"Historical Jewish Sites in Toronto" contains photographs and brief notes for a number of old synagogues and Jewish cemeteries in Toronto, all pre-1940. Many of them originated in the mid- and late-19th century. Source and person responsible for the site: Ken Cohen
- Bathurst Lawn Memorial Park/Woods Cemetery: Address: 10 Dewlane Dr., North York, Ontario M2R 3G5. Phone: 223-1373. Location : Lot 24, Concession 1 West. Direction: North of Finch Ave West Entrance is from Bathurst St., south of Steeles Ave. Established: 1929 and active. A map is displayed on the wall to the right when entering the cemetery from Bathurst St. Sections:
Achdus Israel / UJPO Adath Israel Congregation First Moldaver Congregation Adath Sholom Agudath Israel Ahavath Achim Congregation All For One Mutual Benefit Society Anshei Minsk Congregation Apter Friendly Society Beth Emeth-Bais Yehuda Cong. Beth Meyer Beth Torah Congregation Beth Zion Oshawa Congregation Blue Star Lodge Bnai Israel, Beth David, Beth Am Congregation Chenstochover Aid Society Chevra Mikra Congregation Chevra Mishnaoth Shomrai Shabbot Congregation Chevra Shas Synagogue Clanton Park Synagogue Court Topaz Eastern Children Congregation (Berkeley St. Syn) First Narayever Congregation Folks Forein Association Habonim Congregation Hebrew Friendly Sons of David Husiatiner Klaus-Beth Israel Ivansker Mutual Benefit Society Jewish Lithuanian Farband Jewish National Brotherhood Keltzer Sick Benefit Society Khal Adas Yereim Kiever Podolier Linitzer Society Lipsker Young Men's Society Lodzer Centre (Lodzer Holocaust Cong) Lomda Torah-Chevra Torah Cong Lubliner and Vicinity Society Mozirer Sick Benefit Society National Order of Hatzofim New Fraternal Association Ostrovtzer Society Piotitomash Society Pultusker Landsmanschaft Shaarei Shomayim-Beth Israel Congregation Shaarei Tefillah Congregation Shaarei Zion-Petah Tikva Lubavitch Shedlover Young Men's Society Shlomei Emunei Israel Stashiver Young Men Stonpitzer Young Men's Society Torah Emeth Jewish Centre Tzosmerer Friendly Society United Jewish Peoples Order Warshawer Lodzer Wiedzbniker Mutual Benefit Society Yavne Zion Congregation Yeshivah Torah Chaim Zaglembier Society Toronto - Beth Tzedec Memorial Park: Address: 5822 Bathurst St., North York, Ontario. Phone: 787-9284, 781-3511. Location: Lots 21 & 22, Conc. 2 West. Direction: North of Finch Ave West. Established: 1949 and active. Telephone is 416-665-3036. Beth Tzedec synagogue at 416-781-3511 has no burial records. Source: Phillip Applebaum, Oak Park, MI.(who has no further information) [February 2002]
- Dawes Road Cemetery: Address: 3169 St. Clair Ave. E., Scarborough, Ontario, MIL IV5 Canada. Phone: 755-3411. Location: Lot 34, Concession B. Direction: 2 blocks east of Victoria Park. Established: 1903 and active. Administrating Organization: Amalgamated Dawes Road Trustees (Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Dawes Road Cemetery, Scarbourough (Toronto) Canada, Phone: 638-3711). Open S-F 8-2 during the winter; S-F 8-4 during the spring, summer and fall. Office and grounds visiting hours are posted on a map board boldly visible on entry to the property. Sections:
Agudath Israel Anshe Sfard (Palmerston St Synagogue) Anshai Apter Congregation Anshei Drilitz Linas Hatzedek Biker Cholim Anshei Kielc Cong. Anshei Kiev Anshei New York (Chifereth Yisroel Anshei NY) Anshei Shidlov Anshei Slipia Anshei Stashov Belzetchiner B'nai Yankov Society Beth El Congregation (Temple Emmanuel) Beth Emeth Congregation Beth Hamidrash (Beth Tzedec) (Old & New McCaul St. Shul) Beth Tzedec Congregation Beth David B'nai Israel Beth Em Congregation (Shaw St. Synagogue) Canadian Hebrew Benevolent Society Chenstochover Aid Society Chessed Shel Emeth (Federation, Congress) Court Ahavat Achim #3443 I.O.O.F. (Independent Order of Foresters) Eastern Children of Israel (Berkley St. Synagogue) Farband Labour Zionist Order First Naroiver Congregation Hebrew Sick Benefit Society Kehilas Jacob (Markham St. Syngogue) Keltzer Sick Benefit Society (Kielcer S.B.S) Linitzer Sick Benefit Society Lubliner Society Radomer Mutual Benefit Society Sons of Jacob Benevolent Society Temple Sinai Congregation Toronto Hebrew Benevolent Society United Jewish Peoples' Order (UJPO) Zion Benevolent Society - Holy Blossom Memorial Park: See Pape Avenue Cemetery
- Jones Avenue Cemetery: Address: 480 Jones Ave., Toronto, Ontario. Direction: West side of Jones Ave, South of Danforth Ave, Between 460-482 Jones Ave. Established: 1803.
