Preserving the continuity of Jewish life and learning for future generations
The American Jewish Archives (AJA), a division of Hebrew Union College, is the largest free-standing repository dedicated solely to the study of the American Jewish experience. It contains more than 15 million pages of documents, audio-visual recordings, microfilm, and photographic images.
The American Jewish Archives was founded in 1947 by the renowned historian Dr. Jacob Rader Marcus (b. 1896) who served as its first director until his death in 1995 at the age of 99. From 1998 through June of 2023, Dr. Gary P. Zola served as the AJA’s executive director.
Since July of 2023, Dr. Dana Herman has served as the Associate Director.
Frequently Asked Questions
Exploring the AJA website:
About the AJA
Basic information about the AJA's mission, the executive director and staff, as well as visitor instructions, can be found in this section.
Research our Records
This section offers links to research resources, and types of material you'll find at the American Jewish Archives.
Search our Catalog
The AJA online catalog is the gateway to a vast collection of primary source material detailing the history of the Jewish experience in the Americas which include documents, photographs, audio and video media, digital collections and more.
This section also includes a link to "Ask and Archivist."
Publications
Here you will find a wealth of secondary source material relating to the American Jewish past including a link to the full run of the American Jewish Archives Journal which is fully searchable.
Programs & Events
This section includes a listing of upcoming local and national events, Dr. Zola's speaking engagements, and the American Jewish Archives in the news.
Educational Resources
Digital documents, lesson plans/guides, resources for learning opportunities, can be found here.


