Accession Number
2020-10-6
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-10-6
Material Format
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
1 textual record (.docx)
Date
2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting a Congregation Darchei Noam's Community Quilt Project. Miriam Bester, a member of Congregation Darchei Noam, described the project this way: "Unable to meet in person at Darchei Noam, our community needed an outlet to express feelings and emotions about this unique time in our lives. The squares illustrate these feelings and also, provide our artists, with an opportunity to come together as a community, to create something larger than each individual contribution. It has been cathartic and energizing. We plan to sew them all together and display them at Darchei Noam when it is possible to do so."
Custodial History
Items were submitted to the archives via WeTransfer.
Use Conditions
Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
COVID-19 (Disease)
Synagogues
Name Access
Congregation Darchei Noam (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-10-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-10-7
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
moving images (electronic)
Physical Description
19 photographs : col. (jpg) ; 5 MB
1 audiovisual recording : col. (mov) ; 6 MB
Date
2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs of the Dr. Alexis and Rabbi David Jerome Lerner family during COVID-19 pandemic in the Humewood-Cedarvale area of Toronto. Photographs include a pandemic Upsheren of daughter Magda Rose Lerner, images depicting the co-parenting arrangement of the Lerner and the Aviva Bellman-Steve Bercovici families and their children, Magda Rose and Levi Lerner and Eitan Bercovici, as well as a Zoom toast given by Rabbi David Lerner in celebration of the successful PhD defense by Alexis Lerner.
The donor submitted the following descriptions of the photographs:
"Our family observes the tradition of not cutting a child's hair until after their third birthday. We do this to coincide with the three-year period when fruit may not be picked from new trees, the age when a child begins their Jewish educational journey, and the superstition that long hair would protect our sons from the evil eye (and the statistical reasoning that, in order to protect sons from the evil eye by letting their hair grow long, we must also insist that our daughters grow their hair long). Our daughter turned three in June 2020, three months after we began lockdown. We did a small ritual Upsheren at home in June—my husband, Rabbi David Jerome Lerner, said a few words before he and I cut a lock of curls. Once lockdowns became slightly lessened in July, I brought Magda Rose to get her first haircut (in) a month. This felt safe as the salon was extremely strict and required prior appointments, good health, social distancing, and facemasks. It was so memorable for all of us, especially for my daughter, who loved having her scalp massaged (don't we all?). A moment of semi-normalcy and Jewish ritual amidst the COVID-19 pandemic."
"With groups for new parents cancelled and increased isolation by design, the Lerner family and Bellman-Bercovici family blended together to raise our babies, Levi and Eitan, with as much normalcy as quarantine could allow. The families were close since they met in Detroit at the Isaac Agree Downtown Synagogue almost a decade earlier. We spent our summer days in the backyard and on the porch, celebrating birthdays and milestones—eating solids, babbling, sitting up, crawling, and walking. One of my favourite memories was buying an inflatable swimming pool; the stores were all sold out and we had to meet someone in a parking in York to buy it out of their trunk. As of October 2020, the boys have spent the majority of their lives under COVID-19-related restrictions."
"We've become accustomed to conducting the milestones of our lives digitally and remotely. Birthdays, funerals, and weddings during COVID-19 shifted online as businesses closed and public health concerns became tantamount. With schools closed and her children homebound, Dr. Alexis Lerner conducted her PhD dissertation defense from a hotel room. In this video, her husband, Rabbi David Jerome Lerner (previously of Beth Tzedec Synagogue in Toronto), congratulates his wife on this professional milestone from his pulpit in New York. Alexis is a scholar of comparative authoritarianism and Russian politics, so the two toast with straight vodka (hers from the mini-bar)."
Subjects
COVID-19 (Disease)
Children
Families
Upsheren
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-12-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2020-12-4
Material Format
multiple media
Physical Description
2 web pages (WARC)
Date
2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting No Silence on Race. Included are two web pages. The first web page was created in Google Forms and is titled "No Silence on Race: An open letter from Black Jews, Non-Black Jews of colour, and our allies to Jewish organizations in Canada." The letter is dated 30 June 2020 and is signed by Sara Yacobi-Harris, Akilah Allen-Silverstein, and Daisy Moriyama. The second web page is taken from Niv's Weekly Picks and is titled "Lessons from the Kosher Section." The piece is dated 18 November 2020 and is by Yoni Belete.
Administrative History
On 30 June 2020, No Silence on Race addressed an open letter "from Black Jews, non-Black Jews of colour, and our allies to Jewish congregations, federations, foundations, organizations, nonprofits and initiatives," urging the latter to "uphold the tenets of justice and equality and to commit to the creation of a truly anti-racist, inclusive and equitable Jewish community." To that end, the authors of the letter—Sara Yacobi-Harris, Akilah Allen-Silverstein, and Daisy Moriyama—devised nine pillars "intended to support Jewish congregations, federations, foundations, organizations, nonprofits and initiatives in their transformation towards greater inclusivity and equity." Those nine pillars were: allyship; education; Indigenous education and relationship building; equity consultancy; employment and recruimtnet; equity, inclusion, anti-racism advisory; Jews of colour leadership strategy; programming/events/partnerships; amplify the voices of Jews of colour in Canada.
As of 21 January 2021, the No Silence on Race team consisted of Sara Yacobi-Harris, Akilah Allen-Silverstein, and Yoni Belete. Makom: Creative Downtown Judaism, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, the Koffler Centre of the Arts, CJPAC, Hillel Ontario, Secular Synagogue, the Toronto Jewish Film Foundation, Shoresh, JQT Vancouver, Lishma, the Miles Nadal JCC, Mazon Canada, the First Narayever Congregation, and UJA Federation of Greater Toronto had issued statements in response to the open letter, extracts of which are viewable on the No Silence on Race website.
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
Jews of Colour (JOC)
Multicultural Judaism
Jewish diversity
Name Access
Allen-Silverstein, Akilah
Belete, Yoni
Moriyama, Daisy
No Silence on Race
Yacobi-Harris, Sara
Places
Canada
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-1-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-1-1
Material Format
moving images (electronic)
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
1 audiovisual recording (.mov)
1 document (pdf)
Date
23 Jun. 2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a .mov file documenting the simchat bat of Bonnie Libman-Lazar on 23 June 2020 at Shaarei Shomayim Congregation in Toronto. The donor provided the following text with the submission:
"Celebrating the birth of our daughter in June 2020 with a small, outdoor, masked and distanced simchat bat. The program included a Zeved Habat ceremony adapted from the Koren siddur text and remarks about the baby's name (Bonnie Ava or Aviya Dova). This ceremony was shared on zoom for family and friends. It followed a short morning service inside the synagogue where the baby received her Hebrew name, Aviya Dova, after Torah reading in the presence of family members."
Individuals present were Bonnie Libman-Lazar, Ella Libman-Lazar, Gerald Lazar, Rachel Libman; Rabbi Chaim Strauchler; Jonah & Leila Libman, Faigie Libman, Jeff Lazar; Rachel Sheps & Avi Libman; and Rabbi Jesse Shore.
Use Conditions
Closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing the records.
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
COVID-19 (Disease)
Brit bat
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-1-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-1-2
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. (jpg)
Date
27 Apr. 2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one photograph of an intensive care unit delivery. The photograph was taken by a physician from Southlake's Intensive Care Unit, which is located in Newmarket, Ontario. Lily Kim is pictured in the centre.
Administrative History
Since the start of pandemic before Pesach, former HEW Co-Chair Lily Kim began hosting inclusive weekly online meetings for a dozen Holocaust survivors https://time.com/5842484/holocaust-survivors-coronavirus/. The social time allowed Jewish survivors to get to know one another and alleviated anxieties related to uncertainty of crises and isolation throughout the year. Along with her deliveries of Personal Protective Equipment and daily phone calls or emails, Nate Leipciger told TIME journalist Olivia Waxman that Lily's virtual meetings helped survivors to "cope" in a community of like-minded individuals. Partly due to their encouragement with a few individual contributors in the group, Lily was able to raise $5,000 of funds with community support given to frontline workers. She delivered dozens of hot lunches to healthcare staff in Southlake/COVID-ICUs, every week until the start of Summer 2020. Credit was given in the hospital to donors and to the Holocaust survivors, of course. Without a team effort, none of the "heart" would have been possible!
Use Conditions
Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
COVID-19 (Disease)
Intensive care units
Medical personnel
Name Access
Kim, Lily
Southlake Regional Health Centre
Places
Newmarket (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-2-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-2-2
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
3 photographs: col. (jpg)
Date
22 Jan. 2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of three photographs documenting the brit milah of Amir Raphael Glatt, son of Adira Winegust and Daniel Glatt. The donor, Adira Winegust, provided the following commentary:
"We knew we were expecting our second son. The original plan was to do the Brit in Toronto with our immediate family, as we did with our first son. However we had to change plans with every new restriction and lockdowns. As a result of the second lockdown, and the infection rates in the Greater Toronto Area, we decide it was best to go to Ottawa for the bris and find an orthodox mohel.
We ended up at Dr. Engel after the recommendation of Rabbi A. Kravetz of Beth Tikvoh in Ottawa. As this was the height of the second wave only myself, my husband and mohel were at the bris. Due to the stay home order, it was best to do it in the doctor's office. We did not even zoom in our famiky. The first picture is the actual brit Milah. The second is of the naming part of the ceremony, where my husband and I sat in a hallway holding our baby with the mohel six feet away doing the brachot.
"This Brit Milah took place January 22 2021 in Ottawa ON. We drove from and to Kingston that day."
Administrative History
Adira Winegust is originaly from Thornhill, Ontario, while Daniel Glatt is originally from Oakville, Ontario. They met as undergraduates at McMaster University. In 2016, they relocated to Kingston, when Daniel started his medical residency there.
As of February 2021, Adira is a PhD student at Queen's University, where she studies education. She also works at Kingston's Hotel Dieu Hospital doing assessments in the Child and Youth Mental Health program. As of the same time, Daniel is a family doctor working in Napnee, Ontario. During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, he has kept up his family practice, worked as a hospitalist some weeks at Lennox and Addington General Hospital, and has been responsible for scheduling the doctors at the COVID-19 Assessment Centre in Napanee.
Adira and Daniel have two sons, Emmett and Amir.
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
Berit milah
Name Access
Engel, Andre
Glatt, Daniel
Winegust, Adira
Places
Ottawa (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-12-8
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2019-12-8
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
10 photographs : b&w & col. (jpeg)
Date
1948-2010
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs of the Schein family. Included are Liza and Sam's wedding celebration in Salzburg, Austria (1948), Liza on board the RMS Samaria (1948), family portraits and snapshots of Liza, Sam and their daughter Gilda (1953-1954), their businesses Apex Uniforms (1960) and Apex Textiles (1980), and the front and back of Sam Schein's grave stone.
