The Ottawa Jewish Archives
21 Nadolny Sachs Private K2A 1R9 Ottawa, ON, Canada

Yesterday we shared a photo of our archivist Teigan working on digitizing some negatives. Today, we thought it would be fun to show you a couple finished ones! The negatives bundles we were digitizing happened to be photographic negatives of the opening of the Chapel Street JCC! Enjoy the trip down memory lane!

Miss Rose Marcovitch in front of L. A. Joseph's Fruit and Confectionary Store in Ottawa, 1930s. Photographer: Parisienne Studios OJA 2-060

And today on What the heck is the archivist doing...? Can anyone guess what we’re up to today?

Oh those summer days are not so far off! A group of councilors relaxing in the councilors lodge at Camp B'nai B'rith in Quyon, Quebec. L-R: Front row; Mike Molot, Syrille Greenberg, Kenneth Mirsky, Carol Cherun, Gerry Steinberg, Esther Luterman. Back row;Phil Aber, Mrs. Gerry Kopstein and Zelda Soloway (Adessky), Unit Head at the record player.... OJA 4-104

Israel Emergency Fund Israel has been under relentless rocket attacks from terrorist groups in the Gaza Strip that have caused extensive damage, terrible injuri...es, and loss of life. Millions of adults and children are living in fear and have to race for shelter each time the sirens sound. Jewish Federations of North America are working closely with our partners, the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI), Joint Distribution Committee (JDC), and the Israel Trauma Coalition (ITC). They are already on the ground bringing life-saving humanitarian aid, including emergency grants to victims and their families, psychological counseling to all those affected, and support for first responders. Your help is urgently needed in this crisis. 100% of funds raised through this emergency campaign will support the immediate relief efforts in Israel. Your gift will go to work immediately and fund direct support to help with: Individual Psychological counseling Group Therapy Sessions Respite Packages for Workers Absorption Centres Telephone Hotlines Activities for children displaced from school Home repairs The fund for the victims of terror Thank you for standing with the Jewish Federation of Ottawa and Israel. https://jewishottawa.givingfuel.com/israel-emergency-fund

Details for the upcoming "Generations United for Israel" rally can be found through the link below.

All this snow has us dreaming of summer! Check out this photo of a group of kids on summer holidays at Britannia Beach, 1930s. L-R first row: Irving Taylor, Frances Glick. Second row: Toby Glick, Sarah Eive, Rhoda Cooper, unidentified. Top Row: Sylvia Glick, Shirley Polowin, unidentified, Mrs. Prager.... OJA 3-007

It is International Holocaust Remembrance Day. A day when we stop and take a moment to remember the lives lost in the Shoah. We remember their lives, tell their stories, and vow to #NeverAgain let this happen. We must never stop telling their stories. #WeRemember

Tickets are now available for our talk in the Beyond Bytown Speaker Series! Tickets are pay what you can. Join us for a 'taste' of Ottawa Jewish history!

It's been a little while since we've posted a #TriviaTuesday so here you go! For anyone paying attention to our Facebook page, this should be an easy one. What year did the Ottawa Jewish Community Foundation receive their Charter? Photo: Sam Taller and Laz Mirsky holding an Endowment certificate, "A Gift Forever".

Siblings Florence and Herbert Cosman riding their tricycles on Carlton Street in Winnipeg, 1930s. OJA 1-595-02

Slover's store at the corner of William and York Street, 1973.

The Lena Florence Chapter of Canadian Hadassah-WIZO Ottawa in the front garden of A.H. Coplan's home, 1942. Lena Coplan is seated on chair in the front row, fifth from left. Photograph includes: Mrs. Ethel Adelman, Mrs. Bessie Slone, Mrs. Eisenberg, Mrs. Esther Ages, Miss. Roodman, Mrs. A.H. Coplan, Mrs. L. Sobcuff, Mrs. Roberts, Mrs. Butofsky, Zelda Berezin, Mrs. Reinstein, Mrs. Berlin, Mrs. Flisher, Mrs. Weiner, Mrs. Barrett, Mrs. Baylin, Mrs. Fanny Baker, Mrs. Ben Levit...t, Mrs. M. Greenberg, Mrs.Grafman, Mrs. Jake Applebaum, Mrs. Molly Betcherman, Mrs. L. Ginsberg, Mrs. N. Nadler, Mrs. Rose Baylin, Mrs. Palmer, Mrs. M.Z. Lithwick, Mrs. Helen Altow, Mrs. M. Epstein, Mrs. Lithwick, Mrs. Cardish, Mrs. S. Silver, Mrs. J. Morris, Mrs. M. Shenkman, Mrs. D. Segal, Mrs. Giggerman, Mrs. Appel, Mrs. Cantor, Mrs. J. Sachs, Mrs. Steinman, Mrs. Zena Leikin, Mrs. Rose. OJA 4-060

