Accession consists of material documenting Cantor Harold Klein. Included are audio recordings that belonged to Klein, sheet music, and other textual records.
Administrative History
Cantor Harold Klein was born in Borough Park, Brooklyn in 1929. The child of eastern European immigrants, Klein was the second of three sons. When he was four, the family moved to Williamsburg. It was there that he attended yeshiva.
As a child, Klein was inspired by Rabbi Levi Greenwald, Rabbi Dovid Rabinowitz, and Earl Spero to pursue his vocation as a cantor. He studied with Cantor Noah Schall and [Frederick?] Pugel. In a 1984 interview with author Mark Slobin, Klein credited both with his later success.
In the course of his career, Klein sung for several congregations. The first was Sutton Place Synagogue, aka the U.N. Synagogue, where he introduced congregational singing. In 1968, he moved to Toronto and became cantor at Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue. After several years at Beth Emeth, he went to Shaarei Shomayim, where he sung for many years.
In addition to regular singing, Klein occupied a number of important posts within the cantorial community. In the 1970s, he was elected to the executive council of the Cantors Assembly of America. At the time he was elected, Klein was serving as the president of the Toronto Council of Hazzanim.
Klein was also a published author. After a friend encouraged him to write a songbook, he formed Mydas Music Company, which published his Let's Sing and Daven songbook in 1985. The songbook, which was accompanied by a ninety-minute cassette of Klein singing to piano accompaniment, won praise from a number of cantors. A sequel, Let's Sing and Celebrate,was released in 1987.
In 1988, the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary inducted Klein as one of its honourary fellows.
Use Conditions
Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Accession consists of 71 cassette tapes that belonged to Cantor Harold Klein.
Administrative History
Cantor Harold Klein was born in Borough Park, Brooklyn in 1929. The child of eastern European immigrants, Klein was the second of three sons. When he was four, the family moved to Williamsburg. It was there that he attended yeshiva.
As a child, Klein was inspired by Rabbi Levi Greenwald, Rabbi Dovid Rabinowitz, and Earl Spero to pursue his vocation as a cantor. He studied with Cantor Noah Schall and [Frederick?] Pugel. In a 1984 interview with author Mark Slobin, Klein credited both with his later success.
In the course of his career, Klein sung for several congregations. The first was Sutton Place Synagogue, aka the U.N. Synagogue, where he introduced congregational singing. In 1968, he moved to Toronto and became cantor at Beth Emeth Bais Yehuda Synagogue. After several years at Beth Emeth, he went to Shaarei Shomayim, where he sung for many years.
In addition to regular singing, Klein occupied a number of important posts within the cantorial community. In the 1970s, he was elected to the executive council of the Cantors Assembly of America. At the time he was elected, Klein was serving as the president of the Toronto Council of Hazzanim.
Klein was also a published author. After a friend encouraged him to write a songbook, he formed Mydas Music Company, which published his Let's Sing and Daven songbook in 1985. The songbook, which was accompanied by a ninety-minute cassette of Klein singing to piano accompaniment, won praise from a number of cantors. A sequel, Let's Sing and Celebrate,was released in 1987.
In 1988, the Cantors Institute of the Jewish Theological Seminary inducted Klein as one of its honourary fellows.
Accession consists of material documenting the life and career of Rabbi Ernest Klein. Records include personal as well as professional correspondence, certificates, newspaper clippings and book reviews, a marriage register, bar mitzvah invitations, and Klein's birth certificate.
Administrative History
Ernest Klein (1899-1983) was born in Szatmar, Hungary on 26 July 1899. He studied at the University of Vienna and served as a rabbi in several countries including Czechoslovakia, Romania, and France. The Second World War brought great hardship for Klein, who survived Auschwitz and Dachau (his wife and son were killed in Czechoslovakia just before the war). After the War, Klein came to Canada, where he became rabbi of Congregation Beth Yitshak in Toronto. A polyglot and a scholar, Klein wrote three etymological dictionaries, the most famous of which was his Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the English Language (1966-67). For his work, he received honourary degrees from McMaster University and the University of Guelph in 1977 and was awarded the Order of Canada in 1978. He passed away on 4 February 1983.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Descriptive Notes
USE CONDITION NOTE: Accession contains medical records that are closed to researchers until January 2034.
