. David Pinkus served as president of the Kiever Shul from the late 1970s to 2011. As of 2022, the synagogue president is Adam S. Cohen.

Scope and Content

Series consists of records documenting the administration and activities of the Kiever Synagogue. Included are financial documents, tax forms, insurance documents, receipts and invoices, the 50th jubilee book, accounting ledger books, address books, membership lists and application forms, printed copies of emails, correspondence, meeting minutes, by-laws and regulations, legal documents, certificates, cemetery deeds, funeral record books, files on construction and restoration, seats arrangement charts, raffle tickets, High Holiday service cards, artworks, and historic papers dating from the 1920s and 1930s. Also included are photographs featuring the Kiever Shul, two architectural drawings, and a wooden gavel.

Notes

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION NOTE: Also included are 9 architectural drawings, 1 photo collage, 4 sketches, 2 drawings, 1 wooden gavel, and 1 optical disc that contains 225 MB photographs.

Access Restriction

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

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

David Pinkus fonds

The Kiever Cemetery series

Level

Series

Fonds

138

Series

6

Material Format

textual record

architectural drawing

graphic material

Date

1919-2016

Physical Description

ca. 27 cm of textual records

76 photographs : col. (27 negatives) ; 22 x 28 cm or smaller

1 architectural drawing

Scope and Content

Series consists of records documenting the cemeteries of the Kiever Synagogue located at Mount Sinai Memorial Park and the Dawes Road Cemeteries. Included are cemetery plot maps, cemetery record books, burial plot cards, occupant location lists, statements, financial documents, meeting minutes, correspondence, legal documents, photographs, and architectural drawings.

Access Restriction

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

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

The Shuls Project fonds

Reference series

Level

File

Fonds

64

Series

5

File

81

Material Format

textual record

Date

1979

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File contains a newspaper article, "Shul has historical interest" from The Canadian Jewish News (1979).

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Synagogues

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

1748-1767

Material Format

graphic material

Date

29 Jul. 1975

Physical Description

20 photographs

Notes

Credit Lou Kernerman.

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress. Central Region

Subjects

Fund raising

Synagogues

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Level

Item

Item

289

Material Format

graphic material

Date

16 Jun. 1974

Physical Description

1 slide

Name Access

Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

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.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

1983-7-1

Material Format

textual record

architectural drawing

Physical Description

30 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1948-1977

Scope and Content

Accession consists of material documenting Beth Israel Synagogue in Toronto. Included are a Hebrew prayer book, a plan showing the Beth Israel Synagogue cemetery, correspondence, an inventory, a general by-law (constitution) of the Shaarei Shomayim Congregation, a journal listing members and disbursements, a folder of indentures, minutes, and other materials.

Subjects

Synagogues

Name Access

Beth Israel Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Shaarei Shomayim (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1979-11-1

Material Format

text

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

1 book

8 microfiche sheets

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Date

1889-1917

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records created by Goel Tzedec Congregation. Included are microfiche of minutes and ledgers, a copy of a Seder T'filas Yisroel donated to Goel Tzedec by Chaim Smith in 1917, and a class photograph for the Farband Shule taken in the late 1930s.

Included in the photograph are Hershel Fogle, Rivkah G, Fayge Weingarten, Sarah Gingold, Aaron Hermaub, Shangle Atkin, Lil Newman, Etle Brody, Rochel Blumenshtein, Chava Smith, Sora Zweig, Yaacov Drexler, Malka, Yaacov Rosenzweig, Aaron Shnipper, Klumann, Shore, Aaron Folk and the teachers Fogle, Leah Lander, Shopsai Rappaport, Moishe Rigelhaupt, and Dr. Isaiah Rabinowich

Custodial History

Records were kept by Goel Tzedec and later Beth Tzedec and were donated by the museum on behalf of Dr. Fred Weinberg

Administrative History

Goel Tzedec was established in 1883. It was originally an orthodox congregation founded by a group of recent immigrants from Lithuania. The first synagogue was situated in a room on Richmond and York Streets. Three years later they purchased and remodelled a building on University Avenue at Elm Street that was owned by the Methodist Church. Finally, in 1904 they hired an architect to construct a large building that was perfectly suited to their needs. In February of 1907, the building on University Avenue was dedicated and became the largest synagogue in Toronto, accommodating 1200 congregants.

