Dear Friends,
Put on your party clothes and head down to the Museum for our fourth annual Purim Pandemonium party on Saturday night from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. This year’s theme, Mystery! Suspense! Danger! A Night in Noir, is inspired by legendary Noir films like The Maltese Falcon and Double Indemnity. The festivities will include DJ dance music, refreshments, and an open bar. Tickets are $20 at the door. The sidewalks are sanded and the streets are finally plowed so you’ll be able to find plenty of free parking.
FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY
We’re continuing to gear up for our Fiftieth Anniversary commemorations and festivities. Simone Ellin is working on plans for the rededication of the Lloyd Street Synagogue, and publicity for the 50th anniversary celebration, related programs, and exhibitions. The Baltimore Jewish Times and WYPR-FM have signed on as media sponsors for the 50th anniversary year. I’ve been invited for an interview on Maryland Morning with Sheilah Kast during the week of 15 March, when I’ll talk about the upcoming Synagogue Speaks exhibition. The development of the JMM’s new website continues, and the site will likely launch in the beginning of March just in time for the kick-off of 50th anniversary festivities.
This past week Jobi Zink worked with consultant Jayne Guberman to prepare for the “Telling Time” oral history training scheduled for noon to 4 on Sunday at the Museum. Forty people have signed up so far. “Telling Time” is a major oral history initiative in honor of the Museum’s fiftieth anniversary. Volunteer interviewers will help us collect fifty interviews in 2010. The completed interviews will become a permanent part of the Museum’s archive.
EXHIBITIONS
On-site fabrication of The Synagogue Speaks in the lower level of the Lloyd Street Synagogue began this week. Xibitz, a local fabrication firm, constructed most of the (beautiful) exhibitry and cabinetry in their shop, so we anticipate that installation will go quickly. It’s very exciting to see things take shape after years of research and preparation! Responses are pouring in for our re-opening events at the LSS from members, benefactors, volunteers, colleagues, community leaders, and public officials. We are looking forward to the kick-off for our Anniversary year.
Although planning for the Chosen Food exhibition continues at a steady rate, we officially closed the books on the NEH Planning Grant that supported this phase of the project by submitting our final narrative and financial reports. We also took our first “refrigerator portrait” on location, photographing the stocked fridge of Liala H., who insists “this is only half full since I’m not cooking for Shabbos dinner—only for lunch—this week.” Her freezer was also bulging, filled with home-baked rugelah she will be giving out for Purim shalach manos.
Karen Falk picked up loaned artwork from the Special Collections division of the Goucher College Library for the exhibition Nancy Patz: Her Inward Eye, opening 18 April.
PROGRAMS AND EDUCATION
On Sunday 21 February, the JMM welcomed Harvard Professor Elisa New to speak about her recent publication, Jacob’s Cane, a memoir of her family’s journey from Lithuania to Baltimore and London. Trustee Sarah Manekin delivered greetings on behalf of the JMM to a crowd of 40 people. The program was co-sponsored with the Baltimore Museum of Industry.
On Friday, the JCC and the JMM partnered for a Hands-On Holiday program for Purim, geared for downtown families of very young children. Young children, along with their parents, caregivers, and grandparents were actively engaged in craft activities, songs, and stories in connection with the upcoming festival. Hands-On Holiday programs and Tot Shabbat programs are part of the JCC's program, “JCC Beyond the Borders” funded by the The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education.
After two weeks of canceled group visits due to the snow, it was wonderful to see groups back in the Museum. On Sunday, 21 February, a group of Russian teens toured our historic synagogues. Fifth graders from Callaway Elementary (Baltimore City) visited on Tuesday, 23 February. In the morning they toured the Reginald F. Lewis Museum and then participated in an Introduction to Judaism program at the JMM in the afternoon. On Thursday, 25 February, 8th graders from Maiden Choice, a Baltimore County public school for students with special needs, visited for an Introduction to Judaism program and a tour of Voices of Lombard Street. We are working hard to reschedule many of the groups that had to cancel because of school closings and delays.
On Wednesday, 24 February, students participating in the “Lessons of the Shoah” high school interfaith program had the opportunity to listen to Holocaust survivor Leo Bretholtz, who described his incredible experiences in Austria, France, Belgium, and Switzerland during the Holocaust. They also heard from David Walczak, who shared the experiences of his parents who joined the partisans during the Holocaust. For many students and parents, this was their first opportunity to hear firsthand testimony from a Holocaust survivor.
In spite of the snowy weather, the JMM Speakers Bureau, sponsored by Attman’s Delicatessen, has been very active. Harvey Schwartz, JMM docent and Fort McHenry volunteer, presented The Jews of Fort McHenry to a Baltimore Lodge of B’nai Brith. On Sunday, 20 February, Esther Weiner presented her talk, The Jewish Kitchen: A Link Between the Generations, to 25 members of the Bet Aviv Men’s Club in Columbia. The topic so intrigued a non-member that she came to hear the talk and join in the conversation. The audience was very engaged in the presentation, interrupting frequently to add to what turned out to be an interesting and moving discussion. Esther reports that this was one of the most warmly and enthusiastically received presentations she’s ever given.
ADVOCACY
Deborah Cardin attended an Appropriations subcommittee hearing on Monday, 22 February in support of educational funding. Many thanks to Baltimore Museum of Industry Executive Director (and JMM trustee), Roland Woodward for providing testimony on behalf of the Greater Baltimore History Alliance museums at this hearing.
Next Tuesday 2 March, from 5 to 8 p.m., is Annapolis Advocacy day for the Maryland Jewish Community. Advocates will hear from Gov. O’Malley and Lt. Gov. Brown and meet with state legislators. This is a wonderful way to make your views known to our leaders in Annapolis. To register of for more information visit www.baltjc.org or phone 410/542-4850.
INTERNS
We welcomed two new student interns this week. Douglas Winters and Kyle Wittman are volunteering in the Education and Program department. They are both juniors at Loyola University where they are majoring in Christian theology and world religions.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Lauren Silberman attended the Small Museum Association Annual Conference in Ocean City. After serving for two years on the Conference Committee, Lauren has been elected to the SMA Board. The conference was a big success with more than 200 attendees.
LEADERSHIP
The JMM Board of Trustees, chaired by President David Liebman, convened on Monday for its quarterly meeting. A highlight of the meeting was a presentation on the Museum Shop by our estimable shop manager, Esther Weiner. She even made a couple of sales!
On Thursday, 25 February, the Board Development Committee, chaired by Past President Jim Rothschild, met to prepare a slate of nominations for the FY11 Board.
The Museum has had the privilege of participating in an Organizational Review sponsored by the Associated. This rigorous self-study process has proven to be productive and enlightening, and we are grateful to the staff and lay leadership of the Associated for providing this opportunity and sharing their wise counsel.
Best wishes for a (warm and sunny?) weekend.
Anita
Showing posts with label weekly report. Show all posts
Showing posts with label weekly report. Show all posts
Friday, February 26, 2010
Friday, February 19, 2010
Weekly Report 2.19.10
Dear Friends,
After a week of terrible storms, it was great to get back to work without major interruptions this week. Planning and preparation for our 50th Anniversary programs continues apace. This week, we began installation of The Synagogue Speaks exhibition in the lower level of Lloyd Street Synagogue, and we are moving ahead with the preview and opening programs at the restored landmark.
I am saddened to announce the imminent departure of our distinguished program and education coordinator, Lauren Silberman, who has accepted a position as coordinator for the Museum Assessment Program at the American Association of Museums in Washington, DC. During her nearly seven years with the JMM, Lauren has made numerous contributions, which will stand us in good stead for years to come. We wish her every success and satisfaction in her new position, but we will miss her and her many gifts. Here are other highlights:
LEADERSHIP: We were delighted to host Jewish Times publisher Andrew Buerger, community leader Miriam Winder Kelly, and community historian Wayne Schaumburg at our monthly Leadership Luncheon. Trustee Ira Askin hosted the luncheon. As usual, this was a lively and engaged conversation. Our thanks to our distinguished guests.
The JMM Program Committee, chaired by Carol Glusman, met on Tuesday evening to discuss possibilities for core programs on Maryland Jewish history, and the JMM Development Committee, co-chaired by Robert Keehn and Richard Shatzkin, met on Wednesday evening to plan for FY11 fundraising. Our thanks to our trustees for their commitment and leadership.
OTHER GUESTS: On Sunday 14 February, members of the Downtown Jewish Family Network participated in their monthly family program at the JMM. The downtown families learned about the life of Ida Rehr, a Ukrainian immigrant who came to Baltimore, through the Leo V. Berger's Immigrant Trunk presentation. Families had the opportunity to look through the Voices of Lombard Street exhibit, sings songs and participate in hands-on activities. Also this past Sunday, Michael Lisicky spoke at the JMM about his recent publication, Hutzlers: Where Baltimore Shops. Trustee Duke Zimmerman offered greetings to the audience of 65 people and spoke about our upcoming re-dedication of the Lloyd Street Synagogue, the opening of The Synagogue Speaks exhibition, and the JMM's Anniversary. On Monday the 15th, 45 people attended a brunch birthday party rental in the Museum lobby.
UPCOMING PROGRAM: This Sunday 21 February, Harvard professor Elisa New speaks about her new book, Jacob’s Cane, which traces the journeys of two family patriarchs, great-grandfather Jacob Levy and great-great-uncle Bernhard Baron who emigrated from the Baltic states, met in Baltimore, and became friends before later turning into bitter rivals. This engrossing memoir/family history vivifies the successes and tragedies of a memorable clan. Co-Sponsored with Baltimore Museum of Industry.
BMI and JMM Members: Free! Non-Members: $8 (includes JMM admission).
For reservations contact Ilene Dackman-Alon, Program Director, at 410.732.6400 x214 or idackmanalon@jewishmuseummd.org.
MILESTONE: Our Once Upon a Time feature in the Jewish Times, managed by Jobi Zink, turned three this week! Thanks to all of our wonderful members and Jewish Times subscribers for calling in week after week with the identifications of the people in the photographs. And to answer the question most frequently asked, YES! People do call in every week to identify the photos. In fact two-thirds of all of the photos have been at least partially identified through this JMM/JT collaboration. The "answers" to the identifications are posted on the JMM blog and website. The information is also added to our database to assist researchers in the future. Interested in seeing more? Enter your search term (name, shul, club) into our on-line database and see what comes up. Or, make an appointment to come to the Museum and view the photographs in person. Want to help identify photos on a regular basis? We need volunteers to help describe the photos in our collection. Contact Ilene Cohen, JMM Volunteer Coordinator, icohen@jewishmuseummd.org or 410-732-6400 ext. 217.
OUTREACH: On Sunday 14 February, Jeanette Parmigiani and Deborah Cardin brought a group of students and their parents to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum to tour the permanent exhibition. The group included participants in Lessons of the Shoah, our high school interfaith program that brings together Catholic and Jewish students in an effort to promote dialogue and understanding.
Curator Karen Falk and Senior Collections Manager Jobi Zink shipped our exhibition, Drawing on Tradition: The Book of Esther, to the Yeshiva University Museum in New York, where it will be on view this spring at the YUM galleries in the Center for Jewish History. As part of our Attman’s Deli Speakers Bureau, Curator Karen Falk gave a powerpoint presentation on Queen Esther to residents at Weinberg Woods.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: Program Director Ilene Dackman-Alon attended "Knit One Learn Two" at Chizuk Amuno Congregation led by Melton educator Judy Meltzer. On Thursday 18 February, Education Director Deborah Cardin testified before a House of Delegates Appropriations subcommittee on behalf of educational funding that the JMM receives annually through the Maryland State Department of Education. The JMM uses the funding that we receive from the State to subsidize educational programs and resources for Maryland public school students.
Curator Karen Falk spent time this week on our next exhibition, featuring the work of artist Nancy Patz. Karen also spent time on our Chosen Food exhibition project, submitting a formal loan request to Goucher College, planning the framing of unframed Patz artworks, overseeing the production of design renderings for Chosen Food, and working with website developers on getting the Chosen Food website up and running. I was invited to serve on the Faculty Advisory Committee for the Johns Hopkins Program in Museums and Society for 2010-12.
Best wishes to everyone for a peaceful Sabbath and restful winter weekend.
Avi
After a week of terrible storms, it was great to get back to work without major interruptions this week. Planning and preparation for our 50th Anniversary programs continues apace. This week, we began installation of The Synagogue Speaks exhibition in the lower level of Lloyd Street Synagogue, and we are moving ahead with the preview and opening programs at the restored landmark.
I am saddened to announce the imminent departure of our distinguished program and education coordinator, Lauren Silberman, who has accepted a position as coordinator for the Museum Assessment Program at the American Association of Museums in Washington, DC. During her nearly seven years with the JMM, Lauren has made numerous contributions, which will stand us in good stead for years to come. We wish her every success and satisfaction in her new position, but we will miss her and her many gifts. Here are other highlights:
LEADERSHIP: We were delighted to host Jewish Times publisher Andrew Buerger, community leader Miriam Winder Kelly, and community historian Wayne Schaumburg at our monthly Leadership Luncheon. Trustee Ira Askin hosted the luncheon. As usual, this was a lively and engaged conversation. Our thanks to our distinguished guests.
The JMM Program Committee, chaired by Carol Glusman, met on Tuesday evening to discuss possibilities for core programs on Maryland Jewish history, and the JMM Development Committee, co-chaired by Robert Keehn and Richard Shatzkin, met on Wednesday evening to plan for FY11 fundraising. Our thanks to our trustees for their commitment and leadership.
OTHER GUESTS: On Sunday 14 February, members of the Downtown Jewish Family Network participated in their monthly family program at the JMM. The downtown families learned about the life of Ida Rehr, a Ukrainian immigrant who came to Baltimore, through the Leo V. Berger's Immigrant Trunk presentation. Families had the opportunity to look through the Voices of Lombard Street exhibit, sings songs and participate in hands-on activities. Also this past Sunday, Michael Lisicky spoke at the JMM about his recent publication, Hutzlers: Where Baltimore Shops. Trustee Duke Zimmerman offered greetings to the audience of 65 people and spoke about our upcoming re-dedication of the Lloyd Street Synagogue, the opening of The Synagogue Speaks exhibition, and the JMM's Anniversary. On Monday the 15th, 45 people attended a brunch birthday party rental in the Museum lobby.
UPCOMING PROGRAM: This Sunday 21 February, Harvard professor Elisa New speaks about her new book, Jacob’s Cane, which traces the journeys of two family patriarchs, great-grandfather Jacob Levy and great-great-uncle Bernhard Baron who emigrated from the Baltic states, met in Baltimore, and became friends before later turning into bitter rivals. This engrossing memoir/family history vivifies the successes and tragedies of a memorable clan. Co-Sponsored with Baltimore Museum of Industry.
BMI and JMM Members: Free! Non-Members: $8 (includes JMM admission).
For reservations contact Ilene Dackman-Alon, Program Director, at 410.732.6400 x214 or idackmanalon@jewishmuseummd.org.
MILESTONE: Our Once Upon a Time feature in the Jewish Times, managed by Jobi Zink, turned three this week! Thanks to all of our wonderful members and Jewish Times subscribers for calling in week after week with the identifications of the people in the photographs. And to answer the question most frequently asked, YES! People do call in every week to identify the photos. In fact two-thirds of all of the photos have been at least partially identified through this JMM/JT collaboration. The "answers" to the identifications are posted on the JMM blog and website. The information is also added to our database to assist researchers in the future. Interested in seeing more? Enter your search term (name, shul, club) into our on-line database and see what comes up. Or, make an appointment to come to the Museum and view the photographs in person. Want to help identify photos on a regular basis? We need volunteers to help describe the photos in our collection. Contact Ilene Cohen, JMM Volunteer Coordinator, icohen@jewishmuseummd.org or 410-732-6400 ext. 217.
OUTREACH: On Sunday 14 February, Jeanette Parmigiani and Deborah Cardin brought a group of students and their parents to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum to tour the permanent exhibition. The group included participants in Lessons of the Shoah, our high school interfaith program that brings together Catholic and Jewish students in an effort to promote dialogue and understanding.
Curator Karen Falk and Senior Collections Manager Jobi Zink shipped our exhibition, Drawing on Tradition: The Book of Esther, to the Yeshiva University Museum in New York, where it will be on view this spring at the YUM galleries in the Center for Jewish History. As part of our Attman’s Deli Speakers Bureau, Curator Karen Falk gave a powerpoint presentation on Queen Esther to residents at Weinberg Woods.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: Program Director Ilene Dackman-Alon attended "Knit One Learn Two" at Chizuk Amuno Congregation led by Melton educator Judy Meltzer. On Thursday 18 February, Education Director Deborah Cardin testified before a House of Delegates Appropriations subcommittee on behalf of educational funding that the JMM receives annually through the Maryland State Department of Education. The JMM uses the funding that we receive from the State to subsidize educational programs and resources for Maryland public school students.
