The curved wall and others on the fourth floor will house artifacts in the "Innovation and Expansion" gallery that will chronicle the experiences of Jewish immigrants who arrived during the first-half of the nineteenth century.

Beginning in 1820, America experienced a new wave of immigration that brought 10 million people to the new nation's shores. Among those were more than 200,000 Jews from territories now part of Germany, Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic. Their presence increased the Jewish population of the United States one-hundred fold and ushered the Jewish community into a new stage of development.


"What types of people migrated, what drove them across the ocean, and what they did when they arrived to the United States? How was the experience of Jewish immigrants different or similar to others? How did the dramatic increase of the American Jewish population affect Jewish identity? This gallery depicts why people moved, how they got here, the lives they made upon arrival, how they survived economically and how they lived, or did not live, as Jews," said Dr. Josh Perelman, the Museum's deputy director of programming and historian and chief curator for the core exhibition. "It represents an important opportunity for the museum to highlight how men, women, and children made treacherous journeys, created communities, and negotiated identities." The new Museum is scheduled to open in November of 2010. For an up-to-date picture of the construction site that refreshes every 15 minutes, view our Museum-Cam. To see additional photos of the Museum's construction like those above, click here.



Museum Sponsors Festival Films With American Jewish Stories
Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival Continues

Once again, the Museum is supporting the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival by sponsoring movies that explore the American Jewish experience. The films are being shown as part of the festival's "Documentaries and Dialogue" series and begin Jan. 11.

The first film that the Museum is sponsoring, "Inheritance," is the story of the offspring of a villainous Nazi perpetrator who feels the sins of her father so strongly that she seeks out one of his victims. Monika Hertwig's father was Amon Goeth, the inspiration for Ralph Feinnes' character in "Schindler's List." Hertwig succeeds in finding and interviewing Helen Jonas-Rozensweig, who was one of Goeth's slaves when he was the commandant of the Plaszow concentration camp in Poland.

The screening will take place Monday, Jan. 18, 7:00 p.m. Speaking after the screening will be Marcia Sachs Littell, professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.

The "Documentaries and Dialogue" series continues with a special "Hollywoodism! Double Feature." "Shadows in Paradise: Hitler's exiles in Hollywood" is the first of two films to be shown the evening of Monday, Feb. 1 at 7 p.m.

Director Peter Rosen tells the story of the European Jewish intellectuals, artists, musician, and writers who fled the Nazis and moved to Southern California in the 1930s and 40s. The film looks into the American experience of people like Lion Feuchtwanger, Bertolt Brecht, Thomas Mann, Fritz Lang, Bruno Walter, and Arnold Schoenberg.

The night continues with the Philadelphia premiere of "The Brothers Warner." Directed by Cass Warner, Harry Warner's granddaughter, this film is the true life rags-to-riches story of four ambitious brothers who changed Hollywood. The night's guest speaker will be Jonathan Friedman, director of Holocaust and Genocide Studies and professor of history at West Chester University.

All films will be shown at the Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad Street, Philadelphia. Look for additional information about films in the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival in the next E-Newsletter.

Currently in its 29th season, The Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival (PJFF) is the second oldest Jewish Film Festival in the United States. It 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. To purchase tickets to either showing please visit the Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival website.



Video On Museum Design In Exhibition

Visitors to the NMAJH can listen in as Senior Designer Jamie Rains and Creative Director Cybelle Jones of Gallagher & Associates, the Museum's exhibition design firm, discuss plans and ideas for exhibition spaces in the new Museum now being built.


"I think it's about the relevance today. I would love it if every person would leave [the new Museum] knowing that the NMAJH cares what [visitors] are passionate about," says Jones in the video found in the Museum's changing exhibition, "Shaping Space, Making Meaning."

The video, "Designing An Exhibition for the NMAJH's New Home" (pictured above), was created for "Shaping Space, Making Meaning," which gives an insider's look at the process of developing a landmark exhibition about more than 350 years of American Jewish life.

Admission is free to "Shaping Space, Making Meaning," which also has design sketches, computer-generated images, and interactive elements designed to get visitor feedback.
The NMAJH's exhibition design team is in the process of creating the 22,000-square-foot exhibition for the new Museum



Museum Offers Tickets To January 31 One-Man Jewish Comedy Show

The National Museum of American Jewish History is teaming up with the Keswick Theatre to provide three E-Newsletter subscribers with a pair of tickets to the performance of "Elon Gold Half Jewish. Half Very Jewish." on Sunday, Jan. 31, 7:00 p.m. Gold's show is a personal, off-beat and comedic take on Judaism that will dispel negative stereotypes while reinforcing many other positive ones.

