Ottawa Talmud Torah Board fonds
Extent and Medium
9 boxes of textual records, 131 photographs; B&W, 27 photographs; colour.
A.4.1 - A.4.6
2 boxes in OS
Biographical History
After early attempts to establish a Talmud Torah Board in 1910 and 1917, a board was finally organized in 1923. The five synagogues of Ottawa, which previously had their own afternoon schools, amalgamated all local Talmud Torahs and purchased a public school building at 171 George Street. Letters patent were issued in 1923. The first president was Caspar Caplan, (1923-1925). In 1949, after securing the former Rideau Street Public School building at 453 Rideau Street, the Ottawa Hebrew Day School was launched with 13 children. This was the beginning of Hillel Academy. With the completion of the Jewish Community Centre, the school moved into the Centre in 1960, and the name of the Hebrew Day School changed to Ottawa Hillel Academy. In the west end, the Afternoon Hebrew School that started in the Fairmount Building moved first to Rosemount, and then in 1959 into the new premises attached to the Agudath Israel Synagogue. The west end branch of Hillel Academy opened at the same time. In keeping with population location, a branch of the Afternoon School was opened in 1965 at the Alta Vista Public School. In the fall of 1983, the Jewish Community Campus was established at 881 Broadview when the St. Joseph Junior School was purchased, and two branches of Hillel Academy were consolidated. The purpose of the Torah Board is to provide elementary school education in the greater Ottawa area to all Jewish students who wish to attend.
Scope and Content
Series consists of Minutes, (1939-1983) of the board and various committees including the Education Committee and the Afternoon School Committee; Parent and Students series, (1910-1994) of early activities of the Board, anniversary celebrations, graduations, yearbooks and Parent Teachers Association; Administration series, (1921-1994) of financial, legal, and teachers activities; and Correspondence series, (1954, 1961-1977) of letters and memos of Directors of education, chairmen of the board and subject categories. UPDATING OF BOX LISTS NEEDED AS OF SEPTEMBER, 2014 Box 1, Box 2 - MINUTE SERIES Board series - 1939-1980, 1982-1983 Contains minutes, reports to the Board, notices of meetings and names of Board members. Minutes between 1939 and 1967 in two bound volumes (1939-1955, 1956-1967) and includes financial statements, (1953 onwards), enrolment reports, (1960 – 1965), annual reports, (1949 onwards) and other reports. Related material of Ottawa Talmud Torah annual reports (1934 onwards) in Ottawa Vaad Ha’Ir fonds, boxes 7 & 8. Box 2 Education committee minutes. - 1945 - 1979. - Contains minutes and reports to the committee. Name changed in 1963 from Board of Education to Education Committee. Minutes, (1945-1967) in bound volume and includes Finance committee minutes, (1959, 1961); financial statements, (1960) and enrolment reports, (1962 - 1964). Minutes after 1967 arranged by school year and also include enrolment reports. Enrolment reports - 1932 - 1972 - 1 folder Contains statistics on enrolment in Ottawa Jewish education programs. Box 3 Executive minutes - 1966 - 1983. - Contains minutes and notes of executive meetings. Curriculum committee minutes. - 1960 - 1969. - 3 folders Contains minutes and reports of the committee. In 1969, the committee was divided into two committees, Secular and Hebrew. Mrs Hy Bessin (Marion) was chairperson at the time of division. Curriculum Committee (Secular) minutes. - 1969 - 1975. - 1 folder Contains minutes and reports of the committee. Mrs Riva Freedman was