Abrasha Wosk testimonial evening at Congregation Schara Tzedeck March 6, 1977. Back row: Joyce Wosk, Sonny Wosk, Esther Aroni and husband Hymie, Rosalie and Joe Segal. Front row: Abrasha and Chava Wosk. (photo from JMABC L.01598)
The Jewish Museum & Archives of British Columbia (JMABC) has launched its 2026 annual campaign – Preserving Our Stories. Connecting Our Future – an initiative that invites the community to help preserve and share the remarkable stories of Jewish life throughout British Columbia.
For more than half a century, JMABC has served as the steward of British Columbia’s Jewish documentary heritage, preserving hundreds of thousands of photographs, documents, oral histories and archival collections, while sharing these stories through exhibitions, programming, publications, research services and community partnerships.
“History isn’t created only in archives,” said JMABC president Daniella Givon. “It begins with families, photographs, letters and memories. This campaign is an invitation for our community to recognize the importance of those stories and help ensure they are preserved for future generations.”
Funds raised through the campaign will support archival preservation and digitization, oral history recording projects, educational programming, exhibits, collections care, research access and province-wide storytelling initiatives that connect communities.
Throughout the summer and fall, JMABC will also launch a new Campaign Stories series on its website, featuring articles that highlight remarkable people, places and moments from its archival collections. Drawing entirely from existing resources, the series will introduce readers to the individuals, neighbourhoods, businesses and institutions that have helped shape Jewish life here. The campaign introduces a unique community storytelling initiative inspired by the simple idea that every family has a story worth preserving.
Also starting this summer, and continuing throughout the year, JMABC will invite community members to bring a treasured photograph of a parent, grandparent or other ancestor to select public programs and community activities, where they will have the opportunity to create a contemporary portrait that connects their family’s history with the present day. The resulting images will celebrate the enduring links between generations while encouraging participants to reflect on the importance of preserving their own family histories.
“Our archives exist because previous generations chose to save photographs, documents and memories,” said executive director Eli Klasner. “This project encourages people to think about the stories in their own families and the role each of us can play in preserving them.”
The campaign complements JMABC’s expanding public programming, including initiatives that will be gradually delivered throughout the province this year.
“Every photograph, every oral history and every archival collection tells part of a much larger story,” said Klasner. “By preserving those stories today, we help future generations better understand the people and communities that built Jewish life in British Columbia.”
To learn more about the campaign, explore JMABC’s online exhibitions or support the preservation of British Columbia’s Jewish heritage, visit jewishmuseum.ca.
– Courtesy Jewish Museum & Archives of British Columbia