setName:"B’nai Jacob Congregation = Sons of Jacob Congregation fonds" found 1 record - The Canadian Jewish Heritage Network

Scope and Content: This fonds consists of early administrative records, Correspondence, documents pertaining to the Women's Auxiliary 'Sisterhood', financial ledgers of the Loan Society, and religious texts. Other materials include: Early synagogue material including 1916 constitution; 1915-1916 seating accounts; 19…

Collection: B'nai Jacob Congregation = Sons of Jacob Congregation fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Material Type: multiple media

Physical Description: 65m of records, 4 rubber stamps, 10 prayer books, 14 photographs, 1 Bimah cover

Scope and Content: This fonds consists of early administrative records, Correspondence, documents pertaining to the Women's Auxiliary 'Sisterhood', financial ledgers of the Loan Society, and religious texts. Other materials include: Early synagogue material including 1916 constitution; 1915-1916 seating accounts; 1931 cornerstone documents (and old copies of these documents); 1920-1971 Board minutes; A complete financial history of the B’nai Jacob Loan Society from 1943 onwards; A short written history of B’nai Jacob by Reuben Kalin; Membership records; Cemetery accounts Correspondence; Sisterhood minutes - 1930-1968; 50th anniversary activities – 1967; News clippings; Amalgamation committee minutes - 1969-1973 A history of Sons of Jacob Congregation - 1911-1944; A souvenir marking the occasion of the burning of the James Street Synagogue mortgage - November 19, 1944; Max Bookman, Honour Roll, 1939-1945; 1966 Bulletins of Congregations B’nai Jacob and Machzikei Hadas, Framed prayer instructions written in Yiddish that were once bolted to the wall (the document is stored in the Congregation’s fonds Box 2, and the frame is stored on the wrapped items shelf (see - 4-725)); A hand-written calligraphic document from the Sons of Jacob Congregation to the Uptown Ladies Auxiliary on behalf of their work done during their 25th anniversary - 1937 (see 4-740); A photocopy of a typed list listing members – 1931; Red and gold Bimah cover, circa 1920 (Oversized storage, Mixed Box 2) Box 1: Constitution, Cornerstone Documents, Minute Books, Membership Lists, Newspaper Clippings Cornerstone: Documents 1 – 1930-1931; Cornerstone: Documents 2 – 1930-1931; Cornerstone: Documents 3 – 1930-1931; Cornerstone: Documents 4- July 1, 1931; Cornerstone: Photocopied Cornerstone Documents; Constitution – Nov 23, 1916; Account Book with Seat List – 1914-1944; Minute Book, Yiddish – 1920-1932; Minute Book, Yiddish – June 7, 1936- July 20, 1939; Minute Book – Apr 13, 1958 – Dec 3, 1967; Membership Lists – 1940’s, 1964; Letter regarding the Imposition of taxes on Member seats – May 5, 1930; Incorporation Papers and Rules and Regulations of Constitution – 1928, 1933; Election Ballots and results – Jan 22, 1950; Congregational Financial Statements; Invitations; Bulletins of Congregations: Machzikei Hadas and B’nai Jacob; Honour Roll – 1939-1945; Newspaper Clippings – 1929-1967; Plaque from State Bonds of Israel for Distinguished Service in Economic Development; B’nai Jacob Cemetery Map; Box 2: History, Correspondence, Cemetery Records, 5 Prayer Books Hist: A History of the Sons of Jacob Congregation – 1911-1944; Hist: B’nai Jacob Synagogue Youth List – 1964-1965; Hist: Minutes on Amalgamation – 1969-1973; Correspondence, various subjects – 1952-1970; Deed to Lot for Cemetery – Feb 5, 1957; Rules and Regulations Governing Jewish Cemetery – 1957; Correspondence: Cemetery Lots and Estate Funds – 1958-1972; Correspondence: received from Vaad Ha’ir – 1963-1968; Blank Deeds for Purchase of Burial Lots; Burial Lists – 1963-1966; Cemetery receipt Books; Prayer Books (5); Plaque Distinguishing B’nai Jacob from State of Israel Bonds; Box 3: Women’s Auxiliary “Sisterhood” History; Ladies Auxiliary: Obituary of Rebecca Levin – 1941; Sisterhood Minutes Book, Yiddish and English – 1930-1954; Sisterhood Minutes Book – 1954-1967; Mailing Membership Lists; Sisterhood Purim Play Program and Script – 1962; Donated receipts; Certificate of 50th Anniversary – 1967; Sisterhood Correspondence; Newspaper Clippings; Sisterhood Invitations; Box 4: Loan Society Reuben Kalin’s History of the Loan Society – 1929; Minutes – Feb 6, 1952 – Dec 1, 1974; Minute Book – 1968-1974; Minutes – Apr 4 1943- Dec 30, 1951; Financial Statements – May 3, 1943- Jan 15, 1950; Financial Statements – Jan 15, 1950- Feb 7, 1960; Financial Statements – Feb 16, 1960 – Mar 1, 1970; Financial Statements – Mar 1, 1970 – Dec 15, 1974; Invoices – 1946-1972; Cemetery Committee – 1965-1970; Bank Ledger Sheets – 1959- 1967; Accounts Payable – 1948- 1961; “On Demand” Notes of Loan Society – 1947-1959; Cancelled Cheques – 1961-1970; Cancelled Cheques – 1947-1955; Bank Books – 1969-1975; Bank Books – 1959, 1955-1967, 1971; Ledger – 1959-1962; Ledger – 1962-1973; Ledger – 1963- 1966; Box 5: Loan Society Ledgers, Rubber Stamps, Cash Box Loan Society Rubber Stamp; Loan Society Rubber Stamp, For Deposits; Loan Society Rubber Stamps, Signature; Loan Society Rubber Stamp, Signatures; Cash Box; Ledger – 1945-1951; Ledger – 1945-1953; Ledger – 1953-1961; Ledger – 1969-1972; Ledger – 1972-1974; Box 6: Religious Texts Festival Prayer Book; Hebrew Prayer Book; Hebrew Prayer Book; Holy Bible, Hebrew and English; Holy Bible, Hebrew; Prayer Book, Donated to Charles Finkelstein Family by Aurora Lodge – 1961; Prayer Book, Donated to Ivan Goodman by Aurora Lodge – 1962;

