The next installment of my Archivist Interview series is a Q&A with Melissa Caza, an archivist at the Ontario Jewish Archives. I was fascinated to read about her current projects and see one of her favourite items, a broadside from an anti-fascist demonstration that took place in 1933. I think you’ll enjoy reading her interview.

1. Can you tell us a bit about the Ontario Jewish Archives, Blankenstein Family Heritage Centre?

Founded in 1973, the Ontario Jewish Archives (OJA), a department of UJA Federation of Greater Toronto, acquires, preserves and makes accessible the records that chronicle Ontario’s Jewish history. The collection documents organizations, individuals, synagogues, schools, summer camps, community leaders, leisure, athletes, and businesses. Through exhibitions, programs, research assistance, and walking tours, the OJA tells the stories of Ontario’s Jewish community.

The OJA’s collection is housed in a recently renovated state-of-the-art vault with humidity and climate controls. The OJA’s staff of professional archivists service approximately 400 researchers per year, including academics, students, curators, genealogists, filmmakers, radio and television producers, journalists, UJA Federation staff, Jewish agencies, and other organizations.

 2. How long have you worked there and how did you become interested in the field?

I have been working at the OJA for just over 6 years. I have always had a love of history and completed an honours BA in History. While completing my BA I debated pursuing a variety of careers: museum curator, high school teacher, and archeologist. I hadn’t been exposed to archives so this profession simply wasn’t on my radar at the time. I only knew that I wanted to work in a field where I could share my love of history. I ended up pursuing a career in teaching. While completing my BEd I took an elective called “History is a Verb”. It was all about teaching history through primary sources. We visited archives and learned how to search archives for records. Our major assignment involved archival research. I loved the experience and it sparked my decision to become an archivist. After teaching for a year, I pursued my Master of Information Studies at the University of Toronto and haven’t looked back.

 3. What are your current duties and projects?

Since I work at a small community archives, my duties include the full range of responsibilities that archivists might have:

• Meeting with donors who have archival material for the archives and accessioning new acquisitions
• Appraising records for their archival value as well as completing the odd in-house financial appraisal for tax receipts
• Arranging and describing collections (or “fonds”)
• Responding to reference inquiries
• Supervising volunteers and practicum students
• Assisting with exhibitions (such as writing captions and helping select items for display)
• Occasionally, I help write content for our Blog or other publications, such as the Canadian Jewish Studies Journal (which has a section called “Archives Matter”), or the Canadian Jewish News newspaper
• Secretary at our Board meetings and other administrative tasks

Currently, I am managing a collection development initiative we launched to document and preserve the stories of Ontario Jews from South Africa and Zimbabwe. We have been working with a committee of South African Jews to actively reach out to this segment of the community for archival records. We are also conducting a small representative sample of oral history interviews with individuals who represent a cross-section of stories (e.g. people who immigrated to Ontario in different eras and at different life stages, etc.). We are nearing the final stages of this project, and have started to work on an online exhibition to feature clips from the interviews and archival material. This is the OJA’s first collection development initiative focused on an immigrant group and we hope to use it as a model for future projects with other segments of Ontario’s Jewish community.

4. Can you share more about one of your favourite items?

I have many favourite items – one of them is a general strike notice written in both Yiddish and English for a demonstration against fascism and other human rights issues. The historic demonstration took place on July 11, 1933 when over 15,000 people (mostly Jewish and working class) walked off the job. Reported in the Globe and Mail as the largest protest of its kind in Canada since the 1919 Winnipeg general strike, a united front of all the needle trade unions and over fifty Jewish organizations took part. Many Jewish employers supported the strike and closed shop early so their workers could participate.

Aside from newspaper coverage, this broadside is one of the only remaining artifacts from this demonstration. It shows how unions took a stand against general human rights issues and not just those relating to working conditions. It also reveals just how early in Hitler’s reign Toronto’s Jewish community became concerned about him and one way they attempted to take a stand against him. It’s somewhat rare for these sort of notices to survive long after the event and I think it is really special that this one has survived.

5. Is there anything else you would like to tell us about yourself or your work?

I feel so honoured to work in this profession. It is a pleasure and privilege to play a role in preserving the past for the public. I often leave work thinking how amazing it is that I get to handle such wonderful records, meet such interesting people and share these rich stories with the public.

Thank you, Melissa Caza!

If you have suggestions for other archivists or institutions
I should contact for interviews, let me know in the comments.