NMAJH - Press Releases

Only In America Results Edition

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:05:00 +0000

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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Eighteen Jewish Americans Chosen

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.

The 18 individuals who will be featured in the gallery are Irving Berlin, Leonard Bernstein, Louis Brandeis, Albert Einstein, Mordecai Kaplan, Sandy Koufax, Estée Lauder, Emma Lazarus, Isaac Leeser, Golda Meir, Jonas Salk, Rose Schneiderman, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Steven Spielberg, Barbra Streisand, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, Henrietta Szold, and Isaac Mayer Wise.

During a one-month period, July 8 through August 6, 2009, the Museum invited the public to vote on the 18 to be included in the Gallery from a list of 218 possible candidates. More than 209,000 votes were cast from 56 countries on the Museum's Only in America® website, which can be accessed at www.nmajh.org.

The 218 candidates were drawn from eight categories: Arts & Entertainment; Business & Philanthropy; Literature; Performance; Politics, Law & Activism; Religion & Thought; Science & Medicine; and Sports. The Museum selected for inclusion in the Gallery the person who received the most votes in each category.

In addition to the public's recommendations, the Museum's historians and curators worked to ensure that the group reflected Jews' 350 years of history in the United States and the diverse fields in which they have been involved.

"The public played a significant role in how the Museum chose the first group of individuals we are honoring in our Only in America® Gallery/Hall of Fame," said Michael Rosenzweig, the Museum's president and CEO. "The 18 finalists represent a consensus between the public vote and the Museum's historians and curatorial staff. We wanted the public's input on who should be recognized for their accomplishments in a major museum exhibition and they made excellent choices."

"In addition to the public response to the voting, we're very pleased with the educational aspects of the poll," Rosenzweig said. "Thousands of people came to the site and learned about the contributions of 218 distinguished American Jews to our society. There were debates about the merits of some of the candidates and the inclusion or exclusion of others, and that's exactly the kind of dialogue we plan to encourage in our new Museum.

"The Only in America® Gallery/Hall of Fame will be a space that inspires visitors," Rosenzweig continued. "It will celebrate the lives and achievements of 18 individuals who exemplify a central theme of the Museum: that a hallmark of the American experience has been an unparalleled opportunity to aspire, achieve, and possibly change the world."

To be located on the first floor of the Museum's future home on Independence Mall, the Only in America® Gallery/Hall of Fame will be a landmark museum experience, featuring major film productions, original artifacts, and an interactive database.

Additional individuals will be added to the Only in America® Gallery/Hall of Fame in the coming years. All 218 individuals included in the public vote will 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. The Only in America® website will remain live for visitors to use and explore. Visitors to the site can continue submitting names of people that they believe should be included in the Only in America® Gallery/Hall of Fame database.

The Museum's academic historians are led by Dr. Jonathan Sarna, the Joseph H. & Belle R. Braun Professor of American Jewish History at Brandeis University, and include Dr. Pamela S. Nadell, the inaugural Patrick Clendenen Professor of History and Director of the Jewish Studies Program at American University; Dr. Beth S. Wenger, Associate Professor of History and Director of the Jewish Studies Program at the University of Pennsylvania; Dr. Michael Berenbaum, a writer, lecturer, and teacher consulting in the conceptual development of museums and Director of the Sigi Ziering Institute at the American Jewish University: and Dr. Josh Perelman who serves as the Museum's Historian and Deputy Director of Programming.

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.

The National Museum of American Jewish History is constructing a new 100,000-square-foot, five-story building on Independence Mall that will stand directly across from the Liberty Bell, one block south of the National Constitution Center, and one block north of the birthplace of American liberty, Independence Hall.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY APPOINTS MICHAEL ROSENZWEIG AS PRESIDENT AND CEO

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 19:33:00 +0000

Accomplished Leader in the Business World and the National Jewish Community Will Guide Museum into a New Era at Its Home on Independence Mall

The National Museum of American Jewish History, the country's only museum dedicated exclusively to telling the still-unfolding story of Jews in America, today announced the appointment of Michael Rosenzweig as its new President and CEO. The appointment was announced by NMAJH Co-Chairmen George M. Ross and Ronald Rubin.

"Michael Rosenzweig's business and legal background, along with his impressive leadership and fundraising experience in the Jewish world, make him the ideal leader for our Museum,” stated Ross, who also serves as the Museum’s Campaign Chairman. “He brings both a passion and a deep and abiding commitment to the educational mission of the institution, as well as great practical experience in leading both private and nonprofit institutions." Rosenzweig served most recently as Senior Vice President for Corporate Development and General Counsel at Johns Manville, a Fortune 500 company in Denver. Prior to that, he was a prominent corporate lawyer in Atlanta. He also brings academic experience to NMAJH, having been a professor on the faculty of the University of Michigan Law School.

His service to the Jewish community includes being the Founding President of The Weber School, one of the nation's first transdenominational Jewish day high schools. He is currently President of the American Pardes Foundation, the American arm of the Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies in Jerusalem. "I am honored to be joining the Museum at this exciting time in its history,” Rosenzweig stated. “I am deeply impressed by the Museum's ambitious educational mission and scholarly agenda, and by its commitment to utilizing the American Jewish experience to illuminate the many universal issues that challenge a country as diverse and inclusive as ours. I am especially excited by the opportunity to lead the Museum in realizing its vision as a truly national institution and a vital center of Jewish cultural life."

The Museum is currently building a striking five-story, 100,000-square-foot facility on Independence Mall in historic Philadelphia designed by Polshek Partnership Architects. When completed in late 2010, the new Museum will join Independence Hall, the Liberty Bell, the National Constitution Center and other landmarks at the site of America's birth, a fitting place to explore the promises and challenges of liberty as seen through the particular lens of the American Jewish experience. The capital and endowment campaign for NMAJH has raised nearly $120 million to date from donors across the country.

The search for the new director was conducted by a search committee organized in June 2008 under the leadership of Board Co-Chairmen George M. Ross and Ronald Rubin with NMAJH Board Member Mimi Schneirov serving as Committee Chair. The Museum’s current Executive Director, Gwen Goodman, will remain with the Museum as Executive Director Emerita until the opening of the new facility. “I look forward to working closely with Michael Rosenzweig on the grand opening of NMAJH’s new home on Independence Mall in late 2010,” she stated.

MUSEUM HOLDS TOPPING OFF CEREMONY UPON COMPLETION OF STEEL STRUCTURE OF NEW BUILDING

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:55:00 +0000

The steel frame of the National Museum of American Jewish History being constructed on Independence Mall in Philadelphia will be topped off Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2009, noon, completing a significant milestone for the building that will serve as a cornerstone of the modern-day American Jewish community.

The final 31-foot beam will be placed on the northwest corner of the 121-foot and six-inch high, 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 Museum will open in 2010.

The final beam will be hoisted with banners from the Museum, Ironworkers Local Union 401, and INTECH Construction Inc., the Museum’s contractor. Also included will be an American flag and evergreen tree, traditional symbols of the ironworkers’ topping off ceremony. With the steel structure finished, the next steps for the building will be pouring its concrete floors and the construction of the north and west walls.

The western wall facing Independence Mall will be a glass prism, expressing the accessibility of the museum and the openness of America, as well as the perennial fragility of democracy. The north wall will be constructed of terra cotta, expressing the strength of Jewish survival and the protective shelter of American freedom.

“With this phase of the construction complete, and as the Museum takes shape on Independence Mall, I think it becomes clear that there could not be a more fitting place for a museum that will explore the promise and challenges of liberty through the lens of the American Jewish experience,” said Gwen Goodman, the NMAJH’s Executive Director/CEO.

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 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.

Contact:

Jay E. Nachman
215.923.5978
215.868.8057 (Cell)

SPIELBERG’S RIGHTEOUS PERSONS FOUNDATION MAKES $1 MILLION GIFT TO NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:24:00 +0000

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.

FAMILY FUN AT ANNUAL DECEMBER 25 “BEING JEWISH AT CHRISTMAS”

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Thu, 06 Dec 2007 18:19:00 +0000

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.

THE TIME HAS COME FOR A GROUNDBREAKING EVENT

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 19:02:00 +0000

Public Invited to September 30 Ceremony

U.S. Senator Arlen Specter, Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, and Philadelphia Mayor John Street are among the guests scheduled to speak at the groundbreaking for the new Museum taking place on Sept. 30, 11 a.m. on Independence Mall at 5th and Market Streets. The program will begin with the bells of Independence Hall ringing 11 times, and will include music in addition to the speakers and other activities.

Joining in the celebration with dignitaries from federal, state and local government will be Museum trustees and donors, scholars, educators, religious leaders, and young people, wishing to take part in a historic event for the national Jewish community and all Americans.

"The Museum will be a cornerstone in the modern-day American Jewish community, and a source of national pride," said Ronald Rubin, co-chairman with George M. Ross of the Museum's Board of Trustees. "The new NMAJH is dedicated to keeping Jewish culture alive and giving a new generation greater appreciation of their heritage. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help create a special place in the American Jewish community and to tangibly demonstrate what's possible when people live in freedom."

"I hope that people from throughout the region will celebrate with us in this landmark community event," said Gwen Goodman, Museum Executive Director and CEO.

The new Museum, an architecturally distinctive 6-story, 100,000 square foot building, will be the pre-eminent national educational and cultural institution presenting American Jewish history. Designed by the leading New York architectural firm of Polshek Partnership Architects, the Museum will build on the dynamic interaction between its location on Independence Mall, the history and traditions of the Jewish people, and the broader national experience. Galleries, exhibition halls, an education center and an auditorium will be among the features of this new Museum.

The new Museum is scheduled to open a half block away from 5th and Market streets on July 4, 2010, 34 years after its first opened its doors during the Bicentennial.

To make a reservation to join us for the groundbreaking ceremony, please contact Jannine Medrana at 215.923.3811 ext. 111.

To view a recent news story about the new Museum, visit http://cbs3.com/video/?id=44269@kyw.dayport.com.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY AND JEWISH FEDERATION OF GREATER PHILADELPHIA TO JOIN IN MAY CELEBRATION OF JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 14:10:00 +0000

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

THREE NEW MEMBERS NAMED TO MUSEUM BOARD OF TRUSTEES

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 17:31:00 +0000

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

MUSEUM NAMES NEW DIRECTOR OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Tue, 06 Mar 2007 19:20:00 +0000

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

FOOD FOR THOUGHT” PROGRAM AT NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY ON DECEMBER 17

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 20:55:00 +0000

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.

"ENTEBBE TO TODAY, TERRORISM IN TRANSITION” SEPT. 6 PROGRAM

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Fri, 25 Aug 2006 15:49:00 +0000

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

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY SERVES UP FORSHPEIS!* A TASTE OF THE PETER H. SCHWEITZER COLLECTION OF JEWISH AMERICANA

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 13:31:00 +0000

The National Museum of American Jewish History is serving up menus, cookbooks, recipes, signs and other food-related artifacts in a new temporary exhibition that Forshpeis explores themes of identity, immigration, and cultural expression.

Opening June 16, Forshpeis! A Taste of the Peter H. Schweitzer Collection of Jewish Americana, 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.

*Forshpeis! is Yiddish for appetizer.

Consider the once-humble delicatessen, which originated in Eastern European Jewish immigrant communities and went on to become a mainstay of contemporary life across the country, from Carnegie Deli in New York to the Olde Tyme Deli in Mississippi to Canter’s Deli in Los Angeles.

Forshpeis! might have you hungering for a corned beef special after you visit the exhibition’s evocation of a classic deli counter, surrounded by menus, pickle crocks, invoices, a Kosher Zion salami pillow, and a paper deli worker’s hat encouraging you to “Ask For Mrs. Weinberg’s Kosher Chopped Liver.”

Immigrants entered the American mainstream through the foods they sold (and, later, manufactured). Large numbers of Jewish immigrants from Germany and Eastern Europe began as pushcart peddlers, selling food products in their neighborhoods. Some achieved success and moved from peddler to small shop owner. Others, in a display of American entrepreneurial spirit, became manufacturers of national brands such as Manischewitz and Hebrew National.

For other immigrant Jews, using quintessential American products such as Crisco Vegetable Shortening, Planters Peanut Oil and Jell-O in their homes was a way for them to feel, and become, American. The exhibition also includes the recreation of a kitchen, a central place where American and Jewish identities merged. Peer inside the kitchen cabinet and see an array of products such as Ma Cohen’s Imported Lunch Herring, Heinz Oven Baked Beans, Edelstein’s Tuxedo Brand Home Made Cheese, and Ladies Choice Kosher Pickles.

To discover what to do with all of these items, you can turn to an array of cookbooks on display, including Grandma’s Kosher Recipes, Modern Jewish Meals and What Shall I Serve? Famous Recipes for Jewish Housewives. Forshpeis! also features a section devoted to bar and bat mitzvah celebrations and the Passover Seder, events that demonstrate the importance of food at holidays and lifecycle events in Jewish life. An advertisement that appears in the exhibition reads, “You Don’t Have to be Jewish to love Levy’s real Jewish Rye.” Likewise, you don’t have to be Jewish to love this exhibition. Admission is free.

The National Museum of American Jewish History recently acquired the Peter H. Schweitzer Collection, one of the largest private holdings of Jewish Americana. Comprising nearly 10,000 artifacts gathered over twenty-five years, the collection spans from the eighteenth century to the present day. Artifacts from the collection have been displayed in museums around the country, but this is the first exhibition based exclusively on his objects. After Forshpeis! closes, objects from the Schweitzer Collection will be presented in future temporary exhibitions, as well as in the core exhibition in the Museum’s new building. The opening of the new building is planned for 2009 at Fifth and Market streets on Independence Mall in Philadelphia, a block from its current location.

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

MAY NAMED JEWISH HERITAGE MONTH BY CONGRESS AND SENATE

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Fri, 12 May 2006 15:53:00 +0000

President Bush has announced that the month of May has been named Jewish Heritage Month. The announcement recognizes the Jewish American contribution to the heritage and history to the United States and will mark the month of May as an ongoing commemoration of the Jewish contribution to United States culture and history.

The proclamation was sponsored in Congress by Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who said, "For over 350 years, American culture has been deeply enriched by the contributions of Jews. While only 2 percent of the population, Jews have played a vital role in every aspect of American culture, from the westward expansion to advances in medicine to such quintessentially American symbols as the song God Bless America."

A concurrent resolution was introduced in the Senate by Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. "American society is comprised of many cultures. Americans are proud of our history of acceptance and understanding. By establishing a Jewish American History Month, we will present an additional opportunity to raise our Nation's cultural awareness and celebrate our diversity," he said.

In anticipation of the decree, Jewish cultural institutions throughout the country are being encouraged by Representative Schultz's office to plan events focusing attention on the Jewish American Heritage Month.

PRESIDENTS’ DAY CELEBRATION AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY TO FEATURE READING OF LETTER FROM PRESIDENT WASHINGTON

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 15:50:00 +0000

Program Also To Include “Ben & His Traveling Trunk”

Celebrate Presidents’ Day and George Washington's Birthday on Monday, Feb. 20, noon, at the National Museum of American Jewish History with a program featuring the reading of a letter written by President Washington to historic Congregation Mikveh Israel affirming religious freedom. The guest speaker at the program will be Dr. Rosalind Remer, executive director of the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary.

Also at the celebration will be the “Ben & His Traveling Trunk” program. “Ben & His Traveling Trunk” includes a Benjamin Franklin re-enactor; a theatrical trunk filled with costumes for kids and adults to dress up like Franklin with shirts, vests, bifocals, wigs and tricorner hats; and give-aways like temporary tattoos and flashy pins featuring Franklin.

Joining the celebration will be the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry, music by the Fifes and Drums of the Delaware Militia and re-enactors from the 11th Pennsylvania Regiment. And if that isn’t enough, cherry pie will be served at the close of the program.

The letter the President Washington re-enactor will read was sent to Mikveh Israel and Jewish congregations in Charleston, New York and Richmond in 1790 after they wrote to congratulate him following his inauguration. In his reply Washington wrote, "The liberality of sentiment towards each other, which marks every political and religious denomination of men in this Country, stands unparalleled in the history of nations."

Program participants can also visit the free NMAJH exhibition, “Benjamin Franklin and Religious Liberty,” which examines Jewish life in the eighteenth century and illustrates Franklin’s key role in forging a pluralistic America. The free Presidents’ Day and George Washington Birthday celebration is co-sponsored by Congregation Mikveh Israel, which shares its location with the Museum. The Museum is located at Independence Mall East, 55 North 5th Street, Philadelphia.

The National Museum of American Jewish History presents educational programs and experiences that preserve, explore and celebrate the history of Jews in America. For more information, contact the Museum at 215-923-3811 or visit www.nmajh.org.

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

"BENJAMIN FRANKLIN AND RELIGIOUS LIBERTY” FOCUS OF EXHIBITION AT NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Thu, 15 Dec 2005 14:49:00 +0000

The signature is big and bold. On a subscription list, (pictured left) Benjamin Franklin pledges five pounds (worth approximately $800 in today’s dollars) in support of a synagogue for “the people of the Hebrew society in the city of Philadelphia.” The building was the first home
of what is now known as historic Congregation Mikveh Israel and the subscription list signed by Franklin, and other distinguished Christian gentlemen who also made donations, is the centerpiece of a new temporary exhibition being mounted by the Museum as part of the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary. “Benjamin Franklin and Religious
Liberty” opens December 15, 2005 at the National Museum of American Jewish History and runs through May 31, 2006. The free exhibition will explore Franklin’s relationship with the Jewish community and illustrate his role in forging a pluralistic America.

The congregation of Mikveh Israel, which now shares its location with the NMAJH, dates back to 1740 with the creation of the first Jewish cemetery in Philadelphia. It was not until 1782 that the congregation purchased a space for their first synagogue, on Cherry Street, between
Third and Fourth streets. The subscription list is a record of the donations made to relieve the debt for the construction of this building, Philadelphia’s first synagogue.

“The subscription list illustrates Franklin’s openness toward Jewish religious expression in
America and is the most important example of his relationship to the Jewish community at this time,” said Museum Curator Dr. Nina Spiegel, who is organizing the exhibition. Indicative of these friendly relations, Dr. Spiegel noted, was “The Pennsylvania Gazette” obituary in 1790 that reported “All the Clergy of the city, including the Ministers of the Hebrew congregation” marched in Franklin’s funeral procession.

“Unlike in Europe where Jews were regarded as outsiders, we see that in America in this period, Jews were viewed as one of several religious minorities,” Dr. Spiegel said. Other objects in the exhibition, such as a book published by Franklin, “The History of the Rise, Increase, and Progress of the Christian People Called Quakers,” give further examples of Franklin’s support of religious liberty for all, she added. In conjunction with the exhibition, the museum will feature a theatrical storyteller in an original piece exploring the Jewish community in 18th century Philadelphia and Franklin's legacy of religious pluralism. Free performances by the storyteller will be presented on Fridays, noon to 3 p.m. Sundays, noon to 4 p.m.; and occasional weekdays.

“Benjamin Franklin and Religious Liberty” is being held in conjunction with “Ben Franklin 300
Philadelphia,” a region-wide celebration of all-things Franklin taking place beginning in the fall of 2005 and running through 2006. The Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary, a non-profit consortium established to reaffirm Franklin’s enduring legacy in his 300th birthday year, is presenting special projects that form the official national celebration. The key component is the exhibition “Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World,” which opens at the National Constitution
Center in Philadelphia December 15, 2005.

"The NMAJH exhibition is unique in its focus on Franklin's religious tolerance. This is another one of many aspects of Franklin that has strong contemporary relevance," said Nicola Twilley, Director of Public Programming for the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary.

For more information about Tercentenary events, visit www.benfranklin.org The National Museum of American Jewish History’s mission is to present educational programs and experiences that preserve, explore and celebrate the history of Jews in America. Our 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 Americans aspire.

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

FAMILY FUN AT ANNUAL “BEING JEWISH AT CHRISTMAS” CELEBRATION

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Mon, 12 Dec 2005 15:25:00 +0000

“Being Jewish at Christmas” will be outrageously hip this year. “Being Jewish at Christmas,” the National Museum of American Jewish History’s annual day of family fun featuring music, magic and more, is being held Sunday, December 25, from noon - 4 p.m.

New this year will be Shirlala!, whose outrageously hip Jewish music for kids uniquely blends music, stories, dance and art. Also new are storytellers Kali Colton and Mitchell Kramer, spinning yarns that are both entertaining and historical. Returning is Mark Spencer Goldstein, entertaining with magic and juggling. The first night of Hanukkah falls on December 25 this year and the program will conclude with a menorah lighting and Hanukkah songs led by Shirlala! Free dredeils will be given to all children. Approximately 1,000 people are expected to attend BJAC, which also include free refreshments.

Participants can also see the new temporary exhibition, “Benjamin Franklin and Religious Liberty,” on view from December 15, 2005 to May 31, 2006. 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 $4 per person (children three and under admitted free) and there is no charge to Museum members. Tickets are available only at the door.

Click here to download the print add

Being Jewish at Christmas is funded by the Robert Saligman Jewish Heritage Fund.

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

MUSEUM TRUSTEE JOSEPH ZURITSKY MEETS WITH ALUMNI OF THE BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL PROGRAM

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Fri, 09 Dec 2005 14:35:00 +0000

Sharing insights with members of Philadelphia's birthright israel Alumni Association is Joseph Zuritsky (center), Chairman & CEO, Parkway Corporation and Museum Trustee. With Mr. Zuritsky (from left) are Max Shmidheiser, Michael Frey, Eric Ciarelli, John Schlesinger, Leon Igdalov, Carol Shore, Mike Zubarev, and Boris Layvant. Taglit-birthright israel provides the gift of first time, peer group educational trips to Israel for Jewish young adults ages 18 to 26.

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY ANNOUNCES NEW LOCATION FOR BUILDING

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 14:40:00 +0000

The National Museum of American Jewish History has announced that it has exercised an option on the “KYW Building” at 5th and Market streets and will construct its new building at the site.

Currently, the Museum is located a half block away from 5th and Market streets. “Right now we are on the fifty yard line on Independence Mall. With our new location, we will be in the owner’s box,” said Museum board member and Capital Campaign Chairman George M. Ross.

“This is the premier museum site in Philadelphia because of its proximity to Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, two of the major attractions in the city,” said Ron Rubin, Chairman and CEO of Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust and a Museum board member. “It has three street fronts, making ingress and egress and loading much more functional than the current site.

“We were very excited when we learned that this property was available. When an opportunity like this comes along you must take advantage of it. We’re not only building the museum for ourselves and our children, but for generations to come,” Rubin said. Rubin chairs the Museum’s Building Committee with Carl Dranoff, Chairman of Dranoff Properties. The new location has many advantages over the current one, according to the Museum’s Director/CEO Gwen Goodman.

• Visitation will be enhanced by being across the street from Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell Center; the latter attracts about 2 million tourists annually.

• The site’s larger footprint offers a more effective layout of exhibition space and the opportunity to build and operate a more efficient museum.

• The site offers the ability for enhanced revenue from: a potential parking garage; improved and expanded rental spaces; and a Museum Shop with a visible and separate entrance on Market Street, a major thoroughfare.

Goodman added that the new site’s corner is also the location of a station on the Market Frankford Line, making it easily accessible for public transit riders. In recent years, both the Liberty Bell Center and the National Constitution Center opened in Independence National Historical Park on Independence Mall as part of the largest urban revitalization project in the nation. Concurrently the park managed a $5.2 million rehabilitation of Independence Square, the site of Independence Hall. Spurred by the new construction, park visitation surged by 35 percent and now has four million visitors annually.

"We are delighted that the Museum is taking over this location,” said Mary A. Bomar, director of the Northeast Region for the National Park Service. “The Museum’s presence on the mall is fitting because the story of the Jewish community in America is a story of what can be achieved when a group finds freedom. Visitors from around the world will now have another way to experience this vital American value during visits to Independence National Historical Park.”

The Museum announced its $100 million Capital Campaign for a new Museum at its present location in November 2002, at which time local philanthropist Sidney Kimmel, founder and chairman of the Jones Apparel Group, made a lead gift of $25 million. His gift was followed by that of Ed Snider’s, Chairman of Comcast-Spectacor, who contributed $5 million.

The Museum’s Board of Trustees voted to approve the move at its September 29, 2005 meeting. According to Museum Chairman D. Walter Cohen, the timetable for the move is dependent on when the building’s current tenants move to their new location. Building occupant KYW-TV, and its sister stations located in the building, have not officially announced their relocation plans. Congregation Mikveh Israel, which shares its location with the Museum, will remain at the current site.

Museum architect James Polshek has begun drawing preliminary designs for the new location. Polshek, design principal of the Polshek Partnership in New York, is the building’s lead architect. The award-winning firm has designed many top museums, including the American Museum of Natural History’s Rose Center for Earth and Space, the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, and the Clinton Presidential Center.

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

DELL GIFT TO FUND THEATER IN NEW MUSEUM

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Thu, 17 Nov 2005 14:46:00 +0000

The Museum has received a combined $5 million gift from the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and Dr. Alexander and Lorraine Dell to fund a theater in its new building located on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. In recognition of this generous gift, the Museum is honored to name the theater the Dell Theater.

The Dell Theater will serve as a multipurpose venue that will hold more than 300 people for lectures, film series, dramatic performances, musical performances, workshops, and community meetings. In addition, the Dell Theater will be an integral part of the new Museum's Education Center, serving as a flexible space in order to support workshops, classrooms and laboratories for learning, when not being used as a theater. It will enhance the Museum's emphasis on innovative programming designed to reinforce the lessons of the core exhibition.

"As a family, we are excited about not only the cultural richness this theater will provide to the community, but also its potential as a stimulating learning environment," said Susan Dell, co-founder and board chairman of the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. "We look forward to seeing it come alive with performances, teaching and interaction."

"The Dell gift demonstrates the Capital Campaign's importance on a national level, and it also reflects the core values of the new Museum. Michael Dell was able to build one of America's great companies and brands because he and his parents were afforded the freedom to pursue their dreams. The Museum celebrates what freedom has meant to American Jews from all walks of life, and we are grateful to be a beneficiary of one of the great success stories," said Museum Chairman D. Walter Cohen.

The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation at www.msdf.org was established in 1999 by the Dell family to improve outcomes for under-served children in a measurable way. Based in Austin, Texas, the Foundation funds programs that foster and improve the education, health and safety of children around the world. With an endowment of more than $1 billion, the Foundation has committed more than $200 million to children's and community initiatives to date.

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

LEGENDARY COLLECTION OF JEWISH AMERICANA DONATED TO NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 13:54:00 +0000

One of the most important private collections of Jewish Americana has been donated to the National Museum of American Jewish History in Philadelphia by Rabbi Peter Schweitzer, who amassed his collection of an estimated 10,000 artifacts during more than 25 years of collecting.

The Peter H. Schweitzer Collection is significant for the field of American Jewish history because it contains objects of material culture that depict the everyday lives and experiences of Jews in America, both in their secular lives as well as their religious practice. Included in the collection are signs, posters, tins, bottles, photographs, trade cards, menus, neon clocks, Yiddish typewriters, yearbooks, autograph books, textiles and ritual items.

The Museum will preserve the objects and artifacts for future generations and allow wider access to the collection by scholars and the public for the first time. Because the artifacts are devoted to the social world of everyday relationships and popular culture, the collection is highly evocative to both Jewish and non-Jewish audiences.

“We are excited and thrilled to be chosen as the home of this major collection of Jewish Americana,” said Gwen Goodman, Executive Director/CEO of the National Museum of American Jewish History. “A collection like this is a rarity. These objects that connect people and places to Jewish experiences in America will enable us to best tell our story.”

Rabbi Schweitzer, of New York City, gave his collection to the Museum because “I wanted to find an institution that would share my commitment to preserving the material culture that tells the story of our experience in America. I wanted to know that the Museum appreciated the diversity in the Jewish community, which is comprised of secular and religious Jews, and that no one interpretive stance would dictate over others. After meeting with the Museum’s professional staff, I felt assured that would be the case. I am confident that I am entrusting the collection into caring hands.”

“The donation of Peter Schweitzer’s collection to the National Museum of American Jewish History is a landmark event in the world of American Jewish museums. The gift will make accessible to scholars, curators and the general public a collection of extraordinary depth and richness,” said Dale Rosengarten, Ph.D., Curator of the Jewish Heritage Collection, Marlene & Nathan Addlestone Library, College of Charleston, Charleston, S.C. "The Schweitzer Collection is extraordinary in its variety and expansiveness. From items of popular culture to ritual objects to photographs, postcards, advertisements, and a host of material too numerous to list, this is perhaps the most ambitious effort to collect objects that reflect the range of American Jewish experience. It would be difficult to imagine a collection better suited for a museum dedicated to American Jewish history,” added Beth S. Wenger, Katz Family Term Chair in American Jewish History, University of Pennsylvania.

Rabbi Schweitzer is the leader of The City Congregation for Humanistic Judaism in New York City and is Vice President of the Association of Humanistic Rabbis. He is also a senior social worker at the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services in Brooklyn.

He is a great-grandson of the renowned constitutional lawyer and Jewish civic leader Louis Marshall. His maternal grandfather, Jacob Billikopf, was a recognized Jewish communal leader who led the Federation of Jewish Charities in Philadelphia and directed the American Jewish Relief Committee that provided aid to suffering Jews in Europe after World War I.

“I consider this collection to be a living collection. I’m interested in finding new things for it,” said Rabbi Schweitzer, who will continue to serve as a consultant to the collection.

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

MUSEUMS TO RECEIVE 10 PERCENT OF SHOP SALES THROUGH OCTOBER

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Fri, 09 Sep 2005 17:51:00 +0000

MUSEUMS TO RECEIVE 10 PERCENT OF SHOP SALES THROUGH OCTOBER

The care of historical resources damaged or at risk due to Hurricane Katrina and congregations and communities affected by the hurricane will be the recipients of 10 percent of the proceeds of Museum Shop sales through the month of October.