Another submitted Holocaust story we're happy to share. Barry Davis was born in Czechoslovakia (modern day Ukraine) in 1929. In March of 1944, Germany had successfully occupied all of Czechoslovakia and Barry and his family, along with all the Jews in the town were forced to move into the ghetto. After two months the ghetto was liquidated and everyone was deported to Auschwitz. Upon arrival, Barry’s parents and five of his siblings were sent to the gas chambers. ... "Barry managed to sneak into a group of young prisoners who were transferred to Birkenau. They attended the bricklayer school set up by the Germans to train inmates in construction. As the Soviet troops approached, the Germans began evacuating the camp. The prisoners were forced on a death march and then put on trains to Mauthausen. From here Barry was transferred to Ebensee, where he worked on the railroad. He was liberated here by the Americans in May 1945." - Montreal Holocaust Museum Below is an interview with Barry detailing his life and experiences during the Holocaust. This interview comes from the Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives. https://museeholocauste.ca//survivors-stories/barry-davis/

This beautiful framed photo hangs in our research room for all to enjoy! It’s of the Bergen-Belsen Survivors Association reunion in New York, 1964.

Dance recital of the Sinclair School of Dance, 1920s. OJA 4-508-03

Have you heard the news? The Ottawa Jewish Historical Society is about to launch the first edition of its e-mail newsletter "Historically Speaking". Everyone in the Community is eligible to receive it. You do not have to be a member of the OJHS. Simply send us your e-mail address and once a month you will find "Historically Speaking" in your inbox.... It will contain bits and pieces of past and present activities and shine a light on what's to come in the future. We look forward to connecting with all of you. Send your e-mail information to : [email protected] in order to sign up!

It's #TriviaTuesday! This photo depicts the wedding of Clara (Kert) Engel. Based on the hair and clothing styles, can anyone guess the year?

A wonderful photo submitted to us by Kathryn Palmer of her father Nat (Nunny) Palmer. This photo was taken Oct 19, 1944. It was his 25th birthday. Than k you Kathryn for sharing your family history with us!

Who remembers this building? Machzikei Hadas Congregation began as a small group of people who worshipped in a home on St. Patrick Street. They met every Shabbat paying 25 cents per week for dues. Then one High Holiday, they rented a hall at the corner of Dalhousie and St. Patrick Street for one month covering Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, and charged $1.00. In 1908, approximately 15 to 20 families bought the building at 264 Murray Street, the former site of Adath Jeshrun Con...gregation and repurposed soda water factory of Michael Fine, and returned it to its original religious function. 264 Murray Street became the first permanent Machzikei Hadas synagogue. An $1800.00 mortgage, taken out on May 12, 1908, uses the formal name of the congregation. The Congregation was incorporated on July 15, 1919 as Machezike Hadath Congregation (a spelling which was later modified). In 1923, the congregation purchased two homes owned by Oscar Petigorsky at the corner of King Edward and Murray Streets. The synagogue at 259 Murray Street opened in 1929. It was during Abraham Doren's presidency from 1935-1938 that the decorative murals, which are in today's current JCC, were installed along the women's gallery. Reverend Baker served as cantor from 1910 until his death in 1945. He was followed by Reverend Nathan Borenstein and Reverend Harry Weissbord. Rabbi Reuven P. Bulka arrived in 1967 and continued in that post into the 21st century. Machzikei Hadas relocated in 1973 to a newly designed synagogue on Virginia Drive in Alta Vista. In its new location it extends services to 500 families including youth, seniors, educational and public awareness programs. On December 27, 1973, by Letters Patent, the name was changed to Congregation Machzikei Hadas. In 1994 Machzikei Hadas congregation became the first synagogue in the history of the Commonwealth to be granted a coat of arms.

We haven't done a Trivia Tuesday in quite a while so we thought we'd do one today, a Trivia WEDNESDAY if you will. Chateau Furs was a prominent fur coat shop located at 107 Bank Street, in Ottawa. The owner of the business began a career as a fur trader and worked with his brother in the Pontiac region. They bought from trappers and sold the furs in Montreal while the owner occasionally sewed fur coat. He started Chateau Furs in 1939 with a business partner. Who was the owner of Chateau Furs? Bonus points if you can name his business partner from 1939 - 1948.

Adolphe Sherman with wife Sadie and daughter Sylvia, 1920s. OJA 1-858

The Greenberg Families Library is hosting some interesting talks! Check out their facebook page for more!

