RIGAL o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-12-11 published
GELBER,
Sylva
Malka, OC, LL.D.
93 years old, Sylva Malka
GELBER, whose years of activism in
pre-Israel Palestine eventually propelled her to be the first
director of the Canadian Department of Labour's Women's Bureau,
died on December 9th, 2003, of complications from a stroke. She
was 93 and lived in Ottawa.
During the heady years of pioneering in gains for women's rights
and Medicare in Canada during the 1960s and 70s, she travelled
the country, never shrill and always reasoned in her campaign
for equality for women in the country's labour force. She took
this pragmatic approach to the United Nations where she represented
Canada on the United Nations Commission for the Status of Women
between 1970 - 74.
A social and industrial activist at heart, she never lost her
zest for a good argument on those issues which had been part
of her adult life since she left her comfortable Toronto home
in the early 1930s for the turmoil of Jerusalem and Palestine.
There she became the first graduate of the Va'ad Leumi School
of Social Work - now the Faculty of Social Work of the Hebrew
University - and took on jobs incongruous with her upbringing
which had included schooling at Havergal College, a private girl's
school.
She worked in Palestine during the Mandate as a family counsellor,
a probation officer and medical social worker at Hadassah Hospital,
and then with the Palestine Department of Labour from 1942 -
48 when she returned to Canada. The adventuresome 15 years Sylva
GELBER lived in the turmoil of Palestine are chronicled with
affection, awe and frankness in ''No Balm in Gilead: A Personal
Retrospective of Mandate Days in Palestine'' published in 1989.
By the time she moved back to Canada, she could switch effortlessly
among Hebrew and Arabic and English which impressed no one in
bureaucratic Ottawa, but did startle the Capital's stuffy side,
she often noted mischievously.
Her deep red lipstick and nail polish when paired with her fast
sports cars belied the image of the traditional Ottawa civil
servant she could never be, despite distinguished and proud accomplishments
in promoting federal health insurance and Medicare until they
became the law of the land.
Along the way, she accepted many appointments to serve Canada
at International Labour Organization conferences, the Organization
for Economic Cooperation and Development and the United Nations
General Assembly. She was a member of the Order of Canada and
was awarded honorary degrees from several universities including
Queen's, Memorial, Trent, Guelph and Mount St. Vincent.
Sylva Malka
GELBER was born in 1910 in Toronto to Sara
(MORRIS)
and Louis GELBER.
Her father, a survivor of pogroms in Eastern
Europe, was determined that her four brothers, all of whom attended
Upper Canada College, and she, all receive worldly educations
beyond their specific Jewish community. She always admired her
father for this farsightedness in encouraging his children to
become part of a broader society.
At the University of Toronto, she produced plays. She sang spirituals
on a Toronto radio station, but her parents would have none of
a show business career. She was packed off to Columbia University
in New York; but even that did not satisfy her rambunctious spirit
and soon she was on her way to distant Palestine.
Never domesticated as women of her day usually were, she paid
little attention to her kitchen pantry when she finally settled
in Ottawa; but always gregarious, she loved to entertain around
the piano which she played by ear and with great gusto. Her library
of records and Compact Disks, was always in use as music filled
her life; and she has endowed an important annual prize through
The Sylva Gelber Music Foundation, which is granted to an outstanding
young Canadian musician at the early stage of his or her career.
In retirement, she energetically participated in the Canadian
Institute of International Affairs and the Wednesday Luncheon
Club of former cabinet ministers and civil servants, such as
her neighbour, Jack
PICKERSGILL, who thrashed over current political
issues.
Sylva GELBER was predeceased by her four brothers, Lionel, Marvin,
Arthur and Shalome Michael. She is survived by her four nieces
and their husbands, Nance
GELBER and Dan
BJARNASON,
Patty and
David RUBIN,
Judith
GELBER and Dan
PRESLEY, and Sara and Richard
CHARNEY, all of Toronto; her sister-in-law, Marianne
GELBER of
New York; four great nephews and a great niece, Gerald and Noah
RUBIN, and Adam, Andrew and Laura
CHARNEY; as well as cousins
Ruth JEWEL and David
EISEN; David
ALEXANDOR, and Ruth
GELBER
all of Toronto; and Ivan
CHORNEY and Betsy
RIGAL, both of Ottawa.
At Benjamin's Park Memorial Chapel, 2401 Steeles Avenue West
(1 light west of Dufferin) for service on Thursday, December
11, 2003 at 12: 00 noon. Interment Beth Tzedec Memorial Park.
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RIGG o@ca.on.york_county.toronto.globe_and_mail 2003-02-24 published
YOCOM,
John
H.
(Jack)
Hons. B.A., M.A., Ph.D., M.B.A.
At North York on February 22, 2003 after a lengthy career in
education, journalism, corporate communications and community
service. Survived by his beloved wife
Catherine
CHARLTON, (pre-deceased
by his loving wife
Helen
DOLAN 1989.) Survived by his sister
Helen RIGG,
Dunnville; also by sons John J. (Suzy) of Mississauga,
Paul A. of Calgary, Mary Anne
MAHONEY (Dr. James) of Toronto,
and nine grandchildren: Jay, Robert and Christopher
YOCOM,
Michael,
Mark,
Mary
Helen and Matthew
MAHONEY, and Wesley and Natalie
YOCOM of Calgary. Born in Dunnville, Ontario, 1911; educated
at Toronto, Ottawa and York Universities; after U.C. graduation
taught high school in Ottawa for a short time before joining
the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Flt. Lt. for World War 2 overseas
service. Upon return joined Saturday Night Magazine, becoming
managing editor; left Saturday Night Magazine to work for British
American Oil Company (later Gulf Oil Canada). Upon retirement
worked for a short while at Vickers and Benson Advertising. Involved
in professional and community service; President, Toronto Canadian
Club, Chairman, Institute of Canadian American Studies, President,
Life Member and Fellow of Canadian Public Relations Society,
President and Life Member Arts and Letters Club of Toronto. Board
Member: Canadian Paraplegic Association, Toronto Symphony National
Youth Orchestra and other institutions. Member: Royal Canadian
Military Institute, and Royal Canadian Legion, Ft. York Br. Consultant
to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind. Recipient of:
the Queen's Silver Coronation Medal; University of Toronto 70
year medal; York University's Schulich School of Business Distinguished
Alumni Award. Business awards include; four Silver Anvils by
Public Relations Society of America for premier corporate communications.
The family will receive Friends at the Humphrey Funeral Home
- A. W. Miles Chapel, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Eglinton
Avenue East), from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday. Funeral Service in the
chapel on Wednesday at 1: 00 o'clock. Officiating clergy: the
Rev. Dr. Malcolm
SINCLAIR, Metropolitan United Church and Father
Paul CUSACK, St. Gabriel's Roman Catholic Church.
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