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FOUR RENOWNED CONSULTANTS LEND THEIR SKILLS TO THE NEW
NATIONAL MUSEUM OF JEWISH AMERICAN HISTORY
(November 11, 2002)
When completed, the
new National Museum of American Jewish History will be a
reflection of hundreds of people's creativity and hard work. The
project will forever change how American Jewish history is
presented to the public - and change the face of Independence
Mall.
Four key members of the project's leadership team are helping to
pave the way: architect James Polshek, exhibit designer Patrick
Gallagher, historian Jonathan Sarna and storyteller David Grubin.
Working together and independently, the team is creating a
building at the center of the nation's "cradle of liberty" that
will, for the first time, present the American Jewish experience
in a national context.
A Beacon of American Freedom
Mr. Polshek, one of the foremost architects in America today,
brings the depth and breadth of Polshek Partnership's experience
to the project. Known for its work on museums and cultural
institutions around the country, the 150 person firm led by
seven partners work from the shared belief that the most elegant
architectural responses are both technically and socially
relevant to their time and place. Every project is approached
with extensive research involving the analysis of context,
program, public image, environment and construction
technologies, an approach very much in evidence in the team's
work for the Museum.
"We have a wonderful opportunity to build this Jewish museum on
Independence Mall, the site of the signing of the Constitution
and the Bill of Rights," said Mr. Polshek. "Our design for the
museum expresses our liberties as Americans and our identity as
Jews. The transparent exterior of the building embodies the idea
that today, in America, Jews do not have to hide and that
America is inseparable from Jewish life."
He continued, "An eight-foot flame, which rises from the
100-foot rugged stone tower that represents over 5000 years of
Jewish history, will crown the building. This will serve as a
beacon representing both American freedom - a reference to our
beloved Statue of Liberty - and the permanence of the Jewish
people, as represented by the Eternal Light. This light will
shine as long as Americans embrace and defend freedom of
religion and cultural expression."
Inspiring Visitors for Years to Come
Just as much thought and effort are going into the design of the
museum's permanent exhibits and visiting exhibition spaces.
Patrick Gallagher, president and founder of Washington
D.C.-based Gallagher & Associates, heads a firm that is
committed to the creation of meaningful and memorable visitor
experiences.
"This means that our designers immerse themselves completely in
the story on the front end of the project to guarantee that all
of the client's expectations are fulfilled at the project's
conclusion," explained Mr. Gallagher. "Our approach to design is
a collaborative one. We listen and respond to our clients during
the entire project, from concept through to final installation."
In considering the new NMAJH, he added, "Creating the exhibits
for this museum is an opportunity to create something completely
new and permanent. We take the long view, knowing that this
museum will be here for not only this generation but also for
the next one and the one after that. These exhibits will be the
first to inspire visitors for years to come, and we take that
responsibility to heart."
Stories of How Jews Made an Impact on our Country
Dr. Jonathan Sarna, the preeminent authority on Judaism in the
Americas, brings more than 25 years of Jewish scholarship to the
Museum and serves as historian on the project. He is the author,
editor or co-editor of 20 books, including "The American Jewish
Experience"; and a new history of American Judaism for Yale
University Press, which he is now completing.
"As American Jewry approaches its 350 anniversary on the soil of
North America, it is especially appropriate to have a Museum
dedicated to the portrayal of Jewish history from Colonial times
to the present so that Jews and non-Jews alike can study this
history and learn to appreciate its significance, said Dr. Sarna,
the Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish
history at Brandeis University.
"The placement of the Museum across from the Liberty Bell and
the Constitution Center is particularly fitting since the Jews,
as much as any group in America, have benefited from the liberty
and freedoms accorded them," Dr. Sarna said.
The story of American Jews will be told through interactive,
personalized experiences when the new NMAJH opens in 2006. David
Grubin, an award-winning director, writer and producer, is the
official Museum storyteller. His role is to immerse visitors to
the museum in an unforgettable experience of sights and sounds
through music, film, artifacts and art.
"This is a rich, complex story that we want to make relevant to
all our visitors, Jew and non-Jew alike. It is really a story
about freedom," Mr. Grubin said. "The museum will show how
American Jews made their way in the mainstream American culture
with pluck and determination, at the same time struggling to
hold on to their own cultural and religious roots. That's a
story that every American can understand.
"Most Americans - even most Jews - do not know the scope and
breadth of this story," he added. "For instance, how many people
know that Irving Berlin wrote 'God Bless America'? Here you have
a Jew writing a valentine to his beloved country; a song that
expresses how much the principles of freedom mean to everyone.
And his is just one of tens of thousands of stories of how Jews
have made an impact on our country as a direct result of the
freedoms we have here."
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