Although they both grew up in Jewish neighbourhoods, Chips and Paul met for the first time at Margate, a decidedly non-Jewish seaside resort on South Africa’s southern coast. Chips’ grandmother, who was with Chips at the time, scouted the area for Jewish men, which is when she spotted Paul. Convinced the two were bashert, she indulged in a little matchmaking, with the result that Paul phoned Chips when he returned home. While they did break up at one point, Chips’ grandmother’s judgment was vindicated when the two married at Cyrildene Shul in Johannesburg a few years later.
When their children were three and five years old, the couple made the decision to immigrate to Canada. Paul, an engineer by training, was transferred to Guelph. There, the family joined the local synagogue and enrolled their children in public education. It was while living in Guelph that Chips and Paul became involved in work combating antisemitism. Growing up in Jewish communities, neither had encountered much antisemitism, but living in a small town they were forced to come to terms with being different.
Once their children were grown up, Chips and Paul moved to Toronto, purchasing a house in Thornhill in order to be close to the South African community. Both Chips and Paul are involved in Jewish education through their local synagogue and remain active in a variety of sports. In addition to their faith, sport is one of the ways they stay in touch with their grandchildren, which is why Chips says, “As long as we’re able, we’re going to keep doing it.”
Material Format
moving images
Language
English
Name Access
Klein, Colleen
Klein, Paul
Geographic Access
Guelph (Ont.)
Johannesburg (South Africa)
Thornhill (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Original Format
Digital file
Copy Format
Digital file
Transcript
Part 1:
00:00 Chips discusses the areas in Johannesburg where she was born and raised.
01:30 Chips discusses her education. She attended King David School. She notes that her parents may have been founding members of King David.
02:37 Chips discusses her career in dance as a dancer and as a teacher in her own dance school.
05:22 Chips describes growing up in South Africa. She discusses her family's warm relationship with their servants.
06:20 Chips mentions her own political involvement as a teenager in the late 1960s and early 1970s. She explains why and her husband decided to leave South Africa.
Part 2:
00:00 Paul discusses his parents' arrival to South Africa. His father fled from Berlin in 1937. His mother fled from Frankfurt, Germany in 1936. His father served in the British army during the war.
01:34 Paul explains why his father did not join a synagogue. Paul did not have a bar mitzvah. He recounts an incident that he attributes to his connection to Judaism.
02:55 Paul explains that having Jewish friends only became an issue for him when he started dating.
03:20 Paul explains that his father's fellow workers were secular German Jews.
03:40 Paul discusses his limited Jew upbringing. He discusses how and why he started to learn about and practice Judaism.
05:02 Paul has one sister living in Montreal. He discusses other relatives, some of whom survived the Holocaust.
06:30 Paul discusses how he met Chips.
Part 3:
00:00 Chips discusses how she met Paul.
00:48 Chips and Paul describe how they reconnected with Chips when Paul graduated from engineering.
03:49 Paul discusses their early marriage. He explains the factors that contributed to his decision to leave South Africa and immigrate to Canada. He expresses satisfaction with their decision to come to Canada.
05:25 Chips notes their children's positive comments about growing up and living in Canada.
05:56 Paul discusses his professional career.
07:30 Chips discusses their friends' and relatives' reactions to their decision to leave South Africa. They left in 1975. Chips' and Paul's parents immigrated to Canada around 1981.
09:18 Paul describes his parents' reaction to their decision to emigrate.
10:14 Chips discusses her parents' comments about leaving South Africa.
10:49 Chips and Paul discuss their return visits to South Africa. Chips describes her children's impressions of South Africa.
12:45 Chips discusses their early time in Canada. They first came to Guelph. She discusses establishing a Jewish home/environment for their children.
13:42 Paul recounts antisemitic incidents while living in Guelph.
15:20 Paul discusses their involvement with a program out of Lipa Green focused on assisting small Jewish communities. He comments on the program's success. Paul served as vice-chair.
16:50 Paul discusses the impact of the program on his children. He describes their strong connection to Israel.
17:37 Chips and Paul explain the program and how it was implemented.
18:46 Paul discusses his involvement with the synagogue in Guelph and in Toronto.
20:39 Paul explains why they decided to move to Thornhill in 1991. They belong to a synagogue on Green Lane.
21:33 Paul explains that the company he worked for in South Africa transferred him to Canada.
22:32 Chips discusses her community involvement including participation in Hadassah-WIZO and participation in the synagogue.