Curator Karen Falk spent time this week on our next exhibition, featuring the work of artist Nancy Patz. Karen also spent time on our Chosen Food exhibition project, submitting a formal loan request to Goucher College, planning the framing of unframed Patz artworks, overseeing the production of design renderings for Chosen Food, and working with website developers on getting the Chosen Food website up and running. I was invited to serve on the Faculty Advisory Committee for the Johns Hopkins Program in Museums and Society for 2010-12.
Best wishes to everyone for a peaceful Sabbath and restful winter weekend.
Avi
Friday, February 12, 2010
Weekly Report: 2.12.10
Dear Friends,
I hope you’ve kept warm and cozy during this long, snowy week. We’ve managed to get into the Museum today for the first time since Tuesday. Nonetheless, it’s been a fairly productive week—a testament to the dedication of the staff and the virtues of telecommuting. As they say, after all, the show must go on.
Speaking of which, Hutzlers: Where Baltimore Shops, our booksigning event with author Michael Lisicky, (rescheduled after last week’s blizzard) will go forward this Sunday 14 February at 2 p.m. Parking will be available in the public lot across from the Museum. If you have questions or would like to make reservations, please contact Ilene Dackman-Alon (idackmanalon@jewishmuseummd.org or 410-732-6400, ext. 214).
Karen Falk reports that she kept her interns busy with internet research this week: Richard Conlan is looking for images of food in the “old country” for the Chosen Food exhibition, and Aden Weisel is assigned to help get our Chosen Food microsite up and running. Aden spent time (in between internet outages) looking for websites that might help us drive traffic to our site once it is online. Karen continued to refine the designs of both the Chosen Food exhibition and Nancy Patz: Her Inward Eye (opening in March), and developed interpretive panels for Patz exhibition.
Deb Weiner, Jennifer Vess, and I reviewed final proofs for the Synagogue Speaks exhibition, and we worked with the program staff to plan for the opening. Mark your calendars for the gala event on Sunday 21 March from noon to 4 p.m.
Jobi Zink reviewed grants for the IMLS Museums for America program and prepared for a presentation titled “Once Upon a Time” (which was snowed out but will be rescheduled—maybe after the spring thaw). On Tuesday, when we were briefly at the office, she and Rachel Kassman housed a new Judaica collection we recently received.
Deborah Cardin participated in a conference call with staff from the Associated, the JCC, and the CJE to discuss plans for participation in a Global Day of Jewish Learning scheduled for Sunday, November 7, 2010.
Jennifer Vess has been doing research for an article in the next issue of Generations, and did some preparation for our upcoming Purim Pandemonium party (Saturday February 27, 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.).
This morning, staff and lay leaders met to discuss our “Telling Time” program, a major oral history initiative in honor of the Museum’s fiftieth anniversary. We’re currently recruiting interviewers to help us collect fifty interviews in 2010. If you’re interested in training to become an interviewer, please contact Jobi Zink at jzink@jewishmuseummd.org or 410-732-6400, ext. 226.
Just before the first storm hit, Esther Weiner traveled to New York for the annual Gift Show at the Javits Center, checking in with vendors and looking at items that she felt would be great for visitors to the JMM and to the Museum Shop. There was an air of optimism about the retail climate from both shoppers and vendors, so we look forward to a great season, especially in light of our 50th Anniversary celebrations.
I hope you’ve kept warm and cozy during this long, snowy week. We’ve managed to get into the Museum today for the first time since Tuesday. Nonetheless, it’s been a fairly productive week—a testament to the dedication of the staff and the virtues of telecommuting. As they say, after all, the show must go on.
Speaking of which, Hutzlers: Where Baltimore Shops, our booksigning event with author Michael Lisicky, (rescheduled after last week’s blizzard) will go forward this Sunday 14 February at 2 p.m. Parking will be available in the public lot across from the Museum. If you have questions or would like to make reservations, please contact Ilene Dackman-Alon (idackmanalon@jewishmuseummd.org or 410-732-6400, ext. 214).
Karen Falk reports that she kept her interns busy with internet research this week: Richard Conlan is looking for images of food in the “old country” for the Chosen Food exhibition, and Aden Weisel is assigned to help get our Chosen Food microsite up and running. Aden spent time (in between internet outages) looking for websites that might help us drive traffic to our site once it is online. Karen continued to refine the designs of both the Chosen Food exhibition and Nancy Patz: Her Inward Eye (opening in March), and developed interpretive panels for Patz exhibition.
Deb Weiner, Jennifer Vess, and I reviewed final proofs for the Synagogue Speaks exhibition, and we worked with the program staff to plan for the opening. Mark your calendars for the gala event on Sunday 21 March from noon to 4 p.m.
Jobi Zink reviewed grants for the IMLS Museums for America program and prepared for a presentation titled “Once Upon a Time” (which was snowed out but will be rescheduled—maybe after the spring thaw). On Tuesday, when we were briefly at the office, she and Rachel Kassman housed a new Judaica collection we recently received.
Deborah Cardin participated in a conference call with staff from the Associated, the JCC, and the CJE to discuss plans for participation in a Global Day of Jewish Learning scheduled for Sunday, November 7, 2010.
Jennifer Vess has been doing research for an article in the next issue of Generations, and did some preparation for our upcoming Purim Pandemonium party (Saturday February 27, 9 p.m. – 1 a.m.).
This morning, staff and lay leaders met to discuss our “Telling Time” program, a major oral history initiative in honor of the Museum’s fiftieth anniversary. We’re currently recruiting interviewers to help us collect fifty interviews in 2010. If you’re interested in training to become an interviewer, please contact Jobi Zink at jzink@jewishmuseummd.org or 410-732-6400, ext. 226.
Just before the first storm hit, Esther Weiner traveled to New York for the annual Gift Show at the Javits Center, checking in with vendors and looking at items that she felt would be great for visitors to the JMM and to the Museum Shop. There was an air of optimism about the retail climate from both shoppers and vendors, so we look forward to a great season, especially in light of our 50th Anniversary celebrations.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Weekly Report: 2.5.10
Dear Friends --
It seems that as the week draws to a close, everyone at the Museum is rushing around trying to complete projects and tie up loose ends before this weekend’s forecasted storm arrives. If possible, everyone seems to be even more productive than usual.
Speaking of snow . . . Due to the weather, we have RESCHEDULED Hutzlers: Where Baltimore Shops, our booksigning event with author Michael Lisicky, for next Sunday 14 February at 2 p.m. If you have questions or would like to make reservations, please contact Ilene Dackman-Alon (idackmanalon@jewishmuseummd.org or 410-732-6400, ext. 214).
Here’s some other news from around the Museum:
INTERNS AND VOLUNTEERS
We aren’t kidding when we say that we couldn’t do all we do at the Museum were it not for the hard work and dedication of our interns and volunteers. A sampling of what some of them helped us accomplish this week:
In coordination with the upcoming book program, Hutzlers: Where Baltimore Shops, JMM volunteers Debbie Farthing and Charlotte Knight curated an exhibit in the Samson, Rossetta and Sadie B. Feldman Gallery. Both Debbie and Charlotte are volunteers in the Collections Department and have experience working with textiles. The exhibit will be on display through 14 February, the date of the book program.
We welcomed new intern Richard Conlan this week. Richard, who hails from
EXHIBITIONS
This week, the collections staff de-installed and packed the Drawing on Tradition exhibition in preparation for its travel to the
COLLECTIONS
Jobi Zink reports that this week, we received a wonderful new donation of Judaica, ephemera, and photographs from Beth Jacob Congregation.
EDUCATION
On Thursday, Deborah facilitated a workshop for
RECENT GIFTS
We are very grateful for two new pledges of $5,000 each in support of 50th Anniversary programs: The first, from the Greif Family Fund, supports our exhibition Nancy Patz: Her Inward Eye, which is scheduled to open in the Samson, Rossetta and Sadie B. Feldman Gallery in March. Mr. and Mrs. Steven L. Weintraub made a gift in support of Lloyd Street Synagogue rededication events. Among the planned events is a ceremonial rededication of the synagogue’s mezuzah, which was donated by Steven Weintraub’s mother,
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Deborah served as a field reviewer for the
On Thursday, Ilene Dackman-Alon attended the Greater Baltimore History Alliance meeting at the Maryland Historical Society. The meeting focused on how history museums benefit from partnerships and collaborations with other museums and institutions locally, statewide, and nationally.
I’ve been invited to serve on a panel at an upcoming symposium entitled, “Collections and Communities: Baltimore Today,” sponsored by the Program in Museums and Society at
UPCOMING PROGRAMS:
Join us for a booksigning/author talk with Professor Elisa New of
Best wishes for a snowy, cozy weekend!
Anita
Friday, January 29, 2010
Weekly Report 1.29.10
It’s cold outside, but things are heating up inside the Museum as we gear up for our fiftieth anniversary celebrations. Here are some highlights.
EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS
Ilene Dackman-Alon and the rest of the program staff continue to work on our spring, summer, and fall calendars, with special to attention to the upcoming opening of The Synagogue Speaks exhibition on 21 March. Deborah Cardin and Simone Ellin are working with the Lloyd Street Rededication Committee to plan our synagogue rededication events. Simone is working on press materials for The Synagogue Speaks, and Lauren Silberman is designing invitations, press kits, and ads for upcoming programs and exhibitions.
This week, Ilene attended a committee meeting at the Center for Jewish Education for the upcoming community-wide program, The Amazing Race, which will take place on Sunday 2 May. Based on the popular and highly acclaimed reality TV show, the program engages participants in competitive activities that highlight the variety of connections between Baltimore and Israel. The Amazing Race is part of CJE’s Reveal Israel project, funded by the Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education and planned in conjunction with Melitz: Centers for Jewish Zionist Education.
Simone and the web team hired a new vendor, Whiteboard Media, to put the finishing touches on our beautiful new website. Simone also participated in a meeting about the Chosen Food exhibition website.
EDUCATION
Thirty students and parents participating in the Lessons of the Shoah high school interfaith program visited the JMM on Sunday 24 January. During their visit they learned about basic tenets of Judaism through a tour of our historic synagogues led by JMM docent Alvin Fisher. They also participated in small group conversations so that Jewish students could share their personal observances of Judaism with their peers. Our next program is a visit to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum scheduled for Sunday 7 February.
On Monday, City Neighbors Charter School (Baltimore City Public School) brought 15 students and teachers to tour the Museum. On Wednesday, Friendship Heights Community Center brought 21 adults to participate in a tour. On Thursday, Beth Tfiloh brought their 6th graders to see the Lloyd Street Synagogue and the Voices of Lombard Street exhibition as the first stop of a day-long trip through Jewish Baltimore.
Yesterday, 48 teachers participated in a teacher training workshop at the JMM on the topic of Anne Frank and Beyond: Using Diaries to Teach About the Holocaust. Most of the teachers were from Baltimore City public schools, though educators from other school districts, independent schools, Catholic schools, and home school families also attended. Christina Chavarria from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum facilitated the morning sessions. The afternoon portion of the program included a diary making workshop led by local artist Sara Glik, followed by a dramatic reading of Words That Burn Within Me, a book of poetry by Holocaust survivor Hilda Stern Cohen read by her husband Dr. Werner Cohen and friend Rosemary Warschawski. Teachers also had the opportunity to learn about JMM educational programs.
OUTREACH
Deb Weiner gave a presentation to the Friends of Chevrah Thelim in Norfolk, Va., on Sunday, on the topic of Coalfield Jews: Immigration and Continuity.
On Tuesday, Lauren Silberman spoke to 16 current fine arts and art history students at her alma mater, George Washington University, regarding career choices in the arts. She was one of five panelists.
Harvey Schwartz, volunteer and docent both at the JMM and at the United States National Park at Ft. McHenry, gave a talk titled The Jews of Fort McHenry to the Baltimore Lodge of B’nai Brith. The presentation was a program of the JMM Speakers Bureau, which is generously sponsored by Attman’s Delicatessen.
CALLING ALL INTERVIEWERS
A centerpiece of our fiftieth anniversary commemorations is Telling Time, a major oral history initiative. We’re currently recruiting interviewers to help us collect fifty interviews in 2010. The completed interviews will become a permanent part of the Museum’s archive. Response so far has been very positive, but we can always use more interviewers, so please consider participating.
We will be hosting our first oral history training session on Sunday 28 February (snow date 14 March). For more information or to sign up for a training session, please contact Jobi Zink at jzink@jewishmuseummd.org or 410-732-6400, ext. 226.
Best wishes for the weekend.
Anita
EXHIBITIONS AND PROGRAMS
Ilene Dackman-Alon and the rest of the program staff continue to work on our spring, summer, and fall calendars, with special to attention to the upcoming opening of The Synagogue Speaks exhibition on 21 March. Deborah Cardin and Simone Ellin are working with the Lloyd Street Rededication Committee to plan our synagogue rededication events. Simone is working on press materials for The Synagogue Speaks, and Lauren Silberman is designing invitations, press kits, and ads for upcoming programs and exhibitions.
This week, Ilene attended a committee meeting at the Center for Jewish Education for the upcoming community-wide program, The Amazing Race, which will take place on Sunday 2 May. Based on the popular and highly acclaimed reality TV show, the program engages participants in competitive activities that highlight the variety of connections between Baltimore and Israel. The Amazing Race is part of CJE’s Reveal Israel project, funded by the Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education and planned in conjunction with Melitz: Centers for Jewish Zionist Education.
Simone and the web team hired a new vendor, Whiteboard Media, to put the finishing touches on our beautiful new website. Simone also participated in a meeting about the Chosen Food exhibition website.
EDUCATION
Thirty students and parents participating in the Lessons of the Shoah high school interfaith program visited the JMM on Sunday 24 January. During their visit they learned about basic tenets of Judaism through a tour of our historic synagogues led by JMM docent Alvin Fisher. They also participated in small group conversations so that Jewish students could share their personal observances of Judaism with their peers. Our next program is a visit to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum scheduled for Sunday 7 February.
On Monday, City Neighbors Charter School (Baltimore City Public School) brought 15 students and teachers to tour the Museum. On Wednesday, Friendship Heights Community Center brought 21 adults to participate in a tour. On Thursday, Beth Tfiloh brought their 6th graders to see the Lloyd Street Synagogue and the Voices of Lombard Street exhibition as the first stop of a day-long trip through Jewish Baltimore.
Yesterday, 48 teachers participated in a teacher training workshop at the JMM on the topic of Anne Frank and Beyond: Using Diaries to Teach About the Holocaust. Most of the teachers were from Baltimore City public schools, though educators from other school districts, independent schools, Catholic schools, and home school families also attended. Christina Chavarria from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum facilitated the morning sessions. The afternoon portion of the program included a diary making workshop led by local artist Sara Glik, followed by a dramatic reading of Words That Burn Within Me, a book of poetry by Holocaust survivor Hilda Stern Cohen read by her husband Dr. Werner Cohen and friend Rosemary Warschawski. Teachers also had the opportunity to learn about JMM educational programs.
OUTREACH
Deb Weiner gave a presentation to the Friends of Chevrah Thelim in Norfolk, Va., on Sunday, on the topic of Coalfield Jews: Immigration and Continuity.
On Tuesday, Lauren Silberman spoke to 16 current fine arts and art history students at her alma mater, George Washington University, regarding career choices in the arts. She was one of five panelists.
Harvey Schwartz, volunteer and docent both at the JMM and at the United States National Park at Ft. McHenry, gave a talk titled The Jews of Fort McHenry to the Baltimore Lodge of B’nai Brith. The presentation was a program of the JMM Speakers Bureau, which is generously sponsored by Attman’s Delicatessen.
CALLING ALL INTERVIEWERS
A centerpiece of our fiftieth anniversary commemorations is Telling Time, a major oral history initiative. We’re currently recruiting interviewers to help us collect fifty interviews in 2010. The completed interviews will become a permanent part of the Museum’s archive. Response so far has been very positive, but we can always use more interviewers, so please consider participating.
We will be hosting our first oral history training session on Sunday 28 February (snow date 14 March). For more information or to sign up for a training session, please contact Jobi Zink at jzink@jewishmuseummd.org or 410-732-6400, ext. 226.
Best wishes for the weekend.
Anita
Friday, January 22, 2010
Weekly Report 1.22.10
Dear Friends,
Things are heating up here at the Museum in preparation for our 50th Anniversary. Fabrication and media production for our new core exhibition, The Synagogue Speaks, is moving along; preparations for the re-opening of Lloyd Street Synagogue are moving along; and we are making good progress on several of our special Anniversary initiatives. Details on these 50th Anniversary events will be coming weekly in this report, and also in our newsletter, e-blasts, and fliers! Please stay tuned. In the meanwhile, here are some updates on a range of current activities:
LEADERSHIP: We were delighted to host a lively crowd at our January Leadership Luncheon. Trustee Larry Kamanitz welcomed Robert Bogolmony, president of the University of Baltimore; Matthew Melnick, a commercial real estate broker; Al Saval, retired CEO of Saval Foods; and Bill Lewis, a former scholastic athletics director and summer camp administrator. As usual, the conversation was animated and engaged. Lunch was followed by a behind-the-scenes tour and a sneak preview of the restored Lloyd Street Synagogue. Our thanks to Larry and to our distinguished guests.
