- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1947-1951, 1963-1964
- Physical Description
- 1.18 m of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- In late 1947 and early 1948 representatives of the Canadian garment industry organized what became known as the Tailor Project, an immigration program planned to select more than 2,200 skilled tailors from the Displaced Person camps of Europe, facilitate their immigration, and give them jobs in the garment trade and housing in Canada. The Tailor Project was based on similar schemes that had alleviated labour shortages in the logging and mining industries. Canadian Jewish Congress, eager to rescue Holocaust survivors from the DP camps, knew the government would approve a plan to bring in skilled workers to fill a shortage in the garment trades. Recognizing the plan had to come from within the garment industry itself, Congress provided guidance from behind the scenes.
- The Tailor Project was the first program that permitted large numbers of Jewish adults to immigrate to Canada following the Second World War. More than half of the immigrants were Jewish. Max E. Enkin (men's clothing), Max Federman (fur workers), Joe Mack and others were sent by the Commission to Europe as part of the selection team. Provided they had the requisite skills, both single and married displaced persons were eligible to come to Canada.
- Hundreds of tailoring firms in Toronto, Montreal, Winnipeg and Vancouver were canvassed and many agreed to hire DP workers on 12-month contracts. The Canadian Overseas Commission, the industry's co-coordinating body, had to ensure proper housing for the expected workers. In response to Max Enkin's emphasis on providing accommodation, many individuals and community organizations reached out to those in need. Under the direction of the United Jewish Relief Agency, the office of the Canadian Overseas Garment Commission attended to the many and varying needs of the immigrant tailors, both Jewish and non-Jewish. In addition to providing financial assistance, the Commission gave attention to problems of landlord-tenant relationships, hospital, medical and dental care, gave direction and made referrals to other agencies for specialized services and co-operated with other organizations in their programs for immigrants.
- The Tailor Project became the template for the Furrier Project that followed and spurred the formation in 1947 of the Jewish Vocational Service of Toronto, the original purpose of which was to help survivors of the Holocaust find employment.
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of the operational records of the Canadian Overseas Garment Commission. Records include agreements between garment industry manufacturers (employers) and employees, immigration records and passenger lists, general correspondence relating to the operation of the program, financial records, employee payroll records, contact and membership lists, the Canadian Overseas Garment Commission Toronto program report, statistical summaries, employee certificates of merit, discharge certificates, meeting minutes of the Toronto Program Steering Committee, employee worker cards and employee housing records. Also included is a hand drawn map locating the Jewish Immigrant Aid Society of Canada at 455 Spadina Ave., Toronto, circa 1947.
- Notes
- Series formerly described and cited as RG291.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Employee case files sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47-4
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1948-1950
- Physical Description
- 16 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series consists of correspondence and employee personnel files. Files include forms capturing the employee name, date of contact with employee and remarks about the individual's situation both financial and personal. Financial remarks relate to weekly earnings, payroll deductions and requests for assistance in the form of loans. Personal remarks relate to family situations regarding the health and welfare of spouses, children, and relatives. Correspondence includes letters from the Canadian Overseas Garment Commission to employees regarding updated contact information, financial assistance, notification to appear in person, and matters related to government services such as Family Allowance, immigration and issuance of employee certificates of merit.
- Files are arranged alphabetically by employee last name and religion and are grouped by Jewish and non-Jewish immigrants.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Physical Condition
- Records are extremely fragile, careful handling of documents should be observed
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Financial records sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47-5
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1948-1957
- Physical Description
- 13 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series consists of the financial records of the Canadian Jewish Congress Committee for Refugees. Records provide lists of refugee assistance accounts, including farm, urban and internee accounts that were written off by instruction of the United Jewish Relief Committee, loan receipt forms, petty cash vouchers, goods and service invoices and general ledgers.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Financial records sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47-5
- File
- 8
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1948-1950
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Folder consists a general ledger, section A-L. Also included is a Jewish Family and Child Service business card and advertisement from a Montreal Yiddish newpaper referring to the sailing of the "Columbus" from Bremen, Germany to New York.
- Notes
- The original general ledger was found in to be in poor condition and was divided into 2 folders, A-L and M-Z.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Financial records sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47-5
- File
- 9
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1948-1950
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Folder consists of a general ledger section M-Z.