Administrative History
(Szymon (Sam) Schein (1923-2010) was born in Krakow, Poland, and was the eldest of three sons of Yitzchak and Leia Schein. Szymon's younger brothers were Alek, and Gershon. As a child, Szymon attended yeshiva and enjoyed singing. The Scheins were shopkeepers, and lived a modest lifestyle. Sam's immediate family were all murdered in the Holocaust. Szymon was the only member of his immediate family to survive. At the outset of the war he was sixteen years old. Sam survived four concentration camps – Plaszow, Mauthausen, Melk, and Ebensee. While living in a Displaced Persons camp in Bad Gastein, Austria, he met his wife, Liza Esanu. They were engaged in July 1948, and married a month later. Liza Esanu (1928-2017) was born in Romania in 1928, in the small town Tirgu Neamts, the third of four surviving children of Leib and Chaia Sura Esanu. Liza's father Leib died when Liza was only four years old, from a gall bladder attack. Chaia raised her four children on her own. In 1939, the family was forced to leave their home in the countryside, and over the next few years, were in hiding within Romania. Liza was eleven years old when the Second World War began in 1939. She was given a Singer sewing machine and learned how to sew. Her education as a seamstress progressed in the old European apprentice system, and before long, as a very young teenager, she was supporting her family with the money that she made with her sewing. After the war, she and her sister left Romania and ended up in a DP camp in Austria - Bad Gastein - where she met and married Szymon Schein. Liza and Sam sailed to Canada in September 1948 on the SS Samaria, and settled in Toronto. Although, Sam was accepted as a participant in the Tailor Project, it was Liza who was the sewer in the family. Eventually, they owned several businesses, including "Honest Sam's Cleaners" and a children's wear store. Their final two businesses were strongly related to the sewing –Apex Uniforms, where they manufactured and sold uniforms for gas station attendants and Apex Textiles, where they sold fabrics for clothing and drapery. Liza's sewing expertise was crucial to the success of those two businesses, while Sam handled the finances. Sam and Liza had one child, Gilda, born in Toronto in 1952. Their marriage broke up in 1986, and they each spent the rest of their lives separately. Sam died on New Year's Day, 2010, and Liza on October 15, 2017.
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.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-1
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
20 photographs (jpg) : col.
Date
Nov. 2009
Scope and Content
Accession consists of digital images of the former Workman's Circle Colony grounds and cottages in Pickering, Ontario. The colony was unused at the time of the photographs and so the structures are in a state of disrepair. The photographs were taken by Jill Culiner, whose family had a cottage at the colony.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
Use Conditions note: Credit to Jill Culiner as photographer.
Subjects
Cottages
Name Access
Workmen's Circle (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Pickering (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-3
Material Format
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
1 textual record (electronic)
Date
Feb. 2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the experiences of university students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The donor provided the following text with the submission: "During the pandemic all the students are studying online. Huddled in their bedrooms the flow of knowledge through headphones and zoom classes is almost audible. These images are portraits made up an image of the student at their workplace; then below that, the student after they have left the workplace - which reveals more about their character and the text on the bottom is input by the student themsleves as to revealing what they are hearing / thinking at the time I made the images."
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
College students
COVID-19 (Disease)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-4
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
3 folders of graphics material (electronic)
Date
Jun. 2019
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting three Pride events held in 2019: a CIJA LGBTQ+ Advisory Council event celebrating the start of Pride Month in Toronto, an event hosted by the Israeli consulate in Toronto to celebrate Pride, and the Pride parade. The donor provided brief descriptions of each of the events, which can be found below.
CIJA Pride event: "These pictures are from an event held on June 1, 2009 that was hosted by the CIJA LGBTQ+ Advisory Council to celebrate the start of Pride month in Toronto. It was held at the Lodge at O-Grady's on Church Street in the Gay Village. It featured a community Havdalah and drag performance/contest."
Israel consulate event: "The following pictures are from an event hosted by the Israeli Consulate in Toronto to celebrate Pride on June 27, 2019. It featured a panel of members of the LGBTQ community sharing their experiences of visiting Israel."
Pride parade: "The following pictures are from the Pride parade in Toronto on June 23, 2019 from the Jewish community contingent that included participants from CIJA, JFCS, and several other organizations and synagogues."
Subjects
Gay pride celebrations
Name Access
Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs
Pride Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-3-5
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
9 photographs : col. (jpg) ; 10.2 MB
Date
27 Mar. 2021-28 Mar. 2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of several photographs depicting two seder tables as well as a virtual Zoom seder. Featured individuals are Sam Mogelonsky and Mat Calverley. The donor submitted the following text to accompany the images:
"We attended two seders this year. The first was a very small one at my parents with only our "bubble" in attendance. My dad every year makes "The Ten Modern" Plagues which we read and discuss. For the second Seder, we hosted a virtual one with our friends. We used an online Hagaddah by Jew Belong that we modified."
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Passover
Seder
COVID-19 (Disease)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-4-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-4-2
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
3.6 m of textual records and graphic material
Date
[195-]-2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting Temple Anshe Sholom of Hamilton, Ontario.
Administrative History
In the early 1850s, a small group of German Jewish families settled in the city of Hamilton. In 1853, they banded together to form the Hebrew Benevolent Society Anshe-Sholom of Hamilton. Religious services began in 1856 and in the next year, a half-acre plot was purchased as a cemetery site. On May 5, 1863, a “Body Corporate and Politic under the name of the Jewish Congregation Anshe-Sholom of Hamilton” was formed listing 19 founding members. Early meetings were held in members’ homes, with religious services, at first, largely restricted to the High Holy days. In 1866, a room was rented above a leather goods shop in downtown Hamilton; this was the first formal synagogue location for Temple Anshe Sholom.
Less than 20 years later, a site was chosen and the necessary funds were raised to construct a synagogue. Often referred to as the Hughson Street Temple, this building was dedicated in 1882. It served as the congregation’s home for almost 70 years. Edmund Scheuer, who arrived in Hamilton in 1871, served as president of Anshe Sholom for thirteen years from 1873 to 1886. Scheuer was the founder and first teacher of the religious school. He was an early proponent of interfaith understanding, a value and tradition that Anshe Sholom carries forward to the present day. The congregation pioneered in introducing English into the service, both in prayer and in the sermons, which had previously been given in German. Women no longer sat in a separate gallery; families sat together in pews. Music was introduced, both instrumental and vocal.
In 1870, the Deborah Ladies’ Aid Society (later Deborah Sisterhood) was founded, being the first group of Jewish women organized for charitable purposes in all of Canada. Sisterhood has always been a vital part of Temple Anshe Sholom, involved in numerous humanitarian, educational, charitable and social projects.
The great wave of immigration that swept into Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries brought many families, mainly Orthodox, to the community. During this period, men and women from Anshe Sholom were instrumental in founding such vital Jewish organizations as the B’nai Brith, Council of Jewish Organizations, Jewish Social Services and the Council of Jewish Women.
After the Second World War, Temple Anshe Sholom became the first synagogue in Hamilton to make the post-war move westward. On April 15, 1951, the sod was turned for the new building and in June of 1952, a dedication weekend saw the scrolls ceremoniously installed in the Ark. Rabbi Maurice N. Eisendrath was on hand to preach the Dedication Sermon. Thirteen years later, the addition that houses the present Reiss-Frank Auditorium, Religious School classrooms, library, youth lounge and offices was erected, more than doubling the size of the building on its present site.
Throughout the years, the following served as spiritual leaders: Wolf Landau, Herman Birkenthal, Joseph Friedlander, Jacob Minkin, Julius Berger, Iser Freund, Arthur A. Feldman, Arthur Lebowitz, Emil Fackenheim, Luitpold Wallach, Bernard Baskin, Irwin Zeplowitz, Phil Cohen and our current rabbi, Jordan D. Cohen (Anshe Sholom’s first Canadian born Rabbi), who began his service to this congregation on January 1, 2007.
At this time, Temple Anshe Sholom is traditional yet innovative in its worship and ritual observance. The congregation is inclusive and embraces diversity. Its core values include education, social justice, egalitarianism, creative expression, congregational participation in prayer and leadership, strong identification with Israel and dynamic, relevant spirituality. The Temple building also serves as home to the Temple Playhouse Multicultural Enrichment School and the Kehila Jewish Community Day School and Les Petites Pommes French School, and hosts many community organizations such as a Storytellers Group, The Shalom Community Teaching Garden, The Asper Foundation Human Rights and Holocaust Studies Program, The Mahjong Club, The Hamilton & Area Jewish Genealogical Society, various community meetings and gatherings and several youth arts and activities programs and summer camps.
Temple Anshe Sholom celebrated its 170th anniversary in 2020 as Canada’s first Reform Jewish congregation.
(text taken from https://anshesholom.ca/about-us/our-history, 2023-02-24)
Subjects
Synagogues
Name Access
Temple Anshe Sholom (Hamilton, Ont.)
Places
Hamilton (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-4-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-4-3
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
object
philatelic record
Physical Description
3153 photographs : b&w and col. (3133 negatives) ; 41 x 51 cm or smaller
13 sheets of postage stamps
1 folder of textual records
2 presentation pieces : 23 x 34 x 2 cm
Date
[1945?]-2006
Scope and Content
Accession consists of Negev Dinner negatives for the years of 1969, 1975-1977, and 1979-2006. Also included are several presentation pieces comprised of portraits that Gilbert took for presidents and prime ministers of Israel and Israeli Prime Ministerial postage stamps produced from those portraits. Some of the presentation pieces are accompanied by thank-you letters address to Gilbert and signatures of Gilbert and presidents and prime ministers of Israel being featured. Accession also includes six portraits featuring Robert Sterling, Elliotte Friedman’s grandmother, [Sydney Sugarman?], and one unidentified person; two unidentified group photographs; one unidentified wedding photograph; and one photograph depicting Al Gilbert at an event. Also included is an oversized group photograph of Greenfild’s Jewish Radio Hour of CKOC featuring Max Mandel and his colleagues.
Negev Dinner honourees include Mark Levy and Harry Gorman (1969); Rabbi Gunther Plaut (1975); James Kay (1976); Premier Bill Davis (1977); Murray Koffler (1979); Rose Wolfe (1980); Theodore Richmond (1981); Arnold Epstein and Madeline Epstein (1982); Kurt Rothschild and Edith Rothschild (1983); Abe Posluns (1984); Donald Carr and Judy Feld Carr (1985); Dr. Gerald Halbert (1986); Edwin Goodman (1987); Douglas Bassett (1988); Max Sharp and Isadore Sharp (1989); Bernard Weinstein (1990); Harry Gorman (1991); Albert Mandel, Nathan Hurwich, and Lewis Moses (1992); George Cohen (1993); Joey Tanenbaum (1994); Leslie Dan (1995); Henry Newton Rowell “Hal” Jackman (1996); Edward Bronfman (1997); Allan Silber (1998); Dr. Anne Golden (1999); Avie Bennett (2000); Alex Grossman (2001); Toby Feldberg and Saul Feldberg (2002); Eli Rubinstein and Renée Rubinstein (2003); Ronald Appleby (2004); Joseph Lebovic and Wolf Lebovic (2005); Ed and Fran Sonshine (2006).
Presidents and prime ministers of Israel being featured include Levi Eshkol, Yitzhak Rabin, Menachem Begin, Shimon Peres, and Chaim Herzog.
Custodial History
Accession donated by Nina Gilbert, Al Gilbert's daughter, on behalf of the Estate of Al Gilbert.
