Interview with Sylvia Bronsther (nee Nathanson)
https://www.cjhn.ca/link/cjhn107578
- Collection
- Sylvia and Bert Bronsther Family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 DVD
- Fonds No.
- I0229
- Date
- November 3, 2011
- Scope and Content
- Sylvia discusses Jewish history of Lowertown with Laurie Dougherty.
- Collection
- Sylvia and Bert Bronsther Family fonds
- Description Level
- Fonds
- Physical Description
- 1 DVD
- Scope and Content
- Sylvia discusses Jewish history of Lowertown with Laurie Dougherty.
- Date
- November 3, 2011
- Fonds No.
- I0229
- Storage Location
- Multimedia Box 1 under Individuals and Organizations
- History / Biographical
- Sylvia Nathanson (Bronsther) was the first Jewish female baby to be born at the Ottawa Civic Hospital on January 2, 1925. Bert Bronsther was born in Cincinnati, Ohio on July 23, 1925. He moved to Montreal with his mother when he was 11. It was his involvement with AZA that led him to Ottawa, where he went on a blind date, and met his future wife Sylvia Nathanson. While Bert was serving oversees during World War II, as a corporal and in the army service corps, Sylvia would send him cigarettes from Ottawa. He sold them on the black market and bought her a diamond in Amsterdam. He mailed her the diamond hidden in a pillow with $100 to have it set, which she did at Birks. Bert was discharged from the army on June 6, 1946 and they were married at Adath Jeshuran Synagogue on June 20, 1946. After the war, Bert worked at Molson Brewery and then held a clerk position with National Defense. He left the government to work in the business of Sylvia’s father, Sam’s Pawn Shop at 41 William Street. Bert, with Sylvia’s brother, eventually took over the business. Sylvia and Bert have two children, Phil and Carol Ann (Cowitz), both live in Ottawa. Sylvia is a member of the Sinai Chapter of Hadassah Wizo and an active member of AJA50+. Bert Bronsther died on December 12, 2010.
- Notes
- 1. Duration: 50:28 minutes
- Archival / Genealogical
- Archival Descriptions
- Repository
- Ottawa Jewish Archives
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