View from north-east corner Adelaide & Victoria, Toronto, 1856 From the Jewish Standard, April 15, 1966 That Toronto’s first synagogue was located over a drug store at the corner of Richmond and Yonge Streets is fairly well known in the Jewish community. But what this structure looked like and the general appearance of the neighbourhood…
Adapted from the Canadian Jewish News, April 30, 1981 Marion Bessin, a well known community leader, died recently at the age of 60. A native of New York, she graduated from the Jewish Tehological Seminary with a degree in Hebrew literature. As a young woman, she worked for the US Mizrachi Organization in the 1930s…
Adapted from the Canadian Jewish News, April 21, 1961 Mrs. Bella Dwor, widow of Max Dwor, died in Port Colborne Ont at age 94, the CJN reported in April 1961. Pioneers of Port Colborne, the late Mrs. Dwor and her husband, who predeceased her in 1932, were among the founders of the Port Colborne community…
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,…
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…
It is perhaps fitting that Dara Solomon began her new job as director of the Ontario Jewish Archives at the beginning of May [2012], which has been designated Jewish Heritage Month in Ontario. Not only does the experienced museum curator bring a new face to the Archives, but she is also intent on setting up…
