The Ottawa Jewish Archives collects, preserves, and makes available for
public use photographs, documents and other archival material depicting the
history and development of the Jewish community of Ottawa.
The archives' origins began gradually. Initially, without proper storage space, it was an imperative to not only collect appropriate Ottawa material but to find a suitable space for both storage and consultation. As an interim measure, several boxes of documents were deposited with the National Archives of Canada in 1972. Only recently, these documents have been returned to the Ottawa Jewish Archives and their excellent, environmentally controlled vault.
From a very small space, important documents were saved, early photographs copied and oral histories recorded on tape. From 1984 onwards when the archives received enlarged space on Chapel Street, the archives began full operation and later a storage vault was built. The strengths of the collections are its photographs and records of Jewish organizations and synagogues with the majority of records following between 1910 and 1985. Another strength came from the work and dedication of the first archivist,
Shirley Berman who arrived in 1972, and organized collections, implemented
important polices, and focused on preservation issues. She continued
actively until her retirement in the fall of 1998.
With the interest and participation of the Ottawa Jewish community and
the Ontario Association of Archivists through special funding, the archives
has been able to expand, publicize its activities, and gradually organize
the holdings according to archival standards.
Only last autumn, the Ottawa Jewish Archives moved to its current location in the west end of Ottawa. Archival facilities are modern with convenient shelving in a new vault. The archives is supported by both the Ottawa Jewish Historical Society and the Jewish Community Council of Ottawa.
Our archival holdings include 400 feet of arranged collections with
finding aids, marriage registers, l898 - l950, 2500 photographs and 1000
negatives, biographical files, posters and architectural plans, cassettes
and video tapes, Ottawa Jewish Bulletin, l937 - l999, and some artifacts.
We receive various degrees of requests for service, including as far away as California. Requests are varied, individuals needing information for a University essay or journalists putting together a historical pictorial are examples.
The growth of the archives is achieved through the support of the Ottawa
Jewish community. Gifts and endowments to the Ottawa Jewish Historical
Society and the Jewish Community Foundation are tax deductible. Currently
the archives has ear marked the areas of business and women and their
activities as particular areas for collecting.
Pierwotny adres: http://www.oss.wroc.pl/biuletyn/ebib11/m_mordfield.html
Adres w archiwum: ebib.oss.wroc.pl/arc/e011-07.html
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