Collection

Sylvia and Harry Kershman Family fonds

Description Level

Fonds

Physical Description

1.5m of textual records; photographs and other material

Scope and Content

Fonds consists of textual records, photographs, and ephemera. Box 1 Envelope - photos File - Bodovsky Kosher Meat Market documents 1940's File - Correspondence to Wolf Bodovsky 1952, 1962 File - Berke Bodovsky Tombstone 1935 (Yiddish) File - Wolf Bodovsky agreement for seat at Agudath Achim 1928 File - Jewish National Fund Certificate for Kele and Wolf Bodovsky's silver wedding anniversary given by Lena Florence Chapter of Ottawa Hadassah 1936 File - Kele Bodovsky Hadassah documents File - Kele Bodovsky embroidery patterns File - Kele Bodovsky's Mizrachi Women's Council of Ottawa material File - Sylvia, Goldie and Annie Bodovsky's music certificates File - Sylvia Bodovsky letterhead for Dept. of National Defence Air Service File - Miscellaneous Biographical material for Sylvia Kershman File - Speech impairment instructions used by Sylvia Kershman File - Canadian Writer and Editor Magazines 1945, 1946 (used by Sylvia Kershman for her writing). File - Sylvia Bodovsky Cook Book from York Street Public School File - Sylvia Bodovsky Radio Notes - 1946; File - Sylvia Bodovsky Recreation Association scripts 1946, 1947 File - Sylvia Bodovsky Recreation Association scripts 1945, 1946 File - Sylvia Bodovsky Recreation Association scripts 1947 File - Sylvia Bodovsky Recreation Association scripts 1947 File - Misc. Household accounts File - photo of dalmatian and ribbons File - 3 small school books of Harry Kershman's File - World War II certificates, credentials of Harry Kershman's. File - World War II letter to Harry Kershman from Abe Rochlin File - Harry Kershman miscellaneous material File - Sylvia Kershman maternity years File - Lisgar Collegiate Institute 125th anniversary 1843 - 1968 material 2 packets of cards; Sylvia's birthday and New Year 1997 Rolled, panoramic photograph of Aircraft Procurement staff. Sylvia Kershman is in 3rd row from front, 24th from left. File - Sylvia Kershman donations to various charities File - Miscellaneous. News clippings File - Coat of Many Colours Material Box 2 File - Collection of pins and Sylvia Kershman's watch File - Birth of Stanley J. Kershman January 20 1952 File - Stanley Kershman, early years File - Stanley Kershman Bar Mitzvah, Jan 1965 File - Stanley Kershman, news clippings and photograph from boyhood File - John Kershman, bar mitzvah and career File - John Kershman, dental office opening May 1986 File - Goldie Bodovsky projects from school File - Goldie Bodovsky Girl Guide Qualifications 1943- 1946 File - Anne and Bert Wormann File - Book, Deemed Suspect and info about Bert Wormann Pin and Machar Book belonging to Anne Wormann File - Rose family File- Anne (Bodovsky) Wormann documents Box 3 File - Speeches for family events File - Kershman family invitations File - Sylvia Bodovsky and Harry Kershman Wedding July 4, 1948 File - Kele and Wolf Bodovsky 50th Wedding Anniversary 1961 White Photograph Album with collected memorabilia and photos for 50th wedding anniversary 45th wedding anniversary photos, guest book etc. of Sylvia and Harry Kershman July 4, 1993 Grey, covered binder containing 35th wedding anniversary cards July 1983 for Sylvia and Harry Kershman Envelope - Unknown wedding portrait 1950 gift from Harry to Sylvia in New York (compact) Shima engraved on case 1936 gift to Harry Kershman for his Bar Mitzvah - Waltham watch Box 4 Artifacts: Wooden abacus brought from Russia; used by Mrs. Wolf Bodovsky in Russia and in Kosher Butcher shop Envelope containing lighters and cigarette cases Two publications for Canadian Armed Forces: Jewish Calendar 1942 - 9143 and Readings from the Holy Scriptures for Jewish Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen 1939. Blue leather RCAF writing Kit with H.K. stamped in silver letters on front. OS Box 1 Theatre Scripts: The Family Upstairs, Boy Meets Girl, Spring Song, and The Invader Scrapbook - Sylvia Kershman's collection of news clippings related to theatre productions of Ottawa Drama League, RA drama and variety shows during the Second World War etc. Notebook/Diary, 1943 Photograph of staff of Directorate of Procurement Aircraft, 1943 File 1: Leikin Family, [193-]. 1-574-045 File 2: Anne Bodovsky, 9 months, [193-]. 1-574-052 File 3: Sylvia Bodovsky, 1942. 1-574-022 File 4: Goldie Reva Bodovsky, 1945. 1-574-069 File 5: Wolf Bodovsky & Kele Leikin Bodovsky, 1945. 1-574-070 File 6: Family Portrait, 1945. 1-574-066 File 7: Wedding Portrait of Bert Wormann & Anne Bodovsky, 1945. 1-574-067 File 8: Anne Bodovsky, 1945. 1-574-068 File 9: Sylvia and Harry Kershman Wedding, 1948. 1-574-018, 1-574-021, 1-574-023 File 10: Wedding of Goldie Reva Bodovsky and Harold Applebaum, 1949. 1-574-071, 1-574-026, 1-574-027, 1-574-028 File 11: Wedding portrait of Ethel Leikin and William Kesler, 1950. 1-574-03 File 12: Wedding of Goldie Leikin and Theodore Spieler, 1955. 1-574-020, 1-574-046 Portrait of Yente Rifkin Bodovsky, mother of Wolfe Bodovsky, wife of Berke Bodovsky, [188-]. Additional material includes: Linens Sylvia Bodovsky's wedding dress A tallis A tefillin Two certificates from the Ottawa Jewish Council, one for Sylvia and one for Harry, thanking them for their commitment. A Jewish National Fund Tree Planting Certificate on the occasion of Sylvia and Harry's 45th wedding anniversary. A Hadassah-Wizo certificate honouring Mr. and Mrs. Kershman on their 45th wedding anniversary.