burial listings and map. [November 2004]
Sections:The Chevra Kadisha Chesed Shel Emes occupies the southern part of the cemetery. The JGSC has records of the burials in the Chevra Kadisha Chesed Shel Emes section. All burial records are on file at the Dawes Road Cemeteries. A fire destroyed records to the Welfare section of the Dawes Road Cemeteries when the Jewish Congress managed the records, leaving about 100 of over 1,000 graves unidentifiable. While the Jones Ave. Cemetery has been around for over 100 years, the cemetery is classified as active. Mr. Ben Hamburer, General Manager, The Dawes Rd. Cemeteries has about 4,000 or the 12,000 burials, so far in their database. They hope to publish it in the future. Source: Ben Hamburger, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Administrating Organizations: Chevra Kadisha Chesed Shel Emes. Contact: Chevra Kadisha Chesed Shel Emes of Jones Street Cemetery. The northern portion is the cemetery for the Goel Tzedec Synagogue that is now part of the Beth Tzedec Congregation. Goel Tzedec. Organization: Beth Tzedec Congregation. Address: 1700 Bathurst St., Toronto, Ontario M5P 3K3. Phone: 781-3511 - Lambton Mills Cemetery: Address: 1293 Royal York Road, Etobicoke, Ontario. Phone: 731-2056 Location: Concession C, City of Etobicoke. Direction: South of Eglinton Ave. West. Established: 1909 and active. According to Joseph Hart's book, The Jew in Canada published in 1926, Beth Jacob Synagogue (the Henry Street Shul) used a cemetery "in North Yonge Street" but found the land too swampy. Accordingly, in 1924, the synagogue purchased land in Lambton on what is now called Royal York Road. Sections:
Beth Aaron Society Beth Jacob V'Anshei Drildz Cong Chmielnicker Charitable Society Congregation Anshei Chmielnik Hebrew Friendly Sons of David Society Hebrew Men of England Cong Knesset Israel Synagogue Koil Yankov Anshei Emes Cong Lagover Mutual Benefit Society Ostrovtser Congregation (Shaarei Tefillah Cong) Ostrovtser Young Men's Association Sons of Abraham Mutual Benefit Society Toronto Grand Order of Israel Mutual Benefit Society - Mount Sinai Memorial Park: Address: 986 Wilson Ave., North York, Ontario. Phone: 633-2200. Location : Lot 11, Concession 3 West. Direction: Between Bathurst St and Keele St. on the north side of Wilson Ave. Established: about 1920 and active. Administrating Organization: Mount Sinai Cemetery Association, 986 Wilson Ave., Downsview, Ont. M3K 1G5 FAX: 416-633-1076. Source: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Oak Park, MI. [February 2002]
| | | 23 | 1. Cong. Anshei Libovich
| 14 | |--------| 2. Pride of Israel Benefit Socitey
|--------| | 21 | | 3. Sunnyside Cemetery Association
| | |--------| 4. Beth Sholom Cong.
| 12 | | 19 | 5. Agudath Israel Anshei Sfard Cong.
| | |--------| 6. Arbeiter Ring (Workmen's Circle)
|--------| | 17 | 7. Kiever Cong.
| | | |--------| 8. Farband-Labor Zionist Order
| | 10 | | 15 | 9. Chevra Mishnais
| |----| |--------| 10. Independent Friendly Workers Circle
| | | 13 | 11. Beth Lida F.H. Cong.
| 8 | |--------| 12. Beth Sholom Cong.
|--------| | 11 | 13. Toronto Indep. Benevolent Assoc.