The JMM Executive Committee met on Monday to review a report on our governance and administration, to consider initial ideas for our FY11 operating budget, and to discuss progress on our 50th Anniversary activities. The meeting, chaired by Vice President Jerry Doctrow, was-as usual-lively and engaged.
SPECIAL GUESTS: Johns Hopkins professor Rob Gamble brought his freshman class for a tour of the Museum on Wednesday. Deb Weiner and Anita Kassof introduced them to the Voices of Lombard Street exhibition. Afterwards, Prof. Gamble wrote: "We very much enjoyed the museum as a whole, and I personally thought the Voices of Lombard Street was fantastic. (I had one student from Manhattan's Lower East Side who was struck by the similarities and differences with her neighborhood.)"
On Sunday, Ilene Dackman-Alon staffed a bris rental-Jacob Harry Blecker was born on Friday 11 January. Mazel Tov to parents Dr. Saul Blecker and Nina Rabinovitch Blecker, along with big sister, Joey Blecker, who regularly attends our Tot Shabbat programs co-sponsored with the JCC. Following the bris, Ilene welcomed the Downtown Jewish Family Network to the JMM, where children and their parents learned about Jewish life a long time ago and we engaged in our Living History Program - Paving Our Way. Downtown families participated in activities, playing the board game, Are We There Yet, practiced making silhouettes, and tried writing with ink and a quill pens.
On Tuesday, Beth Ami brought 20 adult learners to tour the Museum. The following day, Glen Meadows, a senior retirement center from Glen Arm, MD, brought a group to tour the synagogues and exhibits. On Thursday morning, a group of 18 6th graders from Graceland Park (Baltimore City Public School) participated in the Introduction to Judaism program and enjoyed a scavenger hunt in Voices of Lombard Street.
On Friday, the JCC and JMM partnered for a Tot Shabbat program geared for downtown families of very young children. Participants listened to a Shabbat Story, sang and danced to Shabbat songs, and finished the morning with a juice and challah snack. These Tot Shabbat programs are part of the JCC's program, "JCC Beyond the Borders," supported by the The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education.
OUTREACH: On Tuesday, 60 residents of Atrium Village were fascinated by JMM Research Historian Deb Weiner's presentation on Coal Field Jews. Her stories of Jewish life of in the small mining towns of West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky were presented for the JMM Speakers Bureau, sponsored by Attman's Delicatessen. Deb's presentation was based on her award winning book of the same title.
MUSEUM SHOP: Esther Weiner has completed the Museum Shop's transition from Chanukah to Purim and Passover. Check out the newest items and add something bright, new and different to your holiday table this year-don't forget a 'little something' for your host or hostess for Seder! Reminder, JMM members receive a 10% discount on shop purchases.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Thursday evening, Lauren Silberman led a teacher training workshop for Baltimore City public school teachers at Mt. Royal Intermediate on the Museum's Introduction to Judaism program.
On 28 January, 8:30am to 3:30pm, the JMM and the BJC will jointly sponsor a Teacher-Training Workshop on Anne Frank and Beyond: Using Diaries to Teach about the Holocaust with Christina Chavarria of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. To register contact pgwynn@baltjc.org or 410-542-4850.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: In my recent review of volunteers and interns working at the Museum, I inadvertently left out Bobbie Hurwitz, who enters collections information and Rose Cohen, who translates materials in our collections. Our thanks to them both.
Deborah Cardin, Jeanette Parmigiani, and Lauren Silberman met with Marcie Taylor-Thoma and Donna Olszewski from the Maryland State Department of Education to begin planning our 6th annual Summer Teachers Institute. Dates for this Holocaust-themed teacher training workshop are August 2-August 5. Plans for this year include an optional fourth day devoted to the topic of interpreting the Holocaust through arts and literature. Deborah Cardin also met with Becky Pepkowitz to discuss plans for a June conference on the topic of Jewish diversity.
Marketing Director Simone Ellin met with representatives from Alter Communications (Style and Jewish Times) to discuss media sponsorship of the Museum's 50th Anniversary events. Simone continues to work with our web-team to bring our re-designed JMM website on-line in the next few weeks. On Wednesday, Program Director Ilene Dackman-Alon met with Jeff Counts, Program Director at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, about possible joint programming during the JMM's Anniversary year. Ilene also attended "Knit One Learn Two" at Chizuk Amuno led by Melton educator Judy Meltzer.
Lauren Silberman spent the past weekend in Boston, MA as her husband attended the American Library Association (ALA) mid-winter conference. She utilized the opportunity to tour several museums. And Curator Karen Falk continued to plan for the design and launch of www.chosenfood.org, a website linked to our Jewish foodways project.
Best wishes to everyone for a peaceful Sabbath and a lovely mid-winter weekend.
Avi
Things are heating up here at the Museum in preparation for our 50th Anniversary. Fabrication and media production for our new core exhibition, The Synagogue Speaks, is moving along; preparations for the re-opening of Lloyd Street Synagogue are moving along; and we are making good progress on several of our special Anniversary initiatives. Details on these 50th Anniversary events will be coming weekly in this report, and also in our newsletter, e-blasts, and fliers! Please stay tuned. In the meanwhile, here are some updates on a range of current activities:
LEADERSHIP: We were delighted to host a lively crowd at our January Leadership Luncheon. Trustee Larry Kamanitz welcomed Robert Bogolmony, president of the University of Baltimore; Matthew Melnick, a commercial real estate broker; Al Saval, retired CEO of Saval Foods; and Bill Lewis, a former scholastic athletics director and summer camp administrator. As usual, the conversation was animated and engaged. Lunch was followed by a behind-the-scenes tour and a sneak preview of the restored Lloyd Street Synagogue. Our thanks to Larry and to our distinguished guests.
The JMM Executive Committee met on Monday to review a report on our governance and administration, to consider initial ideas for our FY11 operating budget, and to discuss progress on our 50th Anniversary activities. The meeting, chaired by Vice President Jerry Doctrow, was-as usual-lively and engaged.
SPECIAL GUESTS: Johns Hopkins professor Rob Gamble brought his freshman class for a tour of the Museum on Wednesday. Deb Weiner and Anita Kassof introduced them to the Voices of Lombard Street exhibition. Afterwards, Prof. Gamble wrote: "We very much enjoyed the museum as a whole, and I personally thought the Voices of Lombard Street was fantastic. (I had one student from Manhattan's Lower East Side who was struck by the similarities and differences with her neighborhood.)"
On Sunday, Ilene Dackman-Alon staffed a bris rental-Jacob Harry Blecker was born on Friday 11 January. Mazel Tov to parents Dr. Saul Blecker and Nina Rabinovitch Blecker, along with big sister, Joey Blecker, who regularly attends our Tot Shabbat programs co-sponsored with the JCC. Following the bris, Ilene welcomed the Downtown Jewish Family Network to the JMM, where children and their parents learned about Jewish life a long time ago and we engaged in our Living History Program - Paving Our Way. Downtown families participated in activities, playing the board game, Are We There Yet, practiced making silhouettes, and tried writing with ink and a quill pens.
On Tuesday, Beth Ami brought 20 adult learners to tour the Museum. The following day, Glen Meadows, a senior retirement center from Glen Arm, MD, brought a group to tour the synagogues and exhibits. On Thursday morning, a group of 18 6th graders from Graceland Park (Baltimore City Public School) participated in the Introduction to Judaism program and enjoyed a scavenger hunt in Voices of Lombard Street.
On Friday, the JCC and JMM partnered for a Tot Shabbat program geared for downtown families of very young children. Participants listened to a Shabbat Story, sang and danced to Shabbat songs, and finished the morning with a juice and challah snack. These Tot Shabbat programs are part of the JCC's program, "JCC Beyond the Borders," supported by the The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education.
OUTREACH: On Tuesday, 60 residents of Atrium Village were fascinated by JMM Research Historian Deb Weiner's presentation on Coal Field Jews. Her stories of Jewish life of in the small mining towns of West Virginia and Eastern Kentucky were presented for the JMM Speakers Bureau, sponsored by Attman's Delicatessen. Deb's presentation was based on her award winning book of the same title.
MUSEUM SHOP: Esther Weiner has completed the Museum Shop's transition from Chanukah to Purim and Passover. Check out the newest items and add something bright, new and different to your holiday table this year-don't forget a 'little something' for your host or hostess for Seder! Reminder, JMM members receive a 10% discount on shop purchases.
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: Thursday evening, Lauren Silberman led a teacher training workshop for Baltimore City public school teachers at Mt. Royal Intermediate on the Museum's Introduction to Judaism program.
On 28 January, 8:30am to 3:30pm, the JMM and the BJC will jointly sponsor a Teacher-Training Workshop on Anne Frank and Beyond: Using Diaries to Teach about the Holocaust with Christina Chavarria of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. To register contact pgwynn@baltjc.org or 410-542-4850.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: In my recent review of volunteers and interns working at the Museum, I inadvertently left out Bobbie Hurwitz, who enters collections information and Rose Cohen, who translates materials in our collections. Our thanks to them both.
Deborah Cardin, Jeanette Parmigiani, and Lauren Silberman met with Marcie Taylor-Thoma and Donna Olszewski from the Maryland State Department of Education to begin planning our 6th annual Summer Teachers Institute. Dates for this Holocaust-themed teacher training workshop are August 2-August 5. Plans for this year include an optional fourth day devoted to the topic of interpreting the Holocaust through arts and literature. Deborah Cardin also met with Becky Pepkowitz to discuss plans for a June conference on the topic of Jewish diversity.
Marketing Director Simone Ellin met with representatives from Alter Communications (Style and Jewish Times) to discuss media sponsorship of the Museum's 50th Anniversary events. Simone continues to work with our web-team to bring our re-designed JMM website on-line in the next few weeks. On Wednesday, Program Director Ilene Dackman-Alon met with Jeff Counts, Program Director at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, about possible joint programming during the JMM's Anniversary year. Ilene also attended "Knit One Learn Two" at Chizuk Amuno led by Melton educator Judy Meltzer.
Lauren Silberman spent the past weekend in Boston, MA as her husband attended the American Library Association (ALA) mid-winter conference. She utilized the opportunity to tour several museums. And Curator Karen Falk continued to plan for the design and launch of www.chosenfood.org, a website linked to our Jewish foodways project.
Best wishes to everyone for a peaceful Sabbath and a lovely mid-winter weekend.
Avi
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Weekly Report 1.15.10
Dear Friends,
While the Big Chill was coming down on us this week, things at the Museum were heating up, especially with regard to preparations for our 50th Anniversary year. The steering committee and staff working on Purim Pandemonium (27 February, right after megillah reading) are moving along; plans for the re-dedication of Lloyd Street Synagogue and the opening of The Synagogue Speaks exhibition are gelling; and we are pushing ahead with two new initiatives, Stories We Live By (Video Interviews) and Telling Time (Oral Histories). Stay tuned for more news of our 50th. Meanwhile, here are some other highlights of the week:
HONORS: Carolyn Schorr of Mount de Sales Academy, a 2009 graduate Lessons of the Shoah, the Blaustein-funded, high school interfaith program, sponsored by The Jewish Museum of Maryland and the Baltimore Jewish Council, has applied for a Spirit of Anne Frank scholarship for her efforts in standing up against intolerance. Carolyn was a leader in the class's team project, Shoes for Darfur, resulting in 125 pairs of new athletic shoes for refugees in Darfur. This year, Carolyn has organized a fundraiser to benefit children in war-torn Uganda through "Invisible Children." Carolyn will speak to the current class at an upcoming session with suggestions for their team project. Lessons of the Shoah is managed by Deborah Cardin and Jeanette Parmigiani.
OUTREACH: On Thursday, Jobi Zink, Jennifer Vess, and intern Abby Lyons de-installed the Museum's Hanukkah exhibition at City Hall. This festival display was seen by hundreds of visitors during the past month.
The JMM Speakers Bureau, sponsored by Attman's Delicatessen, provided four presentations during the past several weeks. On Wednesday 6 January and Sunday 10 January, actress Katherine Lyons portrayed Ida Rehr, in a Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk presentation, to rave reviews from both the Hadassah Organization of Greater Baltimore and residents of the North Oaks Retirement Community. On Saturday 9 January, Deb Weiner, JMM Research Historian, was featured at Shabbat Services at the Beth Israel Congregation in Owings Mills, where she presented on "Baltimore Jewish Women Building a Vibrant Jewish Community." More than 200 receptive congregants enjoyed her presentation. On Sunday 10 January, Barry Lever spoke on the Baltimore Ship Exodus 1947 and its Role in the Establishment of the State of Israel, at a meeting of a Baltimore chavurah.
ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW: The Museum is wrapping up a review of its administrative, business, HR, IT, and other non-programmatic functions in response to an Associated initiative. This self-study offers the Museum a unique opportunity to examine all of our policies and practices and to refine or upgrade any that merit attention. We are very grateful to the Associated and to Trustees David Liebman, Barry Isaac, Jeff Dreifuss, and Nancy Sherman, and to Anita Kassof, Susan Press, and the many staff who contributed to our initial draft report.
SPECIAL GUESTS: On Wednesday, 13 students with the Elijah Cummings Youth Program attended a presentation by Holocaust survivor Livia Shacter, introduced by Martha Weiman. The event was co-sponsored by the Baltimore Jewish Council. On Thursday, 34 4th graders, teachers, and parents from Garrison Forest watched the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk: Ida Rehr presented as part of a day-long history program focusing on women. They also visited other historic sites in Baltimore.
COLLECTIONS: This week Archivist Jennifer Vess put the last few touches on the Dr. Herman Seidel Papers (MS 13) which were processed by volunteer Myrna Seigel. Jennifer also wrote the first draft of a finding aid for our newest manuscript collection, MS 181, the Chesapeake Region of Women's American ORT (WA) Publicity Papers, which should be completed next week. One of our researchers this week was Melissa Martens, our former curator, now on the staff of the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City.
SECURITY: During recent months, the Museum has completed installation of several new security measures. Jobi Zink, our security czar, has managed the installation of remote controls for the gate at our staff lot and a number of internal security barriers internally. These measures, funded by Homeland Security, are intended to protect the Museum, our employees, volunteers, visitors, and our irreplaceable collections. This has been a very challenging initiative, and we thank everyone involved for their patience and Jobi for her excellent leadership.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: Barry Lever hosted members of the Manekin family on a VIP visit to the Museum. Jobi Zink conferred with Paul Smith of the American Folk Art Museum about open storage for collections. Susan Press and Sue Foard participated in The Write Way to Communicate - Accurately and Efficiently workshop held at the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg JCC on 7 January, presented by The Darrell D. Friedman Institute for Professional Development at the Weinberg Center. Anita Kassof chaired an Executive Committee meeting of Historic Jonestown.
Karen Falk is working through the nuts and bolts of exhibition development - object checklists, framing estimates, loan agreements, and more - for our spring exhibit, Nancy Patz: Her Inward Eye. Deborah Cardin, Jeanette Parmigiani, and Ilene Dackman-Alon met with Sara Glick to discuss possible future bookmaking workshops in conjunction with upcoming teacher training workshops and family programs. Deb Weiner, Rachel Kassman, and I conferred about the 2009-2010 issue of Generations magazine and commissioned several articles this week. Anita Kassof and other staff members began work on the spring issue of Museum Matters.
Deborah Cardin and Jeanette Parmigiani attended the Association of Holocaust Organizations Winter Conference at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, from 10 - 12 January. Presenters spoke on such topics as the opening of the International Tracing Service, music as a window into the lives of survivors, contextualizing Nazi Propaganda, and current trends in antisemitism. A highlight of the program was a session on the topic of Jewish literary responses to the Holocaust led by former JMM education and program director, Dr. Leah Wolfson, who is a member of the USHMM's Center of Advanced Holocaust Studies.
I wish everyone a peaceful Sabbath and an enjoyable winter weekend.
Avi
While the Big Chill was coming down on us this week, things at the Museum were heating up, especially with regard to preparations for our 50th Anniversary year. The steering committee and staff working on Purim Pandemonium (27 February, right after megillah reading) are moving along; plans for the re-dedication of Lloyd Street Synagogue and the opening of The Synagogue Speaks exhibition are gelling; and we are pushing ahead with two new initiatives, Stories We Live By (Video Interviews) and Telling Time (Oral Histories). Stay tuned for more news of our 50th. Meanwhile, here are some other highlights of the week:
HONORS: Carolyn Schorr of Mount de Sales Academy, a 2009 graduate Lessons of the Shoah, the Blaustein-funded, high school interfaith program, sponsored by The Jewish Museum of Maryland and the Baltimore Jewish Council, has applied for a Spirit of Anne Frank scholarship for her efforts in standing up against intolerance. Carolyn was a leader in the class's team project, Shoes for Darfur, resulting in 125 pairs of new athletic shoes for refugees in Darfur. This year, Carolyn has organized a fundraiser to benefit children in war-torn Uganda through "Invisible Children." Carolyn will speak to the current class at an upcoming session with suggestions for their team project. Lessons of the Shoah is managed by Deborah Cardin and Jeanette Parmigiani.
