Accession Number

2006-3-6

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1.8 m of textual records

Date

[195-]-[196-]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records created by Sydney Harris in his role with the CJC's Joint Community Relations Committee.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2006-3-9 [Processed]

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

2.4 m of textual records

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the CJC's Joint Community Relations Committee. Some of the records appear to have originated from Ben Kayfetz.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-6-7

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

30 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1964-2003

Scope and Content

Accession consists of Canadian Jewish Congress Joint Community Relations Committee files pertaining to incidents of antisemitism in Canada. Files include examples of material distributed by neo-Nazi groups, clippings documenting hate crimes trials and antisemitism in scholarship, and JCRC correspondence.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Antisemitism

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Ben Kayfetz fonds

Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee series

Level

Series

Fonds

62

Series

4

Material Format

textual record

sound recording

Date

1948-1986

Physical Description

9 cm of textual records

45 audio cassettes

Scope and Content

Series consists of correspondence, minutes, reports, audio recordings of meetings and other materials relating to Ben Kayfetz’s tenure with the Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee. This series also includes records of the Joint Public Relations Committee, which was a precursor of the Joint Community Relations Committee.

Notes

Audio tapes 13-19, 26, 30-32, 36-37, 40-45, 50, 53-56, 58, 61, 64, 66, 70, 80, 85, A4, A8, A12, A14, A18, A23, A26, A34, A36, A38-A42 are part of this series. Materials in this series have been physically arranged into three categories: CJC materials, JCRC materials and correspondence. The files have been arranged chronologically within these categories.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds

Jewish community involvement series

Level

File

Fonds

92

Series

4

File

5

Material Format

textual record

Date

1964, 1967

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of Inter-office Information bulletins of the CJC's National Joint Community Relations Committee.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

1982-4-2

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Physical Description

13 cm of textual records and other material

Date

1961-1983

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual records documenting correspondence for the Moess Chittin Fund to Big 9 synagogues and small community synagogues for the period 1980-1981. In addition, there is one file containing lists related to the Ontario Jewish Archives entitled "opening lists"; however, one of the lists included in this file is from 1983. Photographs are primarily from the Moess Chittin Campaign Banquet for Torontonians vacationing in Miami Beach, Florida, 1961. In addition, there are photos of the Youth Council, Regional Conference in London, and a photo with Mildred Devor. Additional individuals identified in Moess Chittin fund related photos include Frank Rubinstein (Hamilton), Jack Goldberg (Belleville), Henry Weisman (North Bay), and Ben Swartz (Peterborough), each of whom is pictured shaking hands with Phil Givens. Photographs by: Graphic Artists Toronto; Barney Gloster Studios Windsor; and Arthur Kay Studio Toronto.

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress. Ontario Region

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1990-5-3

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

12 m of textual records

Date

[197-]-[199-]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records documenting various activities of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region, including the small communities, regional committees, eduction and culture. The records appear to have originated with E. Y. Lipsitz.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2010-11-8

Material Format

multiple media

Physical Description

ca. 30 compact discs and other material

Date

[ca. 2000] - [ca. 2007]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of cassettes, CDs, DVDs and one hard disk that document the activities of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario region. Included are recorded meeting minutes for the Community Relations Committee, Public Affairs Committee and the Security Committee, staff portraits, presentation slides, photographs of antisemitic incidents, Congress Contact newsletters, correspondence, and project proposals.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: includes ca. 10 DVDs, ca. 45 audio cassettes, and 1 computer disk ; 9 x 9 cm.

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds

Jewish community involvement series

Level

File

Fonds

92

Series

4

File

10

Material Format

textual record

Date

1971-1993

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of records documenting J.B. Salsberg's involvement in the CJC, Ontario region. Included is correspondence, a press release, Executive Committee meeting notices and minutes, and handwritten notes taken by Salsberg during a meeting of the Executive Committee.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

Heritage series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

10

File

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

1979-1983

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of records documenting Sol Edell's role as an Officer for the CJC. Included are meeting agendas and minutes for CJC Officers meetings, correspondence, and a programme for CJC Ontario Region's 14th regional conference.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds

Jewish community involvement series

Level

File

Fonds

92

Series

4

File

4

Material Format

textual record

Date

[ca. 1961]-1970, Nov. 1990

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of records documenting J.B. Salsberg's involvement in the CJC's Committee for Yiddish. Included are handwritten notes regarding Yiddish secular culture, a list of Yiddish resources, correspondence, and a study entitled "Jews Reporting Yiddish as Mother Tongue in 1961". Also included is a CJC certificate honouring Salsberg for his work for Yiddish that is signed by Philip Givens.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Solomon Edell fonds