Hailed as "a comedy star on the rise" by the "Boston Herald," the young actor/comedian has gained momentum with his widely-acclaimed one-man show and has appeared on numerous TV shows such as "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" and "The Chappelle Show" and has had starring roles on several sitcoms.

The first three subscribers to e-mail jcorsilli@keswicktheatre.com will receive tickets to the show. Tickets to the show are available at www.keswicktheatre.com, by calling the box office at 215.572.7650, or At Ticketmaster outlets. Tickets are $37.50, $29.50 and $25. Discounted group rates are available.

Nelson is a mainstay on the national children's music scene, both as a solo artist, and with his Jon Nelson's Rockin' Kids Review. His unique performances for kids and their families are rooted in his love of rock & roll and his desire to teach children through fun and interactive music. Jon's fresh, exciting and innovative original songs have appeared on several nationally distributed compilation CDs, and his music is heard on radio stations in the United States and abroad.

Joining Jon Nelson's Rockin' Kids Review is returning BJAC entertainer Michael Rosman, whose amazing feats of all-ages comedy has been seen on "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," and who has performed numerous times in Atlantic City.

Also returning is Wondergy, the "Best of Philly" Party Entertainers, who fuel curiosity by making science fun and exciting. All children will receive a "goodie bag" and the Museum Shop will also hold a sale on all Judaica and toys at the program.

"Being Jewish at Christmas" is held Friday, Dec. 25 at the National Museum of American Jewish History, Independence Mall East, 55 North 5th Street, from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 per person (children three and under admitted free). BJAC is also free to Museum members and members of the military. Tickets are available only at the door. For more information call 215-923-3811 x 148. "Being Jewish at Christmas" is made possible by the generous support of the Robert Saligman Jewish Heritage Fund.


Founding Member Found Home In U.S.

When Renate Breslow left Germany in 1939 as a child and boarded the S.S. St. Louis in search of asylum from Nazi persecution she never dreamed she would wind up building a life for herself in America.

The German ship carrying 900 German Jewish refugees, Breslow and her mother among them, was turned away from Cuba and the U.S. making Breslow's first step off the boat one into a detention camp in Holland. "Although I was originally denied entry to the U.S. I was able to make it here, thanks to my father and a distant relative in [Philadelphia]. In America I grew up with an appreciation and awareness for liberty, justice, and freedom," said the Elkins Park, PA resident.

Breslow's appreciation for the life America provided led her to become a Founding Member of the Museum, joining the still-growing list of 3,000 people from across the country who have supported the membership campaign of the National Museum of American Jewish History.
By making a Founding Member gift, individuals will be supporting what will be an iconic institution on Independence Mall as well as a leading national education and cultural center. The Museum will include unique exhibitions, lecture series and films, as well as online initiatives, distance learning and outreach programs for students of all ages across the country.

Founding Memberships may be purchased with a gift of $54. Founding Members who make a minimum gift of $90 will receive a limited edition print depicting world-renowned architect James Polshek's design for the new Museum (as seen on the E-Newsletter masthead).

Founding Members will be entitled to participate in the Museum's opening celebrations and to visit the NMAJH for free whenever they choose, throughout the membership term. Founding Members' names will also be permanently listed in the Museum along with other Jewish Americans who have played important roles in shaping the history of this country. Visit the Museum's website for information on becoming a Founding Member and about the benefits provided at each level of donation, or call the development office at 215.923.3811 x 104.

For information on ways to participate in the Museum's Capital Campaign, contact Irv Hurwitz, the Museum's Director of Institutional Advancement, at 215.923.3811 x133 or via email at ihurwitz@nmajh.org.


Jewish Life Revealed In Sampler

Samplers were very common in nineteenth century America, a way for girls and young women to demonstrate their stitching skills. What was less common was for samplers to include Hebrew. Yet, that's exactly what can be seen on an 1813 sampler that will be included in the core exhibition now being created for the new Museum.

"The sampler has numbers and an alphabet and animals and other designs embroidered into it. And then this young woman stitched in Hebrew letters, literally stitching in her Jewish identity," said Dr. Josh Perelman, the Museum's historian and deputy director of programming. "It also is a wonderful piece of folk art that demonstrates the everyday life of Jews in early America."

The sampler will appear in the "Foundations of Freedom" section of the exhibition. Spanning 1654 through the 1880s, "Foundations of Freedom" will reflect the process by which a tiny minority sought, defended, and tested freedom-in political affairs, in relations with Gentile neighbors, and in their own understanding of what it meant to be Jewish-and will raise questions about what it meant to be a small minority in a young and still evolving nation.

According to Claire Pingel, the Museum's chief registrar and assistant curator, the sampler was donated to the Museum by a woman whose mother was an antique collector. The sampler includes very typical and conventional forms for the period it was made, and has the initials S.G.M., she said.

The Museum is currently seeking artifacts to expand its collection of Jewish Americana. The premise of NMAJH collecting is that history affects all people and that everyone has valuable stories to tell. The collection's geographic focus is national, and the Museum holds artifacts which date from the Colonial period to the present day from all areas of the United States. The wide variety of artifacts in the collection vividly evokes the diversity of the American Jewish experience.

If you have an object you'd like the Museum to consider for donation, please contact Rebecca Levine, the Museum's associate registrar, at rlevine@nmajh.org or at 215.923.3811 x 138.


The Glass Is Going Up On The Mall

There are now more than 20 pieces of glass in place that are part of the curtain wall going up on the 5th Street side of the new Museum building. A crane has been setting the glass panels on the east and southeast facades (pictured above and below) of the new Museum building since the end of November. "The start of construction of the glass box marks the next milestone for the new Museum," said Michael Rosenzweig, Museum president and CEO. The glass curtain wall symbolizes the transparency of Jewish life in America and will also demonstrate the welcoming nature of the Museum on Independence Mall."

A second crane will be brought in to begin glass installation on the northwest corner. The new Museum is scheduled to open in the fall of 2010. For an up-to-date picture of the construction site that refreshes every 15 minutes, view our Museum-Cam. To see additional photos of the Museum's construction like those above, click here.

Join more than 2,200 people who have recently become a Founding Member of the National Museum of American Jewish History.

Founding Members of the new Museum are supporting what will be an iconic institution on Independence Mall as well as a leading national education and cultural center. The Museum will include unique exhibitions, lecture series and films, as well as online initiatives, distance learning and outreach programs for students of all ages across the country. Founding members who make a minimum gift of $90 will receive a limited edition print depicting world-renowned architect James Polshek's design of the new Museum, seen above.

Founding Memberships are valid for 18 months, allowing participants to be a part of the opening celebrations and to visit the NMAJH for free whenever they choose throughout the membership term. Founding Members' names will also be permanently listed in the Museum along with other Jewish Americans who have played important roles in shaping the history of this country.

Visit the Museum's website for information on becoming a Founding Member and about the benefits provided at each level of donation or call the development office at 215.923.3811 x 104. For information on ways to participate in the Museum's Capital Campaign, contact Irv Hurwitz, the Museum's Director of Institutional Advancement, at 215.923.3811 x133.


Hanukkah Shopping Provides Discount for E-Newsletter Readers

Rockin' Book Offer

The Museum is teaming up with author Scott Benarde to offer four free copies of his book, "Stars of David: Rock 'n' Roll's Jewish Stories." The book chronicles the contribution of Jewish singers, songwriters and musicians during the rock era. The book also sheds light on the surprising influence and impact Judaism has had on the music and those who made it and still make it. It includes not only household names like Bob Dylan and Billy Joel, or fabled songwriters such as Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, but many of the most sought after studio musicians; unsung but vital musicians who back-up rock's superstars, and members of some of rock's most beloved and influential bands.

"These stories needed to be told. These people deserved credit for their accomplishments. The Jewish influence on the musicians and the music had to be revealed and stated for the historical record," Benarde said.

Scott Benarde served as the pop music columnist for the "Fort Lauderdale News/Sun Sentinel" in the 80's and later for the "Palm Beach Post." Throughout his tenures at both publications, Benarde freelanced for a variety of music and general interest publications, including "Rolling Stone" and "Billboard." In 1996, he began writing about Jewish rock stars for Jewish publications. He is currently media relations director in theMarketing Department of the JCC of the Greater Palm Beaches in Palm Beach County, Florida, and also gives his "Jews and Blues and Rock n' Roll: A Musical History Tour" presentation to Jewish groups around the country.

To receive an autographed copy of the "Stars of David: Rock 'n' Roll's Jewish Stories,"be one of the first four people to contact the Museum at info@nmajh.org. Please put "Stars of David" in the subject line and include your name and address in the body. Only winners will be notified.

To purchase a copy of the book, please contact Eva Schlanger or Elaine Silverman, or call the Museum Shop at 215.923.0262.

Like at any construction site, the unfinished walls appear to be just that: walls. But appearances can be deceiving. When the exhibition designers laid out the plan for the exhibition walls in the new Museum, they specifically designed each floor to have a different layout and feel. Although each floorplan follows a similar visitor circulation pattern, they were carefully designed down to the walls to create specific environments.

"They may now appear to be simply walls," said Dr. Josh Perelman, the Museum's Historian and Deputy Director of Programming, "but like every element of the exhibition we are creating, much thought has gone into them. The walls and the spaces they create reflect the history and events covered on each floor."

For example, the third floor exhibit walls (pictured) are angled and create cramped spaces. The time period covered on this floor is between 1880 and 1945, a time which saw immense population growth and significant challenges both for individuals and for the nation as a whole. In some instances, the spaces echo the overcrowded streets of the urban environment. Similar thought has gone into the other floors, according to Perelman.

The core exhibition is designed to begin on the fourth floor and covers the arrival of Jews in America in 1654 through the period after the Civil War. The second floor covers the post-World War II period through contemporary Jewish life. The new Museum is scheduled to be completed in fall 2010.

For an up-to-date picture of the construction site that refreshes every 15 minutes, view our Museum-Cam. To see additional photos of the Museum's construction like those above, click here. For information on ways to participate in the Museum's Capital Campaign, contact Irv Hurwitz, the Museum's Director of Institutional Advancement, at 215.923.3811 x133 or via email at ihurwitz@nmajh.org.

Gallery to Feature Remarkable Individuals

Aided by a public vote and its esteemed panel of academic historians, the National Museum of American Jewish History has selected 18 distinguished Jewish Americans to be the first to be included in the Only in America® Gallery/Hall of Fame, which will be a signature component of the core exhibition when the new Museum opens in November 2010.

Instillation of the terracotta framework as well as the terracotta panels on the new Museum building being constructed on Independence Mall began last week. The panels and framework are being installed on the west and north sides of the new building.



According the the building's architect, James S. Polshek, the terracotta that will front Market and 5th streets will express the strength of Jewish survival and the protective shelter of American freedom. He added that the warm tones of the terracotta complement the adjacent Bourse building at Independence Mall and the brick structures of Philadelphia's historic center.

Additionally, the instillation of glass windows is ongoing on the north and west facades. The glass instillation that began two weeks ago and the terracotta panel placement both contribute to the construction company's goal of sealing up the structure for the upcoming winter.

Work is also taking place inside the structure as workers build internal exhibition walls. The new Museum is scheduled to be completed in fall 2010. For an up-to-date picture of the construction site that refreshes every 15 minutes, view our Museum-Cam. To see additional photos of the Museum's construction like those above, click here.

Celebrate the Jewish New Year with this Rosh Hashanah kiddish cup and pair of candle sticks (pictured below) both designed and hand etched by artist Steven Resnick. They are only two of the many holiday items that the Museum Shop carries.

The flared kiddush cup features a frosted, carved base and the traditional blessing for wine circles the goblet. Jerusalem's Old City is carved into the base of the candlesticks.

"We at the Museum Shop would like to help you celebrate the hope for a peaceful and sweet new year with your family and friends through the Judaica we sell," Museum Co-Manager Elaine Silverman says. "Resnick's work is a beautiful addition to anyone's home."

Resnick is the world's preeminent Judaic glass artist. His work is exhibited in galleries and museums throughout the United States, Europe and Israel.

Resnick sculptures have been presented to dignitaries worldwide including Shimon Peres, Yitzhak Shamir, Congressman Charles Schumer,Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Vice President Al Gore and President Bill Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Along with the kiddish cup and candlesticks, the Museum Shop offers apple and honey dishes, challah covers, and challah plates also perfect for the holidays.

Visit the Museum Shop to browse the collection or view items online at www.judaicashop.net. For more information e-mail Eva Schlanger or Elaine Silverman, or call the Museum Shop at 215.923.0262.

The Museum Shop is open Monday-Thursday 10 a.m.-
5 p.m.; Friday 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; and Sunday 12 noon - 5 p.m. Proceeds from the Museum Shop support the National Museum of American Jewish History.


