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Interview with Betty Ballon.
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn106632
- Collection
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Fonds No.
- O0045
- Date
- July 16, 2001
- Scope and Content
- Subject: Betty Ballon Interviewer: Sheila Baslaw Date: July 18, 2001 Interview Location: Ottawa, ON Length of Time: 47:34 -Betty discusses her grandparents and how early in life her grandfather took a liking to her mother and made sure she received an education. -her mother married her father who …
- Collection
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Scope and Content
- Subject: Betty Ballon Interviewer: Sheila Baslaw Date: July 18, 2001 Interview Location: Ottawa, ON Length of Time: 47:34 -Betty discusses her grandparents and how early in life her grandfather took a liking to her mother and made sure she received an education. -her mother married her father who was a butcher in the old country. She recalls people coming by the house at night to place meat orders and discusses how her family would always eat with them and have lots of food. -Her family was very well off in the old country as she remembers having a dressmaker live with them and always being the best dressed kids on the block. She says this was due to her grandfather having a good education and having gone to technical school. -During war time to avoid the draft her father and her family all bribed their way across the border into Romania. -Betty is the fourth child of her parents and she talks about how her father and brother came to the United States then to Canada while the rest of the family remained in Romania. -Betty recalls losing all their money and belongings when they crossed the border of Romania. There were 16 of them including her aunt and cousins who moved into one house and supported themselves selling odds and ends they could find. -Eventually the family got a fruit stand and supported themselves for 2 years with that. -Her brother and father were working to get the rest of the family into Canada but immigration required someone to verify each person entering the country. They asked Mr. Bilsky who owned Bilsky Jewelry for help and he connected them to the right people. -Betty recalls going to the consulate with her mother and she recalls how generous and welcoming the community was to her family upon their arrival. -6 months after the families arrival they opened a small store and lived in the back. Betty recalls being more comfortable but the family still having to work hard to survive. -Betty talks about her husband Jack and how they met; he lived in the same neighbourhood in the old country and their mothers were very close. Betty’s brother recognized the family at an event in Montreal and arranged for Betty and her husband to meet. -Betty then had a strong desire to escape Ottawa and wanted to move to New York where her brother lived, she talks about saving up money to move there and her experiences living in a small apartment with her brother and his wife. -She heard her mother was not doing well and was struggling in Ottawa so she moved back. -When she moved back home she got married to Jack, Betty was 19 years old and Jack was 25 years old. They lived together in Montreal for 6 months but Betty was not fond of the city or his family. -On a weekend trip to Ottawa Betty found them an apartment and since the landlord took a liking to her he also offered to let her and Jack run a store he had in the building on St.Patrick Street. After a while they bought the store from him and owned the business. -They had 2 children and their first child struggled with health issues so Betty and Jack decided to sell the store to focus on their children. -After a little bit they moved into the Byward Market and purchased a house on Nelson Street as well as opened a store in the market. -By 1956 Betty and Jack’s store was doing well and their children were older, she decided to redecorate her house and recalls being very happy during this time. -She discusses her daughter Sheila and her early struggles with love before finding a nice husband. -Unfortunately her happy memories soon ended as at the age of 68 Jack became ill with Alzheimers. She decided to move to a smaller apartment so it would be easier on Jack. She never revealed he was sick to anyone and they kept it a secret for 22 years. -She has a final happy memory with Jack when they took a month long trip to Israel and she recalls it being very luxurious. -Jack became very religious in his old age, she has fond memories of how supportive the community in the shul was. -In 1992 Betty had a heart attack and spent time in the ICU of the hospital. About a month later Betty and Jack were taking the bus when Jack unexpectedly passed away. -Betty talks about the day Jack died and how when she returned to the apartment she was surrounded by support from the community. -She did not want to leave the house after Jack’s passing. Her children convinced her to try to move to a home in Toronto so she could be supported and be close to them. She had to wait to get a room at the home and she recalls spending 2 weeks there to test it out and it being too overwhelming and uncomfortable. -She came back to Ottawa and began going to a geriatric clinic for their day program; she says on her first day they offered her a kosher meal and she knew she would be happy and comfortable there. She loves the staff there and has fond memories of a woman named Francis. END OF INTERVIEW
- Responsibility
- Interviewed by Sheila Baslaw
- Date
- July 16, 2001
- Fonds No.
