Accession Number
2014-10-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-10-1
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
10 cm textual records
ca. 70 photographs: b&w and col. ; 10 cm x 15 cm or smaller
1 scrapbook
Date
1963-2013
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the activities of "Council '63", a branch of the Toronto Section of the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada (NCJWC). Types of records include a photograph album, a scrapbook, correspondence, souvenirs, meeting minutes, membership lists, program materials and budgets.
Administrative History
The "Council '63" Branch of the Toronto Section of the National Council of Jewish Women of Canada (NCJWC) was formed in 1963. Currently consisting of 20 members, the group was initially spearheaded by Barbara Norwich (d. 2011), and they met regularly in homes in the Cedarvale area. The group primarily did volunteer work, although it later evolved into a study group and book club.
Subjects
Women
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
National Council of Jewish Women (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-6-9
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-6-9
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
71 cm of textual records
36 photographs : b&w and col. (9 negatives) ; 13 x 18 cm and smaller
Date
1951-1996
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the National Council of Jewish Women, London Section. Included are: board and committee meeting minutes and correspondence, general correspondence, program material, publicity records, event invitations, committee and membership lists, membership recruitment materials, directories, by-laws, publications, anniversary records, newsletters, newsclippings, financial and budgetary records, and leadership training material. Program themes include women's health, women's equality, childcare, children's health, babysitting, and home care. Publications include issues of the national journal Council Woman, the newsletter National Newsletter, the London Update, the NCJW Bulletin, and the NCJW London Section Bulletin from 1951-1978.
Administrative History
The London Section of the National Council for Jewish Women of Canada was founded in the late 1940s. The section was presented its charter in 1950. Dev Fox was the section's first president. The section was involved in fundraising for various causes through events such as raffles, bingo nights, fashion shows and dinner-dances. They also organized discussion groups, programs and campaigns around topics of social interest such as mental and physical health, education, poverty, women's equality, women's health, child abuse and others. The London Section is no longer active.
Use Conditions
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Women in nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Alter, Ronnee (creator)
National Council of Jewish Women, London Section (subject)
Places
London, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Name
Dr. Esther Volpe and Ida Siegel
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
4 Jan. 1971
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Dr. Esther Volpe and Ida Siegel
Number
OH 161
OH 162
Subject
Immigrants--Canada
Families
Nonprofit organizations
Interview Date
4 Jan. 1971
Quantity
2
Interviewer
Eva Kayfetz and Stephen Spiesman
Total Running Time
OH161 Side 1: 47 minutes OH161 Side 2: 47 minutes
Conservation
Copied August 2003
Notes
Toronto Historical Society lecture
Use Restrictions
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Biography
Esther Volpe (née Shulman) was born on 24 February circa 1898. As a child, she and her family briefly lived in Romington, Ontario and Havlock, Ontario. Her family later settled in Toronto. In her youth, she participated in the Herzl Girls' Club. She attended University of Toroonto in the Faculty of Arts. She married Dr. Aaron Volpe in 1921. Esther was involved in several Jewish organizations, including the old Mount Sinai Medical Auxillary, Council of Jewish Women, Hadassah, UJA Appeal, JIAS and BBYO and non-Jewish organizations, including Toronto Local Council of Women. She represented the Jewish community of Toronto on the Wartime Price and Trade Board and helped organize the Ontario Food Council.
Ida Siegel (née Lewis) (1885–1982) was born on 14 February 1885 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In 1894, Ida and her family moved to Toronto. On 14 February 1905, Ida married Isidore Hirsch Siegel. They had six children. An extremely active communal leader, Ida helped found Daughters of Zion in 1899, the Herzl Girls Club in 1904 and Hadassah in 1916. In the mid-1920s, Ida established the Mothers' and Babes' Rest Home,a camp for poor women with young children. She helped organize the first free Jewish dispensary in Toronto, which eventually developed into Mount Sinai Hospital. Ida was also very active in womens peace movements, the Toronto Board of Education and the Toronto Bureau (elected to board, 1930-36) of Jewish Education. In 1917, Ida helped to organize Federation of Jewish Philanthropies, which later became the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.
Material Format
sound recording
Name Access
Volpe, Esther
Siegel, Ida
Kayfetz, Eva
Speisman, Stephen
Hadassah-WIZO
National Council of Jewish Women
Geographic Access
Toronto
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Digital file
Source
Oral Histories

In 1947, Esther Volpe was elected president of the National Council of Jewish Women. In this clip, Esther discusses how, with the support of the United Welfare Fund, the Canadian Jewish Congress, and JIAS, she helped make arrangements for groups of Jewish refugees who settled in Toronto.

In this clip, Esther Volpe explains her involvement in the creation of the Good Age Club, the first recreational program for Jewish seniors.

In this clip, Ida Siegel relates anecdotes from her childhood growing up in downtown Toronto.

Accession Number
1996-6-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1996-6-2
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
15 m of textual records
Scope and Content
Accession consists of the records of the Council of Jewish Federations of Canada. Also included within the records are those of the National Budgeting Conference (NBC).
Use Conditions
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Council of Jewish Federations of Canada
National Budgeting Conference
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1986-11-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1986-11-4
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
4.2 m of textual records
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the operations of the Toronto Hebrew Free Loan Casa.
Use Conditions
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1988-10-1
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
1990-5-3
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
Name
Lillian Beube
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
1972
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Lillian Beube
Number
OH 27
Subject
Nonprofit organizations
Interview Date
1972
Quantity
1
Interviewer
Morris Silbert
AccessionNumber
1978-2-2
Conservation
Copied August 2003
Notes
Second side inaudible
Use Restrictions
Conditional access. Researchers must receive permission from the interviewee or their heir prior to accessing the interview. Please contact the OJA for more information.
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Material Format
sound recording
Name Access
Beube, LIllian
Silbert, Morris
Geographic Access
Hamilton (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Source
Oral Histories
Accession Number
2012-7-10
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
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
2014-1-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-1-10
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
1 presentation piece : 50 x 42 cm
Date
[ca. 1982]-[ca. 1983]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one folder of textual records related to the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and one presentation piece in the form of a framed photograph of Hilda Naiman complete with a commemorative plaque.
Custodial History
Records came via Shelly Rotman, Adminstrative Assistant with the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto.
Administrative History
Hilda Naiman was the former Executive Secretary of Toronto Jewish Congress when they were located on Beverley Street in Toronto.
Use Conditions
UJA Federation meeting minutes and general correspondence are closed for 10 years from date of creation. Contracts and donor agreements are permanently closed.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Haiman, Hilda
Toronto Jewish Congress
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-6-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-6-7
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
1956-1962
Scope and Content
Accession consists CJC correspondence and conference notes, Ottawa JCC building campaign materials, a Beth David congregation of Brantford report and the Mizrachi Women's Work report.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Canadian Jewish Congress, Central Region (Toronto, Ont.)
Beth David Congregation (Brantford, Ont.)
