March 11, 2009
Enews March 2009
Welcome to the electronic newsletter of the National Museum of American Jewish History. This newsletter is designed to keep you informed of exhibitions, programs and other activities of the NMAJH, the only Museum in the country exclusively presenting educational programs and experiences that preserve, explore and celebrate the history of the Jews in America.
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MUSEUM TAKES STEPS TOWARD COMPLETION OF NEW BUILDING
Now that the steel structure is complete, the stairways have been put into place from the concourse level to the fourth floor of the new Museum building.
The stairs will be an exciting design element of the building, according to Robert Young, an Associate Partner at Polshek Partnership, the firm that designed the Museum. "The sides of the stairs - the 'stringers' - will be wrapped in anigre, a beautiful figured wood, but the stairs themselves will be a textured and frosted glass, with hidden light sources in the stringers," Young said. "With this technique, the stairs themselves become light fixtures and will impart a beautiful glow to the atrium space. Weaving the two sides of the communal atrium space together, the glowing stairs symbolize the stitching together of a community and the importance of the journey."
The new National Museum of American Jewish History will be the first and only major museum dedicated to chronicling the American Jewish experience. Through intriguing exhibits, rare artifacts and interactive displays, the Museum will mark the trials and triumphs of American Jews through every phase of the country's history. It will explore the challenges of identity and assimilation they faced and celebrate the contributions they have made to every facet of American life. And since other immigrant ethnic groups have faced similar challenges, the Museum will ultimately be a place for all Americans to explore, offering an experience that is thought-provoking and informative.
___________________________________
National Museum of American Jewish History
Independence Mall East
55 North 5th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106-2197
Tel: 215.923.3811 Fax: 215.923.0763
www.nmajh.org
___________________________________
MUSEUM TAKES STEPS TOWARD COMPLETION OF NEW BUILDING
Now that the steel structure is complete, the stairways have been put into place from the concourse level to the fourth floor of the new Museum building.The stairs will be an exciting design element of the building, according to Robert Young, an Associate Partner at Polshek Partnership, the firm that designed the Museum. "The sides of the stairs - the 'stringers' - will be wrapped in anigre, a beautiful figured wood, but the stairs themselves will be a textured and frosted glass, with hidden light sources in the stringers," Young said. "With this technique, the stairs themselves become light fixtures and will impart a beautiful glow to the atrium space. Weaving the two sides of the communal atrium space together, the glowing stairs symbolize the stitching together of a community and the importance of the journey."
The new National Museum of American Jewish History will be the first and only major museum dedicated to chronicling the American Jewish experience. Through intriguing exhibits, rare artifacts and interactive displays, the Museum will mark the trials and triumphs of American Jews through every phase of the country's history. It will explore the challenges of identity and assimilation they faced and celebrate the contributions they have made to every facet of American life. And since other immigrant ethnic groups have faced similar challenges, the Museum will ultimately be a place for all Americans to explore, offering an experience that is thought-provoking and informative.
The Museum is in the midst of a $150 million Capital Campaign for construction of the 100,000-square-foot, five-story building. Nearly $117 million has been raised for the Campaign. The new Museum is scheduled to be completed in fall 2010. For information on how to support the Museum, contact Irv Hurwitz, the Museum's director of institutional advancement at 215.923.3811 x 133 or by e-mail.
Items For Your Passover Table For Sale At Museum Shop
This single layer seder plate designed by Israeli artist Gad Almaliah is one of the many Passover related items now for sale at the Museum Shop and the online store. The plate, made of anodized brushed aluminum, showcases the Shehechyanu blessing (said in thanks of a new experience) in Hebrew and English. The prayer is embossed on metal and wrapped around the handles.
Almaliah was born and raised in Jerusalem. After graduating from the Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem, he studied at the school of Visual Arts in New York City In addition to designing postal stamps for the postal services of Israel, the United States and Mexico, Gad has designed numerous posters and published several books on design. Almaliah designs coins and medals for the Israeli government and he created the emblem for the Six Day War. Currently, he designs and produces Judaic sculpture and ritual objects. Almaliah has several traveling exhibitions and he lectures at museums and universities.
Among the other items for sale during passover are haggadahs for adults and children, matzah boxes, children's toys, and kiddish cups. The Museum Shop carries Judaica from a variety of artists. Visit the Museum Shop to browse the large assortment of items in all price ranges. For more information contact Museum Shop Managers Eva Schlanger, or Elaine Silverman, or call the Museum Shop at 215.923.0262. The Museum Shop is open Mondays-Thursdays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Fridays 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and Sundays 12 noon - 5 p.m. Proceeds from the Museum Shop support the National Museum of American Jewish History.
Future Museum Visitors Will Have A (Purim) Ball At Exhibit
Visitors to the NMAJH's exhibition Shaping Space, Making Meaning will see exhibit images such as the one pictured above, depicting preliminary ideas for the new Museum.
The "Purim Ball" gallery in the new Museum will illustrate the choices available to American Jews after the Civil War through an immersive experience designed around the Purim Balls, philanthropic galas held by Jews throughout the United States during the latter half of the 19th century. A mixture of multi-media presentation and original artifacts, this gallery will explore how 19th century American Jews looked to philanthropy as an expression of their Jewish identities. At the same time, through the organizations the Purim Balls funded, it highlights the growing political and economic diversity of the American Jewish community even before millions of eastern European Jews made their way to the United States.
The exhibition in which the Purim Ball gallery will be housed will discuss choices and challenges that America Jews faced during the second half of the 19th century. Some of these include their continuing minority status, the preponderance of antisemitism, efforts by some Christian denominations to convert Jews, and the opportunity for Jews to freely choose to no longer identify with or practice Judaism.
Shaping Space, Making Meaning, offers visitors the opportunity to learn how a museum creates a major exhibition and at the same time provide input into developing the show prior to opening. Design sketches, video and text will offer an insider's look at the process of developing a landmark exhibition about more than 350 years of American Jewish life.
The NMAJH's exhibition design team is in the process of creating the 22,000-square-foot exhibition for the new Museum.
New Jewish Filmmakers Weekend Sponsored By Museum
The Museum and the Gershman Y are joining together to offer four sets of tickets to E-newsletter subscribers for the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival's New Filmmakers Weekend taking place March 21 to 23.
Winner of the jury prize for "Best First Film" at the Philadelphia Film Festival,the first film featured as part of New Filmmakers weekend is In A Dream. The film chronicles the life and work of artist Isaiah Zagar, who has spent the last four decades covering more than 50,000 square feet of Philadelphia with stunning mosaic murals.
Directed by his son Jeremiah Zagar, the film presents a personal account of Zagar's tumultuous past, as revealed by a father to his son. Yet in the course of filming the documentary, one of Zagar's revelations threatens to destroy his marriage. This film will be shown on March 21 at 8 p.m.
New Filmmakers Weekend continues on Sunday, March 22 at 2 p.m. with the showing of three shorter films beginning with Anne and the Reverend. Written in French with English subtitles, the film tells the story of Makoto Otsuka, a minister from Hiroshima, who upon meeting Anne Frank's father 30 years ago, has resolved to dedicate his life to building a holocaust museum for Japanese children.
Following Anne and the Reverend is a ten minute long film in Hebrew with subtitles, The Kiddush Man. The film is a sweet, coming-of-age story about 10-year-old Yoni and his attempt to escape Shabbat services every week in order to sneak into the "Kiddush" before everyone else. The afternoon showing finishes off with 888-GO-Kosher, a light-hearted film following a day in the life of New York's only rapid-response kitchen koshering service. Operating out of his office in Brooklyn, Rabbi Lebovic helps those in need. 888-GO-Kosher demonstrates the relationship of kosher laws to Jewish identity.
New Filmmakers Weekend comes to an end with My Father My Lord, Monday, March 23 at 7 p.m. Named best narrative feature at last year's Tribeca Film Festival, this film observes the loving, yet severe family life of Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Abraham and his family. Although the story is loosely based on the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac in which a father agrees to sacrifice his son to the Lord and is given a last-minute reprieve, in this film, there is no reprieve. "For all its criticism of blindly exercised patriarchal authority, the movie is heartbreakingly tender," wrote Stephen Holden of The New York Times.
New Filmmakers Weekend will be hosted by journalist, broadcaster and author Carol Saline. The first four people to e-mail oantsis@gershmany.org at the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival will receive two free tickets to either the screenings on Sunday, 2 p.m. or the one on Monday, 7 p.m. Write "NMAJH E-newsletter Subscriber" in the subject line and include your name and address in the body of the e-mail. Also please include your preferred screening. (If one is filled you will be given tickets to the other screening.)
Admission prices range from $10 to $12. Seniors and students with ID receive $3 off the single ticket price.
For tickets and times of these or other films in the series call 215-446-3019 or visit the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival's website. All films will be shown at the Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival screens some of the most acclaimed feature films and documentaries of the year, by some of the finest filmmakers from around the world, including Brazil, Israel, France, Germany, Mexico and the USA.
NMAJH Seeking Docents And Volunteers
The Museum is seeking docents to enroll in a comprehensive training program in order to conduct tours and educational programs for the new Museum scheduled to open on Independence Mall in fall 2010. "Docents provide all visitors with an exciting and engaging experience that gives them a new understanding of, appreciation for, and continued interest in American Jewish history and everyone's connection to it," said Robert Levin, the Museum's Education Director.
Continuing, he said, "docents will lead visitors toward a fuller understanding of museum artifacts and the history, people, and stories behind them through interpretations and other experiential activities." Among the requirements of the training program, the docents will attend a weekly course for one year on American Jewish history. They also will be required to conduct independent research and volunteer for at least eight hours a month guiding tours and walk-in visitors.
In addition, the new Museum is seeking volunteers for research, administration, visitor services, the Museum Shop, special events, and translation and interpretation. "We look forward to having volunteers play a vital role in the only museum dedicated to chronicling the American Jewish experience," said Gwen Goodman, Museum Executive Director/CEO.
To apply to be a docent or a volunteer please visit the Education Department page on the Museum's website and fill out the online forms. Please no phone calls.
Items For Your Passover Table For Sale At Museum Shop
This single layer seder plate designed by Israeli artist Gad Almaliah is one of the many Passover related items now for sale at the Museum Shop and the online store. The plate, made of anodized brushed aluminum, showcases the Shehechyanu blessing (said in thanks of a new experience) in Hebrew and English. The prayer is embossed on metal and wrapped around the handles.Almaliah was born and raised in Jerusalem. After graduating from the Bezalel Academy of Art in Jerusalem, he studied at the school of Visual Arts in New York City In addition to designing postal stamps for the postal services of Israel, the United States and Mexico, Gad has designed numerous posters and published several books on design. Almaliah designs coins and medals for the Israeli government and he created the emblem for the Six Day War. Currently, he designs and produces Judaic sculpture and ritual objects. Almaliah has several traveling exhibitions and he lectures at museums and universities.
Among the other items for sale during passover are haggadahs for adults and children, matzah boxes, children's toys, and kiddish cups. The Museum Shop carries Judaica from a variety of artists. Visit the Museum Shop to browse the large assortment of items in all price ranges. For more information contact Museum Shop Managers Eva Schlanger, or Elaine Silverman, or call the Museum Shop at 215.923.0262. The Museum Shop is open Mondays-Thursdays 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Fridays 10 a.m.-3 p.m., and Sundays 12 noon - 5 p.m. Proceeds from the Museum Shop support the National Museum of American Jewish History.
Future Museum Visitors Will Have A (Purim) Ball At Exhibit
Visitors to the NMAJH's exhibition Shaping Space, Making Meaning will see exhibit images such as the one pictured above, depicting preliminary ideas for the new Museum.
The "Purim Ball" gallery in the new Museum will illustrate the choices available to American Jews after the Civil War through an immersive experience designed around the Purim Balls, philanthropic galas held by Jews throughout the United States during the latter half of the 19th century. A mixture of multi-media presentation and original artifacts, this gallery will explore how 19th century American Jews looked to philanthropy as an expression of their Jewish identities. At the same time, through the organizations the Purim Balls funded, it highlights the growing political and economic diversity of the American Jewish community even before millions of eastern European Jews made their way to the United States.
The exhibition in which the Purim Ball gallery will be housed will discuss choices and challenges that America Jews faced during the second half of the 19th century. Some of these include their continuing minority status, the preponderance of antisemitism, efforts by some Christian denominations to convert Jews, and the opportunity for Jews to freely choose to no longer identify with or practice Judaism.
Shaping Space, Making Meaning, offers visitors the opportunity to learn how a museum creates a major exhibition and at the same time provide input into developing the show prior to opening. Design sketches, video and text will offer an insider's look at the process of developing a landmark exhibition about more than 350 years of American Jewish life.
The NMAJH's exhibition design team is in the process of creating the 22,000-square-foot exhibition for the new Museum.
New Jewish Filmmakers Weekend Sponsored By Museum
The Museum and the Gershman Y are joining together to offer four sets of tickets to E-newsletter subscribers for the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival's New Filmmakers Weekend taking place March 21 to 23.Winner of the jury prize for "Best First Film" at the Philadelphia Film Festival,the first film featured as part of New Filmmakers weekend is In A Dream. The film chronicles the life and work of artist Isaiah Zagar, who has spent the last four decades covering more than 50,000 square feet of Philadelphia with stunning mosaic murals.
Directed by his son Jeremiah Zagar, the film presents a personal account of Zagar's tumultuous past, as revealed by a father to his son. Yet in the course of filming the documentary, one of Zagar's revelations threatens to destroy his marriage. This film will be shown on March 21 at 8 p.m.
New Filmmakers Weekend continues on Sunday, March 22 at 2 p.m. with the showing of three shorter films beginning with Anne and the Reverend. Written in French with English subtitles, the film tells the story of Makoto Otsuka, a minister from Hiroshima, who upon meeting Anne Frank's father 30 years ago, has resolved to dedicate his life to building a holocaust museum for Japanese children.
Following Anne and the Reverend is a ten minute long film in Hebrew with subtitles, The Kiddush Man. The film is a sweet, coming-of-age story about 10-year-old Yoni and his attempt to escape Shabbat services every week in order to sneak into the "Kiddush" before everyone else. The afternoon showing finishes off with 888-GO-Kosher, a light-hearted film following a day in the life of New York's only rapid-response kitchen koshering service. Operating out of his office in Brooklyn, Rabbi Lebovic helps those in need. 888-GO-Kosher demonstrates the relationship of kosher laws to Jewish identity.New Filmmakers Weekend comes to an end with My Father My Lord, Monday, March 23 at 7 p.m. Named best narrative feature at last year's Tribeca Film Festival, this film observes the loving, yet severe family life of Orthodox Jewish Rabbi Abraham and his family. Although the story is loosely based on the biblical story of Abraham and Isaac in which a father agrees to sacrifice his son to the Lord and is given a last-minute reprieve, in this film, there is no reprieve. "For all its criticism of blindly exercised patriarchal authority, the movie is heartbreakingly tender," wrote Stephen Holden of The New York Times.New Filmmakers Weekend will be hosted by journalist, broadcaster and author Carol Saline. The first four people to e-mail oantsis@gershmany.org at the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival will receive two free tickets to either the screenings on Sunday, 2 p.m. or the one on Monday, 7 p.m. Write "NMAJH E-newsletter Subscriber" in the subject line and include your name and address in the body of the e-mail. Also please include your preferred screening. (If one is filled you will be given tickets to the other screening.)
Admission prices range from $10 to $12. Seniors and students with ID receive $3 off the single ticket price.
For tickets and times of these or other films in the series call 215-446-3019 or visit the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival's website. All films will be shown at the Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia. The Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival screens some of the most acclaimed feature films and documentaries of the year, by some of the finest filmmakers from around the world, including Brazil, Israel, France, Germany, Mexico and the USA.
NMAJH Seeking Docents And Volunteers
The Museum is seeking docents to enroll in a comprehensive training program in order to conduct tours and educational programs for the new Museum scheduled to open on Independence Mall in fall 2010. "Docents provide all visitors with an exciting and engaging experience that gives them a new understanding of, appreciation for, and continued interest in American Jewish history and everyone's connection to it," said Robert Levin, the Museum's Education Director.
Continuing, he said, "docents will lead visitors toward a fuller understanding of museum artifacts and the history, people, and stories behind them through interpretations and other experiential activities." Among the requirements of the training program, the docents will attend a weekly course for one year on American Jewish history. They also will be required to conduct independent research and volunteer for at least eight hours a month guiding tours and walk-in visitors.
In addition, the new Museum is seeking volunteers for research, administration, visitor services, the Museum Shop, special events, and translation and interpretation. "We look forward to having volunteers play a vital role in the only museum dedicated to chronicling the American Jewish experience," said Gwen Goodman, Museum Executive Director/CEO.
To apply to be a docent or a volunteer please visit the Education Department page on the Museum's website and fill out the online forms. Please no phone calls.
___________________________________
National Museum of American Jewish History
Independence Mall East
55 North 5th Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106-2197
Tel: 215.923.3811 Fax: 215.923.0763
www.nmajh.org
posted by nmajh @ 3/11/2009 