Administrative History
Nachman (Nathan) Gittelmacher was born in Kiev, Ukraine in 1898 to Shloima and Mattie Gittelmacher. Suffering terribly during the pogroms of 1918 and 1920, he fled from place to place and then emigrated to Canada in 1921. Trained as a photographer in Europe, he opened his own photography studio in Toronto in 1922, called Elite Studios. First located at 513 Queen Street West, he soon moved to 615 Queen Street West. Nathan serviced a largely Jewish clientele, photographing weddings, bar mitzvahs, and Jewish community events. Nathan was married to Nina Sokoloff and had three sons and a daughter: Louis (Lou), Albert (Al), Jack, and Ruth. During the early 1940s, the family legally changed their name from Gittelmacher to Gilbert and subsequently altered the name of the business to Gilbert Studios. When Nathan moved to the United States, Al, who had been working there since a young age, took over the business. It thrived under his management. To accommodate his growing clientele, he moved the studio to Eglinton Avenue and later to 170 Davenport Road, where it is situated today. Al made a name for himself as a portrait photographer, using natural light in innovative ways to create more natural looking portraits. Al’s primary work involved producing portraits of families, weddings, bar mitzvahs, special events, and dinners. Most of his early clients were from the Jewish community. He was also paid to produce portraits for local entrepreneurs. Moreover, his multi-year contract with the city gave him sole responsibility of producing portraits for the mayors and council members. He later branched out beyond the Jewish community and began to produce images for businessmen and leaders from the Italian community in Toronto. In addition to the paid contracts involving local personalities and groups, Al Gilbert has also produced many artistic portraits of local, national, and international celebrities, artists, and leaders, such as Wayne and Shuster, Howie Mandel, Oscar Peterson, Frank Sinatra, Duke Ellington, Robertson Davies, several Canadian prime ministers, Prince Charles, and the last Pope. He also produced portraits for all of the Israeli prime ministers, which were made into postage stamps by the Israeli government. Gilbert’s work, therefore, captures a huge range of individuals from the ordinary brides to extraordinary world leaders. Throughout his career, Al has won many professional awards and accolades from his peers. He is the three-time recipient of the prestigious Photographer of the Year award of the Professional Photographers of Canada (PPOC). He has been named Fellow of the photographic societies in Canada, Britain, and the United States. In 1990, he was awarded the Order of Canada. In January 2007, the Professional Photographers of America (PPA) presented him with their Lifetime Achievement Award. This award is the highest honour that PPA can bestow on a person for their body of work and influence on professional photography.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Photographers
Name Access
Gilbert, Al, 1922-2019
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-5-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-5-2
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
7 photographs : col. (png)
Date
8 Nov. 2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs from Faye Block's bat mitvah. Individuals identified in photographs include the bat mitzvah girl Faye Miriam Block with her parents Eric and Jodi and siblings, Sophie and Abe. Grandparents from coast to coast joining via zoom include Lois and Marven Block from Halifax, Nova Scotia and Pia and Mel Guralnick from Vancouver, British Columbia.
Administrative History
Like so many others in our community, we celebrated a bat mitzvah on Zoom this year. Our parents and siblings live from coast to coast and in between, and we have a large network of extended family scattered around the world -- a surprising number of whom are known to travel and show up for any simcha in the clan! As such, our kids had always looked forward to their milestone as a time to bring together all of the family for a reunion and celebration. Obviously, this was not in the cards this year.
Faye, our bat mitzvah, read from the Torah on shabbat at the First Narayever Congregation (currently at Leo Baeck), with just a minyan or so present, together with Rabbi Ed Elkin and Narayever's Family and Youth Coordinator, Sabrina Friedman, who taught Faye Torah trope and helped prepare her to layn. We were so happy to have her Toronto first cousins and some dear friends with us at shul. The weather was unusually warm, and were able to have a spontaneous kiddush lunch/celebration (distanced) in our backyard with Eric's sister's family -- replete with bagels, lox, blintzes and a lot of laughs.
On Sunday, we had a “zoom mitzvah” from our living room, to celebrate with our parents, siblings, extended family and loved ones -- hailing from as far as Israel and India. It was awkward, but important and rewarding. Our parents, who ached to be with us, each blessed Faye from their homes on either side of the country. Loved ones sent flowers, donations, and beautiful messages that Faye will revisit and cherish throughout her life.
In our big clan, Faye was one of four cousins (in just one family!) who had a COVID-era bar/bat mitzvah. While we have missed our family terribly and it was difficult to conceive of a simcha in relative isolation, we are grateful for many ways in which we are blessed –and Faye’s bat mitzvah was ultimately a meaningful and moving milestone for us all.
Use Conditions
Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Bat mitzvah
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-5-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-5-3
Material Format
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
69.5 MB of records in electronic form
Date
2020-2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Shaari Shomayim's response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Included are promotional materials for various online events and several of the congregation's bulletins.
Subjects
COVID-19 (Disease)
Synagogues
Name Access
Shaarei Shomayim (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-6-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-6-2
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
3 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 13 cm
Date
1952-1954
Scope and Content
Accession consists of three photographs of Rho Sigma Phi, a Jewish high school sorority. The first photograph was taken at a sorority formal circa 1953/1954; the second photograph was taken at a tea circa 1953/1954; and the third photograph was taken at a tea circa 1952. The following individuals are identified in the photographs: Ruthie Baker, Leila Blandis/Leila Brandis [illegible], Sheila Davids, Frances Diesenhause, Renee Drevnick, Merle Frankel, Sheila Green, Sheila Meiteen, Ethel Rosenberg, Millie Rotman, Tanya Rubinoff, Marcia Sandler, Libby Saunders, Shirley Shekter, Joanne Shulman, Dina Skelly, Marcie Spillman, Annette Stork, Sandra Title/Sandy Title, Sharyn Title, Barbar Wahl, Faith Wintrob, and Elinor Zaltzman.
Administrative History
Rho Sigma Phi was made up of high-school girls from numerous schools, mostly in Forest Hill and the surrounding area.
Subjects
Greek letter societies
Places
Forest Hill (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-6-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-6-1
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
3 Sep. 2020-25 May 2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of Sidney Freedman's testament regarding the funding of the Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks and its relationship to UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Also included is a memorandum dated 3 September 2020 written by Sidney Freedman and sent to the president and board of Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks.
Administrative History
Sidney Freedman was born in 1928 in Ivansk (Iwanska) Poland. In 1929 the family of eight immigrated to Canada, first to Winnipeg, and then in 1933 to Toronto. He put himself through law school by working in construction jobs and opened a law firm after graduation. He later became president of Temple Sinai and became interested in the operation of cemeteries. In 1970 he purchased the land that would become Pardes Shalom Cemetery and later founded the Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks.
Use Conditions
Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
Related material note: 2015-3-5, 2019-1-4, 2019-2-7, 2017-1-24.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-7-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-7-1
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
sound recording
Physical Description
ca. 8 cm textual records
6 posters : col. ; 66 x 51 cm or smaller
2 photographs : b&w and col. ; 12 x 17 cm and 10 x 15 cm
3 audio discs : vinyl
Date
[1960?]-2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records created and collected by Cyrel Troster, which document Cyrel and her parents Jack Troster and Lillian Troster's involvement in the Jewish community. Records include three vinyl records documenting the music of William Lion Mackenzie High School orchestra and Camp Manitou-Wabing (1961-1965); six oversized posters (1960-2008); programmes, flyers, brochures, cards, and other small, printed items relating to Jewish cultural events that Cyrel attended ([197-]-2019); booklets and magazines (1977-2016); newspaper clippings documenting cultural events and activities of the Ontario Jewish community (1973-2021); and two photographs depicting a B’nai B’rith event and the 2nd women’s conference panel in Toronto. Also included are other assorted documents such as Cyrel Troster’s essay on the Workmen’s Circle (1974); certificates; listing of Board of Jewish Education (BJE) members (2000-2001 and 2004); a proposal for Yiddish Education and Cultural Centre [1998?]; an application for a film grant (1992); correspondence (1978 and 2012); and documents pertaining to Jewish Arts Directory (1992-1994), Second Encounter (bibliography for annual programs, registration cards, meeting minutes; 1977-1979), Cultural Services Planning and Allocations Committee (CSPAC) (member list, proposal, meeting minutes, strategic plan; 1994-2004), and Tzedakah Box Project (2005). Topics and events documented other than those mentioned above are Bathurst Manor, downtown synagogues, Kensington Market, the Sense of Spadina tour, Holy Blossom Synagogue, the Journey into Our Heritage exhibit, and the first Toronto Jewish Film Festival.
Administrative History
Cyrel Troster was an active member on the Cultural Services Planning and Allocation Committee and the Archives Committee and a former board member of the Ontario Jewish Archives Foundation. She is a recently retired schoolteacher and an active member of the Jewish community.
Descriptive Notes
Availability of other formats: digital preservation copies for some documents have been created and are available in PDF, JPG, and TIF formats.
Name Access
Troster, Cyrel
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-9-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-9-1
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of graphic material and textual records
Date
1992, Nov. 1993
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Joseph and Joyce Herman. Included are thirty-three photographs taken at a gathering held at the Beth Ezekiel Synagogue in Owen Sound, Ontario, on 10 November 1993, on the occasion of their move to British Columbia.
Identified in the photographs are: Carol Brooman, David Brooman, Molly Cadesky, Sarah Cadesky, Marilyn Fedorenko, Rynaldo Fedorenko, Bernie Fishman, Myrna Fishman, Hy Fromstein, Sylvia Fromstein, Avrum "Av" Gorbet, Norman "Norm" Gorbet, Ruth Gorbet, Tillie Gorbet, Avrum Green, Emmy Green, Joe Herman, Joyce Herman, Steven Hershoran, Gary Levine, Julia Levine, Bertha Rabovsky, Mike Rabovsky, Miriam Rabovsky, Karen Rich, Lorne Rich, Goldie Ronald (née Rabovsky), and Alisa Van Wyck.
Also included are two textual records: a copy of the speech given by Tillie Gorbet at the 1992 synagogue event held in honour of Joyce when she stepped down as synagogue president and Joyce’s acceptance speech from the same event.
Administrative History
Joe Herman (29 April 1925–21 April 2005) was born in Toronto. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at age seventeen and trained as a navigator. He was a graduate of the the School of Optometry of Ontario. Joyce (11 July 1927–23 April 2020) was born Roslyn Joyce Cainer in Miami, Florida. Her family returned to Toronto in 1929. Joe and Joyce married in 1948 and moved first to Timmins, Ontario, and then to Owen Sound, where they lived for thirty-seven years. Joe maintained his optometric practice in Owen Sound from 1956 to 1993, with Joyce working alongside him in the office. Joyce was a weaver and an active member of the Pottawatomi Spinners and Weavers Guild and the Maker’s artist cooperative. Joe and Joyce had three children: Shawn Herman Hawkins, Nessa Herman, and David Herman.
Joyce was president of Owen Sound’s Beth Ezekiel Synagogue from about 1973 to 1992. She was possibly the first woman president of a synagogue in Canada. Her father (Israel) David Cainer was president of Toronto’s Shaarei Shomayim Synagogue from 1943 to 1945.
Use Conditions
Conditional Use. Researchers must receive permission from the donor prior to publication. Please contact the OJA for more information.
Descriptive Notes
Availability of other formats: Accession has been digitized: photographs are available as JPEG images; textual records are available as PDF files.
Terms governing use and reproduction: Not to be used for external advertising in any medium. Permission to publish required.
General: Av Gorbet's wife is Tillie Gorbet, and Norm Gorbet's wife is Ruth Gorbet. The four were owners of B. Gorbet and Sons Furriers and clothing store.
Subjects
Married people
Parties
Synagogues
Name Access
Beth Ezekiel Synagogue (Owen Sound, Ont.)
