- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Level
- Fonds
- Fonds
- 62
- Material Format
- multiple media
- Date
- 1919-2001
- Physical Description
- 93 cm of textual records and other material
- Admin History/Bio
- Benjamin Gershon Kayfetz was born on December 24, 1916 in Toronto, graduating from the University of Toronto in 1939, with a B.A. in modern languages. Between the years 1941 and 1943, he worked as a high school teacher in Huntsville and Niagara Falls. In 1943, he joined the war effort, working for the Department of National Defense in Postal Censorship and was responsible for reviewing prisoner of war mail. After the war, Kayfetz traveled to British Occupied Germany where he worked as a censor of telecommunications with the Control Commission until 1947.
- Upon returning to Toronto, he was hired as the National Director of Community Relations by the Canadian Jewish Congress (CJC), and as the Executive (National) Director of the Joint Community Relations Committee (JCRC), a CJC - B'nai B'rith cooperative organization. He also served as the Central Region Executive Director of the CJC between 1973 and 1978. During his tenure, he worked with various churches, unions and minority groups to develop anti-discrimination laws and for the protection of minority and religious rights. Kayfetz was also actively involved in promoting the welfare of Jewish Communities worldwide, and made visits to Cuba in 1962 and 1965, and Russia in 1985, to study and report on the state of these Jewish Communities. After his retirement in 1985, he was awarded the Samuel Bronfman Medal by the Canadian Jewish Congress. In recognition of his efforts to promote Human Rights, he was also awarded the Order of Canada in 1986.
- In addition to his professional activities, Kayfetz wrote articles for various Jewish publications under both his own name and the pseudonym, Gershon B. Newman, and gave a weekly radio address on CHIN radio addressing various contemporary Jewish issues. He was also actively involved in the Toronto Jewish Historical Society (serving as its president), Canadian Jewish Historical Society and Yiddish Luncheon Circle. Ben Kayfetz died in 2002.
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of materials produced or acquired by Ben Kayfetz in both his personal and professional capacity. It includes biographical materials, minutes, correspondence, recorded CJC and JCRC meetings, memorabilia, transcripts and recorded versions of CHIN radio broadcasts he delivered, as well as various interviews, speeches, articles, book reviews and works he composed. Fonds also consists of minutes, agendas and other records of various Yiddish and historical associations Mr. Kayfetz was involved in.
- Notes
- Physical Description note: includes 20 photographs, 107 audio cassettes, 1 Beta video cassette and 1 object.
- Fonds includes audio tapes 1-5, 7-32, 35-37, 39-42, 44-45, 47-50, 53-56, 58-64, 66-67, 70-85, A1-A5, A7-A9, A12-A14, A16-A20, A23-A28, A30, A32-A38 and A40-A43.
- Name Access
- Kayfetz, Ben, 1916-2002
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Related Material
- Audio tapes AC 246-AC 275 belonged to Ben Kayfetz and are related to this fonds.
- Creator
- Kayfetz, Ben, 1916-2002
- Accession Number
- 1975-012, 1976-10-4, 1980-12-13, 1982-2-2, 1983-6-2, 1985-4-2, 1987-2-3, 1996-5-4, 1998-3-22, 2000-11-4, 2004-3-1, 2004-5-20, 2006-2-9, 2006-8-4
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- Material Format
- multiple media
- Date
- 1933-1999
- Physical Description
- 5 cm of textual records and other material
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of biographical materials and memorabilia relating to Ben Kayfetz and his family. Materials include newspaper articles, a taped interview, certificates, awards, university examinations, personal memorabilia from his service in Germany and materials relating to the Bronfman Medal and Order of Canada he received. This series also contains the video "The Life and the Times of Ben Kayfetz".
- Notes
- Audio tape A14 is part of this series.
