Joshua (Joe) Lieberman
Joshua (Joe) Lieberman was born in Toronto, Ontario and started as a theatre usher in 1913 and then traveled across Canada and the United States as a distributor for Allen Pictures and the Fox Film Company. By 1915, he had met and become friends with Mitchell Bernstein, who was working out of New York. They would develop a lifelong relationship in the film business and he followed him to Saint John where they became partners in B & L Theatres in 1930. They owned and operated about 20 theatre houses in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Maine. They also distributed films to theatres throughout the Maritimes and Maine. In the early days, they travelled by car to small towns, rented a hall, and hired a pianist to play for what were then silent movies. One of them would collect the 10-cent admission fee and the other would operate the film. Lieberman was a charter member of the Motion Picture Pioneers and a member of the Canadian Picture Pioneers Association and was president of the Canadian Picture Pioneers Association from 1959 to 1960.
Joshua and Stanley Lieberman and Mitchell and Mortimer Bernstein
From the 1940s and 1960s, the partners became land developers, including the construction of Mitchell Apartments, LaTour Terrace at 61 Union Street and the first homes in Millidgeville.
Joe Lieberman served as president of Congregation Shaarei Zedek for nine years from 1947 to 1956. As a leader in Zionist causes, Lieberman served as chair and promoter of several State of Israel Bonds campaigns, was honourary vice-president and vice-president of the Maritime Region for the Zionist Organization of Canada, was treasurer and president of Ezra Lodge, Zionist Order Habonim, was chair of United Jewish Appeal and a dedicated collector of funds for the Jewish National Fund (each family contributed 10 cents a week). He was honoured for his community involvement in 1957 with a Negev Dinner.
The wider Saint John community also benefited from Lieberman’s community spirit. He was a life member of the Masonic Order, board member of the Greater Saint John United Fund (today known as the United Way) and deputy chairman for 1960 campaign for that organization, board member of the Saint John Board of Trade, captain of the red feather team for the Community Chest and board member for the Canadian National Institute for the Blind and the New Brunswick Competitive Festival of Music. His lasting contribution was as a member and president of the Saint John Rotary Club. Joshua Lieberman was named one of Canada’s outstanding Rotarians and honoured at a fundraising dinner for the Boys’ and Girls’ Club. This club was the project which he endorsed with the most enthusiasm. As founder and president of the Club he raised $30,000.00 in support of club on his own (this amounted to one-quarter of what was needed to build and operate the organization). He was honoured posthumously in 1988 as Master Builder.
Joshua met Aida Jacobson when she was hired as his secretary and they were married in October 1924.
Aida Mary Jacobson
Aida Mary Jacobson was one of the six children of Nathan Jacobson and Rose Selig Jacobson including four sisters: Lillian (Goldstein), Ruth (Karrel), Fraida (Cohen) and Sarah (Hart Stender) and one brother, Sam.
Aida Lieberman did not sit idly by while her husband collected honours as she made her own contributions to the local Jewish community, although she did not receive the high level of recognition given to her husband. She served eight terms as president of the Henrietta Szold Chapter of Hadassah and was the first Hadassah Regional Chair for New Brunswick. She was also a member and president of Sisterhood Shaarei Zedek. Aida was a popular lady with many friends in the community and a charming hostess. She loved to entertain and numerous cocktail parties, teas and dinners were held in the family home on Orange Street and through the summer months in the summer community of Pamdenec. Many of these events raised funds for community causes. Aida was well known in the community as an outstanding cook. She was also known to be an outstanding gin rummy and bridge player. When partnered in bridge with her sister Fraida Cohen, the pair were almost unbeatable.
The Liebermans had two sons, Stanley and Avrom.
Stanley Lieberman
Stanley died young on October 26, 1981. He enlisted in the US Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Japan from 1951 to 1955 after completing his training at Fort Benning, New Jersey. He was a member of the Special Forces Airborne Division and was assigned to show films to the soldiers and take photographs.
Avrom Lieberman
Avrom moved to Ontario and owned a company that specialized in teaching the retirement transition planning process to employees of Canadian corporations and unions across the country.
Stanley Lieberman
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.