General community activities series

Level

File

Fonds

4

Series

11

File

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

8 May 1980

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

17

Material Format

multiple media

Date

1936-1992

Physical Description

47 m of textual records and other material

Admin History/Bio

By 1919 the plight of post-war eastern European Jewry and the need for a united community voice for Canadian Jewry led to the creation of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Its founding meeting was held on March 16, 1919 in Montreal. Though it briefly maintained a tiny regional office in Toronto, the CJC remained inactive until 1933, when it fully reconvened by opening offices in Winnipeg, Montreal, and Toronto. Egmont L. Frankel was the first president of the new central division in Toronto. While the national office in Montreal focused on the overarching issues of the social and economic rights of European Jewry, assistance for Jewish immigrants, and combating prejudice in Canada, the Toronto office dealt with local, violent anti-Jewish demonstrations as well as continuing discrimination both in employment and in access to public recreational facilities. The structure was based on regular national biennial plenary conferences, at which policies were delineated and national and regional executives were elected. Between plenary sessions, national and regional councils were in charge. These were augmented by the following standing committees: administrative, officers, personnel, financial, publications, and educational and cultural. Special committees were created to deal with issues such as: youth, community loans, kashruth, fundraising, Israel, Russian Jewry, and various emergency issues such as refugees, immigration, and housing.

During the 1930s the central division office moved several times and occupied offices in the following locations: Yonge Street, the Bond Street Synagogue, Scheuer House, the Zionist Building, and its long-term home at 150-152 Beverley Street, where it remained until its July 1983 move to the Lipa Green Building in North York.

The CJC's activities expanded to include taking responsibility for Jewish educational standards, but by 1941 its main efforts shifted to support for Canada’s war effort. Immediately after the end of the war, the focus again shifted to Jewish immigration projects and the maintenance of Jewish identity in small communities. By 1950, the CJC’s use of the title “division” was changed to “region” to accommodate internal operational divisions within each region. Also, by then, the central region was busy expanding its programs for all Ontario Jewish communities, creating a province-wide council of youth groups, and working with the newly-created Bureau of Jewish Education (later Board of Jewish Education, now Mercaz). Standardization of kashruth rules in Ontario was implemented. As well, regular educational conferences and cultural events were held throughout the province, while province-wide fundraising efforts in support of Moess Chittin for relief projects in Israel and for local Congress activities were expanded. Many of its educational and cultural responsibilities necessitated working with other Jewish organizations such as the United Jewish Welfare Fund, Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (JIAS), Hadassah, the Canadian Legion, B’nai Brith, the World Jewish Congress, the American Jewish Congress, and the many landsmenshaften (Jewish mutual benefit societies, each formed by immigrants originating from the same Eastern European community).

During the 1960s, the central region began sending Moess Chittin relief shipments to Cuban Jews unable to acquire kosher foods for Passover. Its lobbying efforts included participation in the Royal Commissions on Hate Propaganda, and its greatest success came with the introduction and implementation of Ontario’s fair employment and fair accommodation practices legislation, an achievement in which Congress played a pivotal role.

From 1971 to 1989 the major focus became international and national lobbying for, and providing support to, Soviet Jewry. Virtually all local and Canadian efforts to assist the Soviet Jewish “refusniks” were organized and coordinated in Toronto by the Ontario region office, which provided staff and funding for the many lobbying activities and public demonstrations that characterized this successful effort.

As of November 1975, the central region’s responsibilities in Toronto were radically altered. To improve cost efficiency in Toronto, CJC educational and social service program activities were merged with similar programs already provided by Toronto’s United Jewish Appeal. The UJA assumed sole responsibility for these amalgamated programs in Toronto and was renamed Toronto Jewish Congress. The central region still retained province-wide responsibilities for Ontario’s smaller Jewish communities, and its office remained in Toronto. Also, following this reorganization, its name was changed to Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region. Although CJC no longer provided direct social and educational programs to Toronto, the TJC’s senior executive was, at the time, still obliged to continue to keep it notified about developments concerning previous Congress responsibilities.

From 1983, the Ontario Region's offices were located in the Lipa Green Building at 4600 Bathurst Street. It continued its work of financially supporting various Israeli institutions and fostering Canada-Israel relations. It also spearheaded the movement to support and protect Jews in Arab lands, especially in Syria. Funding for the CJC came from the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy, which restributed a portion of the funds raised by the local Jewish federations across Canada.

