UJA Federation’s Ontario Jewish Archives (OJA) has recently acquired more than 1400 photographic negatives from Al Gilbert, the celebrated Toronto photographer. Gilbert Studios, currently located on Davenport Road, celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2003.

The negatives document Toronto’s Jewish community from the 1920s until the late 1970s. They depict politicians, community leaders, Jewish celebrities, athletes and local individuals from the Jewish community. These photographs help us preserve our past and tell our story.

The OJA is currently processing this collection and has plans for an online exhibit in the upcoming year but they can’t do it without your help. The OJA is asking for the community’s help in identifying the individuals and providing background information for the photographs depicted here.

Gilbert was awarded the Order of Canada in 1990, and has photographed countless celebrities such as Dizzy Gillespie, Oscar Peterson, Prince Charles and Toronto’s own Phil Givens, Al Waxman and the comedic duo Wayne & Shuster. The Gilberts’ work has also featured a subject close to his heart: the Toronto Jewish community. They have spent a lifetime photographing Jewish weddings, bar and bat mitzvahs, community dinners, and prominent Jewish individuals.

The family business was started by Al Gilbert’s father, Nathan Gittelmacher, who opened his own photography studio, Elite Studios, in 1922 on Queen Street West. Elite Studios specialized in portraits and catered to a mostly Jewish clientele. Albert Gilbert began working with his father in 1944, and in the 1940s the business name was changed to Gilbert Studios.

If you recognize anyone in these photographs, please contact Carrie Limkilde at the Ontario Jewish Archives: (416) 635-2883 ext. 110 or climkilde@ujafed.org