Dear colleagues,

 

I am writing on behalf of the Ontario Jewish Archives (OJA), as an open reply to the AAO's Response to Conflict in Israel and Gaza.

 

I am cognizant of my position as a non-Jewish archivist representing a Jewish archives and so would like to first underscore that I am only speaking on behalf of myself and with the permission of my colleagues at the Ontario Jewish Archives.

 

As a member institution of the AAO, we feel it is our obligation to bring our voice into a conversation that directly impacts our archives and our community.  

 

In reading the statement issued by the Board of the AAO, we were disappointed that, although it was encouraged of members to “support our colleagues in archives, library and museums impacted by the conflict through collaborative projects, sharing of resources and statements of solidarity,” there were no efforts made by the AAO Board to extend that courtesy to Jewish member organizations with a direct stake in this issue. Indeed, no communication at all has come from the AAO board between October 7 and the issuance of this reply.

 

In light of this lack of dialogue, the OJA would like to take this opportunity to:

 

• Draw the Board’s attention to the omission of our Israeli-Canadian colleagues from their statement, despite being one of two parties most directly affected by the violence in Israel and Gaza.
• Reaffirm the OJA’s place within this association and its spaces, including this listserv, where we can openly seek advice and information from colleagues and can celebrate our contributions to the archival field.
• Recognize the right of Jewish-Canadian archivists, Israeli-Canadian archivists, and archivists working at Jewish organizations or with Jewish collections to safely practice their profession and to accurately and responsibly represent their collections and communities’ history, without feeling spoken for, marginalized, or silenced.
• Call for the inclusion of Jewish voices as part of the AAOs broader anti-racism strategy.
• Affirm the right of Jewish and Israeli information professionals, both established and emerging, to define their own experiences, as fundamental to furthering EDI work within archival spaces.
• Express disappointment over the omission of the Ontario Jewish Archives – one of only two Jewish community-driven archives in the province – from the AAO Board’s call for collegial support.

 

We are hopeful that this reply will create more opportunities for discussion and not fewer. The OJA remains an inclusive archives, open to whomever wishes to consult our records.

 

Respectfully,

 

Donna Bernardo-Ceriz

Managing Director

Ontario Jewish Archives