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I was born in Toronto in the 1920s. I grew up on Palmerston
Avenue, with my parents and a house full of siblings. My parents
came from Europe and worked hard, making many sacrifices to
provide for us. We were poor, but the importance of family
and education were always stressed.
Throughout my teens, I loved school. I attended Hebrew and
Yiddish schools, and graduated from Harbord Collegiate with
a full scholarship to the University of Toronto. I dreamed
of becoming a teacher, but felt the full sting of anti-Semitism
when I was warned that there were few jobs available for Jews.
I earned my Bachelor of Arts and worked for an insurance company
until I was married.
My husband, Philip, was a holocaust survivor. We met on a
"blind date." I thought he was terribly intelligent
and handsome. Needless to say, he captured my heart, and we
were married in December, 1949. Because of what Philip had
endured, a strong sense of Jewish community was further instilled
in me. We were not religious, but yiddishkeit and education
were important to us. We raised three daughters, all pursuing
professional careers.
For Philip, tzedakah was also important. Even in Poland,
he was involved in Zionist and community activities. For 20
years, he was president of the Chenstochover Aid Society in
Toronto, which did charity work and offered free loans to
those in need. He brought many young people into the Society
and inspired me to get involved.
In 1986, I helped found the Chenstochover Sisterhood. Since
the first fundraising tea which was held in our home, we have
raised over $50,000 for causes in Israel. Philip and I travelled
to Israel often, and gave annually to UJA, Beit Halochem,
Na’amat Women and Baycrest.
Philip passed away in 2003, but during his life he made a
substantial contribution to our community. In his honour,
I donated to the Wolfond Centre for Jewish Campus Life at
the University of Toronto. A memorial plaque rests outside
the director’s office, bearing Philip’s name.
I am very proud to be Jewish and I truly believe our community
will stay strong always. Through my contributions, I trust
I have set an example for my six grandchildren, and for the
whole Jewish community for generations to come.
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