- O0045
- Storage Location
- vault
- Creator
- Sheila Baslaw
- Name Access
- Sheila Baslaw
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Ottawa Jewish Archives
Interview with Frances Shaffer
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn106360
- Collection
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Fonds No.
- O0045
- Date
- August 22, 2001
- Collection
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Responsibility
- Interviewed by Sheila Baslaw
- Date
- August 22, 2001
- Fonds No.
- O0045
- Storage Location
- vault
- Name Access
- Sheila Baslaw
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Ottawa Jewish Archives
Interview with Freda Radnoff.
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn106633
- Collection
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Fonds No.
- O0045
- Date
- June 20, 2001
- Scope and Content
- Interviewer: Sheila Baslaw Subject: Freda Radnoff Date: 2001 Location: Hillel Lodge, ottawa Number of tapes: 1 Duration: 51:26 Freda was the 5th child of Meyer Wolfe and Rexy? Kilinovsky. Had 3 older brothers, a sister, and 2 younger brothers. All together 7 children Meyer had an uncle who was hig…
- Collection
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Scope and Content
- Interviewer: Sheila Baslaw Subject: Freda Radnoff Date: 2001 Location: Hillel Lodge, ottawa Number of tapes: 1 Duration: 51:26 Freda was the 5th child of Meyer Wolfe and Rexy? Kilinovsky. Had 3 older brothers, a sister, and 2 younger brothers. All together 7 children Meyer had an uncle who was highly educated, after being orphaned with his 2 older brothers, who taught Meyer how to read specifically for Synagogue and reading passages They rented rooms in their house to help with expenses. Most young Jewish people learned trades; carpenters, shoe makers, etc. Meyer was also a tradesman and would work in the house. Meyer had 2 half-brothers; Abe and Ben? In Canada, and they wanted to help Meyer immigrate to Ottawa Immigration stopped during the war, so Freda’s mothers and the six children stayed behind. Freda’s 2 older brothers were old enough to work, and Freda’s mother worked too. They had no communication with their father during the war, but mail resumed after the war. Came to Canada in October 1922. For the 5 kids under 18, they could share a visa with their mother, but the older 2 had to have their own visas. The oldest brother became engaged, so Meyer had to get an additional visa. Freda was initially detained in England because she was sick, and the whole family had to wait before they could continue to Canada. Freda and her sister remained in Liverpool while she was recovering. The 2 older brothers had to wait in Russia for their separate visas. Their mother and the 2 younger boys continued to Canada. Weeks later they were reunited. Recalls the care she and her sister received when they were waiting to go to Canada. Recalls going to the doctors and the care she received when she was sick when she was on the boat to Canada. Moved into a house on Elgin St. Ottawa in November of 1922 Went to Elgin St. Public school, and even though she was 13 years old she was sent to grade 2 because of the language barrier. Her brother Reuben was in the same grade even though he was younger, so Freda convinced the teacher and principal to move her to grade 4. They moved to Wellington St. the next year. Her sister was a seamstress, so Meyer sent her to New York to stay with her brother and his wife and her family, where she got a job in a factory for $25 a week. Meyer planned to open a shoe store with Freda’s sister working there, but she wanted to stay in New York. Older brother Lazar also had his own job, so Freda began working in the store. That is how she became a shoe maker At Rexy, corner of Booth and Somerset, shoe store she met her husband, David, and more Jewish friends. The store opened in 1933 until they sold it when Freda retired in her late 50s. Had her son Kenneth in 1937. Discusses his circumcision. After her sister in law passed away, Freda had her daughter Sylvia. *Audio skips* Her father was a member of James St. Shul and that is where Freda got married Her husband liked to volunteer, and was an active member of the community. Recalls how synagogues and other organizations raised money. Freda went to night school for 4 years, and really enjoyed education and learning, and knew several languages. She was made president of the James St. Shul sisterhood. She hosted regular meetings and committees with the rabbi of the Shul and his wife. Also belongs to the pioneer women organization. Lived on Rochester St. for 15 years. Then got a nice house in the west end when the kids got older. Recalls where Kenny went to school in Ottawa, and how he excelled in his studies. Kenny went to university in Toronto, where he met his wife and went on to have 4 children. Freda is very close with her grandchildren. Freda’s husband was born around 1900 Sylvia was born 7 years after Kenny. Sylvia was in her early 20s when she met her husband at Kenny’s wedding. They have 1 child Freda has 5 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren When Freda retired she was at James St. Shul and then after James closed, they became members of Beth Shalom Visited Israel after she retired with the intention of living there, but returned to Canada because she missed her family. Bought and moved into an apartment on Laurier St. Freda came to Hillel Lodge in October 2000. Audio ends
- Responsibility
- Interviewed by Sheila Baslaw
- Date
- June 20, 2001
- Fonds No.