Date: 1915-1974

Fonds No.: C0006

Storage Location: A.2.4

History / Biographical: Prior to the creation of B'nai Jacob Congregation, the families of Uppertown, (or Centretown as it is now known), were served by the synagogues of Lowertown. The families of Uppertown walked to Lowertown synagogues for Holy Day services. In 1910 an idea arose to establish a congregation of their own, which would address the issue of families having to walk to Lowertown in bad weather. In 1911 the residents of Uppertown began to hold services in a public hall at 219 Bank Street and the home of Mr. J. R. Fogle at 384 Bank Street. J.R. Fogel was a tailor by trade and his business stationary was used to record the shul's history. For these services, the Congregation rented a Torah from another shul for $10 until they were able to raise enough money through donation to purchase their own. In 1914 they raised sufficient funds to purchase a house at 54 James Street which they converted into a shul. The purchase required a $4,000 mortgage and $1,000 in cash. The new Synagogue was named B'nai Jacob at the suggestion of Mr. A. Bookman and Mr. J. R. Fogle and a Talmud Torah was also organized and housed around 40 children. Rev. Morris Lappin was hired for his services as chazan and a mohel and Rev. Samuel Schreiber served as cantor and shoichet for 35 years until the shul closed. In 1931 the building was renovated and on November 19, 1944 the Congregation celebrated the burning of their mortgage. The building underwent a second renovation in 1951. By the late 1960's the congregation's membership had decreased to about 12 or 15 which made it increasingly difficult to form a minyan. In 1971 the decision was made to amalgamate into Congregation Beth Shalom. B'nai Jacob's Sifrei Torah and the James Street Synagogue's cornerstone became the property of Beth Shalom. B'nai Jacob Presidents included: H. Levine J.E Sayers J.R Fogel M. Lobel J.L Arron J. Bookman J. Gladstone A. Bookman A. Sherman

Custodial History: These records were transferred to the National Archives of Canada in 1973, and returned to the Ottawa Jewish Archives in 1996.

Notes: 1. 1920-1939 Board minutes were recorded in Yiddish. 2. 1930-1943 Sisterhood minutes were recorded in Yiddish. 3. Abe Finestein recalled in a telephone conversation with L. D. that Aron Henry Levin lived on Gladstone and at one time stoked the fire at the James St. synagogue. He was the first president of B'nai Jacob.

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Ottawa Jewish Archives