Search Results - The Canadian Jewish Heritage Network - Alex Dworkin Canadian Jewish Archives

Abraham Kert Family fonds

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn101216

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Material Type: textual record; graphic material

Physical Description: 1 file, 10 photographs : b&w

Fonds No.: I0008

Date: 1977 - 1978

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of photocopied biographical information, 10 photographs : b&w.

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Material Type: textual record; graphic material

Physical Description: 1 file, 10 photographs : b&w

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of photocopied biographical information, 10 photographs : b&w.

Date: 1977 - 1978

Fonds No.: I0008

Storage Location: A.1.1 - Individuals Boxes

History / Biographical: Abraham Kert arrived in Canada in 1885 from Lithuania. He landed in Montreal and worked as a farmer and fur trader in Lancaster, Ontario, and in various locations in Quebec including Lachute, Harrington Lake (near Thurso), and in Buckingham where there were five other Jewish families. Around 1900, he moved his family to Ottawa “for the social possibilities for his daughters." Abraham Kert married twice and had two families. In Ottawa, Abraham was involved in peddling and in selling jewelry. He was an active member of the Adath Jeshurun Congregation and for many years he maintained the Ottawa Jewish Cemetery on Bank Street.

Notes: Abraham Kert’s birth date is problematic. He was likely born sometime between 1847 and 1856. (The 1901 census indicated is age as 45 years, giving him a birth date of 1856. His headstone in the Ottawa Jewish Cemetery gives his age as 97, with a death year of 1944, indicating his birth year would be 1847.)

Related Material: 1. Betsy (Elizabeth) Kert wedding invitation, 1901 in Samuel Caplan fonds. 2. Betsy (Elizabeth) Benwick was interviewed by Shirley Berman, 1972, see OJHS fonds.

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Ottawa Jewish Archives

Children of Sarah Rosenstein

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn106281

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Fonds No.: I0008; OJA 1-108

Date: 1918

1 image

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Date: 1918

Fonds No.: I0008

Item No.: OJA 1-108

Notes: Inscription in ink on verso of photograph read: "Children of Aunt Sarah Rosenstein. Ethel Buster and Joe Rosenstein - boy - dressed as a girl, regardless of curls and dress. Wanted to keep."

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Ottawa Jewish Archives

Images

I. Elsbach Herford Shirt Factory

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn75215

Collection: MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTRE (MHMC-01)

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: Print : Ht: 12 cm x W: 16 cm

1 image

Collection: MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTRE (MHMC-01)

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: Print : Ht: 12 cm x W: 16 cm

Other Title Information: Advertising Medium

Physical Condition: Excellent

Language: German

Notes: Print of an etching in black ink on white paper. Illustration of the Herforder Hemdenfabrik (Herford shirt factory) building with chimneys blowing smokes and horses pulling carriages inscribed with the name of the factory. Narrative: Brothers Josef and Hermann Elsbach founded the company in 1873 and in 1875 registered it as Herforder shirt factory J.Elsbach & Co. The founders came from a Jewish family in the clothing business since 1848. In 1907 Elsbach became a corporation. In 1914 the company was regarded as Europe's largest clothing company. More than 1,200 factory workers and thousands of home workers were employed. As part of the forced aryanizations of 1938, the family had to sell their shares. The company was taken over and renamed by Ahlers AG Herford linen factories. At the end of the Second World War, the factory buildings were heavily damaged by fire and looting. The military government in the British zone of occupation confiscated the shares of Ahlers in the company. In 1947, Ahlers came back to run the company but he died in1954. From 1952 the company was called back Elsbach linen factories AG. The shares were returned to the surviving heirs of the Elsbach family.

Accession No.: 2010.07.08

Name Access: Maass, Joan

Places: Hersfeld-Rotenburg, Germany, Europe

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Montreal Holocaust Museum

Images

Isidore and Sarah (nee Kert) Rosenstein

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn103889

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Fonds No.: I0008; OJA 1-154

Date: [190-?]

1 image

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Date: [190-?]

Fonds No.: I0008

Item No.: OJA 1-154

Notes: Sarah Kert is a daughter of Abraham Kert.