Ottawa Jewish Community Centre
Mizrachi Women (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Brantford, Ont
Ottawa, Ont
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-8-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-8-10
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
5 cm of textual records
Date
1988-2014
Scope and Content
Accession consists of textual records documenting Cyrel Troster's Jewish communal involvement, particularly with cultural planning for UJA Federation. Included are event inviations, program books, brochures, a postcard, meeting minutes, reports, and flyers. Records relate to the following agencies and projects: UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, the Tomorrow Campaign, Anshei Minsk Synagogue, Holy Blossom Temple, Shareeh Haim Synagogue, the Jewish Museum in Toronto, reports on Jewish education in Toronto, the Toronto Jewish Film Festival, the Holocaust Centre of Toronto, and the Koffler Centre. Of note is a copy of a study commissioned by UJA Federation for Frank Gehry, who was originally approached to design the Koffler Gallery.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Troster, Cyrel
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-2-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-2-1
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
45 cm of textual records
Date
2006-2011
Scope and Content
Accession consists of Executive Committee and Board of Director packages distributed to members prior to meetings. Included in the packages are previous meeting minutes, agendas, and ancillary reports. The Executive Committee packages are from 2006-2008 and 2010-2011 and the Board of Director packages are from 2006-2008.
Use Conditions
UJA Federation meeting minutes and general correspondence are closed for 10 years from date of creation. Contracts and donor agreements are permanently closed.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-7
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
1960-1965
Scope and Content
Accession consists of the constitution of the Jewish Community Council of Windsor; a document outlining the description and function of the council; documents of the names of the officers, directors, and governors for 1962–1963; a document of the Windsor Jewish Community Centre activities; and a document on the personnel practices of the council.
Custodial History
There is no information on the acquisition of the textual records
Administrative History
The Jewish Community Council of Windsor was an outgrowth of the Zionist Organization of Canada (ZOC).
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Jewish Community Council of Windsor
Zionist Organization of Canada
Places
Windsor (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-31
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
2017-7-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-7-1
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
ca. 10 m of textual records and graphic material
Date
1973-2017
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to the operation of Reena including executive materials, committee records, general correspondence, policy documents, promotional materials and photographs.
Administrative History
Reena was established in 1973 by a small group of parents of children with developmental disabilities as a practical alternative to institutions. In 1977 Reena began to receive funding from the Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services. Reena is also funded by the community through the Reena Foundation and by the United Jewish Federation of Greater Toronto. Reena today provides programs and support to close to 1,000 persons in a variety of residential locations. The Toby and Henry Battle Developmental Centre was opened in 1999 for day and evening programs for children and adults with a developmental disability. Located in Vaughan, this unique building features a wellness and health centre, sports centre, creative arts workshop, computer lab, greenhouse and library, all with activities tailored to the individual skills and interests of its members. The Battle Centre is also the site of Reena’s administrative offices. Recognising the increasing needs of individuals with developmental disabilities as they age, Reena opened its first home dedicated to seniors in 2000, followed by another such home in 2007. An innovative new housing alternative, the Reena Community Residence, was officially opened in September 2012 in the heart of the Lebovic Jewish Community Campus in Vaughan. It provides apartments for 84 adults with developmental, cognitive, physical or mental health needs. Designed as an Intentional Community for individuals with special needs, the residents will be truly integrated into the community as they access all the facilities and programs the campus has to offer.
(from http://www/about/history-Reena/ accessed 27 July 2017)
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
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Reena (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-6-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-6-7
Material Format
textual record
sound recording
Physical Description
30 cm of textual records
6 cassette tapes
Date
1973-2005
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Cyrel Troster's involvement with various Jewish committees and organizations. Included are: transcripts of oral histories with prominent Jewish Torontonians that were conducted as part of an oral history project in 1973; correspondence between Cyrel Troster and interviewees; index cards listing the dates of the oral history interviews; promotional materials for Jewish arts festivals; public proposal document for the new Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue; and documents and records from Cyrel's involvement in various Jewish organizations. Also included are Local Initiatives Program application forms (1973), lists of presidents of various Jewish organizations, a map of the Jewish York Region (1999), issues of Exodus Magazine in both English and Russian from May 2018, and two issues of the Wilson Heights High School yearbook The Torch (1962-63).
The six tape cassettes are as follows: Cantor Paul Kowarsky Live in Concert (no date); Highlights from the 1994 Toronto Jewish Storytelling Festival; interview with Esther Volpe (two cassette tapes); interview with Samuel Harris; and one cassette marked "Dov Noy copy of Library tape" (Dov Noy was a Jewish folklorist).
The accession contains transcripts for the following interviewees: Mrs. Arbus, David Biderman, Benjamin Brown, Benjamin Sherman, Arthur Cohen, Mrs. Draimin, Max Federman, Morris Flicht, Joshua Gershman, Samuel Harris, Ben Heisel, Rose Heisel, Mr. Lean, Mary Levy, Harry Pullan, J. B. Salsberg, Yekil Silverman, A. S. Socol, Nathan Strauss, Esther Volpe, and Annie Zeidman.
The accession contains records related to Cyrel's involvement in the following committees and organizations: Committee for Yiddish (1997-2004); Cultural Services and Planning Committee (1990-2005), Jewish Public Library (2005); Canadian Jewish Congress, Orthodox Division (1982-1984); Holocaust Centre (1979-2004); Limmud (2000); Ontario Jewish Archives (1973-2004); Jewish Theatre (1996-2002); Jewish Arts Council (2000-2004); Jewish Toronto Tomorrow (1994-2004); Ashkenaz (1997-2004); UJA Federation (1978, 1984, 1990-2004).
Use Conditions
Credit to be given to Susan Cohen and Cyrel Troster—coordinators of the Local Initiatives Project project in 1973—and to interviewer(s) and transcribers when using tapes or transcribed interviews.
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
RELATED MATERIAL NOTE: See accession 2017-4-6 for related sound recordings. Some may be duplicates.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Committee for Yiddish (Toronto, Ont.)
Limmud Toronto
Ontario Jewish Archives
Troster, Cyrel
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-5-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2013-5-5
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
1 photograph : b&w ; 14 x 17 cm
Date
1948-1951
Scope and Content
Accession consists of four issues of the Hillelite newspaper (Hillel, University of Toronto) published between 1950 and 1951 as well as a copy photograph of five Jewish men from Toronto en route to Israel to fight in the Machal during Israel's War of Independence (June 1948). They are standing in front of a ship which sailed from New York to Le Havre. Identified in the photograph are (left to right): Bob Eisen, Dr. Isadore Weinsweig, Walter Leff, Irving Matlow, and Al G. Rosenberg.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2023-5-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2023-5-5
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
40 cm of textual records and other material
Date
1982-2017, predominant 2014-2015
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting David Matlow's role as chair of the UJA Campaign 2015, his involvement in the March of the Living, and other community organizations. Also reflects Andrea Cohen's role as co-chair of campaign and Allison Himel as chair of Women's Philanthropy. Includes 40 cm of textual records, 16 photographs (col. ; 22 x 28 cm or smaller), 2 prints (poster ; 28 x 36 cm or smaller), 1 wristband, 1 medal (8 cm in diam. on loop 4 x 42 cm), 1 t-shirt, and 1 papercut (18 x 18 cm in frame 30 x 36 cm).
