OCTOBER 2025
der zamler
JPL’S ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS NEWSLETTER
Tara Goldstein and Sam Pappas at the book launch for Léa Roback: Quebec Social Justice Activist, September 16, 2025.
Happy New Year! We hope you all had a lovely holiday season.
We were closed for much of the last month, but that hasn’t stopped us from being a part of several stand-out events. First, the JPL Archives’ Sam Pappas hosted author Tara Goldstein for the launch of her newest book Léa Roback: Quebec Social Justice Activist. We also put together a one-night only exhibition of Léa’s materials, and by popular demand, we’re bringing it back as our next on-site exhibition at the library! Check it out from November through January.
Director of Archives Maya Pasternak speaking to young library patrons about the life and legacy of Ida Bly, September 30, 2025.
The finissage of the Ida Bly exhibition was a beautiful celebration of a remarkable woman. It took place the same evening as two youth events, which meant that while parents and their children were packing up their crafts and taking out books, there was a convergence of children learning about women’s sports history in Montreal alongside the daughters of our star athlete, now in their 80s. These kinds of moments are why archival outreach is so meaningful for us.
A pressed flower craft made by a young JPL patron at our most recent special Tuesday night event, September 30, 2025.
The Collage Club series has brought a wave of creative youth into the archives, and our special Tuesday craft event left a dozen families with decorations for their sukkahs. We love seeing the art they created inspired by the archives! Youth can sign up for our upcoming ‘crafternoons’ below.
Upcoming Events
Can Posters Kill?
How words became weapons in the Second World War
Thursday, November 13, 2025, 6:30-8:30pm
In-person: Segal Centre for Performing Arts
General $10, Student $7 | Created for teens, Open to all | Registration Required
How did Hitler and the Nazi Party convince millions of people that the murder of Jews during the Holocaust was not only justifiable, but correct? Can Posters Kill? uses rare, historical posters to take readers on a visual journey from medieval anti-Jewish artwork to the venomous Nazi propaganda of the Second World War. By understanding the visual language of propaganda from the past, we can learn to recognize and resist messages of hate—an essential skill in a digital world where information is spread in seconds.
Join the Jewish Public Library Archives for a special one-night-only exhibition and author talk featuring the new title from Second Story Press, Can Posters Kill? by Jerry Faivish with Kathryn Cole. Author Jerry Faivish and special guest moderator Dr. Ula Madej-Krupitski will discuss how propaganda shaped the Second World War, and how it continues to influence our world today. Afterwards, peruse the Segal Centre’s Art Lounge for a special exhibition featuring posters from the Jerry's collection as well as materials from the JPL Archives, Montreal Holocaust Museum, and Dora Wasserman Yiddish Theatre. Copies of the book will be available for purchase courtesy of Bertrand Bookstore.
Tuesday Night Special:
JPL Collage Club in the Archives
Tuesday, October 28, 2025, 6pm-7pm
Jewish Public Library Archives (basement level)
Free | Open to Youth aged 11-25
Special Tuesday night programs are back! Join us for a kosher dinner in the Library at 5:30PM, followed by nature-themed crafting and movie night in the Archives at 6PM. Join Ezell for a screening of Finding Nemo and participate in a special Paper Diorama workshop. (Aged 11+) Registration is required as seating is limited!
JPL Collage Club in the Archives
September-December Sundays 2pm-4pm
Jewish Public Library Archives (basement level)
Free | Open to Youth aged 11-25
Come get cozy and collage with Ezell in the JPL Archives! We're drawing inspiration from some of the incredible photographs in our collection. All collage materials provided, plus snacks and themed film screenings. Feel free to bring your own craft. Registration is encouraged as seating is limited.
Upcoming exhibition
The Life and Activism of Léa Roback
November 1, 2025 - February 1m 2026
Jewish Public Library, across from circulation desk
Back by popular demand, we’ll be featuring the Léa Roback fonds as our next in-house exhibition. Some of these materials were on display at the recent book launch of Léa Roback: Quebec Social Justice Activist. For those who can’t wait to dig into this materials, we recommend you read Goldstein’s new book and listen to last year’s recollections with the JPL podcast episode three: Labour of Love, featuring Léa Roback!
FOR THE RECORD:
A blog about all things JPL Archives
Rokhl Auerbach letters sent from Israel to Rokhl Korn in Montreal, 1951-1966. Courtesy of the JPL Archives, Ida Maze Fonds, 1090-[18]-009/015-001.
On Translation with Context, Part I
Longstanding JPL community member Anna Fishman Gonshor recently sat down with us to talk about why her volunteer work in the Archives feels so important to her. This conversation was rich enough to split into two blog posts. Find parts I and II at the link below.
Related community Events
Poster for McGill’s Department of Jewish Studies upcoming event Hasidic Women, the Arts, and the Digital Paradox.
McGill Jewish Studies
Autumn Semester EventS
Our partners at McGill’s Jewish Studies have recently announced a number of exciting events taking place during their fall school semester. We recommend you register for their newsletter so as not to miss any of their free programming.
Der zamler is a Yiddish term meaning “the collector” and is related to the verb zamlen, which means “to gather.” In using this name, we join a long history of people dedicated to gathering and preserving Jewish culture around the world. A heartfelt thank-you goes to Sam Bick for the initial idea and to Anna Fishman Gonshor for providing the cultural context.
All non-archival photography, unless otherwise credited, by staff of the JPL Archives.
Please click here to support the work of the Jewish Public Library.
subscribe
Not registered for our monthly newsletter, der zamler? Sign up for insights into JPL’s Archives and Special Collections.
Jewish Public Library
5151 Chemin de la Cote-Sainte-Catherine
Montreal, QC, H3W 1M6
Canada