From The Toronto Star, September 9, 1909 Boscol Moses, a young farmer from Audbury (sic), Ontario, celebrated his first night in the city by half suffocating himself in the New York Temperance Hotel at the corner of York and Adelaide streets. Moses, who knew nothing about gaslight, made the well known mistake of trying to…
Tag: JEWISH TORONTO
Growth of a Kensington grocery store (1987)
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From The Canadian Jewish News, November 19, 1987 If you trace the path of the Toronto Jewish community for the past fifty years you will be taking a snapshot of Goodbaum’s grocery stores as they marched north, eventually under the name of Sunnybrook Foods. “We were at 180 Baldwin Street, 188 Baldwin Street, 374 College…
Rabbi Halpern dead, founder of synagogue (1922)
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Note: Rabbi Isaac Halpern came to Toronto from New York about 1888 and at first collected rags. He was one of the founders of the Galician Synagogue, Shomrai Shabboth, which first met in a room on Chestnut Street. Halpern fulfilled many rabbinical duties until the arrival of Rabbi Yoseph Weinreb about 1900. When the Shomrai…
Conversation with Alex Serota (2009)
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From Beth Sholom Bulletin, Spring 2009 Alex Serota was a founding member of the Shaarei Tefillah Congregation on north Bathurst Street in the late 1950s, but left to join Beth Sholom about 1963 because of the latter’s “magnificent USY movement” that was so important for his two sons. I met recently with Alex and his…
A visit with Moishe and Gert Kerbel (2009)
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From the Beth Sholom Bulletin, Chanukah 2009 Moishe (Maurice) and Gert Kerbel joined Beth Sholom 40 years ago, a couple of years before their son Jeffrey was to be bar-mitzvahed, and have remained active members to this day. Moishe Kerbel was for many years ritual chairman of the shul. He handed out the “aliyot” and…
Profile: Frank Cadesky of Beth Sholom (2009)
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From the Beth Sholom Bulletin, Summer 2009 Frank Cadesky, a former president of the congregation from 1969 to 1971, has been a member of Beth Sholom since moving from Owen Sound to Toronto in 1950. The second youngest of 12 children, Cadesky felt right at home here, even though he had previously been involved with…
The Burke family at Beth Sholom (2011)
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From the Beth Sholom Bulletin, Fall 2011 A memorable high point in the lives of Louis and Gloria Burke and family, as well as for Beth Sholom Congregation as a whole, was the testimonial dinner with Israeli government minister Menachem Begin that was held on April 29, 1974 to launch the annual Israel Bonds drive.…
Profile: David Beck, late shammus at Beth Sholom (died 2010)
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From the Beth Sholom Bulletin, Spring 2011 David Beck was a Holocaust survivor who had seen the worst of humanity, so “he wanted to focus on bringing out the good things in life,” said his son Mendy Beck about the long-time former shammus of Beth Sholom, who died October 2010 at the age of 89.…
Goel Tzedec opens on University Avenue, 1907
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From the Globe, February 4, 1907 Impressive Dedication Ceremonies Yesterday — Scrolls Removed in State to Their Resting Place in the Ark in Magnificent Meeting Place on University Avenue – Many Gentiles Join Their Hebrew Brethren in Scene of Rejoicing. The opening services at the magnificent new Jewish synagogue on University avenue near Queen street were…
Toronto merchant leaves stores to sons (1919)
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Barnett Danson Left Estate of $22,450 From The Toronto Star, March 20, 1919 Barnett Danson, a merchant, who died November 6 last, left an estate of $22,450, which has been probated on application of Isaac, Joseph and Leopold Danson. Realty totals $22,250 and includes 179 Jameson ave., $4,000; 992 and 994 Queen street west, $4,000;…
