Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Level

Fonds

Fonds

88

Material Format

multiple media

Date

[ca. 1916]-1996, predominant 1940-1996

Physical Description

38 cm of textual records (9v.) and other material

Admin History/Bio

The Brantford Hebrew Association, Congregation Beth David’s precursor, was founded in 1907 when Rabbi Backer officiated Brantford’s first public Jewish religious service in an upper hall on George Street. Services had previously taken place in the homes of Jewish families, who had begun settling in the area around the turn of the century. By 1911, services had moved to the old Conservative Hall at Dalhousie and King Street. In 1915, the congregation purchased a building at 33 Palace Street and remodeled it into a synagogue. This building was also used as a community centre and for the Congregation’s Hebrew school.

On October 13th, 1911 the congregation was incorporated, and the following year it purchased land for a cemetery in the northeast corner of Mount Hope Cemetery. Due to increasing membership, a new synagogue was built at 50 Waterloo Street in 1948. In January 1950, the congregation changed its name to Beth David in honour of member David Axler, who died during the Second World War while training as a pilot in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

The congregation was at its peak in the 1960s with 150 member families. However, membership drastically fell after the children of this generation moved to larger cities and their parents followed after retirement. By 1999, only 28 families remained as members and services were reduced to being held on the High Holidays and special occasions, such as, b'nai mitzvah. Dwindling resources and membership forced the congregation to close around 2001. Throughout its existence, over 30 rabbis served the congregation, including Rabbi Saul Wolfe Gringorten (ca. 1910-1923). Its cemetery continues to be looked after by Allan Norris, a past president of the congregation.

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of records documenting the acitivities, religious programs and services, membership, and finances of Congregation Beth David, as well as the recognition and honours awarded by and to Brantford's Jewish community. Included are meeting minutes, photographs, plaques, a key, a marriage register, general ledgers, ledgers and lists of membership dues and receipts, audited financial statements, budgets, correspondece, bulletins, office stationary, newsclippings, certificates, library book cards, bookplates, rabbi contracts, and surveys.

Fonds has been arranged into the following six series: 1. Meetings ; 2. Religious programs and services; 3. Finances & accounting ; 4. Administrative functions ; 5. Bulletins ; and, 6. Events.

Notes

Includes 10 microfiches of textual records, 5 architectural drawings, 11 photographs (4 negatives), 3 plaques, 1 mounted letter and 1 key.

Fonds was reduced from ca. 1 metre to ca. 45 cm. See accession 2001-10-3 for further information about the culled material.

Name Access

Congregation Beth David (Brantford, Ont.)

Subjects

Architecture

Communities

Synagogues

Physical Condition

The binding on some of the general ledgers is fragile and coming apart. They have been stored flat to reduce any strain.

The architectural drawings have some tears and should be flattened.

Related Material

Please see the Sadie Stren fonds 78 for other records documenting Brantford's Jewish community and the Beth David Congregation, including the synagogue's original letters of incorporation.

For other photographs documenting Congregation Beth David, see: accesssion 1976-6-5 (photo # 1133); accession 1976-6-6 (photos # 1138, 1137, 1136); accession 1976-6-13; accession 1986-2-2 (photos #3593-3595, 3856, 3889-3894), photo #918; and, photo #578.

For records related to Beth David's namesake, David Axler, and photographs of its cemetery, please see accession #2004-5-71.

For records of Rabbi Gringorten, see accession #2009-2-5 and 2008-11-3

For additional records related to Brantford families and other Jewish organizations, such as the Hadassah chapter and B'nai Brith lodge, please see accession #2001-10-3; MG 2J29a, #2009-7-1, 1978-11-4, 1977-8-16, 1992-8-3, 1980-1-14, 1978-1-2, 2008-7-1, photo# 109, photo# 755, and photo #758.

Arrangement

Fonds is arranged to the file-level, but only described to the series-level. Three file-level descriptions exist for files attached directly to the fonds. Photographs with existing item-level descriptions were also attached to the fonds.

Creator

Congregation Beth David (Brantford, Ont.)

Places

Brantford (Ont.)

Accession Number

2001-10-3

1978-11-4

1981-12-2 / MG3 B16

1976-6-8

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Level

File

Fonds

88

File

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

[after Jan. 1950]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of two copies of Congregation Beth David's constitution and by-laws.