Funds will be donated to the American Association for State & Local History (AASLH), which is working with the Southeastern Museums Conference to assess needs of museums affected by the hurricane. AASLH is also developing a database to centralize the offers of goods, services, and space for the recovery efforts for all types of museums, regardless of discipline. For more information on the American Association of Museums response to the disaster and its reports on museums in the affected area, click http://www.aam-us.org/aamlatest/news/hurricane.cfm

The Museum also will be donating funds to the Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life, which has established a relief fund to aid congregations and communities affected by the Hurricane Katrina. For information on the Goldring/Woldenberg response to the hurricane, click www.msje.org

The Museum Shop has a wonderful array of ceremonial objects that you can make a part of your Rosh Hashanah and other holiday traditions. Visit the Museum Shops site at www.judaicashop.net to view the wonderful gift items carried by the Shop. The Museum Shop can also be reached at 215-923-0262.

MUSEUM DEVELOPING REGISTRY OF JEWISH AMERICANA

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Fri, 02 Sep 2005 15:25:00 +0000

The National Museum of American Jewish History is developing a one-of-a-kind online catalogue of artifacts, documents, and photographs pertaining to American Jewish history. The NMAJH Registry, the most comprehensive searchable catalogue of objects about the experience of the Jewish people in America, will serve as an important resource for museums, scholars and the public.

The continuously growing NMAJH Registry of Jewish Americana includes pictures of artifacts, and information about them, from collections, museums, archives and libraries around the country. Visitors to the NMAJH Registry will be able to search for artifacts through a variety of categories, such as the type of object, place of origin, date, and home institution. “Just as we had intended for this project, creating the Registry has already brought to light treasures that have not been seen by anyone ever before,” said NMAJH Executive Director/CEO Gwen Goodman. “Beyond surveying the largest known collections across the country, the Registry development team also ‘discovered’ several little and unknown private collections that will soon be recorded in the Registry for all to see.”

more …

REGISTRY/ADD 1
The NMAJH Registry is now being used by curators and designers developing the National Museum of American Jewish History’s new core exhibition and is expected to open to scholars and the public with the reopening of the new Museum, now scheduled for 2008. Click www. to see a featured artifact from the NMAJH Registry. This project is supported by a grant from the Heritage Philadelphia Program, funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts and administered by the Independence Visitor Center Corporation. The Registry is also made possible in part through the generous support of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The NMAJH Registry is constructed by and designed in collaboration with the Center for History and New Media, George Mason University.

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

JUNE 26th “SAVING STUFF” PROGRAM IS ABOUT PRESERVING THE “MUSEUM OF YOU”

noreply@blogger.com (nmajh) — Thu, 26 May 2005 20:52:00 +0000

Contact:
Jay E. Nachman
(215) 923-5978

How do you keep your grandmother’s silver from tarnishing? How can you protect your signed Mickey Mantle jersey from moths? What is the best way to save your child’s very first macaroni project? How can you keep your family photo albums intact?

Answers to these questions and many more can be obtained at “Saving Stuff: How to Care for and Preserve Your Collectibles, Heirlooms, and Other Prized Possessions,” a free program at the National Museum of American Jewish History on Sunday, June 26, 1 p.m. Don Williams, a senior conservator at the Smithsonian Institution and writer Louisa Jaggar, authors of the book “Saving Stuff” will begin the program by speaking about their new book.

Following their presentation, experts from Freeman’s Auction House in Philadelphia, the oldest auction house in America, will be available to provide appraisals of fine jewelry, furniture, decorative items, books and manuscripts. Conservators from Philadelphia’s Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts, one of the largest non-profit regional conservation labs in the country, will join with Williams and be on hand to discuss how to preserve photographs, books, letters and other family heirlooms.

Readers of the book and program participants will learn easy and foolproof methods to save the “Museum of You” – anything and everything precious and priceless, such as:

• Photographs, books and letters
• Childhood memorabilia from baby hair to artwork
• Furniture
• Family heirlooms from china to silver, rugs to wedding dresses
• Sports and political memorabilia
• Musical instruments
• Judaica

“Saving Stuff” explains to both the serious collector and the sentimentalist the various reasons that stuff falls apart. The book is filled with stories about how the Smithsonian takes care of national treasures and it also gives practical advice from Williams (the saving expert) and Jaggar (the expert saver). Program participants who wish to have items individually appraised by experts from Freeman’s, or want to have Don Williams and conservators from the Conservation Center recommend how to preserve their items, will be given a ticket after arriving at the Museum.

Tickets will be distributed beginning at noon on a first-come, first-served basis and participants will be limited to either an appraisal session or a discussion with a conservator, unless time allows for both. Items that cannot be easily carried may be represented by photographs. Call 215-923-3811 for additional information. There is a limit of one item per person.