- O0045
- Storage Location
- vault
- Name Access
- Sheila Baslaw
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Ottawa Jewish Archives
Interview with Morton Baslaw And Local Jewish Artists
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn110826
- Collection
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Fonds No.
- O0045
- Date
- May 28, 1997
- Scope and Content
- Subject: Local Jewish Artists/Morton Baslaw Interviewer: N/A Date: May 28, 1997 Interview Location: Ottawa, ON Length of Time: Side A (48:10) Side B (48:45) Side C (13:13) -The lectures begin with updates on meetings, locations, and future plans for the Ottawa Jewish Archives and the JCC as of 19…
- Collection
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Scope and Content
- Subject: Local Jewish Artists/Morton Baslaw Interviewer: N/A Date: May 28, 1997 Interview Location: Ottawa, ON Length of Time: Side A (48:10) Side B (48:45) Side C (13:13) -The lectures begin with updates on meetings, locations, and future plans for the Ottawa Jewish Archives and the JCC as of 1997 from Lawrence Freedman. -Morton Baslaw is introduced by a host; he mentions Morton’s many accomplishments. Morton was born in Ottawa and served as a member of the Royal Canadian Airforce before attending school in Chicago at the Chicago Academy of Fine Art. Morton is best known for his watercolor landscapes and is the founding president of the Ottawa Watercolor Society. He has placed importance on art education for young artists and has taught out of the Ottawa School of Art and Algonquin College. -Morton begins the lecture circuit by explaining how the night will feature local artists who have made an impact on Ottawa’s art culture. -The first speaker is Sonia Tarantour Pearl. She is a landscape watercolor painter, a member of the Ontario College of Art, a fellow of the Ottawa Watercolor Society, and a member of the Canadian Society of Painters in Watercolor. -Sonia discusses her family history and where her inspiration for art came from. Her maternal grandmother, Ida, began the artistry in the family. Sonia recalls Ida teaching her mother to paint with enamel paints. She also draws inspiration from her paternal grandfather, Charles, who brought the family to Canada from Russia. She credits her parents, Sylvia and Morris with instilling in her a love of beauty and a pride in her heritage. -Sonia details her experiences painting outdoors in places such as Almonte, the experimental farm in Ottawa, and the Bay of Fundy. She discusses the work that goes into her painting expeditions including the time consuming set up and tear down of her art station. -Sonia discusses an experience she had outside the Bay of Fundy where she draws inspiration from as the sight brought a powerful stillness to her work and brings her to a new place when painting. -Sonia details a series painted off of a landscape in Bon Echo Park. She discusses how she prefers to do her work at source over photograph, and she also recognizes that she was on indigenous land and tried to honor that in her art. -She believes being an artist takes balance; to be able to react to something and portray its essence in 2-D form. It is because of this she says it is usually 1 in 7 of her paintings that are successful. She concludes her talk by discussing that process of many reattempts at a landscape to get it perfect. -The next speaker is Sonia’s sister, Ann Lazear. Ann paints portraits and landscapes with oil paints. She and her husband Art Lazear held the first husband and wife jewish art show in Ottawa, and she spent 27 years teaching in Ottawa in both middle schools and high schools. In her retirement she has returned to painting. -Ann begins her lecture by talking about how 30 years prior she had participated in an art show in this very building; in 1968 she read a speech titled The Beauty Within for the show and she re-reads it during this talk. The speech talks mainly about the art shows and artists of the community prior to 1968. -In 1956 Ann and Art held the first husband and wife art show in Canada. She discusses the show and the broad range of art shown from abstract to realism. SHe also mentions the attitude in Ottawa at the time as it was when the government had made promises to Israel. -Ann discusses artwork that is on display during the lecture; she discusses the portrait of a choir that includes David Toronto, Meyer Wexler, Warner Bower, and Howard Carp. She discusses more art on display; various portraits, a wedding portrait at Memorial Chapel, and a piece titled The Bread and The Candlestick which features bread from Kardish Bakery. -She tributes her father with her love of nature and her mother with her appreciation for the beauty and heritage in her art. -In May 1957 Ann painted a portrait of Dr. Maxwell MacOdrum the former president of Carleton University and her portrait still hangs in the library on campus. END OF SIDE A -Ann talks about her painting techniques; how she layers pigment to create movement in her art. -In 1961 Ann began her