OUTREACH: On Thursday, Jobi Zink, Jennifer Vess, and intern Abby Lyons de-installed the Museum's Hanukkah exhibition at City Hall. This festival display was seen by hundreds of visitors during the past month.
The JMM Speakers Bureau, sponsored by Attman's Delicatessen, provided four presentations during the past several weeks. On Wednesday 6 January and Sunday 10 January, actress Katherine Lyons portrayed Ida Rehr, in a Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk presentation, to rave reviews from both the Hadassah Organization of Greater Baltimore and residents of the North Oaks Retirement Community. On Saturday 9 January, Deb Weiner, JMM Research Historian, was featured at Shabbat Services at the Beth Israel Congregation in Owings Mills, where she presented on "Baltimore Jewish Women Building a Vibrant Jewish Community." More than 200 receptive congregants enjoyed her presentation. On Sunday 10 January, Barry Lever spoke on the Baltimore Ship Exodus 1947 and its Role in the Establishment of the State of Israel, at a meeting of a Baltimore chavurah.
ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW: The Museum is wrapping up a review of its administrative, business, HR, IT, and other non-programmatic functions in response to an Associated initiative. This self-study offers the Museum a unique opportunity to examine all of our policies and practices and to refine or upgrade any that merit attention. We are very grateful to the Associated and to Trustees David Liebman, Barry Isaac, Jeff Dreifuss, and Nancy Sherman, and to Anita Kassof, Susan Press, and the many staff who contributed to our initial draft report.
SPECIAL GUESTS: On Wednesday, 13 students with the Elijah Cummings Youth Program attended a presentation by Holocaust survivor Livia Shacter, introduced by Martha Weiman. The event was co-sponsored by the Baltimore Jewish Council. On Thursday, 34 4th graders, teachers, and parents from Garrison Forest watched the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk: Ida Rehr presented as part of a day-long history program focusing on women. They also visited other historic sites in Baltimore.
COLLECTIONS: This week Archivist Jennifer Vess put the last few touches on the Dr. Herman Seidel Papers (MS 13) which were processed by volunteer Myrna Seigel. Jennifer also wrote the first draft of a finding aid for our newest manuscript collection, MS 181, the Chesapeake Region of Women's American ORT (WA) Publicity Papers, which should be completed next week. One of our researchers this week was Melissa Martens, our former curator, now on the staff of the Museum of Jewish Heritage in New York City.
SECURITY: During recent months, the Museum has completed installation of several new security measures. Jobi Zink, our security czar, has managed the installation of remote controls for the gate at our staff lot and a number of internal security barriers internally. These measures, funded by Homeland Security, are intended to protect the Museum, our employees, volunteers, visitors, and our irreplaceable collections. This has been a very challenging initiative, and we thank everyone involved for their patience and Jobi for her excellent leadership.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: Barry Lever hosted members of the Manekin family on a VIP visit to the Museum. Jobi Zink conferred with Paul Smith of the American Folk Art Museum about open storage for collections. Susan Press and Sue Foard participated in The Write Way to Communicate - Accurately and Efficiently workshop held at the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg JCC on 7 January, presented by The Darrell D. Friedman Institute for Professional Development at the Weinberg Center. Anita Kassof chaired an Executive Committee meeting of Historic Jonestown.
Karen Falk is working through the nuts and bolts of exhibition development - object checklists, framing estimates, loan agreements, and more - for our spring exhibit, Nancy Patz: Her Inward Eye. Deborah Cardin, Jeanette Parmigiani, and Ilene Dackman-Alon met with Sara Glick to discuss possible future bookmaking workshops in conjunction with upcoming teacher training workshops and family programs. Deb Weiner, Rachel Kassman, and I conferred about the 2009-2010 issue of Generations magazine and commissioned several articles this week. Anita Kassof and other staff members began work on the spring issue of Museum Matters.
Deborah Cardin and Jeanette Parmigiani attended the Association of Holocaust Organizations Winter Conference at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, from 10 - 12 January. Presenters spoke on such topics as the opening of the International Tracing Service, music as a window into the lives of survivors, contextualizing Nazi Propaganda, and current trends in antisemitism. A highlight of the program was a session on the topic of Jewish literary responses to the Holocaust led by former JMM education and program director, Dr. Leah Wolfson, who is a member of the USHMM's Center of Advanced Holocaust Studies.
I wish everyone a peaceful Sabbath and an enjoyable winter weekend.
Avi
Friday, January 8, 2010
Weekly Report: 1.8.09
Dear Friends,
This has been a hectic week for the Museum. Anita Kassof, Deb Weiner, and Jennifer Vess have been spending a lot of time completing script and design for our new core exhibition, The Synagogue Speaks, which will open to the public on Sunday 21 March. Other staff have been busy with 50th Anniversary projects ranging from man-on-the-street videos (Karen Falk) to invitations (Lauren Silberman) to our annual Purim Pandemonium (Rachel Kassman). All in all, this is an exciting time of preparation for the Museum's Board, staff, and volunteers. Here are some other highlights:
GIFTS: We are delighted to report a number of recent generous gifts from Judy Langenthal, Barry Lever, Roger Levin, Margaret Nomentana, David Zee and many others. These contributions are essential to sustaining our programs and services and are greatly appreciated, especially in these challenging economic circumstances.
KUDOS: Several members of the JMM staff were awarded certificates for completion of the Me'ah program this past year. Mazel Tov to Deborah Cardin, Simone Ellin, Anita Kassof, Barry Lever, Lauren Silberman, and Esther Weiner on this important achievement. Meanwhile, we have gotten a spate of compliments on the recent issue of Generations magazine, none more welcome than Gil Sandler's encomium: "It is first-class in every way, every word, every line! It has to be among the most interesting, page by page, of any of the Generations ever published."
I am also pleased to announce that Jewish Museum is now an official stop on the Charm City Circulator's Orange Route. The Circulator is a free shuttle bus that takes riders across the city from the B&O Railroad in the west to Harbor East in the east. To educate bus drivers about the various sites along the route, JMM staff gave a brief presentation about our Museum and distributed free passes and exhibition brochures to the drivers.
A photo taken in the Drawing on Tradition exhibition graced the cover of last week's Jewish Times, and our Christmas Day program was mentioned in a JT article. Kudos to our wonderful marketing director, Simone Ellin.
PROGRAMS: More than 40 people visited the JMM on Friday 25 December taking advantage of free admission, exhibition scavenger hunts, and synagogue tours. The best line of the day was from a gentleman who was "happy to have a place to go where he did not have to listen to Christmas music!"
On Wednesday 30 December, the JMM offered a shadow puppet workshop for families as part of our winter break festivities. Led by Molly Ross of Nana Projects, more than 40 children and parents had a wonderful time creating shadow puppets of chickens that they used as part of a puppet performance based on the chickens of the Lombard Street market.
The JMM was invited to participate in Port Discovery's Noontime New Year's on Thursday 31 December. The event featured arts and culture of several countries including Israel. At the JMM booth, families learned how to write their names in Hebrew. Despite the icy weather, the event was well attended and many people who stopped by our booth were interested in learning about the JMM.
This Thursday, Weinberg Park brought 14 seniors to tour Voices of Lombard Street: A Century of Change in East Baltimore. On Friday,the JCC and JMM partnered for a Tot Shabbat program geared for downtown families of very young children. Young children, along with their parents, caregivers and grandparents were actively engaged in songs, stories and a challah snack in connection with the Sabbath. These Tot Shabbat programs and Hands-On Holiday programs are part of the JCC's program, "JCC Beyond the Borders,"funded by the The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The Jewish Museum of Maryland joins The Associated and the Baltimore Jewish Council as co-sponsors of Beth Tifloh's exhibition of Centropa in Commemoration of the Liberation of Auschwitz. The exhibit opens on 27 January, the day designated by the United Nations as The International Day of Commemoration to honor victims of the Shoah. This unique exhibit tells the stories of 790 Holocaust survivors through family albums and stories. At the opening ceremony, Edward Serotta, Director of Centropa, will make a special presentation, highlighting features of this remarkable exhibit. The exhibit opens at Beth Tfiloh on 27 January at 7:00 p.m. and will remain there for 10 days.
COLLECTIONS: This week Photo Archivist Rachel Kassman completed cataloging MS 17, began preservation scanning the first box of the 1990 accessioned photographs, and worked on selecting possible images for a traveling exhibition. She also engaged two new "winterns"-Beth Emmerling, a graduate student in the University of Maryland's MLS program, who will be working with her and Jennifer Vess in the library; and Rosemary Fitzsimmons, a senior Art History major from Towson University, who will be working with Rachel in the photo archives. BHU Photo Intern Megan Dalrymple began work this week, preparing binders of readings for interns, doing some readings of her own, beginning training in Past Perfect, and creating photo descriptions for Box 12 of the BHU photo archive.
Senior Collections Manager Jobi Zink reports that five people called in with identifications for our JT featured photograph. She also has received three boxes and two briefcases of archival materials from Brith Shalom for possible accession into the collections.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: On Thursday, Ilene Dackman-Alon attended the Greater Baltimore History Alliance meeting at the Flag House Museum. Museum educators from across the city met to discuss preschool programming. Presentations were given by educators from the Walters Art Museum and Port Discovery and a representatives of each museum spoke programming and ways to collaborate with one another.
On Tuesday, staff from the Historical Society of Frederick County toured the Museum as part of a professional development day in Baltimore. Curator Karen Falk has been working closely with artist-author Nancy Patz on her upcoming exhibit, selecting works for display from her studio collection and from the collections at the Goucher College Library. The exhibition will open this spring and will be titled Nancy Patz: Her Inward Eye.
Special thanks to our interns and volunteers for tremendous effort this week. Best wishes to one and all for a joyous Sabbath and a peaceful mid-winter weekend.
Avi
This has been a hectic week for the Museum. Anita Kassof, Deb Weiner, and Jennifer Vess have been spending a lot of time completing script and design for our new core exhibition, The Synagogue Speaks, which will open to the public on Sunday 21 March. Other staff have been busy with 50th Anniversary projects ranging from man-on-the-street videos (Karen Falk) to invitations (Lauren Silberman) to our annual Purim Pandemonium (Rachel Kassman). All in all, this is an exciting time of preparation for the Museum's Board, staff, and volunteers. Here are some other highlights:
GIFTS: We are delighted to report a number of recent generous gifts from Judy Langenthal, Barry Lever, Roger Levin, Margaret Nomentana, David Zee and many others. These contributions are essential to sustaining our programs and services and are greatly appreciated, especially in these challenging economic circumstances.
KUDOS: Several members of the JMM staff were awarded certificates for completion of the Me'ah program this past year. Mazel Tov to Deborah Cardin, Simone Ellin, Anita Kassof, Barry Lever, Lauren Silberman, and Esther Weiner on this important achievement. Meanwhile, we have gotten a spate of compliments on the recent issue of Generations magazine, none more welcome than Gil Sandler's encomium: "It is first-class in every way, every word, every line! It has to be among the most interesting, page by page, of any of the Generations ever published."
I am also pleased to announce that Jewish Museum is now an official stop on the Charm City Circulator's Orange Route. The Circulator is a free shuttle bus that takes riders across the city from the B&O Railroad in the west to Harbor East in the east. To educate bus drivers about the various sites along the route, JMM staff gave a brief presentation about our Museum and distributed free passes and exhibition brochures to the drivers.
A photo taken in the Drawing on Tradition exhibition graced the cover of last week's Jewish Times, and our Christmas Day program was mentioned in a JT article. Kudos to our wonderful marketing director, Simone Ellin.
PROGRAMS: More than 40 people visited the JMM on Friday 25 December taking advantage of free admission, exhibition scavenger hunts, and synagogue tours. The best line of the day was from a gentleman who was "happy to have a place to go where he did not have to listen to Christmas music!"
On Wednesday 30 December, the JMM offered a shadow puppet workshop for families as part of our winter break festivities. Led by Molly Ross of Nana Projects, more than 40 children and parents had a wonderful time creating shadow puppets of chickens that they used as part of a puppet performance based on the chickens of the Lombard Street market.
The JMM was invited to participate in Port Discovery's Noontime New Year's on Thursday 31 December. The event featured arts and culture of several countries including Israel. At the JMM booth, families learned how to write their names in Hebrew. Despite the icy weather, the event was well attended and many people who stopped by our booth were interested in learning about the JMM.
This Thursday, Weinberg Park brought 14 seniors to tour Voices of Lombard Street: A Century of Change in East Baltimore. On Friday,the JCC and JMM partnered for a Tot Shabbat program geared for downtown families of very young children. Young children, along with their parents, caregivers and grandparents were actively engaged in songs, stories and a challah snack in connection with the Sabbath. These Tot Shabbat programs and Hands-On Holiday programs are part of the JCC's program, "JCC Beyond the Borders,"funded by the The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education.
MARK YOUR CALENDARS: The Jewish Museum of Maryland joins The Associated and the Baltimore Jewish Council as co-sponsors of Beth Tifloh's exhibition of Centropa in Commemoration of the Liberation of Auschwitz. The exhibit opens on 27 January, the day designated by the United Nations as The International Day of Commemoration to honor victims of the Shoah. This unique exhibit tells the stories of 790 Holocaust survivors through family albums and stories. At the opening ceremony, Edward Serotta, Director of Centropa, will make a special presentation, highlighting features of this remarkable exhibit. The exhibit opens at Beth Tfiloh on 27 January at 7:00 p.m. and will remain there for 10 days.
COLLECTIONS: This week Photo Archivist Rachel Kassman completed cataloging MS 17, began preservation scanning the first box of the 1990 accessioned photographs, and worked on selecting possible images for a traveling exhibition. She also engaged two new "winterns"-Beth Emmerling, a graduate student in the University of Maryland's MLS program, who will be working with her and Jennifer Vess in the library; and Rosemary Fitzsimmons, a senior Art History major from Towson University, who will be working with Rachel in the photo archives. BHU Photo Intern Megan Dalrymple began work this week, preparing binders of readings for interns, doing some readings of her own, beginning training in Past Perfect, and creating photo descriptions for Box 12 of the BHU photo archive.
Senior Collections Manager Jobi Zink reports that five people called in with identifications for our JT featured photograph. She also has received three boxes and two briefcases of archival materials from Brith Shalom for possible accession into the collections.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: On Thursday, Ilene Dackman-Alon attended the Greater Baltimore History Alliance meeting at the Flag House Museum. Museum educators from across the city met to discuss preschool programming. Presentations were given by educators from the Walters Art Museum and Port Discovery and a representatives of each museum spoke programming and ways to collaborate with one another.
On Tuesday, staff from the Historical Society of Frederick County toured the Museum as part of a professional development day in Baltimore. Curator Karen Falk has been working closely with artist-author Nancy Patz on her upcoming exhibit, selecting works for display from her studio collection and from the collections at the Goucher College Library. The exhibition will open this spring and will be titled Nancy Patz: Her Inward Eye.
Special thanks to our interns and volunteers for tremendous effort this week. Best wishes to one and all for a joyous Sabbath and a peaceful mid-winter weekend.
Avi
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Weekly Report: 12.18.09
Dear Friends,
Much of our time recently has been devoted to preparations for our 50th anniversary year in 2010. Anita Kassof, Deb Weiner, and Jenn Vess are hard at work with their team to complete work on our new core exhibition, The Synagogue Speaks, which will open in March. Deborah Cardin and Simone Ellin are planning for our kick-off events in March, while Lauren Silberman, Rachel Kassman, and Mindy Glaser McShane are dealing with the many administrative tasks associated with the 50th. Jobi Zink and Karen Falk are staffing up two Anniversary initiatives, Telling Time (oral histories) and Stories We Live By (video interviews). Other staff are pitching in as needed, and a dozen JMM trustees are involved on steering committees for various anniversary events and programs. We are very grateful to The Herbert Bearman Foundation for generously supporting our opening events in March.
This high level of activity and engagement is very likely to persist throughout calendar 2010 as we rev up our programs and activities. In the meantime, a lot of other things are going on-and here are some highlights:
GIFTS AND GRANTS: We are delighted to acknowledge a grant from the Leo V. Berger Fund in support of our acclaimed Immigrant's Trunk program; a grant from M&T Bank Foundation in support of our Museum-School Partnership program; a grant from the Number Ten Foundation (Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Brunn) in support of A Blessing to One Another, a major exhibition on Pope John Paul II and the Jews, which we will host in fall 2010; and a gift for general operating support from the Dopkin-Singer-Dannenberg Foundation. We are very grateful to all our benefactors for their commitment, generous support, and kind encouragement.
COLLECTIONS: The JMM Collections Committee, chaired by Duke Zimmerman, met this week to review proposed accessions to the collections. This was, as usual, a lively, thoughtful meeting. Our thanks to the Committee and the JMM collections staff, especially Senior Collections Manager Jobi Zink.
Archivist Jennifer Vess reports that the archives inventory is complete at 94.6%. The next step will be to address the issues and problems raised by the inventory. With the inventory complete, Jennifer has begun cataloging new accessions once again. This week she also began organizing and cataloging institutional archive photographs pertaining to B'nai Israel and the Museum building. Also, two new volunteers began work in the archives this week, processing a collection of scrapbooks from the CJE, and moving forward with the organization of the Institutional Archives.
PROGRAMS: On Monday 14 December the JMM and BJC held a jointly-sponsored Holocaust-themed teacher-training workshop. A group of 40 educators, representing Jewish day schools, public, private, and home schools, and universities spent the morning studying the multi-media curriculum, Echoes and Reflections presented by Anti-Defamation League educator Deborah Batiste; after lunch the group moved to the Lloyd Street Synagogue to hear survivor testimony from Warsaw native Sam Ponczak, followed by a tour of the Synagogue. Many of the participants "discovered" the JMM with this workshop and are planning a return visit with their students.
OUTREACH: On Saturday 5 December, the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation Shabbat Shelanu Mini-Kiddush featured JMM Special Projects Consultant Dr. Barry S. Lever representing the Museum's Speakers Bureau, sponsored by Attman's Delicatessen. Dr. Lever's delivered an interactive presentation of an art project, The Heart is a Pump!? based on his personal experience with heart disease. On Monday 14 December, Barry Lever and Esther Weiner brought a JMM Speakers Bureau presentation, sponsored by Attman's Delicatessen, to Roland Park Place. The residents delighted in blessing the candles and singing the traditional holiday melodies. Barry's discussion of the fascinating history this festival and Esther's delicious latkes made for a lively program. The delights of this JMM program also engaged residents of other faiths to share in the festivities. The Tot Shabbat programs are part of the JCC's program, "JCC Beyond the Borders" funded by the The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment Jewish Education
The JMM participated in the Community-Wide Chanukah Celebration on Tuesday, 15 December at the JCC. Deborah Cardin, Ilene Dackman-Alon, and Simone Ellin distributed information about the JMM and helped children make edible dreidels using marshmallows and chocolate kisses. This activity was a big hit with families!
IN-REACH: On Sunday 13 December, the Shimanov family held their son's Bar Mitzvah at the synagogue, followed by a reception in the lobby. Over 70 people attended the simcha. Also on Sunday, members of the Downtown Jewish Family Network participated in their monthly family program at the JMM. The program featured a Chanukah celebration, and participants created beautiful Chanukiot using recycled materials, decorated cookies, played dreidel, and sang Chanukah songs.
On Tuesday 15 December, the Maryland-Israel Development Center held a wine and cheese Chanukah party at the Museum for over 80 people. Attendees included members of the business world in both Maryland and Israel, as well as other important figures, including Doug Gansler, Maryland's Attorney General, and Ken Ulman, Howard County Executive.
EDUCATION: On Wednesday 16 December, several D.C. home school families visited the Museum as part of their American Girl book club. They are currently reading books about Rebecca Rubin, a young Jewish girl in New York in 1914, whose grandparents immigrated from Russia. The families toured the historic Lloyd Street Synagogue as part of the Introduction to Judaism program, used the scavenger hunt in Voices of Lombard Street, played Chanukah related games and sang songs, and held a book discussion. On Friday 18 December, 80 high school students from Washington DC-based Schools Without Walls visited the JMM for an immigration-themed field trip. Students toured our historic synagogues and Voices of Lombard Street exhibition and participated in a staff facilitated exploration of the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: Esther Weiner hosted Sen. Barbara Mikulski's Director of Constitutent Services, Marianne Kreitner, who came in to shop for a menorah for their office at the recommendation of Councilwoman Rikki Spector. Marianne was absolutely delighted with her purchase, which is now gracing a Chanukah display in their office.
On 13 December, Simone and Esther participated in live interviews on WJZ's morning show. To view, click here and here.
Simone Ellin, Rachel Kassman, and Lauren Silberman are making excellent progress in completing re-design of the Museum's website. The JMM website development team met their goal of having all text dropped into the new website's shell. Currently, our web designer is "theming" the site in preparation for its launch at the end of this month. Also on the digital front, Jobi Zink uploaded 17 Once Upon a Time photos to our blog and images to Past Perfect.
Deborah Cardin and Jeanette Parmigiani met with Jeremy Swerling of Chizuk Amuno Congregation, Erika Schon, and Katherine Lyons to discuss plans to produce Brundibar, an opera performed by a children's choir at the Theresiendstadt concentration camp during the Holocaust. Ilene Dackman-Alon and Deborah Cardin met with curatorial and program staff at the Lewis Museum to learn more about the Lewis's plans to host a traveling exhibition, Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges. The JMM hopes to partner with the Lewis Museum on collaborative programming exploring the exhibition themes.
On Thursday, Anita Kassof convened the board of Historic Jonestown, Inc. at the Fairfield Marriott. Logan Bailey-Perkins of A&R development spoke to the group about plans for the parcel on the southwest corner of Lombard Street and Central Avenues. They are planning a mixed-use development that includes retail and parking at grade (with stores fronting both Lombard and Central), and a four story, 104-unit apartment building above. They are currently working with the City to consolidate the properties in the parcel.
Ilene Dackman-Alon attended "Knit One Learn Two" at Chizuk Amuno Congregation led by Melton educator Judy Meltzer. Ilene also attended the Historic Jonestown Meeting at the Fairfield Hotel to discuss with community neighbors the JMM's upcoming Street Festival for Fall 2010.
Best wishes to everyone for a peaceful Sabbath, a delightful last night of Chanukah, and a pleasant weekend.
Avi
Much of our time recently has been devoted to preparations for our 50th anniversary year in 2010. Anita Kassof, Deb Weiner, and Jenn Vess are hard at work with their team to complete work on our new core exhibition, The Synagogue Speaks, which will open in March. Deborah Cardin and Simone Ellin are planning for our kick-off events in March, while Lauren Silberman, Rachel Kassman, and Mindy Glaser McShane are dealing with the many administrative tasks associated with the 50th. Jobi Zink and Karen Falk are staffing up two Anniversary initiatives, Telling Time (oral histories) and Stories We Live By (video interviews). Other staff are pitching in as needed, and a dozen JMM trustees are involved on steering committees for various anniversary events and programs. We are very grateful to The Herbert Bearman Foundation for generously supporting our opening events in March.
This high level of activity and engagement is very likely to persist throughout calendar 2010 as we rev up our programs and activities. In the meantime, a lot of other things are going on-and here are some highlights:
GIFTS AND GRANTS: We are delighted to acknowledge a grant from the Leo V. Berger Fund in support of our acclaimed Immigrant's Trunk program; a grant from M&T Bank Foundation in support of our Museum-School Partnership program; a grant from the Number Ten Foundation (Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Brunn) in support of A Blessing to One Another, a major exhibition on Pope John Paul II and the Jews, which we will host in fall 2010; and a gift for general operating support from the Dopkin-Singer-Dannenberg Foundation. We are very grateful to all our benefactors for their commitment, generous support, and kind encouragement.
COLLECTIONS: The JMM Collections Committee, chaired by Duke Zimmerman, met this week to review proposed accessions to the collections. This was, as usual, a lively, thoughtful meeting. Our thanks to the Committee and the JMM collections staff, especially Senior Collections Manager Jobi Zink.
Archivist Jennifer Vess reports that the archives inventory is complete at 94.6%. The next step will be to address the issues and problems raised by the inventory. With the inventory complete, Jennifer has begun cataloging new accessions once again. This week she also began organizing and cataloging institutional archive photographs pertaining to B'nai Israel and the Museum building. Also, two new volunteers began work in the archives this week, processing a collection of scrapbooks from the CJE, and moving forward with the organization of the Institutional Archives.
PROGRAMS: On Monday 14 December the JMM and BJC held a jointly-sponsored Holocaust-themed teacher-training workshop. A group of 40 educators, representing Jewish day schools, public, private, and home schools, and universities spent the morning studying the multi-media curriculum, Echoes and Reflections presented by Anti-Defamation League educator Deborah Batiste; after lunch the group moved to the Lloyd Street Synagogue to hear survivor testimony from Warsaw native Sam Ponczak, followed by a tour of the Synagogue. Many of the participants "discovered" the JMM with this workshop and are planning a return visit with their students.
OUTREACH: On Saturday 5 December, the Baltimore Hebrew Congregation Shabbat Shelanu Mini-Kiddush featured JMM Special Projects Consultant Dr. Barry S. Lever representing the Museum's Speakers Bureau, sponsored by Attman's Delicatessen. Dr. Lever's delivered an interactive presentation of an art project, The Heart is a Pump!? based on his personal experience with heart disease. On Monday 14 December, Barry Lever and Esther Weiner brought a JMM Speakers Bureau presentation, sponsored by Attman's Delicatessen, to Roland Park Place. The residents delighted in blessing the candles and singing the traditional holiday melodies. Barry's discussion of the fascinating history this festival and Esther's delicious latkes made for a lively program. The delights of this JMM program also engaged residents of other faiths to share in the festivities. The Tot Shabbat programs are part of the JCC's program, "JCC Beyond the Borders" funded by the The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment Jewish Education
The JMM participated in the Community-Wide Chanukah Celebration on Tuesday, 15 December at the JCC. Deborah Cardin, Ilene Dackman-Alon, and Simone Ellin distributed information about the JMM and helped children make edible dreidels using marshmallows and chocolate kisses. This activity was a big hit with families!
IN-REACH: On Sunday 13 December, the Shimanov family held their son's Bar Mitzvah at the synagogue, followed by a reception in the lobby. Over 70 people attended the simcha. Also on Sunday, members of the Downtown Jewish Family Network participated in their monthly family program at the JMM. The program featured a Chanukah celebration, and participants created beautiful Chanukiot using recycled materials, decorated cookies, played dreidel, and sang Chanukah songs.
On Tuesday 15 December, the Maryland-Israel Development Center held a wine and cheese Chanukah party at the Museum for over 80 people. Attendees included members of the business world in both Maryland and Israel, as well as other important figures, including Doug Gansler, Maryland's Attorney General, and Ken Ulman, Howard County Executive.
EDUCATION: On Wednesday 16 December, several D.C. home school families visited the Museum as part of their American Girl book club. They are currently reading books about Rebecca Rubin, a young Jewish girl in New York in 1914, whose grandparents immigrated from Russia. The families toured the historic Lloyd Street Synagogue as part of the Introduction to Judaism program, used the scavenger hunt in Voices of Lombard Street, played Chanukah related games and sang songs, and held a book discussion. On Friday 18 December, 80 high school students from Washington DC-based Schools Without Walls visited the JMM for an immigration-themed field trip. Students toured our historic synagogues and Voices of Lombard Street exhibition and participated in a staff facilitated exploration of the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: Esther Weiner hosted Sen. Barbara Mikulski's Director of Constitutent Services, Marianne Kreitner, who came in to shop for a menorah for their office at the recommendation of Councilwoman Rikki Spector. Marianne was absolutely delighted with her purchase, which is now gracing a Chanukah display in their office.
On 13 December, Simone and Esther participated in live interviews on WJZ's morning show. To view, click here and here.
Simone Ellin, Rachel Kassman, and Lauren Silberman are making excellent progress in completing re-design of the Museum's website. The JMM website development team met their goal of having all text dropped into the new website's shell. Currently, our web designer is "theming" the site in preparation for its launch at the end of this month. Also on the digital front, Jobi Zink uploaded 17 Once Upon a Time photos to our blog and images to Past Perfect.
Deborah Cardin and Jeanette Parmigiani met with Jeremy Swerling of Chizuk Amuno Congregation, Erika Schon, and Katherine Lyons to discuss plans to produce Brundibar, an opera performed by a children's choir at the Theresiendstadt concentration camp during the Holocaust. Ilene Dackman-Alon and Deborah Cardin met with curatorial and program staff at the Lewis Museum to learn more about the Lewis's plans to host a traveling exhibition, Beyond Swastika and Jim Crow: Jewish Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges. The JMM hopes to partner with the Lewis Museum on collaborative programming exploring the exhibition themes.
On Thursday, Anita Kassof convened the board of Historic Jonestown, Inc. at the Fairfield Marriott. Logan Bailey-Perkins of A&R development spoke to the group about plans for the parcel on the southwest corner of Lombard Street and Central Avenues. They are planning a mixed-use development that includes retail and parking at grade (with stores fronting both Lombard and Central), and a four story, 104-unit apartment building above. They are currently working with the City to consolidate the properties in the parcel.
Ilene Dackman-Alon attended "Knit One Learn Two" at Chizuk Amuno Congregation led by Melton educator Judy Meltzer. Ilene also attended the Historic Jonestown Meeting at the Fairfield Hotel to discuss with community neighbors the JMM's upcoming Street Festival for Fall 2010.
Best wishes to everyone for a peaceful Sabbath, a delightful last night of Chanukah, and a pleasant weekend.
Avi
Friday, December 11, 2009
Weekly Report 12.11.09
Dear Friends,
The arrival of Hanukkah this evening reminds us that autumn is coming to a close and winter is about to begin. Before we go into seasonal mode, however, we have been very active in preparing for our 50th Anniversary programs and events. Here is a report on current activities:
LEADERSHIP: On Tuesday 8 December, we hosted a lively crowd at our monthly Leadership Luncheon: Deborah Adler, executive of the Howard County Jewish Federation; community leader Katie Applefeld; Irene Hoffman, director of the Contemporary Museum; JHU Hillel director Rabbi Debbie Pines; community activist Leonard Schleider; and Randi Vega, program officer of the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA). JMM President David Liebman welcomed our guests, and animated conversation ensued. Our thanks to all the participants.
PRESS AND MEDIA: On Sunday morning, 13 December, WJZ- Channel 13 will be on-site at the Museum for two live spots focusing on Hanukkah. An article just appeared in the Sun on Hanukkah in East Baltimore. The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/bal-md.fa.hanukkah11dec11,0,7255046.story. Kudos to Marketing Director Simone Ellin for her success in promoting the Museum.
KUDOS: On Tuesday evening 8 December, our new initiative, Student Immigration Stories, headed the agenda of the Baltimore City Pubic Schools Board meeting. This compelling program was funded by the Frank and Helen Risch Endowment at THE ASSOCIATED.
Education Director Deborah Cardin, Program Director Ilene Dackman-Alon, storyteller Jennifer Rudick Zunikoff, Ms. Franklin and Ms. D’Anna (teacher and principal at Patterson High School), and Therese Kapange, a student storyteller from Patterson, attended the meeting. Ilene gave opening remarks about the project and Jennifer gave brief closing remarks. Therese spoke for five minutes to an attentive audience, receiving praise for her courage in making and describing her journey to a new life in America. After the presentation, Luke Dillon and Michael Sarbanes, Director of Communication at BCPS, expressed appreciation for the project. The program is highlighted on BCPS Channel 77 www.baltimorecitypublicschools.org.
PROGRAMS: On Sunday 6 December, students and parents participating in the Lessons of the Shoah (our high school interfaith initiative) met at the Basilica of Baltimore for a session exploring aspects of the Catholic faith. We received an in-depth tour of the Basilica from docent Don Henderson (who is also a staff facilitator of the program). A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to meet with Cardinal Keeler who made a special visit to the Basilica to greet the group and to discuss his work promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation. The visit ended with small group discussions as Catholic students shared their personal experiences of growing up in the Catholic faith.
On Monday 7 December, approximately 60 people--students, faculty, area educators, survivors, and community members--heard an intriguing, thought-provoking presentation, “The Phenomena of Holocaust Denial and the New Antisemitism” by Ephraim Kaye, director of International Seminars for Educators at Yad Vashem, Israel. This successful program marked the first collaboration between The Jewish Museum of Maryland and the Baltimore Hebrew Institute (formerly Baltimore Hebrew University) at Towson University.
EDUCATION: On Sunday 6 December, about 30 elementary students from Beit Tikvah and their parents toured the Museum and participated in activities from the Paving Our Way: Early Maryland Jewish Life 1632 - 1845 educational resource kit. On Tuesday 8 December, a group of Israeli teens made their annual visit to the Museum courtesy of the Bronfman Foundation in New York. On Thursday, nearly 50 1st graders from Federal Hill Prep (Baltimore City Public School) participated in the Introduction to Judaism program, toured Voices of Lombard Street with a scavenger hunt, and enjoyed a great cooking presentation by Esther Weiner on latkes and Chanukah. On Friday, about 40 high school students from an ESOL (English as a Second Language) class at Patterson High School (Baltimore City Public School) toured the Museum. Their tour is in conjunction with the recent initiative: Coming to America: Student Immigration Stories. Also on Friday, Ilene went to Temple Emanuel Early Learning Center and did an outreach program, the Leo Berger’s Immigrant’s Trunk for the preschool.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: The LSS exhibition team went over to St. Alphonsus (successor congregation to St. John’s) for research. On Monday, Jobi, Karen and Jenn installed a Hanukkah display at City Hall; the JMM will also have a Hanukkah display at the Baltimore Visitor Center again this year. Also on Monday, Ilene Dackman-Alon met with Rabbi Dovid Katz, Edward Hoffman, and David Liebman to discuss possible programming for the upcoming year, and the collections staff met to review possible accessions to the Museum’s collections.