23:26 Chips discusses the creation of a business. She discusses her involvement in a women's inventors project. Chips mentions that she and Paul run a business together.
25:47 Chips describes her involvement in the development of a book to assist women with the patenting and marketing of products. She describes a federal government initiative that she was involved in to develop a book for the government to help women entrepreneurs. She also assisted with the development of a books for teachers and Girl Guides geared toward female inventions.
27:52 Paul discusses an acclaimed dance program that Chips was involved with South Africa.
30:22 Chips and Paul discuss their involvement in Jewish education. Chips spearheaded an adult education program for women and men. Paul discusses his involvement teaching Parshat HaShavuah.
35:45 Chips discusses her family's involvement in sport, including marathons and skiing.
36:47 Paul ponders the question of feeling Canadian.
Part 4:
00:34 Chips comments on when she first considered herself Canadian.
02:02 Paul mentions a National Film Board documentary about Jews in small communities and their inclusion in the film.
Accession consists of textual and graphic material documenting the activities of Paul and Chips Klein. Included are photographs, newspaper clippings and a report created by Chipco Canada Inc. regarding visits to a steel factory in Russia. Of note, is a page from a program book relating to the spanish dancing career of Chips (Chiquita) in South Africa.
Administrative History
Colleen (Chips) Klein was born in Johannesberg, South Africa in 1947 to Thea and Abe Abramson. Under the stage name of Chiquita Albeniz, Chips was a spanish dancer with the Mercedes Molina Spanish Dance Theatre in South Africa. She met her husband, Paul Klein, while she was on vacation in Margate, South Africa.
Paul was born in Johannesburg on October 1, 1945 to Dorothea Klein (nee Erlanger, born in Frankfurt Germany) and Horst Klein (born in Berlin, Germany). Paul received a BSc in Metalurgical Engineering at the University of the Witwatersrand BSc and an MBA at the University of South Africa. He found work in the field of Metalurgical Engineering.
Chips and Paul married in 1969 and had two children together: Lazar and Talia. The family immigrated to Guelph, ON in 1975. They were largely motivated to emigrate because they wanted to raise their children in a country without apartheid. Paul worked in engineering sales. Chips turned her focus to entrepreneurship. She designed and developed the Eye Maker line of mirrors. She also founded a business consultant company in 1982 called Chipco Canada Inc. One of her clients was the Women Inventors Project, which was founded in 1986 to support inventive, innovative and scientific projects. Chips has also delivered workshops and seminars to a variety of organizations. She has won numerous awards, including the South African Women for Women's Entrepreneurial Role Model award in 1998.
Around 1980, the parents of both Paul and Chips followed them to Ontario. Paul and Chips moved to Toronto with their children in 1991. After their move, they became involved in the Chabad Lubavitch of Markham and Paul is currently pesident of the congregation. The Klein family are involved in a variety of sports, including marathon running and water skiing.
Accession consists of material documenting Cantor Harold Klein and Rabbi Stuart Rosenberg. Cantor Klein's records include sound recordings and sheet music. Rabbi Rosenberg's records include certificates of conversion, divorce, and marriage; counselling and pastoral cards; decree absolutes; a letter to Mr. A. Copnick from Garry Goldberg regarding a "Burn the Mortgage Campaign" (the letter includes a note to the rabbi); a letter to Rabbi Rosenberg from Rabbi Bernard Baskin; and wedding record cards.
Custodial History
6/25/2018: Rabbi Yossi Sapirman of Beth Torah Congregation donated the records to the Ontario Jewish Archives.
Administrative History
Cantor Harold Klein was the chazzan of the Shaarei Shomayim Congregation in Toronto. Cantor Klein was a classmate, and then later a student for many years, of Professor Noach Schall of Yeshiva University.
Rabbi Stuart E. Rosenberg led Beth Torah Congregation for nine years. Prior to that, he was senior rabbi for seventeen years at Beth Tzedic, the largest Conservative congregation in Canada.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Louis Shainhouse was born on 9 December 1917 in Lithuania to Sarah and Abraham Shainhouse. He was married to Aida Yalofsky, and, together, they had two children: Michael and Deborah. Louis was the vice-president of National Knitting Mills Ltd. His affiliations included: Zionist Revisionist Organizations, Jewish Home for the Aged and Baycrest Hospital, and the New Mount Sinai Hospital. He served in the Canadian Army during the Second World War for five years.