the first chairperson. Curriculum Committee (Hebrew). - 1970 - 1976. - 2 folders Contains minutes, memos and reports. Rabbi Reuven P. Bulka was the first chairperson. Other committee minutes. - 1967 - 1974. - 7 folders. Contains minutes of meetings of Officers, (1973 - 1974); French Program, (1970 - 1974); Enrolment and Publicity Committee, (1967 - 1974); Ottawa School Board ad hoc Committee on Alternate Schools, (1974); Afternoon School Committee, (1969-1973, 1978) along with Dr. Edmond Y. Lipsitz report of a study of the Ottawa Talmud Torah community afternoon school, 1973. Box 3 - PARENT AND STUDENTS SERIES Early activities of the Ottawa Talmud Torah Board. - 1910 - 1930. - 2 folders. Contains minutes of a meeting of Adath Jeshurun Congregation to establish a Talmud Torah Board of Education, (1910 - 1911); notice of a mass meeting to organize a city Talmud Torah, (1917);minutes, correspondence and reports of search for principal and teacher, (1924); Report of Rabbi Nathan Kollin on educational methods and progress of instruction in the Ottawa Talmud Torah Board, (1930). New Year’s Bulletin. - 1941, 1942. - 2 items. Items are two annual publications of the Ottawa Talmud Torah Board. Ottawa Hebrew Day School. - 1949. - 2 items. Items are an announcement of the opening of the Day School and a list of parents of the 1949 class / Shirley Berman. In memory of Rabbi Boruch Kravetz, 1907 (5668) - 1956 (5716). - 1956. - 1 item. Item is a program with eulogies for Rabbi Kravetz, principal of Ottawa Talmud Torah education, 1942 - 1956. Religious celebrations. - 1952 - 1980. - 1 folder. Contains invitations and programs for model passover seders, (1952 - 1953, 1970); commencement of the study of the Torah, (1969 - 1971) and shabbat, (1979 - 1980). A history of the Hillel Academy / Dina Shalom. - 1961. - 7 p. Item is an overview of Hillel Academy and its Ottawa antecedents, and a photograph of the Rideau Street School. Box 4 Pamphlets. - 1962 - . 1 folder Contains pamphlets published by the Ottawa Talmud Torah outlining educational services at various school locations. Memorabilia. - 1970's. - 1 folder Contains unused memo form, enrolment notices and honourary life membership certificate; Certificate of Honour presented to Leah Greenberg 1944. 1st annual banquet. - 1969. - 3 folders. Contains minutes of dinner committee, program souvenir with biographies of former chairmen, expenditures, tickets, guest lists. Biographies include Edward Shapiro, (1964 - 1966), Moses Loeb, (1925 - 1929, 1933 - 1943), Moses Doctor, (1929 - 1931), Morris Zagerman, (1943 - 1949), A. Louis Achbar, (1950 - 1960), Samuel Mirsky, (1931 - 1933, 1960 - 1964), Caspar Caplan, (1923 - 1925). An introduction to the Talmud Torah. - 1974. - 4 p. Item is a report by N. H. Lithwick, President of the Board. Hillel Academy 25th Anniversary, Ottawa, Talmud Torah 50th Anniversary. - June, 1975. - 3 folders. Contains a booklet of historical information along with congratulatory messages, correspondence, committee and anniversary celebrations including oratory and essay contests, prose and poetry by students from Grades 7 - 10, Hillel Academy. Graduates. - 1956 - 1972. - 1 folder. Contains lists of graduates from Ottawa Jewish community schools and Graduate Follow-up Committee, 1964 correspondence and lists. Hillel Academy 30th Anniversary. - 1979. - 1 folder Contains invitation, programme, memo of responsibilities, and Hillel Academy, 1948 - 1979 anniversary booklet. Shelved with Photographic collection 30 years of Hillel Academy. - 1979. - 1 box Contains script / Shirley Berman, photographs, slides for dinner entertainment, and Hebrew Day School (1949) reminiscences / Eileen Goldberg. Graduation organization. - 1960 - 1973, 1979. - 4 folders. Contains minutes of organization meetings, memos, correspondence, floor plans, programs and awards. Related material in Correspondence Series, both Administrative and Directors of Education. Commemoration assembly of the 50th anniversary of the Warsaw Getto Uprising. - 1993. - 6 p. Contains program of the ceremony and a two act play, Shadows of the Holocaust - now and then. Awards Committee. - 1968 - 1982. - 1 folder Contains minutes of the meetings of the committee. Prizes, awards and donors. - 1963 - 1970. - 13 folders. Contains book plate, list of prizes and donors, correspondence. Donors include Moses Loeb & Rose Loeb, Steinbergs Ltd. Bursary, Harry Berril Stein, Sarah Wine, Morris Zagerman, Archie Dover, Harry Gorfinkel, Lazarus L. Greenberg and Harold Rubin. Student Newsletters. - 1958, 1963 - 1974. - 4 items Items are Our School Tribune, published by the pupils of the Ottawa Hebrew Day School and Talmud Torah, March, (1958); Student’s Own, (1958 - 1959); Grade 8 Globe by Hillel Academy Central, (1963 - 1964); Mini Magazine, Grade 5, Hillel Academy. Box 5 Graduation invitation and programs. - 194l - 1993 (with gaps). - 1 folder Contains invitations and programs of the graduation exercises of day schools and afternoon schools. Parent Teachers Association. - 1950 - 1994. - 2 folders Contains memo, (1950); constitution; Ottawa Hillel Academy Handbooks (1972 - 1974, 198l - 1982) prepared by Ottawa Hillel Academy Parents Association; Spring Tea invitations (1978, 1982 - 1994, with gaps); and newsletters, bulletins (1968 - 1978 with gaps); parent lists (1971 - 1976); proposed curriculum and study - 1970; Yearbooks. - 1956, 1968 - 1993 Contains yearbooks of Ottawa Hebrew Day School, (1956) and yearbooks of Hillel Academy, Afternoon Hebrew School and Hebrew High School, (1968 - ). Also file folder of staff photos (1985-1986, 1969-1970) and class photo 1986-87. Yearbooks expected annually. Box 5 - ADMINISTRATION SERIES Newspaper clippings. - 1921 - 1994 (with gaps). - 3 folders, 5 scrapbooks Contains newspaper clippings on Ottawa Talmud Torah activities and press releases. Photocopies Box 6 Teaching records. - 1958 - 1977. - 1 box Contains daily registers of attendance, student lists and instructor plan books. Boxes 7 & 8 Financial. - 1929 - 1983. - 1 box Contains Canadian Bank of Commerce bank book, (1930 - 1937); accounts payable, including staff, (1934 - 1953); staff salaries, (1954 - 1955); journals, (1929 - 1949 with individual pledges and campaign contributions, (1952 - 1969); financial statements, (1959 - 1982), meetings with the Panel on Jewish Education of the Ottawa Vaad Ha’Ir, (1982 - 1983); budgets, (1957 - 1979); student fees, (1965 - 1978); Hillel Academy brochure for campaign for Jewish Community Campus, 1983. Related financial statements for 1953 onwards bound with Board Minutes, Minutes Series, Boxes 1 & 2. Box 8 Constitution. - 1967 - 1979. - 1 folder Contains constitution and amendments. Box 8 Legal. - 1971 - 1975. - 1 folder Contains sample teaching contracts, agreements between Ottawa Talmud Torah Board and Ottawa Modern Jewish School and bank signing authority documents. Box 8 Policy. - 1970's. - 1 folder Contains conduct of business at meetings, memorandum on administration regarding jurisdictional authority at the west end; guide sheet and introduction to the Jewish Day School; code of employment. Box 8 Faculty lists. - 1954 - 1983. - 2 folders. Contains names of teaching staff and staff assignments, (1981 - 1982). Box 8 Passover workshop. - 1956. - 4 p. Contains outline of workshop. Box 8 