Herman, Joseph, 1925-2005
Herman, Joyce, 1927-2020
Places
Owen Sound (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-1
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
object
Physical Description
30 cm of textual records
5 photographs : b&w & col. ; 30 x 20 cm or smaller
2 metal award certificates : 28 x 21 cm
1 key : framed in a wooden box
Date
1913-2013
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to the Kiever Synagogue or had been stored at the synagogue. Included are certificates (1930-[1961?]); a print of the 1913 Officers and Members of the Grand Order of Israel of Canada; a poster of Yitzhak Ben-Zvi (president of Israel) presented by National Committee for Labour Israel for Israel Histadrut campaign; National Synagogue Directory issued by Canadian Jewish Congress Charities Committee (2011-2012); The Jewish Magazine (2006); Baycrest Men's Service Group Honour Roll books (1993-1997, 1999); shabbat, wedding, and bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah benchers (1965-2013); newspaper clippings; blessing guides; and administrative material such as receipt books (1933-1934), Synagogue Laws and Customs (1976), and a memorandum of agreement (1920). Also included are photographs featuring David Pinkus, Nate Leipciger, students of Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim (1936), and the top view of bimah and chuppah of the Kiever Synagogue, which was taken at Samara Kaplan’s wedding (2004); and miscellaneous material such as raffle tickets (1928), invitation tickets from Chevra Kadisha (1928), and record books of Toronto Free Loan Association. This accession also includes the following artifacts: two metal certificates of Recognition of Service Award granted by State of Israel Bond and Canada-Israel Securities Limited (1964 and 1965) and a skeleton key framed in a wooden shadow box, which is possibly the original key to the building. People identified in the photograph of students of Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim (1936) are: Solly Speisman (second row, fourth from left), Myer Orzench (second row, far right), Hymie Reingewietz (second row, sixth from left), Mr. Hoffman (teacher, left-hand side), and Mr. Nobleman (teacher, right-hand side). Myer Orzench was the second vice-president of the Kiever Synagogue; Mr. Nobleman was father of Ben Nobleman, the municipal politician of York Region.
Custodial History
Records deposited by David Moyal of the Kiever Synagogue.
Administrative History
The Kiever synagogue, also known as the Kiever Shul, is a Modern Orthodox Jewish synagogue in Toronto. It was founded in 1912 by a small congregation of Jewish immigrants from the Kiev Gubernia of the Russian Empire (now Ukraine) and formally incorporated in 1914 by the granting of the Letters Patent by the Provincial Secretary. The congregation’s formal name is "The First Russian Congregation of Rodfei Sholem Anshei Kiev." According to the earliest congregational records, Max Bossin was president in 1912. At first, services were held in members’ homes and later in a rented house on Centre Avenue in the Ward. Not being able to afford a rabbi, services were led by members, including Cantor Herschel Litvak. In 1917, sufficient funds were raised to mortgage a house at 25 Bellevue Avenue on the outskirts of Kensington Market. The congregation relocated there and the facilities were enlarged in 1921 with the acquisition of a second house. In 1927, a new synagogue, which was built on the site of the two houses and designed by a Jewish architect named Benjamin Swartz in the Byzantine Revival style, was completed to accommodate increasing number of congregants. During the construction from 1924 to 1927, religious services were conducted at the home of Mr. Silverman at 29 Wales Avenue. Equipped with a rabbi and a proper synagogue, the Kiever was able to play a larger role in the Toronto Jewish community. The shul offered Yiddish and bar-mitzvah lessons, a youth minyan led by Fischel Cooper, a credit society, as well as a women’s auxiliary. Several decades later, the Kiever’s membership declined in the 1950s and 1960s due to demographic changes—Jews began leaving the downtown core for the north end of town. The synagogue building deteriorated. In 1973, the Archives Committee of the Canadian Jewish Congress Central Region decided to help preserve it, and by 1982, sufficient funds had been raised to restore the building. In 1979, the Kiever Synagogue became the first building of Jewish significance to be designated a historical site by the province of Ontario and has been protected under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act since then. Some of the founders included: B. B. Smith, Yehudah Leib "Louis" Bossin, Isaac Mosten, Jake Dubin, Harry Cohen, and Wolf Ganz. The congregation's first and longest-tenured rabbi was Solomon Langner, who served from around 1929 until his death in 1973. Sheldon Steinberg served as rabbi from the time of Langner's death until the mid-1990s. David Pinkus served as president of the Kiever Shul from the late 1970s to 2011. His parents, Molly and Isadore Pinkus, were co-founders of the shul. As of 2022, the synagogue president is Adam S. Cohen.
Descriptive Notes
LANGUAGE NOTE: material is in Yiddish, Hebrew, and English.
Availability of other formats: digital preservation copies for some documents have been created and are available in PDF, JPG, and TIF formats.
Subjects
Synagogues
Name Access
Kiever Synagogue (Toronto, Ont.)
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-2
Material Format
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
12 textual records (pdf)
Date
1977-2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material (chiefly genealogical research) documenting Glen Eker's family, particularly the Bishinskh line. Also included are two theses by Glen Eker—Leisure and Lifestyle in Selected Writings of Karl Marx: A Social and Theoretical History and The Early Writings of Karl Marx on the Position of Women and the Family in Bourgeois Society—and articles written by Debby Eker for the Excalibur and the Enterprise. Finally, there is an article by Paul M. Eker titled "Biblical Genealogy of Eker," which appeared in the March 1999 issue of Shem Tov.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Eker (family)
Eker, Glen
Marx, Karl, 1818-1883
Places
Ontario
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-3
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
5 photographs : b&w (15 x 10cm)
Date
[ca. 2000]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of five photographs of the Bagel Restaurant located at 285 College Street. The photographs depict a table setting and framed autographed photo display, a waiter working behind the counter, menu card posted in their front window advertising the breakfast special and afternoon tea, closeup of plated home fries and sliced tomatoes, and a partial view of the chef working the grill next to dozens of eggs.
Photographs by Lisa Abram.
Administrative History
The Bagel Restaurant also knwon as the Bagel and by some the Dirty Bagel, was a popular diner located at 285 College Street, a few doors west of Spadina Avenue. The restaurant opened around 1952 and was favoured by local office workers, garment workers, and students enrolled at nearby U of T. The Bagel specialized in homestyle, eastern European Jewish foods. On the menu were offerings such as chicken soup and kreplach, borsht (both cold beet and hot cabbage varieties), kishka, chicken fricassee, boiled beef (flanken), and kasha (buckwheat). The service, often of note in local newspaper reviews, was described as both caring and instructive: “they fuss over you; they’re surrogate mothers.” The former tenant of 285 College Street was photographer Gordon Mendly, who lived and ran Famous Studios out of the same location from the 1940s–1960s.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
Related Material Note: See accession 2022-5-4
Subjects
Restaurants
Places
College Street (Toronto, Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-4
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 letter
Date
19 Jun. 1945
Scope and Content
Accession consists of one letter to Nathan "Sonny" Isaacs from Rabbi Jacob Eisen. The letter is dated 19 June 1945. In it, Jacob congratulates Nathan on getting engaged and expresses his regret he could not have been in Toronto when Nathan was welcomed home. He also mentions that Nathan's best friend, Percy, was sad to learn that Nathan had departed Europe just as he arrived.
Administrative History
Nathan Isaacs (né Isaacovitch) was born on 20 November 1922. He enlisted on 5 August 1942. After training, Nathan worked in the kitchen at a Royal Canadian Air Force base in Aylmer, Ontario, while awaiting deployment to Europe. After being flown to Yorkshire, England, Nathan went on to fly thirty-five missions. He was twenty-one when he flew his first.
Following the war, bombers like Nathan received little in the way of recognition on account of the heavy civilian casualties caused by bombing. In 2013, Julian Fantino, minister of veterans affairs, gave out the Bomber Command bar to recognize Second World Bombers, including Nathan. That same year, thanks to a photograph that accompanied a Toronto Star article about Second World War bombers, Nathan was reunited with John Mulholland, the pilot with whom he flew his final mission.
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 groups of records in different fonds external to the unit being described: A photograph of Rabbi Jacob Eisen in uniform can be found in the Military photographs series of the William Stern fonds. A photograph of Rabbi Eisen alongside other Jewish chaplains can be found in the Harry Moscoe fonds.
Subjects
Letters
Rabbis
World War, 1939-1945
Name Access
Isaacs, Nathan, 1922-
Places
Europe
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-11
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-11
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records and graphic material
1 oversized photograph
Date
1908-1985
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the family of Helen Marks. Included are two wedding three school photographs, school photographs, personal identity documents, a certificate of naturalization, a letter, a program for a gala evening, and a un untranslated document.
The first wedding photograph was taken at the wedding of Rose Miltz and Nathan Weisblatt on 29 December 1935. Rose and Nathan were part of Helen's father's family.
The second wedding photograph was taken at the wedding of Rose Nimon and Isadore Weisblatt. Rose and Nimon were Helen's parents.
Two school photographs were taken at John Fisher School in the 1930s. Helen attended the school from kindergarten until grade eight.
A third school photograph was taken at North Toronto Collegiate sometime around Christmas 1939. Helen attended the school for one year from 1939 to 1940.
There are several identity documents for Helen's father-in-law, Morris Marks. The first such document is a Romanian passport dated 24 May 1908. The second such document is a deed poll testifying to Morris' change of name dated 23 January 1933. The third document is a document certifying that the latter is a true copy.
The certificate of naturalization is for Harry Schnall. Helen believes Harry was her mother-in-law's father but is not positive.
The letter is from Max Niman and Moishe Fishbaum and is dated 15 August 1985. The letter regards the amalgamation of the Ostrovtzer Congregation and the Shaarei Tefillah Congregation. Helen's mother's family were founders of the congregation.
The program is for a gala evening presented by the Chinese community for the Mount Sinai Hospital Research Centre expansion, which was held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre on 22 June 1985.
Finally, there is a document in what appears to be Romanian but which has not been translated.
Descriptive Notes
Language: English, Romanian, French
Subjects
Immigrants--Canada
Ketubah
Public schools
Places
Romania
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-1
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
7 photographs : b&w ; 8 x 12 cm or smaller
1 photograph : col. slide
1 photograph : b&w (jpg)
1 folder of textual records
Date
1945-1972
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs of the 604A College Street and 938 Eglinton Avenue West locations of Goldy's Dairy & Appetizer.
Photo captions
001: Goldie Goldberg (standing left) with two customers in front of Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer decorated in celebration of V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day), 604A College Street, (Toronto, ON), May 1945.
002: Store clerk working behind the counter, Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer, 938 Eglinton Avenue West, (Toronto, ON), 1950s.
003: Exterior view of Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer, 938 Eglinton Avenue West, (Toronto, ON), ca. 1960. Also visible in photo Wembley Custom Cleaners and [Giblons] Kosher Meats & Poultry.
004; Employee working behind Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer prepared food counter, serving items such as Shopsy’s potato salad, olives, cream cheese, gefilte fish and more, Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer, 938 Eglinton Avenue West, (Toronto, ON), 1960s.
005: Marvin Goldberg (left) and his older brother Sidney Goldberg (right), standing in front of Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer decorated in celebration of V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day), 604A College Street, (Toronto, ON), 8 May 1945.
006: Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer Passover window display, 938 Eglinton Avenue West, (Toronto, ON), 1970s.
007: Marvin Goldberg pictured in front of Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer, 604A College Street, (Toronto, ON), ca. 1947.
008: Sidney Goldberg (standing right) with friend in front of Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer, 604A College Street, (Toronto, ON), ca. 1947.