The CJC dissolved in 2011. Today, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) acts as the Jewish community's primary lobby group.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of the records of the Ontario Region office of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Of primary importance in documenting this organization’s history are its minutes of the Executive and Administrative Committees and the various standing, and short-term committees such as Community Organization, Finance, Fund Raising, Educational and Cultural, Research, Immigration, War Efforts, and Jewish Education. Most of these records are still managed all together within Fonds 17, Series 1. Fonds 17, Series 2 contains the general subject and correspondence files of these committees. Records in both series require further processing.

Records now found in Series 3 document the efforts of the Committee for Soviet Jewry in coordinating the activities of the many Toronto and Ontario organizations involved in assisting Soviet Jewry during the 1971 to 1989 period.

Series 4 consists of administrative and committee records of the United Jewish Refugee and War Relief Agencies in Toronto from 1938 through 1967. These document its work rescuing the survivors of European Jewish communities, settling as many as possible in Ontario, and providing assistance to those attempting to obtain restitution payments.

Series 5 consists of the records of the Community Relations Committee (1938-1976). Responding to depression-era anti-Semitism in Canada, the Canadian Jewish Congress and B’nai Brith together established in 1938 a new joint committee. Since then this Committee has documented racist threats in Canada; initiated advocacy activities to work for improved civil rights; promoted legislation combating hate; worked to ensure equality of access to employment, education and accommodation; and investigated specific incidents of discrimination. The Committee, for example, played a key role in achieving the Anti-Discrimination Act of 1944, and the Fair Employment Practices Act of 1951, key steps leading to Canada’s current Human Rights Code. Although originally named Joint Public Relations Committee in 1938, a series of name changes later occurred; s follows: Joint Community Relations Committee, Central Region (1962-1978), Joint Community Relations Committee, CJC, Ontario Region (ca. 1978-ca. 1991) Community Relations Committee, CJC, Ontario Region (ca. 1991-present) Records in this series were reorganized into 5 sub-series and a further 9 sub-sub-series during the 2009 to 2011 period. For further details please view the database records for Fonds 17, Series 5. Although this series will eventually hold all CRC records up to 1992, only those prior to 1979 are currently fully processed.

Notes

Physical description note: Includes 1839 photographs, 89 audio cassettes, 11 videocassettes, 4 drawings, and 6 microfilm reels (16 mm).

Processing note: Processing of this fonds is ongoing. Additional descriptive entries will be added in future.

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress. Ontario Region

Subjects

Pressure groups

Access Restriction

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

Arrangement

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

Creator

Canadian Jewish Congress. Ontario Region (1919-2011)

Places

Ontario

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2005-7-3

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

ca. 300 slides : col. ; 35 mm

Date

1977-1978

Scope and Content

Accession consists of photographs taken during visits by CJC Central Region officers to Ontario Jewish communities, and at Canadian Jewish Congress events and meetings in various communities. Accession also includes photos of Jewish interest in Italy.

Subjects

Communities

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Friedman, Morris

Markish, Esther

Eisenberg, Joe

Wexler, Boris

Acker, Abe

Brownstone, Sam

Klafter, Gershon

Rosen, Marty

Fackenheim, Emil

Rosensweig, Philip

Saiger, Norman

Sadowski, David

Gryfe, Mark

Hillel (Kingston, Ont.)

Frey, Marcus

Horowitz, Shlomo

Katz, Stan

Pliscow, Morris

Places

Cambridge (Ont.)

Chatham (Ont.)

Sudbury (Ont.)

Kirkland Lake (Ont.)

Thunder Bay (Ont.)

Sault Ste. Marie (Ont.)

North Bay (Ont.)

Oshawa (Ont.)

Belleville (Ont.)

Windsor (Ont.)

Pembroke (Ont.)

Peterborough (Ont.)

Guelph (Ont.)

Hamilton (Ont.)

London (Ont.)

Kitchener (Ont.)

Owen Sound (Ont.)

Toronto (Ont.)

Barrie (Ont.)

Orillia (Ont.)

Kingston (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

Level

Series

Fonds

17

Series

5

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

1938-1978, 1991

Physical Description

6.5 m of textual records

15 photographs

Admin History/Bio

The Joint Community Relations Committee was created in 1938 by the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region and the Toronto Lodge B’nai Brith. It was originally named the Joint Public Relations Committee and was responsible for combating antisemitism in Ontario. Public statements, by agreement, were made only by the Canadian Jewish Congress as B’nai Brith recognized the uniqueness of its national constitution. The committee was led by lay leaders from the community and a staff representative from the CJC. Shortly thereafter, similar committees were set up in Montreal and in Western Canada, and soon a National Joint Community Relations Committee was established.

