Adapted from the Canadian Jewish News, June 10, 1977. Recently Jim “Yascha” Blugerman, who is nearly 90 years of age, was installed as the 58th president of Toronto Lodge, the oldest and largest B’nai Brith chapter in Canada. Yascha had only five rubles in his pocket when he came to Toronto in 1908. He also…
From the Toronto Globe, November 3, 1910 There is no bilingual system in McCaul School, Toronto. Of the 682 children in the school 550 are Hebrews, and they are learning to talk and write English. A remarkable instance of how quickly they pick up and make use of the Anglo-Saxon language is seen in the…
From The Toronto Globe and Mail, January 27, 1936 Their emotions bared during the holy hour at the chanting of the mourning prayer “Ail Mole Rachomim” by the leader and his choir of 40 voices as he consigned the spirit and soul of his late Majesty King George V. to the keeping of the Almighty…
CITY JEWRY MOURNS AT RITES OF LEADER Louis Levinsky, Prominent Philanthropist, Dies in His 71st Year. From the Toronto Star, January 4, 1932 Death came yesterday morning at his home, 35 Palmerston Blvd., to Louis Levinsky, philanthropist and early leader of Toronto Jewish organizations. Having come to Toronto more than 50 years ago, when the…
Thousands of cases never see cruel light of publicity All the Officials Seek to Settle People’s Trouble Out of Court If Possible — Sifting Out False from True Evidence a Big Task for the Crown Attorney — Jacob Cohen, J.P. Has Troubles of His Own Settling Those of His Countrymen From the Toronto Star Weekly,…
Can’t See the Forrest for the Trees Editor’s note: In July 2012 the United Church of Canada is considering a boycott of Israeli goods, a proposal that nine Canadian senators have condemned. This is only further evidence that, when it comes to relations with Israel and the Jews, the Church has had a long and…
From the Canadian Jewish Chronicle, November 4, 1932 A truce was declared some time ago between the Toronto Vaad Ha’eer and the Kehillah, this truce now culminating in a peace between the rival organizations. As to the origin of the feud, it will always remain one of those indefinable mysteries. Why two organizations, ostensibly interested…
Toilers of the Night, Part II The People Who Don’t Go to Bed Until Sunrise From The Toronto World, May 9, 1884 Interior, Toronto General Hospital, 1913. CTA F1231-it207b The majority of men working in city bake-houses are not, strictly speaking, employed all night. About 3 a.m., or a little later, as the printers begin…
Fought with Jewish Brigade during WWI David Gold, one of few surviving fighters in the Jewish Brigade which fought in Palestine in World War One, died in Toronto in March 1984 at the age of 91, the Canadian Jewish News reported in its issue of April 12, 1984. Gold was born in Jassy, Romania and…
Rabbi Israel Levi Hurwitz was born in Grodno province of Lithuania in 1893, the son of Simon Aaron and Chaya Hurwitz. He was educated in the Novogrodok and other yeshivot. He was active in Vilna as an orator and became a “shaliach” to Canada for a yeshivah in Hebron, Eretz Israel. In 1933, according to…
