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New history comes to light... courtesy of
Eiran Harris, Archivist, Montreal
Jewish Public Library
The Montreal Hebrew Sheltering and Orphans’
Home, situated on Evans Street,
corner St. Urbain, is the continuation of the Montefiore Home,
organized on December 22, 1907, at the home of the late Abraham Lang.
This home was the initiative of Rabbi S. Glazer, with the
cooperation of A. Radner, Myer
Zelikovitch and M. Flanders.
The official founding convention
met on December 29th at the Beth
David Synagogue on Chenneville
Street. The following people were elected to the
executive board for a period of one year: M. Flanders, Chairman; M.P. Schleifer,
Financial and recording Secretary; A.
Radner, Yiddish Corresponding
Secretary; A. Victor, Treasurer; S.
Kalmanovitch and M. Zelikovitch.
The last meeting of the Montefiore Home
occured on June 8, 1908. The committee was dissolved and its
goals were fulfilled with the establishment of the Montreal Hebrew Sheltering and Orphans’
Home (Keneder
Odler Daily, August 5, 1915).
Just because it had a name did not
mean it existed. The
Montefiore Home of 1907-08 was
one of several unsuccessful attempts to fulfill the urgent need
for a home for the neglected Jewish elderly as well as an
orphans’ home. Success was finally achieved with
the opening of the Evans Street Home in 1910.
Judy G., at
right, presents plaques of appreciation to Muriel Fishman and Harvey
Israel for their assistance with the Homes’ plaques
presentation - 2005.
“You may be proud of the
contributionsx your work has made to the historical record of
our community.” Eva
Raby, Executive Director, Jewish Public Library, Montreal
“I would like to personally
congratulate your for ‘Four Hundred Brothers and
Sisters...’ Your labour of love and committment is
most important because it captures both individual and personal
history, and the history of the entire Jewish community. I am
grateful you have identified JFS to receive the royalties.
Mean-while, shep naches from your achievemnt.” Linda August, former
Director, Jewish Family Services,
Montreal
above: Stanley
Abbey, son of the late Monroe, has
questions following the Gordons’ talk at The Montefiore
Club, Montreal, October 2003. Monroe
Abbey was among the many
West-mounters who served on the Board of the Montreal Hebrew
Orphans’ Home on Claremont Avenue
left, 2003, Judy
& Myer Gordon, at right,
present books to Principal Arty
Maravey and students of Bancroft
School, attended by the four alumni shown here over 70 years
ago.
Above: Montreal Home Supervisor Maurice Ogulnick (OGY), a sketch by Gerry
Waldston, counsellor at the
Sunshine Camp, 1942
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