Accession Number

2001-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Level

File

Fonds

88

File

2

Material Format

textual record

Date

1962-1987

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Scope and Content

File consists of correspondence and a motion notice of the Congregation's Board of Directors. The correspondence is primarily regarding board member resignations.

Accession Number

2001-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Level

File

Fonds

88

File

3

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Date

1948-[ca. 1980]

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records and other material

Scope and Content

File consists of records documenting the recognition and awards presented either to or by Brantford's Jewish community. Included is one newsclipping, a photograph of what is likely a plaque in Israel honouring the community for opening their homes to foreign airmen during the Second World War, one Karen Hayesod plaque, one key presented to Bertha Finkelstein by Congregation Beth David, one provincial Community Service Award earned by Congregation member Annette Sherman, Israel Histadut Campaign certificates and Jewish National Fund certificates.

Notes

Physical description note: Includes 1 b&w photograph, 1 plaque, and 1 key (in a wooden box under glass).

Photograph is by A. Joselewicz of Tel-Aviv.

Accession Number

2001-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Level

File

Fonds

88

File

3

Material Format

architectural drawing

Date

1946-1947

Physical Description

4 architectural drawings : blueprint ; 45 x 74 cm

Scope and Content

File consists of blueprints for the construction of the Congregation's new synagogue on Waterloo Street.

Accession Number

2001-10-3

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Meetings series

Level

Series

Fonds

88

Series

1

Material Format

textual record

Date

1940-1994

Physical Description

10 microfiches of textual records ; 10.5 x 14.5 cm

4 cm of textual records (3 v.)

Custodial History

Meeting minutes were likely microfiched in the 1980s by the Ontario Jewish Archives. The source and current location of the originals is unknown.

Scope and Content

Series consists of notebooks and minute books documenting the various meetings of Congregation Beth David. Each book documents multiple types of meetings, including; general, special, regular, Executive Committee, and Board of Directors meetings. Also included are the minutes of an open forum and the Congregation's 60th anniversary dinner celebration. The minute books for the period from April 1952 to October 1972 are on microfiche. One minute book contains loose copies of memos and financial statements.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Religious programs and services series

Level

Series

Fonds

88

Series

2

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1916]-1994

Physical Description

4 cm of textual records (1 v.)

3 photographs (1 negative) : b&w ; 15 x 18 cm or smaller

Scope and Content

Series consists of photographs and textual records documenting Congregation Beth David's marriage, Bas Torah and conversion services, and its affiliated programs; the Beth David Hebrew School, Beth David Sisterhood, and Beth David Cemetery. Included are certificates; correspondence; a marriage register for the period from November 1952 to June 1963; one photograph of an early Hebrew School class; one photograph and program of the Congregation's first Bas Torah service for Elaine Abeles, Sherry Rotberg and Susan Rotberg; and, a report on the school's classrooms. Series also contains records documenting the Sisterhood's library, including; library book cards, an income and expenses notebook, bookplates and a memo.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Religious programs and services series

Beth David Hebrew School file

Level

Item

Fonds

88

Series

2

File

1

Item

1

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1916]

Physical Description

2 photographs (1 negative) : b&w ; 13 x 18 cm and 10 x 12 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a copy print and corresponding negative of a Brantford Hebrew Association (later Congregation Beth David) cheder class. Pictured is Rabbi Jack Corsonsky (Corson) surrounded by his students. Pictured in the front—second and third from the left—are Ida and Alice Gazer.

Subjects

Heder

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Accession Number

1976-6-8

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Finances and accounting series

Level

Series

Fonds

88

Series

3

Material Format

textual record

Date

1930-1996, predominant 1958-1992

Physical Description

16 cm of textual records (5 v.)