009: Magazine clipping promoting Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer, 938 Eglinton Avenue West, (Toronto, ON), 1970s. Identified (L to R): Sharon Shaindy Dubinsky (m. Nathanson), Betty Dubinsky (m. London), Lyn Dubinsky (m. Lubelski)
010: Dave Goldberg (left), receiving bread delivery at Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer 604A College Street, (Toronto, ON), May 1945.
Administrative History
Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer was founded by Dave and Goldie Goldberg at 604A College Street, Toronto, in 1944. Dave Goldberg was born in Tarnopol, Russia in 1908; Goldie Goldberg (née Heiber) was born in Galicia, Poland in the same year. Goldie immigrated to Canada in 1911, and Dave came to the United States in the early 1920s, where he was employed as a shoe salesman in Detroit and Chicago until he moved to Toronto in the early 1930s. Dave and Goldie were married in June 1932. In February 1942, Dave was involved in a deadly motor vehicle accident on an icy road near Hamilton Ontario, in which two of the other passengers died. He was fortunate to survive, but the accident brought out a latent asthmatic condition, which prevented him from continuing his job as manager of Arliss Shoes on Yonge Street in Toronto. After unsuccessful efforts as an insurance salesman, and with some financial assistance from the Grand Order of Israel, a benevolent society of which he was a member, Dave, who often said he would “put his wife’s name up in lights,” opened Goldy’s Dairy & Appetizer with Goldie as his partner.
The store was located just west of Clinton Street on the same block that housed the Pylon Theatre, Pylon Drugs, the Health Bread, and Home Bread Bakeries, as well as Shapiro’s Delicatessen. Goldy’s specialized in fresh creamery and delicatessen products, smoked fish, and assorted dry groceries. Many of the “take-out specialties,” such as potato salad, egg salad, and chopped herring were personally prepared by Goldie Goldberg. In 1947, observing the migration of the Jewish population to the north Bathurst Street corridor, Dave and Goldie opened a second location at 938 Eglinton Avenue West (near Bathurst), which was eventually taken over and operated by Goldie’s sister, Sylvia (Chippy), better known as “Mrs. Goldy,” and her husband, Danny Dubinsky. Both locations were very successful with the owners offering tasty delicacies along with friendly personalized service to their clientele. Customers also enjoyed getting the latest news and gossip relating to their neighbourhood as well as the wider Jewish Community.
The College Street location was sold in 1953, while the Eglinton Avenue store was a fixture of the Forest Hill Jewish scene until the mid-1970s when it too was sold. Likely, many Jewish Torontonians have fond memories of shopping at Goldy’s and receiving the best of food served in a meticulously clean environment and a haimishe atmosphere.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-3
Material Format
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records (electronic)
Date
2015-2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting UJA Federation of Greater Toronto. Included are meeting minutes and other records for the UJA Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee (2015–2019) and the Kultura Collective (2018–2021).
Custodial History
At the time of the donation, Sam's job title was director, arts, culture & heritage. Her department was Community Capacity Building.
Administrative History
The Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee of UJA Federation oversaw a strategy to fund and support Jewish cultural institutions, programs and initiatives that offered meaningful connections to Jewish identity and engagement. The committee considered programs that included (but were not limited to) the realms of visual arts, music, literature, dance, film, and theatre.
The following seven agencies fell within the scope of the committee: Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre (UJA); the Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre (UJA); the Toronto Jewish Film Festival; the Ashkenaz Festival; the Committee for Yiddish; the Koffler Centre of the Arts; and the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Committee.
The committee reported to UJA's Community Capacity Building Committee (CCBC), which oversees UJA's investments in the Greater Toronto Area. The CCBC is accountable to UJA's board of directors.
The Kultura Collective is a network of modern Jewish arts, culture, and heritage organizations that coalesced to create the collective. The name is inspired by the Kultur-Lige, an interwar collective that promoted Jewish culture and community across eastern Europe and that was destroyed at the height of its reach and impact. Members of the collective include Ashkenaz; the Canadian-Israel Cultural Foundation; the Committee for Yiddish; the Consulate General of Israel in Toronto; Fentster; the Harold Green Jewish Theatre Company; Jewish Music Week; the Koffler Centre of the Arts; the Miles Nadal JCC; the Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre; the Prosserman JCC; the Sarah and Chaim Neuberger Holocaust Education Centre; the Schwartz/Reisman Centre; and the Toronto Jewish Film Foundation.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Subjects
Arts
Name Access
UJA Federation of Greater Toronto
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-4
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-4
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
Date
[19--]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the family of Nancy Levy. Included are a biography of the orphan Meir Noss, which was translated from the Yiddish in 1921, and a copy of an undated clipping about the donor's mother, who was the only attendant at her friend Jean Kamarner's wedding. The first item describes events in Z'vil, Ukraine that took place in 1919/1920.
Subjects
Families
Name Access
Levy (family)
Places
Ukraine
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-5
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
19 photographs : b&w and col. ; 44 cm x 32 cm or smaller
Date
1917-1977, 1992, 2013
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting members of the Shekter and Taylor families of Hamilton, Ontario. Included are three Negev Dinner books honouring Jack Taylor, Samuel Taylor, and Franklin Shapiro; news clippings documenting the viewing of the Hamilton Jewish Community Centre featuring Ben Shekter as well as Ben Shekter's obituary; and photographs depicting Ben Shekter, Harry Taylor, Dorothy (Taylor) Shekter, Jeanette Miller, Rebecca Taylor, Sam Taylor, James L. Shekter, and members of the Temple Players at Anshe Sholom Temple in Hamilton. Other locales featured in the photographs are Palm Springs, Hollywood Beach, and Hamilton. Also included are two oversized childhood portraits of Dorothy Taylor (aged approx. 6 years) and Ben Shekter (aged approx. 1 year).
Administrative History
Dorothy Shekter (née Taylor) (1915-2010) was born in 1915 in Hamilton, Ontario, to Max and Rebecca Taylor. Max and Rebecca moved from Russia to Canada in around 1906 and established a grocery business in Hamilton. Rebecca was a community worker; Max served as president of the Hess Street Shule for many years and was president and also one of the founders of the Ohav Zedek Congregation. Dorothy had four brothers: Jack, Lloyd, Harry and Sam, and a cousin Jeanette Miller, who has raised as a sister after being orphaned at age two. Dorothy married her husband Ben Shekter on 30 Aug. 1942. Dorothy was a social worker, having graduated from McMaster University in 1939 and then with her MSW from the University of Toronto in 1941. Dorothy passed away on 9 Feb. 2010.
Ben Shekter (1915-2013) was born on 6 Aug. 1915 in Hamilton, Ontario, to James and Lillian Shekter. He was an activist, a lawyer, a musician, and an advocate. His father owned the Shekter hotel on James St. North in Hamilton. As president of Hamilton Jewish Federation, Ben was committed to the Hamilton Jewish community and contributed to building and developing the Jewish Community Centre in Hamilton. Ben was one of the founding members of the Beverly Golf and Country Club (est. 1957) and was president of the club several times. Later, Ben initiated the plan for establishing Shalom Village, a Jewish seniors' residence and nursing home in Hamilton, and was its first president. In addition, Ben was also a board member of Hamilton Place, chairman of the Council of Jewish Organizations, and was active in the downtown Businessmen's Association. Ben passed away on 4 July 2013.
Jack Taylor, Dorothy's brother, was born on 5 Sept. 1905 in Russia and immigrated to Canada at the age of six months with his parents. He attended Hamilton public schools and Central Collegiate in his early years. From 1926 to 1928, he moved to New York and attended Columbia University studying playwriting and dramatics. Jack married Florence Cohan in 1929 and had a daughter, Shirley. Jack joined the Grand Order of Israel in 1934 and became the Grand Noble Master of the Grand Lodge in 1949 and 1961. He also served as chairman of the Territorial Division of the United Jewish Appeal, Men's Division in the 1950s. In 1956 and 1957, Jack served as president of the Council of Jewish Organizations. In 1963, Jack was president of Viceroy Reading Lodge of B'nai B'rith and also president of the United Hebrew Memorial Chapel. In the same year, after working at Hamilton Auto Parts for nineteen years, Jack established his own business, Taylor Automotive Supplies. In the 1970s, Jack served as vice-president of the Jewish National Fund (JNF) of Hamilton and was the honouree of the 1971 Hamilton Negev Dinner.
Samuel Taylor, Dorothy's brother, was born in 1916. He became a professional musician at age fifteen and continued in music from age eighteen to twenty-six. During the Second World War, Sam served in the Air Force Central Band and began his studies in the accounting field at the same time. In 1948, he graduated as a chartered accountant and opened the firm of Taylor, Leibow Chartered Accountants in 1950. In the same year, Sam married Anne Klein and had two children, Michael and Robin. From 1974 to 1976, Sam served as president of Hamilton JNF. In 1974 and 1975, he served as president of United Jewish Welfare Fund. Besides, Sam was a member of the Board of the Ontario Association of Licensed Trustees in Bankruptcy and a member of Executive Board of United Israel Appeal of Canada. In 1977 he became president of Hamilton Jewish Federation and was the honouree of the 1977 Hamilton Negev Dinner.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Places
Hamilton (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-7
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-7
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
7 cm of textual records
1 poster
Date
1922-2015
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material collected by Beverley Schaeffer. The bulk of the material consists of newspaper clippings documenting Jewish communities in northern Ontario, primarily Kirkland Lake. In addition to the clippings, there are several other items: the first draft of Eddie Duke's "The History of the Jewish Community of Kirkland Lake," a copy of a typed article titled "The Way We Were" by Bettyann Elliott (née Archer), two issues of Beth Tikvah Sisterhood Magazine (spring 1988 and spring 1990), and a typed document titled "Judaica - Canadian" that was prepared by Fred Schaeffer. Of note is an article written by Shelley Duke entitled "Somebody's Somebody: Jews from Small Communities" dated 16 December 1985.
Use Conditions
Copyright is not held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
Availability of other formats: Textual records available as PDF files.
Subjects
Communities
Name Access
Duke, Eddie
Elliott, Bettyann, 1928-2015
Places
Kirkland Lake (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-9
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-9
Material Format
textual record
textual record (electronic)
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
1 textual record (pdf)
Date
2011-2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a J. Academy Camp brochure, two Arts Camp passports (2011 and 2014), and a camp registration and FAQ sheet describing the history and objectives of the camp. In addition, there are two issues of J. Wave. These include a Hanukkah edition (vol. 3) and a spring edition (vol.7).
Administrative History
Founded in 2009, J. Academy Camp is a unique twelve-day overnight camp for children aged eight to sixteen from Russian-speaking Jewish families in the GTA. J. Academy Camp runs its summer camp program from the Camp Northland site in Halibruton, Ontario. The aim of the camp is to connect teens from Russian-speaking families, introduce them to Jewish community and culture, and help them discover their Jewish roots through engagement in various creative arts, activities, and sports. J. Academy Camp is supported by UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and Genesis Philanthropy Group.
J. Wave began as an optional activity at J. Academy Camp and developed into a year-round project. The publication shares personal stories, adventures, and experiences written by teens. The program is hosted at the Schwartz/Reisman Centre.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-10
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
24 photographs : col. 10 x 15 cm or smaller
Date
1992-1995
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photographs from Camp Ramah. The photographs document the interior of buildings, such as cabins and the dining hall; exterior shots of the waterfront and sports field; and activities, such as the annual colour wars program.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Camps
Name Access
Camp Ramah in Canada
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-11
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-11
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. 20 x 30 cm
Date
Jul. 2000
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a colour photograph of Camp Kinneret taken in July 2000.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Camps
Name Access
Camp Kinneret
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-12
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-12
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
1 box
Date
1968-2004
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Toronto Grand Order of Israel. Included are financial statements, memoranda, and other records.