| | |--------| 14. Jewish War Veteran's Memorial Park
| 6 | | 9 | 15. Can. Hebrew Benevolent Society
| | |--------| 17. YMHA
|--------| | 7 | 19. Shaarei Shomayim Cong.
| | |--------| 21. Radomer M.B.S. Beth Radom Cong.
| 4 | | 5 | 23. Ozrower M.B.S.
|--------| |--------|
| | | 3 |
| 2 | |--------|
| | | 1 |
|--------+-+--------|
WILSON AVE. - Pape Avenue Cemetery (Holy Blossom or Jews Cemetery): Address: Brimley Road, Scarborough, Ontario. Phone: 789-3291, 261-2613. Location : Lot 25, Concession C. Direction: North-West corner Brimley Rd & Minerva Ave., (Brimley Rd north of St. Clair). Established: 1929 and active. The JGSC has copies of burial records as of November 8, 1990. Administrating Organization: Holy Blossom Temple, 1950 Bathurst St., Toronto, Ontario M5P 3K9. Phone: 789-329. Established: 1849 and inactive. Closed 1930. Direction: East side of Pape Ave., South of Gerrard St. East. The JGSC has records of the burials in this cemetery. Administrating Organization: Holy Blossom Temple, Address: 1950 Bathurst St., Toronto, Ontario M5P 3K9, Phone: 789-3291. In September 1849, Judah G. Joseph, an optician and jeweler from Exeter, England and Abraham Nordheimer, a piano maker from Bavaria, purchased a patch of land 60 feet wide and 400 feet deep on the outskirts of Leslieville, just east of Toronto. This now is the city's east end, near the intersection of Pape and Gerard Avenues. The Pape Avenue Cemetery, held by the Hebrew Congregation and now by the Holy Blossom Temple, was purchased for the sum of 20 pounds through the provincial Chief Justice John Beverly Robinson. The burial of Joseph's son Samuel in 1850 is believed to be the first Jewish burial in Toronto. He is thought to be buried near the entrance although no marker remains. The grave of Catherine, the wife of Alfred Braham, also buried in 1850, was recorded as the earliest Jewish grave in Toronto marked by a tombstone. The stone, unfortunately, is no longer visible. In fact, visitors will find no gravestone predating 1863 and few from before 1880. Most tombstones standing near the street have toppled and are now lying beneath the sod. It is here, presumably, that the earliest burials took place. The Holy Blossom Cemetery on Brimley Road was consecrated in 1930. After that few interments took place at the Pape Avenue Cemetery, although it remained in use through the late 1940's. Because this was the only Jewish cemetery in the area, it was commonly referred to as the Jews Cemetery. Later, when the Holy Blossom took over the administration of the cemetery it became known as the Holy Blossom Cemetery.
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Pardes Shalom Cemetery and Pardes Chaim Cemetery: see Toronto Hebrew Memorial Park
Petah Tikva Anshe Castilla (Pardes Shalom) / see Toronto Hebrew Memorial Park: Address: Dufferin Street, Vaughan, Ontario. Phone: 635-2883. Location: West part of Lot 27, Concession 2. Direction: East side of Dufferin St., North of Teston Rd. Established: 1975 and active. -
Roselawn Avenue Cemetery: Address: Roselawn Avenue, Toronto, Ontario. Direction: 2 blocks east of Bathurst St. Established: late 1800s and active. Administrating Organization: Roselawn-Lambton Cmetery Association. Address: 333 Wilson Ave., Toronto, ON. Phone: 398-0563. In 1906, a Jew was killed in an accident at the outskirts of the city and buried in a non-Jewish cemetery. Horrified that the Jewish community was not organized enough to deal with such occurrences, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Weber, member of Goel Tzedec, bought land on what is now Roselawn Avenue for a cemetery. The land was donated to the Chesed Shel Emes (Hebrew Free Burial Society), which Weber organized himself. Through the efforts of Rabbi Gordon, head of the Goel Tzedc and the Chevra Tehillim congregations, the victim was moved to the new Jewish cemetery. The Cemetery Committee of the JGSC is currently transcribing and computerizing data from the Roselawn Cemetery. [2000]
| | 1. Machziki Hadas Congregation
UPDATE: Agudas Achum Cemetery (a.k.a. Roselawn Cemetery): "The state of disrepair is unbelievable." This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. seeks the help others to repair cemetery. Source: JewishGen Digest 3 Dec 2001
| 1 | (Bay Street Synagogue)
| | 2. Toronto Independent Benevolent
E |-------| Society
| | | 3. Congregation Shaarei Zedek
N--+--S | 2 | 4. Pride of Israel Sick Benefit
| |-------| Society
W | | 5. Shomrai Shabbas Chevra Mishnayot
| 3 | Congregation
---------- |-------| 6. Judean Benevolent and Friendly
| A | | | Society
|--------| | 4 | 7. Mozirer Sick Benefit Society
| B | |-------| 8. Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim
|--------| | | (Darcy St.)
