Collection consists of published works including books, journals (articles excerpted from issues as well as runs of serials), Canadian and British government documents, almanacs, gazetteers, directories, newsletters, and newspapers that describe the social, economic, and legal factors influencing Jewish life in Canada (especially for the period prior to Confederation), the United States, the Caribbean, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. These works include bibliographies, biographies, commemorative publications, local histories and reproductions of primary documents that pertain to Jewish involvement in the trade of the British Empire, migration and settlement, professions such as medicine and education, and studies of the Jewish experience in Canadian and international communities from the 18th to the 20th centuries. Series S00251, Jewish manuscripts, contains original correspondence, financial and legal documents, and research notes by the Godfreys regarding Jewish families in Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes that provides information regarding their involvement in economic, cultural and political affairs, including the fur trade. The series features 11 letters between John A. Macdonald and George Benjamin, who represented North Hastings as a Member of Parliament between 1856 and his retirement in 1863. Series S00252, Biographical research files, contains the research notes, correspondence, and copies of correspondence, abstracts of land titles and other instruments of ownership, property plans, and wills compiled by Sheldon and Judy Godfrey in preparation to write books on Canadian Jewish history and articles for the "Dictionary of Canadian Biography," as well as speeches to various historical and genealogical societies. The series was arranged by the Godfreys into sections using broad geographical areas (Upper Canada, Lower Canada, and the Maritimes), and then by the names of individuals and families. Series S00253 consists of unbound issues of 19th century newspapers, which contain advertisements and notices concerning Jewish businesses in various parts of Canada. Donation made in 2006 and 2007 expand the holdings for the books and archival series, and includes a wide range of British and Canadian documents that reflect the breadth of the Godfreys' collecting interests. The donation made in 2007 strengthened the collection's holdings of 18th and 19th-century newspapers from Canada (particularly Quebec, Montreal, and Toronto) and the United Kingdom, and added almanacs from New England.