Use Conditions
Partially closed. Researchers must receive permission from the OJA Director prior to accessing some of the records.
Subjects
Fraternal organizations
Name Access
Toronto Grand Order Of Israel
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-13
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-13
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w
1 book
Date
[19--]
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting Ira Noble. Included are one oversized photograph of Ira Noble as a baby and a prayer book for Jewish members of His Majesty's Forces.
Custodial History
The items were discovered by a colleague of Ira's, Merven Patey. Merven passed the items on to Marcia Yudin, who in turn donated them to the OJA.
Administrative History
Ira Noble fought in the Second World War as part of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
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
Language: English, Hebrew
Subjects
Great Britain--Armed Forces
Name Access
Canada. Royal Canadian Air Force
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-20
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-20
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
3 photographs : b&w ; 20 x 25 cm or smaller
Date
1915-1969
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the activities of members of the Forman, Findlay, and Olin families. Documents include a 1922 Goel Tzedec Synagogue religious school diploma (Minnie Forman); a McCaul Street School class photo, Senior IV (Henry Findlay, back row, second left); Palestine Lodge Masons sheet music and lyrics for the composition "We Have Travelled Fiftee," music by Isha Goodman, lyrics by Jack S. Olin; and “Dimensions of 69 Senior Wardens District No. 7,” music and lyrics by Jim Johnson. In addition, there are two group photographs of Palestine Lodge Masons officers (ca. 1969).
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Music by Jewish composers
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-12
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-12
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
ca. 10 cm of textual records
12 photographs : b&w and col, 25 x 20 cm or smaller
1 painting : oil on board
Date
1910-2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material from the Agudas Hamishpocha (AH) Rubinoff/Naftolin cousins club, books and an oil painting. Included are photos of the Rubinoff/Naftolin family taken in Russia; copies of postcards from family in Russia written in Yiddish and Russian; notes compiled by Bill Gladstone translating cards sent by Dan & Rose Newman; copies of email correspondence with Dan Newman; copies of photos of Rubinoff/Naftolin family taken in Russia and Toronto; two souvenir booklets marking the 80th and 85th anniversary of AH; Shana Tova postcard from AH; newspaper clippings of obituaries of family members; AH membership fee statements, a copy of the speech written by Bill Gladstone for a book launch, copy of an invitation to 85th anniversary of AH; a copy of AH family tree; AH meeting minutes; lists of AH Philanthropic Fund donations; AH schedule of breakfasts and AH membership lists. Also included is a book commemorating the 75th anniversary of Congregation B'nai Israel in London, ON; a signed copy of "From Rags to Riches" by Dr. Max M Glassman; a signed copy of "My Ninety Years: Confessions of a 14-Year-Old High School Dropout" a biography by Max Beder; a copy of "Borrowed Time : The Life of Russell Norman Gladstone 1918-1988" by Bill Gladstone; a photo of the Gladstone family; an original oil painting of the Kiever synagogue by an unknown artist.
Descriptive Notes
2 books have been moved to the OJA library: "From Rags to Riches", the autobiography of Dr. Max M. Glassman and "Borrowed Time" by Gill Gladstone.
Related Material Note: See also 1988-2-9; 2011-6-3; 2016-2-1; 2016-2-15; 2018-7-3; 2019-4-5; 2020-1-6; 2020-2-5.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-21
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-21
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
13 cm of textual records
Date
1927-1984, predominant 1927-1947
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Posluns family. Included are letters to Sam Posluns written in 1927, when Sam was in New York; letters to Sam Poslun written in 1947, when he was in Europe with the Tailor Project; miscellaneous newspaper articles; and a 1984 Negev Dinner book. Of note is a letter addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Posluns from Abby Fuhrman, whose son, David Fuhrman, went to live with the Posluns during the Second World War.
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
Families
World War, 1939-1945
Name Access
Posluns (family)
Posluns, Samuel, 1910-1994
Places
Europe
New York (N.Y.).
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-24
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-24
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
221 photographs (jpg)
1 audiovisual recording (mp4)
Date
2016
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the Eker family. Included are photographs taken in Hamilton and Toronto. Locations include the Eker home, Limeridge Mall in Hamilton, Bayfront in Hamilton, First Canada Place, the Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue. Pictured in the photographs are Debbie and Glen Eker and Glen's father.
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
Families
Name Access
Eker (family)
Eker, Glen
Places
Hamilton (Ont.)
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-25
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-25
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
moving images (electronic)
Physical Description
2 folders of textual records
3 photographs
1 CD
Date
1973-2013
Scope and Content
Accession consists of material documenting the personal and professional lives of Charles and Anne Dubin. Included are: a copy of the eulogy for Charles presented by Justice Robert P. Armstrong October 20, 2008; a newspaper clipping from the "Globe and Mail" of an obituary for Charles Dubin written by Sandra Martin; obituary for Anne Ruth Dubin August 2007; a DVD of the Dubin Lecture presented by Sheila Block on April 21, 2010; a copy of the book "The Dubin Lectures on Advocacy 1998-2002" by Edward L. Greenspan, Q.C., Sir Sydney Kentridge, Q.C. and Justice W. Ian Binnie; a programme from "An Evening in Appreciation of The Honourable Charles L. Dubin Q.C." April 1996; 3 photos; 2 programmes for the administering of the oaths of office and allegiance to The Honourable Charles L. Dubin as the Associate Chief Justice for Ontario in September 1987 and as the Chief Justice of Ontario in April 1990; a newspaper clipping from the Canadian Jewish news March 1990 featuring Charles Dubin; a copy of a speech presented by Charles Dubin on being the recipient of the honourary Degree of Doctor of Laws from University of Toronto; a programme from a dinner marking the appointment of Charles Leonard Dubin as a Justice of Appeal of the Supreme Court of Ontario February 1973; a programme from the Annual Book of Life Celebration sponsored by the Jewish Foundation of Greater Toronto on October 2013 recognizing Charles and Anne Dubin as honourees; a copy of "Nexus". the University of Toronto Faculty of Law Alumni magazine, from 2009 noting the creation of The Honourable Charles L. Dubin Memorial Scholarship; a copy of "The Advocates' Journal" from 2009 featuring a eulogy written by the Honourable Robert P. Armstrong in memory of the Honourable Charles Leonard Dubin, Q.C.; a newspaper article written by Peter Worthington in memory of Charles; a newspaper clipping from the "New York Times" October 30, 2008 noting the death of Charles Dubin; a copy of an obituary in memory of Charles Dubin written by Tracey Tyler in the the "Toronto Star" October 28, 2008; a newsclipping published by Canwest News Service in memory of Charles Dubin published October 28, 2008; a newspaper clipping remembering Charles Dubin in the "Toronto Star" written by Peter Small; a copy of the eulogy for Charles written by Francie Klein, Charles's niece; a copy of an article concerning the creation of The Honourable Charles L. Dubin Memorial Scholarship; copies of press releases following the death of Charles Dubin; copies of an article highlighting Dubin's legal achievements; a letter of condolence sent to Francie and Stuart Klein from Mayo Moran, Dean of Law from the University of Toronto; a letter of thanks to Francie Klein, niece, from Hinda Silber, Chair of the the Book of Life, from the Jewish Foundation; a certificate marking 2013 UC Alumni of Influence Award presented to the estate of Charles Leonard Dubin on behalf of the Government of Canada accompanied by a letter of congratulations to Francie Klein and Stuart Klein from Hart Hanson.
Administrative History
Charles Leonard Dubin was born in Hamilton to parents Harry and Ethel Dubin. He attended Hamilton Central Collegiate Institute and University of Toronto where he graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School as Gold Medalist in 1944. Charles began a practice in law with a classmate to form the firm of Kimber and Dubin. He was distinguished as an Officer of the Order of Canada, invested an Officer of the Order of Ontario and appointed to Queen's Counsel in 1950. In 1972 Kimber and Dubin merged with another firm, Torys. Charles was appointed to the Ontario Court of Appeal in 1973. In 1987 he became Associate Chief Justice of Ontario and served as Chief Justice from 1990-1996. In 1988, Charles headed an inquiry, known as the Dubin Inquiry, that delved into drug use in Canadian amateur sports. In 1988, the U of T Faculty of Law presented Charles with the Distinguished Alumnus Award, and in 1993 was awarded an honourary doctorate laws. He retired in 1996. Charles died October 27, 2008. Anne Dubin (nee Levine) and Charles were classmates in Law School. They were married in 1950. Anne practiced in corporate law. She was a director of Petro-Canada, and a member of the Ontario Law Reform Commission Advisory Board. She served as a director of Telemedia Communications Inc., Morgan Trust Co. of Canada and as a former Public Governor of the Toronto Stock Exchange. She was vice-chair, Area Committee of the York County Legal Aid Plan, a former member of the Attorney General's Advisory Committee on the Juvenile & Family Court of Metropolitan Toronto, and a former member of the Joint Committee on Penal Reform for Women. Anne's community service included : vice-chair of York University; a trustee of the Toronto Hospital Foundation; a director of the Canadian Club; an Honorary Counsel of the Canadian Red Cross Society; an Honorary Counsel for the Museum Children's Theatre; a director of the Elizabeth Fry Society; a director of the Toronto Mental Health Clinic for Children and Adolescents and its successor, the Hincks-Dellcrest Centre; a director of the Clarke Institute of Psychiatry; and a trustee of the Ontario Mental Health Foundation. Anne died on August 2, 2007.
Descriptive Notes
Availability of other formats: Speech has been digitized.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-26
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-26
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
36 photographs : col. and b&w ; 21 x 25 cm or smaller
Date
[ca. 1934]-2015
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records related to John Arthur (Jack) Geller's life and career. Of note are 36 colour and b&w photographs dated from ca. 1934 to 1984 documenting Geller's life and career; Spring Issue 1955 of Obiter Dicta magazine; a small poster with photos of the 1955 graduating class of Osgoode Hall Law School, when Geller was awarded the Gold Key Award; a Certificate of Honor awarded to Geller by the B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation for the year of 1949-1950; the May 1999 issue of Fasken Link containing an interview with Geller; a draft of a speech delivered by Geller during a debate at Hart House with the presence of Prime Minister Louis St. Laurent as well as an invitation to and newspaper clippings about the debate; newspaper clippings about Geller's participation in several debates; correspondence relating to Geller's licensing examination and call to the Bar; the March 2015 issue of Holy Blossom Temple Bulletin containing a tribute to Geller; the section of the 18 May 1963 issue of Maclean's dealing with the Hal Banks case and the Norris commission, of which Geller was part representing Upper Lakes Shipping; awards given to Geller; and correspondence addressed to him.
Custodial History
Records were donated by Jack's daughter, Dana.