| C | R | 5 | 9. Chevra Kadisha Agudas Achim
|--------| | | 10. Toronto Hebrew Benevolent Society
| | | O | | 11. Adath Israel Cong. (Founded 1902)v
|M | D | | | * 12. Congregation Bnei Abraham
|--+-----| S |-------|
| 6 |
E |-------| A. Anshei Minsk Congregation
CALDER RD | | B. Cong. Bnei Moshe Anshei Poland
L |-------| ** C. United Jewish Welfare Fund
| 7 | *** D. Anshei Lubavitch
A |-------| E. Workmen's Circle (1916)
| | F. Adath Israel Congregation
W | 8 | (Formerly Maldova Cong.
---------- |-------| Tifferet Israel)
| E | N | | G. Apter
| -------| | 9 | H. Stashover Society
|E| F | | | _ Anshei Stashover Slipia Cong.
| |------| |-------| I. YMHA Sick Benefit Society
| | G | | | J. Beth Lida Forest Hill Synagogue
| |------| | 10 | * K. Ostrovtzer Congregation
|-| H | | | L. Torah Emes
| |------| |-------| M. Weber Family
| | I | | |
| |------| | 11 | Administered by:
| | J | | | * Talmud Torah Eitz Chaim
| |------| |-------| ** Toronto Jewish Congress
| | K | | | *** Shaarei Tefillah
| |------| | 12 |
|L ------| |-------|
| |
|--|
Shaarie Shomayim Cemetery / Machzika B'nai Israel: Address: McCowan Road, Scarborough, Ontario. Location: Lot 22, Concession C. Direction: North side of Colonial west of McCowan Rd. Established: 1933 and active. Administrating Organization: Shaarei Shomayim, 470 Glencairn Ave., Toronto, Ontario M5N 1V8. Phone: 789-3213
Toronto Hebrew Memorial Park (Pardes Shalom Cemetery And Pardes Chaim Cemetery): This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. is Executive Director. T.H.M.P.’s administrative office at 416-635-5595 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Pardes Chaim Cemetery: Address: 11818 Bathurst Street, Vaughan, Ontario (West side - one and a half miles north of Elgin Mills Road). Cemetery Telephone: 905-884-1888
Pardes Shalom Cemetery: Address: 10953 Dufferin Street, Vaughan, Ontario (near Teston Road, 12 km north of Toronto)
Cemetery Telephone 905-832-2549
UPDATED NOV 2011: Toronto Hebrew Memorial Park (T.H.M.P.) is a not-for-profit Ontario Corporation incorporated in 1972. T.H.M.P.'s founder, Sidney Freedman, realized in 1965 that a newly structured cemetery operation could be the vehicle for his on-going contribution to the Jewish community of Toronto. ... run as a business by a corporation but it could be owned by the whole community in all of its diversity which it would serve for all the years to come.
Mr. Freedman's aim was not only to produce ongoing revenue for the community, but also to produce a new model in cemetery usage and administration. It would set new standards for beauty, service, and the correction of abuses. The time had come to make his vision a reality. In 1970, Mr. Freedman bought the land which would be known as Pardes Shalom Cemetery and began the process of rezoning the land for cemetery usage. By November 1972, once some of the approvals had been received, Mr. Freedman gifted both the property and the business to the community through the United Jewish Welfare Fund.
T.H.M.P.'s first cemetery, Pardes Shalom Cemetery, officially opened in 1977. Pardes Shalom is comprised of 89 acres. Since 1977, over 14,000 interments have taken place in the approximately 30,000 burial plots. T.H.M.P. opened a second cemetery, Pardes Chaim, in 2010. Pardes Chaim is made up of 200 acres with a total of approximately 70,000 burial plots. In the first year-and-a-half of its operations, Pardes Chaim will have serviced close to 400 interments. T.H.M.P. currently services over half of all of the Jewish burials in the Greater Toronto area.
