https://www.cjnews.com/
When gold was discovered near Timmins, Ont., in 1909, the area attracted fortune hunters from all over the world. Many Jewish merchants headed to northern Ontario to set up stores in small towns and settlements throughout the region.
Two of those people were Max Steinberg and Joe Mahn. Steinberg, a German immigrant, went to the northern bush camps in 1918 to sell watches and clothing. In 1919, he and Mahn – they had met in Montreal – opened Steinberg & Mahn, a menswear store in Timmins.
This month, Steinberg & Mahn, Timmins’ longest-operating family owned menswear clothier, is marking its 100th anniversary. The Steinberg family has run the store continuously since 1919 and the fourth generation is now at the helm.
Two years after Mahn’s death in 1941, Steinberg’s son bought the business. Eli Steinberg, the father of two daughters, Anne Taylor and Rhonda Singer, ran the store until 1972. That year, Anne and Don Taylor, her husband, became the owners. They passed the business on to their eldest son, Darren Taylor, 24 years ago.
In a group telephone interview with Anne, Don and Darren Taylor, Anne spoke about her own childhood, growing up in Timmins’ close-knit Jewish community. “Many families were very involved in the community. Everybody knew everybody,” she said.
For the rest of this article: https://www.cjnews.com/living-jewish/a-jewish-legacy-of-the-northern-ontario-gold-rush