Administrative History
John Arthur Geller was born in 1930 in Toronto, Ontario, to Polish immigrants Kalman and Katy Geller (née Ladowsky). He attended Forest Hill Collegiate and University College at the University of Toronto, where he graduated with a BA degree in 1951. He met his wife, Sybil Gangbar (daughter of Phil and Sarah Gangbar), in 1948, during his second week at U of T, where she was also studying, and they were married two weeks after graduating. They had four children: Lawrence (b. 1955), Dana (b. 1957), Jan (b. 1960), and Harold (b. 1964). After enrolling at Osgoode Hall Law School later that year, and articling at the firm Campbell, Godfrey & Lewtas, he was called to the Bar in 1955. Geller began his legal practice with Campbell, Godfrey & Lewtas, where he remained for the entirety of his career. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1966. In 1993, Geller retired from legal practice and was appointed Vice-Chair of the Ontario Securities Commission. He served in different capacities with the Commission until his 2001 retirement. In addition to his work as a lawyer and for the Ontario Securities Commission, Geller served as a director on the board of Leitch Transport Limited and Ford Glass Limited. He was also a member of the Canadian Jewish Congress, served as president of B'nai Brith, Central Region, and was the National President of the Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada (JIAS), and a member and Honorary President for Life of Holy Blossom Temple. After suffering a stroke in 2002, Geller developed aphasia and spent five years working tirelessly to regain his reading abilities. He passed away on 7 January 2015. His funeral was held at Holy Blossom Temple, which he never stopped attending.
Subjects
Lawyers
Name Access
Geller, John Arthur (Jack), 1930-2015
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-28
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-11-28
Material Format
graphic material
textual record
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
3 photographs : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm
Date
[194-]-2000
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the communal lives of Manny Grafstein and Reva Grafstein of London, Ontario. Included are certificates from B'nai Brith, Hadassah-WIZO, Jewish National Fund, London Jewish Youth Association, and the Canadian Technion Society. Also included are general correspondence related to the London Hadassah-WIZO, a copy of the Jewish Observor detailing the three Grafstein sons enlisted during the Second World War, a London Jewish Directory (1950–1951), a B'nai Brith Digest, newspaper clippings related to the Grafstein family, and three photographs of Al Siegel of B'nai Brith.
Administrative History
Manny Grafstein (1917–1984) was born in London, Ontario, to Max (Melech) W. Grafstein and Rose Grafstein. Max was an author, showman, and proprietor of the London Silk Shoppe. He used to serve as the editor of the Jewish Observor and was a member of the B'nai Israel Congregation. In his youth, Manny and his other two brothers served in Canada's Armed Forces. Later, he became the owner of Manney's Fabric Centre and once served as president of the East London Business Association. He was also an active member of the London Jewish Youth Association and B'nai Brith. Manny married Reva Grafstein (1924–2018), who used to be a communication team member of the London Hadassah-WIZO and the co-ordinator of a clinic at the Jewish Community Centre in London. Manny and Reva had three children together: Norman Grafstein, Karen Grafstein Reiss (Willie Reiss), and Susan Grafstein.
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
Awards
Families
Married people
Places
London (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-12-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-12-1
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
ca. 25 cm of textual records
15 photographs : b&w and col. ; 20 x 26 cm and smaller
Date
1832-2017
Scope and Content
Accession consists of the research files of Bill Gladstone. The materials document Bill’s research on various aspects of the Jewish history of Toronto and Canada and are sourced from a variety of newspapers, books, and archival repositories. Most of the newspaper clippings and copies of clippings are from the Canadian Jewish News, Toronto Star, the National Post, and the Globe and Mail; and the copies of archival documents are mainly from the Archives of Ontario, the City of Toronto Archives, and the Ontario Jewish Archives.
Included are Bill’s newspaper articles; documents relating to Bill’s books and a publishing house that Bill established in 2008 named Now and Then Books; genealogy research materials and notes; copies of early Toronto maps; copies of articles written by Ben Kayfetz; research materials documenting Toronto local synagogues such as the Holy Blossom Temple, Goel Tzedec Synagogue, First Narayever Congregation, and McCaul St. Synagogue (Beth Hamidrash Hagadol); copies of Canadian Moving Picture Digest and Canadian Film Weekly that document the accomplishments of Jews in the Canadian film industry; and research materials pertaining to Russian Jews, Yiddish theatres and opera houses, religious education in public schools, and the history of the Jews in Toronto and Canada in general. Also included are research documents relating to Toronto Jewish neighbourhoods such as Kensington Market, The Junction, The Ward, and Bathurst Manor; and materials documenting Toronto local Jewish businesses, organizations, families, and individuals.
Accession also contains a small number of photographs that Bill took or collected during his research, most of which feature the Holy Blossom Temple, Temple Beth Israel (Macon, Georgia), and Congregation Mickve Israel (Savannah, Georgia).
Administrative History
Bill Gladstone is a researcher, journalist, author, publisher, and genealogist living in Toronto. He has written and edited numerous books on Canadian Jewish history and is a frequent contributor to the Canadian Jewish News, the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, and other publications. He is often asked to give community presentations on a variety of topics related to the history of Jewish Toronto. In 2008, Bill established a publishing company named Now and Then Books. Bill is the former president of the Jewish Genealogical Society of Toronto and book review editor for Avotaynu, the international journal of Jewish genealogy.
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
Titles of files were transcribed from their original formal titles; for files that do not bear formal titles, supplied titles were given based on file contents.
Subjects
Genealogists
Authors
Journalists
Name Access
Gladstone, Bill
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-12-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-12-2
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
1 folder of textual records
5 photographs : b&w
Date
1944-1984
Scope and Content
Accession consists of correspondence to Ben Kayfetz from an American friend in Berlin in 1951 and 1952, a 1944 Central Commerce yearbook belonging to Eva Kayfetz (née Silver), five photographs, an armed forces prayer book formerly belonging to Chaplain Rabbi Jacob Eisen, a speech about Soviet Jewry, and Ben Kayfetz's retirement speech.
Custodial History
The donor, Zena Tenenbaum, is Ben's daughter.
Administrative History
Ben Kayfetz was a well-known leader of the Jewish community and advocate for human rights. He completed a degree in modern languages from the University of Toronto. During the Second World War, he worked for the Wartime Information Board reading prisoners-of-war letters, and from 1945 to 1947, worked with the Canadian Control Commission in the British-controlled sector of Germany.
He served with the Canadian Jewish Congress from 1947 to 1985 in various positions, including director of public relations and executive director of the Central Region. He was instrumental in the development of government anti-discriminatory policies and legislation in the 1950s and 1960s onward and received the Order of Canada in 1986.
Ben Kayfetz also founded the Yiddish Luncheon Club, was president of the Toronto Jewish Historical Society, and was a frequent contributor to various periodicals in Canada and abroad, under his own name and his pseudonym, Gershon B. Newman. He was viewed as the local authority on Toronto Jewish history and also had his own radio spot on CHIN.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Descriptive Notes
Availability of other formats: correspondence have been scanned and available in PDF format.
Subjects
Prayer books
Yearbooks
Human rights workers
Speeches, addresses, etc
Name Access
Kayfetz, Ben, 1916-2002
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-10
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-10-10
Material Format
moving images (electronic)
textual record (electronic)
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
22 videos : mp4 ; 1113 GB
Textual records (electronic) ; ca. 4.3 MB
ca. 670 photographs and pdfs (electronic)
Date
2017-2020
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records created during the production of Ron Chapman's film, Shelter. Included are video interviews and written transcripts, and family photographs and documents collected and copied from the interviewees. Signed release forms accompany the interviews. Also included is the finished film and trailer as mp4 files.
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
Buildings
Holocaust survivors
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-12-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-12-3
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
4 photo albums (83 photographs) : b&w and col. ; 20 x 25 cm or smaller
Date
[197-]-1983, 2000
Scope and Content
Accession consists of four photo albums documenting the staff and cooperative partners of Goodman and Carr LLP. Included are snapshots of corporate events and parties—a picnic at Seneca King Campus in 1981, a lawyers and staff baseball event in 1983, and a picnic in 2000. Also included are photographs depicting Goodman and Carr LLP’s partners at a social event dating from the 1970s.
Custodial History
The records were in the possession of Gary Luftspring before being gifted to the Ontario Jewish Archives on Dec. 9, 2021. Gary Luftspring was previously Goodman and Carr LLP's chairman.
Administrative History
Goodman and Carr LLP was a Canadian law firm, established in 1965 when Wolfe Goodman and Donald Carr combined their practices. The firm once reigned as one of Canada's top tax and real estate law firms, employing over 140 lawyers. The company dissolved in 2007, following partner defections and failed merge talks with its competitors, including the major international law firm, Baker McKenzie.
Descriptive Notes
SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE: Further identification of the individuals pictured in the photographs is required.
Subjects
Lawyers
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-12-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2021-12-5
Material Format
graphic material
Physical Description
1 photograph : b&w ; 25 x 70 cm
1 photograph : b&w ; 37 x 58 cm
Date
1927,1937
Scope and Content
Accession consists of two photographs documenting the 1927 B'nai Brith Grand Lodge No. 1 convention and the 1927 sixth national convention of the Federation of Young Judaea of Canada, which was held in Toronto.
The B'nai Brith Grand Lodge No 1 Convention took place on 23 May 1937 at the Hotel Statler. Identified in the photograph is Dr. Nicholas Sole and Bertha Minden Sole, the parents of Louise Sole Rotman. The photograph is by Famous Studio, photographer Bob Hauser.
Sole Family history book entitled "Sole Family Legacy Book." The book was created by the donor's daughter, Tami Martino (née Rotman), and is compiled from the collections of all the families across Canada and the United States. We all share a common ancestry, descended from Joseph Nuszen and Regina (Berman Sole), who came to Canada from Hungary. It covers 150 years of our collective history down Joseph Nuszen Sole's line, 6 generations, and every family member is represented to the publishing date (2009). Additional information is provided for 55 family members down the maternal (Regina Berman's) line. Her father was a Rabbi, and most of that side did not get out of Hungary and they perished in the Holocaust, their names are all provided. For those of us whose descendants came to Canada, we have families involved in numerous professions and contributing to the vibrant Jewish life in Canada in many ways.
Administrative History
Louise Rotman (née Sole) was born in 1942 in Hamilton, Ontario. She is the daughter of Dr. Nicholas Sole (1901–1971), who emigrated from Kisvárda, Hungary in 1927, and Bertha Minden (née Sole, 1909–1994), who emigrated from Zhytomyr, Russia with her family in 1911. Her brother was Dr. Mickey Sole (1938–2018). From the age of a teenager, she was involved as a volunteer for Jewish organizations and assisting as a fundraiser for the United Jewish Appeal. She was a treasurer of the Temple Youth Group and a secretary of the Senior Youth Council. Later, as an adult, she was treasurer of the Hamilton Jewish Community Centre, chair of the Camp Committee, treasurer of the UJA Federation, president of B'nai B'rith Women Hamilton chapter, president of the Deborah Sisterhood of Temple Anshe Sholom, and the first female president of the oldest Reform synagogue in Canada: Temple Anshe Sholom. She continued to watch over the temple's finances for twenty-one years. Louise graduated from the University of Toronto with a bachelor of science degree and married Laurence Rotman (1937–2021). She had a short teaching career at Westdale Secondary School before the birth of her children: Tami Martino (née Rotman), Mark Rotman, and Rachelle McGurrin (née Rotman). She has six grandchildren. She was a stay-at-home mom for thirteen years, and later returned to McMaster University, where she received a master of business administration degree and designation as a chartered accountant from the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants. She specialized in taxation (mainly in corporate tax planning) and US and Canadian personal tax for a forty-year career, twenty-four of which were spent at MacGillivray Partners in Hamilton. During this period, she assisted the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, marking their uniform final exam, and the Ontario Institute of Chartered Accountants, marking the provincial tax exams. She retired from public practice in 2007. After retirement, Louise maininted her involvement in the Hamilton Jewish community as captain for the United Jewish Appeal and a permanent board member of Temple Anshe Sholom.