The committee played a key role in achieving the early anti-discrimination act of 1944, and the Fair Employment Practices Act of 1951, leading to the Human Rights Code of today. It was prominent in the action against the spread of sectarian religious teachings in the public schools and took the lead in pressing for legislation against the dissemination of racial hatred. It acted for the preservation of religious and human rights and worked with numerous religious, fraternal and ethnic organizations in the wider community. The committee also investigated and acted upon all complaints of discrimination, antisemitism and other such incidents. They supplied Jewish and secular schools with educational materials including pamphlets and books, and conducted intercultural and inter-religious work in the community through organized lectures, seminars, institutes, and plenary sessions.

The committee was composed of equal representation from both the Canadian Jewish Congress, and the B’nai Brith. The money for the operation of the Committee was first provided by both organizations, however, in a 1947 agreement between the National CJC and B’nai Brith Canada, the parties stated that the finances for the committee would be raised in the name of the CJC, with B’nai Brith agreeing to make “token” contributions and co-operate with Congress’ fundraising campaign. As well, the professional staff and support persons for the committee, along with their salaries, came solely from the Central Region CJC.

The executive director (also referred to as the executive secretary) was the primary staff person responsible for carrying out the policy and activities of the JPRC, which included preparing press releases, liaisoning with affiliated groups, organizations, individuals, journalists, government representatives and any others wanting or needing information on issues relating to the JPRC’s work. The executive director acted as the recording secretary at all committee meetings and was the keeper of all official documents.

Around 1978, due in part to the earlier creation of the B’nai Brith’s League for Human Rights in 1970, the Canadian Jewish Congress and the B’nai Brith terminated their joint relationship with the committee. At the time, the CJC felt that B’nai Brith was playing a dual role in advocacy through the League and through the JPRC. B’nai Brith, in turn, felt that the CJC was shutting out the B’nai Brith’s voice. Nevertheless, the “Joint” was not dropped from the name until around 1991.

In 2011 the Community Relations Committee ceased to exist when the CJC Ontario office was closed and the functions of the CJC were folded into the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA).

Committee name changes were: Community Relations Committee, CJC, Ontario Region (ca. 1991-2011) Joint Community Relations Committee, CJC, Ontario Region (ca. 1978-ca. 1991) Joint Community Relations Committee, Central Region (1962-1978) Joint Community Relations Committee, (1938-1962)

Scope and Content

Series consists of five sub-series. Sub-series 1 contains the agendas, minutes and associated documentation supporting meetings of the Community Relations Committee. Sub-series 2 contains speeches , publications, press releases and reports presented and/or distributed by the Committee. Sub-series 3 consists of case files documenting the Committee's activities of combating specific antisemitism and Holocaust-denying activities in Canada. Extensive documentation about Ernst Zundel is included Sub-series 4 contains 9 sub-sub-series documenting various categories of research files accumulated by the Committee. Sub-series 5 contains the general office records of the Committee and includes correspondence and memos of the Executive Director and records providing insight to the internal organization and management of the Committee's internal functions.

For more details see descriptions within the scope and contents notes at the sub-series and sub-sub-series levels.

Notes

Previously processed and cited a MG8 S

Physical extent note: when originally listed in 1988, this series contained about 20.5 metres of textual records. When partial processing and reorganization had been completed in 2013, 14 metres had been culled because those documents were duplicates, newspaper clippings, created by outside agencies or maintained in other agencies.

Associated material note:Library and Archives of Canada holds the records for the National B’nai Brith which does contain 30cm of material on the National Joint Community Relations Committee. The Canadian Jewish Congress National Archives in Montreal holds the records for the National Joint Community Relations Committee, which contains some files on the Ontario Region, as they reported to the National office. The whereabouts of the B’nai Brith records pertaining to the Central Region activities are currently unknown.

Subjects

Committees

Arrangement

Because records in this series had been previously organized in a manner that proved difficult for use by archivists and researchers, the records, during 2010 and 2011, were totally rearranged and described to comply with RAD standards, to provide ease of access by researchers, and to fully reflect the activities and organizational history of the Community Relations Committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress during and after the period when it was a joint committee with the B'Nai Brith.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2013-12-1

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

28 cm of textual records (10 v.)

