Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

16

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Date

[ca. 1915]-1994

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records

15 photographs : b&w and col. ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller

8 artifacts

Admin History/Bio

Mrs. Mimi Wise (1920-2004) was a native Torontonian and an active member and supporter of the city's Jewish community. She volunteered her time with a number of Jewish and non-Jewish organizations, such as the Jewish Book Fair, the Reena Foundation, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the North York Harvest Food Bank. She was known and respected for her many years of work and involvement with Hadassah-Wizo. Her primary focus was on education, with specific emphasis placed on the promotion of Israel within Canada. Mimi travelled to Israel many times during her life, often working as a trip co-coordinator.

Mrs. Mimi Wise was born in Toronto in 1920 to Joseph Marin and Sonia (Stern) Marin. She had an older sister Ruth (Steiner) and a younger brother Jay. The family lived across from the Woodbine Racetrack in the east end of Toronto known as the Beach, until 1928, when they moved to the Christie Street and Davenport Road area. Joseph Marin was one of the founders of the Beach Hebrew Institute and the family were active members of the shul. Mimi's parents were ardent Zionists and their home was often used as a meeting place for Zionists around the world, which included a visit from Golda Meir. Sonia Marin was a supporter of Hadassah-Wizo and of Pioneer Women.

Mimi attended McMurrich Public School and then Oakwood Collegiate High School. In 1938, she met her future husband, Dr. Sydney Wise, and the following year, Sydney began his medical internship at the Columbus Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. Mimi stayed behind in Toronto and continued her studies at the University of Toronto. In 1941, she graduated with a degree in physiotherapy, although she never practiced. In 1942, Sydney and Mimi married and Mimi joined her new husband in the United States. In 1944, Sydney was sent overseas with the United States army and Mimi returned to Toronto and began work with the Combined Palestine Appeal. Upon his return to Toronto, Sydney became a pediatrician and opened his own practice. The couple later had two children, Mark and Joel.

In 1948, Mimi became the founding president of the Rishon Chapter of Hadassah-Wizo. During the 1950s and 1960s, she became further involved with Hadassah as the director of the Education Department, from 1957 to 1959, first vice-president from 1959 to 1961, and president of Hadassah Wizo of Toronto, from 1961 to 1963. Mimi also held the position of national co-chairman of the 1972 national convention in Toronto, and in 1973, organized the week-long "Shalom Israel" fair at Yorkdale Shopping Centre on the occasion of Israel's 25th anniversary.

In 2003, Mimi received the Ontario Volunteer Service Award from the Province of Ontario, in honour of her commitment to volunteerism. Mrs. Mimi Wise passed away in 2004.

Custodial History

The records were in the possession of Mimi's husband, Dr. Sydney Wise, who donated them to the Archives in 2003, 2004 and 2006.

Scope and Content

This fonds consists of records related to Mimi Wise's personal life and organizational activities. It includes photographs, textual records and artifacts. The textual records relate to Mimi's work with Hadassah, including her installation speech as president, certificates, programs for conventions and luncheons, an invitation to meet Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and several speeches. There is also an electronic copy of a 1944 memorial card for Joseph Marin.

The artifacts include two pairs of Pierre Cardin silk stockings given to Mrs. Wise in 1967 by the Baroness Alix de Rothschild; a president's pin set with pearls, given to Mimi in 1963 at the end of her term; a gold maple leaf pin worn by participants on a Hadassah trip to Israel; a pin given to Mimi inscribed with Guardian of Youth Aliyah, given in exchange for a monetary donation; a pin given to Mimi inscribed with MDA, which is the Mogen Dovid Adom ambulance service; and a Canadian Hadassah-Wizo diamond jubilee gold medallion given to Mimi in Jerusalem in 1977.

There are item level descriptions for all fifteen photographs, which include images of the Rishon Chapter and the National Executive of Hadassah-Wizo, family photographs, and portraits of Mimi.

Name Access

Wise, Mimi, 1920-2004

Subjects

Volunteers

Creator

Wise, Mimi, 1920-2004

Accession Number

2003-6-6

2003-9-3

2004-5-118

2006-3-13

2006-4-6

2006-7-2

2006-8-2

2006-8-14

2006-9-7

2010-1-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

1

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Date

[ca. 1915]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (jpg)

Admin History/Bio

Joseph Marin was the husband of Sonia (Stern) Marin and the parents of Mimi (Marin) Wise. Ruth Marin was Mimi's older sister. Sonia (Stern) Marin and Beckie (Stern) Marin were sisters and Joseph and Ben Marin were brothers. Ben Marin was the husband of Beckie (Stern) Marin. Sonia Brown was the wife of Peter Brown and the sister of Joseph Marin. Dr. Julius Levine was the husband of Mrs. Levine and a cousin of Joseph and Ben Marin.

Scope and Content

This item is an electronic copy photograph of the Marin family, originally taken at a portrait studio. Pictured are:

Back row, left to right: Sonia (Marin) Brown, Peter Brown (brother of architect Benjamin Brown), Joseph Marin, Mrs. Levine, Dr. Julius Levine, Ben Marin.