On Wednesday, Karen Falk attended a presentation in the Sant Oceans Hall at the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian) on museum applications of Sony’s new 3D film technology. Lauren Silberman and Simone Ellin attended a meeting on social marketing at THE ASSOCIATED on Thursday. Also on Thursday, Karen Falk and Susan Vick, curator of the Goldsmith Museum at Chizuk Amuno, visited two exhibitions of Judaica in New York, as part of their research for the Object Lessons exhibit of Judaica.
This week we welcomed a new intern, Charlotte Knight, who began work on Wednesday in the collections department. Charlotte holds a BA in Art History (minor in Anthropology) from Rutgers University and is new to Maryland. She has previously worked at Acorn Hall, a historic house museum, in Morristown, NJ. Heather Besch wrapped up her internship with us on Friday; she starts a full-time job as a Teacher’s Aide next week. Our thanks and best wishes go with her. Intern Nicole Paterson continued work on The Synagogue Speaks archaeology component, contributed cataloging information on the artifacts excavated from the mikveh complex within the LSS, and developed a timeline for the changes to the mikveh structure. Development Coordinator Mindy Glaser McShane responded to a call from a gentleman who asked for a definition of “putz,” having heard the word in the film, Blazing Saddles!
Best wishes to everyone for a delightful fall weekend, a peaceful Shabbat, and a joyous Hanukkah festival!
Avi
The arrival of Hanukkah this evening reminds us that autumn is coming to a close and winter is about to begin. Before we go into seasonal mode, however, we have been very active in preparing for our 50th Anniversary programs and events. Here is a report on current activities:
LEADERSHIP: On Tuesday 8 December, we hosted a lively crowd at our monthly Leadership Luncheon: Deborah Adler, executive of the Howard County Jewish Federation; community leader Katie Applefeld; Irene Hoffman, director of the Contemporary Museum; JHU Hillel director Rabbi Debbie Pines; community activist Leonard Schleider; and Randi Vega, program officer of the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts (BOPA). JMM President David Liebman welcomed our guests, and animated conversation ensued. Our thanks to all the participants.
PRESS AND MEDIA: On Sunday morning, 13 December, WJZ- Channel 13 will be on-site at the Museum for two live spots focusing on Hanukkah. An article just appeared in the Sun on Hanukkah in East Baltimore. The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.baltimoresun.com/features/bal-md.fa.hanukkah11dec11,0,7255046.story. Kudos to Marketing Director Simone Ellin for her success in promoting the Museum.
KUDOS: On Tuesday evening 8 December, our new initiative, Student Immigration Stories, headed the agenda of the Baltimore City Pubic Schools Board meeting. This compelling program was funded by the Frank and Helen Risch Endowment at THE ASSOCIATED.
Education Director Deborah Cardin, Program Director Ilene Dackman-Alon, storyteller Jennifer Rudick Zunikoff, Ms. Franklin and Ms. D’Anna (teacher and principal at Patterson High School), and Therese Kapange, a student storyteller from Patterson, attended the meeting. Ilene gave opening remarks about the project and Jennifer gave brief closing remarks. Therese spoke for five minutes to an attentive audience, receiving praise for her courage in making and describing her journey to a new life in America. After the presentation, Luke Dillon and Michael Sarbanes, Director of Communication at BCPS, expressed appreciation for the project. The program is highlighted on BCPS Channel 77 www.baltimorecitypublicschools.org.
PROGRAMS: On Sunday 6 December, students and parents participating in the Lessons of the Shoah (our high school interfaith initiative) met at the Basilica of Baltimore for a session exploring aspects of the Catholic faith. We received an in-depth tour of the Basilica from docent Don Henderson (who is also a staff facilitator of the program). A highlight of the visit was the opportunity to meet with Cardinal Keeler who made a special visit to the Basilica to greet the group and to discuss his work promoting interfaith dialogue and cooperation. The visit ended with small group discussions as Catholic students shared their personal experiences of growing up in the Catholic faith.
On Monday 7 December, approximately 60 people--students, faculty, area educators, survivors, and community members--heard an intriguing, thought-provoking presentation, “The Phenomena of Holocaust Denial and the New Antisemitism” by Ephraim Kaye, director of International Seminars for Educators at Yad Vashem, Israel. This successful program marked the first collaboration between The Jewish Museum of Maryland and the Baltimore Hebrew Institute (formerly Baltimore Hebrew University) at Towson University.
EDUCATION: On Sunday 6 December, about 30 elementary students from Beit Tikvah and their parents toured the Museum and participated in activities from the Paving Our Way: Early Maryland Jewish Life 1632 - 1845 educational resource kit. On Tuesday 8 December, a group of Israeli teens made their annual visit to the Museum courtesy of the Bronfman Foundation in New York. On Thursday, nearly 50 1st graders from Federal Hill Prep (Baltimore City Public School) participated in the Introduction to Judaism program, toured Voices of Lombard Street with a scavenger hunt, and enjoyed a great cooking presentation by Esther Weiner on latkes and Chanukah. On Friday, about 40 high school students from an ESOL (English as a Second Language) class at Patterson High School (Baltimore City Public School) toured the Museum. Their tour is in conjunction with the recent initiative: Coming to America: Student Immigration Stories. Also on Friday, Ilene went to Temple Emanuel Early Learning Center and did an outreach program, the Leo Berger’s Immigrant’s Trunk for the preschool.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: The LSS exhibition team went over to St. Alphonsus (successor congregation to St. John’s) for research. On Monday, Jobi, Karen and Jenn installed a Hanukkah display at City Hall; the JMM will also have a Hanukkah display at the Baltimore Visitor Center again this year. Also on Monday, Ilene Dackman-Alon met with Rabbi Dovid Katz, Edward Hoffman, and David Liebman to discuss possible programming for the upcoming year, and the collections staff met to review possible accessions to the Museum’s collections.
On Wednesday, Karen Falk attended a presentation in the Sant Oceans Hall at the National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian) on museum applications of Sony’s new 3D film technology. Lauren Silberman and Simone Ellin attended a meeting on social marketing at THE ASSOCIATED on Thursday. Also on Thursday, Karen Falk and Susan Vick, curator of the Goldsmith Museum at Chizuk Amuno, visited two exhibitions of Judaica in New York, as part of their research for the Object Lessons exhibit of Judaica.
This week we welcomed a new intern, Charlotte Knight, who began work on Wednesday in the collections department. Charlotte holds a BA in Art History (minor in Anthropology) from Rutgers University and is new to Maryland. She has previously worked at Acorn Hall, a historic house museum, in Morristown, NJ. Heather Besch wrapped up her internship with us on Friday; she starts a full-time job as a Teacher’s Aide next week. Our thanks and best wishes go with her. Intern Nicole Paterson continued work on The Synagogue Speaks archaeology component, contributed cataloging information on the artifacts excavated from the mikveh complex within the LSS, and developed a timeline for the changes to the mikveh structure. Development Coordinator Mindy Glaser McShane responded to a call from a gentleman who asked for a definition of “putz,” having heard the word in the film, Blazing Saddles!
Best wishes to everyone for a delightful fall weekend, a peaceful Shabbat, and a joyous Hanukkah festival!
Avi
Friday, December 4, 2009
Weekly Report 12.04.09
Dear Friends,
This has been a busy week, as we gear up for our 50th Anniversary in 2010. Here are some highlights:
50TH ANNIVERSARY: The Steering Committee for the re-dedication of Lloyd Street Synagogue, chaired by Vice President Jerry Doctrow, met this past Monday to discuss details of the re-dedication. Meanwhile, Anita Kassof, Deb Weiner, and Jennifer Vess sent a full exhibition text to the designers this week, as we prepare for the opening of our new core exhibition, The Synagogue Speaks.
This coming Sunday, volunteers and staff will resume filming for our new video initiative, Stories We Live By. This week, the topic will be Chanukah foods and celebrations. We will be at the Lifebridge Health and Fitness Center and at the JCC in Owings Mills. We have also completed work on our 50th Anniversary logo and tagline, which will appear on our letterhead throughout the anniversary year.
GIFTS AND GRANTS: We are delighted to report that we have received a $9,000 grant from M&T Bank in support of our Museum-School Partnership program and a second grant, also in the amount of $9,000 from the Baltimore National Heritage Area for stabilization of the archaeological excavation in the Lloyd Street Synagogue's 1845 mikveh complex.
Warm thanks to Jason Davidov, son of Museum Docent Howard Davidov and owner of J.D. Outdoors Landscaping. Jason is donating labor and materials to spruce up the plantings and beds in our courtyard and around the Museum. We are very grateful to these generous supporters.
PROGRAMS: Today, the JCC and JMM partnered on a Hands-On Holiday program for Chanukah geared for downtown families of very young children. Young children, along with their parents, caregivers and grandparents were actively engaged in craft activities, songs and stories and a yummy snack all in connection with the upcoming festival. These Hands-On Holiday programs and Tot Shabbat programs are part of the JCC initiative, "JCC Beyond the Borders," funded by the The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education.
This Sunday 6 December, 1:00-4:00p.m., the JMM is hosting a special series of free book talks by local authors. At 1:00 p.m. JMM Education Coordinator Lauren Silberman will talk about her book, The Jewish Community of Baltimore. The volume chronicles the history of Jewish Baltimore and features numerous photos from the Museum's collections. At 2:00 p.m., Mark Carp will discuss his new novel, The End of Hell, the story of a man who has experienced life to the fullest as he has seen everything from the storming of Normandy Beach to the bombing of the World Trade Centers in NYC on 9/11/01. And, at 3:00 p.m., Steven Luxemberg will talk about Annie's Ghosts: A Journey into a Family Secret, a non-fiction book that is part detective story, part social history, and part memoir about his mother's decision to hide the existence of a disabled sister. Join us for a stimulating exploration into the nature of family secrecy. For reservations or more information, call 410-732-6400 x 214 or idackmanalon@jewishmuseummd.org.
Also, on Monday 7 December, the JMM and BJC are co-sponsoring with the Baltimore Hebrew Institute (BHI) at Towson University, The Phenomena of Holocaust Denial and the New Antisemitism at 7:00 p.m. in Hawkins Hall. The program features Ephraim Kaye, Director of International Seminars for Educators at Yad Vashem, Israel. The JMM/BJC/ BHI team looks forward to collaborating on many more programs focused on the Shoah. RSVP to lchandler@baltjc.org to receive a parking code for free parking at a nearby lot.
The JMM Program Committee, chaired by JMM Trustee Carol Glusman, met on Tuesday evening to continue discussions on enhancement of the visitor experience at the Museum and to review ideas for new modes of orientation. This was, as usual, a fruitful discussion. Our thanks to all of the participants.
COLLECTIONS: Archivist Jennifer Vess reports that she has reached 94.4% in the archives inventory. Jennifer spent much of this week scanning institutional archive photographs, partly due to a need for images of past LSS archaeology for The Synagogue Speaks. To date we have complete catalog records with attached images for 804 Lloyd Street Synagogue photographs. Jennifer has also been gathering objects, which will be photographed by Shelby for an exhibition interactive for The Synagogue Speaks. Senior Collections Manager Jobi Zink spent time on the paperwork for three outgoing loans this week, including the loan of 14 styrofoam heads to the Gregg Museum of Art and Design at North Carolina State University.
EDUCATION: On Sunday 22 November, the Jewish Downtown Families made their first visit to the Museum in a series of monthly programs. Additionally, a group of 4th graders and their parents from Beth El toured the Museum and participated in the Paving Our Way: Early Maryland Jewish Life, 1632 - 1845 resource kit program. Krieger Schechter Day School 3rd graders participated in their annual field trip on Monday 23 November. During their visit they participated in a scavenger hunt in the Lloyd Street Synagogue and toured Voices of Lombard Street.
VISITORS: On Sunday 29 November, a group of young Russian Jews from EZRA USA, based in New York, toured the Museum. In the afternoon, over 100 people attended a bat mitzvah reception for the Leventer family.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: On Thursday, Lauren Silberman attended the monthly Greater Baltimore History Alliance education and marketing meeting. Deborah Cardin and Jeanette Parmigiani were busy completing the final plans for the December 14th teacher-training workshop, Echoes and Reflections. More than 30 area teachers have registered for this program. Intern Jessica Levine began researching the history of property ownership and occupancy for the six lots comprised in our parcel at the corner of Lloyd and Lombard Streets; intern Nicole Paterson continued to plan for archaeology exhibits in The Synagogue Speaks; and intern Heather Besch began marketing our programs and resources to Jewish organizations throughout metropolitan Baltimore.
Best wishes to one and all for a delightful fall weekend and a peaceful Sabbath.
Avi
This has been a busy week, as we gear up for our 50th Anniversary in 2010. Here are some highlights:
50TH ANNIVERSARY: The Steering Committee for the re-dedication of Lloyd Street Synagogue, chaired by Vice President Jerry Doctrow, met this past Monday to discuss details of the re-dedication. Meanwhile, Anita Kassof, Deb Weiner, and Jennifer Vess sent a full exhibition text to the designers this week, as we prepare for the opening of our new core exhibition, The Synagogue Speaks.
This coming Sunday, volunteers and staff will resume filming for our new video initiative, Stories We Live By. This week, the topic will be Chanukah foods and celebrations. We will be at the Lifebridge Health and Fitness Center and at the JCC in Owings Mills. We have also completed work on our 50th Anniversary logo and tagline, which will appear on our letterhead throughout the anniversary year.
GIFTS AND GRANTS: We are delighted to report that we have received a $9,000 grant from M&T Bank in support of our Museum-School Partnership program and a second grant, also in the amount of $9,000 from the Baltimore National Heritage Area for stabilization of the archaeological excavation in the Lloyd Street Synagogue's 1845 mikveh complex.
Warm thanks to Jason Davidov, son of Museum Docent Howard Davidov and owner of J.D. Outdoors Landscaping. Jason is donating labor and materials to spruce up the plantings and beds in our courtyard and around the Museum. We are very grateful to these generous supporters.
PROGRAMS: Today, the JCC and JMM partnered on a Hands-On Holiday program for Chanukah geared for downtown families of very young children. Young children, along with their parents, caregivers and grandparents were actively engaged in craft activities, songs and stories and a yummy snack all in connection with the upcoming festival. These Hands-On Holiday programs and Tot Shabbat programs are part of the JCC initiative, "JCC Beyond the Borders," funded by the The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education.
This Sunday 6 December, 1:00-4:00p.m., the JMM is hosting a special series of free book talks by local authors. At 1:00 p.m. JMM Education Coordinator Lauren Silberman will talk about her book, The Jewish Community of Baltimore. The volume chronicles the history of Jewish Baltimore and features numerous photos from the Museum's collections. At 2:00 p.m., Mark Carp will discuss his new novel, The End of Hell, the story of a man who has experienced life to the fullest as he has seen everything from the storming of Normandy Beach to the bombing of the World Trade Centers in NYC on 9/11/01. And, at 3:00 p.m., Steven Luxemberg will talk about Annie's Ghosts: A Journey into a Family Secret, a non-fiction book that is part detective story, part social history, and part memoir about his mother's decision to hide the existence of a disabled sister. Join us for a stimulating exploration into the nature of family secrecy. For reservations or more information, call 410-732-6400 x 214 or idackmanalon@jewishmuseummd.org.
Also, on Monday 7 December, the JMM and BJC are co-sponsoring with the Baltimore Hebrew Institute (BHI) at Towson University, The Phenomena of Holocaust Denial and the New Antisemitism at 7:00 p.m. in Hawkins Hall. The program features Ephraim Kaye, Director of International Seminars for Educators at Yad Vashem, Israel. The JMM/BJC/ BHI team looks forward to collaborating on many more programs focused on the Shoah. RSVP to lchandler@baltjc.org to receive a parking code for free parking at a nearby lot.
The JMM Program Committee, chaired by JMM Trustee Carol Glusman, met on Tuesday evening to continue discussions on enhancement of the visitor experience at the Museum and to review ideas for new modes of orientation. This was, as usual, a fruitful discussion. Our thanks to all of the participants.
COLLECTIONS: Archivist Jennifer Vess reports that she has reached 94.4% in the archives inventory. Jennifer spent much of this week scanning institutional archive photographs, partly due to a need for images of past LSS archaeology for The Synagogue Speaks. To date we have complete catalog records with attached images for 804 Lloyd Street Synagogue photographs. Jennifer has also been gathering objects, which will be photographed by Shelby for an exhibition interactive for The Synagogue Speaks. Senior Collections Manager Jobi Zink spent time on the paperwork for three outgoing loans this week, including the loan of 14 styrofoam heads to the Gregg Museum of Art and Design at North Carolina State University.
EDUCATION: On Sunday 22 November, the Jewish Downtown Families made their first visit to the Museum in a series of monthly programs. Additionally, a group of 4th graders and their parents from Beth El toured the Museum and participated in the Paving Our Way: Early Maryland Jewish Life, 1632 - 1845 resource kit program. Krieger Schechter Day School 3rd graders participated in their annual field trip on Monday 23 November. During their visit they participated in a scavenger hunt in the Lloyd Street Synagogue and toured Voices of Lombard Street.