teaching career in Ottawa, she reminisces about her time with her students. She discusses a booklet of student art she created as a teaching aid called Into The Heights. -Ann concludes with her family legacy and how art is a big factor in her children's lives and how she is now enjoying her time as a grandmother who can encourage her grandchildren’s artistic efforts. -Morton then introduces the next artist, Teena Tarantour Greenberg, who could not make it to the event but her sister Ann will be discussing her art for her. -Teena was born in 1939, she went to school for nursing and then obtained a fine arts degree from the University of Ottawa. -Ann recollects how Teena grew up collecting small items and artifacts, this is something carried over to her art. Ann discusses her painting Garden of Delights which includes many small mementos and artifacts of Teena’s life. -Teena has worked with many materials such as leather, wood, wool, copper, oil paints, and watercolors. However her favorite material is bronze. -Ann discusses a sculpture on display by Teena called Variations in Bronze and walks through the technique used to create the sculpture. -Teena is a member of the Ottawa Sculptural Society and has seen such success that one of her artworks is in the Queen’s holdings. -Ann concludes by mentioning her sister Selma as well who has her art and collection on display at the Hillel Lodge. Her final remarks express how all of the sisters enjoyed growing up in Ottawa and how it impacted their art. -The next speaker is Deborah Mirsky Cosman. Deborah was born in Ottawa, studied at the Ontario College of Art, Carleton University, and the Ottawa School of Art. She is also a fellow and a past president of the Ottawa Watercolor Society. -Deborah begins by speaking of her first art class at Kingsmere. She recalls being discouraged by an art teacher, however she continued to study and later that teacher gave her an award for one of her pieces. That piece was titled Gull on a Rock and Deborah talks about fond memories of that painting. -She discusses a solo show she one had at Accent Gallery, an interior design gallery on Somerset Street. -Deborah’s mother was a musician who played the cello. Because of this Deborah says she looks at paintings as a symphony; they must have balance, harmony, movement, and be pleasing to the eye. She goes into more detail about her process and technique. -Deborah prefers to work from photographs so she can pay attention to the details. She tells stories of past pieces of art where she spent much of her time dedicated to getting the details perfect. She also discusses how she adds elements to her art to bring life, as an example she added birds to a photograph of an abandoned mill in Almonte. -She speaks on one of her paintings on display of the Butcher Gardens in Victoria B.C. -Deborah discusses her technique and materials. She uses chinese brushes and paints only once she has planned out the painting down to every color. -Deborah discusses her murals in the Ronald McDonald house in Ottawa. She recalls stories of the children and families she met there. -She mentions artwork she submitted to be used as cards for the national Council of Jewish Women. The art she submitted features hasidic dancers she saw in Israel. -Deborah concludes by mentioning growing up with the Tarantour sisters as well as how it was Morton Baslow that gave her her first job after art school. -Morton Baslow now speaks about his art and his past. Begins by discussing history and how art has changed over hundreds of years. He speaks on the unique lens of outdoor landscape painters and their strange lives. He tells stories of driving into people's driveways to ask to paint their property and how it creates a story behind each piece. -He tells an amusing story about Rabbi Bulka asking him to paint the Murray Street Synagogue before it was demolished. -He discusses his technique and how light plays a large role in his art. END OF SIDE B -Morton continues his talk on his technique and the process he approaches his paintings with. He makes note of how lucky he is to live in Ottawa so he can fully experience all 4 seasons and paint all 4 seasons. -Morton tells an amusing story surrounding his piece, First Snow in City Hall. -Morton concludes by discussing a piece he did for his wife so she could feel closer to her father and his Russian heritage. -there is then a question period followed by closing statements by Lawrence Freedman. END OF SIDE C
- Date
- May 28, 1997
- Fonds No.
- O0045
- Storage Location
- vault
- Name Access
- Sheila Baslaw
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Ottawa Jewish Archives
Interview with Mrs. Ruth Soloway (Spevak).
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn106847
- Collection
- Spevak family fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Fonds No.
- I0227
- Date
- July 23, 2001
- Collection
- Spevak family fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Responsibility
- Sheila Baslaw
- Date
- July 23, 2001
- Fonds No.
