Nathan Holtzman
Nathan Holtzman was born in Dorbian, Lithuania and was the son of Harry and Rachel Holtzman. He came to Saint John before 1900 and was in the city for five years, before he was able to send for his wife, Bessie and two oldest children. After a few years in the north end of the city near Paradise Row, the family settled at 182 Prince Edward Street by 1912. He peddled junk with his horse and wagon and his travels took him as far as Musquash and St. George (approximately 40 miles, 70 kilometres from Saint John). He continued to peddle until just before he died. When he no longer had a horse, he would travel through the city on the street cars and from time to time would call his sons, Harry and Moe to collect him from various parts of the city. Although he spoke only Yiddish, he was able to make his way. He was active in meetings of the congregation and would speak at length on some topics, particularly those that were controversial, and demonstrated a good understanding of meeting procedures. Mrs. Holtzman was a quiet woman, who worked hard to keep her home, prepare meals for the family and keep up with the mending. The only time they had for visiting with friends was on Sundays The Holtzmans walked to Sabbath services at the Synagogue, first to the Hazen Avenue Synagogue and then to Shaarei Zedek Synagogue on Carleton Street. On Saturday afternoons, they would sit in Kings Square. Their children would go to Rockwood Park and they attended Hebrew School classes in the building that had been used as the first synagogue, by then known as the Talmud Torah, on Carleton Street.
Nathan and Bessie Holtzman had seven children.
Jack, Ethel and Abe Holtzman
Jack Holtzman (-1979)
Jack Holtzman (-1979) was born in Lithuania and after growing up in Saint John, he moved to New York.
Jean Liphshetz (-1974)
Jean Liphshetz (-1974) married Nathan Lipshetz on August 21, 1924 and they lived in Fredericton. They had a son, Herbert. Nathan Liphshetz (-1989) was s a union organizer for many of the Jewish clothing manufacturers in Saint John and he organized a strike for 150 young women who were in the factories in the early 1920’s and asked for a 10% raise. The manufacturers broke the strike by closing their factories and leaving the city, most only briefly. He engaged in similar activism in Palestine, but was asked to leave the country.
Herbie, Jean and Nathan Lipshetz
SunRay Fruit Store
Abram Holtzman (-1970) moved to New York
Ethel Holtzman (1908-1985) graduated near the top of her class at Saint John High School in 1923 and was able to tutor other Jewish community members who had more trouble with the lessons. She lived in New York for many years and worked with her brother, Harry, at Holtzman’s Furniture when she returned to Saint John. She never married.
Ada Holtzman (1909-2006) was born in Saint John and graduated from Saint John High School in 1926. She worked at Metropolitan Life for more than 40 years and retired in 1985. She belonged to both the Sisterhood and Hadassah groups. She never married.
Harry Holtzman (1912-2004) was born in Saint John at 182 Prince Edward Street and graduated from Saint John High School in 1929. He married Anne Freedman in 1939, the daughter of Abraham and Mary Freedman.
Harry and his younger brother, Morris Holtzman opened the SunRay Fruit Store in December 1933 where they sold fresh fruits, vegetables, candy, groceries and canned goods. and cigarettes. They also brought in kosher foods for the Jewish community including special orders for Passover and Bar Mitzvahs.
Harry Holtzman
In 1954, Harry Holtzman opened the first retail TV Store in the Maritime Provinces and was the first to offer TV rentals to shut-ins, hospital patients and vacationers. Over the next twenty-five years, beginning in 1955 the store expanded slowly to become one of the largest furniture stores in Saint John and offered major brand names and service to a new generation of customers. The store also sold appliances. The store on Waterloo Street took up three floors and 12,000 square feet of space plus a separate warehouse. His son, Norman, joined the business after graduating from Dalhousie University in 1965 with a Commerce degree and was manager and vice-president of the store. He took over from his father when Harry retired after 50 years in business.
Harry Holtzman was well-known in the community as a baseball player and basketball player for the YMHA and was active in Synagogue affairs as a board member and regular attendee at services.
Anne, Norman and Harry Holtzman
Anne Holtzman (-1986)
Anne Holtzman (-1986) was the daughter of Abraham and Mary Freedman and had three brothers – Jack, Benjamin and Rube – and a sister – Ida (Mrs. Ben Goldstein). She was married to Harry Holtzman and they raised two children – Norman and Myra (Freeman) – in a home on King Street East. She was an active member of the local Hadassah chapter and of Sisterhood. She helped her husband at the furniture store – mostly in the office and was well-known as a problem-solver.
Norman Holtzman (1943-2024)
Harry and Anne Holtzman had two children – a son, Norman, and a daughter, Myra.
Norman Holtzman was a graduate of Saint John High School and Dalhousie University. He had had his first job at the SunRay and then followed his father into business at Holtzman’s Furniture. For a short period of time in the late 1960s, he managed a branch of the store in the Lancaster Mall. After the store closed in the 1990’s he stayed in the furnishing business with Simply Furniture and River Valley Furniture. Generations of customers were grateful for his courteous service. He sold real estate and managed properties around the city. Norman married Janet Newman of Halifax in 1966 and they had two sons, Jeffrey and Wayne.
Anne, Norman and Myra Holtzman
Myra Freeman from Holtzman
Myra Holtzman Freeman
Myra Holtzman was involved with Brownies and Young Judaea while she was growing up in Saint John. She graduated from Dalhousie University and started her teaching career in 1971 and spent her career teaching in elementary schools. She married Lawrence Freeman of Halifax and they had three children. She volunteered in the Halifax community in a number of Jewish and community organizations.
She served as the Lieutenant-Governor of Nova Scotia from 2000 to 2006, the first woman in Nova Scotia to hold this role and the first Jewish person in Canada to serve as a Lieutenant Governor. During her time in office, she opened the vice-regal home for many events and reached out to young people to teach them about the heritage of the province, promoted the arts and sought out ordinary citizens to recognize them for their accomplishments in all parts of the province. She received the Order of Canada in 2009.
Moe Holtzman
Morris (1914-2001)
Morris (1914–2001) was drafted into the Canadian Army in 1942 and served overseas as an office clerk behind the lines. He was best known as the owner of Moe’s Fruit Mart, later named the SunRay Fruit Store on Waterloo Street for more than 45 years.
References:
Louis I. Michelson Archives and Research and Exhibition Files, Saint John Jewish Historical Museum
Marcia Koven – Weaving the Past Into the Present (Saint John: 1989 and 2008)
The Evening Times Globe / The Telegraph Journal (Saint John newspapers)
This project is made possible with funding from the Archaeology and Heritage Branch, Province of New Brunswick through their Exhibit Renewal Digital Component program and the unwavering support of the Jewish families who made Saint John their home.
