Rabbi: Ronnie Cahana

12 HEATON STREET, DOWNSVIEW, ONTARIO, CANADA M3H 4Y6

Sid Silver, President

Harry Kreitzman, Past President

Our Beginnings

By Ben Blady

In 1953, next door to a small shop on College Street, lived an elderly gentleman named L. Glicenstein. Mr. Glicenstein and I spoke about organizing and starting a Mutual Benefit Society for those Lodzer families who had recently arrived in Toronto.

Our first order of business was to collect money in order to establish a society. My brother Abe, helped us out and we were able to place an ad in the Jewish Journal to advertise our intent to form an organization and set a date for our first meeting. The meeting was held on Cecil Street with 29 prospective members attending.

At this meeting an executive was appointed with Mr. Glicenstein as President. He served for a short period of time and then Mr. julius Ciechanowski took over the position of President. Six years later in 1959, I became Vice-President. During that time money was raised so that we were able to erect the Lodzer Monument at Bathurst Lawn Cemetery.

With constant and tireless effort of many members, in 1966 we were able to purchase a lot to erect a building for the future. At that time Mr. Ciechanowski resigned as President and Mr. Slonim became President with me as Vice-President. We were able to pay back the building fund to the few investors.

The next four years (until 1972) were focused on committees working most efficiently in harmony with one another. While Mr. Tintpulver was President we were able to begin construction of the site. With his dedicated efforts, Mr. Zenek Wajgensberg was able to complete the building as it stands today.

As I reflect back, it gives me great pride and joy to be part of this Congregation and its achievements to date. We have come a long way since Cecil Street where 29 people first met. We now have approximately 400 members.

We thank all of those members and persons who believed in our endevours and helped us along the way.

With fond remembrance - Ben Blady

In Memory of Our Loved Ones Who Perished

This monument was erected by the Lodzer Centre Mutual Benefit Society on September 16, 1962 at the Bathurst Lawn Memorial Park.

Lodz Prior to World War II

I. Simmons, Past President

Freedom Place marked the border between the industrial, retail and old slum area (Balut) on Pietrikowske Street. The Balut slums contained the poor Jews - an area of work, worry and poverty. Under unbelievably difficult conditions, these poor slum-dwellers worked at their looms and, while weaving, sang songs of hope and justice. This area had few, if any, well-off families. These industrious Jewish slum-dwellers, inured to their poverty, their incessant hard work, their allegiance to yiddishkayt bordering on religious fervour laboured hard all week and concerned themselves that the Sabbath would be holy, complete and free from care. Noteworthy among community leaders in Lodz were Leibele Mintzberg, at the head, and his aides Berger and Lieberman. the whole Jewish population was involved in community activities.

There was a splendid Old City shul, artistically decorated, which served as a model for other shuls world-wide. The shul drew tourists to view its unique style in wonderment and awe. There were famous Rabbis and scholars such as Reb Treistman, Reb Croll and the Balut Rabbi, may they rest in peace, who were dedicated day and night to the study of Torah and good works, and constantly engrossed in their holy books and their pleas to

G-d.

Lodz was also well known for its many philanthropic institutions where the sick and needy could benefit from medical, social and other assistance. Lodz made a remarkable contribution to our cultural heritage. Its writing fervour included and went beyond the mundane and embraced the whole of Jewish literature. Lodz was deeply involved in the artistic literary themes of the day. It made a remarkable and ineradicable impact on Jewish literature.

The Jews of Lodz underwent several stages. They fought and they dreamed, and thus stretched themselves to broad horizons. These Jews fashioned great treasures and in so doing built their own characteristic image and reputation. Moishe Boderson, Isaac Katsenelson, Miriam Allinever and others put their stamp on an original and irreplaceable body of literature. With their individual talents they wove Lodz's influence into Yiddish literature. Up until the end of 1939, Lodz produced many important literary figures most of whom have disappeared, leaving only the painful afterglow of their work.

The Jewish population of Lodz, together with the rest of Poland's Jews, had always suffered from anti-Semitic persecution. It is well known that the deplorable economic situation of Polish Jews was the result of deliberate anti-Semitic policies instituted by the government. They contrived by myriad devices to make life impossible for the Jewish masses. Day by day the situation grew worse. They were simply unable to breathe. Under these circumstances the Jewish poverty became chronic and all but intolerable.

With the advent of the war the two hundred and fifty thousand Jews in Lodz were slain by the murderous Germans, aided and abetted by the Poles. They suffered a variety of unnatural deaths: by hunger, suffocation by gas, shooting and ovens. Many disappeared without a trace.

With all the hardships, tragedies and atrocities endured by the Jews of Lodz, those of us who survived proudly remember and pay tribute to those who perished."

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