- I0227
- Storage Location
- vault
- Notes
- 1. Duration approx. 30 minutes. 2. Location: Audio Cassettes - Various fonds. 3. Summary: Mrs. Ruth Soloway (nee Spevak) speaks about her father Sam Spevak and her mother Sophie who became ill and died when Ruth was only 15. Her sister Sadie took over parenting Ruth and her younger brother Jackie. Her oldest brother Charlie moved to Detroit when Ruth was young. Her mother was preoccupied much of the time with bringing over her family from Russia. She and her husband enjoyed playing poker in one of the eight bedrooms of their large home on Daly Avenue. During the Depression years her father closed the Capital Fur & Hide company. Her sister Sadie supported the family by working for the government. Ruth worked in Sam Berger's law office and later worked at the National Film Board. She recalled that she was not allowed to play tennis at the Rideau Tennis Club because she was Jewish and that Jack Wolf and herself were the only Jewish children in her class at school. Mrs. Soloway recalled that her father was "larger than life" and "never did anything by halves". He was president of the Rideau Street shul and the Ottawa Jewish Immigrant Aid Society. Many of the immigrants that worked on the farms near Billings Bridge moved on to Detroit.
- Name Access
- Sheila Baslaw
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Ottawa Jewish Archives
Interview with Ruth Greenberg.
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn106630
- Collection
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Fonds No.
- O0045
- Date
- July 17, 2001
- Collection
- Ottawa Jewish Historical Society fonds
- Description Level
- Item
- Material Type
- sound recording
- Responsibility
- Interviewed by Sheila Baslaw
- Date
- July 17, 2001
- Fonds No.
- O0045
- Storage Location
- vault
- Notes
- Subject: Ruth Greenberg Interviewer: Sheila Baslow Date: July 17, 2001 Interview Location: Ottawa, ON Length of Time: 51:22 -Ruth begins by talking about what she recalls of her maternal and paternal grandparents. She never met her maternal grandparents and knew they lived in Europe. Her paternal grandmother was named Ada and she has fond memories of her in Ottawa. -Ruth’s parents were married on october 20th 1914 at the Billings Bridge Coach House. Ruth was born shortly after on July 23rd 1915. Ruth talks about a small northern town they lived in for a little while while her father was working in the fur trade industry. However there was no jewish community there so they returned to Ottawa and had a store on Rideau street ~1918. -Ruth talks about life back then; the cost of bread and butter, wagons for fruit and milk deliveries, the massive amounts of snow in the winter, and riding the open air street car to Britannia Beach. -Ruth had 3 sisters. Ruth’s father caught Tuberculosis and unfortunately passed away at the age of 39; Ruth was only 13. Ruth’s mother raised the girls alone and with support from her family and her in-laws. Ruth quit school at 16 so she could make money for the family. She began working at Freiman’s for $12/week. -During World War II Ruth applied to work for the RCMp and worked her way up there. She stopped working when she became pregnant and she addresses her regrets about not returning to work for the RCMP. -After her son Norman was born Ruth and Earl opened a small grocery store. Ruth talks about how much charity and help her sisters gave her during this time as the store was not making much money. -Ruth talks about the love she has for her sisters and mother. She believes she grew up in the most loving home. She aspired to be like her mom and be as caring and supportive as she was. -Ruth talks about how while she was never rich she felt incredibly blessed as she was extremely happy throughout her life. -Ruth talks about her sons Joel and Norman. Joel is a lawyer and Norman got his PhD; they are both married and Ruth talks about how much she loves her daughters-in-law and how happy her family makes her. -Ruth’s mother came to Canada when she was young and Ruth talks about some jewelry she left them. Ruth doesnt know much about her fathers life, she knows he had some sisters who remained in Europe and he had a lovely uncle in Ottawa who helped out the family a lot after Ruth's father passed away. -Ruth and Earl were married in 1940 and Earl passed away in 1992. They had 52 lovely years together. Earl became a legionnaire after he retired and Rth talks about how much he loved it. During World War II Earl had been overseas for 5 years. Ruth wrote to him everyday and sent him a parcel every month. -Ruth discusses her hobbies; she is very social and loves being around people and she loves to walk. -Ruth concludes by talking about how different the city is now. She recalls there being no houses past Carling Ave and big forests in Sandy Hill. She loves how much bigger the community has gotten in recent years. END OF TAPE
- Name Access
- Sheila Baslaw
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Ottawa Jewish Archives
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