Eli Slonemsky family fonds
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn101274
- Collection
- Eli Slonemsky family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 4 Textual files, 3 B&W photographs, a book
- Fonds No.
- I0063
- Date
- 1926 - 1971
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs of Eli and Chiah Rifka, their children and descendants along records belonging to Sam and Rose Cooper and an overview of the Billings Bridge Jewish community written by Dr. A. Slone. Of interest is a Children's Tribute card addressed to Rhoda (Cooper), sincerely Lillia…
- Collection
- Eli Slonemsky family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 4 Textual files, 3 B&W photographs, a book
- Scope and Content
- Fonds consists of photographs of Eli and Chiah Rifka, their children and descendants along records belonging to Sam and Rose Cooper and an overview of the Billings Bridge Jewish community written by Dr. A. Slone. Of interest is a Children's Tribute card addressed to Rhoda (Cooper), sincerely Lillian Freiman dated June 2, 1935. The card contains a photograph of Mrs. Freiman. A Book of Jewish Thoughts (1944) and guest book are also included in fonds.
- Date
- 1926 - 1971
- Fonds No.
- I0063
- History / Biographical
- Eliyahu (Eli) Slonemsky arrived in Ottawa early in the first decade of the twentieth century. He adopted the name Slonemsky from his sponsors (the family name being Itscovitch), though later it was shortened to Slone. He brought his wife Chiah Rifka (whom he married in 1891) along with his children Rose, Abram, Nathan, Leo and David to Ottawa at a later date. They came from the Minsk area of Russia. Moe (b. 1907) and Esther (b.1910) were born in Ottawa. Eli Slonemsky began his teaching career in Ottawa with Agudath Achim congregation around 1903. In 1910, he moved to the Adath Jeshurun Congregation. In 1919 the two congregations combined their Hebrew schools and Eli Slonemsky joined Mr. Bernard Lieff (Lifshitz), Mr. W. Zelikovitz, Mr. M. Greenberg and Mr. M. Goldsmith. “Mr. Eli Slonemsky was a refined, scholarly gentleman who was a beautiful Torah reader”. He taught at the Adath Jeshurun Synagogue followed by the Ottawa Talmud Torah Board. He also gave private lessons to sons of ministers and diplomatic representatives. He was the 'baal korah' for the Adath Jeshurn Congregation. He also prepared the Hebrew lettering for the engravers of tombstones in the Ottawa Jewish Cemetery on Bank Street. There was a brief period where Eli Slonemsky set up a private school at 318 Rideau Street after having been fired from the Talmud Torah. The school set up by Slonemsky attracted the tuition paying students while the Talmud Torah was left with non-paying students. This prompted the Talmud Torah to rehire Mr. Slonemsky. Mr. Slonemsky was also a great friend of his teaching colleague, Bernard Lieff. The Slonemsky family lived at 18 McGee Street. The oldest brother, Abram, was Ottawa’s first Jewish dentist. Abram enlisted in 1917. Abram was closely associated with Poale-Zion, the Histadrut Campaigns, he was the Chairman of the Zionist Organization of Canada, and founder of the Ottawa Jewish Historical Society. Abram was a member of the Beth Shalom Congregation and the Masonic Lodge (50 year life member). Leo had a grocery business in the West End and worked in amateur wrestling before his marriage. Nathan had a car parts business and was married to Bessie (Hoffman) Slone. Prior to his car business Nathan had a full service grocery store on the Byward market. Davis became a civil servant. Moses Slone joined the Canadian Army, became a Lieutenant in the signal corps and served in Canada’s North. Rose married Samuel Cooper, a furrier. Esther married Moe Levine.
- Notes
- 1. Eli Slonemsky’s teaching career from Hebrew schools is important branch, Ottawa Journal, July 3, 1922. 2. Information supplied by Abraham Lieff in "Gathering Rosebuds", Joseph Lieff, as well as his granddaughter, Rhoda Prager. 3. Marriage certificate of Samuel Cooper and Rose Slonemsky donated by Margo Praeger Blostein, July, 2007. 4. Notes taken by Dawn Logan from a telephone conversation with Honourable Mr. Abraham H. Lieff, September 16, 2003: The Eli Slonemsky family were decent, honourable people. Mr. Slonemsky and Mr. Greenberg both taught. All the teachers were strict disciplinarians. Initially classes were from 4:00 to 7:30, then later 4:00 to 6:00, followed by 6:00 to 8:00 in the evening. Both Mr. Slonemsky and Mr. Bernard Lieff were at the Talmud Torah in the early 1920's. When the Talmud Torah classes amalgamated with the Folk Shule, they fired Mr. Slonemsky and Mr. Lieff and brought in A. Hassan Arnoni (the Friemans were very partial to Mr. Arnoni). After their dismissals, Mr. Slonemsky and Mr Lieff started a private school at 318 Rideau Street (about where Nate’s [Delicatessen?] is today). The tuition-paying children ended up transferring over to this new school and the Talmud Torah was left with non-tuition paying pupils. As a result, the Talmud Torah re-engaged the two former teachers. Abe Slone - Oldest child. Became Ottawa's first Jewish dentist. Abraham Lieff and Abe Slone went for country walks and Abe searched for wild grapes from which he made wine. Closely associated with Poale-Zion, Histadrut Campaigns, Chairman of Zionist Organization in Ottawa, a founder of the Ottawa Jewish Historical Society. Member of Beth Shalom Congregation, Masonic Lodge (50 year member). See Ottawa Citizen, November 22, 1971. Nathan stayed in Ottawa. Married Bessie Hoffman. He studied the banjo but never joined a band. Had a big grocery store in the market. Leo operated a grocery store in the West End near Parkdale. Before he married, he worked at amateur wrestling - an uncomplicated person. David was a civil servant, and eventually moved to Montreal. Moe, born in Canada, entered the military. He was tall, erect, very handsome, a sportsman. Much loved by his family. Joined the Canadian Army and was stationed in the North, then Halifax. Met Lillian Margolian of Margolian Department Stores, they married and had two sons, Richard and Joel. After retirement, worked for Margolian Department Store in Truro, Nova Scotia. Moved back to Ottawa in 1959. Ester married Mac Levin who was in the coin machine business. Rose married Sam Cooper. He bought from the trappers beyond Pembroke and sold to furriers. He went into the coin machine business in Pembroke. Their daughter, Rhoda Cooper, married Norman Prager (Rhoda Prager). Israel Slonemsky was a cousin of Eli Slonemsky. He was a businessman but never quite succeeded. They lived in Sandy Hill and felt superior to many others. J. C. Slonemsky was killed in World War I. Henry died young, in his teens. Bertha Slonemsky (a Hadassah Chapter named after her) married Sam Lepofsky. Ann Slonemsky married Louis Coplan. Beatrice remained single. 5. Rhoda Praeger notes, 1997. Re: Pembroke Jewish Community Cooper family had seven children. Abe Miller and Harry Cooper came to Pembroke from Russia, early 1910, sponsored by Mike Adelman. Mr. Adelman’s wife was the sister to Mrs Cooper. Then, after World War I, the rest of the family was brought over: Sam Cooper, Edith Cooper m. Aaron Pleet, Rae Cooper m. Charles Tavel. Joe Cooper m. Esther Finklestein, Ester Cooper m. David Baker. They were met at Quebec City by Mr. Adelman.
- Related Material
- Related photographs of Eli Slonemsky in the Ottawa Talmud Torah fonds
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Ottawa Jewish Archives
{{ server.message }}