Museum and JPS Offer Illustrated Children's Bible
Special Offer for E-Newsletter Subscribers

The Museum is teaming up with the Jewish Publication Society to offer 10 E-Newsletter subscribers 10 free copies of the JPS Illustrated Children's Bible (change link to shop?)

Acclaimed storyteller and Jewish scholar Ellen Frankel has masterfully tailored 53 Bible stories that will both delight and educate today's young readers. Using the 1985 JPS translation of the Hebrew Bible as her foundation, Frankel retains much of the Bible's original wording and simple narrative style as she incorporates her own storytelling technique, free of personal interpretation or commentary.

Included in the volume is an "Author's Notebook," in which Frankel shares with rabbis, parents, and educators the challenges she faced in translating and adapting these stories for children. With full-page color illustrations of each Bible story, award-winning artist Avi Katz ignites readers' imaginations.

Ellen Frankel is the CEO and editor-in-chief of The Jewish Publication Society. A scholar of Jewish midrash and folklore, Frankel has published a number of books including The Encyclopedia of Jewish Symbols and The Jewish Spirit. Frankel also travels widely as a storyteller and lecturer.

Illustrator Avi Katz was born in Philadelphia and moved to Israel at age 20, where he graduated from the Bezalel Art Academy. He has illustrated more than 150 books in Israel and the U.S. and has received both the IBBY Hans Christian Andersen Honors and Israel's Ze'ev Prize multiple times.

To receive a copy of the JPS Illustrated Children's Bible, be one of the first 10 people to contact JPS at Lschlesinger@jewishpub.org. Please put NMAJH E-Newsletter subscriber in the subject line and include your name and address in the body.

To purchase a copy of the book, please contact

major film productions, original artifacts and an interactive database. The 18 selected individuals will be featured in the films prepared for the gallery and projected on two large curved glass surfaces at its center. The films will explore their incredible work and the impact of their efforts on the world.

"The public's vote is providing us with a barometer of who has had a lasting influence on our world, and the 18 individuals selected for the Only in America® Gallery/Hall of Fame will reflect a consensus between the public and the Museum's historians," Rosenzweig said. "The list is not meant to be comprehensive. It's a representative sample and a starting point for the public to think about major themes in American and American Jewish life during the past 355 years."

All 218 names included in the public vote will also be included in the interactive database that will be available to all Museum visitors as well as on its website.

Representing individuals from diverse backgrounds and areas of activity, the Only in America®Gallery/Hall of Fame database will provide access to hundreds of compelling stories that underscore the Museum's primary themes and offer significant opportunities for educational activities.

Museum Board Member Ed Snider, who is Chairman of Comcast-Spectacor, one of the preeminent sports and entertainment organizations in the world, is the major benefactor of the Only in America® Gallery/Hall of Fame.


MUSEUM INTERIOR WILL SOON SEE THE LIGHT



Sketch Studies Featured In Exhibition



Once curators have decided on a theme for a section of an exhibition, designers begin to sketch out ideas about how to represent that theme in a physical environment. In the Museum's current changing exhibition, Shaping Space, Making Meaning, visitors can see how that process takes place, such as in the study (pictured above) of the future exhibit, Anxiety, Alarm and Confusion.

The sketch above shows how designers created a gallery on the Museum's third floor that documents the parallel trajectories of American and German Jewry during the 1930s. Using a unique layered wall design, the gallery will explore the reactions of American Jews to the rise of Nazism and the challenges they faced in advocating for intervention on behalf of their brethren. The American story will be told on an exterior wall of the exhibit, now being created for the Museum's new core exhibition, and the rear wall will feature images of 1930s Germany.

"The hand-drawn sketches, scale models, and computer-generated renderings in Shaping Space, Making Meaning offer a portrait of how we are working to create a compelling exhibition about more than 350 years of American Jewish life," said Josh Perelman NMAJH Deputy Director of Programs and Museum Historian. "The museum experience that we are creating will include captivating stories, original objects, and interactive experiences that will resonate with visitors."

Shaping Space, Making Meaning offers an insider's look at the process of creating an exhibition about more than 350 years of the American Jewish experience. The exhibition also provides an opportunity for visitors to offer feedback to the NMAJH design team through interactive experiences.

The NMAJH's exhibition design team is in the process of creating the 22,000-square-foot exhibition for the new Museum.


HAND PAINTED WOMEN'S TALLITOT SOLD AT MUSEUM SHOP