Scope and Content
Photograph is of Louis Shainhouse.
Name Access
Shainhouse, Louis
Subjects
Revisionist Zionists
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.
This accession consists of a First World War discharge certificate belonging to Louis Lenick, as well as a photograph of Lennick taken later in life. The certificate is made of linen with writing on the front and the back. It was issued by the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Forces. The photograph features Lennick dressed in a suit, standing in front of Temple Sinai in Toronto.
Custodial History
This document was housed in a plastic bag and carried in Louis' wallet for his entire life. It was donated to the Archives by his daughter Blanche Lewis, via her son Richard Lewis.
Administrative History
Louis Lenick (1887-1975) was born in Poland on 19 Sept. 1887. He immigrated to Canada around 1911 and later sent for his wife Frances (nee Berg) Lenick. Together they had five children: Faye, Idy, Blanche, Lily and Dave.
Louis enlisted in the army in 1913 and was stationed at Camp Borden. He never made it overseas before being discharged due to his chronic rheumatism, which he contracted from sleeping in army tents on the damp ground. This was the reason for his discharge from the army for being medically unfit.
Louis is listed on the document as living at 62 D'arcy Street and being a horse driver at the time of his discharge on 28 Aug. 1916. He later worked in various positions at Tip Top Tailors.
This accession consists of material documenting Louis Herman's career as an entertainer in Toronto during the late 1920s until the early 1940s. The records consist of concert programs, correspondence from Jewish organizations that hired him to perform, an invitation, press clippings as well as photocopies of photographs and concert posters.
Administrative History
Louis Herman was born on 4 January 1911. His father, Reverand Samuel Herman, was a cantor who first worked in Montreal and then moved with his family to Toronto. They lived at 20 Major Street during the 1920s and 1930s.
Louis was a child prodigy who studied under Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt. He established a music career as a boy, singing soprano with the synagogue choir and later performing on the Maxwell Coffee Hour in the United States, which was hosted by the New York Jewish radio station WEVD.
During the 1920s and 1930s he sang professionally and performed at a variety of venues, entertaining Jewish organizations and groups in Toronto. He also performed outside of the city at that time in the American mid-west and the northeast.
After the start of the war, Louis enlisted and became a private in the Canadian Army. He entertained the troops, appearing in stage shows in Canada and overseas, often appearing with famous acts like Wayne and Shuster. He also saw combat duty.
After the war he returned to Canada and studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music. After completing his studies, he decided to become a cantor like his father. He married Yetta and moved with their children to Camden, New Jersey in 1957 in order to serve as the cantor to Congregation Beth El. They lived there until the late 1960s, when the the synagogue was relocated to Cherry Hill. Cantor Herman retired in 1982. He passed away on December 16, 2004. His son David is the Rabbi Shaarei Tfiloh in Baltimore.
File consists of correspondence with and about Mr. Louis Herman, Q.C., who was elected the new National Chairman of the Joint Community Relations Committee in early 1966.
This accession consists of material documenting the career of Louis Herman. It includes music programs dating from around 1920 until 1939, bulletins, the Y-Times (1938 & 1942) as well as correspondence, newsletters, skits, music and programs from the war years. Finally, it includes a poster as well as three photographs of Louis Herman taken during the course of his career.
Custodial History
The material was donated to the OJA by Louis' son.
Administrative History
Louis Herman was born on 4 January 1911. His father, Reverand Samuel Herman, was a cantor who first worked in Montreal and then moved with his family to Toronto. They lived at 20 Major Street during the 1920s and 1930s.
Louis was a child prodigy who studied under Cantor Yossele Rosenblatt. He established a music career as a boy, singing soprano with the synagogue choir and later performing on the Maxwell Coffee Hour in the United States, which was hosted by the New York Jewish radio station WEVD.
During the 1920s and 1930s he sang professionally and performed at a variety of venues, entertaining Jewish organizations and groups in Toronto. He also performed outside of the city at that time in the American mid-west and the northeast.
After the start of the war, Louis enlisted and became a private in the Canadian Army. He entertained the troops, appearing in stage shows in Canada and overseas, often appearing with famous acts like Wayne and Shuster. He also saw combat duty.