Date

1956-1960

Scope and Content

Accession consists of 10 bound volumes of the Canadian Jewish Congress Interoffice communications (IOI) from the years 1956 to 1960. There are a range of topics covered including the Fair Accomodation and Fair Employment Acts, Hungarian immigration and antisemitism.

Custodial History

The donor found the volumes discarded in a box on Queen Street. They were once likely the property of someone in the Central Region office.

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Zionist Organization of Canada fonds

Central Region sous-fonds

Subject files series

Level

File

Fonds

28-1

Series

7

File

38

Material Format

textual record

Date

1964-1968

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

The file consists of community lecture bureau lists, and community calendars of events for Central Region.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2005-11-9

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1934-1956

Scope and Content

Accession consists of historical material collected by the CJC Central Region Centenary Committee or Historical Committee (both committee names appear in the file). These materials include several CJC Ontario Division documents dating from 1934. The bulk of the accession consists of reports of interviews conducted in 1956 with members of Holy Blossom as part of a Holy Blossom Centennial research project.

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Holy Blossom Temple (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2004-6-12

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

3.3 m of textual records

Date

[ca. 1970]-[ca. 1990]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of the records created or accumulated by the Committee for Yiddish, which operated under the auspices of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region and later, the Toronto Jewish Congress (UJA Federation of Greater Toronto).

Use Conditions

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

Name Access

Committee for Yiddish (Toronto, Ont.)

Toronto Jewish Congress

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1982-7-1

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1939-1947

Scope and Content

Accession consists of Canadian Jewish Congress records related to a study carried out by Saul Hayes and Jacob Finkelman on discriminatory employment practices in Ontario. The title of the resulting report is "Evidence of Unequal Opportunity in Employment and a Suggested Fair Employment Practices Legislation". Included are reports, memorandi, correspondence, sample applications from different employers, and a booklet by Gurston Allen entitled "Jewish Occupational Difficulties" (1939).

Subjects

Antisemitism

Name Access

Hayes, Saul

Finkelman, Jacob

Allen, Gurston

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1988-10-1

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1.2 m of textual records

Date

1986-1987

Scope and Content

Accession consists of the Executive Director files of the CJC, Central Region. The files were created and accumulated by E. Y. Lipsitz.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2005-2-2

Material Format

textual record

sound recording

Physical Description

ca. 92 m of textual records and sound recordings

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records created by the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region. The records cover a variety of topics but primarily consist of general office files from E. Y. Lipsitz.

Also included are audio recordings, including one of Golda Meir's visit to Toronto in 1970, and a community meeting following the Allen Gardens open-air speech by William John Beattie in 1965.

Audio cassette recordings (4) of Saul Hayes attending National Executive Officers Meeting, 19 Jun. 1971 & 20 Jun. 1971.

Use Conditions

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

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2012-7-7

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

9.3 m of textual records

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the Canadian Jewish Congress, in particular, their committees dealing with Israel affairs and Jews in Arab lands.

Custodial History

There is no acquisition information for this material. The accession number has been assigned by the archivist.

Use Conditions

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

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2012-7-10

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

37.8 m of textual records

Date

1958-[199-]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of general office files of the CJC as well as records related to the Education and Culture Committee, the Toronto Jewish Cultural Committee, Planning and Priorities/Assimilation, the Youth Committee, CJC plenaries, small communities, Chaplaincy, Orthodox Division, Political Liaison Committee, community services, the Audit Committee, Joint Community Relations Committee, Camp Massad and Moess Chitton.

Custodial History

There is no acquisition information for this material. The accession number has been assigned by the archivist.

Use Conditions

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

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2013-12-4

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

moving images

Physical Description

11.1 m of textual records and other material

Date

[ca. 2000]-[ca. 2010]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records related to the operations of the CJC Ontario Region. Included are records related to the activities of the Community Relations Committee, reports, correspondence, political affairs records, communications, meeting minutes and agendas, photographs, and moving images of various events.

Descriptive Notes

Physical description note: Includes graphic material and audio-visual records

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-4

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1973-1977

Scope and Content

Accession consists of the Rules and Conditions for the Morris Black Memorial Essay Contest, essays submitted, correspondence from the Board of Jewish Education and the vote casting process for the 1976 contest.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Administrative History

The Morris Black Memorial Essay Contest was established by the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region's Department of Education and Culture. The rules and conditions stated in a booklet dated 1973 was that the 'prize or prizes for the best essay or essays or oral address or addresses on men famous in Jewish history...'. The Contest was open to 'All Jewish children in the Province of Ontario outside of Metropolitan Toronto and Ottawa.' The essays submitted in 1973 appeared to follow the Rules and Conditions. However, in the 1976 contest, now sponsored by The Board of Jewish Education, there were no restrictions on where the Jewish children lived or on the gender of the person in Jewish history being written about.