Administrative History
David Matlow is the owner of the world’s largest private collection of Theodor Herzl memorabilia and is the producer of My Herzl, a 52 minute documentary by Israeli film maker Eli Tal-El. A partner at Goodmans LLP in Toronto, David was the co-chair, together with Andrea Cohen, of Toronto’s 2015 Campaign for the United Jewish Appeal.
Subjects
Fund raising
Jewish outreach
Jewish philanthropists
Name Access
Matlow, David
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1996-6-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1996-6-4
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1.5 m of textual records
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records of the North American Jewish Students Network.
Use Conditions
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Subjects
Children
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
North American Jewish Students Network (Canada)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-3-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-3-4
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
12 photographs : col. ; 12 x 10 cm
Date
2002
Scope and Content
Accession consists of images of the Ontario Jewish Archives vault, processing room, research room, and reception area taken by Ellen Scheinberg upon being hired as the OJA's new director in 2002. The photographs illustrate the state of the archives upon her arrival.
Custodial History
The photographs were taken by Ellen Scheinberg, director of the Ontario Jewish Archives. They were kept in her office until she transferred them to the OJA on 4 March 2009.
Subjects
Archives
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Ontario Jewish Archives
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2012-7-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2012-7-6
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
12 m of textual records
Date
[197-]-[199-]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to the North American Jewish Students Network and in particular, its Canadian division.
Programming and correspondence, 1983-1987. The bulk of the programming material is related to the trial of A. Shcharansky. Also included are resources materials and posters. (Shelf 65-1)
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
Children
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
North American Jewish Students Network (Canada)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-1-15
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-1-15
Material Format
textual record
moving images
sound recording
Physical Description
ca. 3 m of textual records
ca. 20 video cassettes
ca. 5 audio cassettes
Date
[ca. 1970]-[ca. 2010]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of textual records, and audio-visual material documenting the operations of Hillel and its predecessor organization, the Jewish Students Federation.
Subjects
Education
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Hillel of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-8-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-8-7
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
ca. 30 cm textual records
Date
1995-2007
Scope and Content
Accession consists of documents related to Hillel of Greater Toronto. Types of materials include meeting minutes, flyers, correspondence employee manuals and financial statements.
Subjects
Education
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Hillel of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-3
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
1949-1955
Scope and Content
Accession consists of documents such as letters and minutes of meetings of the Jewish Social Service Agencies of the United Jewish Welfare Fund, of which JVS was a member agency.
Custodial History
There is no information on the acquisition of this material. We believe that it likely originated from Milton Friedman, Executive Director of JVS.
Subjects
Charities
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Jewish Vocational Service (Toronto, Ont.)
Friedman, Milton
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-8-9
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2017-8-9
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 36 x 31 cm
Date
1939
Scope and Content
Accession consists of an original photograph of the Arbeiter Ring (Workmen's Circle), Branch 670, 10th year jubilee celebration. The photo is dated March 1939 and was taken by Daylight Studio Toronto, Photograph by Simon.
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
Anniversaries
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Workmen's Circle (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-20
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-7-20
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
120 cm of textual records (4 boxes)
Date
1987-2011
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material involving Shoel Silver's involvement with various Jewish organizations including B'nai Brith Canada (BBC), the Canada-Israel Committee (CIC), the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), UJA Federation of Greater Toronto (UJA), and the United Israel Appeal (UIA). Included are meeting minutes, reports, memoranda, correspondence, budgets, discussion documents, resource material, newspaper clippings, photocopies of newspaper articles, briefing papers, resolutions.
Custodial History
Records remained in the custody of Shoel Silver until 27 July 2018 when the OJA acquired the records from the former.
Administrative History
Shoel Silver is a Toronto businessman. He formerly co-chaired the Unity of the Jewish People Committee with Natan Sharansky. Prior to that, he was the scholar in residence for the first Federation Shabbaton.
Use Conditions
Accession is closed for 25 years from date of donation.
Subjects
Israel
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
B'nai Brith Canada
Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs
Jewish Agency for Israel
Silver, Shoel
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
United Israel Appeal
Places
Canada
Israel
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-3-12
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-3-12
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
13 cm of textual records
Date
1997-[ca. 2012]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Ashkenaz Foundation. Included are memorandums of understanding between UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and Ashkenaz Foundation (2004–2010), a copy of the original letters patent that was issued on 21 July 1997, brochures and flyers, and Ashkenaz records for the years 2004–2012.
Use Conditions
Copyright may not be held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Festivals
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Ashkenaz Festival
Ashkenaz Foundation
Places
Canada
Source
Archival Accessions
Level
Item
ID
Item 3367
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
3367
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[192-]
Physical Description
2 photographs : b&w (1 negative) ; 13 x 11 cm and 10 x 12 cm
Scope and Content
This item is a copy print and corresponding negative of Lena Wichefsky Magder, a cousin from Philadelphia named Mirka, Esther Wichefsky and Annie Moses of Sudbury, Ontario. The women are standing on a front porch.
Notes
Wichefsky also spelled as Witchefsky.
Subjects
Women
Repro Restriction
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Places
Philadelphia (Pa.)
Sudbury (Ont.)
Accession Number
1982-10-1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 4204
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
4204
Material Format
graphic material
Date
1986
Physical Description
1 photograph : col.
Scope and Content
Centre: Esther Rothschild.
Co-Chairmen of everning: Agnes Deutsch (left); Arlene Weisbart.
Notes
Photograph may have been published in Canadian Jewish News.
Name Access
Emunah
Rothschild, Esther
Deutsch, Agnes
Weisbart, Arlene
Subjects
Women
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.
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Accession Number
1986-12-3
Source
Archival Descriptions
Accession Number
2015-12-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-12-7
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
ca. 10 cm of textual records and other material
Date
1986, 1991-2015
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the personal and professional activities of Janice Benatar. Personal records include a family tree, speeches Janice delivered at the Lipa Lippers Toastmaster's Group meetings, a Sephardic cookbook, immigration papers, and a Sharon School Reunion invitation for alumni living in Toronto. Also included are photographs of Janice with her family, performing in a ballet production with the Academy of Ballet and Jazz, with her newborn son, at her son's bar mitzvah at Chabad Flamingo, and with the keys to her first home in Thornhill. Also identified in photographs are: Elan Levitan, Viviane Benatar, Michael Benatar, Claudia Benatar, Rachel Pasternak, and Samuel Pasternak.
Also included are speeches, invitations, event programs, and video recordings of Book Of Life events as well as a bookmark that was designed by artist Enya Keshet for Book of Life honourees. Finally, accession also includes Professional Advisory Committee meeting minutes (2009-2015) and breakfast seminar presentations (2014-2015).