Laurence Rotman was born in 1937 in Toronto, Ontario. He was the son of Hyman Rotman and Adele Rotman (née Kaplan). His sister was Marcia Levy (née Rotman). As a youth, he was president of AZA, a youth-led fraternity for Jewish teenagers and the male wing of the B'nai B'rith Youth Organization. He was also involved in Young Judaea. In addition, Laurence was involved in the Gamma lota Beta Fraternity in high school and was frosh president at Waterloo Lutheran. In later years, he played major roles in the Jewish community. Some of the highlights were that he was president of B'nai B'rith Hamilton and a past recipient honoree of the State of Israel Bonds. When he and Louise co-chaired the State of Israel bond dinner in 1971, they raised $167,000, which (adjusted for inflation) is equivalent to $1.2 million in 2021. He also led a very eclectic business career. A mainstay business was always Reco Distributors and Mfg. Ltd. He also worked on the board of directors for Creative Arts, as Heart Fund publicity chair, and he was director of sales and marketing for the public company Lawn-A-Mat Chemical and Equipment. He was also a co-owner of Feathers Restaurant, a dinner-and-dancing club in Hamilton, which he described as one of his favourite businesses to run. He was a life master in bridge.
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
Congresses and conventions
Name Access
B'nai B'rith. New York Lodge No. 1 (New York, N.Y.)
Federation of Young Judaea of Canada
Places
New York (N.Y.).
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-1-1
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-1-1
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
1 photograph : col. (jpg)
Date
30 Dec. 2021
Scope and Content
Accession consists of a photograph of a piece of cake. The photograph was taken on 30 December 2021 in Toronto after the donor's parents completed their quarantine.
Commenting on the photograph, the donor wrote:
A cake celebrating my parents completion of their quarantine after having Covid 19. The cake's decoration says "Congratulations on beating Covid!"
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Cake
COVID-19 (Disease)
Quarantine
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-1-5
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-1-5
Material Format
graphic material (electronic)
Physical Description
6 photographs (5 jpg, 1 heic)
5 textual records (png)
Date
16 Jan. 2022
Scope and Content
Accession consists of photos and promotional material created for Jewish Cookbook Workshop "Capunti with Matthew Calverley." The Zoom program was hosted by Jewish&. The photographs depict Matthew Calverley in his kitchen leading the workshop and includes views of the camera and laptop set up. In addition, there is a copy of the recipe, an Instagram promotional post, and the logo for "Building the Jewish Cookbook."
Administrative History
Jewish& is department of Miles Nadal JCC. Jewish&'s mission is to create programs that engage multi-faith, multi-cultural and multi-ethnic families. Programs are designed to promote exploration, education, and celebration of their Jewishness.
Capunti with Matthew Calverley was the first of of a series of monthly workshops planned for 2022. The recipes workshoped will celebrate traditions and cultures from blended households.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-2-2
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-2-2
Material Format
textual record
graphic material
Physical Description
8 photographs : b&w ; 9 x 14 cm or smaller
1 folder of textual records
Date
[ca. 1913]-1923
Scope and Content
Accession consists of 8 photographs and three letters addressed to Fannie Adelman from Berul Sugarman, as well as one recital program. The photographs depict:
A young child, dressed in white, standing on a large chair and holding and violin and bow, likely Abie Sugarman
An unknown child in a dark sweater with two buttons on the shoulder, standing in front of a small table holding a violin at his side.
A head-and-shoulders shot of a young man, likely Abie Sugarman, perhaps about age 8 or 9. A note in pencil on the back of this photo reads "A MERRY XMAS GREET your father and mother and sister"
A portrait of Abie Sugarman, perhaps about age 10 or 11, holding his violin as if to play, standing beside a seated gentleman who might be his instructor Broadus Farmer
A full-length portrait of Abie Sugarman holding his violin as if to play, about age 13
A portrait of Abie Sugarman standing with his violin tucked under his right arm and his bow hanging from his right hand, about age 13. There is a ring visible on his right hand
A small head-and-shoulders photo of Abie Sugarman, perhaps in his late teens or early twenties
A portrait of Fannie Adelman, taken in 1923 when she was 13 or 14, about two years after these letters were written to her.
The other items are: the programme of a recital given at The Hambourg Conservatory Recital Hall on Tuesday June 21, 1921; a partial letter from Abie Sugarman to Fannie Adelman, dated June 29, 1921; a two-page letter from Abie Sugarman to Fannie Adelman, undated; a four-page letter from Abie Sugarman to Fannie Adelman, undated; a stamped empty envelope. It is believed by the donor that at least one of these letters was in this envelope, and delivered by hand despite the stamp. All three letters were send from 240 Dundas St. West, where the Sugarman family was living at the time.
Administrative History
Berul Sugarman (Abram Berul Sugarman) was born to Jacob (Jake) and Annie (Starkman) Sugarman on 28 May 1908, in Toronto, where he lived for most but not all of his life. The Sugarman family appears to have lived briefly in Welland; the Welland directory for 1919 includes a listing for "Jake Sugarman, restaurant, west side of Main Street, house same." This would have been when Abie (he began calling himself "Berul" later in life; he went by "Abie" in his younger years) met Fannie Adelman, older daughter of Joseph Adelman and Baila (Moschiach, anglicised to Miller). Fannie was born in Montreal in 1909 and moved to Welland with her parents and younger sister Minnie sometime after 1915.
Use Conditions
Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the Archives to obtain permission prior to use.
Subjects
Musicians
Letters
Portraits
Name Access
Sugarman, Abram Berul, 1908-1982
Places
Toronto (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-2-3
Source
Archival Accessions
Accession Number
2022-2-3
Material Format
textual record
Physical Description
3 cm of textual records
Date
[1939?]-2020, predominant 1939-1946
Scope and Content
Accession consists of records documenting the immigration of Daniel Zultek from Poland to Canada under a Sugihara Visa in 1941 and documents pertaining to Sugihara visas and Chiune Sugihara (also known as Sempo Sugihara), a Japanese diplomat who served as vice-consul for the Japanese Empire in Kovno (Kaunas), Lithuania. Included are Daniel’s travelling documents dating from 1939 to 1941—an identification document, an immigration identification card, a quarantine/medical examination card issued by Nippon Yusen (also known as NYK Line), and a ship manifest; correspondence between Daniel and Polish consulates in Toronto and Montreal (1941-1943)—one of the letters (28 May 1942) was obtained by Daniel for the purpose of bringing his brother, who was still in Warsaw at that time, over to Canada; a memorandum from the Jewish Community of Kobe to Daniel (1941); records documenting Daniel's experience in serving in the Polish Armed Units in Canada (1941); work documents pertaining to Daniel’s career at Canada Motor Products (1941-1942); and a brief memoir written by Daniel with notations by his daughter Irene. Also included are newspaper clippings and book chapters documenting Daniel’s immigration to Canada via Japan under a Sugihara visa (1993-2020), a programme book of the Sempo Sugihara Tribute Dinner (1993), and a pamphlet of the Chiune Sugihara Memorial Hall in Japan.
Custodial History
The records were in the possession of Daniel’s daughter, Irene Henry, before being gifted to the Ontario Jewish Archives on Feb. 9, 2022.
Administrative History
Daniel Zultek (1910-1995) was born in Warsaw, Poland, on 1 September 1910, to Leon and Helena Zultek. Leon owned a large freight shipping company on the Vistula River, between Danzig and Gdynia harbours. Leon was a successful businessman, a community leader, a philanthropist, and a life member of the Jewish Kehilla Congress in Warsaw, which was allegedly the largest Jewish institution in Europe voted by the Jewish public. Daniel had been running the family business since 1932 until 1939 when the Second World War broke out. He was nominated to the board of directors of the company in 1938. In January 1939, Leon died of a heart attack. Daniel's mother Helena, sister Natalia, and most family members were murdered by Nazi Germany in concentration camps. The only survivors were Daniel, his elder brother Rafael, Irene (Rafael's first wife, who lived in Argentina), and four cousins name Daniel (surname unspecified), Rita (surname unspecified), Adam Zultek, and Dorka Zultek. On 6 September 1939, Daniel fled Warsaw, where was heavily bombarded by German troops, and headed for Pinsk, a city near the Soviet border. Half a month later, because Soviet troops invaded Pinsk, Daniel escaped to Vilnius in the neighbouring country Lithuania. In June 1940, the Soviet Union entered Lithuania. During that time, Daniel heard that the Japanese consulate in Kaunas was issuing transit visas. Fortunately, on 1 August 1940, Daniel received his visa from Vice-consul Chiune Sugihara. In the same month, he managed to escape Kaunas and headed for Moscow. With a Russian transit visa, he took the Trans-Siberian Railway from Moscow to Vladivostok; from there, he took a ship for Tsuruga Port, Japan. During his stay in Japan, he learned that the British Embassy in Tokyo was recruiting volunteers to join the Polish Armed Forces in Australia, the United States, and Canada. Daniel volunteered and chose Canada as his destination. On 5 June 1941, he embarked on the ship, Hikawa Maru, in Yokohama and arrived in Vancouver on the 17th of the same month. From there, he headed for the Polish military base in Owen Sound, Ontario. Daniel received eight months of military training in Owen Sound but was honourably discharged owing to a cataract in his right eye. Fortunately, he was allowed to remain in Canada. After being discharged, Daniel worked various jobs to make a living. In 1941, he had jobs with Canada Motor Products and Frankel Engineering; from 1942 to 1945, he served de Havilland Aircraft as an inspector; from 1945 to 1948, he worked as a sales representative of an American milkshake and ice cream company named Mr. Gordon. While working at Frankel Engineering in 1941, Daniel met Mr. Epstein who introduced him to farming. In 1948, Daniel bought a one-hundred-acre farm in Brampton, Ontario. In the same year, he attended an agriculture college in Guelph, Ontario. While running the farm, he also opened Caledon Sand and Gravel, a company located in Caledon, Ontario, supplying sand and gravel for construction. His career also involved business in real estate. Daniel married Molly Mandel in 1943 and had three daughters Helen, Leona, and Irene. Molly (nee Mandel) Zultek (1915-1989) was a Torontonian of Russian descent. Her father, Albert Mandel, was one of the founders of the Congregation Knesseth Israel (also known as the Junction Shul) located on Maria Street in the Junction. Molly grew up in the Junction neighbourhood. In 1957, Daniel sold the farm and moved to Forest Hill Village a neighbourhood and former village in Midtown Toronto with his family. Daniel retired in 1988. In addition to business, Daniel also devoted his time to charity and social work. Daniel was an ardent Zionist and visited Israel twenty-seven times. He was director and a member of the board of governors of the Jewish National Fund. He was also a generous contributor to Jewish organizations and sponsored the Hebrew University and its students.
Descriptive Notes
LANGUAGE NOTE: some of the material is in Japanese and has been translated into English. Translated documents are available at S:\Collections\2022-2-3.
Availability of other formats: digital preservation copies for most documents have been created and are available in PDF, JPG, and TIF formats.
Subjects
Immigrants
World War, 1939-1945
Places
Warsaw (Poland)
Lithuania
Japan
Toronto (Ont.)
Owen Sound (Ont.)
Brampton (Ont.)
Source
Archival Accessions