Subjects

Education

Children

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Board of Jewish Education (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-6

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1950-1972

Scope and Content

Accession consists of letters to and from Dr. Joseph Klinghofer, the Educational Director of Canadian Jewish Congress. The correspondence relates to the search for ritual and educational leaders for placement in Jewish communities outside of Toronto such as St. Catharines, Timmins, Belleville, Peterborough, Kirkland Lake, Guelph, Hamilton, Bramalea, North Bay, Windsor, Maritimes, Manitoba and the USA.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Subjects

Education

Religion

Communities

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Klinghofer, Joseph

Places

St. Catharines (Ont.)

Timmins (Ont.)

Belleville (Ont.)

Peterborough (Ont.)

Kirkland Lake (Ont.)

Guelph (Ont.)

Hamilton (Ont.)

Bramalea (Brampton, Ont.)

North Bay (Ont.)

Windsor (Ont.)

Manitoba

United States

Maritime Provinces

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-12

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual material

Date

1973-1974

Scope and Content

Accession file consists of letters, posters, press releases, minutes of meeting and policy statements regarding Israeli prisoners of war in Syria. The documents are from many organizations such as the Labor Zionist Alliance, National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council, Toronto Jewish Youth Council, and the Canada-Israel Committee.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Subjects

Demonstrations

Israel--Armed Forces

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-24

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

[195-?]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of an undated document 'Rules and Regulations Concerning the Organization of the Hebrew Schools in Ontario'.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material

Subjects

Education

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-25

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1945-1968

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a bound document on Religious Instruction in Public Schools of Ontario, presented by Rabbi Abraham Feinberg to the Royal Commission on Education and a fact and discussion sheet of similarities and contrasts between Canadian and US Jewries and Judaism.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Subjects

Education

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-28

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1973

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a Kashruth Directory of kosher products and services issued by the Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Subjects

Religion

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2015-9-31

Material Format

sound recording

Physical Description

2 audiotapes

Date

1969

Scope and Content

Accession cosists of two audiotapes of a Regional Executive Meeting of January 1969 and a Community Town Hall Meeting of February 1969. The second tape may be of speeches at a plenary session.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of this material.

Subjects

Nonprofit organizations

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2018-4-5

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1953, 1958

Scope and Content

Accession consists of correspondence between Kurt Kramer of the CJC, Central Region and the Jewish Community Federation of Cleveland regarding fair practices for Jewish funeral directors and the need for an arbitration committee to handle burial disputes. Also included is a certificate in Hebrew from the Canadian Association of Hebrew Schools.

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1976-5-1

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1943-1944

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records relating to the work of the JPRC Summer Resorts Sub-Committee, which Hart D. Wintrob chaired. Material includes advice offered to Jews on appropriate behaviour at resorts frequented by non-Jews and efforts to have "Gentiles only" signs removed from resorts and other businesses. Also included is a list of JPRC members from which the members of the subcommitte were chosen and an agenda for a meeting of this group.

Subjects

Antisemitism

Resorts

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Ontario

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

Jan.1950-Nov.1950

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence regarding the Community Committee on Public Relations and related conference.

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Dora Till fonds

Other organizations series

Level

File

Fonds

52

Series

7

File

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

1940-1941

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Joseph Baruch Salsberg fonds

Jewish community involvement series

Level

File

Fonds

92

Series

4

File

12

Material Format

textual record

Date

[197-?]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of a flyer advertising a mass public rally to protest the merger of the CJC in Toronto with the United Jewish Welfare Fund of Toronto. The rally was organized by the Committee to Save the Canadian Jewish Congress. Members of the Committee's Executive were: Max Federman, Julius Hayman, David E. Newman, J.B. Salsberg, and David Satok.

Repro Restriction

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

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2015-9-8

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1950-1953

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a letter from Rabbi Slonim convening a meeting and minutes of meetings of the Rabbinical Welfare Committee over the period.

Custodial History

There is no information on the aquisition of the documents. However, the first letter in the textual records is from Rabbi Reuben Slonim and his name is included on all of the documents in the textual record.

Administrative History

The purpose of the Rabbinical Welfate Committee was (quoting from a document dated March 22, 1950) 'to consider matters that are strictly religious in nature. In matters of a community or public relations nature, the Committee will work closely with Congress.'