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
Physical description note: includes 7 photographs, 4 DVDs, 200 KB of textual records, and 1 bookmark.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Nonprofit organizations
Philanthropy and fundraising
Women
Name Access
Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1980-2-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1980-2-2
Material Format
text
graphic material
Physical Description
15 cm of textual records and other material
Date
1935-1962
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Workmen's Circle (Arbeiter Ring). Included are: three architectural drawings of the summer cottage for Camp Yunvelt (Pickering, Ont.); two group portraits (one with identification and one without); a bound periodical/journal from 1935; a hardcopy of Fertsik yor arbeter-ring: a geshikhte in bilder (English: Forty Years Workmen's Circle: A History in Pictures) put out by the National Executive Committee of the Workmen's Circle in 1940; a bound periodical/journal of Kultur un dertsiung (English: Culture and Education) for the year 1942; a bound periodical/journal of Der freynd (English: The Friend) for the year 1942; a booklet by Rev. Nathan Stolnitz's titled Some of the Numerous Comments and Reviews on Music in Jewish Life (1957?); a newspaper clipping titled "A bukh vom oyngt" (English: A Book That Opens) that was published in 1957; a hardcopy of Workmen's Circle, Pioneers and Builders put out by the Workmen's Circle Pioneers and Builders Committee in 1962; and two other Yiddish-language publications that have not been identified.
Administrative History
The Workmen's Circle (Yiddish: Arbeiter Ring) was founded in the United States by Jewish immigrants in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Circle branches were established in Canada in Montreal and Toronto in 1907 and 1908. In 1917, the Toronto branches incorporated as nonprofit organization called the Arbeiter Ring. The organization celebrated its centenery in 2017.
Descriptive Notes
Language: Most of the material in the accession is in Yiddish. The drawings are in English and a few of the publications are in English and Yiddish.
Subjects
Camps
Cottages
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Workmen's Circle (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Pickering (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1988-2-12
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1988-2-12
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1.8 cm of textual records
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records pertaining to the operation of the Kashruth Department of the Toronto Jewish Congress. The department was situated within the Orthodox Division.
Use Conditions
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Subjects
Religion
Food
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Toronto Jewish Congress
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-3-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2009-3-7
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
30 cm of textual records
Date
2005-2007
Scope and Content
This accession consists of records related to the work of Susan Jackson as the Executive Director of the Latner Center for Jewish Knowledge and Heritage. The records include planning documents, summaries and reports, budgets and meeting minutes.
Custodial History
The records were in the possession of Susan Jackson, currently an Executive Philanthropic Officer with the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and the former Executive Director of the (Latner) Centre for Jewish Knowledge and Heritage.
Administrative History
The Latner Centre for Jewish Knowledge and Heritage was created in 2005 as an entity of the UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. It included the Ontario Jewish Archives, the Holocaust Centre, the Latner Library, Jewish Information Service of Greater Toronto, and the Jewish media and pedagogic libraries. The Latner Centre then became the Centre for Jewish Knowledge and Heritage and eventually disbanded in 2008.
Use Conditions
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director (and whomever else) prior to accessing the records.
Descriptive Notes
Use condition note: Records of UJA Federation are closed for 10 years from date of creation.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Philanthropy and fundraising
Name Access
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Jackson, Susan
Source
Archival Accessions
Name
Tobie Taback
Material Format
sound recording
Interview Date
23 Feb. 1983
Source
Oral Histories
Name
Tobie Taback
Number
OH 136
Subject
Immigrants--Canada
Nonprofit organizations
Interview Date
23 Feb. 1983
Quantity
1
Interviewer
Jack Lipinsky
Total Running Time
34 minutes 58 secons
Conservation
Copied November 2006
Use Restrictions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Biography
Tobie Taback was the long-time secretary for the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society in Toronto. She retired in 1982.
Material Format
sound recording
Name Access
Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (Toronto, Ont.)
Taback, Tobie
Lipinsky, Jack
Geographic Access
Toronto
Original Format
Audio cassette
Copy Format
Audio cassette
Source
Oral Histories

In this clip, Tobie Taback discusses the helplessness faced by the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society in bringing immigrants out of Europe during the period of Canada's strict no immigration policy.

In this clip, Tobie Taback discusses the activities of Jewish Immigrant Aid Society (JIAS) employees during the years 1937–1939, the obstacles they faced vis-à-vis immigrant applications and the "parcels to Russia and Poland" aid program run by JIAS.

Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Heritage series
Level
Series
ID
Fonds 4; Series 10
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Solomon Edell fonds
Heritage series
Level
Series
Fonds
4
Series
10
Material Format
multiple media
Date
[1967?]-1993
Physical Description
34 cm of textual records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Sol Edell was active in the collection, preservation and exhibition of historical material relating to the history of Canadian Jewry. He was one of the founders and Chair of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region / Toronto Jewish Congress Archives (later the Ontario Jewish Archives). Among his achievements were the restoration of the Kiever Synagogue and organizing the showing of the exhibit Journey into Our Heritage. In addition, he was a financial supporter of the Baycrest Museum, the Jewish Historical Society of Canada and a member of the Toronto Jewish Historical Society.
Scope and Content
Series consists of records documenting Sol Edell's heritage related activities, particularly his involvement with the Ontario Jewish Archives. Included are meeting notices, agendas and minutes, correspondence, financial and legal records, photographs, flyers, press releases, brochures, administrative records, reports, lists, notes, sound records, architectural drawings, exhibit material, grant applications, invitations, and programmes.
Notes
Physical description note: includes 10 photographs, 3 audio cassettes, and 5 architectural drawings.
Name Access
Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region / Toronto Jewish Congress Archives
Toronto Jewish Historical Society
Historical Society of Western Canada
Baycrest Heritage Museum
Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Journey into Our Heritage
Subjects
Architecture
Nonprofit organizations
Synagogues
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Accession Number
2014-5-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-5-4
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
4 photograph albums
ca. 450 photographs : b&w and col. (ca. 260 negatives) ; 36 x 30 cm and smaller
3 cm of textual records
Date
[ca. 1963]-[ca. 1995]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of graphic material and textual records documenting Canadian Young Judaea. Included are photographic albums, loose photographs, clippings, photographic contact sheets and negatives, and textual records, including meeting minutes, correspondences, etc. All of the items relate to Ontario-based Jewish summer camps such as Camp Solelim and Camp Biluim, as well as to Canadian Young Judaea.
Custodial History
Records came via Josefa Michaelson, c/o Canadian Young Judaea
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Children
Camps
Name Access
Canadian Young Judaea
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-12-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2014-12-2
Material Format
moving images
Physical Description
1 film reel (ca. 22 min.) : 16mm
1 videocassette
Date
[ca. 1980]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one film reel and one videocassette copy of the JIAS film entitled "We Are Our Brother's Keeper".
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-7-11
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-7-11
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
moving images
Physical Description
17.5 m of textual records, graphic material and moving images
Date
[195-]-[199-]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of the records of the London Jewish Federation. Included are general operational files, correspondence, committee records, meeting minutes, programming material, financial statements and budgets, London UJA records, central registry files, AV material documenting LJF receptions, a London Jewish community demographic survey conducted in the 1980s, London Jewish Community News newspapers, newsletters, Camp Kitamin records, promotional and media relations records, Hadassah records, and photographs.
