Steven Spielberg’s Righteous Persons Foundation has awarded the National Museum of American Jewish History $1 million for its Capital Campaign. With the gift, the Capital Campaign has raised $111 million toward its goal of $150 million for the new Museum being built on the hallowed ground of Independence Mall. The Museum is constructing a 100,000–square-foot, five-story building, designed by Polshek Partnership Architects of New York.

In the heart of historic Philadelphia, the Museum will join Independence Hall, the National Constitution Center, the Liberty Bell and other landmarks at the site of America’s birth. The new building, which will serve as a cornerstone of the modern-day American Jewish community, and a source of national pride, will open in 2010. “We are pleased to be able to join a community of donors in making a grant to the Museum,” said Rachel Levin, the Foundation’s Associate Director. “As a Foundation committed to helping to build a vibrant American Jewish community, we were especially interested in the fact that the Museum tells the particular story of Jewish life in the United States and through that lens, the broader story of America.”

“The Board of Trustees is gratified to have the endorsement and imprimatur of the Righteous Persons Foundation,” said Gwen Goodman, the Museum’s Executive Director/CEO. “The Foundation has recognized that we are creating an institution that will embody the stories, dreams and visions of the entire American Jewish community.” 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. Major contributions toward creating the new facility began with a lead gift in 2002 from philanthropist Sidney Kimmel. Subsequent gifts have included significant donations from Ed Snider, The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation, Dr. Alexander and Lorraine Dell and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.

The National Museum of American Jewish History is dedicated to telling the still unfolding story of Jews in America – who embraced freedom with its choices and challenges as they shaped, and were shaped by, our nation. The Museum envisions its new home as a place that welcomes all people, inviting them to discover what they have in common with the Jewish experience in America, and to explore the features that make this history distinctive. The Righteous Persons Foundation is dedicated to supporting efforts that build a diverse and vibrant Jewish community in the United States. Having been deeply moved by the experience of directing the film Schindler's List, Steven Spielberg decided to donate his portion of the film's profits to help support a flourishing and vibrant Jewish community. He consequently established the Righteous Persons Foundation in the fall of 1994 and continues to designate targeted film profits to the Foundation.

Captivating children’s performers Peter & Ellen Allard are highlighting this year’s annual “Being Jewish at Christmas” program of family fun at the National Museum of American Jewish History, which features music, comedy, puppets and more on Tuesday, Dec. 25, noon – 4 p.m.

Peter & Ellen are award-winning recording artists, performers, musicians, and educators specializing in music for young children. Drawing on a rich tradition of musical experiences, Peter & Ellen help children and families strengthen their Jewish identities through their lively performance and engaging, participatory shows.

Joining the award-winning Peter & Ellen are returning BJAC entertainers 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, and 2006 “Best of Philly” Party Entertainer Ken Fink from Wondergy, who fuels curiosity by making science fun and exciting. Back after an absence of a few years is the Mark Segal Puppet Theatre and its zany cast of characters. Refreshments are provided and all children will receive a “goodie bag.”

Shaping Space, Making Meaning, the new temporary exhibition at the National Museum of American Jewish History, offers visitors the opportunity to learn how a museum creates a major exhibition and at the same time have input into developing the show prior to opening. The NMAJH’s exhibition design team is now in the process of creating the 22,000-square- foot exhibition for the new Museum now under construction and scheduled to open in 2010. The new location is one block south of the Museum’s current site.

Shaping Space, Making Meaning’s design sketches, computer-generated images, 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.

“Being Jewish at Christmas” is held at the National Museum of American Jewish History, Independence Mall East, 55 North 5th Street, from noon to 4:00 p.m. Tickets are $5 per person (children three and under admitted free) and there is no charge to Museum members. Tickets are available only at the door. For more information call 215-923-3811 x 120. Members of the military and their families are admitted free.
“Being Jewish at Christmas” is made possible by the generous support of the Robert Saligman Jewish Heritage Fund.


►►►FOR ART, PLEASE CONTACT JAY NACHMAN AT 215.923.5978.

Month-long Series of Programs Featured During May

The National Museum of American Jewish History and the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia are joining together for “American Jewish History Through the Arts,” a month-long series of free programs on consecutive Sundays in May, which has been named Jewish American Heritage Month. These programs will highlight the American Jewish experience through an exhibition, theater, and film. The American Jewish Heritage Month program also includes Federation’s Sunday, May 6 Israel Independence Day Celebration and the Museum’s Thursday, May 10 annual Only in America© Gala.

Following the May 6 “Israel 59-Israel In Our Hearts” program at the Horticulture Center in Fairmount Park, the month-long celebration shifts to the Museum.

On Sunday, May 13, the Museum will present A Taste For … in conjunction with the exhibition, Forshpeis! A Taste of the Peter H. Schweitzer Collection of Jewish Americana. A Taste For … is a dramatic presentation of interactive storytelling that engages visitors of all ages and connects them to the themes, environments, eras, and artifacts of Forshpeis! Performances will be repeated from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

On Sunday, May 20, the public can enter the world of the Jewish immigrant through first-person historical readings with HIStories, HERstories, YOURstories, OURstories. Performances will be repeated from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Forshpeis! A Taste of the Peter H. Schweitzer Collection of Jewish Americana reveals aspects of American Jewish life by looking at food in a range of settings and explores themes of identity, immigration and cultural expression. American Jewish Heritage Month concludes at the Museum on Sunday, May 27th with the screening of two films. At 1:00 p.m., enjoy Gentleman’s Agreement, the classic film starring Gregory Peck about a journalist who discovers what it is like to be a victim of religious intolerance. The 118-minute film won three Academy Awards, including for Best Picture. Following this screening at 3:30 p.m. there will be a second film, Matzo & Mistletoe. This film by Kate Feiffer explores issues of religious and ethnic identity with heart and humor.

The annual Independence Day celebration will be held in a new location this year, the Horticulture Center. Israel In Our Hearts promises to be a unique experience for the entire family. From historical characters to wine tasting, from outstanding musical performances to Israeli food, from craft fair to sporting activities, Israel In Our Hearts will bring the community together in its expression of love for and solidarity with the State of Israel.

The Museum’s annual Only in America© Gala theme is “Collections” and the Gala and Album will feature the Museum’s artifacts, which help comprise the cultural heritage of the Jewish people in America.

The month of May now celebrates the American Jewish experience and its contribution to American society through Jewish American Heritage Month. JAHM also enables the exploration of the meaning of religious pluralism, cultural diversity, and participation in American civic culture. Many Americans have little understanding of Jewish culture simply because the majority of Americans have few interactions with Jews or Jewish traditions. The ignorance of Jewish culture can lead to prejudice and discrimination. Jewish American Heritage Month provides an opportunity to educate all Americans about Jewish culture and traditions and highlights the many positive roles Jews have played in American history and culture. May 2007 marks the second annual Jewish American Heritage Month.

The National Museum of American Jewish History, on Independence Mall East in Philadelphia, presents educational programs and experiences that preserve, explore and celebrate the history of Jews in America. Its purpose is to connect Jews more closely to their heritage and to inspire in people of all backgrounds a greater appreciation for the diversity of the American experience and the freedoms to which Americans aspire.

The Museum is in the midst of a $148 million Capital Campaign for a new Museum at 5th and Market streets on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, across from the Liberty Bell and less than a block from Independence Hall. The new site is a block south from the Museum’s current location.

Established in 1901, the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia is the central non-profit Jewish community organization in the Greater Philadelphia area. Its mission is to identify and prioritize the important issues and needs of our local and global community, then organize and mobilize human and financial resources to successfully impact them. Federation focuses on Jewish education, human services, family, and economic needs, and provides support for Israel and for Jews at risk elsewhere in the world. Visit Federation at www.jewishphilly.org.

Contact: Jay E. Nachman 215.923.5978

Philip M. Darivoff, of Short Hills, N.J., Alex Grass, of Harrisburg, PA, and Richard E. Witten, of Mamaroneck, N.Y., have been named to the Board of Trustees of the National Museum of American Jewish History.

Darivoff recently retired as a partner from Goldman Sachs & Co., after a 21 year career. He was co-head of the Corporate Bond Department and chairman and head of Investment Grade Capital Markets.

Mr. Grass is chairman and chief executive officer of Oak Hall Industries, L.P., a major manufacturer of academic regalia. He is the founder of Rite Aid Corporation and served as chairman of the board and chief executive officer from 1962 until March 1995.

Mr. Witten is currently senior managing director of The Orienta Group, a diversified investment and financial advisory firm which he founded. He is a former general partner and managing director of Goldman Sachs where he spent 21 years in the Fixed Income, Currency and Commodities Division, as vice president heading the Global Foreign Exchange and Commodities sales businesses, and as vice president and general counsel of J.Aron and Company - Goldman Sach’s currency and commodities trading affiliate.

The National Museum of American Jewish History, on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, presents educational programs and experiences that preserve, explore, and celebrate the history of Jews in America. Its purpose is to connect Jews more closely to their heritage and to inspire in people of all backgrounds a greater appreciation for the diversity of the American experience and the freedoms to which Americans aspire.

The Museum is in the midst of a $148 million Capital Campaign for a new Museum at 5th and Market streets on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, across from the Liberty Bell and less than a block from Independence Hall. The new site is a block south from the Museum’s current location.

Contact: Jay E. Nachman 215.923.5978

Irvin H. Hurwitz (Paoli) has been named director of institutional advancement for the National Museum of American Jewish History. In this position he is responsible for overseeing a $148 million Capital Campaign to construct and endow a new Museum at 5th and Market streets on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, directly across from the Liberty Bell and less than a block from Independence Hall. The new site is a block south from the Museum’s current location.

Hurwitz was previously assistant dean for development and alumni affairs at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia. He was also a fundraiser at the University of Pennsylvania, serving as director of medical alumni development and director of the regional major gifts program, among other positions. He is a graduate of the Temple University School of Law and the University of Pennsylvania. The new Museum is scheduled to be completed in 2010.

Contact: Jay E. Nachman 215.923.5978

The National Museum of American Jewish History and Gratz College are presenting “Food For Thought,” an inquiry into the role Jewish food plays in contemporary American Jewish life. The free program is being held Sunday, Dec. 17, 3 p.m. at the Museum, Independence Mall East, 55 North 5th Street, Philadelphia.

Speaking will be Dr. Carol Harris Shapiro, professor of contemporary Jewish studies and department chair of the graduate program in Jewish Communal Service at Gratz College. At Gratz, Harris-Shapiro teaches a course “Foodways in the American Jewish Experience.” Harris-Shapiro will explore how changes in contemporary American Jewish society have affected Jewish cuisine as well as the ways food functions as an important symbol of American Jewish identity.
Harris-Shapiro received her Ph.D. in Religion from Temple University and her rabbinic ordination from the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College. She previously was visiting assistant professor at Temple University in the Religion and Intellectual History departments, on the faculties of St. Joseph's University and Rosemont College, and served as a rabbi of Temple Beth Sholom in Salem, Oregon. She has authored articles on American religion.

The program is being held in conjunction Forshpeis! A Taste of the Peter H. Schweitzer Collection of Jewish Americana. The temporary exhibition reveals flavorful aspects of American Jewish life by looking at food in a range of settings, including in the kitchen and at the deli. The exhibition also explores through the Schweitzer Collection the role food played in helping immigrant Jews adjust to life in the United States and illustrates how Jewish foods, like American Jews themselves, have become a part of the American mainstream.
Admission to the exhibition is free.

