Once Upon a Time...

Once Upon a Time 8.27.2010

The Baltimore Jewish Times publishes unidentified photographs from the collection of Jewish Museum of Maryland each week. If you can identify anyone in these photos and more information about them, contact Jobi Zink, Senior Collections Manager and Registrar at 410.732.6400 x226 or jzink@jewishmuseummd.org.

Date(s) run in Baltimore Jewish Times: 8/27/10; 11/6/09; 6/20/08; 11/28/08

PastPerfect Accession #: 2001.100.011

Status: Identified. Black and white photograph of members of Tikvah Youth Group at an unknown event, n.d. (L-R) Ralph David, Eric Sachs, Inge Lauer (David), Hilda Mann, unidentified, Gisela Miller, Ernest Bravman, Marian Stern (Strauss), Lottie Cassel (Hirshfeld) and Mark Adler.


Special thanks to: Karen Kanefsky; Margaret Stern; Marian Stern Strauss

Once Upon a Time...

Once Upon a Time 8.20.2010

The Baltimore Jewish Times publishes unidentified photographs from the collection of Jewish Museum of Maryland each week. If you can identify anyone in these photos and more information about them, contact Jobi Zink, Senior Collections Manager and Registrar at 410.732.6400 x226 or jzink@jewishmuseummd.org.

Date run in Baltimore Jewish Times: 8/20/10

PastPerfect Accession #: 2009.040.5184

Status: Partially identified. Arts and crafts class taking place at Isaac Davidson Hebrew School. L-R (clockwise) 1. Unidentified 2. Selig Wolfe 3. Herbert (Herbie) Sachs 4. Mrs. Pomerantz (Teahcer) 5. Jack Maniloff, 6. unidentified 7. Barbara Schoefer 8. Marcia Radin 9. unidentified 10. Joel Sinsky 11. unidentified 12. Larry Wolf 13. unidentified 14. unidentified 15. Myron Blum

Special thanks to: Toba Falk, Larry Wolf, Sharon Rose

Museum Access for All!

A blog post by outreach coordinator Rachael Binning.

This past week I participated in a webinar hosted by the American Association for Museums titled “Universal Design: Beyond the ADA.” The premise of the webinar was to share ideas that make all types of museums not only accessible, but welcoming to disabled people. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that museums and public institutions provide accessible design, such as by providing designated handicapped parking spaces, wheelchair ramps, and accessible bathroom stalls. Universal Design takes this idea a step further and encourages institutions to be welcoming and engaging to all visitors, whether abled or disabled.

This reserved parking sign in front of Museum Place in Salem, MA is a necessary start,
but there is much more that can be done to make museums welcoming to everyone.

Disabilities Defined

When doing research before the webinar I found it interesting to learn about the broad spectrum included under the term “disability.” The definition includes:

1. Physical: The definition of physical disability ranges from short term injuries, such as a broken foot, to chronic debilitating illnesses such as arthritis.

This exhibit at the Oakland Museum does a good job at providing
access to people who have wheelchairs or are with caregivers.

2. Sensory: This includes hearing and visual limitations. The AAM discussion guide for this webinar pointed out that there are 1.3 million people in the US who are legally blind and 22 million people have some kind of hearing impairment.

This is a photo from the Perkins School for the Blind History Museum.
The exhibit designer made sure that the exhibit had many tactile components.
This globe was handcrafted for the school in 1836 as a tactile tool to teach geography.
It was used by Helen Keller when she was a student and is still used today.

3. Cognitive or Intellectual: This is defined as “developmental or acquired limitations in certain functions related to thought process” (Universal Design: Beyond ADA, Oct. 27, 2010). This broad category includes learning disabilities, speech/language impairments, and Alzheimer’s and memory problems.

The Jewish Museum of Maryland hosted a Docent Training led by the Alzheimer’s earlier this month, so this is one area that they are clearly addressing.

The Museum of Modern Art in New York has a program called “Meet me at MoMA”
designed specifically for early and moderate-state Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers.

The 7 Principles of Universal Design:

Here is a quick overview of how museums and cultural institutions can go from being disability ready to disability friendly.

Principle 1: Equitable Use – What this essentially means is that the design of a museum or exhibit should be appealing to all users. There shouldn’t be any segregation based on access.