Administrative History
The London Jewish Federation was formed in 1933 as the London Jewish Community Council. It is dedicated to supporting and enriching the quality of Jewish life in London and enhancing Jewish values in Israel and throughout the world. It is dedicated to:
creating and delivering educational and other programmes and activities which celebrate and preserve our heritage and combat antisemitism, racism and intolerance in our society;
developing growing and strengthening Jewish community life through social, educational and cultural programming;
encouraging and enhancing community involvement through leadership and volunteer opportunities;
and providing support to Jewish families who require assistance with basic needs.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Philanthropy and fundraising
Name Access
London Jewish Federation
United Jewish Appeal (London, Ont.)
Places
London, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-8-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2018-8-4
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 15 x 25 cm (sight) in mat 24 x 34 cm
Date
1939
Scope and Content
Item is a group portrait of Workmen's Circle Branch 384. The photograph was taken on the occasion of the branch's thirtieth anniversary. Leo Badash of Hamilton is seated in the front row, third right.
Custodial History
George Leaf (né Lipshitz), who is depicted in the group portrait fourth from the left in the top row, was a member of Workmen's Circle Branch 384. He died in 1945.
George's youngest daughter, Rose, who lived in the family home from her birth in 1922 until her death in 2012, had two copies of the framed photograph in her possession when she died.
A neighbour and good friend of Rose's, who received much of Rose's estate, saved photographs and personal possessions, which she gave to Jeffrey Levinn, Rose's first cousin once removed.
In 2018, Jeffrey Levinn donated a copy of the framed photograph to the Ontario Jewish Archives.
Administrative History
The Workmen's Circle (Yiddish: Arbeiter Ring) was founded in the United States by Jewish immigrants in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Circle branches were established in Canada in the first decade of the twentieth century. The Hamilton branch's number was 384.
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.
Descriptive Notes
Language: Title is in English; text below is in Yiddish.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Portraits, Group
Name Access
Workmen's Circle (Hamilton, Ont.)
Places
Hamilton (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-3-8
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-3-8
Material Format
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
21.1 MB of textual records
Date
2016-2019
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Kulanu Toronto. Included are minutes, agendas, information on upcoming events, posters, and instructions for volunteers.
Custodial History
Former executive director Sheri Krell emailed records in electronic format to an OJA archivist in March 2019.
Administrative History
Kulanu Toronto was founded in 2000. It incorporated as a not-for-profit in 2014. Following its dissolution in 2018, some of its functions were taken over by the Miles Nadal Jewish Community Centre LGBTQ Initiative.
Subjects
Nonprofit organizations
Sexual minorities
Name Access
Kulanu Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Part Of
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 9
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
9
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Date
1925-1989
Physical Description
31.8 m of textual records
319 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller
Admin History/Bio
The Jewish Immigrant Aid Society of Canada was established in 1920 by the newly-formed Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC). A Toronto branch was established in a storefront office on Spadina Avenue, but the organization was rudimentary. As the enthusiasm that spurred the founding of CJC died out, JIAS soon faltered. Then in 1922 it was taken over and reactivated under the cooperative support of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto, B'nai B'rith, and the Council of Jewish Women. JIAS was legally incorporated on 30 August 1922. It also operated under the moniker of the Emergency Jewish Immigrant Aid Committee, and it changed its name to Jewish Immigrant Aid Services in 1954.
Charged with organizing emergency relief for European Jews in distress, JIAS became the central agency of the Jewish community to facilitate the lawful entry of Jewish immigrants into Canada, and provided them with welfare services, transportation, and assistance with accommodation and employment after their arrival. In addition, JIAS offered consultation services for sponsors of potential immigrants, ran a competitive foreign remittance service, and campaigned to counter the activities of unscrupulous steamboat agents, lawyers, and influence peddlers, or “shtadlanim,” who often victimized immigrants and sponsors alike.
In conjunction with similar efforts by the CJC, JIAS was also actively engaged in negotiating for the increased admission of Jewish immigrants to Canada. In 1923, the federal government instituted a permit-based immigration program and JIAS competed with travel agents and solicitors in the private sector for these limited quota permits. After combating the anti-immigration policies of the Depression era, the outbreak of war in 1939 virtually closed the already limited avenues for immigration.
JIAS Canada was organized into a national office in Montreal and regional offices in Winnipeg (Western Region), Toronto (Central Region), and Halifax (Eastern Region). The Central Region covered Ontario, and established a full-time head office in 1935 at 399 Spadina Avenue in Toronto (hence the Central Region was sometimes called simply the Toronto Office). The office later moved to 265 Spadina Avenue. JIAS Toronto’s board of directors met on a regular basis at different locations in Toronto, including 206 Beverley Street and in the Talmud Torah building at 9 Brunswick Avenue. The first JIAS Toronto board included notable Toronto residents such as Henry Dworkin, Mrs. Draiman, Mr. Kronick, Dr. Brodey and Mrs. Willinsky. The role of the board was to oversee the operations of the Central Region. It rendered decisions on issues relating to finances, procedures and policies, negotiations with the federal Immigration Branch, as well as individual cases that required their attention.
General meetings of the Central Region membership were held annually. The 1943 JIAS constitution states that regional annual meetings were to be held for “receiving and considering reports,” holding nominations and elections for the executive, and discussing JIAS’s program and policies.
In the post-war era, JIAS shifted its focus to renewed efforts on behalf of individual claimants and community support, while the focus for lobbying for a reversal of Canada's immigration policy fell increasingly under the jurisdiction of the CJC. A boom in immigration between 1947 and 1952 saw the arrival of large numbers of Jewish immigrants to all parts of Canada and the Toronto Office of JIAS renewed its efforts to meet the needs of this new influx. Major world events also sparked other waves of immigration from Hungary, Czechoslovakia, North Africa, and Russia, to which JIAS responded in turn. JIAS worked in conjunction with other immigrant aid societies such as HIAS, the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society, in the United States, to facilitate immigration to the United States, and later to Israel, where many of the immigrants and refugees coming to Canada had family and ultimately settled.
Custodial History
Custody of these records was transferred to the Ontario Jewish Archives by JIAS in 1983, as preparations were under way for the move to a new facility in North York. Much of the material was in four-cubic-foot boxes and in file cabinets.
The accession was divided into three sections: files which were at the JIAS office and had been retained in their original order; files which had been retrieved from a flood in the basement of 152 Beverley St. and consequently had been thrown into dry boxes without regard to order; files discovered in the furnace rooms at 150 and 152 Beverley St., intact but covered in coal dust. The bulk of the records were stored off-site, with dirty files being isolated from the rest.
The dust-covered materials were cleaned at an off-site location, placed in temporary boxes and transferred to the Archives and restored, as far as was possible, to their original order.
Clips were removed and replaced as appropriate with archivally acceptable ones. All materials were transferred to acid-free folders and boxes.