Subjects

Committees

Meetings

Religion

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)

Places

Toronto, Ont.

Source

Archival Accessions

Level

Item

Item

70

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1974

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Item consists of a photograph taken of the CJC Central Region Archives Exhibition Committee at the Kiever Synagogue in 1974. Committee members include from left to right: Stephen Speisman, Susan Cohen, Cyrel Troster, Bess Shockett, Susan Geller, and Martin Mendelow.

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress. Central Region

Subjects

Archives

Committees

Synagogues

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

Level

Item

Item

499

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[195-?]

Physical Description

1 photograph

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of the CJC Committee for Jewish Music Month in Kitchener, Ontario

Name Access

Canadian Jewish Congress

Subjects

Committees

Jews--Music

Repro Restriction

Credit Kitchener-Waterloo Record

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

Kitchener (Ont.)

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

Community Relations Committee series

General office records sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

5-5

File

37

Material Format

textual record

Date

1966-1967

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of memoranda on issues related to the Jewish Community in Quebec.

Notes

Previously processed and cited as part of MG8 S.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2012-4-4

Material Format

graphic material

Physical Description

3 photographs : b&w and col. ; 20 x 30 cm and 20 x 26 cm

Date

[198-]

Scope and Content

Accession consists of three photographs taken at the CJC's 26th Regional Plenary at the Lipa Green Building in Toronto. Pictured in the photographs are Yehuda Lipshitz; Rose Wolfe; and Robert Nixon, MPP from Ontario.

Custodial History

There is no information on the acquisition of these photographs. The accession number was assigned by the archivist.

Name Access

Nixon, Robert F., 1928-

Wolfe, Rose, 1916-2016

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

1987-4-5

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

18 cm of textual records

Date

1957-1968

Scope and Content

Accession consists of records accumulated by Shammai Ogden in his work with the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), including his work with the CJC National Education Committee.

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Gordon Mendly fonds

Events and organizations series

Level

File

Fonds

18

Series

3

File

7

Material Format

graphic material

Date

4 Mar. 1971

Physical Description

4 negatives : b&w ; 6 x 6 cm

Scope and Content

File consists of images of representatives of the Canadian Jewish Congress, addressing a large crowd at a Toronto synagogue. The images include crowd shots and group photographs of CJC members, including J. B. Salsberg.

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

Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds

Executive director series

Subject files sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

61

Series

1-1

File

26

Material Format

textual record

Date

1954-1955

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records

Scope and Content

This file contains correspondence between representatives of the Canadian Jewish Congress and David Andrews, program material, meeting minutes and agendas and several newsletters.

Accession Number

2004-5-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Jewish Community Centre of Toronto fonds

Executive director series

Subject files sub-series

Level

File

Fonds

61

Series

1-1

File

27

Material Format

textual record

Date

1956

Physical Description

1 cm of textual records

Scope and Content

This file contains general correspondence between representatives of the Canadian Jewish Congress and David Andrews, meeting minutes and agendas and program newsletters.

Accession Number

2004-5-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Ida Lewis Siegel fonds

Level

File

Fonds

15

File

26

Material Format

textual record

Date

1967-1976

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of a letter of thanks from the Canadian Jewish Congress dated August 8, 1967 for a speaking engagement given by Ida Lewis Siegel, minutes from meetings of Toronto Jewish Congress Executive Committee from February 26 and March25, 1976; memos to the TJC Executive Committee re: U.J.W.F. Gift Annuity Plan dated January 28, 1976, re: Supplementary Allocations to Jewish Schools dated March 25, 1976 and re: Moess Chittin Fund dated March 25, 1976; Announcements from the TJC March 25, 1976.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

United Ostrowtzer Hilfs Committee fonds

Letters from organizations series

Canadian Jewish Congress sub-series

Level

Sub-series

Fonds

148

Series

2-5

Material Format

textual record

Date

1947

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Admin History/Bio

By 1919, the plight of postwar eastern European Jewry and the need for a united community voice for Canadian Jewry led to the creation of the Canadian Jewish Congress. Its founding meeting was held on 16 March 1919 in Montreal. Though it briefly maintained a tiny regional office in Toronto, the CJC remained inactive until 1933, when it fully reconvened by opening offices in Winnipeg, Montreal, and Toronto. Egmont L. Frankel was the first president of the new central division in Toronto. While the national office in Montreal focused on the overarching issues of the social and economic rights of European Jewry, assistance for Jewish immigrants, and combating prejudice in Canada, the Toronto office dealt with local, violent anti-Jewish demonstrations and continuing discrimination, both in employment and in access to public recreational facilities. The structure was based on regular national biennial plenary conferences, at which policies were delineated and national and regional executives were elected. Between plenary sessions, national and regional councils were in charge. These were augmented by the following standing committees: administrative, officers, personnel, financial, publications, and educational and cultural. Special committees were created to deal with issues such as: youth, community loans, kashruth, fundraising, Israel, Russian Jewry, and various emergency issues such as refugees, immigration, and housing.