Principle 2: Flexibility in Use – There should not be only one way to access an exhibit.

Principle 3: Simple and Intuitive Use – This principle should always be used, even when not thinking about Universal Design. Keep things simple and clear.

Principle 4: Perceptible Information – When information is essential there should be several ways to access it. One obvious way is by reading an exhibit label, but what are other ways that this information can be presented?

Principle 5: Tolerance for Error – It’s always possible that things could go wrong when viewing walking through a museum of exhibit. Make sure there are ways to recover from this.

Principle 6: Low Physical Effort – A museum exhibit should not be overly strenuous to navigate.

Principle 7: Size and Space For Approach and Use – This seems obvious to me. Make sure that the exhibit allows all types of people to be able to fully experience it. What is the point of an exhibit if people can’t access it?

The JMM and Universal Design

A lot of talk at the AAM webinar focused around small museums and their ability to keep up with these high standards. I agree that it’s a tough position to be in because it’s hard for institutions with limited resources to provide strong and compelling exhibits that are also up to these high design standards.

I recently walked around the museums exhibits here and took note of what was working well and what can be improved.

Sound stations in “A Blessing to One Another.”

“A Blessing To One Another” is a difficult example to use in regards to exhibit access and design because it is a traveling exhibition and therefore is less flexible in set up in design. One negative to this exhibit in regards to disabilities (which is probably generally seen as a positive by the general public) is the overwhelming amount of sound throughout the exhibit. From the ringing church bells to the videos and sound stations, there is a lot going on. For a fully abled person these sounds are relatively easy to differentiate, but these noises could quickly become overwhelming for someone who relies heavily on noise or for someone who is autistic. On a positive note, the exhibit uses controlled sound stations (see image above) in an attempt to control some of the noise.

A bronze cast of Pope John Paul II’s hand.

The feature of the bronze cast of the Pope John Paul II’s hand is a wonderful way to provide a tactile element to the exhibit.

The entryway of the exhibit “Voices of Lombard Street.”

When I walked through “Voices of Lombard Street” I again noticed both positives and negative aspects in relation to disability design. As the picture above shows, there are areas that provide ample space for people to move around, but there are also confined areas, such as through the doorway. While walking through this exhibit I began thinking about how this particular exhibit could be changed to be more accessible, without losing the unique flavor and feel that the current exhibit architecture provides. Does anyone have any ideas?

The Jewish Museum of Maryland has a long way to go before it achieves all of the principles of Universal Design, but I am not losing hope! Actions, such as our docent training and participation in the recent AAM webinar, prove that we are not ignorant of the issue. Let’s hope that in 10 years we will continue to have thought provoking and engaging exhibits that are also accessible to all.

The Synagogue Speaks!

A blogpost by associate director Anita Kassof.

Memoirs, scholarly journals, monographs. That’s probably what comes to mind when you think of Jewish Museum of Maryland publications. But think again. For the first time ever, we’re at work on an illustrated children’s book. Based on the popular exhibition of the same name, The Synagogue Speaks tells the story of the historic Lloyd Street Synagogue and the different people who worshipped there.

We are very fortunate to be working with illustrator Jonathon Scott Fuqua, whose intricate (and historically accurate) watercolors bring the story to life. This beautiful picture book will enchant both kids and adults. Here’s how the story opens:

Long before your grandparents’ grandparents were babies, before they walked or talked or tied their own shoes, I was built with shovel and pail, hammer and nail, brick and stone.

Long before skyscrapers were built or cars were invented, back when people traveled by horse and carriage, I rose from the ground.

I was a synagogue, new and proud.

And here are a few more of Scott’s wonderful watercolors:

Intrigued? The book will be published in early 2011, and will be available online and in the Museum Shop.

Once Upon a Time...

Once Upon a Time 8.13.2010

The Baltimore Jewish Times publishes unidentified photographs from the collection of Jewish Museum of Maryland each week. If you can identify anyone in these photos and more information about them, contact Jobi Zink, Senior Collections Manager and Registrar at 410.732.6400 x226 or jzink@jewishmuseummd.org.

Date run in Baltimore Jewish Times:8/13/10

PastPerfect Accession #: 2009.033.013

Status: Unidentified. Men meeting in a Boardroom. Jerry Frankle is on the left. All others are unidentified.

Reaching Out to New Audiences

A blog post by education director Deborah Cardin.

Alzheimer’s disease, a form of dementia, is a fatal brain disorder in which certain types of nerve cells in particular areas of the brain degenerate and die. Individuals who suffer from this disease often have such difficulty remembering things and completing familiar tasks that daily routines often become impaired. Because of these challenges, many people withdraw from family members and friends, and sometimes even stop engaging in hobbies and participating in social activities.

Several years ago, the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) developed Meet Me At MOMA, an educational program specifically designed for people with Alzheimer’s and their caregivers as a means of providing individuals with a forum for learning about art and creative expression in a nurturing environment. Recognizing the value of this program for making art accessible to individuals with disabilities throughout the country, MOMA has created a nationwide initiative that seeks to replicate this model in other communities. (To learn more about MOMA’s program, check out http://www.moma.org/docs/learn)

Over the summer, JMM staff members were approached by staff from the local chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association about participating in a pilot program in Baltimore that seeks to replicate MOMA’s highly acclaimed program series. After much discussion about what kinds of programs we might be able to offer (as well as, admittedly, some apprehension about working with a population that we knew little about), we eagerly jumped on board with hopes of sharing our exhibitions and educational programs with a new audience. My intrepid colleague Elena Rosemond-Hoerr offered to spearhead this new initiative by developing programs and coordinating tours.

On November 5, Carol Wynn from the Alzheimer’s Association led a training workshop for JMM staff and volunteers to give us background on the disease and to share insight as to what we might expect during the programs. As she distributed fact sheets with information and warning signs (to learn about the 10 warning signs of the disease, check out http://www.alz.org/alzheimers_disease_know_the_10_signs.asp), she also answered questions and made suggestions for leading tours that would be inclusive and welcoming. One thing Carol repeatedly stressed is that the participants in our programs are experiencing early on-set Alzheimer’s disease and are still able to function to certain degrees in their jobs and daily activities. (To learn more about the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Maryland, visit: http://www.alz.org/maryland/)

For our first program on November 15, Elena created a two-part program making use of our special exhibition, A Blessing To One Another: Pope John Paul II and the Jewish People. She started with an exhibition tour. While the group was smaller than expected, this actually proved advantageous and it lent a very intimate feel to the tour.


While participants seemed a bit shy initially, as the tour progressed, it became clear that many in the group were touched by various photographs and artifacts, particularly in the last section of the exhibit that explores Pope John Paul II’s visit to Israel. Two of the members of the group reminisced about a recent visit to Israel where they stood on Mt. Nebo at the same spot where the Pope stood and delivered an address during his trip.


The second part of the program was more interactive and participants had the opportunity to play a version of the game “Jeopardy” with questions geared towards the exhibition. Participants called out categories (“Early Childhood for $200, please”) and answered questions based on what they had seen. It was fun to see the competition heat up as participants raced to get their hands in the air and call out the answers. The program ended with participants sharing new things that they had learned about Pope John Paul II.


Bringing JMM programs and resources to new and often underserved audiences is an ongoing effort. We are grateful to Carol Wynn and the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Maryland for reaching out to us as partner in the exciting new initiative. We look forward to our next program which will take place this spring (one idea is to bring in artist Lorning Cornish for a morning of mosaic-making!) and to creating an established program series at the JMM.

Check out "Cookbooks: An Addendum"

New post on our sister blog "Chosen Food" - a follow up to Karen Falk's Jewish Cookbooks post!

CHANUKAH! ALMOST HERE! A GLORIOUS TIME OF THE YEAR!

A blog post by shop manager Esther Weiner.

Four weeks from today, Wednesday, December 1, 2010, the Hebrew date is Kislev 24; we light the first candle for Chanukah! What a special time of the year…if you think about it this way, and prior to December 1, the Jewish people all over the world get out their own special Chanukiah, polish them up, (if needed) insert the first candle, light the Shamesh, say the bracha, (prayer), and light the first candle! It gives me a very warm, fuzzy and special feeling that next door, down the hall, across town, in the next city, in the adjoining state, criss-crossing the country, over the ocean, and around the world, Jews are doing the same thing that you and I are doing. Sort of like joining hands and spanning the world.

