About Us

The Ontario Jewish Archives is the largest repository of Jewish life in Canada. 

Founded in 1973, the Ontario Jewish Archives (OJA), a department of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, acquires, preserves, and makes accessible records that chronicle the province’s Jewish history. The collection documents organizations, individuals, synagogues, schools, summer camps, leisure activities, athletes, and businesses.

There are many ways to explore the OJA’s collection and learn about the province’s Jewish past. Researchers may make an appointment to view photographs, films, Yiddish newspapers, handwritten correspondence, and even an original Superman drawing. Through exhibitions, programs, research assistance, and walking tours, the OJA shares the stories of Ontario’s Jewish community.

 The OJA serves people of all ages, from children in classrooms to university scholars; from teens researching their grandparents to adults discovering their family histories; and from seniors reconnecting with their pasts.

The OJA serves approximately 500 researchers per year, including academics, students, curators, genealogists, filmmakers, radio and television producers, journalists, UJA Federation staff, Jewish agencies, and other organizations.

 The OJA has also increased its visibility through campus exhibitions. In addition, its reach through social media (Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube) is international in scope, with particular strength among those aged 35–44. Visitors can share items found on this website using the social media tools located in the upper right-hand corner of each page.

OUR STORIES ARE YOUR STORIES