JMM Insights: Love to Our Members

Post author By RachelK
Post date 02/12/2021
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*Vintage Valentine’s Day card from a childhood scrapbook. Gift of Susan and Steven Sklar, JMM 2016.10.129.*

Valentine’s Day is this Sunday (and if you’re looking for some last minute gifts, you might want to check out Esther’s Place: Online for some great options – with curbside pick up available!) and we’ve got hearts in eyes. Consider this edition of JMM Insights a valentine to some of our very favorite people – our Members.

Did you know that we currently have 775 active memberships? A membership can represent anywhere from 1 individual to a family of 6+! Membership is one of the best ways you can support the Museum, not just financially through membership dues, but by letting us know you think what JMM does is important. Every membership is a vote of confidence in our mission and our work.

If you’re not yet a member, but you’re ready to show your love for JMM, why not be our Valentine, and join today?

We’re always looking for ways to let our members know how important they are to us – whether through special members-only events like exhibit openings or next week’s special screening of The Space Torah Project in partnership with the William and Irene Weinberg Family Baltimore Jewish Film Festival.

That’s also why when you visit the Museum in person and get your admission sticker, we have a special version for our members, so everyone will know what a great supporter and friend of the Museum you are!

Thinking about how our stickers let visitors proudly display their JMM Membership, we decided to take a peek into the collections to check out other membership declarations. We hope you enjoy this look into some of the ways Jewish Marylanders have shown their membership in things they believe in.

This stick pin with a red round top, “Save-a-heart Life Member,” belonged to Sylvia (Simmie/Sima) Zeiger Schneider – did you know Baltimore has a Save a Heart Foundation, founded by Bernard Sapperstein? (Pictured in the front row, second from the right in the Jewish Educational Alliance photo below.) Gift of Natalie Slobodin, JMM 2000.128.41.

Black and white group photograph of ten young men. Back row includes: Wally Nusbaum, Al Posner, H(?), and one unidentified individual. Front row, left to right, includes: Swiggy Snyder, Irvin Leury, Gershon Ude, Fakir Klein, Bernie Sapperstein, and an unidentified individual. JMM 1992.231.101.

This trio of pins all come from Jewish women’s organizations!

Round, old Hadassah life member pin. Eric Goldstein Research Papers, JMM 2001.113.116.
Oval-shaped metal pin with the entwined logo of NCJW (National Council of Jewish Women) and “Life Member” below the logo. Gift of Ferne Rogow, JMM 2018.38.4.
Round, gold pin with a stylized menorah, “Life Member B’nai B’rith Women.” This pin belonged to Miriam Goldspinner Becker. Gift of Duke Zimmerman, JMM 2013.75.2.

Here’s a pair of ribbons sure to draw the eye of passers-by.

Gold-stamped silk ribbon with lace rosette worn by Joseph Feldman as a member of Odd Fellows, Alleghany Lodge of Covington, VA; c. 1894. Gift of Sadie B. Feldman, JMM 1993.63.1.
A red and white ribbon-and-pin combo that reads “1969-1970 Honor Roll Membership Life Members Award.” Do you know what organization this award might be from? Eric Goldstein Research Papers, JMM 2001.113.117.

This set of six ribbons proclaiming membership in the Royal Sisters Society of Baltimore are double-sided, one purple and one black.

According to the donor, the black side was shown during funerals, showing how important declaring membership in this group could be to the sisters. Read a little more about this artifact in Joanna Church’s blog post Fancy Conference Badges, 1909-1937. Gift of Helen Glaser, JMM 1998.114.9.

Remember – it’s never too late to “make it official” and join the JMM family!

JMM Insights: Love to Our Members

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