The Secret Lives of Interns: Week 4

Week four kept our interns as busy as always. Collections interns are still up to their eyebrows doing inventory – at week’s close we had completed 57.7% of the 3D objects! Stephanie, Alison’s girlfriend, came in and lent a hand for a day. She also spent some time numbering photographs, completing nearly an ENTIRE box in a single afternoon!

Wow, that’s a LOT of photos! Go Stephanie!

WHEW! What a week?! Collections Inventory is the excitement that bustles around these parts...still. And boy is it fun! I am very excited and proud of myself this week after hearing about my achievement of doing 51.2% of the 50% of all the 3D objects! I think the word is awesome, but I have also learned that collections isn’t about achievements and victories but being thorough and patient. I feel like I've made a solid system for myself and it is working, if I hadn't then I might not be as jubilant about it. Also, the great pencil war has begun! And my pencil is dwindling to the win! I can't believe the weeks are flying by, what an exciting time to be an intern, seriously. - Sean

(Sean thinks he’s got this pencil competition in the bag, but with a little outside assistance from our volunteer Debbie, the staff is going strong, so he and the rest of the interns better watch their backs! Or better yet, their pencil points…)

Thanks Debbie!

Outside of inventory, collections interns continued to work on their own projects. Watch out for a special blog post from Alison, our archives intern! Kim has continued to scope out library acquisitions policies and Berkley had some excitement across the street!

I spent some time at the Lloyd Street Synagoge taking pictures of different areas of renovation. To everyone's surprise there were bones unearthed in one of the areas of excavation at a very shallow service of the construction process. - Berkley

We all (staff and interns alike!) got to spend some quality time helping out Development with a mailing. Nothing like folding and stuffing envelopes to bring out some wacky conversations! We passed the time telling each other some of our favorite jokes. Mine? Well, since you insist – What’s brown and sticky?

A STICK!

Interns outside of collections were just as busy:

I had a great week at the Jewish Museum and in Baltimore! Aside from working on the Grants calendar project and helping with over 700 mailings during her days at the Museum, I mourned the death of Michael Jackson along with the rest of the world. I also went mini-golfing(!). - Ilana

I spent my time finalizing details for our "Brews and Schmooze" party with JT Waldman. I made sure we are getting falafel, Cold Stone ice cream, and kosher beer. I also helped Simone write a short calendar release for the event. In addition, I spent some time researching "baby boomer" generation movies, music, and television shows that could be adapted to be "Jewish" in the hopes of having special events for JMM's 50th with baby boomer generation entertainment. – Rebecca

I have been working on a project to turn the Leo Burger Immigrant's Trunk into lesson plans and activities suitable for young children. It has been enjoyable thinking of games and materials that can be used for early childhood education. The other day I came up with the idea to make a board game, Golden Land (based on Candy Land). – Amanda

Can you see what I see?

Last week Friday, a total of 60 lovely 6 and 7 year olds from Shiloh Camp went on a scavenger hunt in B'nai Israel Synagogue. They were given a list of eight words and a couple of minutes to find objects within the synagogue. They swished through the pews like detectives determined to find what they thought were hidden objects. Although I had a great time watching them help one another with the scavenger hunt, it was most rewarding to know many had walked off from such an eventful day with a new vocabulary word. The scavenger hunt transformed into an educational achievement. As the education staff and interns waved goodbye to the kids from Shiloh Smart Camp, many ran up to say they had "the best time of their lives." - Giselle

(A hint to those who may want to go on their own B'nai Israel scanvenger hunt, the Star of David pictured above is located on top of the Israeli Flag!)