During the early decades of the twentieth century, Goel Tzedec became more ethnically mixed and established a religious school and women's auxiliary to help raise money and run special events. In 1925, the Congregation joined the Conservative Synagogue Movement and introduced changes to its services.

After the Second World War, Goel Tzedec and its sister synagogue, Beth Hamidrash Hagadol amalgamated in September 1952 to form Beth Tzedec. The two congregations worked together to build a synagogue which was built in the North end of the city on Bathurst and was dedicated 9 December 1955. Rabbi Stuart E. Rosenberg served as Beth Tzedec's first Rabbi and J. Benjamin Friedberg as its Assistant Rabbi. The Chazzan at the time was Cantor Joseph Cooper. The synagogue adhered to the principles of the Conservative Movement and represents the largest synagogue in Toronto

Subjects

Synagogues

Name Access

Goel Tzedec Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

• 

Level

Item

Item

46

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Item consists of one black-and-white photograph of a sketch by Aba Bayefsky of the Beth Jacob Synagogue on Henry Street.

Name Access

Bayefsky, Aba, 1923-2001

Beth Jacob Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)

Subjects

Synagogues

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Places

Henry Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Benjamin Brown fonds

Jewish community building plans and drawings series

Level

File

Fonds

49

Series

1

File

5

Material Format

architectural drawing

Date

1920

Physical Description

6 architectural drawings : 1 pen on linen weave and 5 pencil ; 54 x 54 cm or smaller

Scope and Content

File consists of Benjamin Brown's designs for a proposed synagogue. The designs were likely created before the congregation had purchased land or secured an architect. The congregation did not end up using Benjamin Brown as the architect. Included are floor plans, sections, and a rough sketch of the exterior.

Subjects

Synagogues

Physical Condition

Drawings are brittle and fragile. One drawing is badly torn.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Benjamin Brown fonds

Jewish community building plans and drawings series

Level

File

Fonds

49

Series

1

File

7

Material Format

architectural drawing

Date

[ca. 1920]

Physical Description

6 architectural drawings : pencil, 3 hand col. watercolour ; 32 cm length or smaller and 5 cm diam.

Scope and Content

File consists of preliminary plans for a synagogue that was never completed. The designs were likely created before the congregation had purchased land or secured an architect. The congregation did not end up using Benjamin Brown as the architect. Sections, floor plans and elevation drawings are included.

Subjects

Synagogues

Physical Condition

The six drawings are glued together on one side.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2016-8-9

Material Format

textual record

architectural drawing

Physical Description

1.3 m of textual records

ca. 50 architectural drawings

Date

1974-2016

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the activities, programs and governance of Shaar Shalom Synagogue. Included are financial statements, meeting minutes, by-laws, brochures, architectural drawings, reports, membership lists, forms filled in by participants in life cycle events (such as weddings and conversions), holiday bulletins, invitations, speeches, Yizkor booklets, office manuals and correspondence. Of note is a land title document from 1981.

Administrative History

Shaar Shalom Synagogue was a conservative synagogue in Markham founded in 1972. The synagogue closed in 2016.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Synagogues

Name Access

Shaar Shalom Synagogue (Markham, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2016-7-11

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

architectural drawing

Physical Description

ca. 6 m textual records and graphic material

ca. 20 architectural drawings

Date

1972-2016

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting the activities, programs and governance of Shaar Shalom Synagogue. Included are financial records, meeting minutes and agendas, architectural drawings, general administrative files, and photographs.

Administrative History

Shaar Shalom Synagogue was a conservative synagogue in Markham founded in 1972. The synagogue closed in 2016.`

Use Conditions

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

Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.

Subjects

Synagogues

Name Access

Shaar Shalom Synagogue (Markham, Ont.)

Places

Markham, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2017-2-3

Material Format

object

Physical Description

1 plaque ; 28 x 35 cm

Date

2016

Scope and Content

Accession consists of one plaque documenting Shaar Shalom Synagogue's presidents from 1974-2016.

Administrative History

Shaar Shalom Synagogue was a conservative synagogue in Markham founded in 1972. The synagogue closed in 2016.

Subjects

Synagogues

Name Access

Shaar Shalom Synagogue (Markham, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions