The Association for Canadian Jewish Studies / Association d'études juives canadiennes is a national member-run organization that brings together academics, students, professionals and others interested in the study of the Jewish experience in Canada across multiple disciplines, including history, literature, political science, sociology, economics, geography, demography, education, religion, linguistics, architecture, and the performing and fine arts, among others
The ACJS / Aéjc was founded in 1976 as the Canadian Jewish Historical Society / Société d’histoire juive canadienne. The original aim of the society was to promote and disseminate historical research concerning the engagement of Jews to Canadian society. It did so via the publication of the Canadian Jewish Historical Society Journal (1977-1988), the organization of occasional papers and lectures, and an annual conference held in conjunction with the Canadian Historical Association at the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences (CFHSS) Congress.
The 1990s proved a momentous time for the ACJS. In 1993 the Canadian Jewish Historical Society began publication of a new annual scholarly journal, Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes to promote a new multidisciplinary approach to Canadian Jewish Studies. In 1996, the society changed its name to the Association for Canadian Jewish Studies / Association d’études juives canadiennes to highlight its members' broader research scope.
Today, the ACJS's regular activities include:
- An annual scholarly conference that brings together scholars, archivists, and associated societies and organizations of Canadian Jewish studies to share ideas and help shape the future of the discipline. In recent years, conferences have taken place in Vancouver, Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal.
- Community-based programs that promote Canadian Jewish studies in the form of lectures, walking tours, literary readings, and other events.
- The publication of Canadian Jewish Studies / Études juives canadiennes, the only scholarly journal devoted to the study of the Canadian Jewish experience. Canadian Jewish Studies is an open-access scholarly journal that includes full-length peer-reviewed articles from a variety of scholarly disciplines, book reviews, special sections devoted to translations of important primary sources, the holdings of Jewish community archives across Canada, personal reflections by some of the field's leading scholars, and literary essays and criticism about Canadian Jewish arts and letters.
The ACJS is affiliated with numerous local Jewish historical societies and organizations throughout Canada. Via these partnerships, the ACJS maintains a vibrant relationship with Canada’s Jewish communities and encourages the identification and preservation of properties, sites, and districts related to Canadian Jewish heritage.
For regular updates about the ACJS, including membership information, how to make a tax-deductible donation, details about past and upcoming conferences and events, and free access to Canadian Jewish Studies, please visit https://acjs-aejc.ca/. For regular updates about the world of ACJS, please use this link to sign up for the association's newsletter.