setName:"Sonia and Arthur Viner fonds" found 3 records - The Canadian Jewish Heritage Network

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of Sonia Viner’s early, hand written, recollections of life in Russia, and other biographical material; Arthur Viner’s certified birth records; Arthur Viner's Federal Government, Department of Supply and Services Superannuation correspondence; news clippings; Arthur Viner's Accounti…

Collection: Sonia and Arthur Viner fonds

Description Level: Fonds

Material Type: multiple media

Physical Description: textual records; 2 photographs

Scope and Content: Fonds consists of Sonia Viner’s early, hand written, recollections of life in Russia, and other biographical material; Arthur Viner’s certified birth records; Arthur Viner's Federal Government, Department of Supply and Services Superannuation correspondence; news clippings; Arthur Viner's Accounting Diploma, 1956, the diploma was used as a backing for a smaller certificate outlining the spiritual adoption of an Israeli boy in honour of Arthur and Sonia's 45th wedding anniversary by the Na'amat Pioneer Women, 1977; A certificate for a tree that was planted in the Canadian Centennial Forest in Israel on behalf of Sonia Viner by the Na'amat Pioneer Women, 1968; A certificate for a tree that was planted in the Canada Friendship Forest in Israel in honour of Sonia Viner for being chosen "Woman of the Year" by the Na'amat Pioneer Women of Ottawa, 1971. File 1: Declarations referring to Arthur Viner File 2: Goldman and Viner family history File 3: Sonia and Arthur Viner fund File 4: Certificate from Magen David Adom File 5: Periodicals - Pioneer Women File 6: Periodicals - Canadian Pioneer Women File 7: Convention Journals and Notes File 8: Newsclippings File 9: Materials used by Sonia Viner File 10: Personal Correspondence File 11: Notes and letter regarding Archival materials File 12: Arthur Viner File 13: JNF Certificates Ephemera: Two 1952 Telephone Directories, a celebratory keychain for Sonia and Arthurs 50th wedding anniversary

Date: 1928-[196-]

Fonds No.: I0225

Storage Location: C.2.1

Creator: 10cm of textual materials

History / Biographical: Arthur Viner (b. 1910 – d. 1994) was born in Zhitomir (Zhytomyr), Russia, to parents Freda and Cecil Viner. The Viner’s immigrated to Canada in 1911 when Arthur was a baby and first lived in Pembroke, Ontario, before moving to Ottawa. Sarah 'Sonia' Goldman was born February 24, 1911 in Krasnostav, Russia to parents Malka (Finerman) and Walter Wolf 'Zev' Goldman. She had four sisters: Rachel (Jewett), Edith (Cherun), Anne (Kaplan), and Betty (Feller). In 1920, Sonia's family was forced to flee from Russia for a safer home in Canada. Before her faher Wolf's death in 1918, he and his brothers had devised a plan to get the family out of Russia. Malka and her daughters had to travel seperately, occasionally leaving the five young girls with other people throughout the 365 miles journey to Warsaw, Poland. Once Malka and her daughters were reunited in Warsaw they made their way to Anterp, Belgium and boarded the S.S. Canada which landed in Quebec City in 1921. In Quebec City, the family was housed in a jail near the Plains of Abraham where their hair was shaved off and they were deloused. With the help of their uncle James (Wolf's brother) through lawyers and financial assistance, the family was released where they made their way to Ottawa. Starting at the age of 14, Sonia got a job working in A.J. Freiman's department store wher eshe worked in the China departmet. In 1927, at the age of 16, Sonia met Arthur Viner and the two began dating.At this time Sonia became seriously ill and had to have her thyroid removed. She was sent away to the country to rest and was told that she only had weeks to live. Trying to accept her diagnosis, Sonia told Arthur to leave her and find someone else. Arthur refused stating "Sonny, I would rather have a few weeks with you than a lifetime with someone else." Sonia ended up recovering and on February 26, 1932, Arthur and Sonia (Goldman) Viner were married. Sonia and Arthur had two children together, Gladys 'Gital' (Greenberg) Viner born January 22, 1933, and Walter Viner born July 7, 1938. Arthur studied accounting and obtained employment with the Federal Government in 1934. He went on to become Chief of the Pension and War Veterans Allowance Division and retired in 1969. Arthur joined the Labour Zionist Movement and Sonia became active in Pioneer Women. Sonia chaired the committee which first published the Jewish Telephone Directory in 1951. In 1959, she served as president of the Degania Group of Pioneer Women, and founded the Chana Szenes Group in 1969. She also started the concept of the "Phantom Tea." Both Sonia and Arthur were considered “sensitive and idealistic people” and were intimately involved in the work of the Labour Zionist movement during their lives. Arthur passed on October 6, 1994. Sonia passed on July 23, 2003. They are both buried in the Jewish Memorial Gardens on Bank Street.

Acquisition Source: Gladys Greenberg

Notes: 1. The Accounting certificate, Friendship Forest cetificate, and Centennial Forest certificate donated in 2013 accrual.

Related Material: Na’amat Pioneer Women, Ottawa Council fonds; Labour Zionist Council of Ottawa fonds; The Ottawa Jewish Bulletin & Review, February 5, 1982; the Anne Goldman fonds; Book 'The Goldman Girls" outling the families history can be found in the OJA reference library.

Archival / Genealogical: Archival Descriptions

Repository: Ottawa Jewish Archives

Arthur Viner at Connaught Ranges.

https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn104255

Collection: Sonia and Arthur Viner fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Fonds No.: I0225; OJA 1-804-01

Date: July 1942

1 image

Collection: Sonia and Arthur Viner fonds

Description Level: Item

Material Type: graphic material

Physical Description: 1 photograph : b&w

Date: July 1942

Fonds No.: I0225

Item No.: OJA 1-804-01

Storage Location: vault

Acquisition Source: Gladys Greenberg

Notes: Inscription on recto (cropped from scan): "Best man there. I say, L. Corporal A. V. at Connaught Ranges 1942." Inscription on verso: "Connaught Ranges. L. Corporal Viner and Gary." Arrow on photograph points to Arthur Viner.