VISITORS: On Sunday 29 November, a group of young Russian Jews from EZRA USA, based in New York, toured the Museum. In the afternoon, over 100 people attended a bat mitzvah reception for the Leventer family.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: On Thursday, Lauren Silberman attended the monthly Greater Baltimore History Alliance education and marketing meeting. Deborah Cardin and Jeanette Parmigiani were busy completing the final plans for the December 14th teacher-training workshop, Echoes and Reflections. More than 30 area teachers have registered for this program. Intern Jessica Levine began researching the history of property ownership and occupancy for the six lots comprised in our parcel at the corner of Lloyd and Lombard Streets; intern Nicole Paterson continued to plan for archaeology exhibits in The Synagogue Speaks; and intern Heather Besch began marketing our programs and resources to Jewish organizations throughout metropolitan Baltimore.
Best wishes to one and all for a delightful fall weekend and a peaceful Sabbath.
Avi
Friday, November 20, 2009
Weekly Report 11.20.09
Dear Friends,
This has been an unusually busy and productive week for the Museum. Here are some highlights:
50th ANNIVERSARY: On Wednesday, Trustees Manuele Wasserman, Sarah Manekin, Carol Sandler, Judy Langenthal, and Duke Zimmerman, staff, and interns involved in the Museum's video interview initiative, Stories We Live By, met for a training session with consultant Jayne Guberman. Pilot interviews will be conducted this coming Sunday at Trader Joe's and later on at a second uptown location. Rachel Kassman convened a steering committee meeting for next year's Purim Pandemonium that included JMM Trustee Jonathan Mogol.
THE SYNAGOGUE SPEAKS: Anita Kassof and Deb Weiner continue to conduct research and to refine the script for our new Core Exhibition at the historic Lloyd Street Synagogue. The project team met this week with the prospective fabrication firm. Intern Nicole Paterson continues to plan for a hands-on archaeology element; staff are also working with Fr. Bob Albright and the CJE to create an interactive card game featuring religious objects. The public opening of The Synagogue Speaks is confirmed for Sunday 21 March; please mark your calendars!
LEADERSHIP: The JMM Finance and Development Committees met jointly on Monday evening to review our current budgets and fundraising progress. The joint committees also began discussion of projections for the coming fiscal year (FY2011).
EDUCATION: On Sunday 15 November, 60+ 6th graders and parents from Congregation Beth Or in Pennsylvania visited the Museum and participated in several programs on immigration. That afternoon, our second group from Kol Ha Lev brought children to experience the resource kit, Paving Our Way: Early Maryland Jewish Life, 1632 - 1845. On Tuesday, a group of 12 adults from Revitz House in Montgomery County toured the Museum, as did groups from the Kaleidoscope program with Roland Park Country School and Atrium Village on Thursday. On Wednesday, Deborah Cardin and Ilene Dackman-Alon participated in American Education Week at Baltimore City partner school Fallstaff Elementary by reading to two separate classes of students
Katherine Lyons portrayed Ida Rehr in the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk for 40+ 3rd graders at Kreiger Schecter Day School on Thursday and then for a group of 24 3rd graders from Calverton School at the Museum on Friday. The Calverton School group also toured our exhibits.
A group of families attended our regularly scheduled Tot Shabbat program, held in conjunction with the JCC. Our next Tot Shabbat will be on Friday, December 4th and will feature Hands-On-Holiday Chanukah activities. To register, please contact Cindy Neuman at 410.356.5200 x344 or cneuman@jcc.org.
COLLECTIONS: Collections Committee Chair Duke Zimmerman reports that a dozen interesting items have recently been offered to the Museum for possible accession into the collections. Archivist Jenn Vess has completed 91% of the archives inventory and has just finished another new finding aid (we now total 180 finding aids-critical tools for all researchers). Deb Weiner sent two more cemetery lists to the Jewish On-Line Worldwide Burial Registry, a fully-searchable database used by people around the world. They now have 70 percent of the JMM's cemetery listings entered into their system.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: Deborah Cardin and Deb Weiner met with Thomas Howell and Patricia Anderson at the Maryland Historical Society to discuss possible joint publication projects. Education and program staff met with Molly Ross of Nana Projects to refine plans for our winter break family program taking place on 30 December. Nana Projects will be leading a shadow puppetry workshop using images from our Voices of Lombard Street exhibition as a backdrop. The program is designed for children aged 5-12.
This week, intern Jessica Levine has been researching the history of our lot at the corner of Lloyd and Lombard Streets. Jessica started with our in-house records and will be at the Maryland Room of the Enoch Pratt Free Library today. Holocaust Educator Jeanette Parmagiani spent time arranging speaking engagements for Holocaust survivors, doing preparation work for Lessons of the Shoah, the Holocaust Denial program at Towson (7 December), and a workshop at JMM (14 December).
Jobi Zink and I conferred with community leader Neil Gordon from Howard County on a prospective exhibition on Israel at the Howard County Library. On Tuesday, Anita Kassof and I met with Trustee Len Weinberg and architect John Srygley to brainstorm about scenarios for future expansion.
Program Director Ilene Dackman-Alon attended the Israel Education & Engagement Summit this past Monday evening which was held at the Park Heights JCC. Israel educators Michael Wegier and Jonny Ariel spoke to the summit about ways to engage American youth to care about Israel. Ilene facilitated a roundtable discussion on ways to engage youth through arts and culture. Ilene also attended "Knit One Learn Two" at Chizuk Amuno led by Melton educator Judy Meltzer. And, Education Coordinator Lauren Silberman attended the annual meeting and awards ceremony for Preservation Maryland at the Maryland Club on Wednesday 18 November.
That was the week that was. Best wishes to everyone for a peaceful Sabbath and an enjoyable fall weekend.
Avi
This has been an unusually busy and productive week for the Museum. Here are some highlights:
50th ANNIVERSARY: On Wednesday, Trustees Manuele Wasserman, Sarah Manekin, Carol Sandler, Judy Langenthal, and Duke Zimmerman, staff, and interns involved in the Museum's video interview initiative, Stories We Live By, met for a training session with consultant Jayne Guberman. Pilot interviews will be conducted this coming Sunday at Trader Joe's and later on at a second uptown location. Rachel Kassman convened a steering committee meeting for next year's Purim Pandemonium that included JMM Trustee Jonathan Mogol.
THE SYNAGOGUE SPEAKS: Anita Kassof and Deb Weiner continue to conduct research and to refine the script for our new Core Exhibition at the historic Lloyd Street Synagogue. The project team met this week with the prospective fabrication firm. Intern Nicole Paterson continues to plan for a hands-on archaeology element; staff are also working with Fr. Bob Albright and the CJE to create an interactive card game featuring religious objects. The public opening of The Synagogue Speaks is confirmed for Sunday 21 March; please mark your calendars!
LEADERSHIP: The JMM Finance and Development Committees met jointly on Monday evening to review our current budgets and fundraising progress. The joint committees also began discussion of projections for the coming fiscal year (FY2011).
EDUCATION: On Sunday 15 November, 60+ 6th graders and parents from Congregation Beth Or in Pennsylvania visited the Museum and participated in several programs on immigration. That afternoon, our second group from Kol Ha Lev brought children to experience the resource kit, Paving Our Way: Early Maryland Jewish Life, 1632 - 1845. On Tuesday, a group of 12 adults from Revitz House in Montgomery County toured the Museum, as did groups from the Kaleidoscope program with Roland Park Country School and Atrium Village on Thursday. On Wednesday, Deborah Cardin and Ilene Dackman-Alon participated in American Education Week at Baltimore City partner school Fallstaff Elementary by reading to two separate classes of students
Katherine Lyons portrayed Ida Rehr in the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk for 40+ 3rd graders at Kreiger Schecter Day School on Thursday and then for a group of 24 3rd graders from Calverton School at the Museum on Friday. The Calverton School group also toured our exhibits.
A group of families attended our regularly scheduled Tot Shabbat program, held in conjunction with the JCC. Our next Tot Shabbat will be on Friday, December 4th and will feature Hands-On-Holiday Chanukah activities. To register, please contact Cindy Neuman at 410.356.5200 x344 or cneuman@jcc.org.
COLLECTIONS: Collections Committee Chair Duke Zimmerman reports that a dozen interesting items have recently been offered to the Museum for possible accession into the collections. Archivist Jenn Vess has completed 91% of the archives inventory and has just finished another new finding aid (we now total 180 finding aids-critical tools for all researchers). Deb Weiner sent two more cemetery lists to the Jewish On-Line Worldwide Burial Registry, a fully-searchable database used by people around the world. They now have 70 percent of the JMM's cemetery listings entered into their system.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: Deborah Cardin and Deb Weiner met with Thomas Howell and Patricia Anderson at the Maryland Historical Society to discuss possible joint publication projects. Education and program staff met with Molly Ross of Nana Projects to refine plans for our winter break family program taking place on 30 December. Nana Projects will be leading a shadow puppetry workshop using images from our Voices of Lombard Street exhibition as a backdrop. The program is designed for children aged 5-12.
This week, intern Jessica Levine has been researching the history of our lot at the corner of Lloyd and Lombard Streets. Jessica started with our in-house records and will be at the Maryland Room of the Enoch Pratt Free Library today. Holocaust Educator Jeanette Parmagiani spent time arranging speaking engagements for Holocaust survivors, doing preparation work for Lessons of the Shoah, the Holocaust Denial program at Towson (7 December), and a workshop at JMM (14 December).
Jobi Zink and I conferred with community leader Neil Gordon from Howard County on a prospective exhibition on Israel at the Howard County Library. On Tuesday, Anita Kassof and I met with Trustee Len Weinberg and architect John Srygley to brainstorm about scenarios for future expansion.
Program Director Ilene Dackman-Alon attended the Israel Education & Engagement Summit this past Monday evening which was held at the Park Heights JCC. Israel educators Michael Wegier and Jonny Ariel spoke to the summit about ways to engage American youth to care about Israel. Ilene facilitated a roundtable discussion on ways to engage youth through arts and culture. Ilene also attended "Knit One Learn Two" at Chizuk Amuno led by Melton educator Judy Meltzer. And, Education Coordinator Lauren Silberman attended the annual meeting and awards ceremony for Preservation Maryland at the Maryland Club on Wednesday 18 November.
That was the week that was. Best wishes to everyone for a peaceful Sabbath and an enjoyable fall weekend.
Avi
Friday, November 13, 2009
Weekly Report 11.13.09
Dear Friends,
We continue to have very busy and productive work weeks at the Museum. Here are a few of the highlights:
PROGRAMS: The Steering Committee for Lloyd Street Synagogue Re-Opening, chaired by JMM vice President Jerry Doctrow, met with Deborah Cardin and Simone Ellin on Friday 13 November to develop plans for the LSS public opening and a VIP event at LSS. These twin programs will mark the kick-off of the Museum's 50th Anniversary year.
On Tuesday, the JMM program Committee, chaired by Carol Glusman, convened at the PH JCC to resume discussion about enhancement to the visitor experience. This was, as always, a lively and substantial conversation.
Actress Katherine Lyons performed for Covenant Guild, Inc., at their annual Membership Dinner, as Ida Rehr in The Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk. Her very moving portrayal was very much appreciated by the audience.
On Sunday 8 November, the Sisterhood of B'nai Israel Congregation listened to JMM Research Historian & Family History Coordinator Deb Weiner present a Speakers Bureau presentation, sponsored by Attman's Delicatessen, about "Women in the Family Business." The talk touched on three Baltimore Jewish Women who were at the forefront of their family businesses: Rose Shanis of Rose Shanis Loans, Min Shavitz of Nates & Leon's Resturant, and Dora Silber of Silber's Bakery.
LEADERSHIP LUNCHEON: On Monday 9 November, JMM Trustee Larry Kamanitz hosted community leader Gail Bendit; Jim Blum, a long-time member and supporter; Greg Cantori, director of the Knott Foundation; Dr. Adam Gregerman, resident scholar at the Institute for Jewish and Christian Studies; and community leader Glenn Weinberg. As usual, conversation was lively and engaged. We thank our guests for an enjoyable visit.
VISITORS: On Sunday 8 November, the Museum hosted four Jewish congregations from a variety of geographic locations: Baltimore Hebrew, who brought their 6th graders; Temple Rodef Shalom from Virginia who brought their 7th graders; Temple B'nai Israel of Easton, Maryland who brought a range of ages; and Temple Sinai from Washington, DC, who brought a group of adults. On Thursday 12 November, Independence High School (Baltimore City Public School) brought another group of 9th graders to tour the Museum, while on Friday, a group of 5th graders from Patapsco Elementary (Baltimore City Public School) watched the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk before participating in Introduction to Judaism and Voices of Lombard Street programs.
EDUCATION: On Tuesday 10 November, the JMM was invited to participate in a full-day World War II-themed educational program at the Maryland Historical Society. More than 100 Baltimore City high school students (participating schools included Northwestern High School, Mergenthaler Vocational Tech, Forest Park High School, and Poly) spent the day exploring aspects of WWII and the Holocaust. In the morning, students had the opportunity to listen to personal testimony from Holocaust survivor Rubin Sztajer and WW II US Army veteran Sol Goldstein who participated in the liberation of Buchenwald. In the afternoon, the group split up to take part in a variety of activities. One of the groups participated in a Lives Lost, Lives Found photograph exploration activity facilitated by JMM education staff. Many thanks to Naomi Coquillon of the MdHS and Amy Rosenkrans of Baltimore City Public Schools for including us in this program.
On Wednesday 11 November, we held our first session of the Lessons of the Shoah high school interfaith initiative. Fr. Robert Albright and Rabbi Geoff Basik jointly provided a brief overview of the history of Judaism and Christianity, as they explored the Parting of the Way and how centuries of anti-Jewish discrimination promulgated by the Catholic church provides context for the Holocaust and the Nazis' antisemitic doctrine.
COLLECTIONS: Archivist Jennifer Vess reports that our inventory of archives and manuscripts has reached the 87.8% completion point; this long-term effort is part of the continuous process of raising standards in collections management by giving us greater intellectual control of our historical resources. Intern Heather Besch completed a draft transcription of Allan Hirsh II's oral history interview.
Collections volunteer Debbie Farthing named and photographed our mannequins on Wednesday, and on Thursday Collections Manager Jobi Zink added the records and photos to our database, as part of our effort to track exhibition display material. Jobi also compiled a list of audio tapes from the institutional archives and added those to the database
STAFF ACTIVITIES: We welcome Nicole Paterson, who started an internship in the Collections Department on Thursday. Nicole will receive her MA in Historical Studies from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County next month. At the Museum, she will help develop hands-on archaeology activities for The Synagogue Speaks exhibition.
Rachel Kassman organized a JMM table for the Jewish Health, Wealth and Lifestyle Expo in Pikesville this coming Sunday. Be sure to stop by and visit! On Tuesday 10 November, volunteer Robyn Hughes brought Dr. Linda Lee to the Museum to meet with the Education and Program departments to discuss the possibility of the Museum hosting a chess tournament for Baltimore City Public School students in the spring.
On Monday, Ilene Dackman-Alon attended an International Month Celebration sponsored by MSDE in Annapolis. Education leaders from around the State of Maryland and three countries celebrated International Education Month during the kick-off event that showcased international curricular programs and teacher exchanges in fine arts, social studies, and world languages. Storyteller Jennifer Rudick Zunikoff and our three storytellers from the JMM's latest educational initiative Student Immigration Stories, shared stories of their recent immigration experiences. Ilene also attended a meeting with representatives from The Jewish Salons, an international network that addresses Jewish identity through arts and culture. Currently, this project is being done in cities Amsterdam, Mexico City, Vienna, Budapest and Tel Aviv. The salons network connects young Jews from different communities by co-producing community events that present contemporary international Jewish culture.
On Tuesday. Anita Kassof and I met with Trustee Lee Rosenberg and architect John Srygley to discuss plans for the Museum's future expansion. Meanwhile, Rachel Kassman and Jennifer Vess are organizing a steering committee for the 2010 Purim Pandemonium, our annual young adult extravaganza.
Karen Falk, Deb Weiner, and Heather Besch were out at Trader Joe's in Pikesville this week, running a pilot for a video interview project we are calling Stories We Live By as part of the preparation for a training session next week with Dr. Jayne Guberman, a consultant on oral history.
Lots of other, ongoing activities took place, as well. I hope that everyone enjoys a peaceful Sabbath and a brisk, but clear fall weekend. Best to one and all.
Avi
We continue to have very busy and productive work weeks at the Museum. Here are a few of the highlights:
PROGRAMS: The Steering Committee for Lloyd Street Synagogue Re-Opening, chaired by JMM vice President Jerry Doctrow, met with Deborah Cardin and Simone Ellin on Friday 13 November to develop plans for the LSS public opening and a VIP event at LSS. These twin programs will mark the kick-off of the Museum's 50th Anniversary year.