- Physical description note: includes 1 photograph, 1 audio tape and 1 Beta video cassette.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1933-1999
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- 1 photograph
- Scope and Content
- File consists of newspaper articles, resumes and other materials documenting and summarizing various aspects of Ben Kayfetz's personal and professional life and includes articles documenting awards he received, career changes and his retirement.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [1985?]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 3
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1927-1999
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of certificates of honour, a high school diploma, a university diploma and other memorabilia of Ben Kayfetz and his family.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1985
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of the Council of National Ethnocultural Organizations of Canada Service Award received by Ben Kayfetz and a brochure and article about the event.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 5
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1984-1986
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of newspaper clippings and congratulatory correspondence received by Ben Kayfetz upon his receiving the Order of Canada and Bronfman Medal.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 6
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1945-1947
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of materials relating to Ben Kayfetz's service with the Control Commission in British Occupied Germany. Materials include troop movement orders, a berthing card, an immigration identification card and other materials.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 7
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1937
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Ben Kayfetz's copy of "The Undergraduate" magazine from the University of Toronto - which he was attending at the time.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 8
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1963
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains two university exam booklets completed by Ben Kayfetz on the topic of Romance Philosophy.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Personal series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 1
- File
- 9
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1932
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains a certificate qualifying Ben Kayfetz to act as a leader of a Young Judaea Circle.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1942-1996
- Physical Description
- 13 cm of textual records
- 1 photograph
- Scope and Content
- Series consits of incoming and outgoing correspondence between Ben Kayfetz and various individuals and organizations, and includes correspondence during his service in British-occupied Germany. Correspondence relating to Canadian Jewish Congress/Joint Public Relations Committee and correspondence relating to the various societies and associations Ben Kayfetz belonged to, are located in their respective series.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1942-1945
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence between Ben Kayfetz and various people during the Second World War.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1945-1946
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence between Ben Kayfetz and his brother David while Ben was stationed in Germany.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 3
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- Date
- 1945-1947
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- 6 postcards
- 1 photograph
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence between Ben Kayfetz and his family while he was stationed in Germany.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1946-1947
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence between Ben Kayfetz and various people while he was stationed in Germany.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 5
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1951-1975
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 6
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1978-1984
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 7
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1985-1990
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 8
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1991-1996
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 9
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1979-1992
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 10
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [1991?]
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 11
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1983-1984
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 12
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1972-1991
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Correspondence series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 2
- File
- 13
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1987-1994
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Collected materials series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 3
- Material Format
- textual record
- graphic material
- object
- Date
- 1919-1970
- Physical Description
- 11 cm of textual records
- 18 photographs
- 1 object
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of various materials collected by Ben Kayfetz. It includes various items from Nazi Germany including a Jewish yellow star and number on a badge, Nazi hymn book and a service book of a Nazi Stormtrooper. Among the other materials are photographs of the Bronfman family, World War II enlistment posters, Peretz School Composition books and Jewish Old Folks Home Committee minutes.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Collected materials series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 3
- File
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- object
- Date
- [1940?]-1946
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- 1 badge
- Scope and Content
- File contains a yellow star badge that Jews were forced to wear by the Nazis and the letter Kayfetz sent along with it. He acquired the item while working in British-occupied Germany in 1946.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Collected materials series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 3
- File
- 7
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [1930?]
- Physical Description
- 4 cm of textual records.
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a book for converting dates to and from the Gregorian and Jewish calendars from 1930-2000 in four different languages.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Collected materials series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 3
- File
- 10
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- [ca. 1956]-1970
- Physical Description
- 17 photographs
- Scope and Content
- File consists of photographs collected from various sources including a copy of a photograph of Sam Bronfman and David Ben Gurion held at the Ontario Jewish Archives. These photographs were probably collected for research purposes.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Collected materials series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 3
- File
- 11
- Material Format
- graphic material
- Date
- [ca. 1950]
- Physical Description
- 1 photograph
- Scope and Content
- File consists of a portrait of Max Enkin, who was a founder, and leading member of the Jewish Vocational Service of Toronto. The original purpose of the organization, was to help survivors of the Second World War find employment. Since that time, it has evolved into a broad-based community organization, whose purpose is to help people overcome employment and educational barriers.