Today we're telling Jacob Gora's story. Jacob Gora was a survivor of the Holocaust. He was first a resident of the Warsaw Getto with his wife and children whom he lost shortly after the German invasion of Warsaw. He was later sent to Buna Manovitz; a part of Auschwitz. He wrote for the Yiddish press and his articles and letters appeared in "Der Tog" (The Forwards), The Kanader Adler, and other Yiddish newspapers. He wrote voluminously about the Holocaust. Jocob credited his... survival to his ability to perform work as a tradesman in leather work and tailoring. After the Second World War Jacob remarried in 1946 and had a daughter. The family emigrated to Canada in 1952 and settled in Ottawa in 1953. In 1954, Jacob began operating an antiques store at 484 King Edward Avenue. Gora died June 6, 1976.

A few days ago we shared a post on Holocaust survivor and active community member Mendel Good. Yesterday, it was shared with us that on November 23, Mendel passed away. We are very saddened by this news and extend our condolences to friends and family. Mendel lived an incredible life and spent much of it educating people on the Holocaust and telling his story. He was active in the community, owning a tailor shop which many have shared stories about. May his memory be a blessing.

Did you know that in some of our collections we have original sheet music? These pages from the Rev. Joseph Rabin fonds show music arranged by the Reverend himself! #MusicToMyEars

Another day, another box. What are you doing on this snowy Wednesday?

Thanks to a donation from Jewish Federations of Canada - UIA, the Jewish Federation of Ottawa was pleased to distribute approximately 80,000 face masks and 3,00...0 bottles of hand sanitizer this morning to various Ottawa Jewish organizations as well as others in the broader Ottawa community - including 20,000 masks for Shepherds of Good Hope. We hope this supply will help countless people across the community stay healthy and well! A huge thank you to building staff at the Soloway JCC for their help moving boxes and a special shout out to our intrepid Board chair Michael Polowin and CEO Andrea Freedman for their heavy lifting and braving the cold, but sunny day! #JewishOttawa #takingcareofeachother #bettertogether

The Greenberg Families Library has shared some great books for Holocaust Education Month! Each one showcasing a different aspect of the Holocaust and its events.

A testimonial banquet for Reverend Joseph Rabin to mark the completion of his 25th year of service to the Adath Jeshurun Congregation, held on March 7, 1954. L-R: Samuel Caplan, Isidore Stone, Reverend Rabin and Rabbi Simon L. Eckstein. OJA 1-750

We've shared his story before but it's always important to honour those who have done good. Arie Van Mansum saved the lives of close to 50 Jews in the Netherlands by hiding them in homes of friends and family. In 1969, Yad Vashem recognized Arie van Mansum as Righteous Among the Nations.... Read his full story through the link below. https://ottawajewisharchives.home.blog//12/arie-van-mansum/

Today we're telling Mendel Good's story. Mendel Good was born in Nowy-Sacz, Poland on November 26, 1925. His family consisted of his parents, Dora and Bernard Aftergut as well as two brothers and a sister. In August, 1940, Mendel Good was sent to his first concentration camp in Rosnow, Poland. Throughout the war, Mendel was sent to seven different concentration camps within Poland and Austria. He was liberated on May 7, 1945 from a concentration camp in Ebensee, Austria. Hi...s immediate family was all killed in the Holocaust. In 1948, Mendel moved to Ottawa where he became a tailor. It was in Ottawa that Mendel met and married his wife Valerie Blau. Valeria, also a Holocaust survivor, had been liberated from Bergen-Belsen and immigrated to Canada in the same year as Mendel. Mendel has spent his life educating people on the Holocaust. He has been actively committed to many Holocaust organizations, chaired the Holocaust Committee of Ottawa, developed a Holocaust memorial in the Ottawa Jewish cemetery, and has been one of the main leaders of the March of the Living - a tour of concentration camps for students. In addition, he has organized reunions for Holocaust survivors from across Canada and educated students with his visits. This year, Mendel celebrated his 95th birthday. OJA 1-549-02

Group portrait of Dworkin Family Women. Photo taken in 1945. L-R: Nell (Dworkin) Gold, Jean Progosh, Lill Dworkin, Pearl Gold, Sarah Dworkin, Marilyn Pascal, Yetta (Dworkin) Yostipovich. OJA 1-1038

It's #TriviaTuesday!! Here, we have a beautiful photo of Mr. and Mrs. Ben and Ethyl (Goldman) Dworkin, taken in the 1920s. Mr. Ben Dworkin was business owner here in Ottawa. What kind of business did he own?... Hint: It was located at 189 Rideau St.

The answer to yesterday’s #whatisitwednesday is a menorah! Specifically, a menorah made from bullet casings. This menorah was presented to Edie Koranyi by the Zahal Military Unit 3368 from Israel. It is from 1973. Thanks to everyone who guessed!

#whatisitwednesday We’re going to try something new! Can anyone guess what this mystery item from our collection is?

Chipping away at a donation today! It’s always so fun to look back through someone’s life.