- Notes
- The original general ledger was found in to be in poor condition and was divided into 2 folders, A-L and M-Z.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Financial records sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47-5
- File
- 11
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1948-1950
- Physical Description
- 1 folders of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Folder consists of invoices, ledger sheet entries for the United Jewish Relief Agency and the Canadian Jewish Committee for Refugees and a list of furrier loans receivable.
- Access Restriction
- Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA director prior to accessing some of the records.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Administration sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47-7
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1940-1950
- Physical Description
- 3 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series contains the Canadian Overseas Garment Commission Toronto program report, payroll deduction report, form letters, the Association of Clothing Manufacturers membership list and a statistical summary of immigrant tailors received in Toronto up to and including March 31, 1949.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Discharge records sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47-8
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- [ca.1940]-1950
- Physical Description
- 16 cm of textual records
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series consists of material relating to certificates of merit and the discharge of immigrant tailors. Included is a copy of the manuscript used in the recorded message of Mr. A. McNamara, Deputy Minister of Labour in connection with the presentation of certificates, meeting minutes of the Toronto Program Steering Committee, correspondence relating to issuance of certificates of merit, the permit for use of the Central High School of Commerce as the location for the certificate ceremony, an invitation to the ceremony, a ceremony attendee list, newspaper clippings of ceremony highlights, a ceremony agenda, a presentation list of DP certificates and DP discharge cards.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Discharge records sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47-8
- File
- 2
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1949-1950
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of correspondence relating to the formal presentation of release certificates awarded to displaced persons upon completion of their one-year employment contract. Included is a letter requesting the presence of A. MacNamara, deputy minister of labour at the presentation ceremony, a letter to W. W. Dawson, of Immigration and Farm placements regarding the distribution of certificates, and an article from the Montreal Gazette describing the highly successful presentation ceremony.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Discharge records sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47-8
- File
- 5
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1950
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of letters regarding the presentation of certificates of merit for displaced persons employed in the garment industry. Included are lists of workers recommended, eligible and ineligible for certificates. Worker lists are organized by date of arrival in Toronto from June 1948 to June 1949, name of immigrant, number of family members and boat name. Boat arrivals were Marine Marlin, Marine Falcon, General Black, Ernie Pyle, General Sturgis, General Stewart, General Heintzelman, S.S. Samaria, General Langfitt, Nea Hellas, S.S. Scythia, Marine Shark.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Discharge records sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47-8
- File
- 6
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1950
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of newspaper notices found in the "Zwiazkowiec," the "Ukrainian Toiler," and the "Canadian" publicizing the presentation ceremony. Also included is a "Telegram" article entitled "DP couple prospers here, Nazi camp memories fade." The article highlights the story of the Bermanskis, immigrant tailors, who arrived in Canada as part of the garment commission's immigration plan.
- Repro Restriction
- Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds
- Canadian Overseas Garment Commission series
- Discharge records sub-series
- Level
- File
- Fonds
- 17
- Series
- 47-8
- File
- 7
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1950
- Physical Description
- 1 folder of textual records
- Scope and Content
- File consists of discharge certificates issued by the Department of Labour to immigrant tailors upon completion of the undertaking made with the Government of Canada to remain in specified employment for a fixed period of time upon admission to Canada. Also included with each certificate is an accompanying letter from Deputy Minister of Labour, A. MacNamara thanking workers for their contribution to Canadian economic life.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds
- Joint Committee with the Bureau of Jewish Education series
- Level
- Series
- Fonds
- 67
- Series
- 12
- Material Format
- textual record
- Date
- 1957-1963
- Physical Description
- 4 cm of textual records
- Admin History/Bio
- The Joint Committee with the Bureau of Jewish Education was established in order to study the relationship of the Bureau to the Welfare Fund and the relationships of both subsidized and non-subsidized schools to both organizations. Beyond establishing these precise formal relationships, its major accomplishment was to create a standard for the subsidizing of Jewish schools in Metropolitan Toronto
- Scope and Content
- Series consists of one sub-series: Meeting Minutes. Included within these records are correspondence and a final report of the Committee. Files are arranged chronologically within the sub-series.
- Notes
- Access restriction note: Records documenting the meeting minutes and activities of this committee are CLOSED until they are more than ten years old.
- Source
- Archival Descriptions