SEPTEMBER 2025
der zamler
JPL’S ARCHIVES AND SPECIAL COLLECTIONS NEWSLETTER
Director of Archives Maya Pasternak speaking at the Ethel Stark Mural vernissage on September 3, 2025.
September brings a new energy to the JPL, propelled by the start of school year, our Annual General Meeting, and the changing weather. At the beginning of the month we had the pleasure of attending the vernissage for the new Ethel Stark Mural in Park Ethel-Stark on Montreal’s Plateau. Our Director of Archives Maya Pasternak shared a few words about the importance of archives in telling our histories and combatting misinformation; author Maria Noriega Rachwal spoke about what is possible when women dream big. Click here to learn more about Ethel Stark, the mural, and to hear digitized recordings of her concerts.
Our Youth Programming Coordinator Ezell has launched our new Collage Club series, running through autumn. It’s off to a great start!
Upcoming Events
Authors from Home presents
Léa Roback: Quebec Social Justice Activist by Tara Goldstein
Tuesday, September 16, 2025, 7pm-9pm
In-person: Gelber Conference Centre and Virtual: Zoom
Free | Open to all | Registration Required
As part of the JPL Authors from Home series, join us for a discussion with author and great niece of Lea Roback, Tara Goldstein, about her latest work Léa Roback: Quebec Social Justice Activist.
The JPL Archives were instrumental in the research Goldstein conducted for this book. The JPL’s own Reference Archivist Sam Pappas will be moderating the conversation, and the Archives will be preparing a one-night only display of material from the Léa Roback Fonds for visitors to enjoy.
Finissage for Ida Bly Exhibition
Tuesday, September 30, 2025, 5pm-7pm
Jewish Public Library
Free | Open to all
Join us in celebrating Ida "Wisey" Bly before the end of the exhibition!
On September 30th, we will be hosting a 5 à 7 style celebration to mark the last week of the physical exhibition on display at the JPL. Two of Bly's daughters, who donated her materials to our Archives, as well as the curator of the exhibition, Ellen Belshaw, will be there to talk about who this amazing woman was, and what is so exciting about this collection of materials.
Refreshments will be provided. This event is free and open to all. Registration is not required, but helps the organisers plan for the expected number of guests.
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.
exhibitionS
Team Spirit exhibition on now across from circulation at the Jewish Public Library.
*Last chance*
Team Spirit: The Sporting Days of Ida “Wisey” Bly
JULY 1, 2025 - OCTOBER 1, 2025
In-House & Virtual Exhibition
Jewish Public Library, across from circulation desk
Ida “Wisey” Bly (née Wiseberg), 1915-1990, was an athlete active in Montreal’s women’s softball and basketball leagues in the 1930s and 1940s. She was known for her sportsmanship and team spirit as well as her determination on the court; she often led her team in points scored during games. She is described as “a versatile forward,” “clever ball handler,” and “deadly at the target” in several of the newspaper articles covering her career.
Spread throughout all four of our display cases for the first time, this rich exhibition features memorabilia from Ida Bly’s sports career, from her uniforms, softball glove, trophies, photographs, and newspaper clippings detailing her athletic accomplishments. To learn more about the history of women’s sports, basketball’s place in Jewish history, and about some of the famous people Bly was surrounded by during her career, read more at the virtual exhibition linked below.
Joining in on the celebration of decorated athlete Ida Bly, the Norman Berman Children's Library has put on an exhibition of their own featuring sports books and archival photos for the 2025 Summer Season! They’ve created a children’s work booklet (English | French) with a scavenger hunt as well as other activities that you can pick up at circulation. Their support helps us engage our youth with their history and the larger history of Jewish Montreal.
A Norman Berman Children’s Library exhibition celebrating sports alongside the Ida Bly exhibition.
FOR THE RECORD:
A blog about all things JPL Archives
Zalman Reisen letters sent from Warsaw, Poland to Ida Maze in Montreal, 1931. 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 our next two blog posts.
Related community Events
MJM Presents
Pioneers of the Picket Line
September 14, 2025 1pm - 3pm
If you’re interested in our Léa Roback: Québec Social Justice Activist book launch event on the 16th, we can’t recommend Melanie Leavitt’s walking tour enough. You can’t tell the stories of women’s labour history in Montreal without mentioning Roback! Those who heard our podcast, recollections with the JPL, will be familiar with Leavitt’s story and expertise on the subject already.
Image by Iñaki del Olmo, courtesy McGill Jewish Studies.
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’re particularly excited for “More Than Friends: Muslim-Jewish Intimacy in Algerian Music” with Jonathan Glasser (William & Mary) happening in November. 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.
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