In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the Ontario Jewish Archives (OJA) is pleased to present its newest exhibition, the OJA’s “50th Anniversary Scrapbook.” Through the beautifully illustrated display of archival records, the exhibition guides visitors on a journey to discover the diverse experiences and achievements of Ontario’s Jewish community, and to consider the central role of archives in preserving and connecting us to those stories.
We spoke with the OJA team to learn more about their favourite collections!
Dorothy Dworkin Collection
Faye Blum, Archivist
Pioneer, nurse, entrepreneur, philanthropist, healthcare advocate – Dorothy Dworkin was truly a remarkable woman.
In celebration of OJA’s 50th anniversary, I’m sharing my favourite collection from the OJA50 exhibition that celebrates Dorothy Dworkin, a Canadian Jewish powerhouse who was ahead of her time.
By examining the OJA’s holdings, Dworkin’s narrative as a community leader comes to life. Through her own writings, photo albums, diplomas, correspondence, clippings, and ephemera, we can begin to piece together the awe-inspiring story of how this young Latvian immigrant of fourteen went on to found Toronto’s Mount Sinai Hospital in 1923. She also notably championed Jewish immigration through Dworkin Travel and accomplished all this in an era rife with gender bias and anti-immigrant sentiments.
What a powerful role model for women of every generation.
Love the stranger among you, Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada Collection
Yujia Wu, Archivist
My favourite collection from the OJA50 exhibition celebrates JIAS, the Jewish Immigrant Aid Services of Canada.
Established in 1922, JIAS was formed to provide emergency relief for European Jews coming to Canada following the waves of pogroms and the First World War. Now over 100 years later, JIAS is proud to serve all newcomers regardless of faith or country of origin.
The JIAS collection at the OJA represents an important resource for the study of the history of Jewish immigration in Canada and documents how the Canadian Jewish community has rallied together to support rescue and resettlement efforts for communities in crisis, from Syria to Ukraine.
As an organization that has been welcoming and working with newcomers for a century, JIAS celebrates the values of inclusion and diversity that the Jewish community and Canadians hold dear.
Victor Helfand’s Women of the Bimah Photography Series
Michael Friesen, Archivist
The OJA has hundreds of photographs in its collection but nothing quite like this!
My name is Michael and as an archivist at the Ontario Jewish Archives, I’m always excited when we can preserve and share less-celebrated aspects of everyday life. That is why in honour of the OJA’s fiftieth anniversary, I’m sharing one of my favourite collections: Victor Helfand’s Women of the Bimah photography series.
According to Victor, the idea for the series came when he was moved by the sight of a female friend at the bimah, which is the term for the centre platform or stage, of his synagogue. Growing up, Victor had only seen men at the bimah, so he asked if he could photograph this friend partaking in this aspect of religious Jewish practice. The rest is history.
Victor has gone on to photograph women worshipping in synagogues around Toronto and in other cities, countries, and even continents!
I love these photos because, in addition to being beautiful, they offer us a rare glimpse into the religious lives of Jewish women in Toronto, rabbis as well as lay people.
OJA’s 50th Anniversary Scrapbook
On view from February 2025 to January 2025
Sonshine Way, Sheff Family Building, Sherman Campus, 4588 Bathurst St., Toronto
Also visit the OJA’s anniversary website to explore the featured collections: oja50.org
Now, the largest repository of Jewish life in Canada, the exhibition demonstrates the depth of the collection, and features fifty stories from the thousands of individual record donations that have contributed to the archive’s remarkable evolution and growth.
Celebrate our community’s history! Visit the exhibition to connect, explore, and learn stories of our community’s past and ongoing history.
OJA 50th Anniversary Film: Archives Matter, January 2024.
Founded in 1973, the Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre (OJA) is the largest repository of Jewish life in Canada. The OJA’s collections span all segments of Ontario’s Jewish community, including families, businesses, cultural organizations, and synagogues. These records date from the community’s earliest days in the province in the 1850s to the present. The OJA supports a wide range of researchers through its vital work. Through exhibitions, programs, research assistance, and walking tours, the OJA tells the stories of Ontario’s Jewish community. You can find us online at ontariojewisharchives.org