Scope and Content

Series consists of textual records documenting Congregation Beth David's financial activities. Included are general ledgers, audited financial statements, a budget, ledgers and lists of membership dues and receipts, a provincial annual return, and correspondence regarding donations both received and given by Beth David. Also included are certificates received by Beth David for various donations and lists of donations made to the Congregation during a crisis fund drive in May 1988. Of note is one certificate for the Congregation's donation of a sefer Torah for the synagogue of a new settlement in Israel.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Administrative functions series

Level

Series

Fonds

88

Series

4

Material Format

textual record

Date

1956-1996

Physical Description

11 cm of textual records

Scope and Content

Series consists of textual records documenting Congregation Beth David's administrative functions. Included are Rabbi and Cantor job contracts and correspondence; Rabbi certificates; correspondence regarding membership applications and terminations, dues, and assessment appeals; general correspondence with individuals and organizations, such as the Canadian Jewish Congress; a general survey conducted by Beth David in 1981 of its congregation; a list of the members of Brantford's Jewish community in 1972; and blank office stationary.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Bulletins series

Level

Series

Fonds

88

Series

5

Material Format

textual record

Date

1974-1982

Physical Description

3 cm of textual records

Scope and Content

Series consists of bulletins issued by Congregation Beth David. Bulletin's contain sections for the Rabbi's message, synagogue announcements and schedules, Beth David Hebrew School and Sisterhood updates, and messages from Brantford's Hadassah-WIZO Sharon chapter and B'nai Brith lodge. Included is one handwritten draft copy of a bulletin, which is likely for December 1982.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Events series

Level

Series

Fonds

88

Series

6

Material Format

textual record

graphic material

object

Date

1947-1983

Physical Description

10 photographs (3 negatives) : b&w and col. ; 21 x 26 cm or smaller and other material

Scope and Content

Series consists of records documenting Congregation Beth David's anniversaries and special celebrations. Included are photographs of the groundbreaking and laying of the cornerstone for the new synagogue on Waterloo Street; a photograph of the Congregation's burning of the mortgage celebration; a photograph of the Rapoport family presenting a sefer Torah to Beth David; an invitation and guest list for a testimonial brunch for the Ekstein and Rotberg families; and newsclippings, correspondence, certificates and plaques documenting the congregation's sixtieth, seventieth, and seventy-fifth anniversaries.

Notes

Physical description note: includes 4 folders of textual records, 2 plaques, and one mounted letter.

Subjects

Synagogues

Related Material

A copy photograph of the Rapoprt family's Sefer Torah presentation is also in fonds 78, series 3, item 25.

Photographs documenting the Congregation's 75th anniversary celebrations can be found in accession #1986-2-2.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Events series

Groundbreaking at Waterloo Street file

Level

Item

Fonds

88

Series

6

File

1

Item

1

Material Format

graphic material

Date

3 Apr. 1947

Physical Description

3 photographs (1 negative) : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm and 12 x 10 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph, copy print and corresponding negative of the groundbreaking ceremonies for Congregation Beth David at 50 Waterloo Street in Brantford, Ontario. The photograph depicts a group of men standing at the site of the new synagogue. One man is holding a shovel.

Notes

Title taken from writing on photograph.

Subjects

Synagogues

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Accession Number

1978-11-4

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Events series

Laying of the cornerstone at Waterloo Street file

Level

Item

Fonds

88

Series

6

File

2

Item

1

Material Format

graphic material

Date

19 Aug. 1947

Physical Description

3 photographs (1 negative) : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm and 12 x 10 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph, copy print and corresponding negative of the cornerstone setting ceremonies for Congregation Beth David at Waterloo Street in Brantford, Ontario. The photo depicts a group of men and women standing at the site of the new synagogue. There is an Israeli and Ontario flag hanging in the background.

Notes

Title taken from writing on photograph.

Subjects

Flags--Israel

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Accession Number

1978-11-4

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Congregation Beth David fonds

Events series

Laying of the cornerstone at Waterloo Street file

Level

Item

Fonds

88

Series

6

File

2

Item

2

Material Format

graphic material

Date

19 Aug. 1947

Physical Description

3 photographs (1 negative) : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm and 12 x 10 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph, copy print and corresponding negative of the cornerstone setting ceremonies for Congregation Beth David at Waterloo Street in Brantford, Ontario. The photograph depicts a group of men and one woman standing in front of the cornerstone, which reads: Dedicated by Louis and Celia Henkle, August 1947.

Notes

Title taken from writing on photograph.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Accession Number

1978-11-4

Source

Archival Descriptions