Rabbi William Rosenthal, a beloved teacher and dedicated volunteer who co-owned Miriam’s Fine Judaica for 41 years, died on April 11 (2008). He was 97. Born in Miskolc, Hungary in 1911, he and his brother operated a lumber business. He had attended yeshiva and at age 34, he became engaged to Miriam Schwarcz who lived…
Tag: JEWISH TORONTO
List of donors to Jewish charities, Toronto 1925
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The Federation of Jewish Philanthropies published a partial list of hundreds of donors in the Toronto Star in December 1925. The list, which is reproduced below in full, may be used as a primary genealogical source for those seeking the presence of a person on family in the city at that time. Click to enlarge.…
List of Jews naturalized in Toronto, 1910
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◊ In the fall of 1910, the Toronto newspapers described certain bureaucratic difficulties that had been discovered in the naturalization applications of hundreds of would-be citizens because an assistant of Justice of the Peace Jacob Cohen had been signing the forms for Cohen instead of Cohen signing his own name himself. Cohen apparently had no knowledge…
On Toronto’s First Synagogue, by Dr. David Eisen
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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…
Obit: Marion Bessin (d. 1981)
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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…
Of the Dwor and Devor Families
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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…
Jimmy Blugerman (1887-1991) was labour organizer extraordinaire
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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…
Immigrant Children Learn English Quickly (1910)
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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…
Scores weep as Jews honour the late King (1936)
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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…
Obit: Louis Levinsky (1862-1932)
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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…