Enkin served as the first chairman of the organization between 1947 and 1950.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Collected materials series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 3
- File
- 12
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1934-1935
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of the service book of Kurt Bitter who was a Nazi storm trooper (SA).
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Collected materials series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 3
- File
- 13
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1948
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of an operating budget and plan for the development of the Jewish Community Centre on Bloor street, which was erected in the 1950s.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Collected materials series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 3
- File
- 14
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1947
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains issues no.12 and 18 of Unzer Sztyme (sometimes spelled Unzer Sztime), a Yiddish periodical expressing the concerns of post-WWII Jewish refugees. Unzer Sztyme was published in the Bergen-Belsen Displaced Persons camp after the Second World War.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- sound recording
- Date
- 1948-1986
- Physical Description
- 9 cm of textual records
- 45 audio cassettes
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of correspondence, minutes, reports, audio recordings of meetings and other materials relating to Ben Kayfetz’s tenure with the Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee. This series also includes records of the Joint Public Relations Committee, which was a precursor of the Joint Community Relations Committee.
- Notes
- Audio tapes 13-19, 26, 30-32, 36-37, 40-45, 50, 53-56, 58, 61, 64, 66, 70, 80, 85, A4, A8, A12, A14, A18, A23, A26, A34, A36, A38-A42 are part of this series. Materials in this series have been physically arranged into three categories: CJC materials, JCRC materials and correspondence. The files have been
arranged chronologically within these categories.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 4
- File
- 1
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1948
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains a kit distributed by the Fair Employment Practices Commission regarding combating racial and religious discrimination in the workplace. This kit was distributed to Ben Kayfetz in his capacity as the National Director of Community Relations at the Canadian Jewish Congress.
- Notes
- "To gauge public opinion, the JPRC commissioned the Canadian Institute of Public Opinion to take a poll on anti-discrimination legislation. Canadians were asked to consider the following: 'In some parts of the United States, it is against the law to refuse a man a job because of his race, color or religion. Some people approve of this because it ensures equality for all; others disapprove, claiming it interferes with employers. Would you approve or disapprove of such a regulation in this province?'(77) Although the public would remain unaware of it, the Canadian Jewish Congress paid for the poll. Congress officials did so because they were uncertain of the outcome and wanted to reserve the right of publication in the event that the results were unfavourable.(78) Since a majority of those polled favoured anti-discrimination legislation, the results formed the basis of a massive publicity campaign in Ontario. Editors of newspapers and magazines could now confidently be approached to publicize fair employment practices legislation. The poll's results were also included in a fair employment kit that was prepared by the Canadian Jewish Congress and distributed to a large number of community groups." - Ruth Frager and Carmela Patrias
- Subjects
- Discrimination in employment
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 4
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1955
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains a report of Ben Kayfetz's visits to the Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver Jewish Communities undertaken in his capacity as National Director of the JCRC. The report summarizes the state of each community as well as the pressing issues of the day.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 4
- File
- 4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1965-1968
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains materials relating to neo-Nazi activity in Toronto and the response of the Canadian Jewish Congress to it. Also contained, is the speech neo-Nazi leader John Beattie made at Allan Gardens in 1968 and materials relating to the subsequent riot.
- Subjects
- Neo-Nazism
- Riots
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 4
- File
- 5
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1975-1986
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains materials relating to the prosecution of Ukrainians living in Canada who were suspected of war crimes during the Second World War. Also contained are materials documenting the reactions of the Ukrainian community and Canadian Jewish Congress to that effort.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 4
- File
- 7
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1952-1985
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records.
- Scope and Content
- File includes minutes of various JCRC subcommittees including the legal subcommittee, subcommittee on religious education in public schools, subcommittee on the press and others. File also includes minutes from subcommittees of the Joint Public Relations Committee.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Ben Kayfetz fonds
- Canadian Jewish Congress and Joint Community Relations Committee series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 62
- Series
- 4
- File
- 8
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1956
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File contains a report of Ben Kayfetz's visits to the Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver Jewish Communities undertaken in his capacity as National Director of the JCRC. The report summarizes the state of each community as well as the prevalent issues.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions