Special Exhibitions

In Praise of a Dream
January 31-April 22, 2012 Concourse level, National Museum of American Jewish History
 

The Museum is proud to present an exhibition of new photography by Israeli artist Tal Shochat. Featuring stunning images of trees from Shochat’s In Praise of a Dream series, the exhibition will open, on the concourse level, in time to usher in Tu B’Shevat (the Festival of Trees), which begins the evening of Tuesday, February 7. As the Jewish holiday cycle turns to a celebration of nature, Shochat’s large-format photographs serve as a dramatic reminder of human responsibilities to the environments in which we live. At the same time, they invoke questions of rootedness, about Jews’ millennial history as a diaspora people and their relationships to the homelands in which they have chosen to settle.  
 

Bat Mitzvah Comes of Age
March 6-April 27, 2012 at the JCC in Manhattan
 

Presented by the National Museum of American Jewish History and Moving Traditions, this exhibition shows how bat mitzvah evolved from a radical innovation into a nearly universal American tradition. A fascinating story of how individuals shape and change ritual, Bat Mitzvah Comes of Age offers a unique lens into the dynamism of Jewish life.

Bat Mitzvah Comes of Age is designed for easy travel and installation in small galleries, JCCs, and synagogues. To inquire about bringing the exhibition to your community, please contact Assistant Curator Ivy Weingram.
 

Beginning in 2013, the National Museum of American Jewish History will present a schedule of exciting special exhibitions in our fifth floor gallery.