Date

[188-] - 1961

Fonds No.

I0230

History / Biographical

Sylvia (Shima) Bodovsky (b. 1926) was born in Ottawa, the daughter of Wolf Bodovsky (b.1881 - d.1970) and Kele Leiken Bodovsky (b.1890 - d. 1973). Wolf and Kele married in Russia but came to Ottawa separately. Wolf arrived in 1913 while Kele came four years later in 1917. Wolf started working for Louis Leiken, one of the first kosher butchers in the Market at that time. He became a cattle driver and would buy from farmers for future delivery. Both parents mastered English quite readily and had been well educated in Russia. Wolf had been a Yeshiva student and knew Hebrew. He established his own butcher shop in the Old Market Building, 13 By Ward Market and operated the business for at least 25 years. Wolf Bodovsky sponsored his father, Berke Bodovsky (b. 1858, Russia - d. 1935, Ottawa) who left Russia because of the political situation and poor conditions there. Berke arrived in Ottawa in 1925 and brought several torah scrolls with him, one of which he donated to Agudath Israel Congregation before he died. Sylvia Bodovsky (b. January 2, 1926) was Wolf and Kele's third child. Older sisters were Annie (b. 1913 in Russia, married Bert Wormann) and Goldie Reva (b. March 23, 1922 - d. November 7, 1977 in Ottawa, married Harry Applebaum). Sylvia grew in in Ottawa's Lowertown, attended York Street Public School, and graduated from Lisgar Collegiate in 1942. Following graduation she worked for the Government of Canada as a Grade 3 Clerk in the Directorate of Procurement Aircraft, Air Material Services, Air Force Headquarters until 1945. Sylvia became interested in radio reporting and took diction and language lessons from a tutor, Claude Parker. She wrote her own scripts, interviewed people and delivered the programs for the RA Association (Recreational Association of Federal Government) at CKCO, a private, third floor radio station at a Dr. G. M. Geldert's home on Somerset Street. She was also interested in Jewish theatricals and met her husband, Harry Kershman (b. 1923, Montreal - d. 1997, Ottawa) at the Ottawa Hebrew Seniors Association which assembled in the old Talmud Torah building on George Street in Ottawa. Sylvia was a volunteer docent for the Museum of Civilization exhibit "A Coat of Many Colours - Two Centuries of Jewish Life in Canada". She was one of the few who gave the lectures in French. She also handled publicity for the JCC and the National Council of Jewish Women. Harry Kershman was born and grew up in Montreal. After service in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II he moved to Ottawa to join his brother who operated Judah’s Capital Commercial Laundry. Then he worked in the Ottawa retail clothing business as a customer peddler before establishing his own business. Sylvia and Harry Kershman married on July 4, 1948. They later established Bonnie Cleaners in October, 1956. They had two sons, Stanley Kershman (b. 1952) and John Kershman (b. 1955).

Acquisition Source

Sylvia Kershman

Related Material

Bonnie Cleaners Limited fonds; Justice Stanley Kershman fonds.

Archival / Genealogical

Archival Descriptions

Repository

Jewish Public Library Archives

Less detail