On Tuesday, the JMM program Committee, chaired by Carol Glusman, convened at the PH JCC to resume discussion about enhancement to the visitor experience. This was, as always, a lively and substantial conversation.
Actress Katherine Lyons performed for Covenant Guild, Inc., at their annual Membership Dinner, as Ida Rehr in The Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk. Her very moving portrayal was very much appreciated by the audience.
On Sunday 8 November, the Sisterhood of B'nai Israel Congregation listened to JMM Research Historian & Family History Coordinator Deb Weiner present a Speakers Bureau presentation, sponsored by Attman's Delicatessen, about "Women in the Family Business." The talk touched on three Baltimore Jewish Women who were at the forefront of their family businesses: Rose Shanis of Rose Shanis Loans, Min Shavitz of Nates & Leon's Resturant, and Dora Silber of Silber's Bakery.
LEADERSHIP LUNCHEON: On Monday 9 November, JMM Trustee Larry Kamanitz hosted community leader Gail Bendit; Jim Blum, a long-time member and supporter; Greg Cantori, director of the Knott Foundation; Dr. Adam Gregerman, resident scholar at the Institute for Jewish and Christian Studies; and community leader Glenn Weinberg. As usual, conversation was lively and engaged. We thank our guests for an enjoyable visit.
VISITORS: On Sunday 8 November, the Museum hosted four Jewish congregations from a variety of geographic locations: Baltimore Hebrew, who brought their 6th graders; Temple Rodef Shalom from Virginia who brought their 7th graders; Temple B'nai Israel of Easton, Maryland who brought a range of ages; and Temple Sinai from Washington, DC, who brought a group of adults. On Thursday 12 November, Independence High School (Baltimore City Public School) brought another group of 9th graders to tour the Museum, while on Friday, a group of 5th graders from Patapsco Elementary (Baltimore City Public School) watched the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk before participating in Introduction to Judaism and Voices of Lombard Street programs.
EDUCATION: On Tuesday 10 November, the JMM was invited to participate in a full-day World War II-themed educational program at the Maryland Historical Society. More than 100 Baltimore City high school students (participating schools included Northwestern High School, Mergenthaler Vocational Tech, Forest Park High School, and Poly) spent the day exploring aspects of WWII and the Holocaust. In the morning, students had the opportunity to listen to personal testimony from Holocaust survivor Rubin Sztajer and WW II US Army veteran Sol Goldstein who participated in the liberation of Buchenwald. In the afternoon, the group split up to take part in a variety of activities. One of the groups participated in a Lives Lost, Lives Found photograph exploration activity facilitated by JMM education staff. Many thanks to Naomi Coquillon of the MdHS and Amy Rosenkrans of Baltimore City Public Schools for including us in this program.
On Wednesday 11 November, we held our first session of the Lessons of the Shoah high school interfaith initiative. Fr. Robert Albright and Rabbi Geoff Basik jointly provided a brief overview of the history of Judaism and Christianity, as they explored the Parting of the Way and how centuries of anti-Jewish discrimination promulgated by the Catholic church provides context for the Holocaust and the Nazis' antisemitic doctrine.
COLLECTIONS: Archivist Jennifer Vess reports that our inventory of archives and manuscripts has reached the 87.8% completion point; this long-term effort is part of the continuous process of raising standards in collections management by giving us greater intellectual control of our historical resources. Intern Heather Besch completed a draft transcription of Allan Hirsh II's oral history interview.
Collections volunteer Debbie Farthing named and photographed our mannequins on Wednesday, and on Thursday Collections Manager Jobi Zink added the records and photos to our database, as part of our effort to track exhibition display material. Jobi also compiled a list of audio tapes from the institutional archives and added those to the database
STAFF ACTIVITIES: We welcome Nicole Paterson, who started an internship in the Collections Department on Thursday. Nicole will receive her MA in Historical Studies from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County next month. At the Museum, she will help develop hands-on archaeology activities for The Synagogue Speaks exhibition.
Rachel Kassman organized a JMM table for the Jewish Health, Wealth and Lifestyle Expo in Pikesville this coming Sunday. Be sure to stop by and visit! On Tuesday 10 November, volunteer Robyn Hughes brought Dr. Linda Lee to the Museum to meet with the Education and Program departments to discuss the possibility of the Museum hosting a chess tournament for Baltimore City Public School students in the spring.
On Monday, Ilene Dackman-Alon attended an International Month Celebration sponsored by MSDE in Annapolis. Education leaders from around the State of Maryland and three countries celebrated International Education Month during the kick-off event that showcased international curricular programs and teacher exchanges in fine arts, social studies, and world languages. Storyteller Jennifer Rudick Zunikoff and our three storytellers from the JMM's latest educational initiative Student Immigration Stories, shared stories of their recent immigration experiences. Ilene also attended a meeting with representatives from The Jewish Salons, an international network that addresses Jewish identity through arts and culture. Currently, this project is being done in cities Amsterdam, Mexico City, Vienna, Budapest and Tel Aviv. The salons network connects young Jews from different communities by co-producing community events that present contemporary international Jewish culture.
On Tuesday. Anita Kassof and I met with Trustee Lee Rosenberg and architect John Srygley to discuss plans for the Museum's future expansion. Meanwhile, Rachel Kassman and Jennifer Vess are organizing a steering committee for the 2010 Purim Pandemonium, our annual young adult extravaganza.
Karen Falk, Deb Weiner, and Heather Besch were out at Trader Joe's in Pikesville this week, running a pilot for a video interview project we are calling Stories We Live By as part of the preparation for a training session next week with Dr. Jayne Guberman, a consultant on oral history.
Lots of other, ongoing activities took place, as well. I hope that everyone enjoys a peaceful Sabbath and a brisk, but clear fall weekend. Best to one and all.
Avi
Friday, November 6, 2009
New Feature: JMM Weekly Report 11.06.09
JMM Weekly Report
From the Desk of Avi Decter, Executive Director
November 6, 2009
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
This has been an eventful, productive week at the Museum. On Sunday, the JMM welcomed the Baltimore Chapter of Brandeis Women for a private program with noted scholar Dr. Melvin Urofsky, who has just published Louis D. Brandeis: A Life. Following his morning lecture, Dr. Urofsky spoke at a public program and book-signing. On Monday, the Lloyd Street Synagogue Steering Committee, chaired by JMM Trustee Lee Rosenberg, held its final Phase 2 progress meeting, marking the conclusion of our $1 million restoration project. Also on Monday, we held our quarterly Board meeting, with a lively discussion about budgets. On Tuesday, the Museum sponsored the Herbert and Irma Risch Memorial Program at Patterson Park Charter School (more below). And so on. Here are some other highlights of the week that was:
GIFTS: I am delighted to report that the Herbert Bearman Foundation (Drs. Sheldon and Arlene Bearman, Trustees) have committed $18,000 to support the re-dedication of Lloyd Street Synagogue, the kick-off event in our 50th Anniversary programming, and to provide General Operating Support. We are very appreciative of the Bearman Family's continuing generous support and encouragement.
PROGRAMS: On Monday and Tuesday, the JMM hosted patrons Frank and Helen Risch during their recent visit to Baltimore. On Monday, the Risches participated in a class at Patterson High School and met with the students who are sharing the stories of their journeys to America with other students. The JMM is working with storyteller Jennifer Rudick Zunikoff and intern Tamara Filipovic on this educational initiative. On Tuesday, three student storytellers from Somalia, Uzbekistan, and Togo shared their stories of immigration at an assembly of 160 students and 30 invited guests at Patterson Park Charter School, one of the JMM's Museum-School partners. The Herbert B. and Irma B. Risch Memorial Program Coming to America - Then and Now featured Student Immigration Stories and a presentation of the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk. The Risch Memorial Program is funded through the generous support of the Frank & Helen Risch Philanthropic Fund at THE ASSOCIATED. This was a wonderful event
The Museum's October 29th program at the Park Heights JCC, Finding Refuge: The Holocaust and Latin America, was an enlightening and enjoyable program. The group of 43 participants, who included Holocaust survivors, area teachers, members of the Baltimore Jewish Council's Hispanic Dialogue, and the Latino Providers Network, listened intently as speaker Christina Chavarria from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) explained Latin America's unique role in Holocaust history: notoriously sheltering fleeing Nazi criminals and, more significantly, accepting Jewish refugees from Hitler's Europe. Jewish refugees and their lives in Latin America represent a new focus by the USHMM. As a result of this gathering, Christina was also able to collect family names, contributing to the USHMM's research and Registry of Survivors. A follow up program, featuring a trip to the USHMM, is planned for spring 2010. The program was moderated by Lois Rosenfeld of The American Jewish Committee.
On Friday, the JCC and JMM partnered for a Tot Shabbat Program geared for downtown families of very young children. Participants listened to a Shabbat Story, sang and danced to Shabbat songs and finished the morning with juice and challah for snack. These Tot Shabbat programs are part of the JCC's program, "JCC Beyond the Borders" funded by the The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education. Also on Friday, B'nai Israel Young Adults will hold a Shabbat dinner in our lobby.
COLLECTIONS: The oral history archive of the Museum received a gift of two hours of tapes about Ner Israel Yeshiva in the 1970's when it was located on Garrison Boulevard. The interview of Jonathan Zylberman, a former Ner Israel student, was conducted and recorded by JMM special Project Consultant Dr. Barry S. Lever.
Collections volunteer Debbie Farthing photographed all of the cases, bases, vitrines, and platforms in the Museum. These images have been added to the database to further assist us in tracking our exhibition display materials. The collections staff held a lively meeting on Wednesday to discuss the library collecting policy. On Thursday the collections staff discussed their budget with Susan Press. Both meetings were very helpful and have made us more aware of how we can improve our collections spending and oversight.
EDUCATION: On Tuesday, Mother Mary Lange (Baltimore City Catholic School) brought around 35 middle school students to tour the Museum and listen to survivor Vera Kestenberg discuss her life in Hungary. On Thursday, Running Brook Elementary (Howard County Public School) brought 46 3rd graders to listen to the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk and tour the Museum. At a Wednesday session, seventh grade students at Chizuk Amuno's Kreiger-Schecter Day School, engaged Dr. Barry S. Lever, JMM Special Project Consultant, in an oral history interview to develop skills necessary to conduct successful oral histories of their own family members.
The Education Department met with JMM docents to discuss plans for the upcoming Synagogue Speaks exhibition in the Lloyd Street Synagogue. We also discussed ways of improving current tours for adult and student groups. Many thanks to Ilene Cohen for arranging the meeting and for our dedicated volunteer docents who attended.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: Thursday, Jobi Zink led a training session on Past Perfect for Mindy Glaser McShane, Heather Besch, and Jessica Levine. Jobi also began posting advertisements for winter and spring interns this week and interviewed one candidate.
Anita Kassof and Deb Weiner are completing the exhibition script for our new Core Exhibition, The Synagogue Speaks. Curator Karen Falk has been working on our Jewish foodways show, our projected Judaica exhibition, and a retrospective exhibition of work by artist Nancy Patz. Program Director Ilene Dackman-Alon with Harriet Lynn to discuss programming for the 50th anniversary year of the JMM. Deb Weiner, Rachel Kassman, and I reviewed layouts for our next issue of Generations magazine, and I sent in my final edits for a book review that will appear in American Jewish History.
All in all, a very exciting week for the Museum and the communities we serve. Best wishes for a peaceful Sabbath and lovely fall weekend to one and all.
Avi
From the Desk of Avi Decter, Executive Director
November 6, 2009
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Dear Friends,
This has been an eventful, productive week at the Museum. On Sunday, the JMM welcomed the Baltimore Chapter of Brandeis Women for a private program with noted scholar Dr. Melvin Urofsky, who has just published Louis D. Brandeis: A Life. Following his morning lecture, Dr. Urofsky spoke at a public program and book-signing. On Monday, the Lloyd Street Synagogue Steering Committee, chaired by JMM Trustee Lee Rosenberg, held its final Phase 2 progress meeting, marking the conclusion of our $1 million restoration project. Also on Monday, we held our quarterly Board meeting, with a lively discussion about budgets. On Tuesday, the Museum sponsored the Herbert and Irma Risch Memorial Program at Patterson Park Charter School (more below). And so on. Here are some other highlights of the week that was:
GIFTS: I am delighted to report that the Herbert Bearman Foundation (Drs. Sheldon and Arlene Bearman, Trustees) have committed $18,000 to support the re-dedication of Lloyd Street Synagogue, the kick-off event in our 50th Anniversary programming, and to provide General Operating Support. We are very appreciative of the Bearman Family's continuing generous support and encouragement.
PROGRAMS: On Monday and Tuesday, the JMM hosted patrons Frank and Helen Risch during their recent visit to Baltimore. On Monday, the Risches participated in a class at Patterson High School and met with the students who are sharing the stories of their journeys to America with other students. The JMM is working with storyteller Jennifer Rudick Zunikoff and intern Tamara Filipovic on this educational initiative. On Tuesday, three student storytellers from Somalia, Uzbekistan, and Togo shared their stories of immigration at an assembly of 160 students and 30 invited guests at Patterson Park Charter School, one of the JMM's Museum-School partners. The Herbert B. and Irma B. Risch Memorial Program Coming to America - Then and Now featured Student Immigration Stories and a presentation of the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk. The Risch Memorial Program is funded through the generous support of the Frank & Helen Risch Philanthropic Fund at THE ASSOCIATED. This was a wonderful event
The Museum's October 29th program at the Park Heights JCC, Finding Refuge: The Holocaust and Latin America, was an enlightening and enjoyable program. The group of 43 participants, who included Holocaust survivors, area teachers, members of the Baltimore Jewish Council's Hispanic Dialogue, and the Latino Providers Network, listened intently as speaker Christina Chavarria from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (USHMM) explained Latin America's unique role in Holocaust history: notoriously sheltering fleeing Nazi criminals and, more significantly, accepting Jewish refugees from Hitler's Europe. Jewish refugees and their lives in Latin America represent a new focus by the USHMM. As a result of this gathering, Christina was also able to collect family names, contributing to the USHMM's research and Registry of Survivors. A follow up program, featuring a trip to the USHMM, is planned for spring 2010. The program was moderated by Lois Rosenfeld of The American Jewish Committee.
On Friday, the JCC and JMM partnered for a Tot Shabbat Program geared for downtown families of very young children. Participants listened to a Shabbat Story, sang and danced to Shabbat songs and finished the morning with juice and challah for snack. These Tot Shabbat programs are part of the JCC's program, "JCC Beyond the Borders" funded by the The Jacob & Hilda Blaustein Fund for the Enrichment of Jewish Education. Also on Friday, B'nai Israel Young Adults will hold a Shabbat dinner in our lobby.
COLLECTIONS: The oral history archive of the Museum received a gift of two hours of tapes about Ner Israel Yeshiva in the 1970's when it was located on Garrison Boulevard. The interview of Jonathan Zylberman, a former Ner Israel student, was conducted and recorded by JMM special Project Consultant Dr. Barry S. Lever.
Collections volunteer Debbie Farthing photographed all of the cases, bases, vitrines, and platforms in the Museum. These images have been added to the database to further assist us in tracking our exhibition display materials. The collections staff held a lively meeting on Wednesday to discuss the library collecting policy. On Thursday the collections staff discussed their budget with Susan Press. Both meetings were very helpful and have made us more aware of how we can improve our collections spending and oversight.
EDUCATION: On Tuesday, Mother Mary Lange (Baltimore City Catholic School) brought around 35 middle school students to tour the Museum and listen to survivor Vera Kestenberg discuss her life in Hungary. On Thursday, Running Brook Elementary (Howard County Public School) brought 46 3rd graders to listen to the Leo V. Berger Immigrant's Trunk and tour the Museum. At a Wednesday session, seventh grade students at Chizuk Amuno's Kreiger-Schecter Day School, engaged Dr. Barry S. Lever, JMM Special Project Consultant, in an oral history interview to develop skills necessary to conduct successful oral histories of their own family members.
The Education Department met with JMM docents to discuss plans for the upcoming Synagogue Speaks exhibition in the Lloyd Street Synagogue. We also discussed ways of improving current tours for adult and student groups. Many thanks to Ilene Cohen for arranging the meeting and for our dedicated volunteer docents who attended.
STAFF ACTIVITIES: Thursday, Jobi Zink led a training session on Past Perfect for Mindy Glaser McShane, Heather Besch, and Jessica Levine. Jobi also began posting advertisements for winter and spring interns this week and interviewed one candidate.
Anita Kassof and Deb Weiner are completing the exhibition script for our new Core Exhibition, The Synagogue Speaks. Curator Karen Falk has been working on our Jewish foodways show, our projected Judaica exhibition, and a retrospective exhibition of work by artist Nancy Patz. Program Director Ilene Dackman-Alon with Harriet Lynn to discuss programming for the 50th anniversary year of the JMM. Deb Weiner, Rachel Kassman, and I reviewed layouts for our next issue of Generations magazine, and I sent in my final edits for a book review that will appear in American Jewish History.
All in all, a very exciting week for the Museum and the communities we serve. Best wishes for a peaceful Sabbath and lovely fall weekend to one and all.
Avi
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
