Ontario Jewish Archives Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre Receives Grant

UJA Federation’s Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre (OJA) has received a $195,100 grant from the Canadian Government through the Canada Cultural Spaces Fund for the renovation of its vault and public space. The announcement was made on September 11, by Member of Parliament Mark Adler (York Centre) on behalf of the Honourable Shelly Glover, Minister of Canadian Heritage and Official Languages.

“We are pleased to provide funding for the Ontario Jewish Archives, an important cultural space in our community that hosts a significant collection of artifacts documenting the contributions of the Jewish community in Canada,” said Mr. Adler.

This grant will support the installation of a modern, dedicated HVAC for the OJA vault as well as new lighting, monitoring system and compact and moveable shelving that will provide the archives with more storage space and better environmental conditions. The project will also update the public areas, creating a more comfortable and efficient space for researchers and staff. This grant is matched by funds generously provided to the OJA by the Blankenstein family.

“The OJA is the largest professionally maintained repository of Jewish archival material in Canada,” says Dara Solomon, Director of the OJA. “We have over 5,000 cubic feet of textual material and 60,000 photographs. We also hold films, oral histories, artifacts and newspapers. We have an obligation to ensure that these treasures are managed according to best practices and under optimal conditions. As a result of this grant, the OJA will be better positioned to continue our important work of preserving, collecting and sharing the stories of our community into the future.”

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