Scope and Content
Fonds contains the records of the Toronto Office (Central region) of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada. The fonds consists primarily of textual records: minutes, correspondence, financial records, reports, immigration files, naturalization case files, social service case files and the records of attempts to trace missing individuals. There are also photographs of special events, speakers and arriving immigrants.
The fonds represents an important resource for the study of Canadian Jewry, especially when taken in conjunction with the JIAS National Office records at the Canadian Jewish Congress National Archives in Montreal, and those of the Western Office at the Library and Archives of Canada. It documents the means by which a particular Canadian ethnic community has dealt with the problems of rescue, settlement and government relations. These records also offer insight into the relationship between the Toronto Office and the other branches of JIAS, and invite comparison with similar agencies in the United States, as well as those of other ethnic groups in Canada.
The material collected includes information about the countries of origin, transportation routes, settlement and employment patterns of Jewish immigrants to Canada in the twentieth century. The documents also touch upon important related issues such as advocacy, sponsorship, admission processes, health and social problems.
These records cover several waves of immigration following the Second World War: Holocaust survivors in the late 1940s, Sephardic (North African) and Hungarian Jews in the 1950s, Russian and Czechoslovakian Jews in the 1960s, and additional Russians in the 1970s.
The records also contain significant information for those researchers looking to conduct genealogical research into Jewish immigrants and their descendents.
The fonds has been arranged with one sous-fonds, which contains the records of the National JIAS office in Montreal. In total there are 17 series. The Toronto office (main fonds) series are: 1. Board of Directors and Executive Committee Minutes; 2. Annual meeting proceedings; 3. Reports; 4. Legal ; 5. Administration; 6. JIAS Committees; 7. External committees; 8. Financial ; 9. Arrivals; 10. Immigration case files; 11. Social service assistance case files; 12. Photographs; 13. Miscellaneous. The National Office sous-fonds is divided into the following series: 1. National executive meeting minutes; 2. National annual meeting proceedings; 3. National annual reports; 4. Publications; and Photographs.
Notes
Physical description note: Physical extent is based on fully processed records. Additional accessions are not included (see Related Material note below).
Associated material note: The CJC National Archive, in Montreal, has additional JIAS records from 1920-1989 including 275 m of textual records and graphic materials (3250 photos): collection number I0037; alpha-numeric designation MA 4. The National Archives of Canada, Manitoba branch, in Winnipeg, has Jewish Historical Society of Western Canada JIAS textual records from 1923-1950 on 18 microfilm reels: Former archival reference number MG28-V114 (no replacement listed). The originals of these records are maintained by the Jewish Historical Society of Western Canada.
Name Access
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Nonprofit organizations
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
Related Material
Other OJA records relating to JIAS may be found in the following accessions: 1979-9-5; 1988-5-2; 1991-10-5; 2006-3-11.
Creator
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto
Accession Number
1983-8-1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto fonds
Level
Sous-fonds
ID
Fonds 9-1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Toronto fonds
Level
Sous-fonds
Fonds
9-1
Material Format
textual record
Date
1926-1982
Physical Description
51 cm of textual records
14 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller
Admin History/Bio
The Jewish Immigrant Aid Society of Canada was organized into a national office in Montreal and regional offices in Winnipeg (Western Region), Toronto (Central Region) and Halifax (Eastern Region). The national office was responsible for directing and managing all the affairs of the organization, including defining national and international policy; administration of regional offices; national budget; fundraising; external relations with other organizations, such as the United Jewish Relief Agencies (UJRA) and Jewish Family & Child Services (JF&CS); and publicity. It also organized the annual meeting, special events and conventions.
Membership in JIAS was open to individuals, organizations or companies who paid an annual fee. General meetings of the membership were held at least once every two years, where reports were presented and considered, nominations and elections held for national officers and the national executive committee, policies, programs and problems discussed, and decisions taken.
The National Executive Committee of JIAS was composed of the following members: national president; three vice-presidents (the presidents of the Western, Central and Eastern regions), with the addition in the 1950s of a vice-president at large; three regional treasurers, eventually reduced to one national treasurer; secretary; and twelve members comprising four representatives from each region. In 1929 the ‘executive secretary’ position was renamed ‘executive director.’ According to the 1943 constitution, the executive was required to hold meetings at least three times a year, in alternate cities. In 1954 this was amended to twice a year.
During the early stages of JIAS's operations, it had to face the difficulty of being overstretched financially, as it sought to respond to and to change the often oppressive living conditions of new immigrants and the situation of those held in federal detention centres. The organization’s principled approach to immigrant welfare won JIAS much of its early success, as it became the preferred contact for government officials who had formerly dealt with numerous independent agencies, many of which had profited from the exploitation of desperate immigrants. This situation also profited the government, however, as the responsibility for establishing the priority of applications reverted increasingly to JIAS as it had to limit its appeals by the quotas imposed by the federal government.
JIAS was one of the founding organizations responsible for the establishment of the Canadian Council for Refugees (CCR) in 1978, which has since operated as a non-profit umbrella organization to coordinate the efforts of immigrant and refugee advocacy groups. JIAS continues to operate offices across Canada in Calgary, Edmonton, Halifax, Hamilton, London, Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Windsor and Winnipeg. The JIAS National Office moved from Montreal to Toronto in 1989, with the appointment of Susan Davis to National Director, and is now located at 4580 Dufferin St., Suite 306, Toronto, Ontario.
Scope and Content
Sous-fonds consists of National Office records retained by the Toronto JIAS office as reference copies. Records include meeting minutes, speeches and reports from annual meetings, and the published annual reports produced from the annual meetings. The sous-fonds covers the years 1926 to 1982 and is divided into the following series: 1. National Executive meeting minutes; 2. National annual meeting proceedings; 3. National annual reports; 4. Publications; and 5. Photographs.
Name Access
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada (creator)
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Nonprofit organizations
Access Restriction
Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Accession Number
1983-1-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
1983-1-10
Material Format
sound recording
textual record
Physical Description
2 audio cassettes
1 folder of textual records
Date
1977
Scope and Content
Accession consists of an interview and corresponding transcript, with Jack Shindman, past-president of JIAS, on immigration and his family.
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Families
Nonprofit organizations
Name Access
Shindman, Jack
Drutz, Danny
Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Rovno, Ukraine
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-20
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2015-9-20
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
[ca.1960]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a program 'Festival of Song' put on by Toronto Hadassah. The guest of honour was Rabbi Abraham L. Feinberg.
Custodial History
There is no information of the acquisition of this material.
Administrative History
Rabbi Feinberg was the lead rabbi of Holy Blosom Temple from 1943 to 1961.
Subjects
Jews--Music
Nonprofit organizations
Rabbis
Name Access
Toronto Hadassah-WIZO
Places
Toronto, Ont.
Source
Archival Accessions
Part Of
Jewish Family and Child fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 79
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Jewish Family and Child fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
79
Material Format
multiple media
Date
1933-2011
Physical Description
ca. 4.8 m of texutal records and other material
Admin History/Bio
Jewish Family & Child was established in 1943 from the amalgamation of a variety of different social agencies formed as early as 1868. These included the Ladies Benevolent Fund, the Free Burial Society, Jewish Family Welfare Bureau, Jewish Children’s Bureau, Big Brothers and Big Sisters, and the Ladies Maternal Aid Society. Much of its funding and support after its inception came from the United Jewish Welfare Fund.
The first executive director of the agency was Dora Wilensky. She was a trained social worker who served for twenty-eight years, until her untimely death from cancer in 1959. Jerome Diamond took over in 1960 and Gordon Wolfe succeeded him in 1981. Ron Levin briefly replaced Wolfe after his retirement in 2003, and was succeeded in 2006 by Dr. Richard Cummings who then retired in 2015. As of 2017, Brian Prousky is the organization’s current executive director.
During the early years, fees were established, but the agency never refused to assist clients because of their inability to pay. JF&CS became one of the first agencies to rely on trained social workers. It was also the first social agency in Canada to become unionized.
Over the years the agency’s role has changed and it has expanded significantly, in terms of its staff and services. After the Second World War it played a pivotal role supporting the Holocaust orphans who came to Canada as refugees, particularly in the area of locating foster parents for these children. By 1957, the agency hired its first counsellor and became a member of the United Community Fund of Greater Toronto. The year 1968 marked the start of JF&CS’ new program involving the use of a mobile treatment centre to reach out to Jewish street kids and in 1974 they established the Jerome D. Diamond Adolescent Centre.
In 1981, JF&CS was mandated by the Province of Ontario as a Jewish children’s aid society responsible for the care and protection of all Jewish youth in the GTA. In 1983 they established the Just-A-Second Shop at 3101 Bathurst Street, which took in used goods from the community to pass on to needy families. Two years later they established the Henry G. Goodman Home for developmentally challenged children on Wilmington Avenue. The following year marked the opening of the Elm Ridge Group Living Residence for elderly people. In 1988, they opened a special shelter for abused women and children, and in 1994, they introduced their Homework Club for kids.
The current mission of Jewish Family & Child is to support the healthy development of individuals, children, families, and communities through prevention, protection, counselling, education, and advocacy services, within the context of Jewish values. Their services include counselling, rehabilitation and support, foster care, family services, and community services. These services are offered in a host of different languages including Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian, French, and English.
JF&CS is an independent organization that receives its funding from a variety of different sources such as UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, United Way Toronto and York Region, the Government of Ontario, and individual donations.
As of 2017, JF&CS has nearly 130 staff providing more than thirty community services with a budget of almost $20 million. Their main office is located in the Lipa Green Centre for Community Services at 4600 Bathurst Street. They also maintain offices and run services out of their downtown branch at 35 Madison Avenue, their York Region branch inside UJA’s 1 Open Door at the Lebovic JCC, and their Jerome D. Diamond Adolescent Centre in midtown Toronto.
Name Access
Jewish Family and Child
Wilensky, Dora, 1902-1959
Wolfe, Gordon
Diamond, Jerome D.
Subjects
Charities
Children
Families
Nonprofit organizations
Access Restriction
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing the records.
Related Material
See also: Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds (fonds 86); Jewish Family Welfare Bureau fonds (fonds 87); Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds (fonds 66); and, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds (fonds 67).
Creator
Jewish Family and Child (Toronto, Ont.)
Accession Number
2004-5-101
2004-1-8
2002-10-38
2006-6-7 (Shelf 03-6,Orphan index cards)
2009-12-9
2010-4-1 (Shelf 34-1)
2010-10-5
2015-8/11
2015-9/1
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 86
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
86
Material Format
textual record
Date
1932-1943
Physical Description
23 cm of textual records
Admin History/Bio
The Jewish Child Welfare Association (JCWA) was formed in 1936 through the amalgamation of the Jewish Children’s Bureau, the Jewish Big Brother Movement, and the Jewish Big Sister Committee. This merger was intended to improve service to families in the community by making one agency responsible for all cases dealing with children and adolescents. The JCWA’s funding primarily came from the Federation for Jewish Philanthropies (later the United Jewish Welfare Fund) and municipal and provincial grants.
The JCWA’s chairman was Bertram N. Davis and first executive secretary was Anne Gussack. Gussack was succeeded by Freda Manson in 1939 and Aaron B. Feld in 1941. Soon after its formation in 1936, the JCWA became one of the first unionized social agencies in Canada when it formed the Staff Association with the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau (JFWB).
Located at 179 Beverley Street, the JCWA’s core activities included placing children in foster homes, arranging adoptions, supervising children in their own homes, providing housekeeping services to families, and providing supervision and guidance to unmarried mothers. The JCWA paid for the foster children’s room and board, clothing, and medical care; supervised their religious education; and supplied scholarships for vocational training through its Jewish Children’s Vocational Fund. The JCWA also ran the Foster Mothers’ Parent Education Group, initiated a foster day care program to allow foster mothers to work, and arranged for the placement of children in summer camps. A constant problem for JCWA was the lack of appropriate foster homes. In order to secure more homes, the agency regularly engaged in a foster homefinding publicity campaign.
The Child Welfare Committee of the Hebrew Maternity Aid Society assisted the JCWA with finding and visiting foster homes, arranging adoptions, and attending to chronic clinical cases. The Hebrew Maternity Aid Society also participated in a Car Corp program with the JCWA by providing its social workers with volunteer drivers to help them travel to different locations.
The JCWA’s Big Brother and Big Sister Departments provided guidance for delinquent, troubled, and developmentally disabled adolescents through individual and group work. Both departments assisted troubled youth with employment, vocational training, school adjustment, and recreational activities. In 1941, the Big Sister Committee left the JCWA to become affiliated with the JFWB.
Discussions regarding the co-ordination of services between the JCWA and the JFWB began as early as 1935. Since both agencies worked with children and families, a merger was believed necessary to improve service to the community and ease confusion. In February 1943, the JCWA and the JFWB merged to form the Jewish Family and Child Services (JF & CS).
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records documenting the programs, operation, finances and special projects and studies of the Jewish Child Welfare Association and its predecessor the Jewish Children's Bureau. Included is correspondence, reports, surveys, memos, meeting notices, agendas and minutes, financial records, questionnaires, speeches, client and membership lists, case presentations, news articles, theatrical scripts, event invitations and statistics.
Fonds has been arranged with one sous-fonds, which contains the records of the Jewish Children's Bureau. In total there are 25 series. The Jewish Child Welfare Association (main fonds) series are: 1. Board of Trustees; 2. Executive Director; 3. Committees; 4. Adoption; 5. Foster care; 6. Summer camp program; 7. Nursery school; 8. Jewish Children's Vocational Board; 9. Finance and accounting; 10. Human Resources; 11. Operational statistics; 12. Special studies and surveys; 13. Publicity; 14. Liaison with other social welfare organizations; and 15. Welfare Council of Toronto. The Jewish Children's Bureau (sous-fonds) series are: 1. Board of Trustees; 2. Executive Director; 3. Adoption; 4. Foster care; 5. Finance and accounting; 6. Human resources; 7. Building administration; 8. Special studies and surveys; 9. Publicity; and, 10. Liaison with other social welfare organizations.
Notes
Associated material note: for related records held at the City of Toronto Archives, see also: Children's Aid Society of Toronto fonds (fonds 1001); Welfare Council of Toronto records in the University Settlement House fonds (fonds 1024, series 658); and, Department of Public Welfare records in the Former City of Toronto fonds (fonds 200).
Name Access
Jewish Child Welfare Association
Jewish Children's Home
Jewish Children's Vocational Fund
Davis, Bertram N.
Gussack, Anne
Manson, Freda
Feld, Aaron B.
Jewish Big Sisters Committee
Jewish Big Brothers Movement
Jewish Family and Child Services
Federation of Jewish Philanthropies
United Jewish Welfare Fund
Department of Public Welfare
Welfare Council of Toronto
Children's Aid Society
Subjects
Charities
Children
Families
Nonprofit organizations
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing some of the records.
Related Material
See also: Jewish Family Welfare Bureau fonds (fonds 87); Jewish Family and Child fonds (fonds 79); Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds (fonds 66); and, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds (fonds 67).
Arrangement
Records of the Jewish Big Sisters Committee, the Jewish Big Brothers Movement and records documenting programs of the JCWA that continued after the formation of JF & CS, such as the Foster Homefinding Campaign and the Foster Mothers' Parent Education Group, are arranged with the JF & CS fonds 79.
Accession Number
2004-1-8
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Jewish Family Welfare Bureau fonds
Level
Fonds
ID
Fonds 87
Source
Archival Descriptions
Part Of
Jewish Family Welfare Bureau fonds
Level
Fonds
Fonds
87
Material Format
textual record
architectural drawing
Date
1928-1943
Physical Description
67 cm of textual records
1 architectural drawing
Admin History/Bio
Sometime around 1919, the Family Welfare Committee was set up within the newly created Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto (FJPT) to perform social welfare work with Jewish families. Around 1931, the Committee was reorganized as an independent member agency of the FJPT and renamed the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau (JFWB). At the same time, Dora Wilensky (1902-1959), a professionally-trained social worker, was hired as the agency’s executive director. Throughout its existence, most of its funding came from the FJPT (later the United Jewish Welfare Fund).
Located at 179 Beverley Street, the JFWB’s core activities included: relief provision; helping families meet basic needs, such as medical care, heating and clothing; housekeeping assistance; counseling; and case work. The JFWB’s major concerns shifted over time from a rise of immigration and desertion cases in the 1920s to the dramatic increase of wife abuse, suicide, and unemployment cases during the Great Depression of the 1930s. After the outbreak of the Second World War, the JFWB sought ways of assisting soldiers and their families, such as, investigating special government grants to soldiers.
In an attempt to meet community needs, the JFWB initiated various programs, such as a Homemaking Club to teach women house management skills, and a Clothing Centre to provide families with inexpensive household goods. It also partnered with other local Jewish organizations in the early 1940s in the Liaison Project for troubled Jewish youth. In the 1930s, the Jewish Employment Service and Hebrew Free Burial Society became departments of the JFWB and, in 1941, the JFWB began guaranteeing loans for clients through the Hebrew Free Loan Association. In the same year, the Jewish Big Sister Committee became affiliated with the agency and the Jewish Big Brother Movement followed soon after.
In 1936, the JFWB became one of the first unionized social agencies in Canada when it formed the Staff Association with the Jewish Child Welfare Association (JCWA), another member of the FJPT. Although the JFWB’s focus was work with families and the JCWA’s focus was work with children, both agencies found it necessary at times to work with both children and families. In order to prevent service duplication and reduce confusion over casework responsibility, the Joint Application Bureau was set up within the FJPT to review all case work applications and determine the appropriate agency to provide assistance. However, a merger between the agencies was still believed necessary to improve service to the community and ease confusion. Discussions regarding the co-ordination of services between the JCWA and the JFWB began as early as 1935 and in February 1943, the JCWA and JFWB merged to form the Jewish Family and Child Services (JF & CS).
Scope and Content
Fonds consists of textual records and one architectural drawing documenting the programs, operation, finances, and special studies of the Jewish Family Welfare Bureau as well as its relationships with other organizations. Included are reports, meeting notices, agendas and minutes, correspondence, memos, budgets, statistics, theatrical scripts, newsclippings, and one architectural blueprint. A number of the records relate to special short-lived committees and projects that the JFWB participated in with other agencies, such as the Jewish Big Sister Committee, Jewish Big Brother Committee, Jewish Child Welfare Association, the Jewish Community Centre Association, the Young Men's and Women's Hebrew Association, and the Jewish Old Folks' Home.
Records have been arranged into the following 19 series: 1. Board of Directors; 2. Executive Director; 3. Jewish Federation Communal Council; 4. United Jewish Welfare Fund Men's and Women's Service Council; 5. Case Committe; 6. Joint Meetings and Committees; 7. Joint Application Bureau; 8. Homemaking Club; 9. Clothing Centre; 10. Liaison Project; 11. Operational statistics; 12. Finance and accounting; 13. Human Resources; 14. Special projects and studies; 15. Publicity; 16. Liaison with other social welfare organizations; 17. Canadian Association of Social Workers; 18. Welfare Council of Toronto; and, 19. Conferences.
Notes
Associated material note: for related records held at the City of Toronto Archives, see also: Welfare Council of Toronto records in the University Settlement House fonds (fonds 1024, series 658); and, Department of Public Welfare records in the Former City of Toronto fonds (fonds 200).
Name Access
Jewish Family Welfare Bureau
Jewish Community Centre Association
Young Men's-Young Women's Hebrew Athletic Association (Toronto, Ont.) (subject)
Jewish Old Folks Home (Toronto, Ont.)
United Jewish Welfare Fund (Toronto, Ont.) (subject)
Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto (subject)
Wilensky, Dora, 1902-1959
Subjects
Charities
Children
Families
Nonprofit organizations
Access Restriction
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director and the head of Jewish Family and Child prior to accessing some of the records.
Related Material
See also: Jewish Child Welfare Association fonds (fonds 86); Jewish Family and Child Services fonds (fonds 79); Federation of Jewish Philanthropies of Toronto fonds (fonds 66); and, United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds (fonds 67).
Arrangement
Records relating to programs, committees and liaison with other organizations that continued after the formation of JF & CS are arranged with that fonds.
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
ID
Item 3770
Source
Archival Descriptions
Level
Item
Item
3770
Material Format
graphic material
Date
[ca. 1915]
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w
Scope and Content
The item is a portrait of Esther Berger Bernard and her daughter Beatrice Bernard (m. Snitman) and sister Minnie Berger Lieberman.
Subjects
Families
Portraits, Group
Women
Repro Restriction
Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Accession Number
1985-7-5
Source
Archival Descriptions