Founded in late 1907, with classes beginning in early 1908, the Toronto Hebrew Religious School was established as the city's first Talmud Torah.  From humble beginnings and with visionary leadership, it grew into today's Associated Hebrew Schools. 

Associated has remained true to the mission and philosophy of the school's founders. It was non-denominational and catered to all of the community's children, regardless of their parents' ability to pay tuition. The school imparted traditional Torah values to its students and, as a staunchly Zionist institution, all lessons were taught in Hebrew, Ivrit b'Ivrit. The importance of the Jewish community and the Jewish people, or Klal Yisrael, was stressed, as was the great privilege and duty of Canadian citizenship.

Over time, the five-day a week, after-school program grew in size and stature.  New buildings and branches were opened in all of Toronto's Jewish neighbourhoods.  During the 1940s, the city's first day school was launched. The Associated Hebrew Day School grew to include a junior high by the late 1950s and helped launch the Community Hebrew High School, now known as TanenbaumCHAT, in the 1960s.  By the 1980s the high school separated from the elementary and junior high divisions and Associated returned to its original focus: the education of children from preschool to Grade 8.

MILESTONES

1907-Toronto Hebrew Religious School, the Simcoe Street Talmud Torah, is             founded

1922-Charter granted by the Province of Ontario

1925-Brunswick Avenue Talmud Torah, the Toronto Hebrew Free School, opens

1929-First graduation ceremony

1941-Opening of the first Bet Hayeled (preschool) class

1943-First Grade 1 class begins day school

1946-School officially becomes known as Associated Hebrew Schools of Toronto

1951-First Grade 8 day school graduation

1957-AHS celebrates its fiftieth anniversary and opens the new Neptune branch         (Bathurst/401 area)

1959-Junior Day High School, Grades 7-9, opens

1961- First Grade 10 class, the nucleus of CHAT, opens at Associated

1965-First graduation of the Grade 13 students

1972-Hurwich Education Centre opens (Finch/Bathurst)

1982-Danilak Education Centre opens (Leslie/Steeles area)

1995-Kamin Education Centre opens (Thornhill)

1998-Rebuilt Posluns Education Centre opens (Neptune Avenue site)

2000-A stand-alone middle school, Grades 6-8, is established

2003-Rebuilt Hurwich Education Centre (Finch Avenue site), permanent home of the Danilack Middle School, opens

2008-Associated Hebrew Schools celebrates its centennial