A unique and thoughtfully curated exhibit highlighting the rich Jewish history of Ottawa’s ByWard Market is now on display at the Ontario Legislative Building in Queen’s Park in Toronto. This special exhibit, which began on April 22, 2025, aligning with the start of Jewish Heritage Month, will remain open to the public until mid to late December 2025.

Curated by Archivist Teigan Goldsmith Hitsman of the Ottawa Jewish Archives, which is part of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, the exhibit was submitted as part of Queen’s Park’s annual call for community heritage showcases.

“Each year, nine display cases are awarded to heritage institutions across Ontario to present topics of cultural and historical importance,” said Goldsmith Hitsman. “I applied for it, but didn’t hear back from them for a long time.” 

It wasn’t until March of this year that she learned it was selected. 

Having built the exhibit ahead of time and displayed at the Soloway JCC over the winter, moving the exhibit to Toronto was less stressful since most of the captions, artifacts, and photos were prepared.

Focusing on Jewish-owned businesses that helped shape the identity of the ByWard Market — an iconic and historically significant part of Ottawa known even to those outside the city, the selection of this topic was intentional, ensuring accessibility and relevance for audiences across Ontario who may not be familiar with Ottawa’s broader Jewish history.

Among the featured businesses are:

• Irving Rivers, a retail institution that has been operating in the market since the 1950s and is still in business today.

• Shaffer’s Limited, a notable name in Ottawa’s mid-century Jewish commercial community.

• Freiman’s, another long-standing Jewish-run enterprise.

• Zelikovitz Leathers and Shoe Findings, known for its craftsmanship and legacy. Still open today under the name Zelikovitz Leathers.

• D. Wolfson / Sam’s Buy & Sell, two separately owned businesses that served as a pawn shop and watchmaker respectively. The artifact clock face was owned first by D. Wolfson at the watch shop and then was given to Sam Nathanson who hung it outside his business Sam’s Buy & Sell.

A standout element of the exhibit is a replica of the iconic D. Wolfson pawnshop clock. The original artifact stands nearly five feet tall and is too large and delicate to transport. 

“The first thing that I had to do was create a replica of this clock,” said Goldsmith Hitsman.  “That was a feat. I had to figure out how I could sculpt it in a way that it would withstand being on display for months at a time.”

She meticulously crafted a full-scale replica using carved Styrofoam, papier-mâché, air-dry clay, and hand painting to recreate the clock’s distinctive metallic gold finish. It now serves as the exhibit’s visual centrepiece, drawing attention and serving as a gateway to the stories and artifacts surrounding it.

“It’s the first thing that catches your eye when you see the exhibit,” said Goldsmith Hitsman. 

Designing the exhibit required careful selection and adaptation to the constraints of the display cases at Queen’s Park. Fortunately, the venue provided a variety of mounts and supports to help showcase the historical materials — ranging from photographs to physical relics — while preserving their integrity.

Her twin brothers, Zac and Ethan, also helped her set up the exhibit at Queen's Park, making the experience even more exciting by getting to share it with family.

Though it was not initially designed to coincide with Jewish Heritage Month, the timing of the exhibit’s launch couldn’t have been more fitting. The celebration of Jewish culture and contributions across Canada throughout May adds further significance and visibility to the exhibit.

This extra step is worth it for those interested in local history, Jewish heritage, or the vibrant commercial roots of Ottawa’s ByWard Market. For those in or near Toronto, this is a not-to-be-missed opportunity to walk through history, one storefront at a time.

Visitors should note that Queen’s Park is an active government building, so planning ahead is critical. Learn more about how to visit here