The National Museum of American Jewish History’s presents educational programs and experiences that preserve, explore and celebrate the history of Jews in America. Its purpose is to connect Jews more closely to their heritage and to inspire in people of all backgrounds a greater appreciation for the diversity of the American Jewish experience and the freedoms to which all Americans aspire.

Gratz College in Melrose Park, PA, is the first transdenominational Jewish college in the United States. The school has been teaching Jewish studies and training Jewish professionals for more than a century. Today, the college is a dynamic, vibrant Jewish institution with both on campus and online programs in a full spectrum of disciplines. For more information about the program or the Forshpeis! exhibition call 215-923-3811.


FOR ART, PLEASE EMAIL JNACHMAN@NMAJH.ORG.

FORMER ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU AND
FORMER CIA DIRECTOR R. JAMES WOOLSEY FEATURED SPEAKERS

On July 4, 1976, Jonathan “Yoni” Netanyahu was the only Israeli soldier to die in the raid he lead at Entebbe Airport in Uganda that freed 103 Jewish hostages. The National Museum of American Jewish History is joining with the Consulate General of Israel in Philadelphia and historic Congregation Mikveh Israel on September 6, 6:30 p.m., to commemorate Netanyahu’s life and the Entebbe raid at the Museum with a free ceremony and program on terrorism with speakers Benjamin Netanyahu and R. James Woolsey.

The program will include a historical perspective on terrorism, a look at the significance of the raid at Entebbe, and recent developments regarding the fight against terrorism. The program will be preceded at 6 p.m. with a ceremony honoring Jonathan Netanyahu in front of the Museum, at the Jonathan Netanyahu Memorial.

Benjamin Netanyahu served as the ninth prime minister of the State of Israel. In 1979 and 1984 Mr. Netanyahu initiated two international conferences that emphasized the need to fight terrorist organizations and regimes that provide them support. U.S. Secretary of State George Schultz wrote that Mr. Netanyahu's social activism had a decisive influence in shaping American policy on international terrorism. Mr. Netanyahu is the editor with his brother Ido Netanyahu of “Self-Portrait of a Hero: The Letters of Jonathan Netanyahu (1963-1976).” Among his other works are “Israel and its Place Among the Nations” and “Fighting Terrorism: How Democracies Can Defeat Domestic and International Terrorism.” He is currently chairman of the Likud Party and a member of the Israeli Knesset.

During the twelve years he has served in the U.S. Government, Mr. Woolsey has held presidential appointments in two Democratic and two Republican administrations. R. James Woolsey served as director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 1993 to 1995. He served as undersecretary of the Navy from 1977-79; as a delegate at large to the U.S.-Soviet Strategic Arms Limitation Talks from 1983-86; and on the National Commission on Terrorism from 1999-2000. He is currently a distinguished adviser at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Marc Howard of CBS-3 is moderating the program.

“It is important to honor and recall the bold and daring Entebbe Raid and its leader, Yoni Netanyahu, as Israel and the West confront the same anti-Western and anti-Israel radical Islamic terrorism in the Middle East and Iraq,” said Program Chairman Steven Friedman. “The lessons of Entebbe are fully applicable in the present – and should guide the overall policy of bold action, no negotiation, and use of decisive strategic military force to deal with Islamic terrorism.”
Freidman, a classmate of Jonathan Netanyahu at Cheltenham High School and a partner in the Philadelphia law firm Duane Morris LLP, was the chairman of the committee responsible for the Netanyahu Memorial, which was dedicated on October 16, 1986 at the front of the Museum. The sculpture, by Israeli artist Buky S. Schwartz, consists of a group of four monoliths cut from one block of white Vermont marble. The sculpture was donated by art collectors Muriel and Philip Berman.

All visitors will go through a metal detector and be checked by security personnel. No bags or luggage will be allowed. To facilitate the security check, guests are encouraged to arrive as early as possible. Seating is limited.


CONTACT JAY NACHMAN AT 215-923-5978 OR BY EMAIL AT JNACHMAN@NMAJH.ORG