Twice Blessed Jewish Community
Twice Blessed: A Toronto Jewish Queer Community in the 1980s and 1990s through the Collections of Johnny Abush
Advertisement for Twice Blessed, 2021 Heritage Toronto Awards Public History Nominee. Courtesy of the ArQuives.
Creator: Liv Mendelsohn
Date of Release: February 7, 2019
Drawing on the long-forgotten collections of amateur archivist Johnny Abush (housed at the ArQuives and ONE Archives USC), along with research through the Ontario Jewish Archives, and new oral history interviews, this exhibition traced the early history of Jewish Queer community in Toronto, a history that has never before received a spotlight.
Housed at the Miles Nadal JCC, this exhibit brought this history to the centre of community — tracing early gay, lesbian and trans social and ritual organizations like Chutzpah!, the rejection from mainstream community, the impact of the HIV/AIDS crisis, and the activism and community building that has lead to a robust Queer Jewish community day. More than 4000 visitors saw the exhibit in person from July 1-August 5, 2019, and it now lives on in digital form online at the ArQuives. The opening night event brought together oral history interviewees together with queer youth and a legacy was shared for the first time.
Additional Project Team Members:
Lo Humeniuk, Toronto ArQuives, Co-Curator
Regan Swanson, Toronto Arquives Executive Director, Project Advisor
Michael Friessen, Ontario Jewish Archives, Project Advisor
Jo Michaels, Miles Nadal JCC, Graphic Designer
Effie Biliris, Miles Nadal JCC, Digital Assistant