Donate your records to OJA

Help preserve and share the stories of Jewish life in Ontario, for today and for the future. Your tax-receiptable gift sustains collecting, preservation, and public access to the archive.

Donate now
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Why donate your records

Help us preserve history and make it accessible to future generations.

Preserve heritage

Your records safeguard the stories of Jewish Ontario for future generations.

Safe stewardship

Professional care protects items (including digital files) from loss, and damage.

Inclusive history

Your voice helps fill gaps and build a fuller, more accurate community record.

Ongoing collection projects

We’re always growing our archives to reflect the richness and diversity of our community’s experiences. Alongside our permanent collections, we also run special projects that focus on gathering records around specific themes, events, or time periods.

If you have materials that may fit one of these projects, we’d love to hear from you! Donating your records ensures that your stories and experiences become part of the shared historical record.

View projects

Photograph from the “Summer Camps” archive collection (1990s).

The records donation process

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Get in touch

Tell us what you have that you would like to donate to the OJA (who/what/where/when).
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Prepare records

An archivist will confirm where your record will fit and share a list of simple preparation tips to you.
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Transfer to OJA

Our team will arrange a drop-off, courier, or secure digital transfer of your record to the OJA.
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Paperwork

We complete a Deed of Gift; tax receipting 
may apply.
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Preservation

We describe, preserve, and make materials available for research.
Physical donation

Physical donation

Visit below to learn more about preparing your physical records to the Ontario Jewish Archives.
Prepare for donation
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Digital donation

Digital records require special preparation and handling processes. Please contact us for more information.
Contact us

Personal and family records make up a key part of our mandate as they provide a unique look at Jewish life in the province. From our point of view, no one’s story is too small and no one’s family is too modest to be of interest.

We are interested in:

  • photographs
  • personal correspondence
  • diaries and journals
  • speeches
  • writings
  • artwork, drawings, doodles
  • occupational/professional records
  • videos and film

We are not interested in:

  • copies (as opposed to originals)
  • poor quality photographs
  • photographs with little or no identification
  • cheque stubs and receipts
  • loose envelopes
  • travel documents such as airline tickets
or brochures
  • unused items like blank notebooks
  • plaques and other mounted items
  • published books and religious texts
  • records originating outside Ontario unless essential to the person or family’s story

Honouring my grandmother with a Tribute Card felt quiet, meaningful, and lasting.

Maya K. Thornhill. ON

Preparing your records for donation

Make it easy for archivists, and future researchers, to understand and care for your materials.

Place records in a box

Keep original order and enclosures together whenever possible.

Include a file list

Include box contents and note who, what, where, and when for each item.

Label photos

Write names, places, and dates in pencil on the back of all your photographs.

Provide creator info

Include a short biography 
or administrative history of 
the creator.

Need more guidance?

Reach out to one of our archivist or researchers to get more insights on genealogy.
Prepare for donations