JHSFC Archive
What we do . . .
The JHSFC Archive endeavors to proactively collect artifacts in
order to uncover the hidden stories that will have a personal connection to our community.
It is our mission to reveal these stories, interpret them and provide context
to make them meaningful for all.
The JHSFC Archive exists to preserve our collective memories and learning for
future generations. We are committed to serve scholars, educators, students,
and researchers of all backgrounds and beliefs.
A Bit of History . . .
The Archive of the Jewish Historical Society of Fairfield County was founded in 1985
under the direction of Vivian and Irwin Miller. It started in a hall closet on the
second floor of the Stamford JCC and moved to an empty kitchen space a few years later.
In 1995, it was necessary to move the Archive out of the JCC to Hope Street, then to
Prospect Street, then to Summer Street until we finally reached our
current site under the direction of Maggie Levy.
Thanks to the generosity and continuous support of the Freedman Family
the Archive has been safely housed and protected over the years.
Three Primary Goals . . .
- To collect primary material including documents, photographs, and media that reflect
the Jewish experience in Fairfield County and beyond. We seek records of congregations
and Jewish organizations, genealogical materials, information about key figures in
Fairfield County’s Jewish history and personal histories that describe that experience.
- To produce exhibitions, publications and media relating to the Fairfield County’s Jewish experience.
- To promote the study of Fairfield Jewish history within the context of the broader American
community by providing information and resources for lectures, programs and the production of other educational tools.
Ongoing Archival Projects . . .
In addition to storing our collective memories we are actively working on the following projects:
- Digitalization of our Collections in cooperation with the Connecticut League of History Organizations.
- Archives @ Home
- Intergenerational Oral History instruction in cooperation with Hebrew Schools and Day Schools.
- Personal Oral Histories production
- Provide resources for:
- Remembering the Family Store Documentary
- Norma and Milton Mann Lecture
- It Happened Here! Exhibit
- Synagogue Community Project
- Holocaust Education
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