During the 1930s, the central division office moved several times and occupied offices in the following locations: Yonge Street, the Bond Street Synagogue, Scheuer House, the Zionist Building, and its long-term home at 150-152 Beverley Street, where it remained until its July 1983 move to the Lipa Green Building in North York.

The CJC's activities expanded to include taking responsibility for Jewish educational standards, but by 1941 its main efforts shifted to support for Canada’s war effort. Immediately after the end of the Second World War, the focus again shifted to Jewish immigration projects and the maintenance of Jewish identity in small communities. By 1950, the CJC’s use of the title “division” was changed to “region” to accommodate internal operational divisions within each region. Also, by then, the central region was busy expanding its programs for all Ontario Jewish communities, creating a province-wide council of youth groups, and working with the newly-created Bureau of Jewish Education (later Board of Jewish Education, now Mercaz). Standardization of kashruth rules in Ontario was implemented. As well, regular educational conferences and cultural events were held throughout the province, while province-wide fundraising efforts in support of Moess Chittin for relief projects in Israel and for local Congress activities were expanded. Many of its educational and cultural responsibilities necessitated working with other Jewish organizations such as the United Jewish Welfare Fund, Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (JIAS), Hadassah, the Canadian Legion, B’nai Brith, the World Jewish Congress, the American Jewish Congress, and the many landsmenshaften (Jewish mutual benefit societies, each formed by immigrants originating from the same Eastern European community).

During the 1960s, the central region began sending Moess Chittin relief shipments to Cuban Jews unable to acquire kosher foods for Passover. Its lobbying efforts included participation in the Royal Commissions on Hate Propaganda, and its greatest success came with the introduction and implementation of Ontario’s fair employment and fair accommodation practices legislation, an achievement in which Congress played a pivotal role.

From 1971 to 1989 the major focus became international and national lobbying for, and providing support to, Soviet Jewry. Virtually all local and Canadian efforts to assist the Soviet Jewish refuseniks were organized and coordinated in Toronto by the Ontario region office, which provided staff and funding for the many lobbying activities and public demonstrations that characterized this successful effort.

As of November 1975, the central region’s responsibilities in Toronto were radically altered. To improve cost efficiency in Toronto, CJC educational and social service program activities were merged with similar programs already provided by Toronto’s United Jewish Appeal. The UJA assumed sole responsibility for these amalgamated programs in Toronto and was renamed Toronto Jewish Congress. The central region still retained province-wide responsibilities for Ontario’s smaller Jewish communities, and its office remained in Toronto. Also, following this reorganization, its name was changed to Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region. Although CJC no longer provided direct social and educational programs to Toronto, the TJC’s senior executive was, at the time, still obliged to continue to keep it notified about developments concerning previous Congress responsibilities.

From 1983, the Ontario Region's offices were located in the Lipa Green Building at 4600 Bathurst Street. It continued its work of financially supporting various Israeli institutions and fostering Canada-Israel relations. It also spearheaded the movement to support and protect Jews in Arab lands, especially in Syria. Funding for the CJC came from the Canadian Council for Israel and Jewish Advocacy, which restributed a portion of the funds raised by the local Jewish federations across Canada.

The CJC dissolved in 2011. Today, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) acts as the Jewish community's primary lobby group.

Scope and Content

Sub-series consists of correspondence from the Canadian Jewish Congress sent to Max Hartstone relating to the search for an individual named Mr. Steinberg, along with forwarded letters addressed to the Ostrovtzer Aid Society.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Board of Jewish Education fonds

Subject files series

Level

File

Fonds

48

Series

4

File

36

Material Format

textual record

Date

1953-1969

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2016-11-6

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual record

Date

1968

Scope and Content

Accession consists of the Canadian Jewish Congress's 50th Anniversary Convention Reports in spiral book form. The plenary session was held May 16-20th, 1968 at the King Edward Hotel, Toronto.

Source

Archival Accessions