LEARN MORE ABOUT JFLT
LEARN MORE ABOUT JFLT
Jewish Free Loan Toronto
Time-Line
1900
Shoemakers' Guild and Executive of the Linas Hatzedek (Kieke, Poland)
European Jews Arrive in Canada
in the early 1900s.
Many European Jews arrived in Canada in search of a better life.
As procuring employment proved difficult (especially for the observant) early versions of communal loan societies sprung up.
Some offered start-up loans for small business ventures while others such as the Loan Cassa helped settle Jews in agricultural areas.
As the Cassa evolved, it joined forces with the United Jewish Relief Agency and the Canadian Jewish Congress, and also began to offer small business loans.
1922
Toronto Hebrew
Free Loan Association
In 1922, Rabbi Barnett Brickner recommended that a new Free Loan Society be created, this time under the auspices and financial backing of B’nai Brith and private donors.
With $3,800 from B’nai Brith and $1,350 from donors, the first meeting of the Hebrew Free Loan Association took place on December 17th, 1922 at the Zionist Institute, at the corner of Beverly and Cecil Streets.
Minutes 1922
David Lavine, present on December 17, 1922
1924
Toronto Gemiluth Chasodim Association
On July 12, 1924, Letters Patent were signed and sealed incorporating the Toronto Gemiluth Chasodim Association.
“Twelve Jewish men, all of the City of Toronto, in the County of York and Province of Ontario” were the founding members of this corporation, whose mandate it was “to assist deserving applicants for relief.”
Around this time, B’nai Brith and the National Council of Jewish Women began to provide loans to university students.
Samuel Harris
Founder and Director
Sarah Harris, Harris' was the first Jewish delicatessen in Toronto
Mayor Nathan Phillips
Founder and Director
1927 - 1937
1932
Document showing the repayment plan: Toronto Hebrew Free Loan 1932
1940
Bertha Sklar, Jewish Free Loan Toronto 1940
1953
Document showing the repayment plan: Toronto Hebrew Free Loan (1953)
Presidents
1923 -1972
Samuel Kronick, 1923
Max Rosen, 1934
Joseph Marin, 1941
JS Granatstein, 1946
Jacob Andrews, 1929
Arthur Lavine, 1951
JM Granatstein, 1952
Jack Shindman, 1959
Isador Caplan, 1961
Joe Betesh, 1954
J.C. Oelbaum, 1936
Morris Adams, 1962
Morris Rubenstein, 1970
Joseph Fleischmann, 1964
Nathan Briks, 1972
1962
1966
Toronto Hebrew Free Loan Association meeting.
Included left to right: Jack Shindman; Joe Fleischmann; Joe Betesh; Leon Neuschul.
Toronto Hebrew Free Loan Association Annual Meeting, 150 Beverley St., Toronto
from left to right are: J. Weiner; J. Shindman; J. Oelbaum; M. Adams; J. Fleischmann; M. Rubinstein.
from left to right are: J. Weiner; J. Shindman; J. Oelbaum; M. Adams; J. Fleischmann; M. Rubinstein; J. Betesh; L. Neuschul,
Louis Gelber; Charlie Garfunkel.
Saul Sigler; Jack Papernick; Louis Gelber; Charlie Garfunkel.
1971
1974
Jewish Free Loan AGM 1974
50th Anniversary
Meeting 1975
50th Anniversary Cake 1975
Morris Adams addresses meeting
Lillie Herlick (to right of speaker) awaiting installation as President.
Lillie Herlick Installed as President
Nathan Phillips and Lillie Herlick
Lillie Herlick Installed as President
50th Anniversary Meeting 1975
Nathan Phillips 50th Anniversary Meeting
50th Anniversary Meeting 1975
50th Anniversary Meeting 1975
First Russian immigrant repays loan at the 50th Anniversary Meeting of the Toronto Hebrew Free Loan.
Presidents
1974 -2008
Lillie Herlick , 1974
Jack Schwartz, 1980
Morrie Latchman, 1984
Rose Rubin Ziner, 1987
Sherman Hans , 1988
David Goldberg, 1990
Alan Mostyn, 1992
Nathan Disenhouse, 1994
Mervyn McCarthy, 1996
David Sefton, 1998
Cathie Smith Friedman 2000
Brahm Seitz, 2002
Howard Glowinsky, 2004
Stanley Rosenfarb, 2006
Steven Friedman, 2008
2000
Top row: Ed Glina, Helen Kastner, Helen Futerman, Joe Cohen, Rick Goodman, Howard Glowinsky, David Sefton, Jerry Blitzer, Brahm Seitz, Dr. Howard Switzer
Middle row: Cathie Smith-Friedman, Shani Jablonsky-Himel, Jack Zippin, Rea Freedman, Shalom Romm
Bottom row: Steven Friedman, Alan Mostyn
2001
Merv McCarthy, Dr. Steve Samuel &
Rick Goodman
Rick Goodman & Sam Siegelman
Treasurer JFL Oct 2001
2002
Presidents
2010 -2024
Rick Goodman, 2010
Miriam Joseph, 2012
Terry Borer, 2014
Rob Tick, 2016
Sheldon Parker, 2018
Cathie Smith Friedman, 2020
Leslie Weisz, 2022
Leo Vaisman, 2024
AGM 2023
2024 Jewish Free Loan Team
Marra Messinger, Irina Krushelnitsky, Elliott Michaelson, Leslie Weisz, Leo Vaisman, Levi Cassidy
Marra Messinger & Alan Shiner
Recipient of the 2023 Volunteer of the Year Award
AGM Jewish Free Loan 2023
Mariana Catz, Jules Lewy, and Leslie Weisz
Alan Shiner and Family
For over a century, volunteers have been the mainstay of JFLT.
We thank them all for their hard work and dedication.
JFLT extends its thanks to The Ontario Jewish Archives for the use of these archival photos.