I like the feeling. I love the songs we sing, and the foods we eat. The latkes, all kinds—potato, zucchini, sweet potato (yes, I make them too), and yummy doughnuts.

Esther demonstrates latke making at the Museum.

The gifts that have come to be exchanged between close friends and families are special too. In our family, we try to keep that under control and not get out of hand—but, heck, Chanukah comes but once a year!

Now for Chanukiot, that’s a special topic with me…I adore the variety of pieces that are available today! And as the buyer for the Museum Shop of the Jewish Museum of Maryland I get to indulge in choosing some really special pieces for the shop. I’m like a kid in a candy shop, picking out a wonderful variety for those visitors to the JMM. You’ll see some of the pictures here on my blog.

The grand Chanukiah made of small pieces of Jerusalem stone and made in Israel, the gorgeous Chanukiot made of stone with crystal candle holders, each holder has a holographic picture inside. I love the Tamara Baskin glass curved piece with the hills of Jerusalem, it’s so colorful! How about the funky Chanukiah—the double-wing airplane, the black steel motorcycle with the driver, the school bus? The perennial favorite is back, the high heel shoe Chanukiah, the Karen Rossi Family Chanukiah, the red-wire convertible, the brass klezmer piece? Oh so many…you have to come down and see for yourself!

Oh, I almost forgot to mention the magnificent selection of candles to grace your Chanukiah, hand-picked in an assortment of colors to suit everyone.

Did I say I love this time of the year? Come on down to the JMM, check out our shop and celebrate this special time of the year with us…ask for Esther, but then, everyone will be happy to have you visit our museum!

It's that time again: WINTERNSHIPS!

Internships Available this WINTER/SPRING:

Photography Intern:

The Jewish Museum of Maryland seeks a qualified candidate for an interdisciplinary internship. The intern will be responsible for photographing events and collections, processing and editing Internal Archive photos, handling and processing the photographic collection, managing online photographic efforts, and contributing to the JMM online presence.

Applicants should be interested in creating, processing, and preserving photography. Previous museum experience is not required. This internship is part time with flexible hours, beginning in October. This internship is unpaid and may be used for academic credit, with the approval of your institution. Free parking is provided. Housing is not provided.

Please send a cover letter, resume or CV, and three references (two of which must be academic or professional) to Rachel Kassman, Photo Archivist, Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore MD 21202 or to rkassman@jewishmuseummd.org. Please include "Photography Intern" in your subject line. Application deadline is December 15, 2010.

Editorial Exhibition Intern:

The Jewish Museum of Maryland seeks a qualified intern to assist in the exhibitions department. The Editorial Exhibition intern will be responsible for researching and writing for the Chosen Food exhibition blog and managing image content for the exhibition flickr page. The intern will work with a variety of primary and secondary source materials, including oral histories, archival manuscripts, historic and contemporary photographs as well as books and published papers to accomplish his/her responsibilities.

Previous museum experience is not required. This internship may be used for academic credit. Start date and hours are flexible; some hours may be completed off-site. Free parking is provided.

Please send a cover letter, resume, 3 references and a short writing sample to Ms. Rachel Kassman, Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 or email: rkassman@jewishmuseummd.org. Please include "Editorial Exhibition Intern" in the subject line. Application deadline is December 15th, 2010.

Education and Programming Intern:

The Jewish Museum of Maryland seeks a passionate and qualified intern to join the Education and Programming departments. The intern will be responsible for participating in the creative and logistical efforts of the departments. This includes, but is not limited to, leading tours and facilitating groups, writing lesson plans, creating dynamic programming, contributing to the Museum's online presence, and attending workshops and lectures.

Applicants should be interested in museum education, public programs, and visitor services. Previous museum experience is not required. This internship is part time with flexible hours, a minimum of 60 hours between September and December. This internship is unpaid and may be used for academic credit, with the approval of your institution. Free parking is provided. Housing is not provided.

Please send a cover letter stating your intent and why you are interested in the JMM, a resume or CV, and three references (at least two of which must be academic or professional to Elena Rosemond-Hoerr, Education and Programming Coordinator, Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore MD 21202 or to erosemondhoerr@jewishmuseummd.org. Please include "Education and Programming Intern" in your subject line. Applications will be accepted immediately or until the position is filled.

Development Intern:

The Jewish Museum of Maryland seeks a qualified intern to assist in the development department. The Development Intern will be responsible for assisting with data quality control, prospect research, grants management, event coordination and museum mailings.

Applicants should be interested in the business and administration aspects of the cultural arts. Previous museum experience is not required. This internship is full time and 10 weeks long, with a flexible start date. This internship can be used for academic credit. Stipends will be awarded, but will not offset the cost of living in Baltimore. Free parking is provided. Housing is not provided.

Please send a cover letter, resume and list of three references to Ms. Rachel Kassman, Development Coordinator, Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore MD 21202 or to rkassman@jewishmuseummd.org. Please include “JMM Development Intern” in your subject line. Application deadline is December 15th, 2010.

Collections Intern:

The Jewish Museum of Maryland seeks a qualified intern to assist in the Collections Department to work on general collections management projects. Tasks include, but are not limited to: cataloging new donations and loans, processing archival collections, object photography, data entry, digitizing photographic collections, artifact handling, and indexing and/or transcribing oral histories.

Interested students should be working toward a degree in history, art history, material culture, Jewish studies, museum studies, or archival science. Previous museum or gallery experience is not required. “Winternship” will run 4 weeks and can begin 1 December 2010. This internship can be used for academic credit.

Please send a cover letter, resume, availability and list of three references to Ms. Jobi Zink, Sr. Collections Manager, Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore MD 21202 or to jzink@jewishmuseummd.org. Please include “Collections Intern” in your subject line. Applications reviewed as received.

Exhibition Intern (I):

The Jewish Museum of Maryland seeks a qualified intern to assist in the Collections and Exhibitions department to work on an upcoming exhibition, Chosen Food: Cuisine, Culture and Jewish Identity. The exhibition intern will be responsible for exhibition research, compiling and updating exhibition notebook, conducting and/or transcribing oral histories, cataloging new donations and loans, data entry, and artifact handling.

Interested students should be working toward a degree in history, art history, material culture, Jewish studies, museum studies, or archival science. Previous museum or gallery experience is not required. Strong organizational skills are a plus. “Winternship” will run 4 weeks and can begin 1 December 2010. This internship can be used for academic credit.

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, availability and list of three references to Ms. Karen Falk, Curator, Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore MD 21202 or to kfalk@jewishmuseummd.org. Please include “Exhibition Intern” in your subject line. Applications reviewed as received.

Exhibition Intern (II):

The Jewish Museum of Maryland seeks a qualified intern to assist in the Collections and Exhibitions department to work on an upcoming off-site exhibition, Levindale. The exhibition intern will be responsible for exhibition research, compiling and updating exhibition notebook, conducting and/or transcribing oral histories, scanning photographs, data entry, and artifact handling.

Interested students should be working toward a degree in history, art history, material culture, Jewish studies, museum studies, or archival science. Previous museum or gallery experience is not required. Strong organizational skills are a plus. “Winternship” will run 4 weeks and can begin 1 December 2010. This internship can be used for academic credit.

To apply, please send a cover letter, resume, availability and list of three references to Ms. Jobi Zink, Sr. Collections Manager, Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore MD 21202 or to kfalk@jewishmuseummd.org. Please include “Exhibition Intern” in your subject line. Applications reviewed as received.

JMM Archives Intern:

The Jewish Museum of Maryland seeks a qualified intern to assist in the museum archives. The Archives Intern will be responsible for cataloging archival documents, and processing manuscript collections. Processing involves organizing archival collections and writing documents that help researchers locate materials within the collection. Duties may also include digitizing parts of archival collections.

Interested students should be working toward a degree in history, art history, material culture, Jewish studies, museum studies, or library science. Previous museum or library experience is not required. “Winternship” will run 4 weeks and can begin 1 December 2010.This internship can be used for academic credit.

Please send a cover letter, resume, availability and list of three references to Ms. Jennifer Vess, Archivist, Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd Street, Baltimore MD 21202 or to jvess@jewishmuseummd.org. Please include “JMM Archives Intern” in your subject line. Applications will be reviewed as received.

Check out "Cookbooks: Jewish DIY Manuals" at the Chosen Food blog!

Hop over to our sister blog, Chosen Food, to read Curator Karen Falk's newest post on Jewish Cookbooks!


"I got married in 1977. Those were the days of the Jewish Catalog (four volumes of D-I-Y Judaism perfect for the Aquarians whose Hebrew school education had failed) and a back-to-our-roots itch that just had to be scratched. My groom and I had decided we would be keeping kosher, and when our families on both sides finished freaking out, they gifted us a small pile of kosher cookbooks. New ones. As far as I know, there were no family heirloom kosher cookbooks in the kitchens of our parents or grandparents..."

Barry's Blog

A blog by Dr. Barry Lever. Follow the links for the first post and second post in this series.

Our search to learn more about the individuals whose marriage the Golombek Ketubah records now moves beyond the walls of the Jewish Museum Maryland. Accompanied by, JMM Summer Intern and my research partner, Ephraim Harel we travel to the Edward C. Papenfuse Maryland State Archives in Annapolis, Maryland.

The Maryland State Archives, exterior (above) and interior (below).

Images courtesy of the MSA website.

For anyone interested in Maryland History this is the mother-lode where all prospecting begins. After registering and completing a request form we patiently wait until a very knowledge staff member directs us to the records that we hope will reveal our subjects by their complete English Names.

Since the Golombek Ketubah established the Hebrew date of the marriage as the 11th day of Tammuz, 5605, in the City of Baltimore, we know that corresponding English date was Wednesday, July 16, 1845. Our first request therefore was a search of the marriage licenses of the Baltimore County Court from 1839-1846 which are kept on microfilm.

At times copies of microfilm documents are very hard to clearly reproduce, but we were fortunate that the page shown below is relatively legible.


The headings at the top of this microfilmed page, reading left to right, denote the columns below them in the following manner:

“when (the license) granted” “No.” “Males” and Females” “Minister” “1845” “month day”

As we look down these columns we discover that on July 14, 1845 (license) No. 273 was granted to Wolf Solden and Teressa Habal.

It was when we had this document that we discovered that groom’s name was not Golden, as it had originally been read from the signature on the Golombek Ketubah, but rather Solden, and his bride’s full English name was finally revealed.

The last column on the page corresponding to the heading “Minister,” also notes the name of an individual, Ansell, who this records seems to indicate will be the individual who will officiate at the ceremony that was held two days later.

This is first time the name Ansell appears in relation to this marriage. Our next blog will explore more about who these individuals were and about their lives.

Once Upon a Time...

Once Upon a Time 8.6.2010

The Baltimore Jewish Times publishes unidentified photographs from the collection of Jewish Museum of Maryland each week. If you can identify anyone in these photos and more information about them, contact Jobi Zink, Senior Collections Manager and Registrar at 410.732.6400 x226 or jzink@jewishmuseummd.org.

Date run in Baltimore Jewish Times: 8/6/10

PastPerfect Accession #: 2007.055.010.008

Status: Partially Identified. Members of the Brandeis University National Women's Committee. L-R 1. 2. Ruthie Caplan or Rhea Wolf Offit 3. Ruthie Caplan (he said 2nd, but mentioned flower) or Anne Offit 4. Barbara Blaustein Hirschhorn or Sonia Schnaper, or Jeanne Schlessberg 5. Mayor/Governor Theodore McKeldin 6. Chloris Mechanic or Annie Waskins 7. Unidentified 8. unidentified 9. Flora Rosenbloom 10. Unidentified


Special thanks to: Alvin Diamond, Micki Kamanitz, Hirsh Goldberg, Anonymous, Mark Rosenfeld, Dr. Robert Fleischman, Mr. Wolfson, Evelyn Morrison, Sema Sherr, Ed Fraiman, Barry Hyman, Mrs. Singer, anonymous, Judy Silverson, Harvey Lempberg, Joan Jacob, Bruce Levy, Sonia Taylor, Janet & Paul Kramer, Betty Seidel, Estelle Holzman, Phil Shapiro, JoAnn Orlinsky, Morris Offit, Stanley Fine, Janie Weinstein, Fred Shoken, Bunny Maggid, Shel Sibert, John Sondheim, Ann Scheinberg, Harry Zemel, George Rosenstock, Jackie Meyers, Bernie Raynor, Allan Bloomberg

Fall Programming at the JMM!

A blogpost by education director Ilene Dackman-Alon.

In September, the work week was so sketchy with short work weeks due to the fall Jewish holidays. When I arrived at work the other day, I had a feeling similar to when I was young during the first week of school. The first week of school was always so exciting filled with new friends, new opportunities and new beginnings. I guess I am feeling this way as I am excited about the JMM’s upcoming program calendar filled with something for everyone both young and old.


On Friday, 8 October, we began this season’s Tot Shabbat programs. Tot Shabbat programs are geared for downtown families with very young children. Young children, along with their parents, caregivers and grandparents were actively engaged in songs, stories and a challah snack all in connection with the Sabbath. This program is co-sponsored by the JMM and the JCC’s Beyond the Borders", a program which is funded by The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education. Later in October, the Druid Hill Park celebrated its 150th year and the JMM sponsored bus trips to the park - Druid Hill Park- Nostalgia and Beyond. Barry Kessler, former JMM curator will give a behind the scenes tour of Druid Hill Park as it is and as it was. Barry will speak about how the park served the Jewish community from the 1920’s until 1960 and what those memories means to the Jewish collective conscience; as well as talk about the new efforts to bring the park back to its former glory.


In connection wit the JMM’s newest exhibition, A Blessing to One Another: Pope John Paul II and the Jewish People, the JMM is proud to present programming that highlight interfaith dialog and study. This year’s Sadie B. Feldman Family Lecture featured Father John Pawlikowski, professor of ethics and the director of the Catholic-Jewish Studies program at the Catholic Theological Union. Fr. Pawlikowski delivered a lecture in commemoration of the 45th anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the historic declaration on the relationship of the Catholic Church to non-Christian religions.


I am also eager and anxious to continue with weekly my visits to Patterson High School, a large Baltimore City Public School and continue to work on the JMM’s latest educational initiative, Student Immigration Stories. The SIS program is just one of the Museum’s many education programs and this one fulfills our mission – to teach about Baltimore’s history as a haven for immigrants and refugees in the past and present. The JMM has developed a wonderful relationship with this school and we are working specifically with Ms. Sally Franklin’s ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) class and Jennifer Zunikoff, a professional storyteller in the area. This particular initiative looks at contemporary immigration to Baltimore.

The students participating in the project are learning how to craft their personal immigration stories with the help of the storyteller. The power of the first-person narrative makes this program a compelling educational experience. With the help of facilitated questions, and the use of visualization and guided imagery, these techniques help the students formulate their personal stories as well as provide opportunities for the students to learn from their classmates.

The goal of the Student Immigration Stories program is to address the needs in schools whose student populations are rapidly diversifying due to an influx of immigrants from different countries. Many school administrators describe a general atmosphere of unease at schools where there is a large immigrant population and where the student body at large demonstrates a lack of tolerance or willingness to accept students from foreign countries. It is the hope this program will serve as a forum for students to gain understanding and acceptance of their fellow students.


The weekly visits are very powerful and it is a humbling experience to listen to the students describe their lives in their native countries. During our last session, Jennifer (the storyteller), asked the students these questions. “If you could bring one thing from your native country to Baltimore- what would it be? And if you could bring one thing from Baltimore back home to your native country what would it be? The students’ answers were amazing. Some of the students from Nepal said that they wanted to bring the lushness of the jungle and the majestic Mt. Everest to Baltimore. Some of the students from Central America said that they would bring our law enforcement system, Patterson High School along with their beloved teacher, Ms. Franklin back to their native countries of El Salvador, Honduras and the Dominican Republic.


The power of the first-person narrative makes this an especially compelling educational experience. I listen to these students in the class and I am blown away by the courage and strength of the students to share their intimate stories. Their stories allow me to be transported to different countries and places all over the world. Their personal stories allow me to find connections and a common ground with each of the students. It is the hope that the students in the schools will also find common ground and connections with these students who share their stories of immigration.


It’s going to be an exciting programming season at the JMM- LET THE PROGRAMS BEGIN!