Front row, left to right: Grandmother Marin, Sonia Marin, Ruth Marin (baby), Grandfather Marin, Beckie Marin.

Subjects

Families

Portraits, Group

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.

Accession Number

2006-9-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

2

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Date

[ca. 1932]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (jpg)

Admin History/Bio

Asher and Rose Prtizker were friends of the Marin family. Both Joseph Marin and Asher Pritzker were founders of the Beach Hebrew Institute.

Scope and Content

This item is an electronic copy photograph of the Marin family and their friends in the Marin family's backyard, located at 37 Turner Road, in the Christie Street and Davenport area. Pictured are:

Back row, left to right: Joseph Marin, Sonia Marin, Ruth Marin, Rose Pritzker, Asher Pritzker.

Front row, left to right: Jay Marin, Grandmother Marin, Mimi Marin.

Name Access

Beach Hebrew Institute (Toronto, Ont.)

Marin, Grandmother

Marin, Jay

Marin, Joseph

Marin, Mimi

Marin, Ruth

Marin, Sonia

Pritzker, Asher

Pritzker, Rose

Subjects

Families

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

Turner Road (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

2006-9-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

3

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1938]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

This item is a photograph of members of the Alpha Epsilon Phi Sorority at the University of Toronto. Pictured are:

Back row, left to right: Eleanor Pullan (Moses), Mimi Marin (Wise), Joy Halper, Roslyn Singer, Edith Borinsky, Grace Genesove, Alma Levine (Baker), Phyllis Baxter, [unidentified], Sybil Levy (Gordon).

3rd row, left to right: Yvonne Sadowski (Davies), Anita Freeman, Alice Samuel (Sugarman), Doris Dworkin.

2nd row, left to right: Grace Lichtman (Hillman), Rita Hands (Greene) (Eisendrath), Sybil Pullan, Dr. Anna Gelber, Ruby Krieger (Herman).

Front row, left to right: Charlotte Asner, Helen Hollinger (Levy), [unidentified], Shirley Kates (Solway), Bea Rosenberg.

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.

Accession Number

2003-9-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

4

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Date

[ca. 1940]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (jpg)

Admin History/Bio

Joseph Marin was a founder of the Beach Hebrew Institute and was involved in the Toronto Hebrew Free Loan and Farband.

Scope and Content

This item is an electronic copy photograph of a portrait of Joseph Marin.

Name Access

Beach Hebrew Institute (Toronto, Ont.)

Farband

Toronto Hebrew Free Loan

Subjects

Portraits

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

2006-9-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

5

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1946

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

This item is a photograph of a group of campers at Camp Winnebagoe, taken during the summer of 1946. Mimi Wise was one of the counselors at the camp and is pictured on the far left. The other counselor pictured is Miss. [?] Dicker.

Subjects

Camps

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.

Accession Number

2003-6-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

6

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

Mimi Wise helped found the chapter in 1948, following Israeli independence. The meeting took place at the home of Dr. Sydney and Mimi Wise, located at 19 Forest Ridge Drive in Toronto.

Scope and Content

This item is a photograph of the Rishon Chapter of Hadassah Wizo meeting. Pictured are:

Back row, left to right: Evelyn Florence, Florence Rother, Clara Stein, Dene Eckler, Malka Kagan, Sybil Gordon, Alice Samuels, [unidentified], [Sylvia Miller], Lil Rotstein, [?] Shusterman, Bess Yolleck, [unidentified], Elinor Moses, Doris Nefsky, Mimi Wise.

Second row, left to right: [Eva Woolf], Beulah Eckler, Leah Bassett, Roslyn Eisen, [unidentified], Zelda Kaplan, Myra Schwartz, Molly Alexandroff, Helen Glazer, Bernice Singer, Hilda Young.

Third row, left to right: Gladys Sagman, Lil Morrison, Marilyn Willer, [unidentified], Helen Tator, Lil Topp, Rose Green, Sadie Wise, Frances Basen, Sylvia Roth.

Front row, left to right: Florence Donnenfield, Sylvia Cummings, May Spencer, Debby Slter, Jewel Schwartz.

Sylvia Miller and Eva Woolf were twin sisters and could be misidentified in this photograph.

Notes

Photographer unknown.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

2003-6-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

7

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Date

1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (jpg)

Scope and Content

This item is an electronic copy photograph of Mimi Wise cooking cabbage rolls in her kitchen for the Hadassah Bazaar. The photograph was taken for the Toronto Telegram.

Subjects

Food

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Toronto Telegram. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

2006-9-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

8

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Date

1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (jpg)

Scope and Content

This item is an electronic copy photograph of Mimi Wise holding a spoon with a cabbage roll on it. She was cooking cabbage rolls for the Hadassah Bazaar. The photograph was taken for the Toronto Telegram. The caption that went with the photograph reads "Mrs. Sydney Wise, Hadassah member who will be cooking for the bazaar, offers this cabbage rolls recipe she uses".