After the war he returned to Canada and studied at the Royal Conservatory of Music. After completing his studies, he decided to become a cantor like his father. He married Yetta and moved with their children to Camden, New Jersey in 1957 in order to serve as the cantor to Congregation Beth El. They lived there until the late 1960s, when the the synagogue was relocated to Cherry Hill. Cantor Herman retired in 1982. He passed away on December 16, 2004. His son David is the Rabbi Shaarei Tfiloh in Baltimore.
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.
Descriptive Notes
Related material note: also see accession 2007-3-6.
Accession consists of a colour photograph copy of a tribute document given to Louis Levinsky, October 5th, 1895 thanking him for his valuable services as the president of the Toronto Hebrew Congregation "Goel Tzedec" from 1893-1895. Listed as signators are H. Albert, H. Danilson, J. Vise, M. Gorfinkel, M. Finkelstein, J. Draimin, S. Feldstein, E. Barret, A. Harris, J. Harrison, H. Herman, J. Stein, S. Hornblas, M. Kayfitz, I. Lavin, M. Kasel, N., Kayfitz, D. Lavin, P. Levy, Mos. Lavin, Mich. Lavin, S. Lavin, A. Lapatnikoff, B. Pollakoff, S. Simonsky, A. Rafelman, M. Simonsky, A. Liebrman, E. Pullaw, B. Vise, N. Smith, G. Solloway, S. Sollovay, E. Vinburg, F. Wilson, H. Rubin, J. Yanover, H. Yanover, L. Rosen, S. Rosen, H. Pifko, J. Rittenburg, S. Isaacsohn, J. Hillelson, M. Soskin, M. Greenberg, I. Grossman, J.M. Cohen, J. Esper, A. Brody, H. Andrews, A. Andrews, I. Schaffer, H.A. Shalif, J. Mehr, L. Cooper and A. Pozner.
Administrative History
Louis Levinsky (1862–1932), son of Alexander and Gertrude Levinsky, was born in Suvalki, Lithuania, and immigrated to New York aboard the SS Cambria in January 1881. This same year, he married Dora Gurofsky. He settled in Toronto the following year. He was a leader of the Canadian Zionist movement and was an active worker in the establishment of a Talmud Torah as well as helping in the establishment of a chevra kadisha burial society and a founder of the Goel Tzedec synagogue on University Avenue. He was a devoted follower of Wilfrid Laurier and Mackenzie King and was made treasurer of a branch of their party.
The records in this accession consist of material published by B'nai Brith. They include one issue of the Observer and five issues of the Oracle. The accession also includes the origins or Circle Lodge and a membership list from this organization
Administrative History
B'Nai Brith is a fraternal organization that has been active in Canada since 1875. There are local lodges across Canada which provide social and recreational activities as well as volunteer opportunities for its members.
The Circle Lodge was founded in 1961 and is now called the Raoul Wallenberg Yorkdale Circle Lodge. Lou Tepperman served as president of the Circle Lodge in 1972 and was also consulting editor of the Circle Lodge newsletter, the Oracle.
The Leonard Mayzel Lodge was founded in Toronto in 1949 and its newsletter is the Observer
Accession consists of a photograph of a group of adults and children taken in a private home or meeting hall.The young people are wearing uniforms similar to those asssociated with scouts and seem to be members of an unidentified Jewish youth group.
Custodial History
This photograph belonged to Louis Goldberg, a patient at Baycrest Hospital. After he passed away his sister Lillian Silver donated it to the OJA.
Accession consists of photographs and newspaper clippings documenting the life of the Levine Family. Photographs include class pictures from Port Whitby's Brock School, Purim celebrations at Oshawa's Beth Zion Synagogue, Camp Ogama staff and camper photos, Camp Winnibagoe cabin photos and Royal Winter Fair prize winning photos.
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.
Accession consists of material donated by Louis Danto. Included are thirteen artifacts and a small number of documents.
Artifacts include an arch covering from the early 1900s, a Torah cover, tablecloth, white bag (Torah cover?), white silk table cover, a white night shirt, a white silk table cover, a coloured table cloth, a bridge table cover, a dark green bed spread, a red silk table cloth, and a silk hat belonging to a cantor.
The documents include photocopies of the Hebrew Men of England constitution, a deed to seat for D. Cohen, a twenty-fifth anniversary synagogue for Hebrew Men of England, and a Bais Yehuda bulletin.