United Kosher Meat & Deli fonds

United Kosher Meat & Deli Ltd. was owned by Joe Lichtenstein. Prior to running United Kosher Meat & Deli Ltd. Joe ran his first shop, H & J Kosher Meat Shop, with partner Harry Weinstein at 1331 Wellington Street in Ottawa. In the late 1950's, Joe bought Cantor Kosher Meat Market, at 470 St. Patrick Street, with partner Joe Lebovic for $15,000, to be paid in two instalments. In 1976-1977, Joe moved the business to 378 Richmond Road and renamed it United Kosher Meat & Deli. Benjamin Zbar was a partner for a several years at the Richmond Road location. In the winter of 1999 United Kosher Meat & Deli closed. At the time it was the only kosher butcher shop in Ottawa and had been for many years. Joe Lichtenstein was born December 26, 1929 and lived in Satu Mare, Rumania. Joe had four brothers, he and his brother Moshe survived the Holocaust but were separated three months before the war's end. As Joe was under the age of 18 he was placed in a series of orphanages. The first institution was in Dunbarton, Scotland, followed by institutions in Glasgow and London. He recalled being “well taken care of” during this time. While in the custody of these institutions Joe learned English with a slight British accent. Through efforts of the Red Cross, Joe and Moshe were reunited in London. Moshe had already obtained papers for entry into Venezuela, but because Canada readily accepted young people under the age of 18, Joe and Moshe instead sailed to Halifax on the Cunard’s Acquatania in 1947. After a stay in another orphanage in Toronto at Harbord and Markham, they were placed with families and started to work. Joe and Moshe remained together in Toronto taking any work they could find, including work in a Toronto kosher butcher shop. When Joe and Jean Newton were married they relocated to Ottawa. Joe remembers his childhood as “knowing your place” and being “firmly brought up.” He returned to hometown in Rumania once and found old men repairing the synagogue. Family homes were no longer standing, however he was able to find and visit his grandfather’s grave in the cemetery.

Joe Lichtenstein