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Toronto Telegram. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

2006-9-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

9

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1966]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

This item is a photograph of the two winners of the Hadassah Wizo Esther Awards in 1966, holding their trophies, along with two of the presenters. Pictured from left to right are Mary Berer of the Negev chapter (winner), Mrs. Mimi Wise of the Rishon chapter (presenter), [unidentified] of the Adena chapter (winner), and Mrs. M. Kert (presenter).

Notes

Photographer unknown.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

2003-6-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

10

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1968

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

Mimi Wise and Rose Bogoch were co-covenors of the convention.

Scope and Content

This item is a photograph of a group of Hadassah Wizo executive members at the national biennial convention. Pictured are:

Back row, left to right: [unidentified]; Claire Balinsky, Montreal; Marjorie Groberman, Vancouver; [?] Sheps, Manitoba; Anita Sager, Montreal, [unidentified], Mimi Wise, Toronto; Rose Bogoch, Edmonton, [unidentified], Neri Bloomfield, Montreal; [unidentified].

Front row, left to right: Belle James, Toronto; Rosa Singer, Montreal; Lottie Riven, Montreal; Blanche Wisenthal, Montreal; Anne Eisenstat, Montreal; Anne Raginsky, Montreal; [unidentified], [unidentified].

Notes

Photographer unknown.

Subjects

Congresses and conventions

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

2003-6-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

11

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Date

[ca. 1969]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (jpg)

Scope and Content

This item is an electronic copy of a photograph of Dr. Sydney Wise meeting Prime Minister Golda Meir in Jerusalem on a Hadassah tour to Israel. Dr. Wise is receiving an autographed photo from the prime minister.

Name Access

Meir, Golda, 1898-1978

Wise, Mimi, 1920-2004

Subjects

Prime ministers--Israel

Repro Restriction

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

Places

Jerusalem

Accession Number

2006-9-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

12

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[197-]

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

This item is a group photograph of members of the Rishon Chapter. The members are seated and standing in a board room of a hotel or synagogue. Pictured are:

Back row, left to right: Rose Green, Mae Spencer, [unidentified], Florence Rother, Sylvia Roth, [unidentified], [unidentified], Mollie Alexandroff, [unidentified], [unidentified], Beulah Eckler, Gladys Sagman, [unidentified], Evelyn Florence, Sybil Gordon, Lil Feldman (m. Rotstein), Helen Glazer, Sylvia Cummings.

Front row, left to right: Leah Bassett, Debby Alter, Shirley Taylor, Tamara Rosen, Helen Tator, Clara Stein, Dene Eckler, Hilda Young, Bernice Singer, Mimi Wise, Sadie Wise, Bess Yolleck, Lil Topp, [unidentified], [unidentified], Alice Samuels, [unidentified], Elinor Moses.

Notes

Photographer unknown.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

2003-6-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

13

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Date

1973

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. (jpg)

Scope and Content

This item is an electronic copy photograph of Mimi Wise standing in front of a poster for the Shalom Israel at Yorkdale fair that she helped organize, on the occasion of Israel's 25th anniversary.

Repro Restriction

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

Accession Number

2006-9-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

14

Material Format

graphic material

Date

1988

Physical Description

1 photograph : col. ; 10 x 13 cm

Scope and Content

This item is a photograph taken on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Rishon Chapter of Hadassah Wizo. The photograph is of a group of chapter members standing on the front steps of a house. Pictured are:

Back row, left to right: Leah Bassett, Sybil Gordon, Myra Schwartz, Gerry Zimmerman, Malka Kagan, Myra Callander.

Second row, left to right: [unidentified], Sylvia Roth, Bernice Singer, [unidentified], Marilyn Willer, [unidentified], Gladys Sagman, [unidentified].

Third row, left to right: Pearl Harnick, Beulah Eckler, Jewel Schwartz, Debby Alter, Mimi Wise, [unidentified], [unidentified].

Fourth row, left to right: Sadie Wise, [unidentified], Alma Baker, Clara Stein, [unidentified], Helen Shoichet, [unidentified], [unidentified], Lil Rotstein, [unidentified]/.

Front row, left to right: Dene Eckler, Florence Rother, Rose Green, Tamara Rosen, Lil Topp, Frances Basen, Bess Yolleck, May Spencer, Helen Glazer.

Notes

Please see accession form to confirm identification.

Photographer unknown.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.

Accession Number

2003-6-6

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

15

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Date

1944

Physical Description

1 photograph : sepia (tif)

Admin History/Bio

Joseph Marin was the husband of Sonia (Stern) Marin and the father of Mimi (Marin) Wise.

Scope and Content

This item is an electronic copy photograph of card created for the 1944 memorial meeting for Joseph Marin held at the Brunswick Hebrew Free School (Talmud Torah).

Subjects

Portraits

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.

Accession Number

2006-9-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Mimi Wise fonds

Level

Item

Fonds

16

Item

16

Material Format

graphic material (electronic)

Date

1967

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (tif)

Scope and Content

This item is a photograph of Mimi Wise (second from left) meeting a visiting Baroness Alix de Rothschild (far right).

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.

Accession Number

2006-9-7

Source

Archival Descriptions