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Ottawa Jewish Archives

Images

Isidore Rosenstein and Sarah (Kert) Rosenstein

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn103951

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Fonds No.: I0008; OJA 1-150

Date: [190-? ]

1 image

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Date: [190-? ]

Fonds No.: I0008

Item No.: OJA 1-150

Acquisition Source: Benwick family

Notes: Sarah Kert is a daughter of Abraham Kert.

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Ottawa Jewish Archives

Images

Mickey Cohen with Benwick twins brothers Ralph and Dave

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn105066

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Fonds No.: I0008; OJA 1-107

Date: 1917

1 image

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Date: 1917

Fonds No.: I0008

Item No.: OJA 1-107

Acquisition Source: Moses Ernest Benwick

Notes: L-R: Ralp Benwick, Mickey Cohen, and Dave Benwick, taken at the Benwick residence in Ottawa.

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Ottawa Jewish Archives

Images

Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Kert with their children Rachel, Sarah, Harris and Elizabeth.

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn103890

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; reproduction

Fonds No.: I0008; OJA 1-119

Date: 1885

1 image

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w ; reproduction

Date: 1885

Fonds No.: I0008

Item No.: OJA 1-119

Physical Condition: tear through centre of the orginal photograph.

Notes: L-R: Abraham Kert, Rachel Kert, Sarah (Kert) Rosenstein, Harris Kert, Mrs. Kert, and Betsy (Elizabeth) (Kert) Benwick.

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Ottawa Jewish Archives

Images

Mrs. Hattie (Goldberg) Kert.

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn103892

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Fonds No.: I0008; OJA 1-118

Date: 1901

1 image

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Date: 1901

Fonds No.: I0008

Item No.: OJA 1-118

Storage Location: workroom

Notes: Hattie (Goldberg) Kert marries and becomes Mrs. Ryan, and step-sister to Elizabeth (Betsy) Benwick.

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Ottawa Jewish Archives

Images

Mrs. Sarah (Kert) Rosenstein

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn103891

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Fonds No.: I0008; OJA 1-117

Date: 1915

1 image

Collection: Abraham Kert Family fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Date: 1915

Fonds No.: I0008

Item No.: OJA 1-117

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Ottawa Jewish Archives

Images

Photograph

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn113340

Collection: MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTRE (MHMC-01)

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: Photograph : silver print ; Ht: 13,5 cm x W: 8,5 cm

Date: October 27, 1948

2 images

Collection: MONTREAL HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL CENTRE (MHMC-01)

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: Photograph : silver print ; Ht: 13,5 cm x W: 8,5 cm

Date: October 27, 1948

Language: German; English

Notes: Black and white photo of the memorial for the Warsaw Ghetto in 1948. Jagged outline. Narrative: Sonia Smolnik-Aronowicz-Tencer was born in 1915, in Vilnius, formerly part of Poland. Her family has lived in Vilnius for many generations. She was married to a lawyer named Misha Aronowicz and studied to become an accountant. The city was under the Soviet occupation when the Nazis invaded on June 22, 1941. In September 1941, Sonia and her family were deported to the Vilnius ghetto, created by the Nazis to dehumanize and exploit the Jews. They remained there until 1943, when the men and women were separated. It was the last time she saw her brother, Ariye, and her husband, Misha. In the ghetto of Vilnius, Sonia befriended Miriam and Minya (Miriam's sister-in-law). Together, they made a pact to help each other survive the war. Their friendship and alliance represent a form of resistance against the abuse they suffered in the ghetto and labor camps. The same year, Sonia's parents went into hiding. Sonia and her two friends were then deported to the concentration camps of Riga-Kaiserwald and Riga-Strasdenhof in Latvia where they were used as forced labor. In 1945, they were deported to Bromberg-Ost, a women's annex of the Stutthof concentration camp where they were forced to build German railroads and barracks. The camp was liquidated on January 20, 1945, 300 survivors set off on a death march to Sachsenhausen-Oranienburg. Sonia managed to escape. She spent the next few weeks hiding in abandoned German houses before her liberation by the Soviet Army. On the day of her liberation near Pomerania, a Soviet soldier gave Sonia a necklace as a symbol of hope and comfort. He told her she would be able to wear jewelry again one day. After the war, Sonia reunited with her two friends. Miriam then immigrated to Boston where she became an administrative assistant in the Chemistry Department at Harvard. Minya remained in France, where she married and had two sons. Sonia arrived in Canada aboard the ship Samaria in 1950.