Galloway, N.J. – A digital museum and archive centering on the lived experiences of the first successful Jewish farming village in the United States housed at Stockton University has been recognized for its preservation and accessibility efforts by the Mid-Atlantic Regional Archives Conference (MARAC).

“(The 2024 MARAC NJ Caucus Innovative Archives Award) recognizes archival organizations that have developed innovative educational or outreach models utilizing archival sources, provided leadership during a time of emergency or crisis, demonstrated new thinking in finding a solution to an issue or problem and exhibited creativity in increasing awareness of local history resources among New Jersey residents and visitors, or otherwise provided exemplary service to the archives and history communities. The committee felt that the work of the Alliance Heritage Center makes it a deserving winner of the Innovative Archives Award,” Caryn Radick of the MARAC Awards selection committee shared in an email.

The Alliance Heritage Center, established in 2019, preserves and disseminates the history and culture of the Alliance Colony and similar Jewish farming communities in southern New Jersey.

The history of these colonies includes stories of oppression and resilience by the more than 40 Jewish families fleeing from oppressive regimes in Europe. The center houses and tells these stories through collections of manuscripts, naturalization papers, newspapers, deeds, maps, land surveys, synagogue records, photographs and oral history interviews. 

“I’m quite proud of the museum because of all that it represents in terms of community engagement. Descendants of the colony have given us both physical and digital historical materials that we have now preserved in this museum with conversations that provide the context and stories that show why we think this particular colony is important in local history. It brings together academia and community by letting students take an important role in preserving this history,” said Tom Kinsella, distinguished professor of Literature and director of the South Jersey Culture & History Center.

Throughout the creation and dissemination of the digital museum, Stockton students have played active roles through uploading and organizing photos, maintaining the website and designing an interactive walkthrough for visitors of the Alliance chapel, the only remaining structure from the original colony.

Cynthia Anstey, a graduate student in the Master of Arts in American Studies program, has worked with the center and under the guidance of Special Collections librarian Heather Perez to manage various files and archive original images. Through the project, she was able to explore something unfamiliar and lend her prior skills and knowledge to the digital museum.

“Growing up in Little Egg Harbor and Tuckerton, I was surprised how little I knew about Alliance. I spent a lot of time looking at the collections, trying to decipher the stories they wanted to tell me,” Anstey said. “Dr. Kinsella encouraged me to use my editing skills for the Kramer Hall exhibition book. Speaking with exhibit attendees, the connection they felt to the exhibit was tangible. It was quite touching.”

She said working with Kinsella and the center has been an opportunity for her to “join forces with others who understand the importance of archives.”  

“Archives personally connect us to objects, transporting us to a time and place, rooting us in the mortal, moral and morale – our humanity. They are often the only gateway to lessons we may or may not want to implement going forward. They often contain memories we best not forget,” Anstey said.

Patricia Chappine, Rudnick Fellow for the center, is excited and grateful for the recognition and is looking forward to continuing to preserve the history of Alliance and its surrounding communities.

“The Alliance Heritage Center's digital museum was a big step in making our collections accessible to a wide audience and presenting the narrative of the colony to the public,” Chappine ’06, MA ’09 said. “Not only is this a resource for the descendants of the Alliance community, but it is also an ever-growing educational resource for students, historians, museums and historical societies. Along with historical photograph and document collections, we've also created virtual exhibits, an interactive timeline, an oral history page, and more.” 

The 2024 MARAC NJ Caucus Innovative Archives Award will be presented to the center in a formal ceremony in October during Monmouth County’s Archives and History Day.

---

– Story by Loukaia Taylor

– Photos by Susan Allen