Over seventy member organizations have already purchased interment rights with T.H.M.P. These organizations include:
ADATH ISRAEL
AGUDATH ISRAEL CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
AHAVATH ACHIM NACHLAT ISRAEL
AISH HATORAH
AYIN L’TZION
BEACH HEBREW INSTITUTE
BEIT RAYIM
BET YOSEPH SEPHARDIC CONGREGATION
BETH AARON SOCIETY
BETH AVRAHAM YOSEPH OF TORONTO CONGREGATION
BETH DAVID B’NAI ISRAEL BETH AM
BETH EMETH BAIS YEHUDA SYNAGOGUE
BETH MEYER
BETH RADOM CONGREGATION
BETH TIKVAH
BETH TORAH
B’NAI BRITH CANADA
B’NAI TORAH
CANADIAN HEBREW BENEVOLENT SOCIETY
CHABAD @ FLAMINGO
CHABAD LUBAVITCH OF MARKHAM
CHABAD ROMANO
CHABAD OF YORK MILLS
CHAVERIM SOCIETY
CHAYEI OLAM OF THORNHILL
CHENSTOCHOVER AID SOCIETY
CHEVRA KADISHA LEENAS HATZEDEK
CONGREGATION BETH HAMINYAN
CONGREGATION BINA
CONGREGATION CKAC
CONGREGATION DARCHEI NOAM
CONGREGATION HABONIM TORONTO
COURT AHAVAS ACHIM -- NACHLATH ISRAEL
DRILDZER CONGREGATION & SOCIETY
EMUNAH SHLEIMA SYNAGOGUE
HAR TIKVAH
HOLY BLOSSOM TEMPLE
INDEPENDENT FRIENDLY WORKERS’ CIRCLE
INDEPENDENT ORDER OF FORRESTERS
IRAQI JEWISH ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO
JEWISH BUCHARIAN CENTRE OF TORONTO
JEWISH NATIONAL BROTHERHOOD
JUDEAN BENEVOLENT & FRIENDLY SOCIETY
KEHILLAT SHAAREI TORAH
KOL TORAH CONGREGATION
LABOUR ZIONIST ALLIANCE
LAGOVER MUTUAL BENEFIT SOCIETY
LODZER CENTRE CONGREGATION
MAGEN DAVID SEPHARDIC CONGREGATION
MARAMORESHER SOCIETY
NACHLAT CHABAD
NEW FRATERNAL JEWISH ASSOCIATION
OSTROVTZER INDEPENDENT MUTUAL BENEFIT SOCIETY
PETAH TIKVAH ANSHE CASTILLA CONGREGATION
SHAAREH HAIM
SHAAR SHALOM SYNAGOGUE
SHEDLEC LYKOW CLUB
SHOMER ISRAEL CONGREGATION
SHOMRAI SHABBOS CHEVRA MISHNAYOS
SOLEL CONGREGATION OF MISSISSAUGA
SONS OF JACOB
SUNNYSIDE CEMETERY ASSOCIATION
TEMPLE EMANU-EL
TEMPLE HAR ZION
TEMPLE KOL AMI
TEMPLE SINAI
TIFFERET ISRAEL CONGREGATION
TORATH EMETH CONGREGATION
TORONTO GRAND ORDER OF ISRAEL
TORONTO HEBREW BENEVOLENT SOCIETY
WESTMOUNT COMMUNITY SHUL
WIERZBNIKER SOCIETY
ZAGLEMBIER SOCIETY
T.H.M.P. also offers interment rights to those in the community who would otherwise not have interment rights through membership or affiliation with synagogues or burial societies. These interments take place in the cemeteries’ Community Sections and currently make up over fifty percent of all of T.H.M.P.’s annual burials.
UPDATE: THMP of which Pardes Shalom is a part: I purchased that land in 1970 with my own funds. Last October we dedicated the new member of The THMP organization, namely Pardes Chaim. It is one and one half times larger than is Pardes Shalom. I spoke at that dedication and gave a brief history on how and why Pardes Shalom came to be. If you send your email address, I can forward a copy of that speech with why and for what reason I founded THMP (Toronto Hebrew Memorial Parks) in 1970. I gifted the grounds and the business to Federation. The 36-hectares of land for Pardes Shalom Cemetery were purchased in 1970 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..[July 2011]