Personnel Committee. - 1963 - 1983. - 2 folders Contains material on salary ranges, salaries for individual teachers and other administrative considerations. Box 8 [Hy Hochberg} speech. - 1964. - 5 p. Contains script of speech delivered to Hillel Academy panel, March 17, 1964. Box 8 Professional Development Day. - 1975. - 1 folder Contains workshop outlines and program for Friday, February 28, 1975. Box 8 Transportation. - 1970 - 1971. - 1 folder Contains memos, reports and meeting minutes about busing of students. Box 8 Teacher Handbook. - 1980 - 1981. - 1 booklet. Contains rules, regulations and guidelines for faculty at Hillel Academy. Box 8 Classroom observations. - 1982 - 1983. - 2 folders. Contains critiques of teaching staff by Richard Wagner, Director of Education. Box 8 Jewish Educational Resource Centre. - 1982 - 1983, 1988. - 1 folder Contains grant application to Secretary of State, federal government, Vaad Planning, Priorities and Budget Committee report, correspondence, newspaper clipping and workshop. Box 8 Computers. - 1983. - 1 folder Contains policy memoranda from Ontario Ministry of Education. CORRESPONDENCE SERIES Box 9 Judaic Curriculum - 1985-1986; Correspondence. - 1954, 1961 - 1977. - 1 box Contains letters and memos of the Directors of Education and chairmen of the board, and include: Directors of Education: Rabbi Boruch Kravetz, (1954) Ephraim Frankel, (1961 - 1967) Rabbi William Millen, (1967 - 1974) Rabbi Yaakov Kaploun, (1974 - 1976) Chairmen of the Board Gilbert Greenberg & Dr. M. A. Weinberger, (1970 - 1971) Dr. Marcus A. Weinberger, (1970 - 1973) Gilbert Greenberg, (1970 - 1971) N. H. Lithwick, (1973 - 1975) and subject files for Staffing correspondence, (1918, 1920, 1965 - 1977) Rabbi Wolkenstein, West End Hillel Academy, (1971 - 1973) Administrative correspondence, (1968 - 1977) Restricted correspondence, (1968 - 1977) Financial correspondence, (1970 - 1976) Government aid to Jewish day schools, (1970 - 1971) Box 10 Long-range Planning Committee: Hillel Academy Teacher's Survey; Directors of education Box 17: Events and Fundraising Phantom of the Opera Fundraising brochure - 1992; Box 18 Parnet Opinion Results Report; Robert Wagner 1981-1983 Stan Katz 1983-1993 Mark Weinberg 1994-2000 Doris Bronstein 2000-2003 Rabbi Perton 2003-2006 Rabbi J. Unterman 2006- Box 19: Photographs Slides, 30 Years of Hillel Academy - 1965; B/W Photographs of outdoor races and Students - 1983, [undated]; Various celebrations and activities, Chanukah, Passover - 1984, [undated]; Purim celebrations - 1990's; Mock Wedding Ceremony - 1990's; Paddle boating - 1990's; Celebrations in Gym - 1990's; Holiday Celebration - 1990; Girl's Volleyball Champions, Track Winners, rummage Sale - 1990-1991; Rosh Hashanah, Shabbat, Passover - 1992, 1995; Classroom Purim Costumes - [undated]; Buttons; Talmud Torah Alumni Club, Lac Phillipe - 1935-1936; Graduates - 1955; Chanukah - 1964, [undated]; Zelaine Shinder Classroom photos - 1976-1995; Interest Photos - 1977; B/W Photo Prints - [undated]; Yearbook - 1969-1970; Purim - 1980; Staff Photos- 1969-1970, 1981-1989; Class Photos - 1970-1978; Class Photos - 1980-1989; B/W images - [undated]; Phylis Zinman-Teitelbaum - [undated]; Accompanying Material;
Note(s)
- Formerly labeled as RG 6. TT.01 2. Administrative history copied from Ottawa Talmud Torah anniversary publications. 3. Further accrual of 1947-1948 graduation class photograph by Lily Penso, April 2001. 4. Further accrual of photographs donated by Audrey Kreisman, April 2001. 5. Further accrual by Joannie Asch of 1996 to 1999 minutes and other records, April 2001. 6. Miscellaenous folder added to Box 1 of fonds.